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“Be careful with our cousin. He has no clue as to the steps of the dance. Protect your feet at all costs. He has badly bruised mine already. Good luck.”

It was clear to all around them what Elizabeth was imparting and there one or two smirks in the direction of Mr. Collins.

“I am afraid my dancing is over for the evening Mr. Darcy. I release you from our set.”

“I am sorry to hear that. May I help you to a seat and then get you another glass of lemonade?”

“Thank you, Mr. Darcy, that would be most kind.”

Elizabeth chose a seat at a small table at the unfashionable end of the ballroom, conveniently far removed from her mother, sitting with the other matrons. Darcy returned with her glass of lemonade and a glass of wine for himself.

“Since we cannot dance, may I sit with you?”

“Of course, I would enjoy the company.”

Elizabeth was surprised that she meant that last one. Claire moved a discreet distance away. After Darcy had taken a sip of his wine he looked over at Elizabeth.

“I want to thank you for forcing me to do something I should have done many weeks ago. I apologised to your sister during the dance. It is a poor reflection on me that it has taken me so long and only at your prodding. I confessed and explained that it was unpardonable of me to take out my frustration on an innocent bystander. I spouted such nonsense, anything to get Bingley to leave me alone. Miss Mary was very generous in accepting my apology. Apparently having a sister who I purchase music for, improved me in her estimation. So, thank you.”

Elizabeth nodded her head, no further words were necessary. As he had said, it had taken too long but it had now occurred. It was time to move past it.

“May I ask what you have been reading while we were all trapped inside by the weather?”

Elizabeth was careful in how she responded.

“My uncle subscribes to many magazines and journals and he forwards them to me once he has read them. We talk of the articles in our letters. Given my interest in the war on the Peninsula I have been trying to learn Spanish. I am slowly getting better but would not claim to be fluent, far from it. But it is an excellent way to pass the time. This past Monday I reread Walter Scott’s recent poem The Vision of Don Roderick. I hoped that on a second reading it would improve on me, but I confess it is a work that I am indifferent to. When I compare it to some of his earlier work I find it lacking.”

Darcy was happy at a private ball for the first time in what felt like years. He had an articulate woman to converse with, and he was sure Miss Elizabeth Bennet was incapable of simpering. They talked through the whole of the second set.

“Will you excuse me Miss Elizabeth. I should do my duty and dance with Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst. I am to dance with your oldest sister for the supper set so may I escort you to supper afterwards?”

“That is very kind Mr. Darcy. I accept.”

The next hour and a half passed slowly for Elizabeth, her foot throbbed and many people came to check on her but no one stayed. She would stay for supper but decided to retire early afterwards. There was no point in staying until the small hours of the morning when she could not dance.

At first supper was a continuation of the delightful conversation from earlier. But gradually Elizabeth became aware of the antics of her family. Jane was demurely talking with Mr. Bingley, her behaviour without reproach. Mary had been two places down from Elizabeth and again had been appropriate throughout dinner. But when it came time for the ladies to perform Mary suffered an attack of nerves and played poorly. She returned to her seat mortified at her performance. Her audience had heard her play the piece many times before and so was sympathetic but it did little to calm Mary. As she returned to her seat Elizabeth closed her eyes in embarrassment as Mr. Collins prattled on. The man just did not know when to be quiet.

But these were mere palate cleansers for the main course. Elizabeth watched in horror as Lydia cavorted round the room waving an officer’s sword about her. At one point she came close to stabbing Mr. Long in the arm. Only a swift step back saved him from impalement. It was clear that Lydia had joined Mr. Hurst at the refreshment table, she was well in her cups. Kitty followed behind Lydia equally drunk but at least not waving a cutlass above her head. And yet her mother managed to outdo both her youngest daughters. She was clear across the room but Elizabeth still heard her mother lauding the match between Jane and Mr. Bingley. To her knowledge Mr. Bingley had not yet applied for even a courtship but Mrs. Bennet was talking as if the marriage was all but settled. Supper could not finish too soon.

As soon as she was able Elizabeth retired for the evening. She had told Mr. Darcy at the end of supper and made her farewell to Mr. Bingley before the dancing started up again. She did not inform her mother, or indeed request permission, she just quietly left. She was in bed and sound asleep long before the ball was over. Even the drunken ruckus of the family returning did not rouse her from a deep sleep.

It had been an evening, a week, indeed a month, to forget.

Chapter 13

“Mr. Darcy. Louisa and I are both very concerned that Charles will make an unsuitable match with Miss Bennet. We implore you to intercede, to stop him from making such a disastrous connection.”

It was the day after the ball and the three of them were in the drawing room. Bingley had departed for London immediately after the midday meal as he had business there. He expected to return in three or four days.

“Why would I do such a thing? Your brother is his own man, knows his own mind.”

“But Mr. Darcy, surely you can see that a connection to the Bennets would not benefit him?”

When Darcy did not immediately answer Miss Bingley was set to further importune him, but her sister’s warning hand on her arm kept her silent. Because Mr. Darcy was considering her point. The ball had played out like a three-act drama in the theatre.

The days leading up to the ball had been trying for Darcy, trapped in the same house as Caroline Bingley. But the first third of the evening had been a delight. The time spent with Miss Elizabeth, and Miss Mary, had flown by, interesting conversation in a relaxed atmosphere and devoid of tension. If only all such balls were so pleasant.

But then at supper everything started to fall apart, and quickly. He felt sorry for Miss Mary, her nerves getting the better of her. He could imagine his sister in the same position. Actually, he was not sure that Georgiana had the poise yet to perform in public. But for the following 30 minutes, it felt a lot longer at the time, the Bennets displayed crass behaviour, dangerous behaviour, and the most concentrated display of ill-manners he had ever witnessed. Who would want to connect to such a family? By the end of supper it was no wonder that Miss Elizabeth decided to return to Longbourn. He should have retired to his own rooms at the same time.