Although the exchange between the footman and Georgiana had passed Mr. Darcy's notice, the presence of the footman had not. In the morning he sent for Mrs. Reynolds to find out why she had directly disobeyed his request. Mrs. Reynolds had worked at Pemberley for decades and Darcy entirely trusted the kind old woman. Once she reached his study she began to make her apologies.
"I am so sorry Mr. Darcy, but the first footman sprained his ankle on the way upstairs last night with the first course! There was nothing I could do. Everyone else was already on service. There was too many guests to go without a replacement."
"I see. I hope the first footman is okay enough for the ball tonight?"
"His ankle is swollen something awful Mr. Darcy. There's just no way he'll be able to stand in that ball room, and serve during the meal. I'm sorry."
"Can you not run the service with one less footman tonight?"
"Not easily Mr. Darcy."
"Very well. Let him work, but please discuss the importance of propriety again with the boy. I do not want a repeat of the other night."
"Yes, Mr. Darcy. I already have once, but I will again."
With that the meeting broke up and both individuals left the study to continue on with their days; Mrs. Reynolds to speak with Edward and Mr. Darcy to do whatever it is that gentlemen do before a ball.
Meanwhile, the staff were taking care of the majority of the last minute, but Kitty helped her sister with some final details on the flowers and décor. The plan was for music and dancing to have an intermission when a sit down dinner would be enjoyed by the guests partway through the evening. The centerpieces for the dinner were particularly beautiful and Kitty took a mental picture of them as she hoped to have something similar in shape for her wedding celebration.
Later on while Kitty was almost finished dressing for the ball, a knock sounded at her bedroom door.
"Come in!" Kitty yelled.
The door opened and Georgiana entered. The two young women being so close in age got along rather well. Georgiana looked very pretty in her white gown. It had beautiful beaded and embroidered details and became her light blonde hair. Kitty admired her hair style, "Oh Georgiana, your braid is beautiful! You look very nice and your dress is a lovely as you described."
Georgiana twirled, and responded "Thank you Kitty! I'm so excited." The younger girl crossed the room, and admired Kitty's ensemble as well. She had dressed in a chartreuse gown which looked particularly nice with her skin tone. A maid was just putting the finishing touches on her hair. Kitty looked down at her jewelry box before her on the vanity, and although she had a few nice pieces could not help but remember the beautiful ring she had found in Lord Matlock's desk. It would have looked lovely with her dress she thought with a sigh. Hearing the sigh Georgiana asked, "Aren't you excited too Kitty? It must be so nice to know you'll dance with your fiance. How romantic! Lord Matlock really looks at you with admiration Kitty. I hope to find someone to look at me like that."
This brightened up Kitty's expression, "Do you think he really admires me?"
"Of course I do! Come let's go down now, I can't stand to wait any longer."
With a smile Kitty stood. After a final looking over by the maid and nod of approval the two young women went on their way.
The ball began as any other and Kitty was immediately caught up in the excitement. Along with the twenty some overnight guests there were at least that many from the neighborhood there for the evening. Between the guests, a dozen musicians, and two dozen servants the house was a bustle.
The musicians were playing some warm up pieces when she entered the ballroom, and as she mingled her card quickly filled. Soon the musicians started the first dancing set, which she danced with Lord Matlock. They were both a bit stiff with it being the first dance, but she did enjoy her time with him and found that he had particularly fresh breath. Second she danced with Mr. Darcy. Then to her intense dissatisfaction she was forced to stand up with her cousin Mr. Collins. On top of being a terrible dancer, he absolutely reeked, and she couldn't get away from him fast enough after the set ended. Then she stood up with a nice young man from the neighborhood. In between sets she refreshed herself with wine and a few lite bites to eat. During one such break she looked around the see her sisters all, including Mary, were enjoying themselves immensely.
Finally she stood up again with Lord Matlock. By then after so much dancing and wine she was very relaxed. The pair had easy conversation with much smiling and light laughter throughout the dance. They flirted and fitted well together. Many of the guests took notice of the happy couple. Word quickly spread throughout the room that despite the hurried engagement which had produced a fair amount of gossip, theirs was in fact a love match.
It was a cold but windless night, and the French doors had been partially opened to cool the ball room. There was a steady trickle of guests in and out of the doors. The ballroom had been getting hotter with every passing minute, and after their second set ended Lord Matlock and Kitty made their way through the doors on to the veranda.
Being late winter the temperature was rather cold. Kitty though had gotten so overheated while dancing and then drinking wine in between sets that she found herself quite comfortable outside. Lord Matlock also found relief in the cool air from the hot ballroom and his constricting evening wear.
The couple linked arms and took a turn around the veranda. Kitty felt a bit romantic about the situation. The dance she had just shared with Lord Matlock was on the front of her mind. She had never enjoyed a dance so thoroughly. Could Lord Matlock feel the same way? Could he be developing feelings for her? She knew she was for him. Although she maintained in her mind that those feelings were of friendship and admiration only, and would never be love.
"Oh, this is so refreshing. It's always nice to escape the heat of a ballroom after so much exertion, don't you think Lord Matlock?"
"I do. It's especially nice to escape with you Miss Bennet," Lord Matlock said, as he pulled Kitty closer and kissed her temple. There were several other couples wandering about the veranda, but none caught the display. In their closeness she could smell him. She thought he smelled so much nicer than Mr. Collins.
"Miss Bennet. I fear I've not been keeping up total respectability."
"However not Lord Matlock? Other than when we were discovered in the kitchen I'm sure we've been nothing but proper!"
"It's not my actions but my thoughts I'm referring too. I've been thinking about that kiss in the kitchen…regularly."
Kitty smiled and looked up into his face. Although she still feared the responsibility of being a Countess, she had lost almost all her fear of marrying Lord Matlock. "I've been thinking of it too," she responded
"Have you?" He asked with eyebrows raised. "Come Miss Bennet, I've got something I want to give you, but let's find a bit more privacy shall we?"
Kitty pulled her shawl tighter around her shoulders, and followed Lord Matlock into the garden. Being winter there was not much to see, and rather than the sweet fragrance of flowers, she only sensed cold moisture and a masculine air on the breeze. It excited her to be walking briskly with Lord Matlock in the dark garden. There was a bench enclosed by a trellis of browned vines up ahead and she guessed that to be his target. She was laughing lightly as they reached the bench. He tugged on her arm and brought her right up against his body. They kissed. It was deep and passionate and left Kitty struggling against her resolve to not develop true feelings for Lord Matlock. They pulled away naturally, and enjoyed the feel of each other's embrace. Their breath was visible in the cold night air.
"I have something I'd like to give you," Lord Matlock said as he reached into his jacket. Just at that moment Kitty was distracted. She saw that they had been spotted by two figures a little ways off. The figures were retreating in another direction, and she heard muffled voices. One figure was darkly clad, and the other floated in the winter garden like a ghost in stark white. A beautiful braid curled round the back of the woman's head, and Kitty knew.
"Lord Matlock, look over there. I think it's Georgiana!"
He quickly turned in the direction Kitty was pointing and after letting go of her other hand started to run after the disappearing pair. The military man in Lord Matlock surfaced. He was focused and determined to reach Georgiana. It did not take long before he reached his ward and her darkly clad man. They were cowering behind a large bush. Kitty came up behind a few seconds later.
Lord Matlock recognizing the male, was too furious to speak. Georgiana had put him and Darcy through some trials during their guardianship. He had thought she was maturing. But to find her here with this boy, this footman, was above all else!
The twosome stood like spotted deer; wide eyed and frightened.
Without looking at either of the women, and while maintaining a fierce stare at the footman, Lord Matlock finally spoke, "Miss Bennet, will you please escort Miss Darcy back into the ball?" Spoken in a clipped tone, it was not really a question.
Kitty moved forward and linked arms with Georgiana. The pair turned and walked silently toward the house. Other than a tear or two Georgiana held her composure. Kitty kept quiet. Georgiana was only two years younger than herself. They had an easy and sisterly friendship but Kitty knew that if she spoke Georgiana would be mortified. So she held her tongue and when they entered the ball room broke off in a separate direction. But not before Georgiana looked a Kitty with a short, pleading look. A new set was being made up, and Kitty watched that Georgiana had a partner. She moved towards a table of refreshments to fortify herself. Mrs. Bennet was standing near the table, and upon seeing her called out, "Oh Kitty my dear girl, come here and bring me a few of those delicious bites. I must keep my energy up! Have you ever been to such an enjoyable ball?"
Kitty did not even pretend to listen to her mother's ramblings. She was totally preoccupied. She kept her eyes affixed on the French doors. There was a knot in her stomach which got tighter and tighter with each passing moment. A knot that would not go away until she saw Lord Matlock again. She knew him to be kind, but she had just seen pure anger in his eyes. He was a trained military man and she feared what he might do to the footman!
Five, ten, fifteen minutes passed. Kitty continued to stand by her mother, slowly sipping a glass of wine. The wine did nothing to relax the anxious knot in her stomach. Her thoughts raced with an endless barrage of "what if's" focused around the safety of both men outside. She felt terrified. It was the final set before dinner and once it ended all the guests began to move into the dining room. Kitty became a bit frantic. Lord Matlock would be missed, and then Georgiana's secret might get out. She stood in the ballroom until the last possible minute with Elizabeth and Darcy, who were ensuring their guests moved along to eat.
"I'm sure my cousin was planning to escort you into dinner Miss Bennet. Have you not seen him?"
Kitty stalled, "I, I'm not sure, Mr. Darcy. Perhaps he went out for some fresh air?"
Just as Darcy was about to respond, Lord Matlock entered back into the ballroom through the French doors. He smiled casually at his cousin and Elizabeth, then looked toward Kitty, "Miss Bennet, I'm sorry. I went out for some fresh air and lost track of time." He quickly stepped to her side and linked arms with her. She felt the cold on his woolen jacket, and his freezing hands brushed her skin. A wave of relief came over her. But that relief was quickly replaced by a different concern. What had become of the footman?