“You know it is your duty to answer a duchess, do you not?” Charlotte teased.
“Mandy, no one will force a confidence,” Jane told her as she took her hand in hers and patted it.“All I hope is that, whether it is Louisa’s brother who wins your heart or another, you choose your mate for love, felicity, and respect. I can tell you from my experience of almost a year, that there is nothing better than such a marriage.”
“I agree,” both Louisa and Charlotte chorused at the same time.
“When there is news to tell, I promise you that you will be among the first to know,” Mandy said as her blush started to slowly recede.
As Franklin Lucas was pouring himself a glass of punch, he noticed Lady Elizabeth heading for the punch bowl, and that she was unaccompanied. He did not miss her brothers and cousin Darcy watching intently, ready to jump into action if there was a need. He also did not miss the two enormous footmen that were watching her every move. He was about to vacate the area of the punchbowl when she addressed him directly.
“Would you mind pouring me a glass of Mother Bennet’s punch please, Mr Lucas,” she requested.
“I do not think that your family will approve of my talking to you, your Ladyship,” he said with a bow.
“It is I who initiated the contact, and we all know that your behaviour since that time has been exemplary. Not only did you apologise, but your actions much more so than your words prove that you were sincere in your resolution to change your path. So, as I am not talking to the man that was, but rather the one that is, I feel comfortable making the request I did,” Elizabeth explained to a very relieved man.
He did as she asked and bowed.“I wish you and your family merry Christmastide, Lady Elizabeth.”
“And I wish you and your family the same,” Elizabeth returned as she curtsied and returned with her drink to where her brothers and Will were standing. She did not miss how the three men relaxed now that they could see she was not ill at ease. She would never be friends with Franklin Lucas, but she would now count him as an acquaintance.
The following day, everyone was up at the crack of dawn to exchange gifts in the drawing room where the Bennets, for the first time, were trying the Prussian tradition that he had read about of having a tree in the corner of the room decorated with all manner of things with an angel on the top. The three, Tom, Kitty, and Alex, who tried so hard to prove that they were ready to leave the nursery, were no less excited to open their gifts than the three Gardiner children.
Bennet presented Lizzy with a miniature of her Grandmother Beth, her namesake, and a small portrait that included all of the current Bennet family. Jane gifted her sister a bracelet and earbobs that matched her cross that she had worn since before she was kidnapped. Elizabeth was vastly touched by their thoughtful gifts. She presented her birth father with a rare first edition that she knew he had been searching for which Uncle George and Will had assisted her in finding. The look on Father Bennet’s face was gift enough. She presented Jane with a cross just like hers, except encrusted with sapphires and with the words‘For my angel‘Anie’engraved on the back. The exchange of gifts between the three led to much hugging and not a few tears.
After the gifts, the family broke their fasts and then changed for church. Even though it was cold with a light dusting of snow, the Longbourn party walked the short distance. Mr Pierce gave a rousing sermon about the miracle of the birth of the Christ child, followed by the concluding prayers. After a concluding hymn, the service was over.
The Bingley, Pierce, and Phillips families joined the party at Longbourn for the massive feast served for Christmas dinner. As was the norm at Longbourn, there was no precedence observed and everyone sat with whomever they wished.
Elizabeth was thankful that Will seemed to be back to normal and there was none of the distance she had felt on the journey into town. When she had mentioned his behaviour to her mother, she had reminded her daughter of William’s behaviour all those years ago that had nothing to do with his feelings for her, rather it wasbecauseof his feelings. She reminded her daughter that if he had feelings now, he would have to wait until she was out, so it was highly likely his way of trying to regulate himself.
When she really considered her mother’s words, Elizabeth had seen the truth of them, so rather than take offence, she showed understanding. As they sat across the table from each other, she caught him staring at her he was wont to do, and rather than look away, they held each other’s eyes, and she gave him a wide and warm smile. It was the first time that each truly began to understand that mayhap the other reciprocated their feelings.
The day after Christmas, Elizabeth was summoned to see her brother and mother to discuss the Twelfth Night ball the Bennets were holding. After consulting with Tammy and Thomas Bennet, they discovered that unlike those that were held in town, there would be no inappropriate behaviour or suggestive games played at the Bennets’party; it would essentially just be a normal ball that happened to be held on Twelfth Night. Due to this, Elizabeth was informed by Andrew and her mother that she would be allowed to dance at the ball, though only with family or close friends that were approved ahead of time by Andrew. Luckily, there were more than enough family members.
When Will found out that Elizabeth would be permitted to dance at the ball, he lit up, but the light was dimmed as Andrew mentioned that his sister would not dance more than once withanyman that night. Will found Elizabeth sitting in her birth father’s library and petitioned her for the supper set, which she granted with pleasure.
Elizabeth thought that her brother’s one set rule was highhanded, but no amount of cajoling caused him to relent. Richard would dance the first, followed by father Bennet, and then Andrew, Ian Ashby, and then William Bennet would have the set before the supper set. John Manning would dance with her the set after the meal, Perry, then Uncles George, Edward, and Frank would fill out the rest of her dance card. Andrew was relieved that Lizzy’s card was filled by family only.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
The night of the ball, Elizabeth felt the thrill of excitement which can only come when something is unknown. The only other place she had danced was in one of the family’s houses with a dancing master. She had danced with her Fitzwilliam brothers, Perry, and William before, but she had never been to a ball before and was grateful that, in Meryton, girls were allowed to attend local events from the age of sixteen.
She had to admit that as much as she was happy to be dancing for each set, if she had only been allowed to dance the supper set with Will, it would have been enough. Not only would she dance with him, but he would be her partner at supper!
The ball room was lit with what looked like a thousand candles so that it was practically as light as day inside. There were chairs lining the walls with a long table for punch bowls and other refreshing drinks on one side.
Richard led his sister to the floor for the first set and she revelled in the experience. Then all was a blur until Will came to collect her for the supper set. She rested her hand on his arm lightly, but she was very aware of his body heat through his sleeve and her glove.
Will was as much in anticipation for their dance as his partner was. He had danced every set so far, not wanting to leave anyone without a partner if she desired to dance. He had thrown his 1797 calendar away with glee and now he had started crossing off days in 1798. Just over a year before he could start courting her unofficially!
The dance was magical for them both, and when they were separated by the line, they each felt bereft of the other’s company. At the end of the set, Will led Elizabeth to a table with other family members and went to fill her plate for her.
None of the parents sitting two tables over missed the dreamy look on Elizabeth’s face or the besotted look on Will’s. Lady Anne was thinking how much she would love to have Lizzy as a daughter while Lady Elaine was thinking about how close her daughter would live to Snowhaven if things progressed, once she was out. At the same table as the aforementioned couple, Andrew and Richard both suspected that Will would become their brother…one day, sooner rather than later!
January 10, 1808
The Darcys and the Fitzwilliams arrived at their respective estates around midday on the tenth day of January. Branch made his walk to the kitchens, then was led to the master’s study. The master confirmed that the date for the note that would be put in the knothole had not changed. As Jones returned to his shared room with Branch, he overheard the head coachman and the butler talking about how the two families would meet at Pemberley on the second day of April then travel to some house in the Lake District, and that there would only be two outriders per family coach.
Jones knew that this was exactly what his employer wanted, so he said that this message he would deliver to the hiding place himself. He did, and of course, within minutes of him departing Kympton, Branch had replaced Jones’note in the hole with his.
