My dears, I return with more of the story, which you all have been so very awesome to follow. Still at the ball, with some intrigue going on, and some Darcy and Lizzy interaction that bodes a step in the right direction. Oh, and ODB gets some great advice from Mrs. Gardiner.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Unbeknownst to Elizabeth, Darcy was aware of her, watched her, from the moment he entered the ballroom.
She looked exquisite in a diaphanous white gown that was studded here and there with white crystals—or diamonds, for all he knew—and a silver satin ribbon at the waist. Her chestnut hair was swept up in a complicated twist held in place by jewel-studded combs, with ringlets left down to frame her face.
It took every ounce of his willpower not to dash across the room and take her hands in his, spewing the apology his cousin had suggested he give her. He fully intended to speak to her, of course, but had decided he would give her time to herself for a few more days, in the hope that whatever had stirred her ire would settle and that she might be led by sober reflection to remember he was a changed man.
Thus, he began a slow circuit of the room on the opposite side from her small party, always keeping her within his line of sight. He greeted acquaintances with warmth and did his best to evade any questions that even hinted at a romance or rift between him and Elizabeth.
His plan worked until he encountered the Scarboroughs, who were accompanied by Fitzwilliam and Antoinette.
"Darcy, why are you not at the side of my young aunt this evening?" the colonel demanded.
"Now cousin," said Lady Scarborough, "you know very well that our dear Lizzy is come tonight to introduce Miss Gardiner into society, not flaunt a romance with Darcy that does not exist."
"Oui," said Antoinette. "But I suspect that Darcy wishes it did, non?"
Lady Scarborough crossed her arms and regarded him with one eyebrow arched. "Is that true, sir?"
Darcy drew a breath. "My lady, what I wish is irrelevant, is it not, in light of Lady Stashwick's declaration that she is not inclined toward matrimony?"
"Doesn't mean you cannot spend time with her," the marchioness challenged.
"Addy," admonished Lord Scarborough softly.
Smiling as he lifted a hand to stave him off, Darcy said, "It's quite all right, Tom. You already know that I am well aware the family would like for me to be Her Ladyship's choice, should her position change. And my dear Lady Scarborough, it so happens that I do admire Lady Stashwick very much indeed, but I am giving her what she asked for—time to get used to the idea of being courted. If I am always by her side, she will think I am going back on my word and pressuring her."
"You may well want to rethink that strategy, old boy," said Fitzwilliam then, with a lift of his chin across the room.
Darcy turned and looked and saw that Sir Frederick and Lady Dornan were now speaking to Elizabeth and her relations. It was an effort not to frown as he watched the knight attempting to charm the four ladies—and it appeared he was paying special attention to Elizabeth herself.
Fitzwilliam leaned close to him. "Do you remember what I said yesterday?" he asked in a low voice.
A nod was Darcy's only reply at first; he continued to watch the exchange across the ballroom and was perversely relieved to note that Elizabeth did not seem at all comfortable when handing Sir Frederick her dance card.
She is only being civil, he thought. Dornan better keep his hands where they belong.
"Do we know that couple that was talking to my stepmother just now, Tom?" Lady Scarborough asked as the Dornans were moving on. "The lady seems vaguely familiar, but I cannot place her."
"I know of them, dearest, but they are not quite of our circle, much as they wish to be," replied Lord Scarborough in a sour voice.
"Sir Frederick Dornan is a knight, my dear cousin," said Fitzwilliam, "though how he came by the honor I cannot imagine—everyone knows that he was fool enough to run his estate nearly into he ground, and now works in a print shop on Bond Street to pay those debts lest he lose it."
"His wife is the former Miss Caroline Bingley, my lady," added Darcy. "Her brother Charles is married to Lady Stashwick and Mrs. Faulkner's sister Jane."
"Oh! Them I know very well—Mrs. Bingley and Cate are intimate friends of my cousin Diana," observed Lady Scarborough. "But why should Theo tell you that you might wish to change your strategy with Lizzy?"
"Because, cher cousine," spoke up Antoinette, "unlike these three fine gentlemen, Sir Frederick does not know ze meaning of ze word 'faithful.' I must agree with Théodore, Darcy—you may not wish to give Her Ladyship too much time tonight."
"I will take your words—and Theo's—under advisement," Darcy replied, then he smiled. "Perhaps you can help me, madam, by doing me the honor of dancing with me. I would ask Lady Scarborough as well, but I know she will not dance much tonight."
"Indeed—the two dances my husband has permitted me to dance are both taken, or I should be happy to oblige you, sir," replied the marchioness.
"Well, I am not in ze family way at present, so I will be most happy to dance every dance!" Antoinette declared as she handed over her dance card.
Darcy quickly filled in his name, then parted ways with his cousins to continue his circuit of the room. He met with his cousin the viscount and his wife as well as his aunt and uncle, and eventually also the Earl and Countess of Winterbourne.
His sister was, of course, overjoyed to see him when he came across her and her husband.
"My dear brother, how wonderful it is to see you," Georgiana greeted him before kissing his cheek. "Have you come to dance? There are many eligible young ladies in attendance tonight."
Lord Winterbourne chuckled. "My love, you do recall that your brother has been away from town for six years? I imagine the poor fellow has forgotten how to dance."
"Not at all, Arthur," Darcy replied. "I not only remember how to dance but have done so recently at a dinner party."
"Have you indeed? Well done, brother," Georgiana said with a smile. "I am so glad to know you are not spending your time away from my niece walking about the room being unsociable and taciturn."
Darcy laughed. "My dear little sister, I have not carried on in that fashion since before my sabbatical from society."
Georgiana grinned. "True enough, Fitzwilliam. And really, it is very good to see you enjoying yourself doing something other than doting on Clara."
Laughing again, Darcy replied, "I shall attempt to glean some pleasure from the evening, Georgie. Though you know as well as well as I how difficult that may prove to be. After all, I am a single man in possession of a great fortune."
Winterbourne chuckled. "Which, in the eyes of every matchmaking mamma in the room—and some of the fathers—means you must be in want of a wife. Otherwise, why would you have ended your seclusion, eh Darcy?"
"Indeed, Arthur."
Georgiana scoffed, then glanced at her brother with a raised eyebrow. "Well then, perhaps that rumour about you and dear Lady Stashwick that's been making the rounds will actually be of some service to you. After all, if the ton believe you are courting her, then you may be left alone."
Her husband laughed. "We both know, dearest, how unlikely a mere courtship is to serve as a deterrent to the most determined mamma."
Georgiana swatted her husband playfully with her fan as she laughed. "Arthur, do not say such things, or you will frighten him into running for the door!"
Chuckling, Darcy reached for his sister's hand. "My dear sister, do not distress yourself. I am not going to run."
Georgiana appeared to doubt his assertion, but nevertheless smiled and praised him for his fortitude. A moment later they parted company with each other, seeking to greet other acquaintances before the dancing began.
As he had not claimed a partner for the first set, when it began at last, he moved to a position at the perimeter of the dance floor from which he could watch, his eyes easily finding Elizabeth as she partnered with the Earl of Sotheby.
"I can guess the subject of your reverie."
Darcy groaned inwardly—he had not noticed Lady Dornan's approach.
"I should imagine not," he replied without turning his gaze to her.
Caroline chuckled. "You are considering how insupportable it is that a gentleman of your consequence is without a partner for the first set—and indeed, I am quite of your opinion!"
A snippet of memory flashed across Darcy's consciousness then; they had engaged in similar discourse near ten years and a half ago, at a party hosted by Sir William Lucas in the early days of their tenure together in Meryton.
Playing along, he replied as he had then: "Your conjecture is totally wrong, I assure you. My mind was more agreeably engaged. I have been meditating on the very great pleasure which a pair of fine eyes in the face of a pretty woman can bestow."
Beside him, Lady Dornan scoffed. "Allow me to guess that you refer to the fine eyes of the Marchioness of Stashwick?"
"Indeed, I do, for they are finer now than when first I knew her."
"Yes, Miss Eliza Bennet has certainly come up in the world, has she not? But then, it must have been quite easy for her to entrap a marquess old enough to be her father in marriage when he was confined to his sickbed with a broken leg. How else can such a match be accounted for? With such vulgar relations and low connections—"
Now Darcy turned to her, allowing the disgust he felt for her words to shine clear in his gaze. "Madam, if you have even a modicum of sense within you, you will cease spouting such nonsense at once. The whole of the ton knows that the marchioness and her husband genuinely loved one another. Spreading lies about her will most definitely not convince Her Ladyship to grant you notice."
He scoffed and shook his head, ignoring the stunned expression on Caroline's face. "You'd think after all this time that you would have learned your lesson—that one must be kind and generous in order to receive the honor of notice by one's superior. Snobbery and cattiness becomes no lady."
Without giving her a chance to respond, Darcy offered a curt nod to Lady Dornan and moved away from her. He snagged a glass of champagne from a passing servant with a silver tray and sipped it as he continued to watch the dancing, waiting for the second set when he was to partner with the sister of a friend.
It was with some difficulty, but not impossible, for Darcy to divide his attention between the ladies he danced with for the second through fifth sets—acknowledging their chatter about the size of the room and the number of couples where appropriate—and keeping an eye on Elizabeth. He could not help the twinge of envy he felt for each gentleman that she partnered with, even if half of them were men she was related to by marriage. Edmund Hiddleston even made her laugh, which turned his envy to jealousy.
It was good that he had no partner for the sixth set—he could walk about and converse with family or friends, and hopefully calm himself enough to sit at the supper table with equanimity. On espying Mrs. Gardiner standing alone by a pillar across the room, watching as her daughter was twirled about by Andrew Hiddleston, Darcy determined to make his way to her. Perhaps he could convince the lady to dance with him for the supper set, during which he would assert no scruple—and as much subtlety as he could muster—in asking after Elizabeth's state of mind for the past two days.
He was approaching a recessed doorway which led to the card rooms when the conversation of two gentlemen reached his ears. Not one to eavesdrop, Darcy determined to pass them by entirely, until he heard,
"Lady Stashwick? Ha! Dornan hasn't got a chance—as morally upright as she is? Women like that don't have affairs. Fred's a bloody fool."
A chuckle followed, then the man's companion spoke again … and it was a voice Darcy recognized.
"About as fool as I was to ever take up with that wife of his," said Humphrey Travers. "But at least I'm not responsible for that daughter of hers, even if she might be mine. That's the best part of bedding married women, Reggie—if you get 'em in the family way, their husbands have to take responsibility for your by-blows. In any case, everyone knows that Lady Stashwick is being courted by Darcy."
Reggie—whoever he was—snorted. "Don't seem like it tonight. Those two haven't said one word to each other the whole evening. Do you suppose there's trouble in paradise?"
"Could be," Travers agreed. "You know, it might make it easier for Dornan to seduce the lady if Darcy's not up to snuff. Hell, even if the wandering knight can't get up the lady's skirts, he can blackmail her by threatening to tell everyone he has."
"That might work if affairs among the nobility weren't commonplace," Reggie observed.
"Discreet affairs are commonplace," said Travers. "Remember the big to-do last Season when it got out that Lady Stornaway was dallying with that flower delivery boy? No one would have cared that she was doing the help if they'd kept it quiet; it mattered that people were talking about it. It's unseemly to let your private business become public."
Darcy had heard enough. Disgust and rage ran rampant through him as he moved as unaffectedly as possible through the crowd, successfully avoiding being caught by the two men and hoping to reach Mrs. Gardiner to enlist her assistance in speaking with Elizabeth before the supper set. Though it was gossip and not from an entirely reliable source, he did not doubt that there was some basis in truth. How else could a man who had to work to pay off years of gambling debt—who had to lease his estate in order to prevent it going to creditors—afford to live the lifestyle that he and Caroline did? It would not surprise him in the least if Frederick Dornan was blackmailing his lovers.
He would not allow him to ruin Elizabeth in the same fashion.
By the time that Darcy managed to make his way to where Mrs. Gardiner stood, having been forced by civility and good breeding to stop a time or two on his journey to speak to some acquaintances, the set was over. There were but a few minutes to be had before the supper set would be called—it was, perhaps, the only chance he would get to speak to Elizabeth before she was forced to dance and then dine with Frederick Dornan.
He approached Elizabeth's aunt as Elizabeth, Lady Winstead, and Anne Gardiner were being led back to her by their partners. The three ladies looked a little winded for all their exertions, but their eyes were bright and their cheeks full of color. They all looked happy—even Elizabeth seemed to have been enjoying herself.
She started when she took notice of him. "Mr. Darcy! It-it is a pleasure to meet with you at last this evening."
He hoped she meant it, so offered her a smile as he bowed. "The pleasure and honour are mine, Lady Stashwick. Lady Winstead, Mrs. Gardiner, Miss Gardiner."
Darcy inclined his head to each of the other ladies in the party; they curtsied in return. He then looked to Elizabeth again and said, "My lady, I beg your pardon for the intrusion, but may I have a moment of your time? In private, if you please."
Elizabeth's brows rose in mild astonishment. "Certainly, Mr. Darcy—let us step over here."
She gestured to a row of chairs along the wall behind them which were unoccupied. Darcy nodded and indicated she ought to precede him.
"I was beginning to wonder if the crush would keep us apart all night," Elizabeth said as she turned smoothly and sat down. "To what do I owe the sudden surprise of your company?"
Darcy sat beside her, drawing a breath as he did so. "My lady, I know that there are some matters between us not yet settled, but that is a conversation for another time. The reason I wished to speak to is because I have heard something very disturbing as regards you and one of your partners this evening."
The corner of her mouth flickered upward. "Allow me to guess: Sir Frederick?"
He nodded. "I am afraid so. Now, I grant that the source of this information is not infallible, but what I have learned of the gentleman from my own relations does give it credence."
Elizabeth studied him for a moment, before drawing a breath and nodding her head. "Go on."
"It has been said that Sir Frederick means to attempt a seduction of you, quite possibly this evening," Darcy said. "The persons I heard speaking said that if he is not successful, he may resort to blackmailing you to keep from spreading it about that you are having an affair."
"I knew it!" Elizabeth cried softly as she pushed to her feet. She paced away as he stood, then whirled back. "I felt uneasy in speaking to him earlier this evening—there's just something about the man that is off-putting, and I do not just mean that he was fool enough to marry Caroline Bingley."
"Who is no innocent herself," Darcy said. "She disparaged you to me earlier, and one of the men I overheard is one of her own lovers."
"What am I to do, Darcy?" Elizabeth asked then. "I've already agreed to dance the supper set with him, but hearing of his vile intentions has sickened me."
"I fear that unless you mean to give up the rest of your evening to sitting on the sidelines, you must honour the engagement," Darcy replied. "However, I will ask your aunt to dance, as I have no partner for the supper set—"
He paused when Elizabeth chuckled and said, "You really have no partner?"
Darcy chanced a grin. "Indeed. You may remember, my dear, that I dislike dancing unless I am well acquainted with my partner."
Her eyes lit up. "Oh yes! It would be a punishment indeed for you to stand up with a lady you did not know intimately, for you cannot give consequence to ladies who are slighted by other men—and you certainly cannot partner with a lady you found only tolerable and not handsome enough to dance with at all."
Sensing that she spoke in jest, which sparked a hope of their reconciliation, Darcy conceded the point with a nod and a smile. "I see that you do remember," said he. "Now, if Mrs. Gardiner agrees to partner me, it will make it all the easier for me to sit near you. Hopefully my presence will deter Sir Frederick from saying or doing anything untoward. I'll try to speak to Theodore and Scarborough about sitting close as well."
Elizabeth gave another tentative smile. "Thank you, Darcy. For looking out for me."
He bowed. "Always, my lady."
They moved together to rejoin her family; Mary and Anne were then being approached by their next partners. Sir Frederick was also approaching, Caroline hanging on his arm, no doubt hoping for a dance with Darcy. He smoothly turned to Mrs. Gardiner as they neared and said,
"My dear Mrs. Gardiner, I know that you are come only to watch your beautiful daughter shine bright as gold this evening, but I implore you to do me the honour of dancing the supper set with me, for I have no partner and should very much like to avoid being forced to sit next to someone I don't even know at table."
Mrs. Gardiner flicked her eyes at Elizabeth, then returned her gaze to him with a wide smile. "I do agree, it can be disconcerting to find yourself thusly situated. I should be delighted, Mr. Darcy, to come to your aid."
"My dear Lady Stashwick," Sir Frederick said smoothly. "I do believe this is our set."
"It is indeed, Sir Frederick," Elizabeth replied smoothly. "Lady Dornan, I do hope you don't mind my borrowing your husband. I know that you and I have not always got on well, but perhaps we can begin to make amends with one another—tonight is, after all, a night for new beginnings, is that not so Anne?"
Anne, perhaps too embarrassed to speak, could only nod. Caroline appeared both surprised and delighted by Elizabeth's words.
"My lady, I should be delighted if we could put the past behind us," said the latter.
"Splendid!" cried Sir Frederick cheerfully, before stepping forward and offering his arm to Elizabeth. "Shall we join the set now, Lady Stashwick?"
Elizabeth drew what Darcy sensed was a fortifying breath before smiling and laying her hand on Sir Frederick's arm and starting toward the dance floor with him. Lady Winstead followed, then Darcy fell into step with Mrs. Gardiner on his arm.
For the first few steps, they moved in silence, until the lady broke it by asking with a casual air, "Tell me, if you will, Mr. Darcy… were you planning to pine for Elizabeth from afar all night?"
That she had noticed his longing did not surprise Darcy. He chuckled as he replied, "I confess that was my intention. We … had words on Monday. I thought it best to stay away for a time."
"And what changed your mind?" Mrs. Gardiner asked.
Considering for a moment how best to answer without alarming the lady, Darcy said at last, "I had some news to tell Her Ladyship which could not wait. Given how well she received this report, I am hopeful of our reconciling our differences soon."
"I should hope so, sir, or it will make next week's family musicale rather awkward—I assume you mean to attend, though your daughter is not yet musical?"
Darcy chuckled. "I daresay Clara would not allow me to miss it, she is so looking forward to it."
Another minute or so passed in silence, during which Darcy glanced up the row of dancers to espy Elizabeth and Sir Frederick. She was doing very well at keeping her countenance, knowing his intentions as she did.
"Lizzy is stubborn, Mr. Darcy. Always has been," said Mrs. Gardiner then. "Sometimes it is a blessing, at others a detriment."
Darcy returned his attention to his partner. "Missing her husband is hardly a detriment, ma'am."
"No, it is not," she conceded. "I know that it has been very hard on Elizabeth to have lost Henry, when all her sisters still have their husbands, and her father was older than he and is still thriving—in spite of his former indolent ways."
"Or perhaps because of them," Darcy suggested. "From what little I was acquainted with Mr. Bennet, Elizabeth inherited much of her character from him."
Mrs. Gardiner laughed. "Yes, Lizzy definitely gets her mulishness from Thomas."
She sighed then. "I understand my niece's reluctance to consider another attachment—her husband has only been gone a year, and for one who loves as deeply as a woman who was truly in love, no time seems long enough to move on."
Mrs. Gardiner then captured his gaze with her own. "By all accounts you are one of the best of men. You are a respected landlord and master, and a doting father. And I have heard from Mary and my great-nieces and -nephews how you and Lizzy have interacted these last few weeks, Mr. Darcy—and if what they say is true, then you are already deeply attached to Elizabeth."
Darcy drew a breath and sighed. "I am indeed, Mrs. Gardiner."
"Who is to say a woman cannot find herself truly in love twice in one lifetime? Surely one with a heart as compassionate and generous as Lizzy's has the capacity to love a second time as deeply as she did the first. Does it really matter that you were not the first, or the only man she ever loved? Is that what holds you back?"
He shook his head. "No, ma'am. I know that only a woman blessed by God himself could have such a heart as you describe, and I believe Elizabeth is such a one. All that will matter to me is that she loves me. But I have seen her pain and know that she is not quite ready to open up that heart again. I know that I must give her time."
Mrs. Gardiner smiled. "The best of men indeed," she said. "Only the best would understand and be willing to exercise such patience. It could be months, you know—perhaps a year or more."
"For Elizabeth, ma'am, I would wait forever."