Chapter 8 – starting the ball
The Darcy estate was in uproar the days up to the New Years Eve masquerade ball. Not only Kitty and Lydia were about to go nuts with excitement, but Mrs. Hurst and Miss Bingley were, surprisingly, giddy too!
From what Mary had gathered the Marquess and family were usually people that stuck mostly to themselves and let others throw the balls. The general view on them seemed to be that they were snobby and cold, but Georgiana, who had for a few brief times shared piano lessons with the eldest daughter, could only think of good things to say. However, everyone knew Georgiana to be a sweet spirit that could hardly ever speak ill of anyone.
Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley did their best to give accounts for their dealings with the family, but it was not much and it was usually strictly professional without much personal chat.
"Oh you will be so lovely!" Mrs. Bennet almost screeched when Kitty explained how she was going to look like.
"Do be careful, Mrs. Bennet," Miss Bingley warned carefully, "I hardly think that shoving your daughters onto their bags will get you their good opinions."
With little care, Mrs. Bennet said, "Oh nonsense, I am quite a discreet woman!" Everyone shared a glance.
"I doubt that was what my sister meant," Mr. Bingley spoke up, "their son is engaged and so will most young men be there. This is a very high society and, to be bold, most are already taken," Bingley walked over to Jane, who was smiling lovingly at him.
"Mama, do be careful," Jane advise, "if you push too much-" Jane did not finish the sentence before Mrs. Bennet left, not interested in the talk.
"At least you, Catherine," Lizzie continued the conversation, "be careful and try to stay away from mama or she will force you to meet someone. Real love is never forced, but given to those unsuspecting," Lizzie glanced at her husband and Mary bit her lip subconsciously.
"I shall stay away from mama all night," Kitty laughed, "I daresay my chances will only improve," and then she and Lydia left, giggling.
"And you, Mary," Lizzie notified and Mary looked up sharply in surprise.
Slightly confused, Mary asked, "Pardon me?"
"Do be careful."
Colourful masks were bought for the household and Mary took delight in getting a girlish pink one with feathers. Her plan was to dress out as Marie Antoinette, but as she later discovered, that task was slightly too difficult and she feared she'd stand out a little too much. In the end the young Bennet decided upon a pale rosy dress with sleeves that went to her elbows, were tight across the chest and then loosened right below and had a small train after her. As Miss Bingley pointed out, slightly proudly, the dress resembled to one she had in her closet and she was proud to have inspired the sister.
Mary had no idea what Miss Bingley had in her closet.
"Mary, we have to leave soon!" Georgiana's voice sounded fro the hallway. Mary bid her lip slightly worried while standing in front of the mirror in her room. In her hand lay the necklace from Ferdinand. It had been her intentions to wear it tonight, since she wore a mask anyway, but when it came down to it she worried about questions. She put down the necklace on her dresser and left her room, deciding that she wasn't ready. Half way down the stairs she hurried back and put it in her pocket.
"If I'm not ready now, when will I be?" She mused, closing her hand around the necklace for comfort. He had given her this necklace for when she needed strength, but every time she needed strength she had left it in her room.
"Oldest families in England, positively the entire world," Miss Bingley was saying when Mary entered the hallway.
"How exiting!" Mrs. Bennet beamed as they all moved to the carriages that were going to take them to the household.
"You can hardly call it a household, Charles," Miss Bingley laughed lightly as the rode, "it's more of a…"
"Castle," Jane supplied and Miss Bingley nodded.
Interested, Miss Bingley asked, "Have you seen it, Jane?"
"Once. From the outside. Lizzie likes to walk –the two sisters shared a friendly glance- and we were out walking and walked by it."
"How marvellous!" Mrs. Hurst commented, "And quite a walk! The estate is at the end of the city, almost just outside!" And with good reason, Mary realised as they came closer. The house was not just a house, more of a castle at the end of London. It was magnificent.
"It's been in their favour for many generations," Mr. Darcy informed, "But I don't think they were titled up until the great grandfather, the title Marquess I mean," he paused for a moment to enjoy the scenery, for it was truly a sight to behold in the winter. Thick layer of snow stretched afar and gave the property a certain cosy feeling.
"Stationed by the borders or something," Miss Bingley continued thoughtfully, "what borders I don't know," she shared a laugh with Mrs. Hurst, "and awarded for special services to the crown."
They came to a halt and for a few minutes the ride went slowly towards the grand entrance as they were resting behind a large queue of fancy carriages.
The door was opened by a richly dressed servant who helped everyone out and then they were escorted up a large staircase illuminated by torches at each side. Mary was speechless; she felt like a queen, and upon looking around, she felt sure that everyone else felt like that too. Not long before they entered they were greeted by another servant who took their coats and pointed led them in the direction of the ball.
As they neared the entrance hall to the ballroom all masks were brought to their faces and Mary quickly got on her necklace. In front of her she could hear her mother's comments, but not just hers. The hall was buzzing with people oo'ing and ah'ing at the grand pictures that hung on the wall, and Mary took delight in talking to Georgiana and hearing her delight at each pieces they encountered. She was absolutely amazed.
Again they stopped in queue as they waiting to enter the ballroom. As they got closer the talk died down and Mary soon realised that the hosts were greeting everyone just before entering the ballroom.
"How dull!" Lydia muttered just behind Mary, "Imagine that: standing up to greet what must be over a hundred people! La! I should never have that job or I would drop dead!" Kitty giggled and Mary was on the verge of telling Lydia that she need not worry of ever having to do so, but refrained. She was clever enough to know when to keep her tongue. No need to spoil such a promising evening.
"Mr. Darcy, Sir, and this is my wife, Elizabeth Darcy," Mr. Darcy's voice spoke from the front and Lydia and Kitty fell silent.
"Ahh indeed! Well, I remember you, Darcy from that deal in the north!" And for a few minutes the two chatted comfortably before a female voice asked them to move on.
"Greetings, Sir, pleasure of being your acquaintance," Mr. Bennet greeted politely, "Mrs. Darcy and Mrs. Bingley are my daughters, this is my wife, Mrs. Bennet," Mr. Bennet introduced, "my other third eldest, Mary, second youngest, Catherine and youngest: Lydia, who is now a Mrs. Wickham," Mary greeted a tall thin man with a slight beard. His mask was a simple black with white borders. He politely asked them all to have fun ad to consider the estate as their home for the evening,"
Mary then greeted Mrs Von Thesen, who appeared to have taken masquerade to another level. She wore stately clothes in different colours and jewellery and her mask was made of long peacock feathers and was multicoloured.
"What a lovely necklace!" Mrs Von Thesen spoke just as Mary was moving onwards to greet, who Mary presumed, was the son. "Frederic," Marchioness Von Thesen spoke and the young man to her side turned to her, "See," carefully she pointed towards Mary's necklace, "It looks like the same necklace I gave to you when you were born!" Mary started to feel uncomfortable by the attention, and her family was beginning to notice that the line had not moved on.
"But I thought this was the only copy," Mrs. Von Thesen spoke and Mary started blushing in discomfort. The young man was staring at her now and Mary was starting to feel quite uncomfortable with the attention. "Where did you buy it? I thought there was only one copy."
"Excuse me, I must catch up with my family, or else I might lose them out of sight!" Mary laughed anxiously and the Marchioness Von Thesen laughed lightly and apologised. The line moved onwards and Mary passed the Son and two daughters quickly and then went to somewhere she could clear her head and calm down. She was proud of the necklace, but the attention was almost too much. Her family had almost noticed. Surely her mother would see that Mary was speaking to the Marchioness as a good sign to mingle better and if Mrs. Bennet realised what they were talking of… Oh the questions!
She found her family at a table to the sides where she took a seat and poured some water. She was trembling slightly; unready for the discovery or the consequences. She looked towards the ballroom entrance and noticed that all the quests seemed to have arrived; the young Von Thesen son was scouting the hall.
Avoid the family or only meet them when her own family was far away and in out of earshot of hearing more about the necklace. She squeezed the necklace and felt herself calm down. Thank God for Ferdinand!
Hope you enjoyed the chapter
