Chapter 8

Darcy

As soon as we walked into the assembly hall, several things happened at once. My normal panic of being surrounded by a large amount of unknown faces rose from a simmer to a boil in seconds. I watched in dread as all the attendees stopped and stared our way, taking in every detail of each person in our party.

My chest began to tighten and my breathing became shorter and shorter as I tried to calm myself down. I knew at any moment I would make a fool of myself by being half out of my wits with panic.

I needed an escape. I looked toward the door we had just entered and saw masses of people covering every exit.

My hearing seemed to be muffled, as if my heartbeat was now inside my ears, pounding fiercely against my skull.

In my confused state I barely could hear Charles as he said something to me and then headed towards an older man of medium height. From Charles' excitement I could only imagine that was Mr. Bennet who he had met previously.

Behind me someone inhaled sharply. I turned around to see Stephen looking completely shocked. As my valet, he was to stay to the side of the room and be on call if I needed him for anything. But after his apparent shock, he darted behind a pillar that was near the door looking like he was seconds from needing to exit as well.

At least I was not the only one having a complete breakdown at this moment.

"Oh no, this can not be! Look at this disaster! Mr. Darcy you must put a stop to this." Caroline shrieked in my ear.

I watched from a distance as Mr. Bennet was making introductions to several young ladies for Charles. The eldest seemed to glow in the candlelight. Charles seemed unable to even look away from the handsome blonde while the others were introduced. My guess was that it had to be Miss Jane Bennet.

Charles asked her to dance and took her hand to lead her onto the dance floor.

As soon as they touched sparks flew from their fingertips encircling their hands in golden light. They were indeed soulmates.

I felt Georgiana's hand on my arm squeeze tight. I knew she was just as happy as I to see something so beautiful happen. I had seen it a few times before, but this was the first time I had seen it happen to a close friend of mine. I looked at Georgiana's face as she watched the happy couple. She had begged me to bring her this evening, even though she had not come out yet. I agreed if only she did not dance and stayed with her companion at all times. But seeing her excited face made my decision worth it.

"This is madness! Look at this family, Mr. Darcy. They look as if they live in a pigsty! How can Charles even think about attaching himself to such people?" Caroline seethed beside me, clinging onto my other arm.

I expertly removed my arm from Caroline's tight grip and ignored her tantrum.

My feet led me toward the rejoicing family. I took in all the ladies surrounding the happy couple and stopped suddenly in my tracks.

My eyes became transfixed on the profile of one of the ladies. I had to remind myself I was not dreaming. There right beside Charles' soulmate, was a figure I knew perfectly. Her luscious brown waves were swept to the side in a loose style. She wore a green gown that was nothing fancy, but fit to her curves perfectly.

Curves I knew like the back of my hand. Curves that my hand ached to hold as I once had.

My temptress now not only in my dreams but in the flesh as well. I still could not see her face from this side view of her, but from the pull I felt inside me towards this woman. It had to be her.

If there had been any doubt, at that moment, all vanished when she turned to speak to another young woman beside her. Her back now fully towards me, I saw it. Our soulmark. My fingers itched to trace the tips of Pemberley as I once had in a dream.

This was indeed my soulmate.

Georgiana let out a squeal beside me and clutched my arm even harder. She must see it as well now.

My panic returned with force, causing only one thought to ring true at the moment.

She cannot see me like this!

In an instant, I turned us around and in a few quick strides we were at an exit.

"William! What are you doing? It's her. You have to go to her."

I ignored my sister's pleas and pulled her along as I found a place to hide away for a moment.

I drew the cool night air into my lungs. And tried, with no luck, to calm myself down.

"William! You must go to her. She is so close. She will help calm you, I'm sure!"

I could only shake my head. The last thing I wanted was for my strong, sweet soulmate to see me in such a state. I needed to calm myself down.

I couldn't believe it. I had found her!

She was perfect, and I was an utter mess.

Lizzy

I could not believe Jane found her soulmate. My heart seemed to triple in size as I watched my beloved sister become matched.

Charles Bingley, was the name we had all tried to decipher on Jane's wrist. Charlotte and I giggled as we thought how none of us had come close to such a name.

We all took turns congratulating the happy couple. I could see Jane was beaming, but she was extra quiet as well. I'm not sure if she had even said one sentence to the man yet. I tried to catch her eye and give her a look of encouragement, but there was too much going on around us. It felt as if the entire town was crowded around us trying to catch a glimpse of the newly made match.

A rush of movement heading away from the excitement caught my attention. All I could see was the back of a tall man rushing out the door, pulling a young woman behind him. Something about the pair felt achingly familiar. I had this need to be closer to them, to go after them. I started to move towards the door when Jane's hand stopped me.

"Lizzy, I-" Jane couldn't seem to form the words. I could see it clear as day. She needed a moment.

Jane easily became overwhelmed and often needed to calm herself down in atmospheres such as these. To top off the normal chaos of a country dance while also finding her soulmate had to be pushing her limits.

"Jane, I feel my pins are coming loose. Could you help me with them?" Jane gave a secret smile and nodded with relief. She excused herself from her soulmate who looked like a lost puppy as he was forced to let go of Jane's hand. I led her away from the crowds to the ladies retiring room.

Jane could only shake her head and point towards the back area of the assembly that led outside to the gardens. She must have been desperate if she needed fresh air.

As we escaped to the garden area, I felt that pull once again. And remembered the gentleman I had noticed before that had left abruptly. I looked around but could not see anyone of his height.

I led Jane to a bench beside a wall of shrubs that had overgrown.

"That's it, dearest. You must calm your breathing with me. Just as we did when we were young." I took Jane's hand and placed it over my heart so she could feel my steady heartbeat. We found that this was one of the only ways to calm her when she became overwhelmed in this way.

We took long, deep breaths together until her breathing eventually slowed.

"Thank you, Lizzy. It was such a beautiful moment. But it just surprised me. All of it just became too much." Jane said as tears slowly traced her cheeks. "Oh, Lizzy, I dreamt of meeting my soulmate my whole life, and what is the first thing he sees in me? A scared little kitten. What he must think of me?" Jane said quietly weeping into her hands.

"Oh sweet Jane! No one could ever think of you in that way. Especially your soulmate. I have never seen someone so overjoyed to know you. I am guessing you could spit in his face at this moment and he would rejoice to the heavens." I said with a chuckle. Hoping to distract her with my silliness.

Jane laughed into her hands, wiping away her tears as she shook her head at me.

"Only you, Lizzy, could so easily make me laugh at a time like this."

I smiled, knowing my sweet calm Jane was coming back to us.

"Never doubt yourself, my dearest. For you are strong and brave in your own way. And you now have a very handsome and beyond sweet man to call your own." I took Jane's hand in mine and gave it a comforting squeeze.

"Can you believe it, Lizzy! He is so handsome and so kind. Joy seems to radiate from him. I truly can't wait to get to know him better. That is, if I can have the strength to face him again." Jane looked towards the door that led back into the assembly.

"You are one of the strongest people I know Jane, you might not be able to see it. But I do. Your quiet strength has held me up in many hard times. Any man would be lucky to have you by their side."

"Oh Lizzy! Don't make me cry again!" Jane hugged me tight, took another deep breath, and gave me a nod. I knew she was ready to see her soulmate once again.

Darcy

We found a hidden bench in an overgrown area of the garden, where I could calm down in peace. I just needed a moment to slow my thoughts. My mind was darting from one thought to the next, and my body could not seem to keep up.

Georgiana sat beside me, patiently rubbing my arm soothingly. She was always cautious at these moments. Unsure of what exactly I needed to help calm me. She had learned over the years to be close if I need her, but to mostly let me handle it on my own.

As I was trying to calm my breathing, a familiar voice filled the air.

"That's it, dearest. You must calm your breathing with me."

Was she talking to me? Had she seen me running away?

My breathing quickened in pace, doing the opposite of her soothing plea.

"Just as we did when we were young."

She must be speaking to someone else.

As they continued to speak, it became clear she was comforting her sister. The newly matched soulmate of Charles, Jane Bennet.

I heard the soothing strength of my soulmate's words as she calmed her sister. Her sister who seemed to be dealing with a similar problem as I am.

I let her words calm me and thought of being in her arms as she did so. I felt my breathing slowly return to normal, and could not believe this woman had not only calmed her sister but also me.

Lizzy, her name is Lizzy. Such a little name for such a person!

We heard them leave the area and I could not believe my luck in finding her.

My soulmate!

Here of all places! And her sister is soulmate matched with one of my best friends. Oh and Stephen! That is why I heard him gasp earlier, he must have seen his soulmate as well. Of course he would have recognized her right away from knowing exactly what she looked like.

I wonder why he hid.

I laughed out loud at my thought, causing Georgiana to startle.

"I'm sorry G, I have so many thoughts spinning through my head that I fear my emotions are coming out in bursts."

Georgiana looked at me with a sweet smile. "Was that her, just now? The one speaking to what must have been her sister?"

I nodded. Still in shock from all we have discovered here.

"Oh this is astounding! First Charles and now you! I know William you feel you need to compose yourself, but you must go to her!" Georgiana's face was full of joy. I had not seen her animated so in a long time. Especially not since her dreadful occurrence with Wickham.

"You are correct. I am unsure what to say. I feel as if I will make a fool of myself. Did you see her G? She is perfection in every way."

Georgiana laughed slightly, unused to seeing me in such a state, I'm sure.

A new voice rose behind us, filling the area where my soulmate had just been on the other side of the overgrowth.

"Did Jane not look splendid! I knew her soulmate would be handsome and rich! Netherfield, dear sister! She will put us all to shame with her new status.

"He is handsome indeed. I heard his friend has an even larger estate. Did you glance at him?"

"No, everything happened so fast. He seemed to vanish. Mr. Bingley was searching for him a minute ago. Oh sister! Now we must find the other girls matches. Well all but Mary's, poor girl. It looks as if her match won't make it. Her mark is fading, you know."

The woman's loud words echoed in my ears. The sister's match must be in Soul Sickness.

"Yes, Poor Mary. Though we always knew that she would never find her soulmate. With such an indecent soulmark, one could never speak of such things."

Georgiana gasped beside me, clearly hearing the woman as well.

The women's voices disappeared then. They must have come to the conclusion that their earsplitting tones could have been easily overheard.

"We have to find this Mary! She could be Richard's soulmate! She must be one of your soulmate's sisters, now you have to speak with her, William! Now!"

Georgiana's urgency only mirrored my own fevered thoughts. But I could not in all decency walk up to the woman and demand that she show me her leg, as Richard had quipped about. I had to approach this with at least an ounce of decorum.

I steadied my breathing and knew it was time to meet my soulmate.

*Authors Note*

No fear friends another chapter is right behind this one. I knew if I posted another chapter without them actually meeting my life might be threatened. Ha!

So here's hoping you enjoy their meeting!

Below is me clearing up a question that was asked in the comments. It is not urgent, so go read the next chapter and then if you feel like it. Feel free to come back and read my answers.

I did want to clear up a question that was asked by a guest about the Soul Connections.

They asked how Stephen could see his soulmate's face and any other persons face that he saw while having his soul connection, but Darcy and Lizzy only can see shadows not facial features.

This is because they have different soul connections. Each soul connection is very different and follows its own rules. I guess I did not make this clear from the beginning, and I'll have to go back and see if I can help clarify it better.

For Kitty and Stephen their soul connection is seeing through the other persons eyes for five minutes. Exactly what the other person is seeing. So if they are staring at a wall, they will see a wall. That would be horribly sad, but that's what they would get to see. If they are looking at their selves in a mirror their soulmate will be able to see the other soulmate, facial features and all in the mirror.

But Darcy and Lizzy have shared dreams as one of their soul connections and in that soul connection you can not see anyone's facial features, they are covered in shadows, just the rest of their body.

Phew, not sure if that made it more confusing or cleared it up. But I tried, friends!

Ok I'm done, go read on to our favorite couple finally meeting! Yay!