Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

A fter what felt like hours of greeting guests, it was finally time for the dancing to begin. Elizabeth moved gracefully across the dance floor, first with her uncle and then with the earl. Finally, it was time for her first dance with Darcy. When he took her hands in his, a jolt of electricity seemed to pass between them, somehow marking her as his. It was a heady feeling, completely unfamiliar, and it seemed to occur only with him.

They smiled at each other as they took their places and began moving through the steps of the dance. Just as had happened when she saw him for the first time across the foyer a few hours ago, their gazes locked, and the rest of the room seemed to fade away. It was as if only the two of them moving across the dance floor, their steps in sync as though they had practised together many times before. Barely a word was spoken between them, but much was communicated regardless.

The music flowed around them, creating a perfect harmony that matched their movements. Darcy’s touch was firm yet gentle, guiding her effortlessly through the intricate patterns of the dance. Elizabeth felt a familiar sense of familiarity, one she had often felt when they rode together across the fields at Pemberley .

As the dance continued, Elizabeth could not help but marvel at how natural it felt to be in Darcy’s arms. Admittedly this was their first dance, but still, his presence was both comforting and exhilarating, and she found herself lost in the moment, completely absorbed by the man before her. The intensity of the connection was undeniable, and it left her feeling breathless.

When the music came to an end, they stood facing each other, their hands still clasped. The spell was broken when they heard the sounds of those around them clapping, but the effects of the dance lingered. Darcy’s eyes held hers, and in that moment, Elizabeth knew that something profound had shifted between them.

“Thank you for the dance, Miss Elizabeth,” Darcy said softly, his voice filled with genuine emotion.

“The pleasure was all mine, Mr. Darcy,” she replied, her heart pounding in her chest as she took the arm he offered her to escort her back to her aunt and uncle.

“I cannot recall if I mentioned it before, but you look lovely tonight, Miss Elizabeth, utterly captivating. You have always been lovely, but I was astounded at the change from the girl I knew into the beautiful young woman who stands before me.”

She felt her cheeks grow warm. “Thank you, Mr. Darcy. You look very well also; I daresay your valet found it challenging to have you presentable so quickly after arriving from Derbyshire.”

This made Darcy laugh. “I have little doubt that he was cursing me for cutting it so close. I did at least send him ahead. He arrived yesterday as I had intended to do, but I was delayed somewhat by a letter just before we were supposed to depart. As a result, I left the day after my staff and rode most of the way so I would arrive in time.”

“You rode all the way from Derbyshire?” Elizabeth asked, surprise evident in her tone as she turned to look at him .

“I rode a bit the first two days, but rode most of today. My travelling coach arrived at my townhouse just as I was leaving the house to come here, so it was fortunate I did so. I suppose I could have still been ready, but I would have arrived at the last moment. I did not want to cause you concern.”

“I am glad you made it on time, for I would have hated to have missed our dances. However, I prefer that you remain safe and well; you took a chance riding so far, did you not?”

“I was at least as safe riding my horse as I would have been in a carriage. I was not alone since I had a groom riding the horse I brought for you keeping me company. Do you worry for me, Miss Elizabeth?”

The almost flirtatious tone surprised Elizabeth in his voice. She had heard other gentlemen attempt to flirt with ladies before, and a few had attempted the same with her, but she was astonished that her friend William was acting in such a manner towards her . Knowing his distaste for society, she wondered what would cause him to act in such a way. “Of course I would worry for you, William. You are a dear friend.”

They arrived at the side of her relatives, so he greeted them once more. Soon, Richard came to claim Elizabeth for the next dance, leaving Darcy standing beside her uncle. Elizabeth noticed that the two men appeared to be engaged in a serious conversation, and her partner observed her inattention.

“Are you well, Miss Elizabeth?” he inquired kindly.

“William and my uncle appear to be rather deep in conversation, and I wondered what could cause them to be so serious at a ball. I suppose William is frequently this way; he has not danced with anyone tonight.”

“Except for you,” Richard emphasised.

“Except for me,” Elizabeth replied in a near whisper .

“William admires you, always has, but I think seeing you again after such a long time took him by surprise,” Richard told her.

The dance separated them, allowing Elizabeth to think about what the gentleman meant by his comment. Finally, she returned to him and asked; “Whatever did you mean when you said I took him by surprise?”

“When my cousin last saw you, you were a girl still, too young to think of as other than a friend. Perhaps he is seeing you in a different light after not seeing you for so long.”

Elizabeth stared at her partner, not speaking for several more turns. “I think you are implying something, sir, though I am uncertain if you are attempting to warn me off your cousin or encourage me toward him. If you are implying that he sees me differently now and is contemplating … what exactly? I know he is an honourable man, but surely with my connections to trade, I am far too low for him to contemplate marrying. Besides, as you have said, we have not seen each other in the last two years.”

“But the two of you have corresponded. Perhaps not as frequently as you have with Georgiana, but I feel certain my ward would have shared each of your letters with her brother. He knows you very well and would not dream of offering anything less honourable than marriage, should he decide he wished it. Nor would he allow your family or his to separate you. Again, I am speculating, but you should not discount yourself. You may have relations in trade, but they are here tonight, are they not? My parents are not at all dismayed by the connection. My mother is sponsoring you in society; she would not object to you.”

Shaking her head as though to clear it, Elizabeth retorted. “I do not even know why you broached this topic. If William—” she paused, shaking her head again. “—If Mr. Darcy desires to pursue a relationship with me other than friendship, then allow him to speak in his time. You putting ideas in my head or confusing things between us will do no one any good. It is best you do not interject yourself into something and raise hopes before it is time. I like William, Mr. Darcy, very much, and consider him a good friend. For now, that is enough for me. If either of us decides to pursue something different, then allow us to sort things out between us.”

The gentleman’s laughter surprised her. “You are right, Miss Gardiner, and I will say no more. I do hope you will set William straight in the same manner, should he ever require it.”

It was her turn to laugh. “You have not heard of the day we met, have you? I was rather direct with both Mr. Darcy and his father that day. Despite the events of that day and their potential for a very different ending, I cannot regret what happened, for it brought me into contact with this family. I like your cousins and your parents very much.”

Again, it surprised Elizabeth when Richard laughed at her gibe. “But it also brought me into your life, though perhaps that is not as pleasant a subject after tonight. Regardless, I will endeavour to show you why I am Darcy’s favourite cousin, and perhaps one day you will agree with him.”

Fortunately, the dance ended, and Richard said nothing else when he escorted Elizabeth back to her uncle. Darcy was still standing there, and he gave his cousin a menacing glare. Richard only smirked in reply. Before Darcy could inquire of Elizabeth what he said to her, her partner for the next dance came to claim her. This pattern continued for several more dances until the supper set, when Darcy could reclaim her once more.

“Did my cousin upset you?” he asked immediately after taking her hand to place it on his arm.

Elizabeth sighed. “Not exactly. I was uncertain of his intentions which irritated me a little. I am unsure what he was seeking to accomplish, but I believe he will not importune me again. I think that after what I said to him, we might be friends … eventually.” She laughed as she said this which eased Darcy’s concerns somewhat .

“What was he speaking about?” he asked again, clearly noticing how Elizabeth seemed to blush at his questioning.

“He … he,” she stammered, before sighing as the dance once again separated them. When they came back together, she blurted: “He hinted that you were attracted to me tonight. I told him not to attempt to raise hopes that could not possibly be fulfilled, and then he told me that no one in your family would object should you and I … I do not know what exactly he was attempting to say. He claimed he was not warning me away from you, and the more I say aloud, the more ridiculous the whole matter seems.”

They were once again separated by the dance, and she noticed how Darcy sought out his cousin with his eyes and glared at him. Uncertain of the meaning, she faltered a little in the dance, and Darcy noticed, quickly pulling her out of the line of dancers. “Are you well?” he asked. “Do you need a drink, some fresh air? Is there anything I might do for you?”

As he was speaking, he led her toward a balcony that would give them a scant amount of privacy. “I am well,” she said firmly. “It is just … as I said, I do not know what his purpose was, and it unsettled me. I told him that whatever there might be between us, it was best for us to sort through it all and that I was happy to be your friend, that if you desired for things to be different between us, that you could speak for yourself.”

“Damn Richard,” she heard him murmur, making her laugh though she was uncertain if it was in relief, in embarrassment, or because of another emotion entirely.

“He is an idiot, but I think he was attempting to be helpful. Elizabeth, we have been friends for many years, and, yes, when I saw you tonight, I think some of those feelings toward you shifted into something else. However, I do not even know what that means at this moment, so clearly, I had not intended to speak of this. I have always cared for you, not in a familial way since my stomach always revolted at the idea that you could be like a sister to me. I did not want you as my sister even when you were still a girl, or at least less of a lady than you are now. We have had a connection ever since we met. I hoped that we could come to know each other again as friends now that we are together in person, which was the purpose of me asking you to ride with me. If I were to ask you for a courtship, that would change things between us too soon, I think, and I am reluctant to do so. Not because I do not wish to court you, but I did not want your uncle to put the restrictions on me that he would if we were publicly courting. Am I making sense at all?”

Elizabeth laughed at this. "Yes, you are, William. And I would like to get to know the person you are again as well. I have also never felt particularly sisterly toward you; toward Georgiana, yes, but not toward you. That was why we decided to be cousins, was it not? I do not want to ruin the relationship we do have, our friendship, by forcing things to change before they should. So I agree. We should spend time in each others' company, get to know these new versions of ourselves, and see what happens."

She almost laughed again when she noticed Darcy seeming to sag in relief. “Thank you, Elizabeth. As usual, you have said it better than I could. If only we had a glass of something so we could toast our friendship.”

Laughing, the pair re-entered the ballroom, unaware of the jealous eyes watching Elizabeth charm the elusive gentleman by her side. Lady Matlock discreetly whispered in a few ears about Elizabeth’s dowry of fifteen thousand pounds, ensuring that word of her eligibility would spread throughout the ton . This resulted in a few jealous eyes casting glances in Darcy’s direction as well.