At Last: A Pride and Prejudice Variation

by Anne Morris

  "Do not point, Maria, it is rude," Elizabeth felt as if she were a governess.

  Maria's cheeks flushed an even darker shade, "well, Mr. Bingley is really very charming. He was ever so nice to Mamma and Papa. He makes very pretty small talk."

  "What did he say?" prompted Elizabeth.

  "I do not recall exactly; I did not pay that much attention to the words. I was eyeing the lace on Mrs. Hurst's gown," answered Maria.

  "Which one is Mrs. Hurst?" asked Lydia.

  "The one in the green gown, Mrs. Hurst is a little shorter than the other. She is married to the man she is dancing with. I suppose he is a gentleman."

  "Suppose?" asked Elizabeth.

  "How does one really tell these things, if it were looks alone we would surely be deceived by Mr. Goulding!" said Maria. She might be more astute than they presumed. The three of them turned to look at Mr. Goulding, an ugly man, thick-boned and jowly now in his later years, and one who never took time to dress. Three of his four sons, thankfully, had taken their looks from their mother, only the youngest had the same heavy build, thick neck, and mismatched face of the father. Mr. Goulding's cravat was always a messily-tied affair, and he cared not to invest in new clothes for himself so his clothes slipped further and further out of date as they also became more and more worn at the edges.

  And yet, Haye Park was a substantial holding in the area. Mr. Goulding had added significantly to it and in doing so added to his own wealth and that of his sons.

  "The other lady is an unmarried sister," continued Maria, "Miss Caroline Bingley."

  "Who is the tall, handsome, well-dressed gentleman," asked Lydia.

  "I see you have left out 'old' this time," remarked Elizabeth.

  "He is even better looking now that I see him a little closer," said Lydia, still without turning her head to look at her sister.

  "So he might do for me?" teased Elizabeth.

  "He might do for me," emphasized Lydia as she followed the gentleman and Miss Bingley in their set. "He is an excellent dancer."

  "His name is Mr. Darcy. He certainly is sharply dressed," said Maria, "both Percival and Phillip commented on his cravat, apparently it is the latest craze in London and is really difficult to tie."

  "Perhaps he has an excellent valet to tie it for him," said the eldest Miss Bennet.

  "That would be cheating!" said Lydia, and she did turn her head then to look at her companions.

  "I did not know it was cheating to have a valet assist you in tying your cravat," said Elizabeth, and went back to watching the dancing.

  Jane was dancing with John Lucas, the oldest son in that family. He had long had a tendre for Jane Bennet, but the Lucas family's fortunes were small. Sir William Lucas had formerly been in trade in Meryton where he had made a tolerable fortune and risen to the honor of knighthood during his mayoralty. He had quit his business and retired, but had several children to worry about, including four sons to launch into the world. It would not be a good match for Jane nor had she ever been in love with Mr. Lucas. They had always been thrown together from an early age, been playmates and were, as with Charlotte, close companions, and Jane thought of him too much like a brother as Elizabeth ever valued Charlotte as though a sister.

  Elizabeth did watch, though, as Mr. Bingley and Miss Lucas went down the line together, and the young man turned back to look at Jane Bennet with open admiration at her beauty and form. Lydia and Maria spoke together so Elizabeth continued her observation of her sisters and even of Miss Simnel. Mr. Legget was not yet present, but Reverend Mead had the governess' hands clasped as they moved through the second dance of the first set. Elizabeth was pleased that the governess was getting some relief from her long days of service.

  When the first set was over she watched Mr. Bingley. He returned Charlotte to her family then walked with Sir William over to where Mrs. Bennet stood with Mrs. Long, Jane, Mary, and one of Mrs. Long's nieces who, like Mary, had not yet danced. Elizabeth could read her mother's pleased countenance from across the room as Mr. Bingley was introduced to Jane and secured her hand for the next two dances. As soon as the couple walked away together, Mrs. Bennet grabbed Mrs. Long's arm in happiness. Elizabeth let out a sigh and turned back to her own charge.

  Lydia was alone, Mr. Legget had arrived, and had secured Maria Lucas' hand for the second set of dances rather than asking Miss Simnel. Perhaps he thought Maria a better prospect as a wife, or his heart said something different now.

  "Shall we walk about the room?" Elizabeth asked her sister. She was more in sympathy with the matrons—to sit and watch events unfold on the dance floor—since she was fairly certain no gentleman would ask her to dance. She had become known for having given up dancing to the point that her pianoforte skills were often called upon if an evening get-together included dancing.

  "Yes," answered Lydia. Elizabeth could see she had particularly jealous eyes for Mary who was dancing with Edward, the one ugly Goulding son. Lydia made a face as she watched them dance, but Elizabeth was not sure if it was disgust or jealousy. The two oldest Goulding sons had married, and married well, having gone to London—only a half day's journey—to find brides. The third son, Edmund had been killed in the war.

  As was often the case, there was a want of gentlemen to partner the ladies, and Mary King stood talking to Angela Martin, one of Mrs. Long's nieces. They, like everyone else, had eyes only for the Netherfield party.

  "Mr. Darcy is certainly handsome," said Mary King. She was quite pretty, but as often went with red hair, was covered over in a multitude of freckles. She was often a purveyor of long-sleeved gowns whenever she could get away with them and was always one to remember her parasol.

  Angela Martin was not pretty. She and her sister had been sent to live with Mrs. Long by a brother when he lost his wife. The sisters were close in age, similar in looks, and shared a small dowry. In their mid-twenties, neither had shown any signs of captivating a suitable gentleman with their unattractive faces which their severe choice of hairstyle emphasized.

  "To be sure he is, as is Mr. Bingley," agreed Miss Martin.

  "Very handsome, and so sharply dressed," said Lydia. The three women watched him dance, now partnered with the married sister, Mrs. Hurst.

  "I cannot wait until he finishes dancing with the ladies of his own party to see who he chooses next!" cried Miss King. She, like the Miss Martins, had been sent away from her family and lived with her uncle, Mr. Harper, in Meryton. Everyone assumed that it was for matrimonial purposes as not all marriages take place between neighbors. It was ostensibly why people went to London for the Season.

  When the dancing ended, Mr. Bingley, rather than bringing Jane back to their mother, brought her over to Elizabeth's care then asked an introduction to all of the ladies in the circle.

  "Such a fine way to spend an evening!" called out Mr. Bingley after all the introductions had been made. "Miss King, might you honor me for the next set of dances?" Mary King was thrilled and agreed. The two headed off to the dance floor, and the rest of the party watched them go.

  "Jane, you are so lucky!" declared Lydia with longing, bringing her hand up to touch her sister on the arm.

  "To have Mr. Bingley dance with you," said Miss Martin, "tell us all about it."

  "He seems pleasant enough," ventured Jane.

  "Pleasant enough! Is that all you can say?" But Lydia was interrupted as one of the officers came up to claim Jane's hand. Another followed soon after to ask Elizabeth for hers, but she politely refused saying she did not care to dance that evening. She did, however, look pointedly at Miss Martin. He took the hint, though with a sigh at the two pretty Bennet daughters, and asked an ecstatic Angela Martin to dance.

  "I think it is worse having come and yet not getting to dance," said Lydia and she stuck out her lower lip.

  "Stand up straight and behave," said Elizabeth looking at her only out of the corner of her eye. Her eyes were fixed on the rest of the Netherfield party. The sisters had been asked to dance by
local men, but the two gentlemen stood apart, speaking to themselves and showing no signs of dancing again, or even making any further acquaintance in the room as Mr. Bingley was doing.

  "He is from Derbyshire," said Charlotte Lucas coming up to stand on the other side of Elizabeth and looking where Elizabeth's eyes were placed. "He has ten thousand a year."

  "Ten thousand a year!" said Lydia who had been watching Catherine dance with yet another officer, but she turned to look at Charlotte. Catherine, with all her beauty, had so far avoided the two clergymen and the four Lucas brothers though could not hold out from them forever unless she danced twice with the same man.

  "He may be very rich but his sense of his own superiority is not to my liking," said Elizabeth, "he seems not inclined to dance again."

  "You are not inclined to dance at all!" cried Lydia.

  "But I can hope for my friends to find partners," said Elizabeth. "Why did he come if he was not going to seek out further acquaintance. Why be put into a situation to be so disagreeable?"

  "I cannot say, Eliza," answered Charlotte.

  The evening wore on. Lydia grew bored and restless with simply having to watch and having had to turn down three Lucas brother invitations to dance which did not bother her so much as the two invitations from officers.

  "I have had more requests to dance than Angela or her sister," she wailed, and Elizabeth felt sorry for her at that point, permitting her to go off alone to the refreshments table and to pour out her heart to whomever would come by and listen.

  Mr. Bingley was dancing with Jane again, and Elizabeth sat down on a rather uncomfortable chair and watched them with a hesitant happiness. They had been close growing up and ever inseparable for years, she and Jane. Elizabeth appreciated the sweetness of Jane's temper; she was ever patient with the brood of sisters that had followed when Elizabeth had been more inclined to run or hide. That had been before Miss Simnel had come to Longbourn. Perhaps it had to do with their rather absent father, and his, then, more lackadaisical approach as a father, letting them pick and choose their interests. Mrs. Bennet had been simply overwhelmed with the care of five children.

  The introduction of a third party had changed that. Miss Simnel's care of the four younger daughters had given them a structure that had been sorely needed and which Mrs. Bennet had never been able to impose on them. And the birth of Simon had given Mr. Bennet a new purpose, a new focus and attention as a father, such that he came to appreciate that structure and those accomplishments that Miss Simnel strove to teach his daughters. Since it was not his wife doing the instructing but someone paid to put facts and instill sense into them, he strove to be supportive of her strategies as much as some of those daughters cringed under their new restrictions.

  But Miss Simnel came at a time when Elizabeth no longer needed care, but Jane Bennet was still in want of some refinement with Mary only a year behind her. And Jane and Mary had then turned to each other as the two oldest in the nursery and had found each other then. They still shared a room.

  Mr. Bingley did seem quite taken with Jane as they danced down to the end of the line; he was talking with an animated face, and Jane was smiling sweetly. As they waited for the head couple, she saw him speak to Jane then he left to speak to his friend, Mr. Darcy, who still stood apart. He was alone, for Mr. Hurst had left him.

  "Come Darcy," said Bingley. "I must have you dance. I hate to see you standing alone in this senseless manner. You had much better dance." Elizabeth could hear him quite plainly from her position along the wall.

  "I certainly shall not. You know I despise it unless I know my partner well. At such a country Assembly as this it would be unbearable. Your sisters are engaged, and there is not another woman with whom I could abide to dance with."

  "How can you speak so! I never met with so many pleasant girls in all my life," said Bingley. "There are some uncommonly pretty ones too." Mr. Bingley smiled which only seemed to make his friend frown more.

  "You are dancing with the only handsome girl in the room," said the man.

  "She is the most beautiful creature I ever beheld! But there is a sister right there behind you who is very pretty too. Let me get Miss Jane Bennet to introduce you."

  "Which do you mean?" Mr. Darcy turned round and looked for a moment at Elizabeth until he caught her eye then he looked back at his friend without any hint of embarrassment. "She is tolerable but not handsome enough to tempt me. Return to your partner. You are wanted there."

  Elizabeth watched Mr. Bingley return to Jane's side. Mr. Darcy had the grace or the guilt to move out of earshot and found Mr. Hurst again. After overhearing such a remark, she was left feeling not very amicable towards the gentleman for all that Lydia thought he was of the correct age, handsome, and well-dressed. His manners did little to recommend him.

  Elizabeth decided she had had enough sitting and gave up her seat to Angela Martin who, as far as Elizabeth knew, had only secured the one dance. Lydia was speaking to Catherine with a great deal of spirit. There was a young officer there at the refreshment table and Elizabeth suspected that Catherine and the officer had finished their dance and come to seek both refreshment and conversation. Lydia had eyes only for the young lieutenant.

  "Lizzy," cried Lydia with a loud voice as she noticed her oldest sister and as if to cover up any discussion or flirting she had not wished to be observed.

  "Catherine, how do you fare?" asked Elizabeth.

  "I am well, Lizzy," said the tall and willowy brunette with laughter and pleasure written on her face. Catherine introduced her partner, Lieutenant Matthews. Introductions were just completed when Jane and Mr. Bingley approached. Mr. Bingley immediately fetched them both a drink. He still wore the contentment of a man easy with his company, comfortable with the moment, and pleased with his companions.

  "The dancing is beginning again," called Lydia to the two couples who, perhaps, had not wished to immediately return to the floor but had been enjoying the company and smiles of each other. Mr. Bingley put down his glass and looked at Elizabeth a little sheepishly; he might be feeling a little guilty about his friend's behavior and wondering if Miss Bennet had overheard the exchange with his friend, Mr. Darcy.

  "Miss Bennet, would you care to dance with me?" he said, stepping before Elizabeth and giving a little bow.

  "No thank you, Mr. Bingley. I am not dancing this evening." His eyes slide back to Jane then, but he had already danced with her twice that evening.

  "Have you met my sister Catherine yet? And this is Lieutenant Matthews," said Elizabeth. She was playing interfering matron a bit much that evening.

  "Miss Catherine, should you like to dance?" asked Mr. Bingley. Catherine had no choice but to accept if she wished to keep dancing, though it seemed obvious she would rather have stayed to talk to Lieutenant Matthews. She, as opposed to most of the ladies in the room, preferred the officers to the new visitor, Mr. Bingley, and those in his party. Lieutenant Matthews lingered to speak with them and admired the curls and smiles of the three Bennet daughters before him.

  The Assembly was coming to a close, some of the older people were leaving as the Boulanger was finished and the last set of dances was announced. Mrs. Bennet, with Mary in tow, came to collect Lydia. She was, at last, apparently willing to look after her youngest daughter.

  "The carriage is here since we have to go in two trips. As much as I should like to stay to the end, I am tired," declared Mrs. Bennet.

  She had at least ascertained who had asked Jane and Catherine to dance the last set though Mr. Bingley had not been so bold as to ask Jane to dance a third time. Officers from the local militia, handsome in their regimentals, led her daughters through their movements on the floor. Miss Simnel, who was not dancing—Mr. Legget had Charlotte Lucas beaming on his arm—was to return to Longbourn then as well. Lydia would much rather stay to the end and was going to say so, when a huge yawn graced her face instead, and she covered her mouth quickly.

  "Time to return, Miss Lydia," called the
governess and put an arm around her charge to lead her away.

  Elizabeth stood and let her eyes wander around the Assembly hall. Red regimentals spotted the dance floor, sweeping skirts of various shades twirled before her, and the dark spots of men's dance slippers as they moved about the floor. It had certainly been an interesting evening. She looked and saw the two ladies from the Netherfield party dancing. The married couple was dancing together again, and Miss Bingley was on the arm of an officer. Mr. Bingley had an unexpected partner: Angela Martin. She wondered if her mother had seen that before Mrs. Bennet had left, and Elizabeth puzzled over how such a pairing had occurred. Mrs. Long stood on the edges of the room with the same look of triumph that Mrs. Bennet usually wore. Next to her stood Mr. Darcy looking out on his friend with a different sort of look, an almost pained look. Elizabeth wondered again that Mr. Darcy had come to a place to only suffer hours of disappointment and to disapprove of all of those before him. She had dressed in a hurry and with no particular care for that evening, but his quip about her being only 'tolerable' had still stung.

  Charlotte Lucas said he had ten thousand a year, apparently that made him above his company and gave him a right to be disagreeable. She could not think how he came to be friends with such an amiable man as his friend appeared be. When at last ensconced in the carriage, Jane, who had been guarded in her praise of Mr. Bingley, expressed how much she admired him.

  "He is just what a young man ought to be," said Jane as Elizabeth and Catherine listened, "conversant, animated, and a sensible gentleman with such good manners!" Jane's face had shed the mask she usually wore when in company and was all smiles now.

  "He is also handsome," replied Elizabeth, "which a young man ought to be, if he possibly can."

  Catherine let out a small laugh. "I heartily agree," she said. "Though I believe he should wear red as much as possible."

  "I was very flattered by his asking me to dance a second time. I did not expect such a compliment," said Jane.