Chapter 28 Missteps
The Bingleys arrived at Langford’s residence at a time carefully calculated by Miss Bingley to be fashionably late.
Unfortunately for her, the duke had old fashioned ideas and considered punctuality to be the courtesy of princes. Therefore, the siblings were unfashionably late and no one of consequence was there to receive them and be astonished at Miss Bingley’s spectacular entrance.
They were fortunate that the footman on duty was grudgingly prepared to admit them after carefully examining their invitation.
In the empty foyer they could hear the strains of music emanating from the ballroom.
‘First you are cross with me for only arriving today after a rushed journey from Yorkshire, arriving in plenty of time to be ready for the ball, and then you make us late because of your idiotic ideas about fashion,’ grumbled Bingley.
‘How was I to know that everyone else would be so unfashionably early,’ Caroline defended herself.
‘As a matter of fact, they were courteously punctual. Something which you have never learnt,’ muttered Bingley as he led his sister to the ballroom.
The siblings almost immediately spotted Jane Bennet dancing with Deveril.
Bingley stopped, completely enraptured by the lady’s grace.
Caroline also noticed Jane and while she was somewhat put out that Miss Bennet had received an invitation to this ball as well, she decided that it was fortuitous since her brother could now claim his beloved.
Looking around to see if there were any other familiar faces, Miss Bingley was horror-struck when she saw Darcy dance with none other than Elizabeth Bennet.
That was a situation which had never occurred to her could happen.
Had not Mr Darcy claimed that Eliza was only tolerable but not handsome enough to tempt him to dance?
That comment had assured her that the chit was no competition for herself, so that even if Jane should marry Charles, Darcy would give his friend’s sister-in-law nary a second glance.
But now, here he was dancing with that chit. Not only that but he was dancing the first set with her. Mr Darcy never danced the first set… with anyone.
Suddenly, any ideas Caroline had had about renewing the friendship with Jane and encouraging her brother to make a match with her went out the window. She could not permit any Bennet girl anywhere near her Mr Darcy, which would surely happen if Charles married Jane.
~T~
As soon as the music finished, Bingley headed towards Jane while his sister was holding onto his arm for grim death. It would not do for Charles to reach the chit before her.
Deveril was leading Jane to the edge of the dancefloor where her sisters and their partners were converging as the three couples were changing partners for the second set.
Moments later they were joined by Mr and Miss Bingley.
Since Bingley knew everyone in the group, he assumed that his sister did as well.
He therefore gave an absentminded greeting to all without bothering to introduce Deveril, as he focused his attention on Jane.
‘Miss Bennet, it is an absolute delight to see you tonight. I confess I had not expected to encounter you here.’
‘Indeed, Miss Bennet, I too was not expecting to see you tonight. I thought that you might be at home keeping your… uncle company. How is your dear… uncle today?’ purred Miss Bingley, ensuring that her brother was reminded of Jane’s supposedly loose behaviour.
‘Thank you for asking, Miss Bingley. As it happens, there was no need for us to remain at home as our Aunt and Uncle Gardiner are here as well.’ Jane smiled sweetly, but there was an edge to her voice.
Bingley was almost bouncing on the balls of his feet while he was waiting for the ladies to stop speaking for a moment so that he could make his request. ‘Miss Bennet, would you honour me with your next set?’
‘I am sorry, Mr Bingley,’ Jane said politely but mendaciously, ‘I am engaged to dance the next set with Colonel Fitzwilliam.’
Bingley turned his head in the gentleman’s direction. ‘Fitzwilliam, be a good chap and release the lady to dance with me.’
The Colonel considered his options for a moment before he said, ‘Certainly, if Miss Bennet wishes to be released.’
‘Excellent, thank you,’ Bingley replied and held out his hand to Jane. ‘Shall we, my dear Miss Bennet?’
Before Caroline had a chance to object, Jane saved her the trouble.
‘Certainly not, Mr Bingley. Did you not hear the Colonel say that it is my choice?’
‘Surely you would choose to dance with me?’
‘You presume too much. I have been looking forward to my dances with the good Colonel.’
Bingley was taken aback but recovered. ‘My apologies, Miss Bennet, if in my eagerness to dance with you at the earliest opportunity, I have overstepped,’ Bingley said contritely. ‘Will you honour me with your next available set?’
‘I am afraid that all my dances for tonight are already spoken for.’
‘This cannot be! This is but the first set. Even a lady as beautiful as you would not be engaged for all the dances at a ball so early in the evening.’
‘Are you calling Miss Bennet a liar?’ asked Deveril in a dangerously low tone of voice, stepping closer to Bingley.
Jane lightly put a restraining hand on his arm. ‘Please there is no need for any unpleasantness,’ she said and held out her dance card for Bingley to read.
He was horrified to see that every dance had indeed a name pencilled in. ‘My apologies, I had not meant to imply… I was…’
Bingley was reluctant to raise his eyes to Miss Bennet’s and was still looking at the dance card when he noticed another name. ‘Darcy,’ he cried, looking at his friend, ‘surely you will relinquish your dance with Miss Bennet to me.’
‘No, I will not,’ replied Darcy who was fully aware that Jane did not wish to dance with Bingley and hoped to stop this scene as a number of people were gathering to watch the drama.
‘But you do not even like dancing.’
‘Especially not with women who are only tolerable. I was surprised to see that you have lowered your standards to dance with Eliza,’ Miss Bingley could not resist a jibe at her newest rival.
‘On the contrary. I have raised my standards significantly since last we were in company.’
‘You cannot possibly claim that those country mushrooms are superior to someone like myself, who is wealthy, accomplished, fashionable and has attended the best ladies’ seminary.’
‘Miss Bingley, your antecedents are showing,’ came a new voice. ‘No gently bred lady would boast of her… assets the way you do.’
Being reminded of her roots in trade by a complete stranger made Miss Bingley angry and anger added to jealousy made her incautious.
‘That mercenary chit,’ she nodded towards Jane, ‘was always throwing herself at my brother. She even went so far as to follow him to town, and I doubt that her sister is any better.’
‘Miss Bingley, for your information, and although we are not accountable to you, I will tell you that we made arrangements at the beginning of the year to spend this time in town, since our sister Mary just turned eighteen. This season in London is a birthday treat for her,’ Elizabeth said mildly and with perfect decorum.
‘A likely story,’ huffed Caroline.
‘I happen to know that it is true,’ the stranger commented.
‘Who are you to claim such nonsense? Are you perchance the wife of that ghastly tradesman uncle who lives in Cheapside?’
‘Darcy, since you know this… person best, will you introduce us?’
‘With pleasure, Your Grace,’ Darcy said with a cold smile and had the satisfaction of hearing Caroline gasp.
‘I would like to make known to you, Miss Caroline Bingley, daughter of an honourable tradesman from Scarborough. Miss Bingley, I have the honour of introducing Her Grace, Lady Isabella Deveril, the Duchess of Barrington.’
Miss Bingley blanched as she realised her faux pas.
~T~
While Caroline was busy insulting Jane, Elizabeth and Darcy, Bingley looked back at the dance card which Jane had forgotten to put away and noticed Deveril’s name against three dances.
Not wanting to admit even to himself that Jane could possibly prefer someone over him, and before anyone else could say anything, Bingley turned to Deveril.
‘I suggest you find yourself a different lady to importune. I saw Miss Bennet first and courted her for weeks,’ he jeered.
‘You may have seen her first, but did you ever attempt to find out if she wanted to see you?’
‘Of course, she does. Why should she not? I am amiable, wealthy and some even say handsome. In other words, everything she could hope for in a husband. And I am certain that she was anxiously waiting for my addresses as she was always most charming and gracious. Therefore, it was only a matter of time before she would become my wife.’
Darcy, who was still glaring at Caroline, overheard that exchange and turned to his friend to stop him making a complete fool of himself. ‘Bingley, stop. You are as delusional as your sister,’ he hissed.
That comment brought Bingley up short as he rounded on Darcy. ‘What do you mean?’
‘After I encountered you in Gracechurch Street, I met Miss Bennet at that dinner to which my aunt had invited me. I discovered that my family had become friends with Miss Bennet and her family and invited me along so that I could have an opportunity to apologise to Miss Elizabeth. Hoping to help you to find happiness, I spoke to Miss Bennet about you…’ Darcy trailed off, reluctant to hurt his friend but knowing it had to be done.
He sighed and squared his shoulders. ‘She said that while you are an amiable young man, she found you to be too young and immature for her liking. I am afraid that while you were in Hertfordshire, she was only tolerating you out of politeness and kept hinting to you to turn your attention elsewhere.’