Chapter 17
Finally! It was the night of the ball and the Ton was buzzing about the new Earl and Baronet.
Word of the wealth that the families possessed had circulated.
The acceptance of the Ton was all but guaranteed as no one wanted to cross families with so much wealth and power.
The ball was being held at Bedford House on Portman Square, diagonally across from Gardiner House.
The Bennets had arrived at the Gardiner’s house in all of their finery an hour prior to the ball.
The Fitzwilliams, Miss de Bourgh, Ashby, and Darcy arrived to join them shortly after, and the group enjoyed an aperitif before making the short walk to Bedford House.
Kitty Bennet, Tiffany Fitzwilliam, and Georgiana Darcy were at Matlock House with their companions.
Kitty and Georgiana would pass the night at Tiffany’s house, so they would have to wait until the revellers woke on the morrow to ask the myriad questions that they intended to discover about the ball; and more importantly the fashions.
Besides the three companions, the girls had a full complement of servants, which included some footmen who doubled as guards so they would be secure and supervised just as girls not yet out in society ought to be.
The three girls would have loved to be able to attend the ball, both because it was the most sought-after ball of the season, and to see if one Caroline Bingley would behave as they all expected her to.
None enjoyed the suffering of others, but this was a situation in which whatever suffering was experienced would solely be due to the actions of the woman herself and the inactions of her siblings.
Darcy had a hard time closing his mouth as he stared at Lady Elizabeth.
She was a vision in her green silk ball gown with a magnificent emerald and diamond necklace accompanied by emerald earrings and pins with emerald tips in her hair.
The colours that she was wearing made the green in her eyes stand out all the more.
Richard Fitzwilliam was completely entranced by his betrothed.
Her silk ball gown was a deep burgundy with her jewellery and pins accented with rubies.
She was a vision of beauty, and with the colours that she was wearing, her smooth skin and blond tresses shone like a bright light in the night sky.
The Bedfords had requested that the new Earl and Countess, the Gardiners, and the Matlocks join them and the Jerseys in the receiving line.
Lady Matlock was the third sponsor of the ball with the impending announcement of her son’s betrothal, and having the Bennets and the Gardiners in the line would ensure that they would meet the invited guests face to face before entering the crush in the ballroom.
The matchmaking mamas of the Ton were in a frenzy to display their unmarried sons to the best possible advantage.
Anyone who could secure one of the Bennet ladies, all reputed beauties, would secure wealth like most could only imagine and connections that they could only dream about.
They would be sorely disappointed when the betrothal of the eldest daughter was announced and upon learning that the second was being courted, albeit not officially yet, by the elusive Fitzwilliam Darcy.
Anyone who thought of trying to compromise either of the Bennet girls would be foiled in their endeavour as the ladies would remain protected at all times.
Taking a cue from the other hopeful men in their party, Ashby too reserved three sets with the lady that he was courting.
They made the short walk across the square to the Rhys-Davies’ house.
The group from Gardiner House were shown into a family sitting room where the family and the De Melvilles were relaxing.
Lady Loretta said her goodbyes and she, her companion, maid, and two footmen made their way to a carriage destined for Matlock House to join the three girls already there.
Before she left, she complemented the ladies on their finery, especially the three Bennet daughters who were all wearing never before seen creations of Madame Chambourg.
The modiste had created one for each daughter and the Countess as well.
Fanny Bennet wanted to pinch herself, but she did not as it would have looked very strange to the assembled company.
Not only was she a countess, but she was wearing an exquisite gown and jewels that not too long ago she would not have been able to conjure in her wildest of dreams. She looked on her daughters with pride and saw three truly delightful and beautiful young ladies.
Her daughters were still very much as they were before the revelation of the wealth and the titles.
As a mother, she could not have been prouder.
“In a short time, we will be family Fanny, and unless my eyes deceive me, my son and William will finally be brothers at some point,” Elaine Fitzwilliam said softly as she surveyed the younger set who had been joined by Lord Hugh, the Bedford heir.
“Jane is so very happy with your Richard. After her disappointment, I was worried that it would take her heart much longer to heal, but it seems it was but infatuation toward her erstwhile suitor, not love.” The Duchess and Lady Sarah De Melville nodded their agreement and were pleased all was now as it seemed it should be.
Across the room the Marquess, Lord Birchington, approached the lady who, to him, was the true beauty in the room, Lady Mary.
“Lady Mary, good evening to you,” he bowed to her.
“A very good evening to you my Lord,” she returned his greeting with a curtsy.
“If you are not otherwise engaged, may I reserve the opening sets with you, my Lady?” he asked quietly, and blushing with pleasure, Mary acquiesced to the request. “In addition, I would pray that you grant me the supper set as well. If you are still free for both sets.” Lord Hugh held his breath, hoping that she was not already engaged to dance.
No lady before had ever captured his attention as this one did.
She, like her sisters, was not a simpering miss that would agree with any ridiculous thing said by a man.
She would, and had, openly disagreed when needed and was well educated with well-formed opinions.
Occasionally, very occasionally, she would quote a moralistic text, but that did not put the young lord off his quest to know her better.
“Yes, my Lord, the supper set is yours as well.” Mary’s blush deepened as she agreed, her heart racing faster than she had ever experienced and realised this was what attraction was, as it had been described by Jane and Lizzy when they assessed whether or not it was in play.
Unlike Charlotte, she believed that being attracted to someone was highly beneficial, Fordyce be damned! On this he was most certainly wrong.
“I thank you Lady Mary,” the Marquess slowly lifted her hand, relieved she flushed as it meant that she was not unaffected by him, and despite wishing the hand was ungloved, kissed it as he bowed over it.
He took his leave and a decidedly discomposed Lady Mary Bennet was left standing and asking herself what just happened.
Thankfully for her, the time had come for the receiving line to form.
The five couples took up their station at the head of the stairs that led up from the entrance hall and just outside the huge ballroom that was glowing with the light of thousands of candles while the reflections from the crystal chandeliers played on the floor and along the walls of the still empty room.
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As the members of the receiving line were getting into place, Louisa Hurst entered the drawing room of her husband’s townhouse to report that her sister would be at least another hour.
Her husband and brother knew full well that the woman could have been ready with time to spare, but she held a misconception that arriving what she termed ‘fashionably late’ drew attention to her ‘superior’ class and dress sense.
What she did not know or want to know, and what her siblings continuously kept from her, was that the Ton’s opinion was that she was rude, had no class, and her sense of style was non-existent.
Until word from three of the leading families of the Ton was spread, there were some who would deign to receive the tradesman’s daughter for their own entertainment, but no more.
Hurst was not impressed and very nearly left without the three siblings. Brother and sister convinced him to wait rather than confronting and dealing with the bad behaviour, that they yet again, which may have been possible to avert if they had only insisted on leaving on time.
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The line of carriages stretched all the way around the square and out onto the avenue that connected to the entrance of Portman Square.
As guests came to the top of the grand staircase, they handed their invitation to the butler who announced them.
After the announcement, they proceeded down the line that started with the Duke and Duchess, followed by Lady and Lord Jersey, Lady and Lord Longbourn, Lady and Lord Matlock, and lastly Lady Gardiner and Sir Edward.
Prince Edward and Princess Elizabeth would arrive at the end of the second set to be present when the new Earl and Baronet would be officially introduced to the ball guests.
They would not dance, but they would greet the Bennets and the Gardiners, then stay for a little while before departing to return to Buckingham House.
Once all of the guests had made their way through the receiving line to the ballroom, the receiving line party entered the ballroom as well. Before the music for the first set was called, the Duke nodded to his butler who forcefully brought his staff down onto the floor three times.