Chapter 33
That evening their party prepared to go to Almacks. Bingley, whose sisters had never received vouchers, was expected to be one of their party, as Jane's fiancee. He and Hurst decided to say nothing about it to Miss Bingley. A return express from Bingley's uncle had verified that Miss Bingley would be housed with her relatives in the North as soon as Bingley was ready to deliver her. Bingley planned on putting in his appearance with Jane at Almacks tonight and tomorrow departing for the North to deliver his sister to the care of his uncle there. He hoped to be gone no more then a week.
As Bingley glanced down at the knee breeches he never expected to wear, knowing as a tradesman's son he was unlikely to be admitted into Almacks, he reflected that had his youngest sister been a different sort, she may have befriend Elizabeth in Hertfordshire and would actually have gained entrance to the level of society she had desired. Instead she had set her cap at Darcy, an impossibility for her, and stuck her nose as high in the air as she could. And then rather then admit her defeat graciously, she had attempted to slander a lady with powerful connections, when she herself had none. Not one to dwell on unpleasant subjects though, Bingley shrugged his thoughts aside and focused on his angel.
Littleton gave a grimace of disgust as he sipped the tepid lemonade served at Almacks.
"Careful Wallace," Elizabeth said teasingly, "Your face looked remarkably like William's did at the Meryton assembly when I first observed him."
"Shall I pick a female and offer an insulting comment to see if I find myself as ridiculous as him in a few months?" Littleton asked dryly causing Elizabeth to blush.
"The lemonade may be awful, but I have no intentions of tempting fate and shall be as charming and amiable as Bingley," Col. Fitzwilliam said.
"You forget, Bingley met Miss Bennet at that same assembly," Darcy pointed out.
"Well since I have no desire to find myself leg shackled, or hated, I will settle for neutral ground," Col. Fitzwilliam said cheekily. "I will be cheerful but standoffish. That should do the trick."
"Given the way the ladies present are viewing me, I find more sympathy for William then before," Littleton said. "I will skip the charming and simply be standoffish, without outright insulting anyone. I will claim dances with Lissy and Miss Bennet, but no more then that. "
"That will not do at all," Bingley said chimming in. "Darcy only danced with the females in his own party."
"Yes, but I highly doubt you plan on accusing him of standing about in a stupid manner and attempting to harass him onto the dance floor," Darcy said sarcastically.
"I am sure many of the ladies present tonight, are quite lovely," Jane observed.
"You can borrow Darcy's latest strategy," Col. Fitzwilliam said. "Dance with the wallflowers."
"If you need introductions to them, I will be happy to provide them," Priscilla said as she joined their group, that was waiting for the music to start.
"Miss Thinwiste," Darcy said, "If your third set is not spoken for may I request it?"
"Certainly Mr. Darcy. I believe you may also safely dance with Lady Rebecca Martin. Neither of us have any intentions of flinging our caps at you."
"I must say, I do appreciate your blunt way of speaking, Miss Thinwiste. Your second set if you please," Viscount Littleton said.
"I thought you were satisfied with your interogation of me last time, but by all means," Priscilla said.
"Wallace had better not interrogate you again. I believe I made it clear just what my thoughts were on that at supper last time," Elizabeth said with a laugh.
"I have no intentions of interrogating your friend again, Lissy," Littleton said with a mock frown. "I am not a simpleton. I also recognize that I am much safer with her then some of the other ladies gracing the dance floor tonight."
"And I shall hope you will agree to join this poor soldier on the floor as well tonight. Any friend of Lissy's is a friend of mine," Col. Fitzwilliam said smiling at her.
Lady Rebecca and Lord Dalton joined the group as well. "I see you three were harpooned into coming here tonight as well. Becky, appealed to my better nature. She thought Miss Fitzwilliam, could use another friend at Almack's tonight in addition to Miss Thinwiste, and insisted I escort here hither," Lord Dalton said dryly. "I leave you out of the harpooning statement Mr. Bingley, because this is your first time here and you are unaware of what you have gotten yourself into."
"I have heard Darcy gripe about it before, so I have an idea of what to expect, my lord," Bingley said.
"By the end of the night you will understand what an act of goodwill this is for me and these fellows, having no desire to attened other then to escort a beloved sister or cousin," Dalton said.
"It was not such an act of goodwill," Lady Rebecca argued. "I won your escort fair and square. You really should learn to stop playing cards for any sort of stake against me."
"Well I am glad to see you, Lady Rebecca," Elizabeth said.
"And I will be glad, Miss Fitzwilliam, if we can dispense with formal address and declare ourselves friends now that we have meet in a ball room, a drawing room, the theater and the hallowed halls of Almacks," Lady Rebecca said.
"My only request is that you call me Lissy rather then Lysette. I have not adjusted to the name yet and am more comfortable with Lissy," Elizabeth said with a grin.
Dalton said, "My sister has informed me that my role tonight, Miss Fitzwilliam is to take the space on your dance card that needs filling when some undesirable dandy requests a set. Your cousins, unused to having a female relative swanning about the dance floors, likely requested specific sets in advance, leaving you open to be plagued by fops, dandies, rakes and rogues. So when one you cannot stomache the thought of dancing with approaches you, I have that set. Just do not be approached at the same time as Becky. I am quite used to waiting to ask a lady to dance until seeing my sister is engaged to an acceptable partner for the set and shall do the same for you tonight."
"Not a bad strategy. If the two ladies are approached at the same time I shall step in for Lady Rebecca," Col. Fitzwilliam said. "Not that Darcy's glare and my military prowess did not do a decent job keeping the more objectionable at bay at the Richmond's. "
"I believe I was just as instrumental in that," Littleton said dryly. "As Lissy's favorite cousin who would rather not be left to defend myself against the legions in Almacks, may I have your sixth set Lady Rebecca?"
"You may," she responded.
"There between Lissy, Miss Bennet, Miss Thinwiste and Lady Rebecca I shall dance four sets and not only with my own party," Littleton said triumphantly. "The rest of the time I may stand around and dissuade any objectional gentlemen from approaching Lissy. I was quite successful at it the other night. Your military prowess indeed, little brother."
"The three of you looked like three large intimidating bears," Lord Westcott said as he joined the group. "Miss Fitzwilliam, you look enchanting tonight. I hope I am not to late to claim a set with you."
"You are not, " Elizabeth said smiling.
"Is it to much to hope you have the first open?"
"She is dancing the first with me," Darcy said eyeing Westcott with disfavor.
"I suspected one of your cousins would claim it. Should I assume one of them also claimed your supper set?"
"My sixth set is open, my Lord," Elizabeth said with a laugh.
"Then I shall happily take it," Lord Westcott said smiling at her.
When the music started Darcy led Elizabeth out onto the dance floor. He disliked that Westcott seemed interested in Elizabeth still, but was relieved to see that Dalton had apparently decided that Elizabeth was not for him and merely intended to act as a friend to his sister's friend. Dalton had definitely been interested at the theater, so Darcy was unsure what had changed. Rather then dwell on it, he gave his attention to Elizabeth and thrilled in each smile and laugh.
By the end of the evening, plans had been made to have a smaller dinner party at Lord Dalton's residence with Lady Rebecca as hostess in a few days. Lord Dalton was happy when his sister was invited to join the Fitzwilliams at tomorrow night's musical, relieving him of having to act as escort. Darcy noted that he would need to be watchful of the gentleman that paid attention to Lady Rebecca and Priscilla since it seemed that a strong friendship would form between the two ladies and Elizabeth. He knew she would be upset if either of her friends found themselves the victims of fortune hunters. Lady Rebecca, he acknowleged, had an elder brother to protect her, but Priscilla had only a sleepy elderly aunt with poor eyesight. His Aunt Maria had mentioned that Priscilla's current dowry was merely respectable, but that she was said to have expectations since she was Lady Edith's heir. Lady Edith though, was the type to simply live forever, a fact that kept any fortune hunters at bay.