Chapter 6 Lucas dinner

Letters and more letters arrived at Longbourn, Bennet aware that soon his appointment would be written to his closest acquaintances, several of them nobles some landowners others from the intellectual and political field, he needed to strengthen his ties, he did not visit them for years but always maintained contact with them.

A letter brought worrying news, his friend Terrance Pemberton, told about a growing unease among the men of the north due to the tithe in their descendants Hilmen, 3 magical houses were about to disappear, therefore the magical power surrounding the King's men was weakened, the Royal house comprised the largest number of current Hilmen. The wolves control the entire military world with some multiforms, but the multiwizards were becoming a threat, most of them were the current counts and marquises, who sought a change of law for the successions with that would disappear the magical houses.

The magical houses were created by the king for his barons after the Norman invasion of England and were run by a Hilmen, only they would have royal access to the lands. A magic house normally led one or more counties, they participated in the royal council, and no magic house submitted to another, they only obeyed the King directly. Despite the modifications of the English reign, the Tudors strengthened the magical houses with the law of succession, the Hilmen man inherits everything, in the absence of any of them, whoever had the highest magical quality would take the house only for 6 generations, it was sought that they remain in the magical families.

Bennet understood very well the change in the law would allow direct descendants to inherit without losing it to a distant relative, several counts would let them be owners and not administrators, and although they obeyed the King by eliminating the houses, the alliances would be divided.

The wizards wanted to displace the Hilmen, for the propriety. The wizards are more in number than Hilmen, although they were more powerful and with 50% of the properties of the kingdom, until now the heads of the other groups remained faithful to the magic house, however the lian were becoming a worrying amount with purchasing power and were being manipulated by the wizards.

Bennet closed the letter and remembered the case of Jeannette Granger, the young sister of his friend Philippe, the Granger were like the Bennet with Hilmen ancestry but far from the line of inheritance, Jeannette was hilmen, delicate and beautiful, after being presented the madness began for the young knights looking for her for her magical quality, Bennet and Philippe were practically her protectors, the family pressure was also felt, the young woman really wanted more time to decide and her father tried to give it to her because she was barely 16 years old.

However, there was no time because a Count was direct, he was married for that he tried to seduce her and convince her to be his lover, he offered benefits to the family, but they not accept benefits when all Jeannette family going to be in disgrace for it. The refusal of the young woman annoyed the count, and in a night of assembly despite all the measures I managed to bewitch the young woman and disappeared her...

A year later Jeannette wrote to her brother. Jeannette said that she was pregnant with the earl, that she had been forced to improve the estates with her power even working in the mountains trying to look for gold or minerals but she did not get anything, she told her that if she managed to have a son the count had told her that she could leave and she planned to go to Leeds, she knew that she could not return to her family, but Jeannette failed to give birth and died in childbirth or so one of the maidens later informed her brother, she also told him that the child would be presented as the son of the Countess who had faked a pregnancy, Philippe and his family did not have the power to avenge Jeannette, they couldn't even get her body back, she had disappeared publicly and that was it.

Bennet lived how his friend suffered with his family, Jeannette's life frustrated by the greed of the Count who continued as if nothing, it was life who then charged him because Jeannette's son was a Hilmen of extremely strong emotions in his childhood, he remembered the news everything indicates that the little one generated a fire of such dimension in the property that generated damage and injuries, many of whom later died among them the Counts.

That night he did not want to attend the Lucas house, he did not want a similar story if 22 years ago with the birth of Jane I create distance to protect his daughters, today he had to think with a cool head how to protect them knowing that now they should be exposed, he did not want any of them to be a Jeannette. For the same reason once again, he demanded before they left that he should use the spell of concealment, avoid using magic and be cautious with the new acquaintances, the militia men had already arrived in the town and that was a group that could contain anything, bring peace or disorder to a village.

The house Lucas dressed up, Sir Lucas on this occasion had invited most of the knights of power nearby, was among them Captain Foster of the militia, in this particular armed corps most were wolves, wolves stood out for the physical strength they had and the need to live in packs made them prefer that profession, Captain Foster was an alpha wolf. Sir Lucas noticed the absence of Mr. Bennet, took mental note of visiting his friend, the dinner was quiet and in the course of it Darcy's eyes continually sought Miss Elizabeth, who with her sisters continued to hide her magical magnificence.

Busy observing Bingley's attentions to her sister, Elizabeth was far from suspecting that she was also an object of interest to Bingley's friend, of this matter she had no idea. For her Darcy who at first intrigued her, had become the man who became unfriendly wherever he went, in addition to not having considered her beautiful enough to get her dancing, Elizabeth knew that she was different from her sisters, who were blonde and delicate, but no one had ever made her feel less except for her mother.

Darcy began to want to get to know her better. As a preliminary step to talking to her, he dedicated himself to listening to her talk to others. This fact caught Elizabeth's attention.

-What will Mr. Darcy want, -she told Charlotte, -who has been listening to my conversation with Colonel Foster? -

- That is a question that only Mr. Darcy can answer—

- If he does it again, I will give him to understand that I know what he intends. It is very satirical, and if I do not start being impertinent myself, I will end up being afraid of it. ––

Soon after they were approached again, and although she did not seem to have any intention of speaking, Miss Lucas challenged her friend to bring up the subject, which immediately provoked Elizabeth, who turned to him and said, —Don't you think, Mr. Darcy, that I expressed myself very well a moment ago, when I insisted to Colonel Foster to give us a dance in Meryton? —

––With great energy; but that is an issue that always fills women with energy. —Darcy said

—You are severe with us. —

—Now it's our turn to insist on you, — said Miss Lucas. —I'm going to open the piano and you know what's next, Eliza—

–– What kind of friend are you? You always want him to sing and play in front of everybody. If God had called me by the way of music, you would be a friend of incalculable value; but since it is not so, I would prefer not to play in front of people who must be used to listening to the best musicians — but as Miss Lucas insisted, she added –– Very well, if it should be – and looking coldly at Darcy he said – – There is an old saying that everyone here knows very well, keep the air to cool the soup , and I'll save it for my song—

As they walked away I whisper to Charlotte ––Oh dear I am definitely terrible––

–Why do you say it, you are exaggerating I don't think her gaze is one of contempt––

–Of course it is, she is aware of what I say to reproach and judge me––

–I think you are wrong Lizzie––

–Not at all–– she said raising her chin and positioning herself before the instrument.

While Elizabeth performed, Darcy delighted in his voice, although it was not of great technical quality it was captivating and bewitching, he felt hypnotized as if he heard the song of a siren, something warm woke up inside him and he could not even applaud the execution because he could hardly leave the dream; Coming back to himself he wondered what was happening to that young lady. On the piano Mary followed her and with it several couples were encouraged to dance, Sir William Lucas approached him, I tried to follow the conversation of the man who spoke of London, of the dance and who knows what else, the object of his reverie who was called by Lucas approached them.

–My dear Miss Eliza, why isn't she dancing? Mr. Darcy, let me introduce you to this young woman that she can be an excellent couple. I'm sure you can't refuse to dance when you have so much beauty in front of you–

You took Elizabeth by the hand with the intention of passing it on to Darcy; who, though extremely surprised, was not going to reject it; but Elizabeth turned her back on him and said to Sir William somewhat puzzled:

–Really, sir, I had no intention of dancing. Please do not assume that I have come here to find a partner. Mr. Darcy rightly asked him to grant him the honor of dancing with him, but to no avail– Elizabeth was determined, and not even Sir William, with all his arguments, could persuade her.

–You are excellent at dancing, Miss Eliza, and it is very cruel of you to deny me the satisfaction of seeing you; and even if this gentleman doesn't like this entertainment, I'm sure he would have no problem pleasing us for half an hour. –

–Mr. Darcy is very polite– Elizabeth said, smiling.

–It is, indeed; but considering what induces you, dear Eliza, we cannot doubt your courtesy; because, who could turn down such a lovely couple? –– Elizabeth looked at them coquettishly and retreated. Her resistance had not harmed her at all in the eyes of the gentleman, who was thinking of her with satisfaction when he was approached by Miss Bingley.

–– I guess why he is so thoughtful ––

–– I don't think so. –– Darcy said

––He is thinking about how unbearable it would be for him to spend more evenings in this way, in a society like this; and of course, I am of the same opinion. I've never been more angry. What tasteless people and what uproar they make! With how insignificant they are and how important they are. I would give something to hear their criticisms about them.

––Your guesses are totally wrong. My mind was busy with nicer things. I was meditating on the great pleasure that a pair of pretty eyes can cause on a beautiful woman's face.

Miss Bingley stared at him, hoping to be the one to cause such thoughts and blinking at him in a flirtatious way whispering – oh and who is the lucky one –

Mr. Darcy, fearless, replied: ––Miss Elizabeth Bennet ––

Caroline, was surprised and tried to follow the talk obviously throwing all his poison at the Bennets, Darcy dissociated himself from the conversation and I just enjoyed watching her for a while longer, Miss Bingley's words just didn't reach her mind, blocking her voice in her mind, and she was in a state of reverie like she had never been for a woman before.