The Gypsy Blessing (18 page)

Darcy’s mind was so busy attempting to contain his discomfort in associating with a lady who would act in such a boorish manner in public that he did not reply. Had she not been Elizabeth’s mother, he would have set her down for embarrassing his friend, or he would have simply avoided her altogether.

Elizabeth looked up and searched his gaze. Darcy was comforted to see that she had recovered most of her usual colouring, and his anger faded.

Jane cleared her throat as the silence between them became uncomfortable.

After determining that his lack of reply might insult, he answered, “Yes, Mrs. Bennet, Miss Darcy is my sister.” He turned to Bingley, who was now staring at Jane and sporting a ridiculously wide smile.
Already, he is smitten! At least I may take comfort that he is taken with Miss Bennet and not Elizabeth.
“May I present my friend, recently installed at Netherfield Park, Mr. Charles Bingley.”

The moment propriety was satisfied in the way of greetings, Bingley wasted no time in asking, “Miss Bennet, are you engaged for the next dance?”

Although part of him realized that the minor alteration in Jane’s countenance in response to Bingley’s request could easily have been overlooked, having been in her company several times in the past, Darcy recognized her expression as one of true pleasure as she accepted Bingley’s offer.

Darcy’s opinion of Mrs. Bennet lowered a notch when she asked, “And you, Mr. Darcy? Have you not come to dance this evening?”

“I have good information that Mr. Darcy finds little pleasure in that particular amusement, Mama,” Elizabeth answered, flashing him a teasing smile.

My manners would be thought appalling if I did not ask Georgiana’s friends to dance.
“This evening is an exception to that rule, Miss Elizabeth. May I have the privilege of your hand for the next set?”

Elizabeth’s expression changed to one of unease. “Please do not feel obligated to make such an offer, Mr. Darcy. Georgiana explained your distaste for dancing.”

As usual, Elizabeth’s reaction to his suggestion was refreshingly unlike those of the women with whom Darcy usually associated, as was her concern for the comfort of those around her.

“Lizzy!” Mrs. Bennet admonished. “I cannot think a daughter of mine would refuse Mr. Darcy—” She had the decency to stop herself from voicing the remainder of her thought, although he could read the mercenary motives in her eyes. Mrs. Bennet quickly stumbled into the next phrase, “...your particular friend’s brother.”

Darcy raised both eyebrows, asking with smiling eyes, “
Do
you refuse to dance with me, Miss Elizabeth?”

Flustered with embarrassment over her mother’s behaviour and confusion over Darcy’s, Elizabeth replied, “Indeed, I would be honoured to accept, Mr. Darcy, but I shall have to disappoint you.” She looked down at her dance card. “You see, I am engaged to dance the next with our neighbour, Mr. Talwin.”

A pang of something he had never before experienced tightened his throat. The label
jealousy
sprang to mind, but he pushed it away.
Protectiveness, perhaps? She is my sister’s friend, and that is all.
Of course, Elizabeth would be admired and highly sought after as a dance partner
. He swallowed hard to clear the uncomfortable sensation and held out his hand.

She raised one eyebrow and then, seeming to understand at last, she handed him her dance card and pencil.

The feeling of triumph that came over him puzzled him as he took the program from her. Finding an opening two sets hence, he penciled in his name. “I see I shall have to wait an hour for satisfaction, Miss Elizabeth.” He bowed slightly as he returned her dance card.

“I thank you, sir.”

Unwilling to be left standing alone with Mrs. Bennet when her daughters’ dance partners came to claim them, he bowed again and returned to his party.

Do any of the names listed on her card belong to those boys—now men—she spent so much time chasing after as a child?
His chest tightened.
Do any belong to a man preferred by the woman Elizabeth has become?

Caroline Bingley stepped into his line of sight, blocking his view of Elizabeth. Hopeful anticipation was written across her features as many of those around them began to move towards the dance floor. Darcy stifled a sigh and bowed. “Do you care to dance, Miss Bingley?”

He imagined the expression she graced him with as she acquiesced might have been attractive to other men, just as all her machinations would have been perfectly acceptable to those within the
ton
, but he could not help but feel revulsion to Miss Bingley’s tactics.

Resigned, he offered his arm to Miss Bingley and led her to the floor.

~

As the movement of the dance allowed, Caroline sought to garner information—and attract his attention away from the dark-haired country miss, whom he could not seem to take his eyes off for long. “Mr. Darcy, I would never have predicted you would know anyone in
this
part of the country, and yet, it seems you do,” Caroline Bingley glanced towards Mrs. Bennet, who was now animatedly speaking to another matron and pointing towards the dance floor. “My brother, it seems, is dancing with one of the young ladies of your acquaintance. Are they related to anyone I know in Town?”

Darcy involuntarily looked down the line at Elizabeth instead of at his partner as he passed Miss Bingley in the dance. “They are of the family Bennet. The two eldest daughters are friends to Georgiana.”

“Well, then, I must beg you for an introduction when this set is done, sir. If these ladies are even one quarter as sweet as my dear friend, Georgiana, I am certain I will enjoy their company.”

“Miss Bingley, I am sure your brother has every intention of introducing you as soon as he is able. After all, the Bennets are now your neighbours; it is only natural that you shall become acquainted.”

Miss Bingley smiled sweetly, but her eyes gleamed with cold-hearted disdain.

When the music ended, Caroline joined Mrs. Hurst, and Darcy went to fetch some punch for the ladies.

“Charles is at it again, I see,” Mrs. Hurst nodded at Bingley, who was now speaking to Jane and Mrs. Bennet. “She is a pretty girl, I will admit, and she dances well—but her gown!”

“The style is from last season for certain, but look around you, Louisa. Hers is the most recent design in the room.”

“Do you know who she is?”

“You remember Charles telling us of Sir William’s ‘jewels of the county’? She is one of them. Miss Bennet, I believe.” Caroline tightened her eyes. “I am looking forward to meeting the family.”

Mrs. Hurst’s eyes widened. “You shock me, Caroline,” she whispered. “You
wish
to become acquainted with one of this rabble?”

Caroline lowered her voice to be sure that she could be heard only by her sister. “You know very well that Charles falls in love wherever we go, but he is so quickly distracted by another pretty face that we seldom think twice about his choice. Contrarily, you also know that Mr. Darcy’s head is not at all easily turned. Louisa, I do not like the way his eyes follow that dark-haired Bennet. You remember the saying ‘Keep friends close and enemies closer’?” At Mrs. Hurst’s nod, she continued. “You and I will become the best of friends with the
lady
who has caught Mr. Darcy’s eye, so that we may turn her head in a different direction.”

Mrs. Hurst chuckled. “I apologize for underestimating you, Sister.”

Chapter 12

“My Jane has certainly caught Mr. Bingley’s eye, just as I knew she would,” Mrs. Bennet declared to Lady Lucas.

“Mama, please!” Elizabeth whispered. “People will hear you.”

“Oh, pish-posh, Lizzy. I have said nothing that anyone with
eyes
could not see for themselves. Even as he danced with his next partner, Mr. Bingley’s attention was diverted by being in the same set with Jane. Although I
do
wish Mr. Darcy would show an interest—he has the advantage of knowing Jane longer, not to mention
ten
thousand a year! Although Mr. Bingley seems the more amiable gentleman of the two, he has only
five
thousand. A little competition would do them both some good, I think. Men enjoy contests, and what better prize can there be than winning the affections of such a beautiful lady?”

Aiming to distract her mother, Elizabeth asked, “Mama, what do you think of the gowns worn by Mr. Bingley’s sisters?”

“Their gowns are elegant, to be sure,” Mrs. Bennet answered. Lady Lucas opened her mouth as if to speak but closed it when Mrs. Bennet continued, “but
they
have the benefit of London dressmakers. Of course, if your father would take us to Town twice a year—and if he would open his purse strings wide enough for my brother Gardiner to acquire the best of materials—Jane’s excellent taste and superior figure would put all the ladies in London to shame. Do you not think so, Lady Lucas?”

Lady Lucas nodded her agreement.

Elizabeth glanced at Jane, imagining her own colouring to be of a similar shade as her sister’s deep blush. Since Elizabeth’s attempt at diverting her mother’s conversation had been defeated, she decided not to try again. She hoped that if her mother was not interrupted further, Mrs. Bennet would have followed this line of thought to its natural conclusion before Darcy came to claim his dance with her.

“And Lydia, of course,” Mrs. Bennet began again, with even more enthusiasm, “with her delicate features and lively disposition, will most likely marry highest of all my daughters. But Jane is the eldest and must take precedence... for now.”

Elizabeth breathed a sigh of relief when Mrs. Bennet nodded vigorously to herself, as she often did when she had finished making her point—and not a moment too soon. When Elizabeth looked away from her mother, she saw Darcy walking towards her.

Darcy bowed his head to Lady Lucas, Mrs. Bennet, and then Jane before meeting Elizabeth’s gaze.

“Miss Elizabeth.”

His eyes twinkled with something she did not recognize, but which caused a thrill to run through her. He offered his arm. She laid her hand upon the fine fabric of his sleeve and allowed him to lead her to the floor.

Several minutes after the music began, when the movement of the dance allowed for conversation, Elizabeth said, “You are quite accomplished for someone who does not enjoy the entertainment, sir.”

He bowed his head in acknowledgment but did not speak.

Unused to remaining quiet during a dance, at her next opportunity, Elizabeth’s eyes shone with a teasing glint as she said, “Miss Darcy will be shocked to hear that her brother has danced every dance thus far this evening.”

His eyes smiled in response, but his facial expression remained stoic.

She caught his gaze and raised an eyebrow. He did not reply.

“Indeed, Mr. Darcy, I believe your sister will declare this an historic event,” Elizabeth goaded, but still he made no response.
Curious. He has spoken readily enough in the past.

After a few minutes more, she asked, “Have you known Mr. Bingley long, sir?”

“We met at university several years ago,” Darcy replied and then fell silent once again.

Concluding that as he did not like to dance, he was, perhaps, out of practice and, therefore, was required to concentrate on the steps, Elizabeth gave up on drawing him out for the present. Paying close attention to his movements, she realized his skills and hers were actually well matched.

When the dance required them to stand still whilst the others moved around them, Elizabeth again felt it safe to speak. “I trust Miss Darcy was well when you left her at Matlock?”

“Indeed,” Darcy responded and fell quiet once again.

Well, then... it is not concentration that keeps him from speaking.
She asked aloud, “Mr. Darcy, are you unwell?”

He blinked several times in quick succession. “I am quite well, Miss Elizabeth. Why do you ask?”

She chuckled. “Then you do not think it odd to spend a half-hour together without having
some
conversation?”

He looked down the row of dancers at Bingley, who, Elizabeth noted, was chatting happily as he danced with Charlotte Lucas. Elizabeth and Darcy were then obliged to move in opposite directions. As soon as Darcy neared her again, he asked, “Did you enjoy the remainder of your stay in London?”

Elizabeth smiled at his effort. “We did, although we did not remain at the Gardiners’ for many days after we last saw you. Before we left, my uncle managed to find time to escort us to the Montagu House Museum to view the exhibits there.”

“I thought you had mentioned visiting the British Museum in the past?”

“Yes, but we had not time enough in our schedule to view the Townley Collection of sculpture, so I had hoped to return during this visit.”

Since they were required to move away from one another once more, Elizabeth did not speak to him again until their set was done.

When the music ended, Darcy bowed before her and then reached for her hand. As he placed her hand upon his arm, the expression in his eyes was so intense that she could not look away. A shiver passed up her spine as they strolled around the outskirts of the room. She hoped he was taking the long way ‘round the room on purpose so that he could spend time with her relatively alone before returning her to her mother’s side.

Finding it necessary to break the spell his look threatened to cast upon her, Elizabeth said, “Thank you, sir, for an enjoyable set.” She smiled widely. “You do exceptionally well for a gentleman who declares he does not like dancing. You must have had an excellent teacher.”

“As, I am sure, have you, Miss Elizabeth.”

“Ah, yes, you have found me out—my sisters and I learned from a London master, at my mother’s insistence.” Elizabeth smiled to herself as she thought back to years ago, when Mr. Bennet offered no argument to his wife’s assertion that his daughters
must
learn to dance from a master since dancing well was a vital accomplishment necessary to finding a husband. Elizabeth remembered being surprised when her father had looked upon his wife with a rare hint of wistful nostalgia in his expression, and she was even more amazed when he agreed to the expense without question. Pulling herself from her reverie, Elizabeth continued, “I am excessively fond of the activity myself, and having four sisters, I have had plenty of opportunities to practice. Mary and I take turns playing while the others dance.”

Darcy’s stoic façade softened as the corners of his lips turned up slightly, better resembling the man she had begun to know at Ramsgate. “I will let you in on a secret—Georgiana’s dance instructor insists she practice as often as possible so she will be ready for her coming out next year.” He chuckled and laid his gloved hand over hers where it rested on his arm. “Oft times in the evening, I will concede to Georgiana’s argument that I am a more appropriate dance partner than would be a footman.”

Elizabeth laughed. “I hope my presence in Ramsgate did not disturb your routine. I would have been delighted to play so that you could have helped Georgie practice. Or perhaps Mrs. Younge could have played while I took the gentleman’s part and danced with her myself, as I do with my younger sisters.”

Elizabeth wondered what part of her statement caused his countenance to stiffen. He promptly removed his warm hand from hers and, surrounded by an uncomfortable silence, they took the last few paces to where Jane was standing alone.

~

Sister... Indeed you would be the perfect sister-in-law for Georgiana, but it cannot be. I am relieved you did not offer to play so that Georgiana could practice her dancing, for I would not have been able to resist asking for your hand, as well. In such an intimate setting, I could not have trusted my ability to keep my feelings for you to myself.

Fearing that if he met Elizabeth’s gaze, he would give his thoughts away, Darcy bowed and then turned to face Jane. Bingley and Charlotte joined them as Darcy asked for Jane’s hand for the next set.

“I am engaged, sir, but I should be happy to oblige you with the set after that,” Jane answered.

Darcy bowed his head in acceptance.
After which, all my obligations to my host and my sister’s friends will be fulfilled.

Bingley raised his eyebrows high upon his forehead and then smiled widely. “I believe we should attend more country dances, Darcy. I have not seen you dance so many sets as you have tonight during an entire
season
of formal balls in Town.”

Darcy could not stop himself from glancing at Elizabeth, who had been teasing him on the same subject earlier. When their eyes met, she failed at her attempt to contain her amusement. Warmth spread through him at the thought of being the only person aware of the cause of her mirth.
Lord, help me;
it is much too soon for me to spend time in her company!

“Oh, look,” Bingley exclaimed, “there are my sisters. I shall bring them over and introduce them. Excuse me.” Bingley rushed away and then led the pair of ladies towards the group.

As they approached, Caroline Bingley stepped away from her brother and firmly attached herself to Darcy’s arm. He clenched his jaw at her audacity and returned his gaze to Elizabeth. The way Elizabeth’s back stiffened ever so slightly while watching Caroline’s actions made his breath catch in his chest.

Once Bingley was finished with formal introductions, Caroline turned to Elizabeth and, in a syrupy sweet voice that made Darcy suspicious of her intentions, said, “Having spent so little time in the country, Louisa and I will rely on your expertise to guide us, Miss Elizabeth.” In response to Elizabeth’s confused expression, she continued, “We shall need you to introduce us to the finest families, point out the best shops, and pass along bits of information that might be useful when conversing with our new neighbours.”

Elizabeth raised both eyebrows and replied, “Life in Hertfordshire is much simpler than that of living in Town. I am afraid we do not have many shops to choose from, as one would in London; therefore, you will have no difficulties choosing between them. As to our neighbours, I am certain you will find the people here are, at heart, very much like those in most places, Miss Bingley.”

Caroline was up to something, but Darcy could not yet determine what it was. Although she smiled at Elizabeth, the way Caroline had tightened her grip on his arm after hearing the lady’s response told Darcy she was not at all pleased.

Whilst still in Ramsgate, he had thought that the ladies of the
ton
would not know what to make of Elizabeth if they had the chance. He now could see he had been correct. Any of
them
would have taken a request such as Caroline’s as a compliment and in return, would have shared as much gossip as possible, in an attempt at proving herself indispensable. It was not so with Elizabeth. Clearly, she was above all that—her comfort in her intelligence and her person prohibited the groveling he had so often witnessed in most ladies among his acquaintance whenever they neared a lady who was more elegantly dressed, of greater wealth, or more highly connected than themselves.

In every way he had witnessed thus far, Elizabeth’s character was truly superior to most of the ladies he had known before her.

~

The movements of Elizabeth’s companions slowed, signaling that a scene depicted in a drawing was about to occur. She quickly glanced at Jane and Bingley and smiled.
Ah, there it is—the look shared by them in the picture. They are already on their way towards falling in love.
Remembering what else she had seen in the drawing, her gaze moved to Darcy. His expression was even more adoring than the one she had been warned to expect, which stirred such strong feelings within her own breast that she found she could not breathe.

The moment lasted for such a long time that Elizabeth thought the time had come to a complete standstill. Eventually, all returned to normal, and Caroline Bingley again demanded her attention.

“Miss Eliza, I do hope you will call on us next week. Louisa and I are used to being busy in Town. If the weather is fine, the gentlemen plan to be out shooting every day, and we would appreciate your company—along with Miss Bennet, of course.”

After such a lengthy shift in the passage of time, it took longer than usual for Elizabeth to recover her senses, and she could not reply immediately. Hearing her name diverted Jane’s attention from Bingley to the conversation between Caroline and Elizabeth. Jane immediately recognized her sister’s predicament and answered for her, “We would enjoy that very much, Miss Bingley.”

~%~

Since returning home from the ball, Elizabeth had been worried about Jane. It was unlike her sister to remain so quiet after a ball. At the very least, Elizabeth had expected her to speak of Mr. Bingley. “Is something wrong, Jane?”