Chapter Six #2
Mrs Harrington shifted in her chair, but Lady Hortensia had already turned back to the competitors. "That is the shape of the week. Tonight you may make your introductions. Tomorrow, the Challenge begins."
She paused, then glanced towards Mr Pritchard, who gave the smallest nod. "There remains only one further matter. Each side must have a captain."
The terrace stirred again.
"The captain will receive instructions before each contest, appoint representatives where required, keep order amongst the team and bring any questions to Mr Pritchard or myself. It is not a decorative position. Nor, I should warn you, is it always an easy one."
Several of the competitors straightened.
Miss Harrington’s expression altered at once.
She looked first at her mother, then at Lady Hortensia, with an air of barely concealed excitement.
Mrs Harrington clasped her hands together and beamed.
Across the terrace, Mr Ashcombe adjusted his cuffs and assumed a look of grave readiness, tilting his head to the right in the air of a Greek statue.
Elizabeth watched them both with interest, perhaps they already knew they were to be selected and were simply waiting to publicly acknowledge the accolade.
Lady Hortensia looked over the two lines with calm satisfaction. "The captains have been chosen after careful observation by myself and by the senior members of my household. My decision on the matter is final."
"For the ladies," she went on, "Miss Elizabeth Bennet."
Elizabeth went still. For a moment she thought she must have misheard. What had she done of note since she had arrived other than become furious at the vexing man stood on the other side of her host?
Jane turned to her at once, her face bright with pleasure. "Lizzy."
"But I cannot..." Elizabeth began, then remembered where she was and stopped herself.
Every eye on the terrace seemed to turn upon her.
Harriet Sitcombe clapped her hands together in delight.
Clara Sitcombe smiled into her fan. Miss Harrington stared in horror before remembering herself, then pressed her lips together as though she had sucked on a lemon.
Seated on the terrace, Mrs Harrington looked ready to storm the stage and remonstrate with their hostess.
Elizabeth managed a curtsy. "I am honoured, my lady."
"Good," said Lady Hortensia. "Try not to look so alarmed, dear, it gives the gentleman false hope."
That restored Elizabeth sufficiently to lift her chin.
A small smile touched Lady Hortensia’s mouth before she turned to the opposite line. "For the gentlemen," she said, "Mr Fitzwilliam Darcy."
If Elizabeth had been surprised before, she was doubly so now. Mr Ashcombe’s expression did not change overmuch, but the hand at his cuff stilled. Colonel Fitzwilliam, by contrast, looked thoroughly amused by this turn of events.
Mr Darcy looked no less startled than Elizabeth felt. He recovered quickly, but not before she saw the surprise cross his face. It softened the stern lines of his face, but the emotion vanished almost immediately.
He bowed. "You do me honour, Lady Hortensia."
"I hope so," she replied. "You may decide by the end of the week that I have done you a mischief instead."
This drew more laughter, though Darcy did not join it. Elizabeth found herself looking at him across the terrace. So, Mr Darcy was to command the gentlemen. She was to command the ladies. Lady Hortensia had chosen the very gentleman Elizabeth would have been happiest never to speak to again.
???
Darcy was painfully aware that he had already behaved like an ass. He had been unforgivably rude to a young lady who had done no more than try and perform a simple kindness. Now they would be thrown into company, during what was already likely to be one of the most uncomfortable weeks of his life.
Miss Elizabeth Bennet stood amongst the ladies with her chin raised and her sharp eyes bright with feeling.
She did not look grateful for the honour Lady Hortensia had given her, nor intimidated by the prospect of it.
She looked ready for battle, and Darcy, who had been avoiding notice all afternoon, found he could not look away from her.
Darcy had thought himself long past being surprised by young ladies.
He had been admired, pursued, flattered and cornered often enough to believe he knew every variation of the species.
None had ever captured his attention, other than for the few minutes it took him to extricate himself from their attention.
But this was no ordinary woman. Lord, this was an —or perhaps Athena herself come down from the heavens.
Auburn curls escaped from their pins, framing her fine-boned face with fire.
The freckles across her nose and cheeks ought, by every fashionable measure, to have lessened her beauty.
They did not, only highlighting the creaminess of her pale skin.
But it was her eyes that captured him, otherworldly, pale green and tilted up slightly at the corners.
Beautiful was too small a world. She was the most glorious woman he had ever seen.
His treacherous lips began curving into a smile.
Darcy caught himself and brought his expression back under control, appalled.
What the devil was he doing? He was not here to moon over a woman who obviously despised him.
He tore his gaze away from her, and prayed this week would pass quickly.
He was no longer sure he would survive it.
Lady Hortensia looked from one to the other with an air of satisfaction. Darcy had the uncomfortable suspicion that the older lady missed very little.
"Miss Elizabeth. Mr Darcy. You will present yourselves to Mr Pritchard tomorrow morning after breakfast to receive the first instructions. Until then, I recommend you both enjoy your evening and get some rest. You have a great task ahead of you."
Beside him, Richard leaned closer. "Well, Darcy. That should enliven the week."
Lady Hortensia struck her cane once upon the dais. "That is all. Now it is time to change for dinner. Expect the gong in one hour."