Chapter 39 The Morning of the Ball #2
She was angry. His disapproval had thrown cold water upon her anticipation for the ball.
Mr. Bingley’s three guests from London had arrived late in the afternoon, and she would soon be introduced to them.
Jane had promised to seat her beside the gentleman whom Charles had recommended as a possible match for her.
A thrill passed through her. A gentleman had been invited with the express intention of meeting her. Jane had spoken of him last week, when they sat alone in the drawing room.
According to her, he was amiable, possessed a comfortable fortune, and was free of vice.
She did not know whether he was handsome, but Elizabeth had replied, “It does not matter how he looks, Jane. He possesses many other attractions. He is an eligible gentleman who can afford to marry a woman without a dowry, and I am grateful to Charles for thinking of me.”
“Lizzy, the other two gentlemen were invited with Caroline in mind. They are said to possess stronger characters and would be more likely to keep Caroline in order. I pray that one of them will find her attractive, or else I may find myself burdened with that ill-tempered woman for the remainder of my life.”
Jane took Elizabeth’s hand in her own. “Lizzy, she has been very fractious. Caroline complained to Charles about my housekeeping and rebuked one of the servant girls without proper cause. I sought the girl out afterward and offered her an apology. I will have to assert myself before Caroline succeeds in undermining my authority in my own household.”
“You can do it, Jane. You must gather your courage and speak to her plainly. Perhaps she will take offense and return home with the Hursts. When do you expect them?”
“They plan to arrive on the afternoon of the ball. Louisa is with child and finds it easier to travel later in the day.”
“I am glad for her. Mr. Hurst needs an heir, and I expect that the matter has weighed upon her mind, for they have now been married three full years.”
The fleeting scent of Mr. Darcy’s cologne drew Elizabeth’s thoughts back to the present. They entered the dining room, and almost immediately, Charles brought a gentleman forward and offered introductions.
“Miss Bennet, allow me to present Mr. Allen.”
Elizabeth released Mr. Darcy’s arm and curtsied to the gentleman. “It is a pleasure to meet you, sir.”
Mr. Allen bowed. “Miss Bennet, may I escort you to the dinner table? Charles informs me that we are seated beside one another.”
Mr. Darcy followed behind them. Mr. Balfour had been assigned the seat on Elizabeth’s other side, yet Darcy had exchanged the nameplates and placed his own where Balfour’s had been.
He waited while Mr. Allen assisted Elizabeth into her chair, and when Mr. Allen had taken the seat to her right, Darcy seated himself on her other side.
This vexed Elizabeth. Mr. Darcy’s expression was brooding, and his manner cast a shadow over her attempts at conversation with Mr. Allen, but she persisted.
“Mr. Allen, do you keep rooms in town?”
“Yes, I do, ma’am. I am welcome to reside in my father’s house, but my mother is determined that I should marry. I discovered that there was often an eligible young lady invited to dinner who expected an offer of marriage, so I resolved to take rooms of my own in town.”
Elizabeth raised her napkin to her mouth to conceal her laughter. He grinned, and his amusement was pleasing to her.
“And do you have any brothers, sir?”
“No, ma’am. I have two sisters, and that is the difficulty in its entirety. I must produce an heir, and now, for that reason, my father also schemes to see me married.”
She laughed quietly. “Sir, when next we meet, I expect that you will introduce me to your wife, for I do not see how you can escape much longer.”
He chuckled. “And you, Miss Bennet? Do you have brothers?”
“No, sir. We are five sisters. Two of them are married, and two are not yet out. I am the member of my family who stands in precisely the same position as yourself, sir. If I am not careful, I shall soon have two sisters and a father all contriving to see me married and settled.”
“So, no one has yet begun any stratagems, ma’am?”
“No, sir. I am grateful to say that I have not yet suffered any such schemes.”
“Do you reside in this neighborhood, Miss Bennet?”
“I do. My home is Longbourn, which lies but three miles to the east.”
“Tell me, Miss Bennet, do you wish for marriage?”
At that moment, a servant placed a bowl of white soup before her, and she was spared an answer.
However, Mr. Darcy, who remained in a difficult humor, spoke. “Miss Bennet, I did not hear your reply.”
She swallowed the spoonful of soup she had taken. “My reply, sir?”
“Yes, to Mr. Allen’s question. I wish to hear it. Do you wish for marriage, ma’am?”
She pressed her lips together in vexation but then produced a polite smile.
“Sir, as you know, a woman may not leave her father’s house unless she is respectably married. Because of that expectation of society, all women, including myself, must wish for marriage.” She turned narrowed eyes upon him.
“But when it comes to marriage with a particular gentleman, there are some men whose temper is so disagreeable that a woman could not possibly wish to be united with him.”
Mr. Allen laughed. “Touché, Miss Bennet. It is well known in town that Mr. Darcy is inclined to brood and can be very ill-tempered, particularly when a hostess expects him to dance with her daughter.”
Elizabeth laughed softly, and Mr. Darcy stiffened.
Mr. Allen was enchanted from that moment with Elizabeth, and the two passed the remainder of dinner in conversation with one another. He laughed often at her remarks, and Elizabeth more than once raised her napkin to her mouth when she could not restrain her own amusement.
Mr. Darcy ate in silence and from time to time cast an angry look toward Mr. Allen. Elizabeth caught his expression once, and his countenance appeared so dark that she believed he was jealous of the fine London gentleman.
She pressed her lips together. It signified nothing, for he would not act to secure her. She was not good enough. The thought stung and turned her attention back to Mr. Allen.
“Miss Bennet, may I request your first and the supper sets?”
Her eyes crinkled with pleasure. “You may have my first set, sir, but the supper set has already been promised. All my other sets remain open.”
“Then I shall request the first waltz.”
Mr. Darcy cleared his throat. “Her waltz is engaged. It is promised to me.”
Elizabeth turned to look at him with surprise, though she did not contradict him.
“Is the La Boulangère still open? That would provide many opportunities to dance the Allemande figure with you.”
Darcy made a sound which to Elizabeth resembled a low growl.
Mr. Allen lifted his brows with amusement. “Did you say something, Darcy?”
Elizabeth replied happily, “La Boulangère is open, sir.”
She reached into her reticule and drew out her dance card and a pencil. Before she could write Mr. Allen’s name upon it, Mr. Darcy took the card from her hand. He saw his name already written beside the supper set and then wrote his initials beside the waltz.
Mr. Allen raised his brows. “That is unusual, Darcy. I have never known a gentleman to write upon a lady’s program.”
Darcy’s face pinched. “An intelligent man knows how to serve his own interests, Allen.” He handed the dance card back to Elizabeth.
She saw that Jane had risen. She stood.
“Jane is leading the ladies out. You will excuse me, sirs.”
She held her reticule in one hand and her dance card in the other. When she entered the drawing room, she paused just inside the door and looked down at the card.
Written in bold pencil were his initials, F.D.
In that moment, she understood how deeply she had fallen. She would keep that dance card always, for he had claimed her, and the evidence was written by his own hand. She did not care that the claim extended no further than a single dance.
She placed the dance card and pencil back into her reticule before looking around the ballroom to find her aunt.
“Miss Eliza, what has captured your attention so completely? Did Mr. Allen request your supper set?” The woman narrowed her eyes and smirked. “He is well enough, yet he is nothing when compared with Mr. Darcy.”
Elizabeth reddened and moved away from Caroline without deigning a reply.
Finding Mrs. Gardiner, she sat beside her. “Aunt, I am so happy. Mr. Allen requested the first set.”
“I am pleased for you, Elizabeth. I understand that he possesses a fine estate in Sussex. I have heard that it lies along the coast and that the views are remarkable.”
Elizabeth’s smile widened. “He requested the supper set as well, but Mr. Darcy had already claimed it, so Mr. Allen requested the Boulangère.”
Mrs. Gardiner pressed her hand. “Better and better, Lizzy.”
“I wonder whether he will remain so attentive when he learns that I possess no dowry.”
Mrs. Gardiner leaned closer. “Jane told me that Mr. Bingley mentioned in passing what Jane’s situation was, and that yours is the same. Mr. Allen said that when he marries, it will not be for fortune or connections but for happiness.”
Her eyes moved over Elizabeth’s figure. “That gown does you great credit, my girl. It drapes beautifully across your bosom and also enhances your slender waist and your pleasing figure. I am surprised that Mr. Darcy has not made you an offer. He watches you a great deal and appears to take pleasure in conversing with you.”
Elizabeth sighed. “Yes, Aunt. He admires me and takes pleasure in our conversations. I believe he may even have feelings for me, yet the truth remains that I do not belong to his circle, and he will not lower himself.” She lifted sorrowful eyes to her aunt.
“We have lived under the same roof for weeks, and though he seeks me out and pays me marked attentions, he has not come to the point. I have come to understand that he never will.”
“I am sorry, Lizzy. I believe you are even more attached to him now than before. Yet you may learn to love another. I have seen it happen. I have a close friend who was deeply in love with one man, yet, for reasons beyond her control, married another. Now she is happily married with children and in love with her husband. It is not the ruin of all your prospects if Mr. Darcy does not offer for you.”
Elizabeth pressed her aunt’s hands in her own. “Thank you, Aunt. That is very comforting.”
“Time heals all, Lizzy. Remember that.”