by Lory Lilian
Lord Markham remained in their company for a few minutes, showing no restraint in expressing his admiration for her. His stare and his compliments made Elizabeth slightly uncomfortable; she was relieved when the viscount suddenly excused himself and left, but not before repeating to Elizabeth his pleasure at the prospect of dancing with her later.
Immediately following his departure, Elizabeth’s eyes turned to the colonel, who displayed a preoccupied gaze. “Miss Bennet, I must beg your forgiveness. I acted most improperly in your presence. However, Lord Markham has often tested my patience in the past. “
“Yes, I imagined you were not the best of friends.” Elizabeth forced a smile.
“Yes—not the best of friends, indeed. In fact, I dare say there are few people in London who are less friendly than we are.”
“Sir, I hope his presence will not ruin your disposition for tonight. I was counting on you to help me rid myself of my anxiety and distress.”
“Have no worry, Miss Bennet! Lord Markham is not capable of ruining anything for me and certainly not tonight. I intend to enjoy myself as much as possible. However, I am sorry I could not think of a way to avoid introducing him to you. Now you will have to dance with him.”
“Colonel, you make him sound quite frightening. There was no way you could have avoided such an insistent demand for an introduction. But he seemed a pleasant sort of gentlemen, and I hope he is not unskilful when we dance. I think I can manage to bear him for half an hour.”
“Yes, he seemed pleasant. As for dancing, I think he is not completely unskilful. I most assuredly have never danced with him.”
“You never danced with whom, Colonel?” Lady Cassandra’s voice startled Elizabeth; she had not noticed her ladyship approaching them and, apparently, neither had the colonel.
“We were talking about Lord Markham. Unfortunately, he managed to gain access to your ball by way of his cousins.”
“Ah, yes. His impertinence is unlimited, but I hope you will not allow him to disturb you in any way. What on earth did he have to say?”
“He demanded an introduction to Miss Bennet and asked her for a set.”
“I see. Well, Miss Bennet, at least he is not a poor dancer. And speaking of dancing, I hope Darcy will appear soon as the music is about to start, and I surely would not want to be without a partner for the first set.”
I should have known they were engaged for the first set, thought Elizabeth with bitterness, but a moment later, she censured her childish reaction. The Gardiners joined them, expressing their admiration for the house and the exquisite arrangement of the ballroom. Lady Cassandra smiled and whispered to them that the credit should go to her companion who was the “author from the shadow” of all the preparations. “I am very pleased I invited you,” her ladyship addressed the Gardiners, “though I have to confess my reasons are mostly selfish! Except for the colonel, Darcy and probably another ten people who truly came out of consideration for me and my family, yours are the only friendly faces in the room.”
The conversation flowed easily until Mr. Darcy appeared in the ballroom. At first, Elizabeth did not see him enter, but her eyes were drawn toward his direction, and she stopped breathing for a moment. He was staring at her as he had so many times before—the same stare she noticed the night of the Netherfield ball. Now she knew the true meaning of his stare, and cold shivers gripped her.
Darcy remained near the entrance, watching Elizabeth. There she was—in the middle of their little group—talking to the colonel and her relatives, smiling, and looking perfectly at ease in a room filled with strangers, most of whom were staring at her. She was so beautiful in her pale yellow dress, with no other jewels accept her small garnet cross—which of course he could not see from a distance but knew was there nonetheless. A few flowers adorned her hair, and those two rebellious locks, which were always dancing on her neck, were ever present.
The moment their eyes met, her smile faded, yet her gaze remained locked with his across the room. She did not smile openly at him as she did at his cousin, nor did she appear at perfect ease when he started walking toward her; however, he was certain she was not displeased to see him.
He approached the group and greeted them, pleased to see the Gardiners again and even more pleased to see her again. Elizabeth’s smile was tentative and her eyes seemed strangely shy when they met his. Still, the way her lips whispered, “Mr. Darcy…” as she curtseyed to him was incredibly charming and highly disturbing, and he could not take his eyes from her.
Yes, she is wearing the garnet cross, he thought as his eyes moved from her face to the creamy skin of her neck.
“I apologise, but the appointment lasted longer than I anticipated,” he said, finally averting his gaze from Elizabeth. Nevertheless, in mere moments, he returned his attention to her.
“Miss Bennet, if you are not otherwise engaged would you do me the honour of dancing the second set with me?”
“I am afraid I am already engaged for the second set, sir…and for the third and forth.” The expression of disappointment upon his face was so obvious that she could not retain a smile.
“Oh—it seems I am indeed very late. Then perhaps the next set that is available?”
“I would be delighted sir. That would be the fifth set, I think.”
“Excellent,” he answered, and his countenance lightened in an instant.
As the music started, the couples took their places on the dance floor. Elizabeth and the colonel were situated immediately behind Darcy and Lady Cassandra, and she was furious with herself for the raging emotions she could not control. She knew for certain that the dance would involve a change in places, and she would come to face him. She found herself nervously counting the steps until that moment would occur. When it happened and Darcy’s hand joined hers, she was startled as she felt countless chills from his touch travelling wildly along her arm. After a few more steps, the colonel’s hand once again held hers, and then the steps brought her near Darcy as their hands joined once more. At that moment, no doubt remained for Elizabeth: the sensation of his touch was different—shockingly, delightfully different.
Half an hour passed with a tumult of reactions in Elizabeth; she enjoyed her time with the colonel—who was an excellent dancer—however, her attention was often focused on the couple next to them. Lady Cassandra looked more beautiful than she had seen her before, and her moves were graceful and elegant. While they danced, she talked to Darcy constantly, and Elizabeth easily could see they seemed pleased with each other’s company. That was hardly a new revelation for her; however, she could not keep her eyes away from them and blushed in embarrassment when, more than once, her partner was forced to repeat a question. A few times, her gaze locked with Darcy’s, and he offered her a barely visible smile.
The end of the dance reunited Elizabeth with her uncle and aunt. Mr. Darcy accompanied Lady Cassandra around the room a few minutes and then, to Elizabeth’s surprise, joined their little group and remained with them, engaged in a lively conversation with her uncle. At one point, he moved near her and, while they were talking about the journey they were to begin the next day, addressed her. “Mr. Bingley and his sisters returned to town three days ago.”
“Oh. Mr. Bingley is well, I hope?”
“Yes, he is well—though a little out of spirits. In fact, he has been quite out of spirits since last November, and apparently, his mood has not improved. He obviously regrets giving up Netherfield. I look forward to discussing this further when we meet at Pemberley.”
No, there could be no misunderstanding. Mr. Darcy was telling her not just that Bingley was as affected as Jane by their separation but also that he intended to talk to him about the matter. Was it possible? Could Mr. Bingley be tempted to return to Netherfield? To Jane? And was Mr. Darcy truly determined to encourage him? The expression on his face, however, was a clear indication of his true meaning. “Thank you,” she whispered, just before the music began again.
Elizabeth’s pa
rtner came to claim her hand; she turned her head a little and saw Darcy following her with his eyes. She blushed again, unaccustomed joy overwhelming her heart.
For the second set, Lady Cassandra stood up with the colonel, yet Darcy remained in a corner, talking to her relatives. Elizabeth barely knew her partner’s name and understood little of what he was saying. Her thoughts turned repeatedly to Darcy and the new revelation he had shared with her concerning Mr. Bingley—and how it would affect her sister Jane.
Throughout the next hour and a half, Elizabeth and Darcy rarely met. She danced every set; he, on the other hand, danced only once and, during the dance, seemed caught up in a deep conversation. She felt his gaze upon her from across the room many times and allowed her eyes to meet his, wishing she could talk to him or be in his close proximity again.
When Lord Markham came to claim his set, Elizabeth was in the midst of deep reflection and never noticed his approach.
“Miss Bennet, I have been waiting for this moment the entire evening.”
She smiled grimly when he took her hand, squeezing it slightly. She released her fingers from his and forced a polite expression. “I hope you will not be disappointed, my lord. I am afraid the reality will not meet your expectations.”
“I am sure the reality will exceed my every expectation, Miss Bennet.”
She had been informed by Mrs. Gardiner—who seemed to possess interesting information about almost everybody in the room—that Lord Markham was the heir of one of the most illustrious families in the realm. He was undoubtedly handsome; however, Mr. Gardiner was clearly displeased with the gentleman’s impetuous manner of seeking an introduction to Elizabeth and remembered the viscount was known at his club to be an unwise and wild young man who was not to be trusted by any young lady interested in maintaining her good reputation. Elizabeth laughed and assured her Uncle she was in no danger of trusting Lord Markham at all.
The dance began, and Elizabeth discovered that Lord Markham was a perfect dancer and pleasant company. However, he made no attempt to conceal his curiosity about her; he inquired about her family and their connection to Lady Cassandra. Elizabeth tried to answer his questions politely but evasively, declaring they were pleased to have her ladyship’s friendship. He pressed her further, asking if she knew anything of Lady Cassandra’s plans now she had returned to town. Archly, Elizabeth offered to request that her ladyship inform him later about her intentions, and for a time, her derision caused him to put an end to inquiries regarding Lady Cassandra.
If Elizabeth believed she would have occasion to meet with Lord Markham again, she would have attempted more earnestly to restrain the conversation. However, knowing perfectly well she would be unlikely to meet him again, she allowed herself to enjoy the dance and laugh silently at his open admiration of her. Mr. Collins would truly envy Lord Markham’s ability to compose little compliments to delight the ladies, she thought gleefully. Her eyes met Mr. Darcy’s gaze that instant—he was still not dancing—and he seemed serious and…worried. Surely, he does not consider Lord Markham a rival. Could he be jealous?
She smiled at Darcy and held his eyes until she realised her dance partner had noticed the direction of her gaze and was looking at her with great curiosity. He might have intended to say something, but fortunately, the dance ended, and he had no choice than to lead her back to her relatives. To Elizabeth’s surprise, the viscount asked to be allowed to call on her the next day. Mr. Gardiner informed him it would be impossible as they were leaving London the next morning. Lord Markham inquired about the length of their absence from town and seemed highly displeased to hear that Elizabeth would likely return directly to her father’s estate and not soon visit London again following their journey. Darcy approached at that moment, and Lord Markham finally left them after asking her for the favour of a second set. Elizabeth found no valid reason to refuse him, so she thanked him politely and accepted the invitation.
Although Mr. Darcy offered no opinion, she could not mistake his displeasure. She was afforded little time to consider it fully as the music was due to begin again shortly.
Elizabeth felt herself trembling and blushed, furious at her reaction. This was his dance. Mr. Darcy’s hand silently claimed hers, and she did not leave him waiting long. His fingers gently caught hers, and not even their gloves could protect her from his burning touch. The air in the room was suffocating, yet she shivered under the wave of coldness that enveloped her body. They started to dance, but she could barely hear the music; she was staring at him, yet she could read nothing in his eyes, which merely returned her stare nonchalantly.
“Miss Bennet—we should have at least some conversation, I think. What is your opinion of the ball? It has been very satisfying so far, would you not agree?”
Her cheeks coloured as she remembered her rudeness on the evening of the Netherfield ball. She cringed now imagining what he must have thought of her impertinence on that evening.
“It is your turn to say something now, Miss Bennet—I talked about the dance, and you ought to make some kind of remark on the size of the room or the number of couples,” he continued levelly. A peal of laughter escaped her lips; he smiled, looking very pleased at her reaction.
“This is the moment when I should apologise for my outrageous behaviour on that night, Mr. Darcy,” she said, holding his gaze.
“No indeed, Miss Bennet. This, I believe, is the moment when you should say something that will amaze the whole room.”
She laughed again at his unexpected teasing. “Very well, sir. There is no need to say more. I admit I merit your subtle censure and I insist on apologizing. My manners and my entire attitude during our dance at the Netherfield ball were unforgivable. Actually, I am amazed you would ask me to dance with you ever again.”
“Miss Bennet, let us not discuss our behaviour on that night. I confess that dancing with you was quite enjoyable, despite our disagreement. The rest of the evening I recall with little pleasure. Please forgive me for referring to it.”
He sounded serious, and his expression was remorseful. Without considering her gesture, her fingers squeezed his when their hands met again and remained entwined until the dance forced them to part.
“Your attempt to mock me was very good indeed, sir, as was your teasing. You have improved considerably in this aspect; it is obvious you have given yourself the trouble of practicing more.” Her cheeks were burning in self-mortification as she heard herself flirting with him, yet the expression of delight on his face was reward enough for her archness.
Darcy felt a wild urge to kiss her right there—to silence those teasing lips with a mouth that burned with desire for her. He longed to make her sparkling eyes hide behind her lashes as his passion overwhelmed her. His gaze remained fixed on her face while his steps moved him closer to her and around her, his arm brushing hers. He noticed her blushing under his stare, a wave of redness covering not only her cheeks but also her neck and delicious ear lobes, yet she daringly kept her eyes on his. Her smile now belonged only to him, and he hoped this time he was not misjudging her regard for him.
From the time he entered the room, he had barely done anything but watch her. He knew he was acting ridiculously; anyone with a modicum of perception could easily guess the nature of his interest in her. He even knew his behaviour could place her in an embarrassing situation, but he was no longer capable of controlling himself, especially as he knew this was the last time he would see her for a while. In the past fortnight, her presence had become such a constant in his life that the mere thought of her disappearing again was unbearably painful.
“I think we really must have some conversation, sir. We have been silent for too long.”
He startled and forced his eyes to be drawn away from her lips as he answered. “You are perfectly right, Miss Bennet. Since books are not your favourite subject to discuss while you are dancing, let us talk…ah…about travelling, for instance.”
“A wonderful topic indeed sir,” she agreed. “
I am certain you have much more to say than I do, and I would be delighted to hear your thoughts on the subject.”
The topic seemed to inspire great interest in both of them, for they did not cease their conversation, not even when the music stopped. Elizabeth felt her cheeks burning with pleasure as his entire discourse seemed to have one goal: to calculate the day she would arrive in Derbyshire.
Darcy held her hand while escorting her to the Gardiners, and again, he remained with them. Elizabeth was slowly recovering her emotions after their dance; she was unsure whether she was content to have him remain with her or would rather he leave her while she restored herself fully.
Colonel Fitzwilliam joined them and delighted them with his general good humour, declaring he was starved. A moment later, Lady Cassandra approached their group wearing an expression of utter delight upon her face.
“Lady Cassandra, am I wrong if I presume you are not inviting us to supper? Your expression is a bit frightening,” declared Darcy, and her ladyship arched her brow at him.
“Darcy, how can you say I am frightening? Do I look frightening, Mr. Gardiner?”
“No indeed, Lady Cassandra; you look beautiful and charming,” he declared. She responded by casting a satisfied glance at Darcy, who in turn rolled his eyes.
“However, Darcy, you are right in one respect: I do have a surprise for you all before supper! In fact I am curious as to whether my guests will appreciate my surprise,” she said, smiling mischievously while Darcy cast an intriguing glance at both Elizabeth and her relatives that said: You see that I was right about being frightened!
However, nothing prepared them for what came next. The music started again, and it took only a few moments for everyone in the room to recognise the notes of the infamous waltz!