Page 12 of The Wager
Miss Bingley was almost shouting at this piece of news.
“It is a local assembly for the whole village. Sir William Lucas brought me the invitation personally last week and I purchased tickets on our behalf. ‘Tis a perfect backdrop to meet our new neighbors and engage in a few dances.”
Bingley slid Darcy a sideways glance and winked. He almost smiled, knowing his friend had accepted the invitation to give him another venue to meet the terms of his wager.
“I shall not go, and I am certain Mr. Darcy has no desire to attend such a low-brow affair.”
“On the contrary, I look forward to it.”
He didnotwish to attend a local assembly filled to the rafters with strangers, but with only three more balls to attend before the year was out, this small assembly suited his needs. Two of his three requisite dances would, of course, be filled by Bingley’s sisters. He had no doubt Miss Bingley would attend now that she knew he was going. That left him to find a suitable partner for the supper set, and there were always matrons lining the walls at these events.
They safely arrived at the manor house, to which Miss Bingley wrinkled her nose with disgust. He could not fathom why as he thought the estate a good prospect for Bingley. Mid-sized with a record of decent profit, Netherfield Park was an excellent place for his friend to learn estate management. Darcy left the siblings in the main foyer and followed a maid to his suite of rooms in the guest wing and refreshed himself before making his way downstairs where all of them had agreed to meet in the main drawing room for tea.
Uponentryintothecrowded assembly hall, Darcy unconsciously held his breath. With so many people in attendance and the evening unusually warm for mid-October, he waited for the scent of unwashed bodies and cheap tallow candles to hit his nostrils. A tall gentleman with bushy sideburns approached them, the broad smile on his face made his flushed cheekbones look like ripe apples.
“Mr. Bingley! We are so glad you came. Although the first set has already begun, you have plenty of time to petition a pretty girl for a dance, if you choose to do so.” He turned and brought forward a young woman. “This is my eldest daughter, Charlotte Lucas.”
“A pleasure, Miss Lucas,” Bingley said with enthusiasm. “If you are not engaged for the next set, might I ask you to partner with me?”
“It would be my pleasure, sir,” Miss Lucas answered with a small dip of a curtsy.
“Capital,” Sir William exclaimed and lightly clapped his hands, seemingly very pleased with how the introductions had gone in his daughter’s favor. “Would you do the honors, Mr. Bingley, and introduce the rest of your party?”
“Yes, of course,” Bingley said waving an arm in their general direction. “This my eldest sister, Louisa, and her husband, Mr. Hurst of Dorset, and my younger sister, Miss Caroline Bingley, along with my very good friend, Mr. Darcy of Derbyshire.”
During the introductions, Bingley had turned slightly to his left and his eyes lit up. Darcy looked to see what caught his friend’s attention, making note of a handsome older woman being brought forward, three dutiful daughters following in her wake. The minute Darcy saw one of the daughters, he knew Bingley had found his next angel. She was tall and graceful with a perfect symmetry of features, complete with a rosebud mouth and clear blue eyes, all beneath a golden cloud of hair. She seemed vaguely familiar to him, but he could not place why. When the second daughter stepped into view, his back stiffened in surprise.
Lady Elizabeth!
So taken aback, he missed the introduction to the matron but caught the names of the daughters.
“…her eldest, Miss Jane Hamilton.”
“Miss Hamilton,” Bingley said with a low bow, never removing his gaze from the blushing young lady.
“Next we have Miss Elizabeth Hamilton and Miss Mary Bennet, the eldest daughter with her husband, Mr. Bennet.”
“Miss Elizabeth, Miss Bennet.” Bingley gave yet another polite half-bow and no one corrected his form of address.
Darcy could not help the small frown which creased his brow. He turned his focus back to Lady Elizabeth and she gave a small shake of her head. If her proper form of address was Lady Elizabeth, it was logical the elder sister, also a Hamilton was his cousin, Lady Jane. It seemed they did not want his party to know their status.
He should not have been surprised at their reticence. Even his own extended Fitzwilliam family did not speak much about the Hamilton branch, given the fact the children had been so very young when their father had died and was raised in Hertfordshire. His aunt, Lady Courtland, was the only one who stayed in close contact with her nieces and nephew.
The next set began and Bingley, with apparent reluctance, escorted Miss Lucas to the floor. Given the downcast expression on her face, the older lady knew she stood no chance of keeping his undivided attention now that Miss Hamilton had been introduced. Hurst, his wife, and Miss Bingley deliberately moved a few steps away, avoiding all contact with Mrs. Bennet and her three daughters. Darcy was too polite to abandon them without some form of conversation and did not want Lady Elizabeth, or rather, Miss Elizabeth to castigate him further. He had greatly offended her the first time they met and would not commit the same mistake twice.
“Do you dance, Mr. Darcy?”
He was shaken out of his reverie by the seemingly innocent question from Mrs. Bennet.
“Not if I can help it, Madam.”
“You are serious!” Mrs. Bennet declared. “How is it that a handsome young gentleman is not enjoying the company of young ladies? I will not pressure you though, I know what it is like to have someone make you do something you have no wish to do.”
“Mrs. Bennet,” he said. “May I be so bold as to ask if you would grace my arm during the set before the refreshment break?”
“Me?” She outright gasped, and flicked open her fan and waved it about in front of her face. “Oh my. Oh, oh, oh…”
“Mamma.” Miss Elizabeth stepped forward and took hold of her mother’s flailing arm, and tucked it close to her side. “Mr. Darcy is a gentleman and would not harm you in any manner. He has asked if you would like to dance. You do like to dance, yes?”
