Elizabeth had no idea how she did it, but just like her grandmother vowed, her wedding ball had changed venues from Matlock House to Apsley House in less than a sen'night with not a seam out of place. Their guest poured into the huge townhouse in awe at the beautiful ballroom they were led into.
Her grandmother demanded that she help her Aunt Matlock host the ball and she insisted that it be moved to the larger home since it was the first event she got to hold for her granddaughter and it was where her granddaughter would be introduced as such for the first time. Even the formidable Lady Matlock was no match for the aging duchess and she ultimately got her wish, throwing her staff into a tizzy as she got her home ready for the biggest night ever. The crowd fell into a hush as the master of ceremonies pounded his staff on the floor to get their attention.
"On behalf of His and Her Graces, the Duke and Duchess of Wellington, I proudly introduce their beautiful granddaughter and her distinguished husband, Their Graces, Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth Darcy, the Duke and Duchess of Derbyshire and the Earl and Countess of Bedfork."
The ton, like Meryton, was shocked!
The duchess had made a splash on the arm of the elusive duke before they were wed and though her unsurpassed beauty was well known her origins were still obscure. All they knew about her was that she was the daughter of an unknown country gentleman with a huge dowry which meant her family had to be of some means, at least that was what Lady Matlock made sure they were led to believe. They also knew that she was the niece of the well-known fortune maker, Edward Gardiner.
They knew nothing else. To hear that she was the hitherto unknown granddaughter of the Iron Duke himself was beyond shocking and the crowd had not recovered until the dashing couple had made their way down the stairs from the landing they were introduced on and into the ballroom where the strings of the first dance started up as they took their place to lead it.
His duchess looked stunning in her emerald ball gown and the duke could not take his eyes off of her. She had not been feeling well for the past few days and he had demanded she rest up and not move a muscle for the entire day leading up to the ball and it had paid off. She looked healthy and happy as her fine eyes shown in the candlelight.
"What do you stare at so, Lizzy's Grace?" she teased as they came together for the first move.
"The most beautiful woman in the room of course" he flirted back as he held her closer than the dance called for.
"Who is this woman and how dare she take your attention away from me?"
"Seeing as how I have not taken my eyes off of you since you descended our stairs looking so mesmerizing, that woman must be you, my love" the duke bantered back.
The crowd could not help but stare at the besotted couple as they danced and flirted as if they were the only two people in the room. They were a dashingly handsome couple, their equal having never been seen before.
Most women in the room were thrown into a jealous tizzy. All hopes of using the fact that despite her beauty and marriage she was still just a country nobody against her to dampen the duchess' prestige in the ton was dashed the moment she was introduced as their hosts' granddaughter.
She could not be more advantageously set unless she was a member of the royal family and they hated her even more. The elusive duke and been the prize they all wanted and here this woman came from out of nowhere and stole him away before they knew what was happening. She captured him as quickly as she had appeared.
The men saw one more reason to envy the lucky duke. They had never seen his beautiful wife's equal and they all wished to have her. Add the connection to the Iron Duke no less and she was a prize the ton had not seen the equal of in years. They wondered if she could be talked into an affair until they saw the way she looked upon her husband. She was as besotted as he.
The couple in question saw and heard nothing as they danced and flirted with each other, the duke even stealing a kiss when the dance called for them to get very close to each other. He could not help it and cared not who saw. Her lips were too tempting to ignore.
"Your Grace!" said Elizabeth in amused shock at his daring.
"Hang propriety!" he said to her further amusement. "And anyone watching us close enough to detect that little kiss I stole and was very careful to hide deserves to have their sensibilities upset."
Well Caroline Bingley, who had just arrived fashionably late and was watching the handsome couple lead the dance, saw it and she was appalled and spitefully jealous. It should be her receiving his kisses as he led her around the prestigious ball room. She did not even know the duke was connected with the distinguished general let alone close enough to have his wedding ball in his home and was shocked when she received the notice of the change in venue.
Now here was that bastard born Eliza looking beautiful on the arms of her duke at the ball thrown in her honor at one of the most distinguished addresses in London. This was not to be borne! She knew how to act and would do so as soon as the interloper left the floor! The couple passed Elizabeth's grandparents in the dance and the general loudly cleared his throat in agitation as the duchess gave them an amused wink.
"I believe they were privy to your little breech of propriety, Your Grace" laughed Elizabeth.
"And yet I remain unrepentant" said the smug duke as he spun her around.
"Remember that when the Iron Duchess takes you to task" she teased knowing her husband was afraid of the formidable woman more so than her husband.
"Oh please. She may give me a reward and encourage more" he retorted making her tinkling laughter ring out and capture the attention of those around her, bringing smiles to their faces at the enchanting sound.
"Or ask for one herself" she joked about her flirtatious grandmother who could not get enough of her handsome husband and the handsome menfolk of his family and Elizabeth swore her grandmother would be married to Sutton by now if she were still single, despite the age gap.
"My kisses are for you alone, my love" he flirted as he brought her hand to his lips eliciting a rosy blush to color her beautiful cheeks as the dance ended. "Are you well, dearest?" he asked in concern as he led her to the refreshment table followed by her grandparents.
"I am well rested thanks to my dear husband and a cup of punch will set me to rights" she said, feeling better than she had in days.
"Yes I am sure you need a cool drink after that steamy dance" said her grandmother as they came to the table and the gentlemen handed them glasses, making the duke blush in embarrassment to Elizabeth's great amusement.
The great duchess hurriedly excused herself from them as the signal she was awaiting came from one of her footmen. They had been alerted to her granddaughter's sister's possible presence at the ball when her mother unwittingly confirmed that she was in town with Mr. Bingley's sisters during an argument with Mrs. Gardiner about her lies about Elizabeth's mother and she advised her staff to stop her from entering and immediately alert her to her presence.
"Ah Miss Bennet I take it? We were awaiting your arrival" she said as she stroll to the entryway where the blond had been asked to wait.
"And who are you?" asked an irritated Jane Bennet who had arrived with that annoying Bingley woman and her family already annoyed at being late and while the rest of her party had been given entry she was asked to wait here.
"I am the mistress of this home young lady" boomed the duchess.
"Oh I beg your pardon, Your Grace" said Jane, instantly cowered by the great lady. "I meant no offence. I was only upset by being detained here."
"I have no idea with what hubris you dared to enter my home but you are most certainly not welcomed and uninvited. Of course I would have you detained" she said to the horrified young lady. "After the stunts you have pulled to besmirch my granddaughter's honor how dare you try to attend her wedding ball? Especially after the malicious lies you helped your aunt spread about my granddaughter's birth not to mention the scandalous tales you told about her virtue. If I was not afraid of getting my hand dirty I would slap you silly!"
No need. Jane felt as if she had already been slapped by the unexpected set down as she fled the luxurious home in tears.
"I was just getting started!" said the duchess as she stomped her foot in frustration that it took so little to break the chit. "One would think one as brazen as she could have withstood more" she huffed and returned to the ball.
Caroline Bingley was furious as she watched Eliza being led to the floor by the Iron Duke himself. She had looked around for that sister of hers in order to put her plan in action but she was nowhere to be found. It looked as if she would have to expose the chit herself though she did not want to risk the duke's wrath. In the end it would be all worth it and she refused to let that chit shine any longer that night and vowed to get rid of her after she left the floor.
"Grandduchess" said the duke, using Elizabeth's nickname for her grandmother as he plucked her from the crowd when she returned to the ballroom. "What were you up to, young lady?" he teased the self-satisfied looking matron.
"Oh just taking out the trash" she smirked.
"Well I fear there is more that needs to be dumped" he said as he discreetly indicated Caroline Bingley as she watched his wife dancing with her grandfather with a murderous look on her face.
"I take it that is the one that brought Miss Bennet to town to cause trouble?" asked the duchess.
"Yes. And I saw her looking around for someone while you were away having fun. I have no doubts she was looking for her to put whatever plan she has into action."
"Not if I can help it" she said as she started to walk away, only for him to stop her.
"No, let her do her worst, Grandduchess" he said ambiguously.
"I beg your pardon? Let her ruin my granddaughter's ball?"
"My wife and I decided to let her carry out her plan which could only be to try and embarrass my wife with what she thinks she knows about her parentage. Her always arriving fashionably late has worked against her this night as she did not hear the introduction. Let her draw her crowd and spew her lies and…"
"Effectively ruin herself in all polite society" she finished in amusement, loving the nefarious plan.
"Precisely!" he said with a huge smile that made the nearby ladies want to swoon as the general led his granddaughter back to her husband following their dance but before his wife could warn them, Miss Bingley and her family was upon them.
"Dear Miss Eliza. Thank you for inviting us to your ball" Miss Bingley started loudly in order to draw the crowd she wanted to witness the humiliation.
"Mr. Bingley, Mr. and Mrs. Hurst, thank you for joining us" said Elizabeth completely ignoring Caroline Bingley, to her shock.
"Thank you for having us, Your Grace" said Louisa Hurst quickly as she covertly grabbed her sister's arm trying to stop her.
"Miss Eliza…" an irritated Miss Bingley stated again as she wrenched her arm from her sister's iron grip, only to be cut off by the chit again.
"I understood that you had one more in your party, Mr. Hurst" said Elizabeth.
"Yes now that you mention it there was that dull, blond chit your mother favored with us though I have not seen her since we entered" said the blunt man as he looked around.
"Yes, the lovely Miss Bennet" said the clueless Mr. Bingley quickly trying to cover his brother's lapse, hoping he had not offended Her Grace by insulting her sister.
"Ah, unfortunately she had to leave suddenly" said the grand duchess to everyone but the duke's surprise causing Elizabeth to give her grandmother a questioning raised eyebrow but she only shook her head in response.
"Oh I am sorry to hear that" said Bingley who was looking forward to dancing with the pretty young woman despite his lack of interest in her due to her mean spiritedness.
"Yes well she probably could no longer keep up the pretense" said Miss Bingley loudly, her anger at being ignored making her even less wise and she was still being ignored as no one acknowledged her statement but thankfully her ever clueless brother took the bait.
"Pretense?" he asked in confusion, causing Mrs. Hurst to groan in dread.
"Yes the pretense of allowing her sister Miss Eliza pretend to be something that she is not while lying to our dear duke" she said spitefully to the gasp of the crowd she created.
"Who is Miss Eliza?" asked the truly baffled general before his wife could stop him.
"Why the bastard born interloper who tricked none other than the Duke of Derbyshire into marrying her" she said loudly, finally getting her revenge.
"I beg your pardon?" roared the Duke of Wellington to Miss Bingley's great surprise, wondering why the great man was so upset with her.
"I am sorry to have to cause you any distress by letting it be known in your home, Your Grace, but I could no longer sit back and watch my dear friend be tricked by nothing more than the country born natural child of an impoverished country squire. Everyone touted her being a gentleman's daughter with a huge dowry and connections when she first set out to capture the duke but I have just returned from her home county where I learned she is nothing more than an illegitimate bastard daughter of unknown origins from a scullery maid whose father tried to pass her off as the legitimate daughter of his wife" she finished triumphantly, dropping the bombshell to the confused shock of the crowd who had heard the duchess introduced as their host's granddaughter.
"CAROLINE!" shouted her brother as he listened in horror to her shocking words which had brought the entire ball to a halt.
"How dare you, madam?!" yelled the general at the proud redhead, wiping the smirk off of her face. "If you were a man I would call you out!" he continued in a rage.
Elizabeth exchanged amused glances with her husband as Miss Bingley's mouth dropped open in shock. It was just as he predicted. They did not have to say one word to ruin the clueless harridan.
"I beg your pardon?" said the shocked Miss Bingley with her hand on her chest in horror.
"How dare you speak about my granddaughter so?! With what nerve did you enter my home and spew such lies about my family?!" yelled the general.
"Gra..gran..granddaughter?" she spluttered in astonishment.
"That would be me, the woman you called a bastard born interloper" said the highly amused Elizabeth with a raised hand.
"I do not understand your meaning" said the still baffled Miss Bingley.
"Obviously" retorted her grandmother.
"I know you brought dear Jane Bennet with you to town, Miss Bingley, and can only conclude that your ill gained knowledge stems from that quarter so I am loathe to blame you for your ignorance, but to be so wholly stupid as to take what she said as fact and attempt to discredit me in a room full of my family at my wedding ball in my grandparents' home no less, shows how truly ignorant you are madam" she said to Miss Bingley's shocked embarrassment. "Not that it is any of your business Miss Bingley, but yes Mrs. Bennet is not my natural mother, she having died shortly after giving birth to me. She also being the first wife of my father, would render me being a bastard impossible."
Miss Bingley could only listen on in horror as the truth was revealed.
"She also being the beloved daughter of His Grace, General Arthur Wellesley, the Duke of Wellington and his lovely duchess would also render her being a scullery maid impossible" continued the amused Elizabeth, making the Bingleys and Hursts gasp in shock at the unexpected revelation. "You being ignorant enough to call me thus as well as insult a lady you knew nothing of in front of such exalted company, even if they were wholly unconnected to me, renders you impossibly stupid and validates my opinion that you should consider remaining silent and being only thought a fool instead of once again opening your mouth and removing all doubt. I am embarrassed for you and your family on your behalf" Elizabeth finished in a voice full of amusement to the shock of the crowd.
Never had they seen such poise under such an assault they could not believe she found her insult amusing though listening to her glib set down did make the woman sound rather foolish.
"As am I, Your Grace" Louisa Hurst said quickly. "Please, please forgive my sister for her horrid mistake. I cannot fathom what made her speak so and I am very sorry that you and your family was insulted thus" finished the horrified and repentant woman with tears in her eyes as she watched her reputation die, knowing she should have done more to stop Caroline from trying to call the duchess out in company and though she told her it was bad idea, she should have stopped her at all cost.
"Yes, Your Graces, Derbyshire, please forgive me for foisting my sister on you and allowing this insult to happen. I cannot express how sorry I am" said the shocked Mr. Bingley, never had he expected his sister to behave so!
"Tis no fault of either of you" said Elizabeth. "I am sure you would not have allowed such a thing to happen if you had the power to stop it" she said, trying to salvage some of the siblings' dignity.
"And the person who is at fault is suddenly silent" said the fuming Lord Sutton who had walked over with the rest of his family during the shocking outburst.
"I beg your pardon" the mortified Miss Bingley finally said. "I assure you I meant no offence."
"You called someone a bastard, in company no less, and meant no offence?!" shouted the viscount.
"That is to say… I meant I only repeated what I was told and I apologize that I was misinformed. I only had His Grace's best interest in mind" stuttered Miss Bingley.
"If you had my nephew's best interest in mind, you would have quietly pulled him aside and relayed your concerns to him, madam" said Lady Matlock. "You would not have disrespected and try to discredit his wife in company in such a shocking manner. Do not try to insult our intelligence by saying your little show was for the benefit of anyone but yourself."
"Family please, I assure you no harm has been done to me and I was highly entertained by the spectacle" laughed Elizabeth to the crowd's amazement
"You would be" said Colonel Fitzwilliam in amused admiration of the resilient duchess.
"And why should I not be, cousin?" she teased. "The woman is just one in a long line of jealous harpies with disappointed hopes who failed to capture my handsome husband" she said, making said jealous harpies that listened on blush in mortification and hate her more. "Can you blame her for being desperate for the attention of one such as he? I am sure I have only seen the beginning of the machinations of desperate maidens willing to stop at nothing to disrupt my marriage. Should we not feel sorry for one as stupid as she?"
"I beg your pardon?" said an enraged Miss Bingley.
"Really, Miss Bingley?" asked Elizabeth. "Do be quiet. You have already made a cake of yourself in front of some of the most important people in society. Do not exasperate the situation. If it were not for your family's sake you would have been thrown in a carriage to return to the pit of hades you so obviously came from" said a no longer joking Elizabeth to the shock of the room. "You have got to be one of the most hateful shrews I have ever had the displeasure to meet and it would behoove you to mind your manners while I still find your pathetic state amusing.
"Also? A tip…my husband would not look upon you with favor even if you were successful in separating us so I suggest you stop trying. He can barely stand your presence and he will no longer be exposed to your vulgar attempts to capture him. Stay away from him and my sister or I will call you out, which to my way of thinking, in women's speak means ruin you in society and make you wish you never even heard of the ton!" she yelled at the stupid creature making the crowd gasp at her words and laugh at her threat to call her out. "Although I would gather you have done a good job of ruining your sorry self all on your own this night, madam."
"Charles, I have a headache and would like to leave. Please accept my apologies everyone. I am sorry to have caused any distress" said the humiliated woman.
"Wisest thing I have heard you utter since the day I was unfortunate enough to meet you Miss Bingley. Do have a pleasant evening" said Elizabeth with a smile as she all but fled the room.
"Has the world gone mad?" asked the viscount after the family took their leave. "What in God's name was that about?" he asked in confusion, still not clear on who the chit was.
"That was about the disappointed hopes of one who had set her cap at your dashing cousin before I came along and stole him away" said Elizabeth with a teasing smile at her impressed husband.
He could not get enough of his feisty wife.
"Well I never!" said the Duchess of Wellington. "Who told her such awful things?"
"That would be one Jane Bennet" answered Elizabeth.
"Thankfully I took that trash out before she had the audacity to enter."
"Yes, well, cousin?" Elizabeth said to the still somewhat upset viscount. "I think this dance belongs to you?" she said, wanting the attention off of her and the horrid scene so she could enjoy the rest of the ball.
"Are you sure you are up to dancing, dearest?" asked the worried duke. She had started to look decidedly uncomfortable.
"I am sure. As long as Lord Sutton will still have me of course" she said, trying to tease her cousin, who was still staring at the doorway with a frown on his face as if he wanted to go after Miss Bingley, into a better mood.
"I suppose" he said in a fake haughty voice finally coming out of his anger. "As long as you do not try to steal kisses like your husband does" he dug as he gave his blushing cousin a wink and led his wife to the floor amidst her laughter.
"Caroline what the devil were you thinking?!" yelled an outraged Bingley after they had boarded their carriage. He was livid!
"I am going to kill that chit!" said a humiliated Miss Bingley, completely ignoring her brother.
"CAROLINE!" yelled Bingley.
"How dare she lie to me so?! I made a fool of myself in front of the leading members of the ton because of her. Oh God what have I done?"
"Yes, what have you done to all of us, Caroline?!" shouted Louisa. "You have ruined us all because of your delusions and jealousy! The duke would never marry you even if he were not already so. He hates you, Caroline! And you have just ruined us in your pursuit of one who barely tolerated you for our brother's sake."
"How dare you, Louisa?" asked the affronted Miss Bingley.
"How dare you, Caroline?" shouted Mr. Bingley. "Do you realize what you have done? No, this cannot be" he said frantically as he pounded on the roof to get the driver's attention. "Derbyshire is one of my dearest friends. I will not lose him over your ignorance. Turn back" he shouted.
"Charles! I am not going back into that ballroom!" said the appalled Miss Bingley.
"Of course you are not. We are. I am going to salvage my relationship and the Hursts' reputation. You can go back to the pit of hades as Her Grace said for all I care, sister" he said as he disembarked.
"Bingley" called the duke as soon as he saw his flustered friend reenter the ballroom as he had just been hoping he had not left so he could help salvage his reputation, he was happy to see him and the Hursts return.
"Derbyshire!" said the grateful man as he came over and shook his hand. "Darce I am so sorry…" he started only to be cut off.
"Not of your doing, my friend" he said as he dramatically patted him on the back and smiled at him for the sake of the people around them watching with rapt attention. "My wife was wondering at your audacity of leaving before dancing with her" he said jovially in a loud voice.
"I could never end the night while missing such a treat" said Bingley with tears in his eyes at his friend's gracious help. With that one line he knew his reputation was restored.
The duke gave his emotional friend another pat of reassurance and a nod of understanding before turning to watch the colonel walk his beautiful wife back to his side after dancing with her following his brother's set, looking for signs of fatigue. Although she looked handsome as ever, he did see signs of weariness and immediately decided to make her sit out the next few dances to the disappointment of her partners.
"Mrs. Hurst" said Elizabeth as she joined her husband and the frightened looking trio, her heart immediately going out to them. "I was wondering where you had gotten off to" she said loudly for the benefit of the crowd, unknowingly following her husband's lead to his great approval. "I wanted to tell you how lovely you look this evening" she said to the grateful woman.
"Why thank you so much, Your Grace, though I know I am nothing to you" Mrs. Hurst happily replied in relief.
"Oh stuff and nonsense" laughed Elizabeth. "You must join me for tea at Derbyshire House again. Your last visit ended too soon." she said, instantly restoring the Hursts as well.
"I would be honored, Your Grace" said the emotionally grateful woman.
"And you, my dear, have had enough dancing for one evening" said the concerned duke.
"I told Richard you were looking upon me with a discerning eye and not merely admiring me from afar" she said with a beautiful pout.
"I was admiring you with a discerning eye" he teased, surprising the onlookers with his altered behavior. "Please rest, dearest, you look fatigued" he whispered to her and she readily agreed, which told him she really did need the break. "Excuse us" he said to the crowd. "I am afraid you may have to take a raincheck, Bingley" he said. "The duchess needs a break from dancing."
"Of course, Derbyshire. I will hold you to your promise next time, Your Grace" he said to the beautiful, kind woman.
"I will make sure you do, Mr. Bingley" she said as her husband led her away.
"They looked terrified when I first saw that they had returned" she said as she took a much needed seat.
"They were" the worried duke said distractedly, taking in every move his wife made. "Poor Bingley had tears in his eyes."
"As did his sister. They certainly do not deserve to be painted with the same brush."
"No" he said again in distraction which Elizabeth noticed this time.
"Dearest" she said in exasperation. "Stop hovering! I am fine."
"You are not fine! You were dead on your feet" he countered.
"Not quite though I admit I am a little fatigued. It has been a while since I danced the night away" she teased as her family walked over, seemingly from all different directions, with looks of worry. "Oh dear, here comes the barrage of concern" she said, making her husband laugh.
"Lizzy?" said her Aunt Madeline with a question in her voice. "Are you well?" asked the concerned matron. Lizzy never sat at balls.
"I assure you that I am well though a little tired. Nothing missing a few dances will not cure" she assured her skeptical looking family.
"Maybe you should go upstairs and rest a while, dear. I will make your excuses" said her worried grandmother. Her fiery granddaughter looked decidedly mild.
"Yes…" started her husband.
"No need" interrupted Elizabeth. "I am fine and will sit and enjoy the rest of the ball since I am sure His Grace will not allow me to dance again" she pouted.
"Just the fact that you are acquiescing to his request proves you are more tired than you are admitting, young lady" said Mr. Gardiner.
"Agreed" said her husband who had the same thought.
"Yes I am tired, very tired" she admitted. "But I assure you I am not uncomfortable or in any pain so it is nothing a little rest here in this chair cannot cure."
"Promise to not over exert yourself, LizBear" said her grandfather using his nickname for her. "This ball is not as important as your health."
"I promise. Now go! All of you! Enjoy my ball in my stead. And take my husband with you. Make him dance Lady Aunt" she said to an amused Lady Matlock.
"I will do no such thing!" said the incredulous duke. Did she really expect him to leave her side?
"Of course you will, nephew" demanded Lady Matlock who grabbed him by the arm and pulled him away. "Come, Sutton will keep your wife company."
"I will do no such thing!" mocked the viscount as they walked away.
"Come, cousin, keep me company for a while. I am sure the ladies will not mind too much" Elizabeth teased.
"Are you daft? They shall be devastated!" he said as he took the seat next to her as the rest of their family dispersed.
"When will you choose one of them and start your nursery?" she asked to his horrified gasp, making her almost double over in laughter at the look of alarm on his face.
"How dare you suggest such a thing?! I am in the bloom of youth and much too young to be caught in the parson's mousetrap! Besides, I am waiting on your grandfather to die so I can marry his exceptional wife. I would challenge him to a duel for her honor if he was not so proficient with a sword" he said to her continued amusement.
"What a whirlwind that blew into Netherfield, eh?" she said
"Amazing!" he agreed. "She is what I imagine you will be in thirty years. How are you doing with everything?" he asked seriously. "You have had a lot to take in recently."
"I have not really stopped to think of it all, actually. I am just going with everything as it comes, not letting it overwhelm me. I thought I would be a lot angrier with my grandfather because of his actions but once he said he saw the man my father was and would become before he described exactly who he turned out to be, most of my anger left. I cannot really blame him for not wanting his daughter with such a man though I wish he had the same care for me when I was younger."
"I believe him when he said he thought the love he thought your father had for you would lead to a good life for you and that his guilt kept him away."
"As do I or we would not be here today" she agreed. "I would never have gotten through any of this without Fitzwilliam. He has been my everything throughout all of this" she said as she fondly watched her husband watching her from the dance floor.
"That old stuff shirt is definitely a different person since you came along" said the viscount as he also watched his cousin watching his wife in worry to his amusement. "Makes him infinitely more likeable."
"Oh he has not changed in essentials though I have softened his disposition and he no longer hides who he is from the world" she said tenderly as she sent him a reassuring wave earning her a relieved smile in return.
"Besotted!" said the viscount in mock disgust as he watched their interaction in amusement.
"Him or I?" she asked in amusement.
"Both" said the colonel as he walked over with punch and refreshments for her.
"What about me, brother?" said the viscount.
"You are not an increasing woman on chair rest under the watchful eye of her besotted husband who would run us both through if we let her move" he said as he sat down. "Go get it yourself."
"Well I never" said the viscount as he folded his arms in mock consternation.
"Here, we can share" said Elizabeth, putting a smile on his face as he stole a small cake from her plate as her husband, finally free, quickly walked over.
To her very great enjoyment, the brothers immediately turned to each other, held hands and said "Are you well, dearest?" in overly concerned voices, making her almost fall out of her chair laughing.
The duke was not amused!
"How long have you blaggards been waiting to do that?" he asked.
"At least since Netherfield" said the colonel between laughs, finally eliciting a smile from the duke.
"That was fantastic" said Elizabeth trying to rein in her laughter as her husband started to pout. "Oh do not mind them, dearest" she said as she grabbed his hand. "They mean no harm."
"Of course we do" said the viscount. "Do no ruin our bit, cousin!" he exclaimed finally getting to the duke and making him laugh as well.
"Are you well, dearest?" he finally asked to the brothers' great amusement.
"I assure you I am" she said as he took the seat next to her after the still laughing brothers took their leave.
She leaned her head against his shoulder as he brought his arm around her to the shock of their guests though they saw none of their reactions as they were once again lost in their own world.