Chapter 8

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Elizabeth managed to avoid Darcy for most of the rest of the day. He had come to seek her out at one point and she had childishly feigned sleep, not wishing to feel any more ashamed of her actions than she was. She had listened to him enter, concentrating on keeping her face calm and her breathing even. He had stood near her bed for a number of minutes, just watching her. She was not sure what he was doing but it felt intimate to be watched when asleep. He had never slept in her bed, which she knew was normal in the case of her parents, so she had never seen him sleep. After a few minutes he leaned over and kissed her forehead, whispering something she did not catch.

When she descended for the ball he was waiting, the look in his eyes was enough to make her blush.

"You look wonderful" he squeezed her hand as he helped her down the last few steps.

She knew she was forgiven and she smiled shyly at him in appreciation.

Georgiana gushed over her dress and jewellery. She was wearing a midnight blue silk with a fine lace bodice which was woven with a silver silk thread giving it a shimmery look. The same silver thread was used in the embroidery up the skirt and on the bodice. She had a triple string of pearls and some pearl hair grips studded in her coiffure, which was swept up and to the side with a cascade of curls down one shoulder.

Darcy tucked her hand in to the crook of his arm and escorted her to the waiting carriage.

It seemed to Elizabeth as if the whole of the room stopped and stared as she and Darcy were announced. She kept her chin up, although her grip on Darcy's arm tightened ever so slightly. They walked over to Lady Matlock, who welcomed them warmly and escorted them over to the Countess of Warrington.

"My dear Lady Warrington my I present my nephew and his new wife Mr and Mrs Darcy."

Darcy bowed and Elizabeth curtseyed deeply.

"Welcome, that was quite the entrance. Of course Mr Darcy you always did create quite a stir when you walk in to a ballroom, so infrequent those occasions were."

Elizabeth smiled and looked up at her husband, eyes twinkling.

"My dear" the Countess of Warrington addressed Elizabeth "I have invited your sister, Mrs Bingley, and her new family. I hope that is to your liking?"

"I am honoured my lady" Elizabeth felt a thrill of excitement, she had seen Jane since getting married, but their calls had been brief. "Your ballroom is stunning. I am in awe of the fire."

The Countess looked around, there were pillars of fire at strategic points around the room, each controlled by a wizard. Every so often a fireball would shoot from one to another in an arc of sparks of varying colours and intensity. The overall effect was stunning.

"I chose to just focus on fire on this occasion. I hear you have quite the talent with water, is that true?"

Elizabeth nodded "I am fond of magic and quite diligent in my practice as a child."

"You shall have to show me sometime, it is cooler outside so on this occasion fire seemed appropriate. Maybe ice in the summer?"

Elizabeth smiled and nodded and they moved on. The first notes of the dance were playing and Elizabeth noticed her sister arriving with Mr Bingley and Miss Bingley. Mr and Mrs Hurst were not to be seen.

Elizabeth smiled and then was escorted to the dance floor by Mr Darcy. The dance was enjoyable, Mr Darcy was smiling in appreciation at her and their conversation was spirited, if slightly strained on occasion.

When the dance closed they moved to greet Mr and Mrs Bingley and Elizabeth embraced her sister.

"Oh Jane, how wonderful you look."

"You also Elizabeth, that is a stunning combination!" Jane responded eagerly.

They stood talking for a minute or two when the notes of the next song sounded. Mr Bingley solicited Elizabeth's hand and Jane accepted Mr Darcy's. Caroline scowled, she had been on the edge of the conversation, which had only really been between the sisters, but she had been hoping for a chance to dance with Mr Darcy.

Elizabeth found herself surrounded by people wishing for an introduction, she found Mr Darcy's hovering presence somewhere between comforting and off putting. He scowled every time she was asked to dance but she found it hard to understand if he was against that particular partner, or just any partner.

There was one gentleman she met whom she did not wish to meet again. He had been introduced by Caroline, although Jane was not aware they were acquainted before that ball.

"My dear Eliza, may I introduce Mr Wentall, Mr Wentall this is my good friend Miss Eliza Bennet. Oh goodness" she covered her mouth and gave a girlish giggle "I am sorry my dear, it is all rather new to me. Mrs Eliza Darcy."

Elizabeth just curtseyed, not saying a word.

"Mrs Darcy, allow me to say how beautiful you look tonight!"

Elizabeth would not have minded the compliment had it not been accompanied by a lingering look at her neckline. She murmured her thanks and was about to move away when he asked her for a dance.

She had promised the last dance to Mr Darcy and she knew that she would have to forgo dancing if she refused this man. She nodded and allowed him to lead her on to the floor.

"I am delighted to meet another Darcy."

She looked at him, the question on her face.

"Oh I am a cousin of sorts. I believe I share a great grandfather with your Mr Darcy, but sadly my grandfather only had daughters, and so my side of the family does not bear the Darcy name."

"I see, and do you have any sons? For surely your name would be the important one?"

"Sadly no, I am as yet unmarried. Although maybe Hertfordshire is the place to look for a bride." His smirk was almost enough to make her feel ill.

Elizabeth did not respond to the attempt at flattery. "I think it would be best for you to seek one from new pastures, who's to say that Darcy and Bingley did not deplete Hertfordshire of its brides?" she put a slight stress on the word brides, sarcasm leaking in to her voice slightly.

Mr Wentall just continued smirking at her. They talked on magic for a few turns, Elizabeth heavily censoring what she said, when her partner came out with.

"How much do you know of the Darcy magical legacy?"

"I am only newly a Darcy, there is much to learn about this great family both magical and non magical." She replied, trying to sound nonchalant.

"Indeed, I would think that you would be interested enough to seek out the information. You certainly have more magical curiosity than most of the ladies of the ton."

Elizabeth was curious, she had heard Darcy speak of gifts that all Darcys had. But she had not talked to him about this subject since her wedding and she was not about to admit any such thing to this stranger. She kept a look of disinterest on her face.

He continued with a sly look. "I wonder if you have it yet or not?" she could not help the spark of interest that flashed across her face before she schooled her features.

"Ah" he smirked again, Elizabeth thought she had rarely seen a more unpleasant expression "I thought you would be interested. So Darcy has not shared it with you?"

She was confused by the comment, uncertain to what he could be referring, but she remained impassive.

"This is a lovely ball, my first in London. At least as Mrs Darcy."

He chuckled,

"Come, we can have more interesting discourse than that. You are quite powerful at magic, are you not? I can see" Elizabeth was surprised he could see auras. She looked at his, it was quite powerful, but something was off about it.

As she turned with the dance his hand brushed along her arm, just above where her glove ended, she felt a tingle and a pull and saw a small amount of her magic slide away. She could have stopped it, but she was startled and did not think to, and then the connection was broken and she moved with the dance.

That was when she realised what was wrong with his aura, there was the tell-tale trickle of magic slipping away. A sure sign he had taken off of others.

She watched him turn with the next lady down the line and saw as he swiped a little magic from her also. Then he turned back to her and they moved down the line. She managed to keep her face impassive although she was careful to not allow her skin to come in to contact with his again.

She looked around for Darcy, wanting to convey to him her concerns.

She watched as he partnered Caroline Bingley. The lady in question looked like the queen herself. Darcy wore his usual inscrutable mask but Elizabeth could see the tension in his shoulders and the uneasiness leaking in to his aura. She smiled to herself, nothing much had changed there.

When he caught her eye he flashed her a puzzled look, what is wrong?

She shook her head, nothing of import. Her attention was drawn back to her partner, even less welcome now.

"I would suggest a conversation about it Mrs Darcy."

Elizabeth frowned, them remembered the topic of the Darcy magical legacy they had been discussing before the dance had separated them.

"The lineage of it is interesting. Not many families have traits at pass through them."

Elizabeth was interested. Mr Wentall was correct, direct inheritance of special magical traits was extremely rare. For a family trait to be linked in marriage also was almost unheard of. Fascinating.

When the dance ended, Darcy made his way to her side with alacrity, leaving a stunned Caroline Bingley behind.

"Mrs Darcy," he turned to her partner "Mr Wentall."

"Darcy, cousin!" Elizabeth thought the cheer in Mr Wentall's voice was rather forced. "It has been a long time."

Darcy bowed, ever so slightly before turning to Elizabeth.

"Shall we get some air?"

Elizabeth nodded took his arm and thanked Mr Wentall for the dance.

"Are you well?"

They were meandering through the crowd.

"Yes, Mr Wentall was" Elizabeth took a deep breath "he stole a small amount of my energy, and the ladies next to us in the line. It surprised me."

Darcy nodded although he did not seem overly surprised.

"It happens. Most ladies do not notice it. It is one of the things that gentlemen bet on. Who can steal the most. It's only for sport and to show off at the end of the day."

Elizabeth gasped.

Darcy rolled his eyes "it is only certain gentlemen, the ones who would also bet on who could brush up against whom, or who can persuade the latest debutante to fall in love with them."

"I am certain I cannot approve such behaviour. Although I admit I would rather lose a little energy than a young Miss be deceived in to believing herself in love. How perfectly horrid."

"I, also, dislike the behaviour, all of it. It is part of why I was always so reluctant to come in to society."

Elizabeth chuckled. "The only reason?"

He smiled in response "no, although one of the reasons is now less so with you here."

She smiled up at him, he may confound her but he was still a good man. Interesting, honourable, generous and courteous; and she loved him for all of that.

The rest of the ball was uneventful, Elizabeth danced nearly every dance and was much admired. Jane was proclaimed to be beautiful and sweet and was already a favourite with many a matron. Elizabeth was proclaimed to be witty and powerful and had some ladies very keen to know her better. Needless to say the matrons were not keen, mostly as they still smarted from her stealing their rightful son in law.