Lydia lost the first game and the Countess, aware of the difficulties the Bennets faced in London, attempted to persuade the girl to quit and perhaps save her the embarrassment of losing too often in such a public setting, Viscount Fitzwilliam being known as a very good card player and no easy challenge, but Lydia would have none of it.
"Oh I am sure I just made a rather silly mistake!" she exclaimed sweetly, having observed exactly what she hoped she would during the rather brief game. "I promise I shan't give up so dreadfully easily this time," she added, smiling slyly even though she did her best to seem as innocent as possible.
True to her word Lydia won the next game. She won by such a large margin that both the Viscount and Countess stared at her in amazement. Insisting it was merely beginner's luck the old man opposite her sat up as straight in his seat as possible, determined to get the better of this country girl who seemed far too young to be playing with adults in any case.
To all at the table's dismay, all except Lydia of course, she took both the third, fourth, and fifth rounds, although the fifth had proved decidedly more difficult as she became quite distracted by her handsome stranger seated at the table above her own. At last, admitting defeat in quite a state of shock and awe, the Viscount arose and excused himself from the table with a disbelieving smile and high compliments to the young girl who had bested him so effortlessly.
Reveling in the taste of victory as she sat quietly with a pleased smile on her face, Lydia was drawn from her thoughts by the Countess' impressed, yet somewhat amused, voice.
"I don't think I've ever seen Andrew so thoroughly beaten!" said she with a light laugh, "Where did you learn to play in such a manner?"
"My father taught me the basics, your ladyship, and I learned how to win through very little more than observation."
At this the old man seated to her left exclaimed, "How remarkable!" and for the first time, Lydia felt as though the odds were finally turning in her favour. What an absolutely delectable feeling! she thought, her spirits high and her face reflecting her obvious pleasure at the compliments she received.
"I must have you play against the Duke," Lady Matlock said in great determination, "He is the best player in London by far and I may just be fanciful, but I believe you can provide him with a very good challenge, my girl."
Lydia, who hadn't the slightest idea who this Duke was, although she did notice the Countess look over at the table that had been catching her eye so regularly that evening, and merely assumed it was one of the old men seated there, the women having been defeated so thoroughly they soon excused themselves in search of better prospects for impressing the gentlemen.
What Lydia did notice, however, was that that specific table was playing at stakes far higher than she could afford, and she had just begun to make her excuses when the Countess arose, saying with a reassuring smile, "Now, I shan't take no for an answer! I have waited many years to see someone defeat the Duke of Avondale at, arguably, his most preferred game and I would be entirely remiss if I didn't act as your sponsor, so that I too may claim victory, no matter how small a role I truly played."
Lydia's gratefulness knew no bounds, and suddenly she found she rather liked Lady Matlock who seemed to anticipate her every thought, and show her support so openly.
"Very well," Lydia said with an excited nod and a bright smile, "Let us see what I can accomplish!"
Pleased with the girl's reply, Lady Matlock walked over to the table, which had just finished its latest game, and said, "Well, Edward, it seems I have found you a challenger at last," and you can imagine Lydia's surprise when none other than the Grecian stranger she had been quite obsessed with all evening gave a good-natured laugh and replied, "Do you really wish to vouch for yet another contender, Lady Matlock? You do remember what happened to Andrew last time, do you not?" at which even the Countess let out a laugh, and reassured the man the player she had chosen would certainly offer more of a challenge.
"Well, I shan't prevent you from bringing me more prey, so do call the gentleman over!" the Duke finally acquiesced, without noticing the mischievous look on the Countess' face.
"Miss Lydia, it seems the Duke has agreed to our challenge!" she called with a quick grin to the girl who stood patiently waiting next to her earlier seat.
"Miss?" the man exclaimed in surprise, "Surely you do not expect me to play against her?" he added, taking in both Lydia's youth and the fact that she was most certainly not London-born, or raised.
"I do indeed," came the Countess' reply as Lydia, who had heard his cry of surprise, took her seat across from him, a look of fearsome determination in her eyes.
"Do not fret over my feelings, nor my abilities, Your Grace," she said with a sickly sweet look on her face, "I assure you it is not the first time a gentleman has doubted either."
The shock at being so directly addressed by someone so inferior to himself showed spectacularly as the young man furrowed his brow and then, as her words sunk in, gave a delighted laugh and called for the game to begin.
For the first half, Lydia played well, although not quite living up to her full potential. In truth she was merely biding her time, looking for every sign of triumph or despondency on her opponents' faces, and taking note of every gesture and expression the gentlemen showed as they took their turns. It was just as the Duke gave a triumphant smile, sure that the victory would soon be his, that Lydia spotted exactly what she had been searching for and, adjusting her seat ever so slightly and sitting up just a tad straighter, she put all her focus into the game at hand.
The four other gentlemen, including the astounded Lord Fairfax, were soon left far behind and quite blatantly forgotten as the Duke and Lydia faced each other squarely, each becoming more and more set upon winning with every card revealed and every action taken. Eventually, the other players surrendered, realizing they were entirely out of their depth and resorted to watching the remaining two with great interest. Never before had they been bested by a woman, not to mention someone so young, and their fascination at the girl's abilities only grew by the minute.
The Duke, on the other hand, was suddenly feeling an immense amount of pressure to maintain his title as Master of Cards. He was finding the task incredibly difficult however as the girl sitting across from him seemed to anticipate his every move and it was not doing his confidence, nor his composure, any favours. In addition to this, a group of spectators had gathered and it seemed all in the room were on the side of the new contender, the challenger, the usurper.
Minutes slowly ticked by, with very little progress being made on either side when suddenly Lydia gave a small smirk and laid down her winning hand. The tension spiked as all in the room awaited the Duke's reaction, whether he would admit defeat or counter her hand with an even better one of his own. With an incredulous shake of his head and an equally shocked look on his face, he threw down his cards and raised both hands in defeat. The room erupted into cheers as Lydia arose and, with one last evil grin in the Duke's direction, curtseyed to the gentleman, and vacated her seat.
"Good heavens, Edward! What a game!" she heard a young man exclaim with great fervour and she flashed the speaker a smile that left him well and truly mesmerized.
"I chose wisely didn't I?" came the Countess' delighted voice, and the Duke could do naught but bow towards Lady Matlock and Lydia in turn.
"My dear girl, you have well and truly robbed every guest here of their good sense this evening," exclaimed the Countess once the crowd had somewhat dispersed, "I doubt they will ever again underestimate someone due to their age alone. I certainly learned my lesson." The lady's confession surprised Lydia, having never heard her mother admit to being wrong in all the fifteen years of her life. Yet here was a woman, above her mother in both rank and wealth, doing precisely what Mrs Bennet had always claimed to be a sign of weakness. The difference was striking, and the occurrence remained with Lydia long after the dinner came to an end and all in attendance returned home.
After claiming such a marked victory, Lydia became instantly popular as all the young men and women rushed to her side, eager to learn exactly how she had won and whether they too would be able to learn to play so very well. With a feeling of great pride, and just the smallest hint of spite towards all the guests who had brushed her off earlier she merely replied, "Oh dear, such skill can't be taught I'm afraid. You're either born with it or you aren't," and with that she stepped away from the group, leaving them all rather speechless at her manner of addressing them, but none having anything to say of the matter as they were all still too intent on deciphering her methods to feel insulted by her reply.
Collecting a cup of very hot, very sweet tea Lydia had only just taken her seat near the fireplace, the card tables now well and truly occupied by guests who were desperately trying to emulate her victory, when the Duke walked up to her and, in an attempt to show off his irreproachable sportsmanship at being so singularly defeated, said, "I must congratulate you, Miss Lydia, I have never before been defeated by a woman."
"Am I supposed to be flattered by such a comment, Your Grace?" Lydia immediately countered, noting with satisfaction the look of confusion upon the Duke's face, "Is my victory so impressive, so singular, just because I am a woman? Is that what warrants your praise? Or is it rather that in a game of wits, sir, you are at an immense disadvantage?"
Anger suddenly flashed across the gentleman's face, "Incredible! Here I stand, a Duke nonetheless, and in every way your superior, yet you dare to berate me for simply complimenting you?" he said with a slow shake of his head.
"It was not, as you put it, a compliment. Rather, it was nothing more than a sign of patronizing superciliousness on your part, and I see no reason to thank you for it!" Even Lydia felt surprised at her outburst. She had, at first, been ecstatic at the realization that the young, very, very attractive man, who was apparently still unmarried, was a Duke of all things, but that seemed to matter very little in comparison with the anger she felt at being belittled in such a manner.
As suddenly as he had appeared to offer his distorted compliment, the young man seemed to calm down entirely and, with what Lydia identified to be at least some shred of sincerity, he said, "You are not entirely wrong. I should not have attributed my praise to the fact that you are a woman. You did best me quite thoroughly, and for that, I offer my sincere compliments."
Suddenly feeling her anger deflate as well, and keeping in mind Lady Matlock's gracious nature at being proven wrong, Lydia surprisingly accepted both his apology and his compliment and, with a small smile to show her attempt at restoring good will, she returned his praise stating she too had never in her life been so extensively challenged "by a man" she couldn't help adding, pleased to see the Duke smile amusedly and take a seat beside her.
In its totality, the dinner had been a smashing success and each of the girls, except for poor Kitty, left Matlock house in high spirits from their evening's entertainment. It was in the carriage ride home that Lizzy informed the group Lady Matlock had advised her to accept Lady Devonshire's invitation. The Countess, she recounted, seemed quite sure the letter had been sent merely out of curiosity and that the ball itself would simply be an opportunity for both the Marchioness and her daughter to suss out their competition. The matter decided, all the members of the household fell into a deep sleep as soon as their heads touched their pillows that night, all except Kitty of course, who's mind, of its own volition and against her will, constantly drifted to Colonel Fitzwilliam, his wellbeing, and if she would ever be able to face him again after he had so unwittingly broken her heart.
Tuesday saw the arrival of five new dresses from Madame Devy's. Lydia's impatient inquiries over the last few days had become mightily tiring and it was with an audible sigh of relief that Mary received the footman, carrying a large trunk, in the drawing room that afternoon. With both Lydia and Kitty's lessons completed for the day, as well as those of the Gardiner children, it was a rather substantial party that gathered in Lydia and Kitty's room while the girls each tried on the new creations and paraded around to receive their compliments and comments.
Emma, seated on her mother's lap, kept loudly inquiring whether or not one of the girls had finished getting dressed while Dorothy did her best to remain poised and graceful, hoping against hope her thoughts on each dress would be taken with as much seriousness as she believed they warranted.
First came Mary, who looked positively charming in beige cotton with a netted skirt covered in intricately embroidered peach coloured flowers. The Van Dyke trim of her sleeves only added to the overall appeal of the dress and, although disappointed that there was not a sparkle in sight, Emma couldn't help but admit it was very pretty after all.
Lydia hurried out next, determined not to be last and therefore likely overlooked. Her dress, in such a deep blue it could almost be mistaken for black, was positively eye-catching. To contrast with the dark shade of its skirt, the bodice was made of pure white satin, while a thin, scarlet net had been draped over the skirt creating an interesting silhouette, and an even more intriguing combination of colours. To Emma's delight, the red netting was studded with small crystals around Lydia's waist and even Mrs Gardiner had to admit that, although certainly unusual, the dress did suit Lydia's vibrant nature.
Kitty stepped out just as her sister returned to Elizabeth's room to change after first staring at herself in the mirror for a few moments longer. As soon as Emma caught sight of the dress she squealed in delight. Once again pale pastel colours, ranging from green, to blue, to purple, formed the backbone of the outfit, although the entire bodice was completely encrusted with transparent crystals on a white cotton backdrop. Instead of long, flowy sleeves, Kitty's bare arms were covered by intricate lace that clung to her skin and seemed utterly daring, almost exotic. Both Dorothy and Emma leapt to their feet to get a better view, and even Mrs Gardiner insisted on calling Kitty over so she could take a look at her sleeves in detail.
At last came Elizabeth, in her royal purple attire, the deep, elegant colour broken only by the brilliantly white shawl draped over her shoulders, and the attention-stealing diamond hanging around her neck.
As soon as Mrs Gardiner saw Lizzy her eyes welled up with tears and she stood to draw her niece into a light embrace. Holding her at arm's length, she couldn't help but say "Oh, you look so beautiful, my dear girl. Every bit a Darcy and you aren't even married yet," at which even Elizabeth's eyes began to feel strangely wet and she pulled her aunt into a tight embrace once more, soon joined by the two girls who seemed delighted by the fact that the dress' soft, flowing material provided ample hiding place as their mother laughingly demanded they untangle themselves that very instant.
Last of all came Jane, having helped all four her sister dress first before even thinking of herself, as was usual.
Jane, in a dress the skirts of which were layered in multiple shades of blue, and embellished with deep blue crystals, was Emma's greatest delight that day. It seemed as though the night sky was directly reflected onto the dress and both little Emma and Jane seemed ecstatic with the result. Dorothy and her mother couldn't agree more with their happy effusions and soon all four sisters returned to the room as well to inform Jane they were quite sure she would be taking up all the attention the next evening, at which the young woman simply shook her head vehemently and insisted it would be Elizabeth, "You are, after all, attending your first ball at a stranger's home and there will certainly be many gathered without the slightest clue to your identity. That, accompanied by your beauty and that dress, is sure to make you the star of the evening."
Lizzy, who knew there would be no persuading Jane to see herself as the true belle, only shook her head, reassured by the fact that at least she knew all eyes would be on her eldest sister the following evening, and in many ways neither Jane nor Elizabeth were wrong.
A/N:
Yay! Another chapter! And wasn't Lydia a feisty one in this update?
Next, the Devonshire ball, with all its drama.
Once again, the Duke of Avondale belongs to the wonderful Micaela Royo, and Lady Gertrude is the amazing creation of HarnGin!
Now, to address ze very numerous reviews!
Deanna27 – I'm desperate to let you all get to know Mr Reeding and the Viscount as well, but it is a bit of a struggle managing all five the Bennets' storylines, especially when they're all in the same place! Hopefully with Lizzy heading off to Hunsford soon we can get back to Jane, Kitty, Mary, and Lydia's stories in detail as well!
LadyLizzyPuff12 – Your detailed reviews always bring me joy! I really like Mrs G too. I wish I had an aunt like her! Poor Kitty has a lot to face still and I agree that it is a bit eye-opening to realize that even the most vibrant, life-loving people are subject to mortality just like everyone else. For Kitty, especially, who likes to see the magic and fantasy in life I can imagine it would be a painful realization. Good guess for Mr Darcy's second request! xD
Alisonpaige215 – haha I feel like you will all have my head on a silver platter if I decide to pair Jane with Mr Reeding! Who would have thought the Viscount would have such a large fandom after saying barely 10 sentences ;)
HarnGin – I'm sooooo glad you approve of Lady Trudy so far! And as I've been writing her into the story a bit more I have to say I LOVE the addition of the cats! They're brilliant! Your comment on the size of the dinner actually had me thinking how difficult these events could be for very shy people. No wonder Mr Darcy, and Mary to an extent, really hate such social gatherings! I think it must have been very trying to be an introvert in Regency London society.
Norarob1956sis- Thank you so, so much for your lovely review! I add one chapter every 3-4 days, sometimes more often, sometimes less often xD. I have thought of publishing but I honestly haven't got the slightest idea how to go about it, and besides that I don't know if I want to take down the story for publishing. I know how I hate starting a really good fanfic and then coming back a week later to find, instead of new chapters being added, all but 3 have been removed because the author's decided to publish.
Marispell – thanks to Google translate I understood your comment xD To answer your question about how Lizzy recognized Mr Thornton – she had seen him at the Matlock House dinner
Tigrchic8 – Thanks for reading and reviewing! Around chapters 11-13/14 Lizzy has a bit of a breakdown, and I know many other fanfics portray her as super strong, capable of handling any amount of criticism, and pretty much being impervious to any form of insecurity, but I think after more than 20 years of her mother constantly rebuking her for things she did not do, or could not help (her impertinence, for instance), it would have begun to take an emotional toll. She had always been strong for her sisters, and her father wasn't really an option to talk to about her feelings, so when Darcy came around it was finally someone else's turn to be strong FOR her. I think that's why Darcy and Lizzy are so good for each other, they support each other in things they would otherwise be left to face alone. Lizzy helps Darcy at last grieve for his parents, after having to be strong for Georgi and the Darcy legacy's sake for so long, and Fitzwilliam gives Elizabeth the chance to finally just let her emotions show. It's about two strong, stubborn, wilful people learning to open themselves up to each other and that they no longer have to deal with their pain alone.
Alrighty! Hope you enjoyed the update! I'm soooo excited to carry on posting so keep your eyes peeled for the next chapter! xD
