A Mutual Accord

Chapter 31

CHAPTER 31

T he following day was the weekly dance assembly. The ladies had been waiting with excitement for Darcy to arrive so that Lady Catherine would agree to attend. There were people of all types, and one might find oneself standing up with a shopkeeper as easily as a nobleman, but there were enough dance partners to satisfy the ladies. After some wheedling from Lydia, Elizabeth was surprised to find herself encouraging Darcy and Lady Catherine to allow the younger girls to accompany them, on the condition that they only dance with each other and the gentlemen of the house, and would leave immediately after those dances with Mrs Annesley. Georgiana and Lydia were content with this, and made no trouble. The ladies dined in their rooms as they prepared for the dance, and Elizabeth and Jane took particular care with their toilette, for they had not danced with their young men since visiting London after the festive season.

Elizabeth was surprised to see Mr and Miss Woodhouse as they entered the assembly. “I shall not dance,” the young woman insisted. “I do not think it a good idea, I must preserve my strength. But I simply had to come, and see my friend Lady Priscilla stand up with her cousin Mr Darcy for the first.”

“You shall be sorely disappointed, for we are both committed elsewhere,” laughed Priscilla, taking the arm of Lord Lennox, who had solicited the first two dances some days ago. He was a rake, and she would not encourage him, but Priscilla saw no harm in dancing and enjoying the evening. Anne too, took the arm of Sir Albert Swinton, and Georgiana and Lydia took to the floor together, laughing in delight.

“It really is too much that Miss Elizabeth stands in the way of what is best for her friend,” said Miss Woodhouse, as Elizabeth took the floor with Darcy.

“It really is too much that you cannot mind your own business,” sneered Lady Catherine, who was thoroughly tired of Miss Woodhouse’s endless remarks in that direction. The older woman moved to the side of the room with the Misses Jenkins, who had saved her a seat with the matrons.

“Well, really!” said Miss Woodhouse.

“You rather asked for that,” smirked Caroline Bingley.

“I beg your pardon!” exclaimed Miss Woodhouse.

“She is not wrong, my dear. Lady Catherine has made her approval of her nephew’s courtship plain,” said her father.

“But, Papa!” Miss Woodhouse objected.

“Come now, Miss Woodhouse, you must not tire yourself. Come and sit here by the wall with me, you may keep me company while I await an invitation to dance.” Caroline took Emma’s arm and led her to the side of the room with the other young ladies.

“Excuse me, but I am no wallflower!” objected Miss Woodhouse again.

“Well, you are an invalid, are you not? You ought to get used to sitting by the wall if you are to remain forever unwell,” said Caroline pointedly. All of the young ladies agreed that no one believed Miss Woodhouse was truly unwell. It was not only that the comte had drawn it to attention, everyone had noticed that Miss Woodhouse’s condition was odd, and that no one seemed to believe in it but her father.

It was not long before Caroline was asked to dance by the colonel of the militia, a dashing man, with an expectation of a rather incredible estate from an uncle on his mother’s side one day. It was rumoured that the family’s fortune rivalled Mr Darcy’s, though the uncle himself was reclusive and reviled society. In the meantime, Colonel George Allen was doing his duty to his country. Caroline never thought she might consider an officer, but a handsome colonel with fine expectations, who would not go to war, for his regiment did not leave the country? Perhaps…

By the third set, the comte had arrived, and solicited a dance with all of the noble ladies present, as well as the ladies of Bourne House. Everyone was shocked and delighted to see Lady Catherine spinning about the floor with the comte , laughing, eyes alive with merriment. Mr Woodhouse lost no time in claiming her hand for the next set, and when she returned to the side of the room, Darcy approached her with his hand outstretched.

“Aunt, you could not be so cruel as to deny your favourite nephew the pleasure,” grinned Darcy. His aunt took his arm as the comte approached Elizabeth for their set.

“Your elixir has done wonders for her,” Elizabeth commented, following the comte’s gaze to her hostess.

“She has always reminded me of Catherine the Great. How that woman loved to dance! So alive! So strong, so determined…” he trailed off as his memories washed over him. “Did you know, her real name was not Catherine?” he laughed aloud, “It was Sophie.”

“How do you know all of this?” Elizabeth asked curiously. This man was such a conundrum ! In a hundred years, she could never puzzle him out.

The comte smiled at her and replied, “I was there.”

“How could that be possible?” Elizabeth demanded.

“ Mademoiselle , I have attended so many coronations and royal funerals, I regard myself as a proficient bystander of history,” answered the mysterious man.

“Are you a vampire, then?” she asked boldly.

“I have been mistaken for a vampire, a time traveller, and a wizard. Truthfully, I am only a man who has discovered a wonderful skin cream.” he smiled.

“How old are you then?” Elizabeth asked.

“The comte laughed at her boldness. “ Mademoiselle , I have lived through so many centuries, that I stopped counting birthdays many, many years ago.”

They stopped talking as the dance drew them apart for a moment, and he smiled at her. “You are a citrine, I think. Perhaps a topaz.”

“Whatever do you mean, monsieur? ” Elizabeth asked.

The comte laughed. “I like to amuse myself, by selecting the perfect jewel for the ladies of my acquaintance. You, mademoiselle , are a citrine. Your youngest sister, she is a rare one. You do not see many pink topaz. Her friend, Mademoiselle D’Arcy , that one is special. Not a jewel, but a pearl.”

“What an amusing activity,” Elizabeth laughed. “I must say, you do have good taste, and good instincts too, I think.”

“In a jewel, I see the splendour of creation, and the imperfections that nature left. Just as the finest jewels have tiny flaws, so too do the most noble hearts.” He nodded towards Emma Woodhouse who was near the side of the floor, watching her father and Lady Catherine intently, “Like your friend there.”

“I am not at all certain what you mean, but Miss Woodhouse’s condition is curious, is it not?” Elizabeth said in perplexity.

“Not so very curious,” the comte said, smiling. “I believe it makes perfect sense.”

“The comte is certainly an odd man,” Elizabeth said as she joined Jane, Bingley, and Darcy at the side of the room a short time later. “Every time we speak, I leave the conversation lightheaded.”

“Ha! Yesterday, the man informed me what Louis XVI was wearing at his beheading!” Bingley choked out. “And what's even more odd, I believe he was perfectly serious!”

“And your aunt’s claim that he has not aged since she met him over thirty years ago!” Elizabeth exclaimed. “He just informed me that he is centuries old!”

“I find him fascinating,” admitted Darcy.

“Well I find him revolting!” interrupted Anne as she joined them. “ Look at my mother!”

“She looks wonderful,” pointed out Jane.

“She is ill, Jane,” said Anne angrily. “And she is wasting the time that she has on this quackery!”

“Miss Fletcher looks very well too, you cannot deny it,” said Elizabeth nodding to that lady, who was spinning about the room with an officer. “It is excessively odd.”

“Ever since his arrival, Mama has refused to discuss anything with me regarding her illness,” said Anne, angrily.

Elizabeth decided that she would ask Darcy to speak to Lady Catherine about that soon. It was rather unkind of her host to make Anne worry.

“Of what are we all speaking?” asked Lady Gordon as she approached with her husband.

“Lady Gordon, we were just remarking on how interesting the comte is,” Elizabeth said.

“Interesting! We just left him on the terrace, where we spent an astounding half hour with the man, who confounded us quite easily with his tales of transmutation!” said Sir Charles.

“Just now? You mean to say that you just left him?” Elizabeth said curiously.

“Yes, not even a moment ago,” answered Lady Gordon.

“But I have only just left him on the dance floor, where I spent a half hour discussing jewels with him, and he told me of Catherine the Great,” Elizabeth said in bewilderment.

“We saw you,” Jane agreed.

“ Comte !” Elizabeth said, perhaps a bit louder that she usually might, in an effort to get the man’s attention as he passed several feet away. “Sir Charles and Lady Gordon say that they just left you on the terrace, sir. But you just left me on the dance floor not five minutes past. How could you be in two places at once, monsieur ?”

The comte bowed over her hand and kissed it. “It is not impossible, mademoiselle .”

Elizabeth took Darcy’s arm as they took to the floor for their second dance. They were officially courting, so they could enjoy three without scandal. Elizabeth wished she could dance with him all night.

“One day, we must hire a musician to play from behind a screen, so we might dance together all night,” Elizabeth sighed in happiness. “At least once a week.”

“That sounds like heaven to me,” Darcy said, content to be in her company again. “I cannot speak to how glad I am to be back in your company. I have missed you sorely, and just to look upon you gladdens my heart. Your eyes, they sparkle with such fire and intelligence. Every time you look at me, I am both unravelled and made whole again.”

“You once told me of your admiration, and now I must return your praise, for I have come to admire not only your character, but the heart that I know lies beneath it,” Elizabeth confessed, blushing.

“Elizabeth, I have struggled to find an appropriate time to speak privately with you since I arrived. At first I had thought to wait until the end of our visit, but I find I simply cannot. Would you accompany me for a short moment on the terrace when we have completed our dance?”

“Of course,” Elizabeth breathed.

Darcy had been thwarted since he arrived. First by Anne, his aunt, his sister, her sisters! Bourne House was constantly so full, and no one seemed to have any pity for a man who simply wished to propose before he burst.

The dance ended, and Elizabeth laid her hand on Darcy’s arm as he led her to the terrace. She waggled her brow and tilted her head to Jane, a signal between them for the other to follow. Jane would wait at the door to the terrace to preserve Elizabeth’s reputation.

Sadly, the couple never made it outside.

Just as they began to exit the assembly room, Mr Woodhouse cried, “Emma!” Elizabeth turned to see Miss Woodhouse swoon, and the room was thrown into disorder.