Imperative: Volume 1, A Tale of Pride and Prejudice (28 page)

“Poor thing, she does not know how bad she is.   Look there at that gentleman, I wager he is quite familiar with her, see how he laughs openly?”  Richard indicated Sir William.  Darcy caught Mr. Bennet’s eye then looked at Mary and back to him pointedly.  Mr. Bennet climbed tiredly to his feet and approaching her, said in a carrying voice that she had entertained enough for one evening.  “Good Lord, that was her father!”  Richard stared.  “How can he embarrass her so?  Poor thing did not need that sort of a set down, a quiet word was . . .” He looked to see Darcy’s concerned focus on Elizabeth and stopped talking. 

Mrs. Bennet, oblivious to it all, turned to Mr. Collins triumphantly.  “There!  Was she not wonderful?”

“Quite so, madam.  It is proper for a lady to have such talent; her imperfect play is a display of her humility to those who are better.  Of course, my patroness, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, has often stated that her daughter would be great proficient had her health allowed her to play.  I can imagine her listening to Cousin Mary and gladly extending her advice in how she might improve.”  Mr. Collins said the last thoughtfully and paid closer attention to Mary, who in her embarrassment, remained outside of the room.

“Lucky girl.”  Richard spoke under his breath.

Bingley stood and cleared his throat.  All eyes turned to him.  “Shall we all adjourn to the ballroom?  I believe that the country dances are next!”  Looking around he caught Jane’s eye and regretfully knew he could not ask for a third set.  Instead he signalled Louisa.  “Shall we?”

“Perhaps you and I might dance?”  Samuel asked Jane softly.  “I tried to ask earlier but our conversation took a turn.”  He smiled and stood. 

She rose as he offered her his hand. “Thank you, sir.  I am glad to dance with you.” 

Elizabeth watched them depart and startled to hear Richard’s voice behind her.  “Miss Elizabeth, will you join me in a second set?” 

“Oh, Colonel, it is not necessary . . .”

“Nonsense.”  He waited and Elizabeth reluctantly let go of Darcy’s hand and took his cousin’s.

Darcy rose with her.  “I will be waiting for you, dear.” He was about to follow them when Caroline’s voice came from around the table.

“Do you forget, Mr. Darcy?  You promised me the first dance after supper?”  She smiled expectantly.

“Forgive me, Miss Bingley, it slipped my mind, blame the success of the evening.”  He bowed his head and turned to see Elizabeth had heard the conversation and was looking unhappily at Caroline. 
I share your opinion, dearest.

“Mr. Darcy.”  He turned to find Mr. Bennet at his elbow.  Reluctantly he looked away from Elizabeth.

“Yes, sir.”

“I wonder at what your cousin is about?  My daughter seems to be experiencing a wide range of emotions this evening, and displeasure with the colonel is one of them.”  He looked at Darcy expectantly.  “Should I be concerned?” 

“I think that you should always be concerned about your children.”  He cast his eyes around the room.  “Have you bothered to observe the ones who are not engaged, sir?  The ones who are too young to be out and should be at home for the greatly foreseeable future?”  They watched Lydia and Kitty as they nearly ran to the ballroom.  “What are you thinking, sir?  You were protecting them from the likes of Collins only weeks ago, and here they are behaving in the worst possible manner.  It reflects very poorly on all of your family, not just them.”

“I am afraid that losing Lizzy has disheartened me more than I anticipated.”

“No sir, do not attempt to use guilt against me.”  Darcy spoke in a low frustrated voice.  “This lack of parenting is the work of years, not weeks.  You look tired, sir.  Perhaps you should consider taking your family home?”

“Including Lizzy?  Including Jane?”  He raised his brows.  “I could not leave them here without chaperones.”

“I am sure that the Hursts would be glad to serve in your stead.”  Darcy said stiffly. 

“Mr. Darcy!  Quickly, the music will be starting soon!”  Caroline stood impatiently at the door.  “I know that it is good to make an entrance, but
we
should be at the front of the line!”

Sighing, Darcy nodded to her and looking seriously at Mr. Bennet, left to join Caroline.  Taking her arm loosely and entering the ballroom, they found their places.

Elizabeth watched their arrival unhappily and jumped when Richard spoke, “Are you afraid of me, Miss Elizabeth?” 

“I am not afraid of you.  I am only surprised that you wish to dance with me again.”  She gave him her full attention.  “Why do you ask?”

“I ask because you said next to nothing the first time that we danced, I hope that you are more comfortable now.  Admittedly I was disappointed not to receive the smiles and laughter young Samuel did.”

“Mr. Darcy is a very gentlemanly young man, who clearly holds Fitzwilliam in high esteem.  He has chosen pleasant conversation as a means to know me, unlike you.  Your disappointment that I do not smile as readily with you is your own doing.” 

“Well . . .” He studied her.  “
That
is a blow to my ego.  So you imply that I am ungentlemanly?  I do not mean to sound that way, I rather enjoyed watching Darcy become increasingly jealous as he watched the two of you dance.  You cannot know the pleasure I feel from seeing this shocking new personality emerge.  Who knew he had it in him!”  He laughed and noticed a slight upturn in her lips.  “Ah, do not try to hide it Miss Elizabeth, you are surprised as well, even after your short acquaintance with him you sensed his dour personality rarely got a thorough airing out.”

“I am not hiding anything; I am glad that I see his . . . personality . . . can be quite lively when in the proper company.”  She lifted her chin.  “He is shy; there is no crime in that, and he does not deserve this ribbing by you, even if it is friendly in nature.”

“No, not at all.”  Richard studied her protective posture and moved away as the pattern changed.  “You care for him.”

“Of course I do.”  Her eyes flashed.

“Why are you so defensive?”

“Because you examine me.”

“I only wish to make out your character.”  Her brow creased, remembering she had said the same to Darcy.

“And what is your success?”

“I get on very well.”  He smiled with her surprise.  “My life is one of assessing people, whether it be a green recruit or an enemy about to kill me.  Or even a bloated General whose ego needs a good stroke.”  He noted her understanding and nodded.  “My survival depends upon it.  I am employing my skills to assess you.”

“Well?  Which am I?  The enemy?”

Smiling at her impatience, he took her hand and they hopped through the dance.  “You are loyal, you are protective . . . you are a bit shy as well, I would say.”  He tilted his head when she looked down.  “Not without intelligence, actually remarkable intelligence for a woman.”

“Because women are flighty and incapable of thought.”  Elizabeth spoke sharply.

“Oooh, I stand corrected, you are no slouch.”  He laughed at the satisfaction that brought.  “Pretty.”  She blushed and he nodded.  “Self-conscious.”  

“And you sir, are rude.  Fitzwilliam told me that that he has very few members of his family that he can count on without question.  You were one of them.  At this moment, I fail to understand why.”

“I am honest.”  He raised his brows.  “You disbelieve me?  Very well, let us pretend we are attending a ball at say, St. James’s.”

“Why?”

“Because, my dear, you are marrying Fitzwilliam Darcy; and that is a place where he might go.  Not St. James’s?  Pick a peer’s home, the affect will be the same, same people.  Now then.  Your gown . . .”

“What is wrong with it?”  She looked down at the dress she had laboured over for hours and back up to his eyes.  “It is lovely!”

“Defensive.”  He raised his brows when she blushed again.  “For a country dance, yes, lovely, but I assure you that the ladies of Town will rip it apart.  While Miss Bingley is no fashion plate herself, she does know quality, and the dissection of your dress that I had the misfortune to overhear was quite cruel.”  Elizabeth gasped and she glared at the woman dancing with Darcy.  “Granted, she has a taste for the gaudy, but at least she owns the richer materials.” 

“She has a taste for the gentlemen who will not consider her, as well.”  Elizabeth hissed.

“True.  She also has a rather nice dowry.”  He watched as Elizabeth’s eyes cast down.  “But she is not a gentlewoman.”

She looked back up.  “I am.”

“But unknown.  Be prepared for the questions.”

“What questions?”  She demanded.

“Who is your father, what is his estate, who are your connections, what are your talents?  Do you sing, play, draw?  Have you visited museums, have you travelled, when, with whom?  What languages do you speak?  Why have you not been to Bath?  Brighton?  Have you been admitted to Almacks?  Tell us about your curtsey before the queen!  Where have you been since you came out?  Why have you not been seen during the Season?  How did you meet Darcy?  What arts and allurements could you possibly have employed to capture him?  Why the sudden marriage?  What plays have you seen, what people do you know, where do you shop?”  Richard stopped as he noticed her face becoming increasingly pale.  “I do not do this to make you feel inadequate; I do this to give you an honest taste of what is to come.  You realize that I have barely scratched the surface; these are merely topics that I have heard around my mother and sister.  I cannot imagine what the parlour after the separation of sexes at a dinner is like with a roomful of women dissecting each other.”

“I believe that I can hold my own, sir.”  She lifted her chin as she remembered a similar conversation with Anne de Bourgh.

“Alone?”  He took her hand and felt it begin to shake in his, and felt how cold it was, even through her glove.  “My cousin chose you, but he may not have considered everything.”  The two of them linked arms and moved together.  Richard eyed her as she gathered her thoughts.

“Are you going to tell him to break the engagement?”  She spoke softly so he could barely hear, staring ahead as she continued the steps of the dance.   “Because sir, if you think that your . . . pitiful observations of my supposed inadequacies amongst the ladies of the society you inhabit will frighten me away from the promise I made to Fitzwilliam when I accepted his offer, you are incorrect, sadly so.  I may not have the benefit of a . . . wealthy woman’s education, I do not have . . . connections that I might crow about, but I do have the respect and . . . care . . . of the man who
chose
me over all of those supposed superior women.  He chose me not only to help him through his current troubles, but also with an eye and anticipation of the future when it will be we together, alone as a couple.  I believe that he has considered everything that he will receive when he makes his vows for a lifetime with me; and sir, I assure you, I have considered all of the pitfalls and possibilities that I will receive by accepting and caring for him.”  The colour had returned to her cheeks, and her eyes snapped, although he could hear the quaver in her voice.

“You are frightened.”

“I am terrified.” 

“You should be.”  He watched her mouth set into a thin line and her eyes begin to water.  “I have never in my life seen Darcy so affected by a woman.”  She looked up to him in surprise.  “I will not attempt to name the emotion. That is not for me to say.  But as you say, he cares for you.  Deeply.  I do not read any deceit in your manner or words, I believe you to be sincere, if naive.  Be careful Miss Elizabeth.  There will be many who will wish to take advantage of you.  Who will wish to make friends.  If I can see it, you know they will, too.  Be stingy with your trust.  Darcy, whether you realize it or not, is a very powerful man.  Winning his hand is no small feat, you will have enemies the second you take your vows, and you will have those who will wish to get to him through you.”  He looked to where Darcy moved stiffly, watching the conversation like a hawk and ignoring entirely Caroline’s prattle.  Richard dipped his head down to her ear.  “I pray that the feelings you carry for him are growing as strong as what I see in him for you.  I cannot bear to see my friend and cousin hurt any more than he has been already.  He has earned the right to no longer be lonely.”

The song ended and he let Elizabeth go.  She stood staring down at her folded hands.  Richard glanced again at Darcy, who was clearly fighting to remain still.  Noticing his posture change and his chin lift, he looked back to Elizabeth who had raised her eyes to him.  An expression that he could only describe as fierce determination shone from her face.  He watched as his cousin drew a deep breath and nodded to her.  Richard looked between them again and as the music began, he stepped up and waited for her to pay him some attention.  “What was that about?”

“It is not your business, is it?”  She said softly. 

Richard smiled.  “Are you still terrified?”

“Yes, but . . .” she found Darcy’s steady gaze and smiled.  “I am not alone.”

“No.”  He chose his words carefully.  “No, you could not hope to find a more loyal man.  But he cannot be with you all of the time.”

“I realize that, Colonel.  But . . . I have noticed you watching my family closely since you have been here this evening.  And you have been displeased with what you have seen.”

“I admit that is true.”

“Do you think that I am pleased?”  He looked at her askance.  “Sir, do you think that I rejoice in their behaviour?”

“I sincerely hope not.”  Richard studied her.  “Are you telling me that you have been spending a lifetime defending yourself?”

“Defending, protecting, trying my best to learn and grow . . .” She sighed and saw that his sharp gaze was softening.  “I have tried so hard to make the most of what I have been given, and I have tried to help my sisters do the same.  Obviously, my wishes can only go so far when in conflict with theirs, but for my personal formation, I have done my best.  I realize now that . . . I have run the limit of what I can do here, but Fitzwilliam offers me the world.  If I will not allow the gossip and jealousy of my neighbours to stop me in Hertfordshire, why on earth would I allow the better-dressed version of them do so in London?”