CHAPTER TEN
Ideclined to dance any more sets and instead spoke briefly to Sir William Lucas before finally gratifying myself by finding a chair next to Mr Bennet, who was subdued and required nothing of me. Two sets later, I was again waylaid by Sir William as I crossed the room, and upon hearing the last strains of the dance were about to be played, I excused myself and went directly behind Miss Elizabeth and took her arm.
She had just been speaking to Mr John Lucas, who moved away when I approached, and was somewhat startled to be so possessively handled.
“Calm yourself,” I said in a low voice. “I am only taking you for refreshments.”
“Upon whose permission do you do so, sir?” she asked coldly.
I chuckled and bent closer to her ear. “Yourfather’s. He is peckish and does not want to fight a crowd for his plate. I have secured him one of two tables in the alcove and he wishes for his daughters to join him.”
“Gracious, how gallant you are,” she said with an arch look, but I felt her relax and knew I had not truly annoyed her. I saw her sisters ahead of us and swept them up, steering the party towards a premium spot in the refreshment room that had cost me a shilling to secure.
Apparently, Meryton society had not learnt the general expectation that people should be allowed the dignity of eating without interruption.. As we ate, people milled in front of us and engaged one occupant of the table or another. At one time in my life, this would have annoyed me greatly. But tonight, while Miss Bennet and Miss Mary were speaking for a prolonged period with Mrs Philips, and Mr Bennet was detained by the lady’s husband, I made use of their distraction to smirk at my table companion.
“I do hope you do not imply by that stupid look that I am to congratulate you, sir,” she said.
“What look is it that you object to?”
“The look often used by Bandit when he wants half my biscuit.”
“I see. And precisely what, may I ask, am I trying with this so-called stupid look to beg from you?”
“You want me to congratulate you for your show.”
“What show, miss?” I asked, dripping with innocence.
“You know very well what show. I suspect you have never in your life stooped to notice any lady, leaning against a wall, thinking she wasted her money on dancing slippers.”
We spoke in lowered voices so as not to be overheard. “Much you would know about it. I would venture to guess you have never been without a partner unless you wished to be.”
“I would be forced to muttertouché’were it not for the fact that my sister Mary and my friend Charlotte are so often overlooked as to cause me pain to see it.”
“And yet,” I said, “I do not detect the slightest approval from you for my efforts.”
“I had not thought you so dull-witted.”
“By all means, say what you wish to say,” I cheerfully replied, momentarily forgetting to lower my voice.
She answered in something like a vicious whisper. “I would have to be simple indeed to believe your motivation for leading out those particular ladies was purely charitable.”
“I do not know that I have ever been accused of being stupid for thinking someone was stupid,” I mused. “Did you indeed just do so?”
“Yourhearing,at least, is acute,” she said sweetly.
I paused. In truth, I stopped to savour the tartness ofour conversation that left the taste of sweetness in its wake.
In that moment before speaking again, however, I heard Mrs Philips ask Miss Bennet, “What news from Kitty and Lydia?”
Miss Bennet’s reply was drowned out by laughter from the next room, but her expression and that of her two sisters were clear. They looked slightly miserable at the mention of their siblings.
Miss Elizabeth must have noted my curiosity. Perhaps I frowned a little. There was some secret not yet revealed, and I puzzled over it.
“Will you call at Longbourn tomorrow, Mr Darcy?” she asked.
“I had planned to, unless you think my arrival would be a nuisance after a late night.”
“By all means come, sir. If the weather is fine, we can walk farther than we normally do and wear out that horrid animal.”
