Page 19 of Aunt Felicity

I t was the end of the first set when all of the attendees of the assembly went quiet, and the musicians ended the music a few bars before the end of the piece.

Elizabeth, who had been dancing the first with Franklin Lucas, the eldest Lucas son, was amused at the deference paid to the five people who had entered. Her partner led her over to his sister, who was being furiously summoned by their mother.

“My mother is under the illusion that if Mr Bingley sees me before he meets Jane, I will catch his notice,” Charlotte shared. She sighed and made for her mother’s side.

Franklin then led Eliza over towards Mrs Bennet. The latter stopped as Sir William was introducing the newcomers to her mother. She had just taken note of a tall, dark-haired man, whose hair was wavy like her own, dressed in an immaculate form fitting jacket and breeches. He was by far the most handsome man she had ever seen. His handsomeness was spoiled by the look, which said he did not want to be among those so far beneath him.

She was near enough to hear Sir William make the introductions to the two men; the others in the party had moved on already before she could hear their names or see them properly. The Adonis was a Mr Darcy of Pemberley in Derbyshire. She saw the instant that the shorter man with strawberry blond hair, Mr Bingley, caught sight of Jane. His eyebrows disappeared into his hairline, and as soon as he regained the power of speech, he solicited Jane for the next open set.

Thankfully it was not one of the two sets that all young ladies, save Lydia, sat out thanks to the dearth of men due to the little tyrant’s war of aggression. Elizabeth watched the impending carriage wreck as her mother pushed Lydia forward and asked Mr Darcy if he danced. ‘ No Mama, no ! ’ Elizabeth screamed in her head.

“Certainly not with a child, and not if I can help it,” William replied frostily.

While he had been forced to meet the vulgar matron and then to have a child who should not be out of the schoolroom pushed at him (one who should never have been allowed out of her house dressed like a lightskirt), Miss Bingley was angling to grab his arm. He turned and gave her a look of warning and strode away.

“Well, I never! What a rude, disagreeable man. To call my Lydia a child and refuse to stand up with her!” Fanny bemoaned loudly.

Although Elizabeth could not disagree with Mr Darcy’s assessment of her mother and Lydia, there had been no need to be so rude when he was the visitor in the area. She joined Jane, who was chatting affably with Mr Bingley; her sister made the introduction. He solicited her for the set after Miss Bennet. As it was the one before the first dance she would sit out, she accepted and thanked him.

Just then a lady in a terrible burnt orange outfit, dripping with jewels and feathers in the same ridiculous colour caught Elizabeth’s eye. “Jane, do you know who that lady dressed like a court jester is?” she enquired.

Jane looked terribly embarrassed, and she saw that Mr Bingley’s cheeks had turned a deep red.

“That, I am loathe to admit, is my younger sister, Miss Caroline Bingley. She is slightly overdressed for a country assembly,” Bingley stated.

“I am so sorry, Mr Bingley, I need to learn to guard my tongue better,” Elizabeth stated contritely. “It was not for me to judge her in that fashion.” She could see Jane was happy with her apology.

Across the hall, the subject of Elizabeth’s derision was accosting her sister and brother-in-law. “Mr Darcy has not solicited a single set from me,” Miss Bingley complained. “I do not even know where he is. After that vulgar woman spoke to him, I am sure he has summoned the coach and returned to the estate.”

“I am to dance the next set with him,” Mrs Hurst related. “He told me it is the only set he intends to dance.”

“That is unacceptable! If I had been the hostess…” Miss Bingley launched into another diatribe about her favourite subject of late. She stopped when her sister placed a hand on her arm.

“Caroline, do you really want everyone in this room to hear your complaints? Do you think airing your grievances in public will impress Mr Darcy?” Mrs Hurst asked.

Miss Bingley closed her mouth with a clack. The last thing she wanted was for Mr Darcy to think she was not refined. She was sure Louisa misheard; he would ask her for at least one set. If only she knew where he was, he would be able to make his request of her.

Darcy was doing his best to hide himself behind a very large potted plant. He would dance the next set, and no matter what, he would not dance another. He must be truly tired from his travels because he could have sworn that he had seen a woman who looked eerily like Aunt Felicity, only younger. He was sure there was no one in this corner of the realm related to his aunt. He tried to search his memories for where it was his aunt had spent her childhood, but he either never knew or he had forgotten. The only memory he had from more than twenty years past was of Aunt Beth, his aunt’s mother.

From what William remembered, his aunt looked like a younger version of her mother. He convinced himself that it was his mind playing tricks on him. Similar coloured hair and stature did not mean this woman looked like his noble aunt. He did not remember where his aunt was from or what her maiden name was, but of one thing he was certain, she had no relatives in this little hamlet. If anyone here was connected to Aunt Felicity and through her to himself, he was positive that, as Miss Caroline Bingley would have done, they would have been proclaiming the connection from the rooftops. William shuddered when he thought what it would be like to be related to the vulgar woman who had tried to push him into dancing with her child.

His ruminations ended when the set ended. It was time to do his duty and dance with Mrs Hurst. As the lady was standing next to the harpy, and as distasteful as it was to be near her, there was no choice in order for him to collect Mrs Hurst for their set.

Seeing Mr Darcy approach her, Miss Bingley assumed he was coming to request one or more sets of her. She put her best coquettish smile on her face and batted her eyelids at him furiously. When he got closer, she considered taking his arm, but she held herself back. The last thing she wanted was to anger the man again.

“Miss Bingley, what ails you?” William asked with a serious mien. He was fully aware of what the shrew was doing, but the last thing he wanted was for her to think he felt any attraction to her whatsoever. “You seem to have some dust in your eyes.”

Caroline’s mouth fell open. How could he think there was aught wrong with her eyes? In her opinion, it was one of her best attributes. Before she could formulate a reply, Mr Darcy had offered his arm to Louisa and led her to the forming line. He had not asked her to dance, and worse, he had denigrated her eyes!

William led Mrs Hurst to the line of dancers at the other end to where Bingley and his dark-haired partner were standing. He could not really see her and did not want to be caught staring at any women lest he be accused of raising expectations he had no intention of fulfilling. At least this lady was not another one of Bingley’s angels like the golden-blonde-haired, willowy, blue-eyed lady he had partnered with during the previous set. One angel at a time was more than enough.

During the two dances of the set, William did not see very much of Bingley and the lady with whom he was dancing. Truth be told, he had his mask in place and other than his partner, he was steadfastly not looking at any other ladies. One thing that surprised him was how many ladies sat out for each set. He decided it was not something for him to consider.

As the shrew watched her Mr Darcy squire her sister for the dances, Caroline Bingley’s anger built. She ignored Mr Darcy’s admonition about his income as soon as she heard some vulgar matron speaking of how rude and disagreeable Mr Darcy was.

“As he is the nephew of an earl and the estate he will inherit has ten thousand pounds per annum, there is little wonder he has no interest in those so far below us,” Miss Bingley, nose raised high in the air, stated nastily.

The particular matron and those around her all had open mouths. Miss Bingley flounced away before anyone could react.

“What pride and pretension that Miss Bingley has. No matter how high she thinks she is, she is below all of us,” Lady Lucas insisted. “My William tells me her late father was a tradesman. The Bingleys may be wealthy, but their money all comes from trade.”

“I care not how wealthy that Mr Darcy is, he is rude and disagreeable. I will never forgive him for insulting my lively Lydia,” Fanny declared.

None of her friends pointed out to Fanny that as far as her youngest daughter was concerned, Mr Darcy had been absolutely correct. Lydia Bennet was a spoilt, brash girl. They agreed with the widely held view that Lydia would ruin herself and her sisters one day.

When the set was over, William led Mrs Hurst back from where he had collected her. Thankfully, her sister was no longer there, but equally unfortunately it seemed she had spoken of what she believed his father’s income was because he could hear whispers of ‘ten thousand, as good as a lord, and nephew of an earl’ coming at him from all sides. His not very good mood at having to attend the ball worsened significantly.

He bowed to Mrs Hurst before her sister returned and took up his station behind the large potted plant again. Two sets later he was still in the same attitude and watched as the lady who bore a passing resemblance with Aunt Felicity took a seat close to him. At the same time, he saw Bingley lead his angel out to the floor for a second time. ‘ What are you about, Bingley ?’ William thought. ‘ Do you not know that a second dance is a declaration of interest? ’ Bingley was ascending to the ranks of the gentry and obviously did not know all the rules yet. The dance had just begun, so there was no good way to separate Bingley from the arguably prettiest woman in the room. Seeing his friend flout the rules of propriety in that way only added to William’s pique.

“Miss Bennet, will you excuse me while I speak to my friend during the five-minute break before the next dance?” Bingley requested at the end of the first dance.

“Of course I will, Mr Bingley. You will find me right here,” Jane blushed.

Bingley made his way over to where Darcy was standing, doing his best to blend in with the plant in the large white pot. He stood before his friend, “Come, Darce, I must have you dance. I hate to see you standing about by yourself in this stupid manner. The next set will begin in under three minutes. You had much better dance.”

“I certainly shall not. You know how I detest it, unless I am particularly acquainted with my partner. At an assembly such as this it would be insupportable. I have danced with Mrs Hurst, and you know I will not stand up with Miss Bingley. Hence, there is not another woman in the room with whom it would not be a punishment for me to dance.”

“I would not be so fastidious as you are for a kingdom!” cried Bingley. “Upon my honour, I never met with so many pleasant girls in my life as I have this evening; and there are several of them you see who are uncommonly pretty.”

“ You are dancing with the only handsome girl in the room,” said Mr. Darcy, looking at the eldest Miss Bennet.

Thanks to neither man lowering his voice and the proximity to her, Elizabeth was able to hear the conversation between them clearly, without meaning to. At least Mr Darcy recognised Jane’s beauty, as by his next statement, did Mr Bingley.

“Oh! She is the most beautiful creature I ever beheld! But there is one of her sisters who I stood up with, sitting down just behind you, who is also very pretty, very agreeable, and a very good dancer as well. Do let me introduce you to her,” Bingley requested.

Elizabeth was not against dancing with the handsome man until he opened his mouth to respond.

“Which do you mean?” He turned towards the one who he had convinced himself bore only a slight resemblance to Aunt Felicity. His quick assessment of her never revealed the colour of her eyes. It was no more than a moment that he took time to look at the lady, and not catching her eye, he faced Bingley once again and coldly said, “She is tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me ; I am in no humour at present to give consequence to young ladies who are slighted by other men. You had better return to your partner and enjoy her smiles, for you are wasting your time with me.”

With the limited time before the second dance of the set began, Bingley shook his head and returned to his angel.

Elizabeth stood, turning her back on the man who had just slighted her and made her way to where Charlotte was sitting out the same set. As she walked, she was sure this was the same man who had deemed her the daughter of a tenant those months ago. That memory added to her anger at the insufferably rude man. She maintained her outward features, but inside Elizabeth had been cut to the quick. The man had only said what her Mama had related about her looks many times in comparison to Janie. For whatever reason when her mother denigrated her looks, it hurt, but nothing like this. Why should she care about what some stranger, who had no consequence in the neighbourhood, said about her?

She sat next to Charlotte and in sotto voce, related Mr Darcy’s denigration of her looks to her best friend. To maintain her equanimity Elizabeth turned the retelling of his insults into a joke.

William was aware that his words had been insulting, but he would never have uttered them had Bingley not chosen to importune him to dance with one with whom he was not familiar. Surely, after so many years, Bingley knew he would not dance with one unknown to him. He heard Richard’s voice in his head: ‘ You did not need to insult an unknown woman to have Bingley leave you be. You allow your damned improper pride to make you think you are above the rules of propriety. William, you need to apologise !’

That he would not do. The heir to Pemberley, Darcy House, and seven satellite estates, not to mention the Darcy fortune, would not lower himself to apologise to a country miss who was so far below the son of the late Lady Anne Darcy, daughter of an earl, not to mention he was the grandson of the late Lord Dryden Fitzwilliam, and nephew to the current earl. Lowering himself in that way would be insupportable.

It was then he saw her sitting next to the Knight’s eldest daughter, Miss Lucas, and pointing at him. How dare she laugh at him! If she was so rude as to eavesdrop, then she deserved to feel the full force of his insult of her person. William conveniently ignored the fact he had not lowered his voice and neither had he and Bingley moved away from where the lady was seated, or for that matter, where others were as well.

William then noted that the dark-haired one, upon whom he was now looking, was in fact, not unfortunate looking. Truth be told, she was in fact rather handsome, more than enough to tempt him. Even recognising his error would not make him lower himself and apologise.

Being a man who prided himself on absolute honesty, he would write to Richard in the next day or two. Even though he knew Richard would not support his position, he was hoping for some form of absolution.

“Darcy, how could you?” Bingley accosted his friend after he had returned Miss Bennet to her sister and friend. “Miss Elizabeth Bennet, Miss Bennet’s younger sister, was not being slighted by any man other than you. You do know there is a little war on the continent, do you not?”

“Of course I do! What of it?” William responded haughtily.

“Miss Bennet, who is an absolute angel, explained that due to so many young men in the area serving, there is a large imbalance in the numbers of females to males. To make sure any of the ladies who wish to dance, have a chance to do so, each lady sits out two sets. The Miss Bennets are very popular, and if they did not do so by choice, they would dance every set,” Bingley explained censoriously.

William was taken aback; it was the first time Bingley had taken him to task. It seemed his friend was growing a backbone. The knowledge did not change anything for him. He had succeeded in having Bingley leave him be, and he was too far above this Miss Elizabeth Bennet to humiliate himself before her.

~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~

Fanny Bennet was torn. The rude man had not said anything about Lizzy’s looks she had not said herself many times. However, it was her right as the wilful girl’s mother to do so, while the disagreeable man had no reason to insult her daughters. Added to what he said to Lydia, this was just too much.

Had he not been Mr Bingley’s good friend, she would have delivered one of her pointed setdowns. As angry as she was, she would restrain herself until Jane was safely proposed to by Mr Bingley.

She had danced two sets with the man, the only lady so distinguished, just as she knew it would be. For Jane to be distinguished in such a fashion was a clear indication of his interest in her. Fanny was certain it was only a matter of time before Mr Bingley offered for Jane. Of course, she would do what she could to help the process along.

Another one who had noted that her brother had done such a foolish thing by dancing a second set with a country nobody, regardless of how pretty he thought her, was Caroline Bingley. She did not look upon the lady with a friendly eye.

She had decided he would marry Miss Darcy, even if she was only sixteen and not out yet. That match would inevitably lead to one between her and Mr Darcy, so she would not countenance some country girl interfering with her plans. To that end, she would have to find out as much negative information about the Bennets in general, and Miss Jane Bennet specifically, as possible.

She would know how to act.

For the rest of the assembly, Miss Bingley attempted to gain confidences regarding the Bennets from ladies at the ball. She could not understand why none of them were interested in speaking to one so far above them. She would have her maid tasked with discovering what she needed to know. If Dabney knew what was good for her, she would not fail.

By the time the ball ended, Miss Bingley was too busy making plans to discredit the Bennets to contemplate why her Mr Darcy had not requested a single set from her.

In the Bennet carriage, Jane, who had heard what Mr Darcy had said of her favourite sister, was concerned by the way her normally gregarious sister had withdrawn into herself. She would speak to Lizzy about it when they were together in their shared bedchamber. She was convinced there was a more positive interpretation to Mr Darcy’s admittedly unkind words.

If anyone knew how to cheer Lizzy, it was Jane.