Imperative: Volume 1, A Tale of Pride and Prejudice (27 page)

“I know; I understand you better and better.”  His pale cheeks warmed and Elizabeth knew that she had pleased him.  “I am uncomfortable, too.  Why is it that I feel safer and happier with you by my side than with people I have known my entire life?”

“Elizabeth . . .” Darcy leaned forward and caught himself in time.  Elizabeth’s eyes sparkled and he cleared his throat, moving back in his chair.  “Were you ever the object of unrelenting attention before?  With people commenting on your every action?”  Seeing her thinking, he nodded.  “You see, I am accustomed to that sort of behaviour by those who wish to garner my favour for one reason or another, and have learned to deflect it, well, in unsociable ways, according to you.”  Laughing softly at her smile, he entwined their fingers.  “Although I still abhor the experience, I think that with you as my life’s partner, I may just learn to enjoy situations in crowded rooms, even dancing.”

Her smile grew.  “Optimism!  Oh, this is a special night!”  Darcy shook his head and she squeezed his hand.  “You do realize that the country dances begin after supper.  I will at last observe you dancing a jig!”

“A country dance sounds perfect, preferably with you.”  His eyes crinkled and he gave her hand a last squeeze before letting go as the servants began ladling out the white soup. 

Richard and Samuel found seats nearby as did the rest of the Bennets.  Bingley helped Jane to her chair and Elizabeth watched Mrs. Bennet preening and nodding.  Catching her father’s eye she shook her head.  He smiled and shrugged, then closing his eyes; he folded his hands over his stomach and listened to the conversations around them.  When the soup course was cleared away, she noticed Darcy moving.  She watched him pour some wine for them both, then bit her lip as he scanned the table and began selecting items from each platter that surrounded them, and placed it before her. 

“Thank you.”

“You are welcome.”  Noticing her disconcertion, he tilted his head.  “What is wrong?  Please eat.”

“I have never been served by a gentleman before.”  Elizabeth saw his surprise.  “This is my first private ball, and remember, I grew up in a houseful of women.  Papa hardly ran about the table serving us, and we certainly did not have servants enough to do so.  Something else I will have to become accustomed to now?”  She watched a small smile come to his lips as he nodded.  “I will wait for you.”

“You are about to faint dead away.  Supper after midnight.”  Shaking his head he filled his own plate and set it down.  “I suppose that you starved yourself all day?”

Elizabeth held back the laugh that was threatening to erupt.  “Well . . . I knew that there had to be wonderful things here tonight . . .”

“When did you last eat?”

“I had some tea . . .” His scathing look prompted a kick under the table.  Darcy immediately responded with his hand back over hers.  “How can I eat if you hold my hand, sir?”

Spearing a sample, he held it to her mouth.  Elizabeth took the morsel from his fork and blushing furiously, chewed while he let go of her hand.

“Well?”

“What was that?” 

“Lobster.  It is new to you?  I wonder how many things here are surprises.”  Scanning over the table he searched for unusual delicacies and she looked to see if anyone was watching.  He leaned to her and whispered, “I am denied kissing you, but I enjoy seeing you savouring new experiences, and look forward to giving you many.”

Elizabeth spoke to her hands.  “Receiving your kiss is still a new experience, one that I look forward to exploring again.” 

Breathing deeply, Darcy determined that somehow before she left, he would give her that opportunity.  “Have I told you tonight how lovely you are?”

“Many times, and not always with words.”   She smiled and looked up to his warm eyes. 

“Knowing my talent with words, it is probably better that way.”  His mouth curved up.  “Eat.”  Elizabeth stole a bite of lobster from his plate and popped it in her mouth.  Darcy’s eyes twinkled when she sighed. “What have I done?”

Samuel smiled, watching his cousin talking quietly with Elizabeth.  Jane studied the young man and looked to the object of his attention, when their eyes met, she smiled.  “Are you enjoying . . .”

“May I ask you for . . .” Samuel and Jane both stopped and waited for the other to speak.  “Please, continue.”

“Oh no . . .”

“Truly . . .” He smiled then laughed.  “Please.”

“I was just going to ask if you are enjoying yourself, sir.” 

“I am.”  He looked around the supper room.  “I have not had a great deal of opportunity to enjoy many evenings like this.  I was glad to tag along with the colonel.”

“He seems an impressive man.”  Jane tilted her head and watched him speaking with Colonel Forster.  “Is he a relation?”

“Of mine?  No.  He is Darcy’s cousin from his mother’s side; I am from his father’s.”  He looked over to Darcy who was watching Elizabeth while she talked quietly to Charlotte.  “How on earth did he catch her?”

“My sister?”  Jane smiled.  “She claims she never suspected his interest.”

“She claims.”  He looked back to her and winked.  “I daresay William would say that she always looked upon him with admiration, but then again, so many women do.  And what man would admit that a lady did not like him?” 

“William?”  She cocked her head.  “Mr. Darcy is William?” 

“Oh.”  He sat up and shrugged.  “As a boy.  His mother called him that, and of course my mother did, too, but she calls him Fitzwilliam now.”

“Were you great friends growing up?”

“He is six years older than me, so we were hardly playmates.  His mother died when I was . . . about six, I suppose, and he went away to school soon after that.  We only really saw each other during school holidays, one or both of us was attending somewhere over the past fifteen years or so.”

“So you do not know him well?”

“No, not like Richard, forgive me, Colonel Fitzwilliam, does.  But I admire him as the elder brother I did not have.  He shouldered a great responsibility at about the age I am now, and has done the best he can.  I am glad to see him settling with a good woman.  I like your sister very much, she laughs, how rare that is, and how wonderful.”  He saw Richard look his way then to his left and back to Jane.  Samuel noticed Bingley leaning towards them, and remembering their charge, turned to Jane.  “Enough about me, may I ask if you are enjoying yourself this evening?”

“Oh, yes.”  She looked around the room and back to him.  “I have never attended anything so lovely before.  Mr. Bingley was very kind to host the neighbourhood like this.”

“I have met Mr. Bingley at my cousin’s home in London several times; he impresses me as a man who enjoys life.”  He watched her smile and tried to decipher its meaning. 

Jane nodded.  “I think that is a very good description of him, sir.  He does his best to make everyone around him happy.”

“Miss Bennet . . .” Jane turned to find Bingley beside her.  “May I ask your opinion?”

“Certainly Mr. Bingley.”  She smiled and faced him.  “How may I help?”

“Well, I was planning to make a toast to Darcy and your sister, but . . . well I know that Darcy would rather I did not, but your sister, would she like to have a public celebration of their pending wedding?  I could not tell if they were pleased or mortified in church when the reverend did much the same.”

“I think they were both rather embarrassed, but it did seem to do some good.”

“Some good?”  Samuel shook his head.  “Have you listened to what people are saying tonight?”

Jane protested.  “Yes, of course they are speculating a little, but Reverend Pierson made it clear that this was a happy occasion, no forced event.” 

“So everyone is happy for them.”  Richard raised his brows and nodded as he joined the table.

“Of course!”  Bingley chimed in.  “Now that the truth is out, of course they are; who could not be delighted with a wedding?”  He glanced at Caroline and noticed Hurst smiling.  “Well, in any case, the gossips have certainly had an eyeful of them tonight, and they look very well together.”

“I agree, they do.” Jane said positively.  They turned their heads and took in the couple quietly talking and eating together.

When the dessert dishes were cleared away, Darcy took a sip of wine and sat back from the table, watching Elizabeth watching her family, and cringing each time one of them opened their mouths.  The earlier happiness was dissipating.  He reached beneath the table and took her hand, and was glad to feel the answering press of her fingers. 

“Has Darcy told you about Pemberley, Miss Elizabeth?”  Samuel asked with a smile.  Elizabeth brightened and was about to answer when Richard spoke first.

“If I know my cousin he has likely bored her silly with tales of sheep and crops.  Or maybe it is vistas and horses?  No, I know, the proud Darcy history, that is it.”  Richard leaned back in his chair and picked up his glass, lifting it in a toast.  “Once Darcy begins talking of home, he is unstoppable.”

“I am afraid that Pemberley remains very much a nebulous mystery to me.”  Elizabeth smiled at Darcy.  “He has promised to tell all, however, we have not had a great deal of opportunity to talk of it.”

Pleased to see her relaxing again, Darcy smiled.  “I promise you, I will undoubtedly bore you to tears with details once we are married and have the time, and you will wish it remained a mystery.”  

“
You
, verbose?”  Bingley laughed.  “That I would like to hear.” 

“Oh, Charles you know perfectly well that Mr. Darcy is very capable of speaking of his home.”  Caroline smiled at him, then turned to Samuel.  “Do you have a favourite part of the estate, Mr. Darcy?  Oh my, I will never grow used to having two of you at the same table!  Mr. Darcy . . .” She fanned herself and looked to Darcy, “Do tell us all about Pemberley!”

Darcy said nothing and Samuel’s face was reddening.  Jane noticed Elizabeth looking unhappily at Caroline and turned to Samuel.  “Mr. Darcy, perhaps you could speak of your favourite place on the estate?”

“Oh, I am very fond of the forests and gardens.”  He smiled to see Elizabeth listening closely.  “But as for the rest, it is just the place where I grew up, family history, yes, but not a possession to be proud of.  Mr. Bingley can probably speak better on favourite locations, as a visitor, it was more of an adventure.”

“A wide-eyed adventure, I assure you!  Pemberley was the first country estate I ever visited; I will never forget my first sight of the house.”  He beamed at Darcy, who smiled and nodded.  “Just wait Miss Elizabeth, until he takes you home!”

“I look forward to it.” 

“As do I.”  Darcy’s lips lifted and they startled with Mrs. Bennet’s voice.

“Here, Mary . . .” Mrs. Bennet pinched her cheeks quickly and pressed her hand against her back, making her sit up straight and throw out her chest.  She glanced at Mr. Collins who was sighing and looking at Jane.  “Quick, while he is looking elsewhere!”

“Mama, please!”  Elizabeth whispered fruitlessly.  “You are embarrassing her!”

Too far away to hear Elizabeth’s warning, Mrs. Bennet carried on.  “We must make you as appealing as possible for him.”  Mrs. Bennet sat back and looked her over.  “You are no Jane, what can we do?”  She stared around the crowded room and finally hit on an idea.  “Go play!  That might attract him!”

“Oh!   I have been preparing several pieces for tonight!”  Mary cried and stood.

“Mama!”  Elizabeth followed Mary’s progress as she made her way through the crowded room to the pianoforte located just beyond the doors of the supper room.  “No, she must not play!”

Mrs. Bennet turned and called down the table to her proudly.  “Lizzy, you have your husband, and we all know that it was my advice that helped you to win him!”  She smiled and winked at Darcy.  His mouth opened and he shot a look at Elizabeth.  “So I certainly know what I am doing.”  Leaning across the table she won Collins’ attention.  “Oh Mr. Collins, look!  Mary is going to play!  She is just awaiting her turn!”

“Oh, no.”  Elizabeth whispered.

Darcy spoke into her ear, “What did she mean about you following her advice to win me?” 

“Please do not ask, it is too embarrassing.” 

Darcy increased his grip on her hand.  “You won me by being yourself, Elizabeth.” 

“Mr. Darcy!”  Mrs. Bennet beamed at Samuel, “Are you enjoying yourself?  You seem to be dancing a good deal.”

“Oh, well, I noticed that there is an abundance of ladies and not so many gentlemen, and my mother taught me that when I started attending balls, it was my duty to dance.”  Samuel noticed that a great many eyes were looking past his shoulder and turning, he saw that the object of attention was Darcy, who sat stiffly with his lips pressed together.  “Of course this is all new to me, attending balls that is, I . . . I am not nearly as pursued as my cousin was.”  He smiled until he heard Richard’s cough.

“Pursued?”  Richard said with a raised brow.  “That barely scratches the surface.”

“That is enough, Richard.”  Darcy looked at him and then glanced at Elizabeth.

“I admire your mother’s direction to you, Mr. Darcy, since I have spent far too many dances sitting along the wall, but sometimes there are very good reasons for a gentleman to avoid dancing with anyone outside of his immediate party, besides wishing to avoid unknown hopeful ladies.”  Elizabeth clasped Darcy’s hand and he looked at her, unsure of what she would say.  “Sometimes the gentleman has a particular lady on his mind and cannot think of any other.”

Darcy let out the breath he had been holding. 
Georgiana.  Of course Elizabeth would understand.

“You do think well of yourself, Miss Eliza.”  Caroline said scathingly. 

Feeling Darcy’s tightened grip, she met her challenge.   “I have no idea what you are speaking of Miss Bingley?  What are you implying?” 

Louisa kicked her sister under the table.  Caroline yelped and glared at her and began to reply before noticing Darcy’s piercing gaze.  “Only that you would suppose . . . nothing.”

From across the room Mary’s warbling voice singing badly to a ponderous tune drifted to them.  Darcy saw Elizabeth close her eyes and watched as guests turned and made faces.  Silence descended.