Page 54

Elizabeth tensed as Wickham headed in her direction. She glanced back, relieved to find Georgiana facing away from her as she chatted with Miss King.

“Miss Lucas, Miss Elizabeth, I beg your forgiveness for interrupting your conversation,” Wickham said with a bow. “Miss Elizabeth, His Royal Highness would like the honor of the next dance if it is available.”

“Yes, of course he may.”

Thanking her on his behalf, he bowed again and headed straight back to the entourage that surrounded the man who one day would be King. All but the Regent stared in her direction. Charlotte did her best to help calm her friend’s nerves until the Regent came for her.

“Miss Bennet, I must say you are an accomplished dancer,” he stated a few minutes into the set after dispensing with some small talk of the weather.

“I’m sure you have danced with far superior than I do, Your Royal Highness.”

“While dancing, you can dispense with the title.”

“Of course, if you wish.”

“I do, Miss Bennet.”

“Then please call me Elizabeth.”

“I can see why Darcy is attracted to you.”

Puzzled by his remark, she asked why.

“Most are flattered by my request, but few are bold enough to return the courtesy. Although, I already knew from our introduction that you had some nerve about you. If I did not know, I would have taken you for a seasoned courtier.”

The dance separated them for a time.

“Now, where were we, ah yes, your dancing. One can tell much about a person by how they dance.”

“Really, and how is that?”

“Take Darcy over there looking on at us with such a stern visage. I am told that he rarely indulges in the art. Yet when I watched him dance with you, his performance was flawless. Having been taught by the finest masters that money can provide is apparent. Although he also displayed a lack of enjoyment.”

“I…”

“Ah ah, let me finish. When he danced with Miss Bingley. When the two of you danced, the change in his demeanor was apparent.”

“I admit that I have never had a better dance partner.”

“Ha, see what I mean, no wonder he is enthralled with you. Most would automatically say I was better.”

“You, I would put second place, but then my choice of partners around here is somewhat lacking.”

The Regent laughed heartily, garnering the attention of those in the dance and around the room who heard him. They danced silently for a while to let the attention they had received drift away.

“Now take Miss Bingley. A fine dancer, but that gaudy turban distracted me from the pleasure.”

“What a terrible thing to say.”

“Maybe, but true. It is a horrible trend at court. Brummell would tell her outright, as he does not care about hurt feelings. If I knew her better, I would suggest she wear something different, as it does her no justice. Such a pretty face, too. Shame.”

“Once again, I am astonished that you care so much about fashion.”

“It is not all politics and intrigue at court as you might think. Sadly gossip and fashion, for the most part. I am constantly tortured by talk of fashion. Politics is reserved for the card rooms.”

“It must be a hard life.”

“I endeavor to persevere for the good of my father’s subjects.”

“Miss Bingley knows the moves, yet her body does not flow with the music. It is as if she does not care nor enjoy it.”

“She has set her cap on Mr Darcy.”

“As has every eligible lady in town.”

“So he says.”

“It was the same with me. Only Darcy will have his choice.”

“Will he?”

“Even if you foolishly decline, the final choice will be his. An option I was not afforded. A tragedy of my birth.”

“You believe me a fool?”

He ignored the question.

“And the pastor, oh my,” he said with a shake of the head in disapproval. “Poor Miss Lucas.”

“Unfortunately, he is my cousin.”

“Then you have my pity. He knows the moves, or maybe half of them, but cannot execute them with any coordination. Even when he manages to be in step, he is clumsy and is stepping on the poor lady’s toes.”

She did not bother to look. She knew how inept he danced.

“He is on a mission to marry me.”

“Good god. Please do not tell me that is why you have rejected Darcy.”

“No, although he is under the instructions of his patroness to marry me to prevent my marriage to Mr Darcy.”

“Do tell, the story gets even more intriguing. Who is this patroness?”

“Mr Darcy’s aunt.”

“Ha, Catherine de Bourgh. Spouse of a minor noble but daughter of a powerful Earl made for a unique combination. At court, they called her the Gorgon. But you did not hear that from me,” he said with a light laugh and a grin. “Tell me all.”

“I had never heard of her until my cousin arrived. She and her estate are his favorite topic of conversation. She visited me this past Monday to convince me to give up all hope of marrying her nephew.”

“And did she,”

“I never wanted it in the first place.”

“But you have had a change of mind?”

“It is not a matter of changing my mind but of being forced into a marriage by my father.”

“Ah, so you are in love with another and wish to marry him? But your father seeks to take the more advantageous one.”

“Heavens, no, my cousin is the other option.”

“Please tell me you have another cousin, besides… that one” the Regent said apprehensively.

“No, he is the only one, at least that I know of,” she replied, glancing down the line at the gentleman. “It would also keep our estate in the family as it is entailed to him.”

“That would be tragic. Tragic indeed. I know from personal experience that marrying one’s cousin does not turn out well.”

“Have no fear on that account. Even if he were not as you see, I would not be inclined to marry as we have only just met.”

“More the reason not to marry him. I did not know my cousin, and we were completely and utterly unsuited. It was a disaster from the beginning.” He said and gave a shudder.

Elizabeth could not tell if the shudder was real or faked, but she blushed at his confession and did not know what to say. He took note of her reaction and said sternly.

“That settles it. I absolutely forbid you to marry him. I would not see you suffer the same fate I suffer.”

“You speak harshly of your…”

“Ah, ah, ah, do not say it. It pains my ears to hear her called such,” he said unashamedly. “While my marriage was beyond my control, yours is not.”

“I barely know Mr Darcy. We met a short time before my cousin appeared on our doorstep.”

“I do not believe I said more than a dozen words with my cousin before our vows were made. Have you said more than that?”

“Yes, of course, we have had many talks…”

“What did you discuss?”

“All kinds of things.”

“Did you enjoy these conversations?”

She bobbed her head. “Yes.”

“And what about him?”

“Yes, I believe he did,” she replied, bobbing her head again.

“There you go. You have some commonality, or you would not have enjoyed them, nor would he. From what I hear, he is not the most social of men.”

“Some would say arrogant.”

“Him, no. Trust me. I know many arrogant men, but he is not one. He is more like an odd swan in a pond of ducks.”

Elizabeth laughed, which made the Regent smile in return.

“I don’t know how he would take to you describing him that way,” she said with another laugh.

“It is not his fault. His life is a tragic case. Lost a couple of siblings before his mother’s untimely death at a formative age. His father was gone before he had time to enjoy life without burden. Then forced to take over a large estate with a much younger sister thrust into his care. A young brother would have been easier, as he would have understood more about the ways of growing up. The recent tragedies that have brought him to his present position have left him with another female in his care.”

“Do you have an issue with girls?”

“Good god no, I dote on my daughter. I don’t know what I would do if I lost her. My point, Elizabeth, is that for all his wealth, he has not had the leisurely lifestyle of his peers. His life has been a trial by harsh circumstances. Those who wish to see their daughters married to him are not interested in relieving the pressure he faces but in relieving the financial pressure in their own households. Pardon me for being so blunt, but you are a country nobody and turned him down.”

“Why do you advocate for him so?”

“For my own selfish reasons, of course. I need him focused when he takes his seat in Parliament. A steady woman at home is what every man needs. It makes them better men. Especially one with two girls, endowed with hefty dowries, on the cusp of coming out.”

“Your desires are as mercenary as anyone after him for his fortune.”

“Of course they are. With my father incapacitated, I have a kingdom to manage. The easiest way is to ensure the right people are in the right places. Darcy and his father refused to stand for the House of Commons, which they would have won handily. Now he is stuck, and I will take advantage of it.”

“What if he opposes one of your projects?”

“He is much like his uncle, so I do not fear too much on that part, at least on those that will make a difference for the betterment of all. He has already informed me that he will always do what he thinks best, even if it means opposing my wishes. One must accept the good with the bad as long as the good outweighs the bad.”

“I see where you are going with this.”

“Then what seems to be the problem? Is it not every young woman’s dream to find a handsome husband? Having a great fortune adds to the prize. And now, one with a title. He has become the most eligible bachelor in town or anywhere.”

“So I have been told,” she said drolly.

“Ah ha, I see what it is now. You do not love him.”

Elizabeth shook her head with downcast eyes.

“None?”

“Everything is moving so fast. I sometimes don’t know what to think.”

“Bah, love in marriage is overrated and exaggerated by these novels you women enjoy so much,” he declared.

“Maybe not in high society, but to a simple country girl like me with no desire other than happiness in life.”

“You are no common lady.”

“Lady Catherine de Bourgh would say differently, much worse.”

“Ha, Lady Catherine. Spouse of a minor noble but daughter of a powerful earl made for a unique combination. Plus, her rather imposing stature added to her overbearing personality. Which is why she received her moniker the Gorgon,” he said with a light laugh, then a grin. “So different from her sister,” he said softly.

“You told Georgiana you knew Lady Anne Darcy.”

“Yes, her coming out ball was highpoint of the season that year. Many a man thought to win her heart. I even fancied her myself for a time. Little did we know that George Darcy already had the advantage, having known her for years as his estate bordered theirs in Derbyshire. I believe the only person that did not enjoy that season was the Gorgon.”

Elizabeth could not help but let out a laugh. “And why is that?”

“She had already been out for several years by then. She could not stand that all the attention was on her little sister.”

“No suitors?”

“Plenty of them, but none to her satisfaction. Being the daughter of an earl, she wanted a duke… or a Prince.”

“You?” She asked wide-eyed.

He gave her a slight shrug and a sly look as a reply.

“What was the problem?”

“She did not have the beauty of her sister. She was awkward. She was… well, she was the Gorgon. She took more after her father and brother than mother and sister.”

“That is a horrible thing to say.”

“It’s the god’s truth. She was fair but not as beautiful as her sister, and the permanent sour look did not help her cause. She thought she could do better than those that were willing to marry her. It was a good thing the war with the colonials ended, and Baron de Bourgh came home. Otherwise, she might have been on the shelf.”

“Having only met briefly, I admit I did not care for her.”

“Then we shall leave it at that. There is another person in Darcy’s life that has recently come to my attention.”

“Oh?”

“Lieutenant Wickham.”

“I know very little of him as well.”

“The man is very tight-lipped. He would only say Darcy disapproved of his lifestyle. I imagine it has to be something more wicked than the debts Darcy bought.”

“I know they had a falling out.”

“There must be more. Darcy is not pleased that he is here. Very angry with me. I would not have brought him if I thought it would cause this much ire.”

“But you had to find out what caused the rift.”

“It is the nature of politics. One must look for any advantage you can find. Not to worry, as you see, I have him on a short leash.”

“It is not my concern,” she replied flatly.

His years at court had taught him how to read people. He would not say it was an outright lie, but she was not being honest, perhaps not even to herself.

“There, I think you are wrong, but we shall leave it at that.”