Chapter 8 #4
"It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, gentlemen," Jane said with a graceful curtsy.
"My second niece, Miss Elizabeth Bennet."
"I am delighted to meet you both," Elizabeth replied with a warm smile, curtsying with effortless elegance.
"My third niece, Miss Mary Bennet."
"How do you do?" Mary said quietly, lowering her eyes after a respectful curtsy.
"And my youngest niece, Miss Catherine Bennet."
"It is a pleasure to meet you, gentlemen," Kitty said with a timid smile before making a neat curtsy.
"The pleasure is ours," Mr Andrews replied warmly.
"We are honoured to make your acquaintance, ladies," Matthew added, bowing politely to each of the four sisters.
He immediately recognised the beautiful blonde young lady as the woman he had seen a few days earlier. At last, he knew her name. She was Miss Jane Bennet, Lady Campbell's niece.
When the Gardiners arrived, they joined the group at once.
"James, Matthew, it is a pleasure to see you both again," Mr Gardiner said warmly.
Matthew was delighted that Miss Bennet was among them.
Although everyone around him continued conversing, he found it difficult to pay attention.
His eyes kept returning to Jane, and occasionally she glanced back at him.
Several times she would catch him openly staring at her and her only response was to lower her gaze with a most becoming blush.
He knew he should not stare, but he could not help himself, for she seemed… a goddess!
For her part, Jane found herself overwhelmed by conflicting emotions. She knew it was hardly proper to show so much interest in a gentleman she had only just met. Yet he was remarkably handsome, and there was such warmth and intensity in his gaze that she felt irresistibly drawn to him.
She’d had men stare at her before and often it made her uncomfortable because some men never stopped at all, even when you looked directly back at them.
They treated a woman as if she were a statue and not a person.
However, there was something about Mr de la Garza’s manner that was very different.
He quickly averted his own eyes when she looked up or over and caught him staring.
He too, blushed several times and then quickly looked at his feet or elsewhere only to glance back to check if she was still watching.
And when she did catch him again he seemed flustered and aware of the impropriety of his own behavior which she found both amusing and charming.
At one point, when they had locked eyes for a moment, he put his hand to his cheek and comically tried to force his head to look away from her only to have his head spring towards her direction.
He finally smiled broadly, shrugged, and turned away.
He seemed to be mouthing the words, “I am sorry!”
"My son, your thoughts are clearly elsewhere," Mr Andrews observed with amusement. "I have asked you the same question twice, and you have not answered me."
Both Mr and Mrs Gardiner smiled.
"Do not trouble the poor fellow, James," Mr Gardiner said with a laugh. "Your question was about business, and tonight we are here to enjoy ourselves."
"I quite agree with my husband," Mrs Gardiner added.
"Very well," Mr Andrews replied good-humouredly. "No business, then. But tell me, Matthew, what has occupied your thoughts so completely?"
Jane listened with undisguised curiosity, eager to hear his answer.
Matthew smiled at his father.
"I was thinking about how full of surprises life can be."
Then, looking directly at Jane, he added softly in Spanish,
"Y en lo hermosa que es la senorita que tengo delante de mí."
**And about how beautiful the young lady standing before me is.
Mr James Andrews, who understood Spanish perfectly, was astonished. His son had always been reserved, especially when it came to young ladies. Such an open declaration was entirely out of character.
"Well, my dear boy," he whispered to his son with an amused smile, careful that no one else should overhear, "it appears you have inherited your mother's passionate heart."
Mr and Mrs Gardiner had no idea what had just been said, yet they could not help noticing that Jane seemed quite unable to take her eyes off the young gentleman before her.
Jane, of course, had not understood a single word. Even so, she had never heard anyone speak with such warmth. A rosy blush spread across her cheeks.
"What did you say, Mr Andrews?" she asked softly. Then, almost breathlessly, she added, "I should very much like to know."
Matthew felt as though he were walking on air. After a moment, however, he recovered enough composure to answer.
"I said..."
He got no further.
"Miss Bennet, you cannot imagine how delighted I am to see you again."
Jane reluctantly broke eye contact with Mr Andrews de la Garza and turned towards the familiar voice. Standing before her was Mr Bingley, smiling broadly as he looked at her with unmistakable longing.
At the same moment, Caroline watched the scene from across the room and muttered to her sister, "What is that wretched Jane Bennet doing here?"