Chapter Thirty-one
Darcy’s headache had calmed to a dull roar. “Thank you for standing with me, John.”
“I would not leave you alone on a dark balcony. All the young ladies I have met here are of good breeding, but a few of the mother’s would attempt to trap you. I promised Beth a dance. I will not hear the end of it if I don’t dance at least a few times.”
Darcy clapped him on the back and found a pillar to hide behind. He could see his cousin and Miss Bingley on the dance floor. He had never seen Miss Bingley with such an open smile before. Beth had a way of setting people at ease. It worked on him.
Between the pillar and a potted plant, William felt he was safe enough to not be seen by the crowd of people in the room.
Hopefully Beth would not tease him about not dancing since she knew he had a headache.
It was nearly the supper dance before Bingley found him.
“Come Darcy! I must have you dance! Why do you hide yourself behind plant and pillar when there are so many beautiful young ladies waiting to dance. Let me introduce you to some of them. Look, there is a lovely lady sitting beside my sister. Let me take you there.”
Darcy barely glanced over his shoulder. “Bingley, I wish you would not pester me. I am sure your sister’s friend is tolerable, but no one here could tempt me to dance.
Go on and find yourself a lovely lady.” Just then he was slapped on the back of the head.
“Ow! Beth, why did you do that?! My head already hurts!” Bingley wisely walked away.
“Because this half of the room just heard you say they are not tolerable enough for you to be tempted to dance with them! Idiot! Your voice carries normally, and you weren’t even trying to be quiet.
You just insulted my cousins, and me by the by.
Am I not tolerable enough to dance with? !” Beth hissed at him.
“I…oh lord…it is the headache. I am a bear.”
“And now I am supposed to introduce you to my cousins after them hearing your insult. It is a good thing they already know your sister so they would not assume she is rude and haughty too.”
“I should have returned to Netherfield. I am not fit company.”
“Well, buck up and try to put a smile on your face. I will introduce you and then we can go into supper. Maybe some food will set you to rights.”
Darcy pulled himself up straight and tried to put on a welcoming face, but ended up just looking like a grimacing statue, and earned a slap in the gut. “Why did you hit me again?!”
“Because now you look like an arrogant prig. Think of the pleasant afternoons on the terrace at Ramsgate. Waves rolling in over the rocks. Gentle breeze. Cooled lemonade.” They stood and visualized that for a minute as William’s shoulders relaxed.
Lizzy Bennet knew she had a hot temper. She would spark up with very little provocation.
Caroline grimaced when that man insulted the entire room.
‘How dare he! He has not even met anyone! He had been hiding on the balcony for the longest time and then standing behind a pillar for the rest.’ She thought to herself but did not say it aloud.
“Miss Elizabeth, please do not take what Mr. Darcy said as a personal affront. He does not mean it. Normally he is all that is gentlemanly. He puts up with my antics and has never insulted me…as far as I know. I would deserve it if he did.”
“I asked you to call me Lizzy, and no gentleman would behave such in public! He insulted every lady here!”
Caroline could barely contain herself when Beth hit Darcy on the back of the head, but then she just slapped him in his middle! Haha! “Oh my, it appears Beth is scolding him. I am not sure I have ever seen Mr. Darcy being scolded. He looks like he is taking it rather well.”
The fire died from Lizzy’s eyes as she saw his shoulders relax and a half smile come to his face.
He was probably the best-looking man she had ever seen.
She had noticed him standing behind the pillar, which is why she had chosen a chair close by to sit in.
She knew who he was and was just waiting for their cousin to introduce them.
She had been hoping to dance with him. It was more than a bit disappointing to hear him insult everyone…
especially her, since she was the one Mr. Bingley was alluding to.
Caroline stood as Beth led Mr. Darcy over. Lizzy hastily stood as well. “Lizzy, might I introduce my cousin?”
Elizabeth nodded politely but refused to curtsey.
“Fitzwilliam Darcy of Pemberley in Derbyshire, please allow me to introduce my most lovely and accomplished cousin, Elizabeth Bennet of Longbourn. Miss Elizabeth, my most disagreeable cousin, Mr. Darcy.”
Fitzwilliam Darcy was not used to being teased in public.
He had become accustomed to Beth’s teasing, but as he looked into the young ladies dancing eyes, he could not help but blush from neck to ears.
“My apologies, Miss Elizabeth, for any rude statements you might have overheard. I have a headache this evening, but that is no excuse for bad behavior. Please forgive me.” William made sure to raise his voice, just a bit, so hopefully those still standing about would hear him. He bowed low so they could see also.
Elizabeth stared him in the eye for a bit longer than he was comfortable with then said, “You are forgiven. I have been known to be terse when in pain. Will you accompany us to the supper room so you may meet the rest of my family?”
“Yes, please lead the way.” That had not been as hard as he had thought.
Apologizing was not something a Darcy did often.
He would have to thank Beth later…for humbling him he supposed.
Richard had teased him that he was too proud.
Well, he would think of it after his head was not pounding. Maybe food would help.
~~~~~
Darcy finally was introduced to the Bennet family he had not yet met.
Mr. Bennet could be interrupted from his discussion with Mrs. Russell for only enough time to shake hands in greeting.
Jane Bennet was a lovely creature. Tall, blonde, and willowy, just as his friend Bingley always preferred.
She was giving Charles no attention at all though.
His cousin, the viscount, was a ‘much better catch’ he thought cynically.
The youngest girl present, Miss Mary, looked very much like Beth and her sister Elizabeth.
She was very shy though, and just a bit rounder of cheek.
That could be her youth though. Her face might thin out as time went by.
Miss Elizabeth and Miss Mary were of a more petite height than Miss Bennet or Cousin Beth.
Miss Catherine and Miss Lydia were tall and blond like their eldest sister.
Funny how sisters could look so very different.
He much preferred the dark hair of the two middle daughters.
“How is your head?”
Darcy startled from his contemplations when Beth spoke. “I think the food helped. Is your dance after supper taken?”
“It is. Ask Lizzy to dance. I doubt she has actually forgiven you for the insult. Once her good opinion is lost, it’s lost forever, so you only have a short time to make up for your unkind words.”
“You believe I need her good opinion?”
“You need mine, or I’ll smack you in the head again. These are my cousins too. I expect you to be on your best behavior.”
“Anything for you cousin.” Darcy smirked and dodged her pinching fingers coming at him.
In such a short time, he had learned to love his cousin.
She was spritely and good humored. Well educated and lively.
He thought of her almost as a sister. Would it not be perfect if his cousin Richard fell in love with her?
Best not think of that. No matchmaking for him.
“Miss Elizabeth, might I ask you to dance?” He stood and bowed over her hand.
“I would be honored sir. I assume your head does not hurt you too much?”
“The food helped.”
“I am glad to hear it. You did not speak much at supper, so I was afraid your symptoms had gotten worse.”
“I am reticent around strangers, or near strangers. I prefer to listen over speaking. My father always said, ‘Best to be silent and let people wonder if you are stupid, than open your mouth and prove you are.’ I took that to heart.”
Elizabeth laughed despite herself and Darcy was proud of himself.
He wanted to see if she was as much like Beth as she seemed.
His cousin was the first lady he had ever had humorous conversations with and laughed without restraint.
His cousin Marie…well…she had changed after finishing school.
The humor she had when she was younger had turned sharp.
She could still make him laugh, but he had lost the ability to make her do so.
“Where did your mind just go, Mr. Darcy?”
“I am terribly sorry. I enjoyed your laugh, and it made me think of my cousin Marie, and how she does not really laugh anymore.”
“I am sorry to hear that. What happened to her?”
“You see! Beth asked the same thing! I do not know and never spent any time thinking about it. Next time I see her, I will try and find out. She went to school one person and came back another.”
“So, something happened at school.”
“Never even crossed my mind, or her brothers. It should have. Georgiana hated school.”
“I am of the opinion, that girls, during the most difficult years, should not be forced around other girls going through the same things. My eldest sister, Jane, is an angel. She helped us all through those difficult times. Honestly, I think our cousin Beth helped Lydia more than any of us sisters.”
“What are the most difficult years for a girl?”
“Thirteen to seventeen. Neither a child nor a woman. Everything is changing and there are SO many emotions. Is it the same for young gentlemen?”
“I am not sure young gentlemen ever grow out of those most difficult years.” Darcy said with a perfectly straight face.
Elizabeth embarrassed herself with how loudly she laughed. She had to stop the dance and move to the side to catch her breath. “Oh, Mr. Darcy! My sisters and I have often wondered if the boys we grew up with just…stopped. They look older but behave mostly the same!”
Darcy loved her laugh and smiled a full happy smile.
‘Dimples! He has dimples!’ Lizzy was mesmerized. He stood there smiling, and she could not take her eyes off his smile.
Mamie and Mr. Bennet watched the spectacle. “Well, Mr. Bennet, I think you have just lost one of your daughters.”
“And my most sensible one too.” Bennet sighed. He knew it would happen. His daughters would leave him one day. Knowing and witnessing did not make things any easier.
“I do not know Jane well enough to tell, but the viscount seems to be just as entranced. Mr. Bingley has been trying to get Jane’s attention all evening. In your estimation, is she like Lizzy?”
Thomas stared at his eldest for several moments. “She is harder to read, but that smile is a bit different than she gives anyone else. I will have to watch. Do you know anything about the viscount?”
“Only a little. He’s a gambler…or he was. Darcy says he turned a new leaf. If she were my daughter, I would advise her to go very slowly.”
“What would you tell my Lizzy?”
“I would tell her that Darcy is one of the best men I have ever met. It seems to run in the family. I knew his father well before this Darcy was born. A better man you could not find. Andrew Darcy was a bit quick of temper, but of course you knew him. He was your friend. Ethan is an excellent young man. Did you know George Darcy?”
“Only in passing. The summer I spent at Pemberley, Andrew’s elder brother was touring the other estates. Their father was a good man.”
“Such a tangled web.”
“Is anyone trying to deceive?”
“I do not believe so, but we should keep an eye on the viscount.”
“You will watch with me?” Bennet looked Mamie deeply in the eyes.
He was not sure he had ever felt this way.
He had been quite infatuated with the girl’s mother, but that had waned shortly after they were married.
They had very little in common. There was a kind of familiar love, but not the love the poets spoke of.
Was this infatuation again? It did not feel the same.
Mrs. Russell and he had so much in common.
They read the same books and mostly had the same opinions.
She made him laugh and understood his dry humor.
The weeks they were apart, he thought of her every day, and wished she was there to discuss things with.
He would read a passage in a book and want to talk it over.
There were problems with a tenant, and he wished she was there to discuss it.
And he had a yearning in his body he had not felt in over a decade. How very strange.
It was nearly time to gather up his ducklings, so he went around the room with Mrs. Russell on his arm to bid a good evening to his closest friends.
His sister-in-law and Lady Lucas and her girls would be by in the morning to discuss tonight’s festivities.
He wondered if the ladies from Netherfield would attend.