Mary’s eyes narrowed as she glared at her sister.
“You know, do you not,” Jane said, “that we love you dearly and believe you are capable of doing whatever you wish to do? Indeed, of all of us, you are the most determined to see a plan accomplished even when the task seems doomed to fail.”
“You see things too sweetly,” Mary retorted but then smiled. “And now, since your gentlemen are here, we must change the subject – which troubles me not a jot.”
She was correct. There at the door were Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley following their father into the room.
“Mrs. Bennet,” Mr. Bennet said, “it is with great pleasure that I am able to present two possible future sons to you, but nothing has been determined completely other than I am agreeable to calling them sons. The truth of the matter lies with our daughters.”
“Oh, well, none of my daughters is so foolish as to refuse gentlemen such as yourselves.” She offered her hand first to Mr. Bingley and then to Mr. Darcy before turning to her eldest daughters. “You are not so foolish, are you?” She looked pointedly at Elizabeth.
“I am not, Mama,” she assured her.
“That is excellent to know. Now, Lizzy and Jane have mentioned that your cousin and sister will be joining us for Mr. Bingley’s ball.”
“Yes, they will be,” Mr. Darcy replied. “I may even allow Georgiana to attend, though she will only be allowed to dance with me and the colonel – my cousin.”
“It will be so good to have another gentleman to add to our numbers,” their mother said.
“We do seem to have more ladies than gentlemen in Hertfordshire – but then, I am certain Mr. Bingley has done his best to invite an equal number of each to his ball so that none are left standing unless they wish it.”
Elizabeth sighed. It was as if whatever thought popped into their mother’s head had to come out of her mouth.
“Oh, I have not counted,” Mr. Bingley said, “but I am sure my sisters will see to it that we are not too lopsided in either direction.”
Mrs. Bennet returned to her seat. “I am relieved to hear it.” She straightened her skirts as Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy took places next to Jane and Elizabeth. “Now, I am certain it is too forward by half, but tell me, is your cousin the colonel married?”
“No, he is not.”
“And is he attached to any lady in particular? As I said, we are sadly wanting in gentlemen in Hertfordshire.”
Elizabeth groaned silently. That was too forward by more than half!
Darcy shook his head. “No, he is not married. In his words, he is married to his profession.”
“And will he keep his profession for his whole life?”
“I do not know, but I would assume he will retire at some point to take up his estate.”
“Oh! Is it a large estate?”
Elizabeth clamped her teeth firmly together to keep her tongue from being free to speak.
“Not overly so. I would say it is about the size of Longbourn or perhaps just a bit smaller.”
“Does it provide a good living?”
“It would not be allowed to provide a poor one,” Mr. Darcy answered. “My uncle is a man of action and expects a return on all that he does.”
“Do you mean your uncle the earl?”
As if her mother did not know that, and Elizabeth’s tongue would not remain silent any longer. “Yes, Mama. Colonel Fitzwilliam is Lord Matlock’s second son.”
“And if he is unattached with a good income in his future, there must only be one more thing to know about the good colonel,” Mr. Bennet said with a laugh.
Not her father, too! Was all her family determined to make Mr. Darcy question his decision to court her?
“He is not so handsome as Darcy, nor as tall, but he is not wanting overly much in either area,” Bingley said with a grin. “So which of you will be wanting to dance with the colonel first?” He swept the room with a look.
“Why, Miss Darcy, of course!” Lydia cried.
“If she is only allowed to dance with her brother and cousin, and since her brother will be dancing with Lizzy first, it only stands to reason that she will stand up with her cousin.” She turned to Mr. Darcy.
“If it is acceptable to you, Kitty and I would be happy to stand up with her. I am certain I can disappoint at least one gentleman for your sister’s sake. ”
“That is very kind of you, Miss Lydia. I will ask her if she would like that and inform you of her answer.”
Lydia scooted back in her chair and looked exceptionally pleased with herself.
“And after the colonel has danced with Miss Darcy, who will be next?”
“Bingley,” Mr. Darcy grumbled.
“Oh, Lizzy, of course,” Lydia answered once again. “She may be his cousin eventually.”
“And so will you be,” Mr. Bingley countered.
Lydia sighed. “Is he dreadfully old?” she asked in a whisper.
“Lydia!” Elizabeth chided as she felt her cheeks grow warm at her sister’s impropriety. “He is only a year older than Mr. Darcy.” Her youngest sister did not look delighted by this news.
“Then, I suppose I shall take a turn dancing with him after Lizzy, Jane, Mary, and Kitty have. It seems only proper that my older sisters dance first.”
In other words, the poor colonel had already been relegated to the too old for a lady such as Lydia list. Her youngest sister had some very particular qualifications for desirable dance partners, and being older, rather than younger put a fellow towards the bottom of her list. She dared to peek at Mr. Darcy, whose attention was fully on Lydia.
“I will inform him that he may dance with whomever he wishes to dance with before asking you, Miss Lydia, but I will tell you that he is an excellent partner, even if he is on the older side of things.” He smiled softly as he spoke, and Elizabeth’s heart grew a little more attached to him as he did.