Chapter 13
While she was waiting for Mr. Pimms to find a suitable home for her, Elizabeth had not been idle.
She and Lady Priscilla had been doing all the things one would normally do when in Bath.
They had gone shopping in Milsom Street.
They had taken the waters in The Pump Room. They had gone to the theater as well.
Fortunately, Lady Priscilla had encountered a few older acquaintances, which established a small social circle.
The Lady had assured Elizabeth that once her acquaintances spread the word that a duke’s daughter was in town, their social circle would widen quickly.
Anyone with a title always made a splash in Bath, since such people normally stayed in London.
The very day that Elizabeth moved from the inn into her new home, she attended an assembly in the Upper Rooms.
She was startled when the Master of Ceremonies gave her precedence over all the other guests, guiding her through the crowds to a slightly quieter, slightly elevated, area reserved for those of rank. Thankfully, Lady Priscilla was with her. Otherwise, Elizabeth wouldn’t have known what to do.
There were half a dozen people there that she shared the space with, all of whom were her father’s age or older. Still, it was far, far less crowded than the rest of the space.
Once the master of ceremonies had departed, Elizabeth asked Lady Priscilla in a whisper so as not to give away her discomfort to the strangers around her, “Why is there a space such as this? It seems unfair that we few are taking up so much space when everyone else is clearly hot and crowded.”
“I sometimes forget that you are still new to your rank,” said Lady Priscilla.
“Usually, the only people of rank in Bath at this time of year are older people who have been told to come here for their health.
The town tends to make much of these few simply because they are so rare.
Thus, they are given significant precedence no matter where they go in this city.
“As for you, you are especially special. Not only are you young and unmarried, you are the highest rank possible for being such without being a princess. For a surety, your presence here will be the talk of this town for at least a year, possibly more. The very street you reside on, The Royal Crescent, was named such simply because a royal duke stayed there three decades ago.”
Though she had known herself to be the daughter of a duke for several months now, Elizabeth finally fully comprehended exactly what that meant.
Up until now, she had simply focused on the financial aspects.
Her father was wealthy enough that he could provide her with a very comfortable situation, independently of himself, without any financial hardship whatsoever.
She had mostly thought about her new lifestyle that her new wealth had brought: the new gowns and jewelry, the ostentatious decorations of her father’s home, the many, many servants that worked for her father as well as the others he employed such as his solicitor, his two secretaries, and Lady Priscilla.
Only now did she comprehend that her father had more social, economic, and personal power than almost everyone in the country other than the royal family and a handful of his fellow dukes.
The realization felt like a great weight settling onto her shoulders. She had enjoyed her time in London, attending parties, balls, and assemblies, as well as meeting new people, but she hadn’t understood how others viewed her. Nor had she understood the kind of power she wielded.
“I am not made for such notoriety,” she said. “I belong in the background, not the foreground.”
“I understand you were raised in a difficult situation,” said Lady Priscilla.
“Even so, you were born into your position, and you cannot change it. We, none of us, can change how we are born, nor can we change the past. We must simply learn to live within the confines of our current situation, whatever that may be.”
Elizabeth looked closely at her companion. “I apologize Lady Priscilla. You have been through much, and yet you must listen to me complain about the difficulties of a life blessed with rank and fortune.”
Lady Priscilla smiled, though there was that ever-present tinge of sadness to her expression.
“Do not fret Lady Elizabeth. To be honest, your frustrations are refreshing, for they stem from a knowledge of what it is like to live differently.
Though you have never lived in want or in fear of homelessness or starvation, you have told me enough of your life that I know you have experienced isolation.
“Until my husband passed away, I don’t think it ever occurred to me to even think about what life could be like without wealth and friends.
Everyone I knew had enough wealth to purchase most things they desired, and we were all friends with each other.
At least I thought we were. After my husband died, I learned that only a couple of them were truly my friends.
“Up until that time, I never thought about my servants’ happiness beyond what it would take to make them most productive, but being reduced almost to the level of a servant myself, I found I had much more sympathy for their plight and the plight of every farmer, every tradesman, every factory worker in the country.
“The point is that, though you struggle with your new situation, your past difficulties make you more sympathetic to those whose lives are not as perfect as yours. That being the case, you have the potential to become one of the greatest and kindest Ladies in the country if you can learn to embrace the power you have.”
This was a viewpoint Elizabeth had never considered, and she knew she would be thinking about it for many days to come. Now, however, was not the time for thinking. She simply said, “Thank you, Lady Priscilla.”
“Of course,” said the Lady. “Now, let us return to the present. Are there any gentlemen who have caught your eye? Any you would like to be introduced to? Or perhaps there are other young ladies you would like to make friends with. After all, you are of such high rank that very few here would have the audacity to request an introduction as so many did in London. Therefore, it will be up to you.”
From her slightly elevated position in the room, Elizabeth could see the heads of all but the shortest gentlemen. She looked out over the crowd, and she could see a few handsome faces, a few cheerful grins, and a few angry expressions.
“Let me just watch for now,” she said.
She watched for the first half of the first dance.
She was looking to see which gentlemen were truly cheerful and which had expressions that shifted when their partner was not looking.
She particularly watched the angry faces, since she was enormously curious what could possibly make someone angry or grumpy in such a lively pleasant atmosphere.
As she watched, she concluded that most of the smiles were genuine, and most of the anger was due to jealousy.
In other words, the gentlemen were perfectly normal.
By the end of the first dance, she had identified two gentlemen she would not wish to associate with, since they were the ones who made unpleasant or derisive expressions when their partners’ backs were turned.
During the short break after the first set, the Master of Ceremonies brought a young man toward Elizabeth. “Lady Elizabeth, this man has requested an introduction. Would you be willing to entertain the idea?”
Elizabeth noticed that the young man was one of the two she had decided against. Even so, she hesitated. He must be someone important if the Master of Ceremonies deemed him worthy of even considering the request.
She looked to Lady Priscilla, who whispered, “He is Peter Smythe, Earl of Ransford. He inherited his title when he was only fifteen. I would not recommend turning him away, since he is likely the highest ranked person in the city besides yourself.”
Reluctantly, she turned to the master of ceremonies. “You may proceed.”
He proceeded with the introductions, and Elizabeth found that Lady Priscilla was indeed correct.
“It is an honor to meet you, my Lady,” he said with a gentle smile on his face. If Elizabeth hadn’t seen his derisive expression repeatedly already, she would have thought him both handsome and charming.
She had seen it, however, making it impossible to like the man. Refusing to return the compliment, she simply replied, “Good evening, my Lord.”
He recognized the slight snub, and he frowned for the briefest of moments. “I wonder if I might request your next dance,” he said.
“I am afraid I am not inclined to dance at the moment,” she said, not wishing to encourage him. However, she realized she might have gone too far when she saw Lady Priscilla frown out of the corner of her eye.
“Perhaps a later dance?” he asked. “How about after supper?”
Elizabeth reluctantly said, “I would be most happy to dance with you at that time.”
With an excessively flowery expression of gratitude, Earl Ransford took his leave.
“Be careful not to alienate him too far,” said Lady Priscilla when he was gone. “I have heard he makes a most unpleasant enemy, but as an ally he could be very useful in promoting yourself in society here.”
Elizabeth could well believe he made for an unpleasant enemy. Even so, she was not certain she could be kind to his face when she did not like him in the least.
Having declined to dance the next dance, Elizabeth spent it watching the other attendees enjoying themselves. She identified a few gentlemen she would not object to knowing more of, but on the whole the exercise simply made her miss Mr. Darcy. He was the one she wished to know most of all.
As the dance progressed, Lady Priscilla introduced her to a few additional acquaintances, mostly ladies in their thirties or older. Fortunately, there were a couple of younger ladies as well, and by the end of the dance, Elizabeth had struck up a friendly conversation with them.
Once Elizabeth found some friends and was introduced to some gentlemen to dance with, her evening became quite enjoyable. Though the room was crowded, the company was good, and it was a pleasure to dance. Even her dance with Lord Ransford was pleasant enough.
Nevertheless, Elizabeth was glad to be going home when the assembly was over.
As they rode home in her carriage, Elizabeth said, “That was very different to Almack’s.”
Lady Priscilla chuckled. “I don’t think they could even be in the same category,” she said. “Assemblies in Bath are an odd thing, unlike any assembly anywhere else. Of course, that is because Bath is unlike any other city in the nation.”
“What do you mean?”
“Assemblies in country towns are mostly about mingling with one’s neighbors, though there is a hint of matchmaking.
Mostly, however, they are more about socializing.
Almack’s is completely opposite. No one goes to Almack’s unless they are looking for a partner, either a romantic partner or a marriage partner.
“What makes Bath unique is that almost every single person has a different motivation for being there. Some come for amusement, some for health, some for matchmaking, and many come for a combination of reasons. Some people consider that part of the fun, trying to guess why others are there and what their expectations are. Others just find it annoying or confusing.”
Elizabeth wasn’t certain which opinion she held. On the one hand, she enjoyed the process of attempting to learn about others. On the other, she didn’t always wish to think too deeply when she was simply trying to enjoy herself.
By the time she arrived home, she still had not come to any conclusion other than she was more determined than ever to make a home here.