Chapter 30
Elizabeth had never been more excited to attend a dance before. As much as she had enjoyed her previous sets with William, none of them had the significance of the two sets she would share with him on this night.
Her anticipation was heightened when she noticed the Netherfield Party alighting from a coach as the four Bennets and Mrs Annesley arrived.
Her only tinge of sadness was that neither Jane nor Charlotte was present.
At past assemblies, before they had married, it had always been the three of them together.
Understanding that neither set of parents was ready to travel with their babes did not make Elizabeth miss them any less. Until she was in their company again, she would have to be satisfied with letters.
As soon as she saw William in his finely tailored suit looking extremely handsome, her heart rate sped up, and all she wanted was to arrive so they could greet and be close to one another. Elizabeth owned that her tender feelings for William were deepening and were very close to becoming love.
Darcy was about to follow Bingley and the Hursts into the assembly hall when he spied the Bennet conveyance being drawn to a halt. He stopped and made for the equipage. He stood back while a footman placed the step and opened the door.
Bennet alighted first. He handed his wife out before noticing Darcy waiting patiently behind him.
He could not but grin at how attentive Lizzy’s suitor was.
Next, he assisted Mrs Annesley and Mary out of the interior and to have some sport with Darcy, he made like he was about to bring Lizzy out as well.
He stopped himself and stood aside for Darcy to take his place.
The excitement built to a crescendo when Elizabeth saw William replace her father at the carriage’s door.
She extended her hand, and regardless of the fact they were both wearing gloves, she felt a frisson of pleasure travel out from where she held onto William’s hand, which reached every nook and cranny of her person.
If that was not enough, he bestowed a lingering kiss on the gloved hand he was holding. That caused her breath to become rapid and her eyes to widen.
She knew she was smiling like a foolish schoolgirl after the kiss on her hand, but Elizabeth could not care less as William placed her hand on his forearm, right near the crook of his arm, and he covered her hand with his free one.
Elizabeth fairly floated into the assembly hall on her William’s arm. She was so lost in her haze of warm feelings for William that she almost did not hear him speak.
“How is Gigi?” Darcy enquired. His look was one of innocence.
“V-very well,” Elizabeth managed. She admonished herself to relax and not allow herself to be so distracted that she was blind and deaf to everything around her.
“She is very happy to remain at home with Catherine, Lydia, and even Tommy. Of course, among others, Mrs Jenkinson and Miss Firth are with them.” She knew she was babbling, something wholly out of character for her, but it was taking Elizabeth longer to calm her rapidly beating heart than she had expected.
By the time she began to greet friends, Elizabeth had restored her equanimity.
She looked to her one side and saw William’s self-satisfied grin at having discomposed her to the extent he had.
‘Teasing man,’ she thought. She knew with how she loved to tease others; it would have been rather hypocritical of her had she taken exception to William’s jesting with her.
Hurst led his wife and mother to where Fanny Bennet, Lady Lucas, Mrs Phillips, and a few of their friends were greeting one another.
After greeting the matrons and leaving his mother with them, he and Louisa went to join Bingley, who was speaking with Bennet and Mary.
As they reached the other three, Hurst did not miss the knowing look Bennet gave him.
He saw Bennet cock his head towards an area which was not occupied.
There was nothing to do but follow Bennet.
“I know not what you did or how, but on behalf of myself, my family, and all future Bennets, I want to express my gratitude for the ending of the entail,” Bennet said so only Hurst could hear.
“Of what are you speaking?” Hurst queried, trying to look as unaffected as possible.
“Come, Hurst, you must know I am not a simpleton. You and I have a conversation about the entail, and then four days later, I receive a new deed from the Court of Chancery,” Bennet explained.
“There is a definite correlation between our conversation, your sudden need to reach London, and the deed arriving the day after your return. I know not what you did, but I will be forever grateful. The truth is I need not know, but if I were to guess, based on the speed this happened, there was royal intervention, and from a very well-placed member of the family. Whether you acknowledge your role or not, I thank you.”
Hearing Bennet’s words, Hurst realised he had made an error, although not a material one.
He should have waited to go to London until he needed to be there for another reason.
That being said, there was nothing he could do to change the past. “I should have known you were too intelligent to fail to see the connections. It is not something I may explain to you, but it was my distinct pleasure to help you. All I can request is that you keep this to yourself.”
“I will not mention this to another. It does not sound adequate, but again, thank you, Hurst,” Bennet stated.
Thankfully, other than Louisa, no one had noticed the intense conversation between himself and Bennet. When Bennet walked away, Hurst watched as his wife joined him.
“Thomas discovered what you had done, did he not?” Louisa guessed.
“You have the right of it…” Hurst related a synopsis of his conversation with Bennet and that the older man had vowed not to mention Hurst’s involvement. “I forgot that Lizzy is not the only highly intelligent member of the family.”
Thanks to the calling of the opening set, any further talk was at an end for the moment.
Hurst led Louisa out to join the forming line, just one couple away from Bennet and Fanny, Darcy and Lizzy, and Bingley and Mary.
As he watched his wife gracefully execute the opening steps of the Boulanger, Hurst reminded himself how perfect Louisa was as a wife and mother, and now a countess.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
No matter how much she searched her perfect memory, either the previous night after the dance or this morning as soon as she woke, Elizabeth could not come close to remembering an assembly she had enjoyed more.
Being able to dance two sets with William—who was so light on his feet and a very accomplished dancer—had been perfect.
When she had sat out the two sets as all young ladies in the area did thanks to the shortage of men, he sat with her and they spoke.
Other than those two sets, he did not miss another one, making sure to dance with ladies who Elizabeth pointed out as being habitual wallflowers.
William giving them consequence by dancing with them led to requests from some local men who had not done so before.
Her suitor was the most gentlemanly man, aside from Papa, Elizabeth knew.
During one of their conversations, William had told her that he used to be the prideful man she met when they played chess that first time six years past. Knowing, and coming close to loving, the man he was today, Elizabeth had a hard time imagining him as an insufferable, arrogant man who thought himself above his company.
The man who was courting her was not one who had a selfish disdain for the feelings of others.
He was, in fact, quite the opposite. She was well pleased the man he used to be had been banished.
She remembered well his arrogance the first time she met him, but from the next meeting on, he had been as he was now.
She wondered what had affected the change in him.
Perhaps she would ask him one day when they were married.
Elizabeth startled herself. That was a rather big assumption. However, the more she considered the facts, the more sure she became that it was when, and not if, they married.
It struck her that William was exactly the man who, in disposition and talents, would most suit her.
His understanding and intelligence, although not on a par with her own, were not impediments.
His temperament complemented her own as well as any two people.
By her ease and liveliness, his mind might be softened—not that it needed much in that area.
Along with his good manners even further improved, and from his knowledge and experience in the world, she would receive benefit as well.
Now all she needed was to be sure that she was in love with William. He had intimated more than once that he was already in that state with her. If she indicated such to him, Elizabeth was sure that would lead to a proposal of marriage.
Although she could not have known it, William had very similar thoughts about her at the same moment that morning.
The first thing Darcy had thought of when he woke on Saturday morning was Elizabeth.
It was nothing new, but he had dreamed of her.
He had seen them, already married, racing over fields at Pemberley on their horses in the early morning.
He could swear he had heard her tinkling laugh in his dream, as clearly as he would have had she been standing before him.
Darcy was usually a very patient and deliberate man, but not in this.
He was fully aware that he must allow Elizabeth as much time as she needed and trying to rush her would be counterproductive.
However, that did not stop him from wishing she would attain love for him the way he loved her so he could propose to her.