The storyline, new character development, new events, and new characters are my intellectual property. Glorioux
A/n I said it wasn't a mystery, but expect a twist. :
The Lady
The Lady
Richard looked at the lady again; he had seen her before, but where? "My dear, I believe we are acquainted," Peter's wife told him, looking a little mischievous. "We met at a ball in Mr. Charles Bingley's estate nearly three years ago ."
Peter did not smile. Instead, he looked cross, "Bingley, the pompous fool, his loss was my gain. I remember you coming out his house, so sad. I was very lucky he hid from you; I was going to see him when I saw you, and, instead,
I walked with you," he sighed. "Too bad I had to invite him since he is about to be engaged to, ahem, lovely Petra." Now, he smiled; his wife covered her face with a fan to drown a giggle.
Richard was observing the discourse with great interest. When he heard 'at Bingley's ball,' he held his breath; he had to ask. "Was it at an estate near Meryton where we met?" This was a surprise, could it be? He hoped so. Being superstitious, he crossed his fingers.
"Ah, you remembered? Precisely, I believe you danced with my sister; but at the time, you wore a uniform." Lady Jane said; she was amused; Richard could tell, "Her name is Elizabeth, at the time I was Miss Bennet."
Richard's mouth was dry as a bone; he didn't dare to ask, or should he? But he didn't have to ask. "Here she comes, I mean my sister." Lady Jane said.
He turned to see a vision of beauty. She wore an exquisite organdy and heavy silk dress, embroidered with tiny flowers. It had a generous décolletage but not too revealing, puffy short sleeves and almost bare shoulders. Her hair was like her dress, simple yet classy and elegant, with no feathers and only a few pins. Her darker hair, like he remembered, was escaping the pins. She was lovely, nobody prettier than her with her pixie face, light brown eyes, and pouty mouth. Right away, all Richard's dreams about her, loving him on his bed, came to him. He held his breath, stilling himself, wishing he could embrace her and kiss her like in his dreams. He often dreamed about her.
"Lizzie, come, do you remember Lord Fitzwilliam? At the ball, in..." Jane didn't complete her sentence because Lizzie interrupted her.
"Yes, I remember well, but at the time, you wore a uniform, Colonel Fitzwilliam," Lizzie said, smiling.
Richard was speechless, dying to ask, "Are you married?" But instead, he said, "I was the one. But I am out the Army. We danced a couple of times. Miss Elizabeth, I was there with William Darcy, my cousin; you might remember him, Bingley's friend."
Elizabeth no longer smiled. She made a moue, looking displeased; Peter broke out in a raucous laugh, and Jane giggled. Richard wondered what he had said, waited, but nobody advanced further information. Richard took a chance, "May I ask for a dance?"
Elizabeth smiled, "Yes, I just came down. I am free right now."
Peter winked at Richard and mouthed, "Later."
Richard offered Lizzie his arm and walked to the dance floor. They wanted to dance near a window where it was cooler. They talked while they walked to the dance floor. "I didn't ask, are you here accompanied?" Richard asked, hoping she said no.
"No, I came in earlier today. My parents are just back from picking up my young sister and her babies; I stayed with my sisters. My younger sister is recently widowed." Lizzie explained, "I didn't answer, sorry, I am distracted. I am here alone; you see I was to marry, a marriage of convenience; his wife had passed, leaving him with two daughters. I only met him twice; Peter arranged the marriage." Lizzie grimaced; she had made a faux pas. O dear, she thought.
She had not thought about it; never wanting to remember anything related to the hateful, odious, proud man. "Oh no, I just realized, so sorry for your losses. You must the Fitzwilliam Brother. I am digressing; you are his brother; I mean, my dead fiance's brother." The Colonel was as handsome as she remembered, though he looked a little too much like his cousin, luckily their coloring was different. You could believe they were twins; best not to think about it.
"I see, so sorry; I didn't know your name. My mother said your name was Elizabeth, not much more." Richard had to wonder about life; he was already wanting to be on the dance floor with her, dancing the waltz, holding her in his arms.
Elizabeth saw all the looks. Many young, fresh debutants were looking at the tall, handsome man. She was certain many wanted to be the chosen one. But no, he asked her, not them, to dance a waltz. She liked how he walked close to her; she was being a wanton.
They talked while they walked to the dance floor; he shouldn't be dancing but wanted to hold her in his arms. Though maybe it was not too bad, his brother and father had been dead for several months, and he wore a band of black crepe around his arm.
Yes, he would ask; the worse she could say was no. But he would keep trying if she said no, talking about dreams coming true. Well, part of his dreams, the others would need to wait, hopefully not too long. After he danced with her at Bingley's, there had been no one else.
Richard cleared his throat and stopped walking to look at Lizzie, wanting to pull her into his arms and kiss her, he nearly moaned and cleared his throat again, "I know I will sound crazy; I often remember dancing with you, those were the best two dances ever. I knew you were special, more than that, but I was in the military and couldn't offer much; though, now, I can. I am not good around ladies, so I will take a chance and ask. I don't want to miss this opportunity." He reached for her hand, "Would you…"
They were interrupted by a sharp voice, "Lord Fitzwilliam, how delightful to see you." He looked at Miss Bingley, the sister of William's best friend. Never nice to him before; this was a first. She was pretty but not a nice person and always dressed in unflattering colors. And why the friendliness? He suspected because of his new status.
a/n Oops, and Caroline has to show her face..