Page 65 of Moments Frozen in Time (Pride and Prejudice Variation)

Elizabeth rose from her place behind the gentlemen and made her way towards Charlotte Lucas.

As she passed before Mr. Darcy, no one remarked on how near she drew to him, nor how their hands brushed—so lightly the touch could have been imagined.

No eyes caught the fleeting glance they shared, the silent forgive me shaped by his lips, or the small, almost imperceptible nod she offered in response.

Her expression softened, a trace of a smile appearing before she hastened her steps.

Arriving beside her friend, Charlotte was aghast at what she had overheard.

“Imagine, Eliza, that hateful Mr. Darcy finding you only ‘tolerable’ and being so bold as to state it openly to his friend. You and Jane are quite the loveliest ladies in Meryton. I cannot imagine anyone finding you lacking. I am astonished at such poor behaviour from a member of the ton , but I suppose I should not be, given what we read in the gossip columns.”

“Perhaps he is merely in an ill-humour, Charlotte. Just look at the ladies he is forced to be in company with. Two prouder peacocks I have never seen. Besides, have you seen how he is dressed and heard the rumours that began as soon as he entered the room? He is well above any of us in consequence and may simply prefer to be left alone. What do I care for his admiration?”

Charlotte looked at her friend closely. “Eliza, are you well? I have never seen you accept an insult with such little upset. I would have expected you to be very affronted by his unkind words. At the very least, I would think you be offended, rather than looking for a reason to excuse him.”

“I know who I am, Charlotte, and I am well aware that I cannot compare to the feathered peacocks of the ton . Do not forget, I spent months in London earlier this year and encountered many like the Bingleys. Though they are scarcely removed from the taint of trade, they carry themselves as though they were born to a much higher status. Mr. Darcy, by contrast, is a gentleman of significant wealth and standing in society. Despite that, he is here with Mr. Bingley and is here, as I understand it, to offer some assistance. The gentleman is of far greater consequence, yet despite his words, he is not as haughty as the ladies in his party.”

We paused to glance at the ladies across the room, who had made it clear during the introductions that they considered themselves above our company. Clad in gowns far too fine for a country assembly, they stood apart in a corner, speaking to no one but each other.

Glancing at Charlotte’s surprised expression, she added, “Perhaps I am assigning him more generous motives than he deserves, but for a scion of an earl to befriend the son of a tradesman—well, he cannot be entirely insufferable, can he?”

“Are you acquainted with the gentleman?” Charlotte asked, still clearly astonished.

Elizabeth felt her cheeks heat. “My aunt is from a village located near Mr. Darcy’s estate. I have heard much of his estate and family from her over the years.”

“Does she know him personally?”

“I do not believe so,” Elizabeth admitted reluctantly.

“But she has often heard him spoken of with great respect. Her letters from friends in the area are frequently filled with accounts of his generosity and good management. According to her, he is the finest master of an estate she has ever heard of. ”

“But she has never met him? A man can be kind to his tenants and servants and as disdainful as he appears to be tonight with those he considers beneath him,” Charlotte insisted.

“Truly, to say what he did about someone he does not know at all… well, I am all astonishment that I am more upset than you.”

“I am simply choosing not to be upset by his words, Charlotte. Would you rather I behave more like Lydia—to throw a tantrum and vow never to dance with him, should he ever condescend to ask?”

Laughing, Charlotte teased, “No, I cannot see you making a scene—but the vow? That does sound like you. You were always quick to judge others when their behaviour did not meet your ideal.”

Elizabeth gave a nonchalant shrug. “Then let us agree he is merely having a poor evening. You may forgive him on my behalf since I appear to have done so already.”

Charlotte’s eyes drifted towards Mr. Darcy and she watched him for several moments longer. “If he truly thinks so little of you, he hides it poorly. He has not stopped watching us since you crossed the room,” she said, her eyes on her friend as she sought to gain a reaction.

Smiling faintly, Elizabeth was careful to keep her tone light as she spoke again to her friend.

“Perhaps he is wondering if I will trip during the next dance. Some gentlemen find that sort of spectacle entertaining.” Elizabeth laughed again.

“Or perhaps I remind him of someone he once knew, or my hair is mussed in a way that he cannot take his eyes from it. Either way, I believe I should find some way to prevent my sisters from making fools of my entire family tonight and embarrassing themselves and my family in front of the newcomers.”

With that, Elizabeth crossed the room to where her sisters were loudly talking with the two youngest Lucas boys.

On most evenings, such behaviour might have been overlooked within the familiar circle of their friend Meryton, but with newcomers present, it was clear someone needed to intervene.

Ideally, their parents would take charge—yet Mrs. Bennet was far too absorbed in gossip with Lady Lucas, and Sir William merely chuckled at his younger children’s antics rather than correct them.

Charlotte followed close behind, and between them, they managed to restore a semblance of order by gently reminding the younger people of the distinguished company in attendance.

Still, Elizabeth could not help but wish—yet again—that her father would take his younger daughters more seriously, if only to prevent the embarrassment they risked causing in front of the Netherfield party, or worse, the lasting damage such behaviour might one day bring.

Fitzwilliam Darcy had danced only twice that evening, both times with his friend’s sisters.

Still, he was glad he had come to this assembly—if only because it meant he could watch Elizabeth without arousing suspicion from his friends or her neighbours.

She was just as beautiful as he remembered from that summer, and it stung more than he cared to admit that he could not speak to her freely, as he had done in London.

No one knew they were secretly engaged. In truth, no one knew of their acquaintance at all.

They had met by chance in Hyde Park earlier that spring, and with no one present to make the formal introductions, they had taken that step themselves.

Darcy had never in his life introduced himself to a lady, but something about her had intrigued him, so he had struck up a conversation.

From that brief encounter had grown a friendship unlike any he had ever known. Elizabeth was nothing like the ladies of the ton his aunt had once pressured him to partner with at balls. She had been the one to urge him to act when he voiced concern over the changing tone of Georgiana’s letters.

While others in his family dismissed his unease, Elizabeth had encouraged him to trust his instincts—and she had been right.

Because of her, he had gone to Ramsgate and discovered his sister in the company of that scoundrel George Wickham.

He had arrived in time to end the situation before any harm was done to Georgiana’s reputation, and he had promptly dismissed her companion for not only encouraging the courtship, but for urging Georgiana to keep it secret from him.

It was also through her—indirectly, of course—that Bingley had learned of the estate in Hertfordshire.

She had mentioned the manor in passing during one of their conversations, and Darcy had repeated it to Bingley without thinking much of it at the time.

And so, it was because of her that he was there at all.

The couple had met almost daily when she was in London that spring and into the summer months, often walking in the park near her uncle’s home, careful to avoid drawing attention.

But without any family connexion or mutual acquaintance to make their understanding known, it had been impossible to formalise anything.

Together, they had devised a plan. Bingley would lease Netherfield.

When he first arrive, Darcy would feign indifference—insult her, even—so that her mother would never suspect the truth.

In time, they would find a way to reveal their connexion more openly.

Elizabeth had also insisted on giving him an escape, warning him of her mother’s ways and promising she would not hold him to their understanding if Mrs. Bennet proved unbearable.

He knew she was terrified he would reject her because of her family. While he had reassured her that his Aunt Catherine was far worse than any family members she might produce, still, she told him he was free to break things off if her mother proved intolerable.

Regardless, he knew he would endure anything to be able to claim Elizabeth as his.

He would tolerate any number of embarrassing relatives.

Elizabeth did not know it, but once she returned to Meryton, he had made the acquaintance of her uncle.

He had done so under the guise of an investment and had been pleasantly surprised to discover Mr. Gardiner was an extremely genteel man.

They had even briefly discussed the man’s nieces at length, and Mr. Gardiner had praised Elizabeth to the skies .