Chapter 17 #3
Mrs Bennet’s attention was all bestowed on Jane and Mr Bingley, and she took great trouble in following them around the main ballroom.
The majority of those in attendance were families from Meryton, and toward them Mrs Bennet directed her enthusiasm.
Her pleasure in talking about Jane’s engagement knew no restraint.
Her daughter—and implicitly she—was the beneficiary of this ball; it was an engagement gift from her betrothed, Mr Bingley—together with some jewels, naturally.
Darcy was happy to be mostly ignored by Mrs Bennet.
He simply could not take his eyes off Elizabeth from the moment she arrived.
She seemed serene and calm, and her eyes were sparkling with joy as she spoke to her sisters.
Her beautiful face was wearing an open, bright smile, and it actually shone when her eyes met his; yes, she was happy to see him—no doubt about that.
This was the night their engagement would be publicly announced, so he did not think twice before offering Elizabeth his arm and walking with her into the ballroom.
If Mrs Bennet was too closely engaged with Bingley and Jane to observe them, their obvious intimacy did not go unnoticed by other guests.
Only a few minutes later, Miss Bingley’s friends from Town showed great curiosity in asking her about the woman on Mr Darcy’s arm.
The gentlemen were rather surprised to witness Mr Darcy’s clear interest in a young woman of no consequence, but they were more inclined to understand his preference than not.
Miss Elizabeth Bennet looked a very pleasant young lady, and the lively expression of her eyes was quite diverting.
The Gardiners joined Elizabeth as Darcy and Georgiana hurried to bring them all together with Lady Cassandra.
The reunion with the Gardiners was mutually delightful, and Cassandra’s spirits improved slightly while talking to them.
However, she was far from her usual self—Elizabeth could see that.
And then, there was the colonel! Though he had always been friendly with the Gardiners, he seemed purposely to avoid them after only a short greeting.
He loitered in another corner of the room, staring at them from time to time but never approaching.
Only a few minutes later, Mrs Bennet approached their group and took complete control of the conversation.
She noticed the colonel watching from afar and called to him with no hesitation.
The gentleman looked around slightly embarrassed—as were Darcy and Elizabeth who shared a quick glance at each other—and then had no alternative but to walk toward their animated party.
Lady Cassandra took a few steps backward until she had nearly retreated into a corner.
Elizabeth could not miss the opportunity; though her ladyship’s gaze was by no means inviting, she followed Lady Cassandra and tried to keep her voice low while addressing her.
“Cassandra, please forgive me for intruding, but I cannot go any further without asking you what has happened? You look truly ill since yesterday.”
Cassandra laughed nervously. “Why, thank you for the compliment, Miss Elizabeth. Not even Miss Bingley has been so blunt in expressing her disapproval of my countenance.”
Elizabeth, however, was in no disposition for teasing chat. “You know what I mean. You are as beautiful as ever. But you look truly ill; you seem troubled and distressed—and sad.” Cassandra was tempted to refuse to answer, but Elizabeth’s worried countenance altered her decision.
Yet, it was Elizabeth who continued to speak. “I have heard the rumours since I returned home yesterday. I know all of Meryton is gossiping about the way I saved you during the attack, and I cannot allow the deception to continue. For that lie to be spread around and affect you—
“Elizabeth, please listen to me carefully. There is indeed something that has been bothering me. It is also true that I would rather not see anyone and be away from here; I am in no disposition for a gathering and attended this ball only because I did not want to disappoint the others. However, my disposition has nothing to do with the rumours being spread—in fact, this gossip is exactly what I had hoped for, remember?”
“I see…” Elizabeth replied, obviously not convinced by her statement.
“I will not talk to you about this, and I am asking you not to inquire further on the subject. Please do not feel offended by my honesty; it is simply a matter too private to be shared.”
Elizabeth nodded silently, her disappointment obvious. She did not expect such a direct, cold rejection; she believed their acquaintance had become closer, but apparently, she was wrong.
“There is nothing that you or anybody else can do for me, Elizabeth. I shall be fine again in time. And please believe me that your genuine concern is not unappreciated. I do value your friendship.”
Elizabeth was certain she had never met anyone whose face was such a total expression of utter sadness. “Cassandra, I only wish I could do something to help you…”
“Oh, but you can,” she said with a forced smile. “You can demand that Darcy dance every dance and at least one with Miss Bingley and one with Miss Cardington.”
Elizabeth looked at her in puzzlement, and Cassandra laughed.
“Did something happen, ladies? May I be of some service to you?” Darcy’s voice took Elizabeth by surprise as she did not notice his approach. He looked with equal worry from Elizabeth to Cassandra; the former smiled at him reassuringly while the latter laughed again.
“Well, Darcy, Elizabeth and I were just saying that you absolutely must change the poor impression you made last year—so you will have to dance every set.”
“Well, my dear friend, I am exceedingly pleased to see you take such a delight in laughing at me.”
“Thank you, Darcy. You are such a sweet, kind boy—as Mrs Reynolds would say!”
Elizabeth burst out in peals of laughter and immediately covered her mouth with her gloved hand. Darcy’s amusement was openly displayed in an immense smile.
“And,” Lady Cassandra continued, “did you notice your old friend Miss Cardington?”
He cast a quick glance at Elizabeth, trying to find a proper explanation; he had no time to reply as Cassandra addressed Elizabeth.
“Miss Cardington is one of Darcy’s greatest admirers—even more so than Miss Bingley. In fact, I can safely say that she and her mother have chased Darcy for almost five years now—
“Cassandra, that is not a jesting matter. I have done nothing to encourage their behaviour; I have never called at the Cardingtons, and if I remember correctly, I danced with Miss Cardington on one occasion a few years ago at a ball in my aunt’s home, but I never spoke privately with her—not for one moment. ”
“Oh, come now, Darcy, it was only a joke! Elizabeth is not jealous that there were other young ladies competing for your attentions, I am sure of that!”
“Oh, but I am jealous,” replied Elizabeth. “And I will surely not approve if you should dance more than one set with Miss Cardington this evening.”
Cassandra laughed once more, and Darcy was certain she had winked at Elizabeth.
“Are you both mocking me now, ladies? I certainly have not the slightest intention of dancing with Miss Cardington at all, not even half a set! In fact, I plan to dance with no one except Elizabeth.” He paused briefly and continued, “Oh well, maybe with you, too, Cassandra, and with Miss Jane…and…oh for heaven’s sake, how many sets are in a ball?
And how many sets am I allowed to dance with you, Elizabeth? ”
This time both his companions laughed so openly—despite their efforts to keep their voices down—that Mrs Gardiner and Georgiana turned to them and approached their little group.
In a corner of the room, the colonel was talking to Mr Gardiner and Mr Bennet and cast brief, repeated glances in their direction.
As the music began, Mr Bingley took his place with his betrothed. It was universally acknowledged among the guests that Jane Bennet was extraordinarily beautiful. Never had Mrs Bennet been so pleased in her life, and there was not a single person near her who did not hear of it.
Elizabeth and Darcy talked very little during the first set.
They spent the entire half an hour with eyes only for each other.
Their hands touched and squeezed tenderly, and their fingers entwined briefly each time the steps brought them together.
Darcy’s eyes left Elizabeth’s only to allow his adoring glance to travel along her face, to rest some long moments upon her crimson lips and then to move down to the creamy skin of her neck and return to meet her loving gaze.
Shocked by his own thoughts in a room full of strange people, all he could think of was the taste of her soft lips and the sensation of her arms embracing him.
Never had a set of two dances passed so quickly for Darcy, and never before had he regretted the end of a dance. He accompanied Elizabeth to her relatives while she congratulated him for his elegant dancing skills. She was teasing him, and he adored her.
In the next set, Elizabeth stood up with Mr Bingley and Darcy with Cassandra.
For the third set, Elizabeth’s partner was the colonel, and during that half an hour, her feeling that something had occurred between the gentleman and Lady Cassandra became a certainty.
It was not something the colonel said but more the lack of his usual liveliness and his reticence in mentioning her ladyship’s name.
Cassandra exited the house as soon as she could.
She needed fresh air; she felt she could no longer breathe properly.
She departed quickly, hoping no one would see her as she could benefit from the solitude.
She simply could not bear the noise, the crowd, the eyes staring at her, and the rumours.
Moreover, she could not bear trying to keep her attention away from him.