Chapter 16

When George Wickham entered the assembly hall, about half way through the ball, he spied Miss Mary standing with her two older sisters who were speaking to Hadlock and Darcy. He assumed Darcy had finally met the young lady he had been trounced by in chess for some years now.

He did not miss the woman in a garish orange outfit glaring at the group. She looked as if she had planned to go to the royal court, not a country assembly. Darcy saw him and was about to greet him but Wickham shook his head and placed a finger over his lips to indicate his friend should say nothing. He stopped behind Miss Mary.

“Miss Mary, do you have a set open for me?” George requested.

Those speaking to the two Bennet sisters did not miss how Miss Mary’s countenance lit up when she heard Wickham’s voice. She spun around. “Georg…Mr. Wickham, Aunt Hattie told us you would not attend due to your work.”

“All is completed, However, if you would prefer that I return to the office…” George teased.

“No, I am happy you have completed your work so you are able to join us here,” Mary blushed. She recovered her equanimity within seconds. “I understand you are familiar with Lord Hadlock and Mr. Darcy.”

“You were informed correctly,” George confirmed. “Hadlock, William.” He inclined his head to his friends. “I see Fitzwilliam is with Miss Bennet and the other man. Is that not your friend Bingley?”

“It is,” William indicated. He still was not sure Miss Bennet was appropriate for his cousin, but as he could see no fault in the behaviour of any of the members of the Bennet family at the assembly coupled with the fact Richard would not take kindly to any unsolicited advice, William had decided he would keep out of the way and accept whatever choice his cousin happened to make.

Wickham inclined his head towards the Hursts and Miss Bingley, asking, “Who is the lady with that couple over there who appears to wish to command more heat than the flaming sword of Michael towards you? With the fierce glare she is sending this way, I assume, had she possession of that sword, she would not hesitate to use it.”

“Yes, indeed. What have we done to earn the apparent ire of Miss Bingley?” Elizabeth enquired.

“We are speaking to you and not her, and Richard partnered you earlier, as did William here, and I will when the next set is called,” Jamey related. “She suffers from a delusion that one of us will offer for her.”

“Were there not two more gentlemen in your party?” Elizabeth enquired.

“There were, my younger brother and our cousin,” Jamey revealed. “They suspected a fever coming on so they returned to Netherfield Park.” He hated prevaricating, but it was for a good reason. “Miss Elizabeth, do you know that among others, Richard and I were at the inn the day you were born.”

“You are from the families of the ladies who bore children that night?” Elizabeth’s eyebrows shot up. She had not realised the connection to her birth. “Did the two who share a birthday with me not join you?”

“Yes, they are here and in fact are the two who felt the need to retire for the night,” Jamey reported. The more he spoke to Miss Elizabeth, the more similarities he saw between her and his aunts, and to a lesser degree, his mother. He began to get a sinking feeling there may have been a mix-up the night the three were born.

But even if Miss Elizabeth looked like the portrait of his Aunts Elaine and Rose taken just after they married his uncles, it did not mean there had been a switch. There also was the fact, he reminded himself, she looked nothing like her mother nor her older or younger sister. It would be interesting to meet Mr. Bennet and the rest of the family to see if she resembled one of them. Besides, it could not be that either Philip or Saul were switched for Miss Elizabeth. Was it not told they looked like late Grandfather Saul, and they looked a lot like each other, as one would expect when sons are born to sisters? His contemplations were broken when William addressed Miss Mary.

“Miss Mary, we were to dance this next set, but I will bow out and ask for another to allow my friend here to squire you for these dances if you so choose,” William offered.

“If you are sure, thank you Mr. Darcy that is kind to your friend,” Mary smiled widely.

The lines for the next dance were forming and everyone in the group, save William joined the line. Judging that Miss Bingley was about to approach him, William used his long strides to disappear in the opposite direction.

Caroline Bingley was doing all she could to control her fury. The men who were supposed to be paying her attention had danced with many ladies, but not her. Louisa had danced with all three, but none of them had come close to approaching her for a set. She had wanted to attach herself to Mr. Darcy but she could no longer see him.

She stamped her foot in frustration, but all that did was hurt her foot and increase her pique. “Louisa, I want to return to the estate, we should all leave now,” Miss Bingley demanded.

“Caroline, no one else will depart because that is what you desire, not even Charles,” Mrs. Hurst averred. “He is dancing with Miss Bennet and you know how he gets when he finds a lady who looks like her. If you like, Harold will call for the Bingley coach and you may leave.”

“I will not allow him to attach himself to one as low as Miss Bennet. She can do nothing to elevate us in society,” Miss Bingley decided.

Mrs. Hurst was about to say her brother was his own man, but she knew the fallacy of those unspoken words. Rather she said, “That sister dear, is not for you to decide. Do not forget as she is the daughter of a gentleman she is above the son and daughter of a tradesman.”

“Louisa, do not mention our roots!” Miss Bingley hissed angrily.

Knowing nothing good would come of this particular argument in a public setting, Mrs. Hurst ignored her sister’s comment. “Are you remaining or not?” she asked.

Miss Bingley was aware if she launched into a tantrum, her family would leave with her, but as the men had come in their own coach, there was no guarantee they would as well, and even worse, she may sink in their opinions.

“I will remain and give our guests time to be honoured by a set with me,” Miss Bingley stated imperiously.

“Lulu, have you seen Lord Rhys-Davies or Mr. Carrington of late?” Hurst enquired.

“Briefly, shortly after we arrived, but not since then. I wonder where they are,” Mrs. Hurst responded.

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

“Saul and Philip!” Georgiana exclaimed, “why have you returned from the assembly?”

“For some reason many were staring at us, and you know how we dislike being the centre of attention,” Philip replied for both.

“We have sent the Darcy coach back to Meryton so our brothers, your brother, and Richard will be able to return without having to share a carriage with a certain lady,” Saul elucidated.

“It would greatly disturb my equanimity if I was the focus of attention in that way,” Georgiana stated empathetically. “William also intensely dislikes the attentions of those he is not familiar with, or even too much from those withwhom he is acquainted.” She paused. “At least, you did not have to ask Miss Bingley to dance.” Georgiana promptly covered her mouth to hide her smile.

“Yes, that is a positive. We do have an advantage, as in her mind we are schoolboys who are mere second sons, so she ignores us,” Saul acknowledged.

“We wanted to notify you we had come back, but Saul and I will retire to the library, such as it is, until our brothers and the rest return,” Philip stated.

“You two enjoy reading as much as Papa and William do,” Georgiana observed.

The cousins owned the truth of her statement before making their way to the aforementioned, meagrely stocked library.

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

William found himself doing something he had never done before, requesting a second set of a woman who was not a member of his family. In fact, he had never asked that of a family member before either.

He rationalised his action by telling himself it was because she was the one who he had played chess against for many years, which made them close friends. For some reason all of his objections to anyone named Bennet had deserted him. To his delight, Miss Elizabeth awarded him her final set.

Richard saw Bingley heading towards Miss Bennet to request a second set so he sped up and arrived in front of her before Bingley did. “Miss Bennet, do I ask too much if I request your final set?” Richard proposed just before Bingley reached Miss Bennet.

Jane was greatly confused by Mr. Fitzwilliam’s attentions to her. Contrary to her beliefs, he was not behaving like a man who had no interest in her. Until she saw Mr. Bingley approaching for what she guessed would be a request for a second set, she had been inclined to refuse Mr. Fitzwilliam. However, after her dance with Mr. Bingley where the only thing he brought to the conversation was a stream of comments centred on her looks, as if that was the sum of who she was, she changed her mind. Mr. Fitzwilliam on the other hand, like he had the night they had met at his mother’s ball, treated her like an intelligent being, and did not concentrate on her superficial outward fa?ade.

“Yes, thank you Mr. Fitzwilliam, I will award you my final set I have open, which is the last one of the night,” Jane replied as Mr. Bingley reached them.

She did not miss the look on his face. It was one she had seen on her young Gardiner cousins, especially Peter who was five, when a toy they wanted was denied them. During the dance with Mr. Bingley Jane had felt she was dancing with a man who had yet to mature, and seeing his reaction now only reinforced that opinion.

When it was time for the final set those who knew the Darcy heir were shocked he was dancing a second set with the same lady, although their thoughts on the subject varied greatly.

Richard, who was leading Miss Bennet to the forming line, had to rub his eyes to make sure he was not hallucinating. He was impressed that his staid, sometimes arrogant, and haughty cousin seemed to be enjoying himself. Jamey, who was partnering Miss Lucas for the final set had very similar thoughts.

Bingley, who was miffed that he had not asked Miss Bennet for her final set before Fitzwilliam, was more concerned with his lack of a partner than who Darcy had partnered.

The Hursts had never thought they would see the day Fitzwilliam Darcy would do what he was doing. Even though they were fully aware that Caroline was seriously displeased, they were happy the normally dour man was participating for once.

The aforementioned youngest Bingley, had her sister not restrained her, would have run onto the dancefloor to separate the three women who were dancing second sets with the men, one of whom she was determined to have as her partner in marriage. She cared not that Mr. Darcy hardly ever danced, never mind a second time with the same woman. All that was important to her was that none of the men had danced with her, and now they were all dancing with women they had danced with previously this night. How was it that she, a fashionably dressed, well dowered, and educated woman, was being ignored by the three men, one of whom would be her fiancé before long. She was livid that Louisa had stopped her separating the hussies from the men. As soon as she was married to one of them she would never welcome her sister and brother-in-law into her company again.

She would take advantage of opportunities to show the men just how good a wife she would make them over the next few days. If none of the men attended her in the manner she knew was her due, Caroline would compromise one of them. The Viscount was her top choice, then came Mr. Fitzwilliam, because he already owned his estate. Although she believed he would be richer than his cousin, Mr. Darcy was only the heir. His father was, from all reports, hale and healthy.

Miss Bingley’s mood did not improve when at the close of the night the men boarded the Hadlock coach and did not invite her to join them or failing that, any one of them should have chosen to ride with her in the Bingley conveyance.

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

“Mary, did you dance twice with Mr. Wickham?” Fanny asked in the Bennet carriage on the short ride home from the assembly hall.

“I did, Mama,” Mary admitted. She was pleased the cabin interior was dark so no one could see her deep blush. “But I was not the only Bennet sister to stand up with the same man twice.”

“As you know, Mr. Darcy and I have been playing chess for years so it can be said we are friends of a type,” Elizabeth stated. “He recovered nicely after he almost slighted me.”

“You never mentioned anything at the assembly,” Fanny noted.

“That is because he stopped, explained himself, and then made a sincere apology for what he was about to say,” Elizabeth replied. “Janey, you seemed to have forgiven Mr. Fitzwilliam for his abandonment of you two years ago.”

“I enjoyed his company, but as to forgiveness, it will depend on what he relates when he visits in the morning,” Jane shared. She explained about her agreeing to meet with the man and when he would arrive at Longbourn. During the recitation, Elizabeth looked on sceptically, but held her peace.

“On a different subject, what happened to the two young men who looked like my Thomas?” Fanny enquired. Elizabeth related what the Viscount had shared with them when she had asked the same question.

“We can only hope they, and your father, will recover soon,” Fanny stated with her eyes raised up to the heavens. “Lizzy, will you play chess against Mr. Darcy in person?”

“Yes Mama, once Papa is recovered,” Elizabeth averred.

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

The ride for Bingley and the Hursts was not a peaceful one. Miss Bingley railed against everyone and everything at the assembly. She screamed at her brother for not forcing his friends to dance with her.

The truth was his chase of his latest angel had driven Caroline’s demand from his head, but he did not relate that titbit to her. Her ire did not lessen when her older sister pointed out their brother had no power to force any of his guests to do anything they did not desire. Caroline ignored the intimation that none of the men wanted her company. It was lucky there was nothing to smash in the coach as Miss Bingley desperately wanted to throw something and hear the satisfying sound as it shattered.

When they arrived back at Netherfield Park, the men, who had departed before them, had already retired for the night. What little was left to break in her chambers was smashed by Miss Bingley as she threw whatever she was able to in a physical expression of her frustration which had built, before, and at the assembly.