Chapter 10
Chapter Ten
That evening, Elizabeth was visited by Charlotte as she prepared for a private ball, given by Lady Nibsby, who was the wife of the magistrate.
“I wish I could attend, but I think I will wait a little while longer before venturing out to any parties at night,” Charlotte confided.
“I made it all the way through the night on Saturday. I was so grateful that I did not feel the need to retire. But I should hate to bring you all out only to make everyone return home, especially now that you, Jane, and Mary have the opportunity to meet gentlemen here. I know it is not why we came, but I felt terrible when I realised how neglected Jane’s prospects had become since your mother died. ”
“Perhaps your first nighttime foray ought to be the assembly rooms. The evenings end earlier, you owe nothing to any particular hostess, and no one will notice if we slip away early.” Elizabeth turned away from her mirror and smiled.
“But Charlotte, I have said it before, I am not in any particular hurry to find a husband just because I suddenly have a dowry. If anything, the money has had the opposite effect upon me as it has done Jane. You must not exert yourself for my benefit, though Jane and Mary seem to appreciate it for theirs.”
“Oh hush, Eliza. Of course you wish to be married. You are only feeling relief from the pressure you felt before. Once you get used to being spoiled for choice, you will be at leisure to fall in love as much as you choose.”
Elizabeth shook her head as her stepmother continued on, somehow just as unheeding of Elizabeth’s desires as her mother had been on the subject of marriage.
She knew that she must have a conversation with Charlotte about the matter soon, for she had no desire to be seated with Mr James at dinner ever again.
“It is your turn to wear Grandmama Bennet’s pearls.” Charlotte stood and opened the case containing the adornments that were well known to Elizabeth.
“Oh, I am certain they would be better directed to Jane,” Elizabeth objected. “I have no prospects that interest me, Charlotte. Perhaps Jane or Mary–”
“Eliza, I insist. Do not be difficult,” Charlotte insisted, and clasped the pearls about Elizabeth’s neck where they did look very well.
Elizabeth took the pearl drop earrings from Charlotte and thanked her, since there was no method of deterring her. She hoped that Jane or Mary would become engaged soon. Perhaps that would settle Charlotte a bit.
Charlotte Bennet was not resentful about the good fortunes of her step-daughters.
In fact, she had decided to be thrilled instead by her predecessor’s machinations, and, almost as a display of gratitude towards the first wife that she knew would not have approved of her, she was determined to do as much as she could to advance Fanny’s daughters.
The late Mrs Bennet had done what she could, and Charlotte would not concern herself only with the future of her own son.
She wanted to do her best to see her stepdaughters… her friends…happily settled.
Elizabeth entered the ballroom after greeting her hosts in the receiving line, her sisters and her father surveying the room with the same interest.
“There you are! You must amuse me. I am not to be impressed tonight.” Priscilla appeared by her elbow as a gentleman approached Jane to reserve a set. Mr Bennet saw his friend Mr Darcy, and abandoned Elizabeth without shame.
“Priscilla! I had no idea you would come tonight!” Elizabeth was well-pleased.
The Darcys did not attend balls at night, though they had attended a few dinners.
Priscilla had declared herself not at all disappointed, for when one has attended a few seasons, one has met nearly everyone, and if there was an interesting marriageable man in Ramsgate, she would know about him already.
“Nor did my uncle or I know, but my cousin insisted,” Priscilla informed her. “Apparently I will be expected to accompany them whenever Darcy wishes to go out at night. Georgie is at home with Mrs Younge, poor thing.
“That should please Mrs Younge. She dislikes going anywhere or talking to anyone,” Elizabeth observed. “That sounds rather unlike the descriptions you and Georgiana gave of your cousin, though. I thought he disliked society.”
“Miss Elizabeth.” Darcy approached them and bowed as she dropped a curtsey in return. “May I claim the first dance?”
“You may,” she answered in surprise.
“And your supper set. May I claim that as well?” He smiled brilliantly.
Elizabeth’s eyebrows nearly disappeared into her hair, such was her surprise at his request. “I suppose I have no reason to refuse.”
“Thank you, Miss Elizabeth. I will collect you when the dance starts.” He bowed again, and made his way over to an empty place near the wall and surveyed the room with a stern expression.
“Your cousin is perhaps the most confusing man I have ever met.” Elizabeth turned to Priscilla.
“I told him that I forgave him, but that did not guarantee him my friendship. I understandably asked him to maintain a gentlemanly distance from me. He seems to have taken this as a challenge, and is determined to be so much in my company that I shall have no choice but to befriend him, else I should be annoyed all the time. He and Georgiana have extracted a promise that I will adventure with them to the confectioners as often as possible.”
“Yes, I believe that is his plan,” Priscilla agreed. “He is determined to win your good opinion.”
“Why?” Elizabeth asked, fascinated that the man should care about her at all.
“You have given him cause to think highly of you. The only young woman besides you that Darcy has ever met, whose high opinion is rarely bestowed, is me. I am his cousin, so I hardly count as interesting. The fact that your approbation is not liberally offered, makes him regard it as well worth earning.”
“Beastly man,” Elizabeth murmured. “Although, I could not fault his generosity today. The extensive array of confections he treated us to was kindness itself.”
“Darcy is kindness itself,” Priscilla remarked. “The sooner you forget his silly outburst and bestow your good opinion upon my cousin, the better.”
The two ladies spoke of the call that had been paid to Lady Barry that day, the trip to the confectioners, and their plans for the following afternoon.
“Miss Elizabeth.” Mr James appeared before them. “May I have the privilege of partnering you for the first?
“I fear my first has already been spoken for, sir.”
“Truly?” The man looked astonished. “I am surprised…”
“Why?” Priscilla snapped
He jumped a bit. “I just thought, considering…well…perhaps the supper set.”
“My supper set has also been claimed, Mr James, but my second is free.” Elizabeth made every effort not to sigh in the man’s face. She decided it would be easiest to dance with him sooner and get it over with. Perhaps she could encourage him to turn his attentions elsewhere.
“Very well.” The gentleman did not appear satisfied. “Lady Priscilla, if your third is free?”
“I can hardly contain my anticipation,” Priscilla drawled, not hiding her sarcasm.
He left them as Elizabeth warned her. “Be careful. That one takes no encouragement at all to create an attachment where none should exist.”
Ten minutes later, Darcy collected her for the first, and as they began, she found their conversation to be easy and effortless.
“Miss Elizabeth, tell me about your family. Your sisters are all obviously quite different from one another.”
“The eldest is Jane, the one dancing with our host's son, just there. She is beautiful, but she is more than that. Being Miss Darcy’s brother, you understand what I mean.” Elizabeth nodded towards Jane and her dance partner not far away.
“Her goodness is impossible to measure. She is my closest friend and confidante in the world.”
“I look forward to knowing her better.” Darcy turned with the dance, and back again.
“I am the second, and our third is my sister Mary. She is here tonight, but I do not see her just now.”
“The one Painswick was following about on Saturday evening?” Darcy inquired as Elizabeth nodded.
“Mary was quite stern when we were young. Being in the middle, she struggled to find her place amongst us, so for a time, she was the pious sister. She still is pious, of course, and would make some clergyman, or any gentleman, an excellent wife. But she has improved since she laid aside Fordyce. Mary supervises the education of our two youngest sisters, with my father’s oversight, of course.
She is very dedicated to the pianoforte, and plays duets with Georgiana often. ”
“And your two other sisters?” he asked in sincere interest. “Georgiana and I, despite being of the opposite sex, and far apart in age, are very similar in nature. I find the differences in you and your sisters fascinating.”
“Kitty and Lydia are full young,” Elizabeth said simply.
“They are so full of high spirits that we have yet to discern who they will grow up to be. They both love fashion, like most girls their age. Lydia refuses to learn any instrument or feminine accomplishment besides embroidery. Kitty usually follows her, though she has recently broken free a bit and has lately learned to sketch. They spend most of their time with Miss Darcy discussing fashion, though Kitty and your sister have lately been reading a novel together. I believe they have also been teaching her to trim her own bonnets. Lydia is the more stubborn of the two, but she will mature, as we all do.”
“And you have each found something in common with my sister, even though you are all so different,” Darcy marvelled. “I cannot deny, it has been just what she needed.”
“You would not prefer it if she learned to keep us all as far away as possible?” Elizabeth teased.
“I hope one day you will allow me to forget that,” he grumbled. “But I suppose I have not paid enough for having said it yet.”
“I suppose you will forget it when you return to your home and never see us again.”