Chapter 29 #2
After they all enjoyed some pre-dinner drinks, the butler announced dinner was served. Elizabeth was well pleased when, rather than escorting either his titled aunt or cousin into the dining parlour, Mr Darcy offered his arm to her.
Behind them, Anna, who was on Uncle Reggie’s other arm, felt gleeful seeing William and Lizzy ahead of her.
He had shared his hopes to make Lizzy his wife and explained it would not be easy thanks to his former behaviour, but he was determined to carry his point.
Anna, who did not know much about love—as was proved by how easily she had been hoodwinked at Ramsgate—was, however, confident that Lizzy would be her sister one day.
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After a very enjoyable meal where multiple compliments were sent to the cook, Anna proudly led the four ladies out of the dining parlour to the drawing room which adjoined the music room.
“Marie, will you play for us after tea?” Anna requested as she inclined her head to the harp in the music room through the open double doors.
“I will, but did Mother not mention that you would exhibit for us?” Marie responded. “It is a great treat, as Anna has never agreed to play before more than two people.”
“You have not changed your mind, have you?” Elizabeth asked as she looked at her new friend.
“Not at all, Lizzy,” Anna replied as she blushed.
How could she tell Lizzy that William had asked that Lizzy sing when the men were returned to them?
“I gave you my word, and I will not go back on it. Too long has passed since I heard Marie on the harp, and I would like to hear her first.” What Anna said was not the whole truth, but it was true, nonetheless.
“In that case, after tea, it will be my pleasure to play for you, Anna,” Marie agreed.
After asking for preferences, Anna poured cups of tea for each of the ladies.
There was little conversation while the tea was sipped.
Anna watched as Marie replaced her now empty cup in the saucer and stood before gliding over to the harp.
Soon, the most pleasant melody was floating from the music room as Marie plucked and strummed the strings expertly.
“My eldest sister is the only one who plays the harp in our family. I do not know if she is as good as Lady Marie, but I think, to my ear, her playing is very fine,” Elizabeth told Anna softly.
As Anna had planned, the men arrived in the drawing room as Marie was playing the last few bars of the piece she had played from memory. The musician was alerted to the presence of her husband by his enthusiastic clapping. That is when she noticed the other three men.
Once the men were served coffee, Anna extended her hand for Lizzy and bravely led the way into the music room.
While Anna seated herself behind the instrument, Lizzy stood next to her where she would be able to see the music and the words.
At the same time, those who had been in the drawing room wandered in to see this first performance before greater than two people.
Soon enough, everyone was seated, watching expectantly.
Elizabeth nodded to tell Anna she was ready. With hardly any nervousness, the latter played the opening movement of the piece. At the right moment, Elizabeth joined her in song, her perfect contralto voice complementing Anna’s expert playing.
The only one Elizabeth had heard play better was Mary. That was to be expected, as she had three years on Anna.
At the end of the song, the applause was thunderous, none more so than from Darcy.
Not only had Anna performed before a much larger audience, but he had loved every sublime note Miss Elizabeth had sung.
In his mind, he saw her sitting next to Anna in Pemberley’s music room, at the new instrument he had purchased for his sister, and the two of them playing a duet.
When he imagined her at Pemberley, it just seemed right.
After she had sung, Darcy watched as she charmed his uncle and challenged him to a game of chess.
It was easy to see that Uncle Reggie thought he would indulge the young lady and not beat her too badly.
It took a few minutes before he realised that this would not be easy, and he began to concentrate as he normally did.
It did not help; he lost to her. Due to the fact that Miss Elizabeth did not gratify his ego by losing to him, Darcy could see that she had won his uncle’s respect.
After her game of chess, Elizabeth noticed there was a cribbage board on the table near Mr Darcy. She looked at him. “Do you play?” she enquired.
“I do, and if you would like to take me on, I should warn you I am very good,” Darcy boasted with feigned arrogance.
He moved the board between them, the pegs in the starting positions for each of them.
He shuffled, and then each of them drew a card; Elizabeth won the deal.
She dealt them six cards each, and each of them discarded two cards into her crib.
Mr Darcy cut the deck, and a jack was turned over.
“That is His Nobs for me!” Elizabeth exclaimed as she pegged two points.
Darcy did not know if he was distracted by Miss Elizabeth sitting in such close proximity to him, watching her emerald-green eyes shining with delight, or the smell of her light lavender scent which intoxicated him, but he ended up getting lurched by her.
Not since his father had first taught him the game had Darcy been beaten so badly. He found he could not object to his drubbing seeing the look of delight on Miss Elizabeth’s beautiful countenance.
“Is there any game at which you do not excel?” Andrew quipped.
“Do not play backgammon against her, Hilldale,” Gardiner advised. “Her strategy is excellent, but based on the luck she has with the dice and the number of doubles she throws, the angels are on her side.”
“That, Uncle Edward, is more luck than skill,” Elizabeth protested with a smile.
When the Gardiners and their niece were preparing to depart, was the moment that Darcy decided the Roman playwright, Terence, had the right of it when he wrote ‘fortes fortuna adiuvat’ in Latin, or ‘fortune favours the brave’ in English.
“Miss Elizabeth, may I call at Gracechurch Street on the morrow? I would like to speak to you, if you are willing to hear me,” Darcy requested.
Elizabeth looked at Aunt Maddie, who nodded her head. “I will be happy to see you on the morrow, Mr Darcy. I thank you and Anna for a thoroughly enjoyable evening, and I wish you better luck next time.” She looked at Mr Darcy smugly.
He said nothing but took her hand and kissed it and then bowed over it. “Until the morrow,” Darcy said.
It took Uncle Edward touching her shoulder for Elizabeth to move again.