It felt very different to Lizzy to be going to an event with her sisters along with the expectation that she would fully participate. While she and Jane, although usually just one or the other, had gone out with the Gardiners on occasion, events in company with Kitty and Mary had always been under the control of Mrs. Bennet. Lizzy discussed it quietly with Jane as they waited in an elegant sitting room after being dressed and coiffed by the highly skilled maids in Aunt Susan's home. All six of the young women, Mary included, had come to the Fitzwilliam townhouse to prepare. Only Miss Bingley was absent from their group.
"I will allow her to be a member of our party so long as she does nothing to embarrass any of us," Aunt Susan had declared to Charles, "but I will not allow her the consequence of being a guest in my home for any length of time until she has proven herself capable of proper behavior."
On her arrival at the Fitzwilliam townhouse, Mary had reported that her sister-by-marriage had, at first, sputtered in outrage when Charles passed on the message and expectations for her behavior. When Charles told her very firmly, after her first bout of nastiness, that she was free to decline the invitation if she could not stomach the conditions attached to it, she became thoughtful. Mary had not been able to predict how Miss Bingley would choose to act that evening, but it was probably the first time someone of the circles to which she aspired had called her out on her behavior in a way that could not be denied or waved aside.
Jane mentioned the odd similarity and contrast between their situation and that of Miss Bingley while she and Lizzy stood to one side of the room, waiting for Aunt Susan to finish her own preparations before coming to inspect the work of the maids and declare the group ready for the evening.
"We have never attended an event, aside from those with just ourselves and the Gardiners, where we did not start with a series of strictures on our behavior," Jane began.
"Yes, do not speak unless spoken to and only briefly then, do not dance, laugh or call attention to yourself in any other way. Once Sir William knows you are present, be invisible for all intents and purposes." Lizzy put in, reciting the short and simple version of the instructions they had heard so many times over the years.
Jane nodded. "It has become a habit that we will need to fight this evening. At least it is merely a social evening with some entertainment and not a ball where we must have multiple partners. I plan to ask Richard to assist me with staying appropriately visible in the company."
"That is a good plan, Jane. It will not hurt that we will be the subject of much interest due to our double betrothals. I am so glad you finally accepted Richard on Monday night so we can share that burden. I already asked William to help me stay visible. He laughed and said we would have to keep reminding each other. One of the first things he said he noticed about me, once his headache at the Meryton assembly eased, was how I used the same patterns of movement he did to stay hidden in the midst of a crowd."
"Our younger sisters simply do not understand the challenge we face in going against the years of instructions from Mrs. Bennet. Even though they have heard them applied to us nearly as often as we did, that is different than actually having to comply with those strictures. Miss Bingley is going into a situation where she will have to follow a set of instructions that demand she change her habitual behavior as well. No matter how motivated she is, I think it will be as difficult for her, or even more so, than it will be for us. We have Richard and William to help us. She has no one but herself."
"I doubt she would accept our help or support if we offered. Mary says she has rebuffed every attempt at friendship. I think the best we can do is to avoid intentionally antagonizing her or placing her in a position where her habits will naturally overcome whatever her current intentions may be. Life will be much easier for Mary and Charles if Miss Bingley can be reformed and included under the umbrella of our group, at least until she is married."
"I think that was Aunt Susan's hope as well," Mary said as she joined her sisters in their corner. "That is why she is giving Miss Bingley this chance." Then she giggled. "That, and she simply must see that gown for herself. And who can blame her? You both look absolutely lovely in your new gowns, by the way."
"Thank you, Mary. I am delighted to finally see you in yours," Lizzy said.
The special creation they had labored over for Mary's wedding exceeded Lizzy's expectation for how well it suited Mary. Of course, part of that was the general sense of happiness that had settled into her younger sister's features and manner in the nearly two months since her wedding to Charles. Where he seemed steadier and more substantive, she had picked up some of her husband's joy in life. Misguided motives aside, Mrs. Bennet had accidentally chosen the perfect husband for her oldest daughter. They could only hope she had somehow done the same for her youngest.
"We are going to take this party by storm with the group of us all wearing gowns that look like the best Madame Gaillard can produce," Jane said.
"Even Miss Bingley," Lizzy said with a chuckle, "although I wish there was some way to magically change the colors of her gown to something that is a better match for her complexion. It does not seem right that we are encouraging her to wear a gown that will give people a reason to mock her."
"She is so very proud of her purchase," Mary said. "I doubt that she will listen if we tell her how much it clashes; she will just think we want her to be less than us. That said, nothing you could do to fix her coloring or that of the gown would top what you are wearing this evening, Lizzy. I have never seen anything so gloriously regal and elegantly tasteful at the same time. The way that sheer peach gives the underlying gown a sheen of gold which is then echoed in the embroidery would have been beyond my ability to conceive of, let alone create. It is exquisite and it suits your coloring perfectly. Mama would have an apoplexy from pure envy if she could see you and Jane right now."
"Well then, it is a good thing Mrs. Bennet is not on the guest list," Lizzy joked to hide her discomfort at the compliments. "It would put quite a damper on the evening otherwise."
Jane shook her head at the two of them. "I am still concerned that Aunt Susan intends to spread word of the general amount of our dowries. I know Lizzy and I are now safe from fortune hunters, but I am afraid it will give people ideas that could put Kitty in danger especially since her dowry is nowhere near as high as ours."
"I agree with your concern, Jane," Lizzy said, "but Aunt Susan is right. Since we are unknowns, spreading that bit of information will overshadow any gossip about our origins or speculation about the nature of our betrothals. As Aunt Madeline has insisted several times, the news that our dowries are between thirty-five and forty thousand pounds each will set people on their ears and force Society to believe we are worthy of our beloved men. I trust Aunt Susan and William to protect Kitty just as they will protect Georgiana and Maria."
Jane nodded while Mary laughed softly. "Have you ever seen such a change as that which has come over Maria?" Mary asked. "She has always been so quiet and withdrawn. I have often thought of her as nothing more than Charlotte's shadow. Once the messenger came last night with the guardianship papers, it is like she was reborn under the influence of her joy and relief."
Lizzy added her own chuckle. "Do not forget the support she has now from Kitty and Georgiana. From what William tells me, Georgie has always been a shy and withdrawn girl, and we know Kitty lived in Lydia's shadow even when she allowed Lydia to convince her to behave in a way that was too forward. Together, those three are developing the confidence they will need to step out of the shadows as proper young ladies."
She barely saw the nods of her sisters as their attention was drawn to the entrance of Aunt Susan. The older woman wore her exquisitely embroidered gown with the same joyful elegance the younger felt in theirs. With a hint of laughter in her voice, Aunt Susan clapped to get their attention and then said, "Line up, girls. Over here, where there is the best light. Oldest to youngest, please." She clapped her hands again.
Smiling in response to her playful tone, the six younger women quickly arranged themselves in the order requested. There was a bit of confusion while they worked out that Georgiana was a few weeks younger than Maria. All the same, it was only a few minutes before they were all in their places, standing straight and tall, ready to be inspected by their general.
Aunt Susan tried to look stern and serious, but her smile kept appearing as, starting with Jane, she carefully examined each young woman head to toe, front, sides and back. Under her direction, each performed a few dance turns to show how the gown and hairstyle would move. Then, each finished with a deep and elegant curtsy just like the ones they had all practiced multiple times the day before.
"Very good. Very good, indeed," Aunt Susan said as she finished with Georgiana. "You do yourselves and me great credit. If you all behave accordingly this evening, it will be an absolute success."
With only the quickest of conspiratorial glances between them, all six dropped into curtsies while saying, "Thank you, Aunt Susan," almost in unison. Then, they dissolved into giggles as Aunt Susan laughed at their response.
"Oh, girls," she said. "I also expect you to have fun tonight. Definitely, have fun. These events should not be anything to be feared or dreaded. Now, I think it is just about time to head downstairs and collect our wraps."
Lizzy knew that Aunt Susan had put careful thought into the timing and manner of their arrival at the soiree. There were too many in their party to arrive in a single carriage, so the group would take two. Charles and his sister would collect William and Richard from Darcy House before arriving at the Fitzwilliam townhouse. Mary would join their group while the rest of the women traveled in Aunt Susan's carriage. They would all arrive together so the entire group could make their entrance with Jane and Lizzy each escorted by their betrothed. The plan had the added advantage of forcing Miss Bingley to be on time if she chose to attend at all.
They followed Aunt Susan down to the main entry. Jane, Lizzy and Mary walked side by side quietly, each trying to prepare herself for the evening to come. The younger three whispered to each other as they brought up the rear, full of excitement for their first real foray into London society.
A small group of maids met them at the door with their wraps. A few minutes later, all seven women were properly protected against both the weather and any road dust, unlikely though the latter was at this time of year. Just as they finished, a footman knocked at the front door to inform them that the Matlock carriage was ready, and the Bingley carriage had arrived. They stepped outside into the sharp cold that was punctuated with a scattering of great fluffy snowflakes. Charles waited by his carriage to personally hand his wife inside.
The rest of the women quickly took their places. Soon the two carriages pulled up in front of the home of Lord and Lady Ellsworth, their hosts for the evening. William and Richard quickly hopped out of the second carriage so they could hand down the ladies in the first, while Charles helped Mary and his sister descend.
When everyone was out and the carriages sent on their way, Richard escorted Jane and his mother, followed by William with Lizzy and Georgiana. Kitty and Maria walked together, while Charles, Mary and Miss Bingley brought up the rear of the party ascending the steps. The group was just a little bit early, as planned between Aunt Susan and Lady Ellsworth. In fact, they were the first to arrive so they would have a chance for introductions and a brief visit with their hosts.
They all stepped inside. The gentlemen shrugged off their greatcoats, handing them to the waiting servants before assisting the ladies as they also removed their wraps.
Once all the gowns were revealed, Aunt Susan said approvingly, "Now this is a collection of gowns that would make Madame Gaillard proud."
"The gowns are exceptionally lovely, but the ladies wearing them are lovelier still," William said gallantly, bowing as he offered Lizzy his arm.
Miss Bingley looked at the scene with obvious jealousy. Whether it was the sight of all the gowns, William's compliment towards the others or knowing he was now betrothed to someone else, Lizzy could not tell. She suspected it was a blend of all three.
"Mary's gown was designed and sewed by her sisters, not Madame Gaillard," Miss Bingley muttered.
"I am well aware of the origins of Mary's gown, Miss Bingley," Aunt Susan said in a voice as cold as the snowflakes still falling outside. "Nevertheless, it is still a creation as worthy of Madame's shop as the gown you are wearing. This is your only warning, Miss Bingley. Remember the conditions under which you are here. I trust your brother has explained them fully. It is your choice whether you will follow them and remain, or you do not and need to return in a hack with no chance of joining this circle again."
Miss Bingley quailed before Aunt Susan's displeasure. It was clear she had not fully believed her brother's warning. Now, she was having to reassess her position. With a slight gulp, she recovered herself and responded.
"He did tell me there were conditions, although I have no way to know if he explained fully since his explanation is all I know of the matter."
"I will make it plain and simple, then," Aunt Susan said very quietly. "You will act with courtesy towards everyone here tonight. There is to be no sniping, gossiping or putting on airs. I trust none of the others in our party will do anything to deliberately antagonize you and I expect you to offer them the same courtesy. You are here because I respect your brother and his wife and they hope that your presence at this party, coupled with your demonstration of the proper behavior expected of a lady, will assist you in finding a husband. However, I will not extend the family connection to you if you do not behave correctly. I do not want my reputation tarnished by your behavior any more than anyone else here does. In the past, you have often acted in a way that paints you as a grasping social climber, while your incongruous airs and nasty gossip have made you ridiculous. If you are in doubt how to behave in any situation here tonight, I suggest you look to your new sisters by marriage. Jane, Lizzy and Mary are all good models for you."
Miss Bingley looked for a moment like she had been slapped. Then she glanced at Mary. Lizzy could tell the other woman wanted to make some nasty comment about the compromise and her brother's marriage, but she restrained herself. After a few seconds, she curtsied to Aunt Susan.
"Thank you, Lady Matlock," she said quietly.
"Very good," Aunt Susan said. "I hope you understand that I honestly do want you to succeed, and I suspect everyone else here does as well. Please be mindful of your attitude."
With that, Aunt Susan turned and joined Richard and Jane to lead the group as they followed a servant from the entry to the door of the ballroom where their hosts waited. The rest fell into the same order they used when exiting the carriages.
"Susan! I am so glad you have arrived," their hostess greeted Aunt Susan as the servant stepped aside to return to the entry and wait for the next group of guests. "Please introduce us to your party."
"We are glad to be here, Beatrice. Good evening, David. I am sure you remember my son Richard, my nephew Fitzwilliam Darcy and my niece Georgiana Darcy. The young lady with Richard is his betrothed, Miss Jane Bennet. Her younger sister, Miss Elizabeth Bennet is betrothed to my nephew. Their next younger sister is Mary Bingley, who is here with her husband, Mr. Charles Bingley. The other young ladies are Miss Catherine Bennet, Miss Maria Lucas and, finally, Miss Caroline Bingley, who is the sister of Mr. Bingley. I wish you all to meet your hosts, Lord and Lady Ellsworth."
Just as they had practiced, Lizzy and all her sisters had each offered a proper curtsy as they were named. Now, they all curtsied together as the gentlemen bowed. Miss Bingley might not have been part of their practice session, but she was quick enough to follow their example when named and now joined them in the group curtsy just an instant behind the rest, but not far enough behind to be awkward.
Lady Ellsworth gushed over Jane and Lizzy. She had known Richard and William since they were boys and appeared as delighted by their betrothals as Aunt Susan was. Lord Ellsworth congratulated both men and offered congratulations to Charles as well on having been the first to capture one of the "lovely Bennet sisters." He then asked Kitty if she had an admirer hiding somewhere.
Kitty kept her wits and answered politely that she was still too young to consider marriage, but she hoped to be as fortunate as her older sisters when her time came. Miss Bingley seemed surprised to hear Kitty speak so sensibly, especially after having seen her behavior with Lydia in Meryton. The older woman was wise enough to keep her mouth shut, however, until Lord Ellsworth turned to her and asked if she was pleased by the acquisition of four delightful new sisters. Miss Bingley diplomatically answered that her brother's marriage was recent enough that she was still getting used to the idea. She even managed to keep her expression on the pleasant side of neutral as she said it. Lizzy was impressed.
Their hosts were pleasant conversationalists and seemed genuinely interested in their guests. All too soon, however, another party arrived, and it was time to move forward into the ballroom where the gathering was to be held.
The room had been set up with multiple areas for sitting, with space between to allow for free movement of the guests. All the seating areas were turned to generally face the end of the room where a pianoforte and harp were set up on a low platform. At the other end of the room, a quartet of musicians was already playing gentle music to serve a background to the conversation. Lizzy hoped the performers for later in the evening had already been identified so that no member of her group would be put on the spot. Among them, only Miss Bingley had sufficient skill, practice and confidence to perform to a London audience.
William escorted Lizzy to one of the punch bowls on a long table to one side of the room while Georgiana slipped away to join Kitty and Maria in one of the seating areas. The servant stationed at the punch bowl handed them each a filled glass. Taking a sip of the very tasty punch from time to time, the couple ambled around the room, talking softly and enjoying the chance to be together.
Other guests started to arrive. Most of them were known to William, or at least members of their parties were. He proudly introduced Lizzy to anyone who greeted him and just as proudly accepted congratulations on their betrothal.
Several of the ladies mentioned Lizzy's good fortune in acquiring a gown from Madame Gaillard and commented on how many young women present that evening were wearing the coveted embroidery typical of her most recent specialty work. A few comments were made about Miss Bingley's gown which Lizzy tried to deflect. She admitted that most of the young women referred to, including Miss Bingley, were her sisters or part of their party that evening.
As the room filled, the three younger women were started to attract the attention of some guests. It was not that they were doing anything wrong; it was just because they were a trio of pretty girls in high quality gowns. Lizzy pointed the situation out to William and they quickly moved over to join their sisters and Maria. Aunt Susan quickly joined them as well, having independently noticed the situation building.
"Are you still feeling comfortable here?' she whispered to the three.
"I was starting to become nervous," Georgiana whispered back, "but now that you are with us, I feel better."
"We never intended to desert you," William said to his sister.
"We did not feel deserted," Kitty told them. "We just did not know the people who were coming up to us and did not want to start talking without a proper introduction." Maria and Georgiana nodded.
"Quite right," Aunt Susan said pleasantly. "I can now provide introductions, since I have caught up with several acquaintances and crowed over Richard and William's betrothals. Lizzy and William, you may continue to mingle. I will station myself here and be sure no harm comes to our girls."
"You have been enjoying yourself, I see," William said.
"Oh, yes. This evening has been going just the way I hoped it would. I have had the chance to demonstrate my approval of your choices and spread just enough gossip about the dowries that, combined with the elegant gowns and impeccable behavior of our young ladies, we are well on our way to making just the impression I wanted."
"What about Miss Bingley and her gown?" Lizzy asked in a near whisper.
Aunt Susan leaned in conspiratorially. "It is an amazing piece of work, Lizzy. There is no doubt about that. The consensus quite rightly is that the gown is exquisite, but the wearer is misguided. The comments on the rest of us are far more favorable. I have enjoyed correcting those who assume you were only able to obtain your gowns through my influence. Their faces are such a study when I say you have a stronger connection to Madame Gaillard than I."
"Oh, Aunt Susan!" Lizzy said chidingly even as she giggled a bit at the thought.
"What? I say nothing untrue. Now, off with you two. I want to give these three some exposure to my social connections."
Satisfied that Aunt Susan had matters in hand, Lizzy and William wandered over to join the Bingleys. From his long friendship with William, Charles already knew quite a few of the people at the event. Throughout the evening there had been someone nearby who could introduce him if needed. Several times during their own circuit of the room Lizzy had noticed him introducing Mary with an expression of joy and pride. To her relief, people seemed to be as welcoming of Mary as they were towards Charles.
Since their arrival, Miss Bingley had stayed close to her brother and his wife. She was also known to many people there because she had attended a few events with her brother on the strength of their acquaintance with William. Lizzy could not help noticing the wary looks Miss Bingley was given, in addition to the occasional sly mockery made of her by other guests. Because she was there under the auspices of Aunt Susan, no one was openly unpleasant, but even Miss Bingley must have seen the disdain other people had for her.
Lizzy did not like that. The woman would have no chance to change if people insisted on making her uncomfortable. As she and William approached, she deliberately greeted Miss Bingley as pleasantly as she greeted Mary and Charles.
After a few minutes catching up with her sister, Lizzy asked, "William, would you and Charles please go get drinks for the three of us while we choose a spot to sit down? It looks like the entertainment will be starting soon."
As they men walked away together, Lizzy turned to Miss Bingley. "Do you have any preference where we sit, Miss Bingley?"
The other woman looked surprised at being consulted. "I…well, there is a pleasant grouping of chairs up near the stage," she said.
"I agree, that looks like a nice spot," Mary said, catching on to her sister's intent.
"Well, shall we?' Lizzy said.
Miss Bingley looked at them both curiously as they walked over to the spot she had indicated. Finally, curiosity overtook her. "Why are you being so pleasant to me?" she asked in a near whisper.
"Why would we not?" Lizzy asked in response, being careful to remain just as quiet. "You are a part of our family now, whether you like it or not. As Aunt Susan told you earlier, we want you to succeed."
"Aunt Susan," Miss Bingley snorted unpleasantly, but then she caught herself. "I mean…"
Lizzy broke in quietly. "We are not overstepping, Miss Bingley. Lady Matlock asked us to call her that. She would do the same for you if she could trust that your behavior will not embarrass her."
"How does she know that you will not?"
"We have already proven ourselves to her. At least Jane, Kitty and I have. She is taking Mary partly on trust and partly on our time with her yesterday and the evening before."
"Yet she will not trust me?" Miss Bingley hissed.
"She has already seen you out in Society and she does not approve of how you have behaved in the past. That is why she gave you the guidelines to follow so you will know what it is that she wants to see from you. She…we all recognize that you are behaving in the way you were trained to do at school. It was just not in a way that will benefit you in Lady Matlock's society." Lizzy did her best to keep her voice both quiet and understanding.
Miss Bingley looked like she was about to sputter out some nasty comment or justification of her behavior, but then she stopped. She had her lips pursed tightly as if holding her response in, but slowly the muscles eased. "Why would you care one way or the other?" she finally asked.
"No matter how much we may like or dislike one another, we are family now," Lizzy replied softly. "Your success or failure in this society affects us just as our younger sister Lydia's outrageous behavior in Meryton did. Just as that was not all Lydia's fault – after all, she has been badly spoiled all her life and poorly taught when it comes to manners – not all of your issues are your fault either. If your goal is to make a wealthy or well-connected marriage and we can assist without compromising our values, then we will because that is a good result for all of us."
Miss Bingley's jaw dropped at the comparison to Lydia, but by the time Lizzy had finished speaking, she had snapped her mouth firmly shut. As the two men approached with the drinks, she looked away from Lizzy and Mary. She accepted the glass of punch from William with a brief word of thanks and then remained silent as the two men settled into their seats, Charles next to Mary and William next to Lizzy.
As they had expected, their hostess soon asked for the attention of those gathered and proceeded to introduce the young women who had agreed to perform for their entertainment that evening. There followed a most pleasing exhibit of skill on the pianoforte, the harp and voice.
During an intermission between performers, William went to refill their punch while Charles and Mary were drawn into conversation with some other guests sitting nearby. Once they were more or less on their own, Miss Bingley turned to Lizzy.
"May I ask you some questions Miss Elizabeth?" she said quietly.
"Of course," Lizzy replied.
"My brother, Colonel Fitzwilliam and Mr. Darcy all seemed quite adamant that Mary's dowry was equivalent to my own twenty-thousand pounds. This evening I have heard rumors that you and Miss Bennet have dowries of nearly forty-thousand pounds each. How can that possibly be true? All the gossips in Meryton seemed agreed that you and your sisters had nothing. And if you did have such large dowries, why would Mrs. Bennet have forced my brother into a marriage with Mary?"
Lizzy nodded slightly as she replied. "I imagine that is very confusing to you," she said. "The rumors you are hearing float around the room are true, and were spread by Lady Matlock. Jane and I both received bequests from our mother's wealthy and titled grandmother shortly after our mother's death. Our uncle was made the administrator of them and he never saw fit to share the amount with our father or his new bride, who had already shown herself to be set against the two of us. By keeping the information secret, he protected us from fortune-hunters and from interference or worse by Mrs. Bennet or her son."
Miss Bingley colored, and Lizzy knew she was thinking of the day Tony had attacked Netherfield. Lizzy continued, "Very few people in Meryton knew anything at all about my mother's background or connections. She died when I was not even two years old, so anything that was known about her then is long since forgotten. Mrs. Bennet hated any reminder that her predecessor was of higher status than she and she hated having to acknowledge us at all."
Miss Bingley looked thoughtful. "And the compromise?" she finally asked again.
"Clearly, you heard the rumors that my younger sisters were likely to have little or no dowry. My father played his cards very close to his chest. Mrs. Bennet was, as a result, quite desperate to have one or more of her daughters married before he passed away, since she thought there would be nothing for her to live on, let alone support three daughters, given that the estate was entailed. That turned out not to be true, but she was working on the best information she had at the time. You already know something of the character of her son. In many ways, he takes after her. Fortunately, Mary and Kitty do not."
Miss Bingley nodded her understanding before she fell quiet for another minute or two. Lizzy could tell she still had something on her mind, so she simply waited until the other woman was ready with her next question.
"Unlike earlier, I mean no offense, but how is it that all of you have gowns from Madame Gaillard that also happen to look very much like the one my brother told me you sewed and embroidered for Mary?"
"It looks very like the gown you are wearing as well," Lizzy pointed out. "Of course, Jane and I have spent much time in London, even before Mary's wedding. We have seen the most fashionable gowns and have had the chance to carefully examine both their style and the embroidery on them, as well as having these gowns of our own. There was not time to order a gown for Mary, but we were able to recreate the look of one as a gift to our sister, to take away some of the sting of her situation, although it took all four of us working together to create her gown in good time for the wedding. Since our return to London, we have had time for Kitty to obtain a few gowns and she has given one of them to her friend, Miss Lucas."
Miss Bingley looked down at her hands. "I admit your embroidery is superb," she almost mumbled.
"Thank you," Lizzy replied. "May I ask you a question?"
When Miss Bingley looked back up at her, Lizzy could see worry in the other woman's eyes. "It is a question about your gown. I will preface by saying I mean no disrespect to you whatsoever. I am, wondering, though, what made you choose those particular colors? It is a very unusual combination."
The other woman looked torn between surprise and defensiveness. "Louisa assured me it is a highly fashionable combination…" she trailed off, clearly not having intended to say it that way.
Lizzy nodded. "You do not actually see colors the same way the majority of people do, and you have to rely on others for help?" she guessed, making it a very gentle question.
After staring at her searchingly for a moment, Miss Bingley nodded. Lizzy asked, "Is there any chance your sister was upset with you the day you chose the fabrics for this gown?"
Surprise and understanding were starting to mingle in the other woman's expression. "I might have been crowing over my ability to order a gown after Louisa's husband refused to let her do so," Miss Bingley whispered in a near-mumble. She looked at Lizzy carefully, "How bad is it?"
"The gown, although a very unusual color combination, turned out beautiful. The problem is that the colors of it do not match well with your own complexion and hair color. The effect is, in fact, quite jarring. I would not wish to spoil your joy at owning it, but I am afraid some people have been rather cruel about the overall look."
"They have been laughing at me?" Miss Bingley looked sick to her stomach.
"Some people have," Lizzy confirmed with as much gentleness as she could.
"But…Charles said Lady Matlock wanted me to wear the gown…" she trailed off, looking betrayed.
"She had heard you had a Madame Gaillard creation that was unusually colored but would fit in well with the quality worn by all the rest of us. There was no intent to embarrass or insult you. I did not think that if any of my sisters or I said something to you in Meryton about the colors that you would have believed us anyway. For all I knew, you were perfectly aware of the effect and intended it, since you do tend to wear very strong colors at all times." Lizzy was not quite telling the truth, but the vulnerable look on Miss Bingley's face kept her from being more forthcoming.
Before any more could be said, William returned with their drinks. He handed the glasses to the ladies as Charles and Mary returned. Just before the music began again, he leaned in and whispered lightly, "Has there been trouble?"
"No, we have had an amicable talk, but the subject was uncomfortable," Lizzy whispered back.
He did not look like he quite believed her, but he let the matter drop. Lizzy noticed that even though they could not hold hands in such a public venue, he very much looked like he wanted to. She wished they could as well, even if she did not need comfort after the discussion with Miss Bingley.
The remainder of the entertainment passed quickly. Lizzy enjoyed it greatly, but she could tell the woman sitting next to her did not. She had clearly been thinking of their conversation the whole time. When the groups of people rose after the last performer finished, Miss Bingley quietly asked her brother if he could arrange for her to go home then.
"Miss Bingley, please," Lizzy said. "Stay with us and brave the rest of the evening out. We will probably be leaving within the hour anyway. Please?"
The other woman looked at her in puzzlement. "Why are you being pleasant to me. You know the things I have said about you."
"I told you earlier why. Let the past be forgotten. We are all starting out new and this is your chance as well."
Miss Bingley looked around, undecided. Some people were already leaving. It was clear the evening was winding down.
"Thank you," she said. "I would be honored if you would call me Caroline."
"And you must call me Lizzy. I am sure it will be the work of a moment to gain permission to call all your new sisters by their given names or nicknames," Lizzy said with a smile. "Just stick with us and everything will be fine."
Caroline nodded. The others looked at her and Lizzy curiously, but they all seemed to realize something had happened that should not be questioned in that setting. For the short remainder of the evening, Caroline said very little, speaking only when spoken to. She stayed close by Lizzy and seemed suspicious that every smile or chuckle from others was an insult. Both her confidence and her disdain appeared to ooze away until all that was left was a nervous and uncomfortable woman.
As they prepared to leave, Lizzy was glad when Aunt Susan made a point of telling Caroline that she had performed well and would be allowed to join them at another event. At the very least, it cheered the woman up a bit. As the party was dividing up between the two carriages to leave, Lizzy gave Caroline one last bit of advice.
"I suggest you find a maid you can truly trust, Caroline. And just remember, a little kindness goes a long way."
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AN: After several days, I finally have a monster (more than double-length) chapter for you. There was just no good place to break it. I know many people wanted this scene to include a massive set-down for Caroline, and I tried to write it. She and Lizzy refused to play along, though. That is part of what took so long – I just could not get them to cooperate with me. I finally had to just let them go their own way, so this is what you get. I hope you enjoyed it!
