~~PoP~~
Recognitions
Mr Hurst had planned to spend the majority of the assembly in the cardroom which would boast conversation and beverages, both of which he expected to be more stimulating than the happenings amongst the dancers.
Yet, after observing the delightful skirmish between Caroline and Miss Bennet, he decided that for once, the ballroom offered better entertainment. When Bingley had led Miss Bennet to the floor, Hurst stepped back and listened to Caroline vent her spleen to his wife.
'How dare that chit insult me like that,' Miss Bingley fumed. 'Did you hear she implied that we are too poor to afford fashionable silks and muslins.'
'You did say the same thing about her and even implied that she had to make her own dresses,' Louisa Hurst pointed out quietly, hoping that her sister would calm down.
'Louisa, did you not see the dress she was wearing? That style is an exact copy of Madame Dupont's style of dresses. She must have seen a picture of it somewhere and copied it. As a country nobody it is impossible for her to be a customer of London's premier modiste. Even I have been unable to get an appointment.'
Hurst muttered just loud enough for the sisters to hear, 'Madame Dupont creates gowns only for ladies. You do not qualify.'
Caroline glanced over her shoulder and snarled at the gentleman, 'Why do you not go to the cardroom and get drunk the way you usually do.'
'My dear sister, if I went to the cardroom, I would miss all the entertainment this assembly has to offer,' he answered with a slight shrug and a malicious smile.
Miss Bingley snorted in a most unladylike fashion and pointedly turned her back on him. She had no time to waste on him. Instead, she craned her neck to discover the whereabouts of the rest of their party.
Charles Bingley was easy to find. He was on the dance floor with that irritating Miss Bennet. At least he was not dancing a second set with the other sister, who was very much the type he favoured. As she watched, she noticed much to her displeasure that Miss Bennet was an exceptionally graceful dancer and the dress which she had derided was perfect for the lady.
She let out a frustrated huff and tore her attention away to search again for the elusive Mr Darcy. A man as tall as he should stand out in this company, but Caroline could not see him. She simply had to get close to him by the start of the next set so that his good manners would force him to request a set from her.
She desperately ignored his earlier comment that he was pleased that propriety would not permit him to sit next to her. Surely, he had just been tired and out of sorts with Charles for dragging him off to a ball immediately upon his arrival. He was too much of a gentleman to say such a thing. Although he might think it, her conscience whispered, but again she ignored it.
The set was coming to an end, and she had still not been able to find Darcy. Caroline wondered if he had quietly taken his leave when the master of ceremonies announced a 'Ladies Choice'.
At that point, Miss Bingley nearly screamed with frustration. If only she could find Mr Darcy, this was her perfect opportunity. She peripherally noted that a very shy young girl had asked her brother to dance but paid no particular attention to him. Yet, no matter where she looked, Darcy was nowhere to be seen.
Instead, Caroline was treated to a heartless chuckle as Hurst noted her head whipping about in an effort to spot her quarry. 'Give it up, Caroline,' he muttered. 'That man has been hunted for nearly a decade by better women than you.'
Miss Bingley shot him a venomous look and as the music started for the dance, she stormed off to the ladies retiring room where she would not have to endure her brother-in-law's sniping.
Louisa Hurst looked after her sister for a moment, before coming to a decision. She turned to her husband. 'Since you are still sober, would you care to dance?' she asked.
Hurst gave his wife a startled look before he smiled and answered, 'It would be my pleasure.'
~PoP~
Caroline Bingley remained in the ladies retiring room for nearly an hour.
She had planned to leave earlier, but just as she was getting herself back under control, some matrons entered the room. As Caroline was hidden behind a screen in the furthest corner of the room, she went unnoticed by the pair.
Their conversation had obviously started before entering the room, when Caroline heard, 'The gall of that young woman, thinking that she is so much better than us.' Considering the set-down she had received from Miss Bennet, she assumed that they were speaking about that woman and could but agree with them.
She was soon disabused about her assumption.
'Just because she is rich, she thinks she is a lady and is entitled to act all hoity-toity.'
'Who does she think she is,' the first voice reiterated. 'Her father was a tradesman and yet she acts as if she was superior to members of the gentry.'
'I quite agree,' the second voice chimed in. 'Although, you have to admit that she is funny to observe. Coming to a country dance all tarted up like she was going to a ball at St James. She could learn a thing or three from our Miss Lizzy. That young lady wears some of the finest quality dresses, but they are always appropriate for the occasions.'
Another voice chimed in. 'You remember that Earl and his countess who stopped here a few years ago? Now that lady was elegant. I heard that she had a trunkful of gowns appropriate for court, but that lady always chose outfits that were right. Not one of them looked like it might take off on its own on account of all those feathers.'
The first matron cackled. 'You are quite correct. That Miss Bingley would do well to imitate Miss Lizzy instead of those ghastly social climbers in town. At least then she would have a real lady as an example.'
'Yes, but what can you expect. She is nothing but a stupid…' the voice faded away as the ladies quit the room and closed the door.
Miss Bingley was mortified to learn that instead of being impressed by her extravagant ensemble, the local ladies thought her garish and inappropriately dressed.
She had carefully chosen her outfit to show these savages how a fashionable lady of the first circles dressed and make them envious. But apparently all she had achieved was to make a laughingstock of herself.
When would this ever end?
She simply had to make an excellent marriage and all those people who currently laughed at her would not dare to do so again when she was Mrs Darcy. Then those people would truly be beneath her.
In the meantime, all she could do was to pretend that all those slights and slurs did not hurt her, just like she had done for years at that seminary. She would return to the ballroom and face down the locals in the only way she knew… she would pretend that Caroline Bingley was superior to all those savages.
~PoP~
As Miss Bingley returned to the ballroom with her head held high, another set was coming to an end.
Out of habit she looked around to find Mr Darcy and was horrified. Not because she actually saw him, but because he was dancing with one of the local ladies.
MR DARCY WAS DANCING… but not with herself.
It was simply unbearable. The gentleman had avoided her all evening and now he was dancing with some country mushroom who was rather long in the tooth. What was her name? Miss Charlotte Lucas.
She was just in time to see him bowing to his partner and after a quick glance around the room, leading her to the opposite side where they stopped to speak to someone. There were too many people in the way for her to see the other person until Charlotte left Darcy, who offered his arm to none other than Miss Bennet.
Miss Bingley was about to give chase to separate them, when John Lucas approached her and requested a dance. Since Caroline wanted the opportunity to dance with Darcy if he should ask later in the evening, she was forced to accept… with ill grace… to the amusement of John Lucas.
~PoP~
The first person to whom Elizabeth introduced Darcy was her father, who was pleased to make the gentleman's acquaintance.
After the obligatory pleasantries, Bennet asked, 'Tell me, Mr Darcy, is it true what I have heard, that your family has one of the best libraries in the country? Some people even claimed that it came close to the Bodleian… which is my personal favourite.'
'I would not claim that our family's library could rival that of such institutions, but it has been the work of many generations to add to it. It has pleased me greatly to continue the tradition,' Darcy replied with a smile, pleased that the fame of his library had spread into such an unexpected location.
Bennet's interest was immediately piqued by the last part of the statement. 'Are you then another bibliophile?'
'I am indeed, and since you mentioned the Bodleian library so fondly, even though it is at Oxford, I gather that you too are a kindred spirit?' Darcy asked, suddenly feeling relaxed enough to tease Bennet with the old rivalry of their respective schools. He had been afraid that the society in this area would be confined to a very countrified community, yet one of the first people he met had a love for the written word.
Bennet cocked his head at the implied slur of Oxford, but answered with a grin, 'Indeed. And while neither my estate nor my library can rival yours, you are most welcome to call and peruse the contents of my library.'
'That would be most welcome. While my friend has many good qualities, his library usually leaves a lot to be desired.'
They chatted a few moments longer, then Elizabeth led Darcy to introduce him to several of the other gentlemen. While none of those people appeared to be the intellectual equal of Mr Bennet, they still offered pleasant conversation about a variety of subject, predominately centred around country interests.
When the next set was about to start, Elizabeth's partner came to claim her, and Darcy decided to improve people's opinion of him by dancing with Miss Goulding.
~PoP~
Although Elizabeth had felt mortified when she discovered that Mr Darcy had overheard her private conversation with Charlotte, she could not help but feel pleased with the outcome of the evening.
Her insult had knocked Mr Darcy off his high horse, and it turned out that when he had both feet on the ground, he was quite pleasant company.
Yes, he was obviously not at his best as he was tired, but he had made a valiant effort to counter his initial impression. He allowed himself to be introduced to the ladies as well as the gentlemen and had even danced a third set.
Once her neighbours realised that his exhaustion was at least partly to blame for his initial need of solitude, they had been exceedingly helpful in providing the gentleman with undemanding company in the cardroom and keeping Miss Bingley occupied when he emerged for brief periods.
Elizabeth was now curious to converse with Darcy when he was rested and in full command of his faculties.
~PoP~
~~PoP~~
A Plethora of Peers (working title) by Sydney Salier, Copyright © 2023