Page 87 of Obligation and Redemption

IMMEDIATELY AFTER SUPPER, Darcy approached Elizabeth and requested that she dance the following set with him.

“Oh, no. I find that I do not wish to dance, so this time you may scorn me.” She held his gaze without so much as a flinch.

They stared at one another for what seemed like an eternity but was in fact no more than half a minute.

“Elizabeth, please allow me to explain what happened before supper that led to the unfortunate seating arrangement.” She smiled sweetly.

He took that as license to continue. “I did not realise the dance with Lady Annette was the supper set.” Indeed I had not planned on dancing with Lady Annette at all.

“When supper was called, she took my arm and guided me to the dining-parlour. I had no honourable choice but to offer her a seat. I intended on your sitting to my right and had tilted the chair to save it for you, but then Langston showed up, and I could not deny him the seat. Your absence continued, so I supposed that you had found another arrangement. I should have left with you, but I had the distinct feeling that you would not welcome me. Please, I was wrong and ask that you forgive my slight at your expense.”

Elizabeth then did what he had least expected: she laughed in unfeigned drollery. “Mr. Darcy, you look so contrite. I don’t believe I have ever seen you grovel before. I say – I believe your neglect may have been worth hearing the apology.”

“Does that mean you forgive me?”

“Oh, no, I cannot absolve you so easily. You must atone for your sins by being extra solicitous to my comfort the rest of the evening, then perhaps I may find it in myself to forgive you.” His brows knit together as he attempted to determine her implication and realised yet again that she was teasing.

“I could study your facial expressions for years and never tire of the endeavour,” she said while smiling.

Elizabeth remained unsettled by the events of the evening.

Her first ball in the company of her husband’s friends left her more homesick than she had yet felt.

She longed for the comfort of her father’s presence, of Jane’s kind words, and even her mother’s embarrassing remarks, but Mr. Darcy was her husband, and she had to accept the good and the bad, no matter the balance.

She would remain strong and not give in to pain or petty jealousies.

Elizabeth continued to refuse to dance with Darcy until the final set.

She did, however, leave him many times as she joined other men on the dance floor.

Elizabeth was determined not to let her disquiet affect her or let Mr. Darcy see how she had been hurt by so many, including himself, during the course of the evening.

DARCY’S EXPERIENCES DURING THE BALL were quite different than his wife’s.

Throughout the first half of the evening, Darcy could think of little else than Elizabeth’s pleasing form, sparkling eyes, and ready wit.

Whenever they encountered one another, she either challenged or ridiculed him.

This had become a pattern for the couple.

Darcy had never in his life been around a person with so little respect and ambition for his position and wealth.

He had always been well liked, or rather well received, based on his fortune and position in society.

His estate had forever been his trump card when considering securing a woman’s affections, but Elizabeth had asked him very little about his home, except in the context of specifics pertaining to the walking paths or gardens.

He still could not trust her integrity in relation to their scandal, for he had no proof to the contrary, but she seemed so little impressed with him that he knew she was not just playing him for favours.

Elizabeth did not even show reverence for his relations, as he would expect from someone trying to vie for a place in society.

Darcy found himself desiring for the very thing that had annoyed him with other women.

He wanted her attentions and approbation.

He saw how she expressed her delight in the presence of other men and wanted the same for himself.

Darcy was wondering how he had missed her allurements in the past. Elizabeth truly was a striking beauty, and the very thought of her made him want to take her home and ravish her.

Lady Annette had approached Darcy before supper while he was in deep thought about this present discovery of his wife’s many attractions.

Elizabeth was at the time on the dance floor with Langston, another in her long line of dance partners, when he was woken up from his reverie by a familiar, feminine voice.

“Darcy, did you lose something, or perhaps someone?” He then turned to her and bowed, somewhat flustered, which could only be perceived by his heightened colour, and he wondered if she or anyone else could have read his on-going libidinous thoughts about his wife.

As it happened, the woman before him had noticed his impassioned visage and vainly misconstrued his musings to be about herself.

“Lady Annette, what a pleasure seeing you again. I was just thinking about… well about the ball. My aunt and uncle have gone to a great deal of trouble to acknowledge my wife.” He looked away, clearly discomposed at the unexpected arrival of his former love interest.

“Yes, it would appear they have.” Lady Annette took Darcy’s discomposure as a reliable sign of his continued regard for herself, which could not change their current circumstances but gave her satisfaction nonetheless.

In little more than a whisper he said, “Lady Annette, I know not what your brother told you. I did visit him after my engagement, but before the wedding, to apologise for any injury I may have caused you and your family through my marriage. You must know that I had to do my duty. I know we had no formal understanding, you and I, but I also comprehend how my attentions were perceived, and indeed justly so.”

“My brother told me your tale; however, the way I see it, you must have wanted something much more than my substantial …

dowry to induce you to marry a country nobody.

You said that nothing happened between the two of you, but I cannot believe that to be so, or why else would you have married the woman?

Obviously, she took advantage of you or perhaps you took advantage of her; maybe both of you were at fault, but the truth is that you wanted to marry her more than you wanted to honour our unspoken agreement. “

“I understand why you might see things that way. Indeed, if I were in your shoes, I may have felt the same, but I can assure you that I in no way did anything of my own volition to compromise Elizabeth’s reputation. Nor did I seek to cause you embarrassment or pain.”

“Can you say the same about her?”

“I have to accept that I am now honour-bound to think the best of her regardless of where the evidence points.”

She smiled. “I thought so much. Well now you must suffer with a wife who only respects you for what you can give her, and I am certain that you can give her quite a lot .”

Darcy wondered at her meaning. Did Lady Annette just refer to his money and connections or was she perhaps thinking of something altogether different?

Her suggestive, cursory survey of him left him in doubt.

It was just at this moment when Elizabeth walked up with Langston.

He could tell that Elizabeth was in distress and only supposed it to have been related to the fact that he was in close conference with a beautiful and elegant female of unknown alliance.

But before he could ease Elizabeth’s mind and make his retreat, Lady Annette suggested that they were pledged to dance.

He had a mind to refuse but knew this would cause more conjecture than was wise to allow, so he accepted his fate and danced with his former interest.

Where Elizabeth had then gone, he did not know.

Upon finding that he had unknowingly agreed to dance with Lady Annette during the supper set, he was determined to make his escape and then find his wife to share the meal.

He had seen very little of her and wanted to resolve whatever concerns had come between them.

However, Lady Annette had taken his arm and was not to let him go.

Darcy was trying to be conciliatory; he was the one who had caused Lady Annette’s grief, but he also knew how her presence with him must look to his wife and his acquaintances.

The meal would progress slowly and with discomfort, but nothing else could be done.

When his wife finally arrived at the table, panic took hold. How could he make this right for Elizabeth without offending Lady Annette? Elizabeth demonstrated her true worth when she boldly proclaimed that she would sit with another and schooled her countenance to hide her bitterness.

After Elizabeth had left, Lady Annette giggled.

“Your wife is a strange one, Darcy. She seems perfectly content to let you dine with another, more beautiful woman, while she sits with a lowly companion! Either she does not care a whit about you, or she blindly trusts you. Or maybe she does not know that you and I had an understanding of sorts before she came along. Which can it be? You did tell her about us did you not?”

Darcy heard Langston snigger next to him and then said in a clipped tone, “On the contrary, I have no need to tell her about past interests that came to nothing. She would be correct in assuming that she can trust me. I have always behaved with honour concerning her and any other woman of my acquaintance. As to her feelings towards me, that I cannot judge. Perhaps you should ask her yourself.”