I don't own Pride and Prejudice.
"You both look very lovely tonight." William complemented Mary and Jane as they came down the stairs, dressed for the Leinster's ball. "Would it be too much to ask to claim my dances with my sisters now, before your cards fill up entirely?"
Jane smiled as she handed hers over, while Mary nervously did. "I doubt mine will fill all that quickly. I wouldn't be surprised if you and Colonel Fitzwilliam are the only two I dance with tonight." She looked downcast.
"Nonsense my dear, you look quite beautiful tonight." Their father spoke as he came down the stairs, dressed for the ball himself, "In fact, I was hoping you would do me the honor of opening the ball with me."
Mary glowed as she handed over her dance card, Jane and Elizabeth following suit when he held his hand out for theirs as well. "Come now my lady, if I must dance than so must you." He spoke when Lady Catherine didn't hand hers over right away. She sighed and handed it over with a roll of the eyes.
William had gotten him in to see a doctor here in two who changed his diet and gave him special powders to take. He confirmed the other doctor's diagnosis, but said it was still in the early stages, and if controlled her father would live for many years to come.
"Now, you three best not stay up too late, I want you well rested for our lesson tomorrow." He had taken to teaching the younger girls philosophy, something he had a interest in, and the girls found fascinating.
"We will Papa, as long as you promise to tell us all about the ball tonight!" Kitty smiled at him, taking Maria and Georgiana's hands.
"It is a deal my dear girl." He smiled fondly at her. With that they all headed out the night for what they hopped would be an enjoyable time.
Elizabeth smiled as she watched the young men approach Mary, each one asking for her card, "It looks like you were wise to claim your dance early." She smiled at her husband.
Jane and Mary were both popular, and she was pleased to see her father watching over them diligently. He had help in her husband and Lady Catherine as well.
"That's it, I'm resigning my commission tomorrow morning." They all turned to see Colonel Fitzwilliam's approach.
"I demand to know what brought this about?" Lady Catherine asked with a raised eyebrow.
"I have enough competition for her favor being here in town, can you imagine what it would be like if I were to be sent to the continent?" Richard looked at them as if they were all daft."
"You know you could just tell her how you feel and ask for a courtship." Elizabeth informed the man, trying not to laugh at his dramatics.
"Tis true, but how fair would it be for me to ask her for a courtship, make her fall in love with me, and then risk leaving her behind should I be killed at war?" She had to admit that he had a point, "Besides, I'm not getting any younger, and it's high time I settle down."
He then shot the two of them a sly look, "It is also my hope to have children the same age as yours, so I need to secure my bride as soon as may be." Instantly the two of blushed brightly.
"Watch your mouth young man, that is my daughter you speak of." The stern look from her father was one she had never seen before, and had the Colonel beating a hasty retreat.
"Papa, I believe you promised me the first dance." Mary spoke shyly when the band struck up their instruments to prepare for the first dance.
"I believe it is the other way around my dear, you promised your first dance of the evening to this lucky old man." Her father smiled, offering Mary his arm, and escorting her out onto the dance floor.
"Well, Madam, I believe I have claimed this dance." William smiled, offering her his arm, oblivious to the looks of shock on the faces of some of the upper echelon of the guests.
"This one among others," In fact he had claimed three dances, "One would think you are trying to cause scandal Sir, dancing so many with one young lady."
"I would be willing to make it more, but alas, your card is already full." He gave a disappointed shake of the head.
"I am surprised to hear that you have not already talked your cousin into swapping partners for the fourth set," smiling at his blush at being so caught out, "You and Andrew are going to have to work a lot harder if you plan to stay ahead of me and Charlotte."
"A challenge we shall well enjoy I assure you." He couldn't contain his laugh, nor her the smile at producing it.
The dance separated them for a moment, but when they returned to each other he added, "We could also add Richard to our schemes."
"Ah, but while Mary is too shy to be scheme right now, Charlotte and I can teach her, so you will still be out done." She couldn't help but smile at the man.
"I see I shall have to find exceptionally intelligent husbands for Kitty and Georgiana then, for I fear there will be no outsmarting the women in my life if I do not...or I could just make sure to father only sons." The playful grin at the last bit almost did her in.
"I believe you would have better luck with the former, for the latter is not left up to us." She smiled sweetly at him.
"This is true, besides as I stated before, I would like to have a house full of daughters some day." His smile was honest, and for his sake she hoped to give him at least a couple daughters.
"Mr Bennet, I must commend you for the truly remarkable young women you have raised. You have truly been blessed Sir." Lady Catherine spoke when the two started their dance.
"I thank you my lady, but I'm afraid I can not take credit for it. I'm afraid I was a rather indolent father." He could not hide the shame he felt at this. His girls were truly a treasure, but he was too busy wallowing in his feelings of shame and betrayal to see it.
"They must have an amazing mother then." Had he not been afraid of offend the woman he would have laughed at her.
"Sadly, I was not wise in my choice of bride either." Not wanting to disparage his wife in front of a relative stranger, he knew it wasn't proper, and did not want to do anything to harm his daughters' prospect. Even if he did live on for years, he wanted to ensure his girls were safely wed long before he passed.
"It is actually my Lizzy we owe credit to. She was the one who took the girls and gently guided them into the women you see today. I'm afraid she saw what her mother and I didn't, and nurtured it." It still amazed him just how much of a change there had been in Kitty and Mary since they had gone to live with their sister.
"Well, I for one can believe it. She has done wonders for Georgiana and even my Anne, though I would not overlook Miss Bennet's contribution. She has been so good for Anne, especially when Elizabeth is busy with the younger girls. If I thought she would still be unattached at the end of the season I would take her back to Rosings with me."
Her heart swelled just thinking of how far her daughter had come. Since they had stopped bleeding her she had been steadily regaining her strength. In fact before they left Pemberley, Martin Darcy had checked her over and had informed them that as long as she kept progressing as she was, she would be as healthy as any of the young women in the party.
It almost destroyed her to realize that she had been the one slowly killing her daughter every time she allowed her to be bled. She was glad she'd had Anne's old doctor barred from Darcy House, as well as all of her own properties. The man had shown up demanding Anne be bled immediately, stating that if they didn't she would succumb to her ill humors at any moment. He almost seemed desperate to have it done, she feared he would do something terrible to Anne or one of the many people in residence there.
"Your daughter is easy to love, I know my girls adore her." She glanced over to where Anne was sitting down resting. Her daughter, as an Heiress, was highly sought after as a dance partner, so the gentlemen of their group claimed dances head of time to allow her a chance to sit and rest. The only man from their group she refused to sit out for was Vincent Lucas. Even now, as she sat out the dance claimed by Darcy, she sat engrossed in a conversation with the young man.
"As fine a lad as any I've met." She heard Mr Bennet speak, and actually blushed at being caught staring. "She could do a lot worse by way of suitor than that young man. Sure he does not possess wealth, but he now has excellent connections with his sister's marriage. Also, I have also never seen the young man so enamored with a young lady. He is as much a fool in love as both the newly married Darcy Men, the good Colonel, and Bingley over there."
"Though he is not what I imagined for her, I find myself liking him more and more. It was his idea to have his brother sign the marriage contract for his sister." Her respect for the man had begun in that moment, and had been growing ever since.
"He and Charlotte are by far the most intelligent of the Lucas children, if I do say so myself." The man agreed with her.
The conversation continued on, and though she was loath to admit it, she found herself musing over what life would have been like if she could have married a man like the one before her. One who had seen the worth of an intelligent woman and had embraced it. Though she were loath to admit it, in the deepest parts of her mind, she found herself wishing he were a widower and interested in her. She felt like if he were free and she could secure him, she would finally have a partner in life who saw her as an equal.
Sadly, it wasn't meant to be for her, but hopefully her daughter could have it.