Vol 2, Chapter 11 #2
The night of the betrothal ball at Netherfield was a warm, clear night.
It was the first time most in the neighbourhood would be able to see the new Duke since his return the day before.
It was no surprise to the hosts that the receiving line moved slowly, as each of his neighbours who had known him for many years wanted a welcoming word with his and her Grace before they moved into the ball room.
The line had eight people in it. The soon-to-be married couple and their parents made six, and Lord and Lady Jersey rounded out the number as the hosts of the event.
Darcy had decided, as Esther and her cousin Ally were considered out locally, he would apply same rules to his sister.
The three were to dance with family, soon-to-be family, and pre-approved friends only.
Darcy smiled as he remembered how pleased Gigi had been at the news.
He then remembered her shy pleasure as Tom Bennet had requested and been granted the supper set with her.
After learning that her first set had been claimed by Richard, no one could really blame him.
The three younger ladies were allowed to stay until the end of the ball unless they felt too tired and decided to withdraw earlier.
While he was waiting for the orchestra to signal the start of the dancing Darcy also remembered with pleasure when the Bennets had arrived earlier to join those residing at Netherfield in an aperitif and to toast the soon-to-be wed couple.
He had never seen Elizabeth looking more beautiful than she did when she walked into the drawing room.
Her wavy, chestnut curls were piled high on her head, though a few shorter, teasing curls fell along her neck and cheek.
Her gown was hunter-green, and she had a diamond necklace with a large emerald centrepiece which rested over the swell of her breasts.
Earbobs of two emeralds and two diamonds, each one dangling lower than the one before it, completed her ensemble.
The total effect made her eyes all the more green, and oh so beautiful.
He very much desired to get lost in those fine eyes for the rest of his life.
Then she smiled at him—a smile only for him—and he had felt his heart accelerate in his chest until he was sure that everyone in the room could hear the deafening pounding he heard in his ears.
“You are so much more than tolerable enough to tempt me,” he whispered down at her when he finally was close enough to be able to, hoping she appreciated that she was the one teaching him how to laugh at himself.
“You look far more than tolerable yourself, William,” she had answered with arched eyebrow.
His blood raced as he remembered how warm Elizabeth had been toward him since his arrival in the neighbourhood. Darcy greeted his Aunt Catherine and Cousin Anne as he made a circuit of the room to expend some nervous energy while waiting for the first set.
Now that there was no more illusion to the non-existent betrothal between him and Anne, coupled with her general improvement in the way she behaved around others, it was pleasant to spend time with his mother’s only sister.
Even better was that Darcy and Anne could enjoy their natural cousinly affection without Lady Catherine’s presumptions.
He had asked Anne for a dance, and was saddened when she had demurred, telling him dancing would be too fatiguing for her.
As soon as Darcy noted the members of the receiving line entering the ballroom, he made a beeline for Elizabeth to claim her for the first dance. “William,” she greeted him with a curtsey to his bow.
“It is time to line up,” William offered Elizabeth his arm which she gladly accepted.
As they walked toward the forming line, both noticed the moment that Tom offered Gigi his arm and her allowing him to lead her to the line.
Richard had claimed a conflict in his requests to dance and so he had asked Tom to take his place for the first. Richard instead danced the first with Maria Lucas, hoping to get to know the young woman better as she would be his younger sister as well, if his most important goal in life was realised.
Darcy and Elizabeth were four or five couples from the head of the line. Jane and Andrew were the first couple, the Duke and his Duchess second, the Earl and his Countess third. “Does not my sister look like an angel?” Elizabeth inclined her head towards her older sister.
“She is a pretty woman, Elizabeth, but in my eyes, she is nothing compared to you,” he answered sincerely. He was not unhappy at the blush his response caused. He was not sure of her feelings for him—yet, but he was sure they had progressed beyond friendship.
“Our dance in this ballroom was not nearly as pleasurable last time as it is now,” Elizabeth admitted.
“Yes, I must admit not talking about any unpleasant subjects while we dance improves the atmosphere significantly,” Darcy teased.
“Do not remind me of how I tried to provoke you when we last danced here,” she beseeched. “Hopefully, the misunderstandings are behind us permanently.”
There were several members of the Ton present, a necessary evil.
As much as Bennet would have preferred, his mother-in-law pointed out the impossibility of not including any others from London.
Those who had designs on Lady Elizabeth or Lord Birchington for one of their sons or daughters, were not happy to see the intimacy between the Bennet and Darcy siblings.
Though even they had to admit it was reasonable with Lady Jane marrying the Matlock heir it was inevitable the Darcys would be in the Bennets’ company quite often.
“Tom and Gigi dance well together,” Elizabeth noted. “As do your younger sister and her cousin Robert Jamison,” Darcy returned. Elizabeth pointed out Robert’s parents to Darcy, William and Yvette Jamison, and introduced them after she explained the connection before the dancing commenced.
The two lapsed into companionable silence, not needing to say more than they were wordlessly communicating with every touch.
At the end of the first set, Darcy returned Elizabeth to her grandparents as her parents had been waylaid on their way back from their dance.
Darcy felt bereft of her company, but he had, unlike the first two dances he attended in Meryton, a partner for almost every set, though he had resolutely asked no one to dance the final set with him.
He hoped that in the future he would only dance the final set with Elizabeth.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
After the enjoyable supper set, Darcy and Elizabeth sat at a table with Jane and Andrew, Gigi and Tom, Charlotte and Richard, and Robert and Esther. “Just two more days,” Jane said to no one in particular.
“I am counting the hours as well, my love,” Andrew replied quietly to his betrothed. “Once we are married, I will be able to receive your sweet kisses whenever we desire them.”
Charlotte gave Elizabeth a knowing look when she saw Jane turn crimson. “Hmmm, I wonder what Andrew said to produce that reaction In Jane,” Richard asked Charlotte quietly.
“Richard Fitzwilliam!” Charlotte exclaimed softly to Richard. “You will not embarrass my friend!”
“You are killing me, woman. I surrender.” He groaned under his breath; she smiled to herself at the hearing if it. “You will be at Longfield Meadows with the Bennets when your mourning period ends, will you not?” Richard verified.
“I will be with the Bennets, Richard, as will my sister Maria,” Charlotte confirmed.
His relief gave her hope her time of waiting to make a love match was not far in the future.
Charlotte had told her mother her opinion, that her teachings on what to look for in matrimony were not correct, and she had further told her mother she would do whatever she could to make sure Maria knew that as well.
“I look forward to seeing you there—and out of mourning,” Richard murmured, his knee casually resting against hers for the duration of the meal.
Every now and again, just to keep him attuned with her preferences, she pressed hers against his, and was deeply relieved his did not give way but stayed steady for her to take strength from.
The second ball held at Netherfield Park in recent history was deemed the most enjoyable any had ever attended in the area.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
The night before her daughter’s wedding, Priscilla Bennet gave Jane the talk.
Like her mother had with her, Priscilla explained what Jane could expect, and made sure her daughter understood it was not only her task to please her husband, but equally his to please her in the marital bed.
She explained there would be some pain as her husband breeched her maidenly barrier and possibly some blood.
Jane, having lived on a working farm the whole of her life, had a good idea about the mechanics of the act, but found her mother’s words comforting and pleasantly surprising as it went a little against doctrine.
She never doubted it to be true, but her mother’s confirmation the marital act was much enhanced when the couple was in love chased away her lingering anxiety all brides of a certain age are required to have.
“Do you have any more questions, my dearest Jane?” Priscilla asked when her talk was complete.
“No Mama, I do not, but I do want to thank you. For the whole of my life you have treated me as a beloved daughter, not a stepdaughter. You could have treated me like the little cinder girl in Cendrillon ou la petite pantoufle de verre and been an evil stepmother of the ilk in the story. Yet you never, not for one instant, ever made me feel less than a child of your body, Mama.” Tears of gratitude and happiness pooled as she looked up at her mother.