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  “A pretty sentiment, Mrs. Hamilton,” Bingley said. “But I think you begin with a sunny disposition.”

  “Thank you, Mr. Bingley,” Elizabeth said before the dance separated them for a moment. When they joined again, she asked, “And your friend – Mr. Darcy – does he brighten upon acquaintance?”

  Bingley laughed. “Indeed, he does, Mrs. Hamilton. Tonight, he is tired and I fear my sister Caroline sets him on edge.” Her partner’s face darkened for a moment before he added, “Darcy is under tremendous pressure in London at every turn – ladies follow him in the ballrooms pushing themselves forward – and their mothers are worse often times. And he has had issues this summer with…”

  Bingley stopped himself from saying more and Elizabeth did not press him. Once again, Mr. Bingley glanced toward Jane where she danced with her partner. “Tell me about Miss Bennet, Mrs. Hamilton.”

  Elizabeth smiled. “Ah, Mr. Bingley, you may regret your question– I can praise my sister for hours at a time.”

  She pretended to be in deep thought for a moment. “Jane is a beautiful woman with a countenance that exceeds that beauty. She strives continually to keep our family happy.”

  For the remainder of their time dancing, Bingley and Elizabeth conversed about their families attending the assembly.

  ++**++

  Chapter 9.

  In Which Mr. Darcy Listens

  After watching the flames in the fireplace and drinking the ale, Darcy turned to the plate of food the young widow left for him. The bread was fresh and soft, the meat was tender and the cheese flavourful. A silent maid removed the plate and tankard when he was done. Then rising from the chair, he returned to the hall and stood just inside the doorway where he found himself behind a row of chairs where neighbourhood matrons gathered to watch the couples dancing. The conversation of three matrons seated before him were loud enough over the music that he could not help but hear.

  “It is nice to see the Bennet sisters in attendance tonight,” Lady Lucas remarked to her companion on her left.

  “I believe Mrs. Hamilton’s visit has been a tonic for Miss Bennet,” the second matron remarked. “It is time they returned to society.”

  “I understood they came out of mourning months ago,” the third woman replied from Lady Lucas’s right side. “But Miss Bennet and Miss Mary only began attending assemblies again this summer.”

  The matron seated to the left spoke up. “We have dined with Mrs. Bennet and her daughters in the last two months. I think the family has remained private because they are concerned for Mr. Bennet.”

  “Mr. Bennet will return,” Lady Lucas said. “My youngest brother went to sea and there are years when we do not hear from him but then he appears with tales of sea monsters and pirates. Michael’s last letter said that the war affected shipping.”

  “Without doubt, the wars are terrible,” the second woman said, “but it is so out of character for the Bennet family to be so private. I remember Mrs. Bennet used to do nothing but talk of finding rich husbands for her daughters. When she understood that she would not bear a son, finding husbands for her girls was the reason her heart continued to beat.”

  Lady Lucas frowned and answered the second woman. “There is not a mother or father in the kingdom that does not want to see their daughters enter into an advantageous match, Mrs. Golding. Three years ago, Mrs. Bennet succeeded in arranging advantageous matches for her two eldest daughters and then she had to bear the guilt when both daughters were grief stricken when the young men were killed in the war.”

  “But the widowed sister – I believe you said her name is Elizabeth Hamilton – I have not seen her at church or any other gathering in the two years I have lived here,” remarked the third woman. “My son Jack has called at Longbourn to purchase livestock and since Mr. Bennet has been absent, the steward has only introduced him to Miss Bennet and Miss Mary.”

  “Mrs. Hamilton married almost three years ago and left with her husband after the wedding breakfast,” Lady Lucas explained.

  “Were you in attendance at the wedding?” asked the third woman. Mrs. Lucas and Mrs. Golding both turned to this lady to address her suggestive tone.

  “At the time of Mrs. Hamilton’s wedding, the family was in mourning for Miss Bennet’s fiancé. It was a private wedding in the church at Longbourn with Mr. Fallows presiding,” Mrs. Golding said sharply.

  “The couple signed the registry in the parish records, Mrs. Fielding. My husband and I saw their signatures when Mrs. Golding’s daughter married Mr. Abbot,” Lady Lucas assured the third matron.

  Nodding the second woman agreed, “My Francis left with her husband after their wedding breakfast. They have not returned to Meryton for a visit and they have been married for more than a year.”

  “Who were the witnesses for the Hamilton wedding?”

  Mrs. Goulding and Lady Lucas exchanged glances before Lady Lucas responded, “Mr. and Mrs. Edward Gardiner were the witness in the register. They are Mrs. Hamilton’s uncle and aunt from London.”

  “It appears unusual that no one from the local families was invited to attend.”

  “But the family was in mourning, Mrs. Fielding,” Mrs. Goulding insisted. “It would have been entirely improper for there to have been guests.”

  Mrs. Fielding smirked. “Very well, but it is interesting that after an absence of three years, Mrs. Hamilton suddenly appears with a fine carriage and horses. How many servants did she bring?”

  Lady Lucas frowned. “When I visit, I do not count the number of servants at Longbourn.”

  Without the least bit of embarrassment, Mrs. Fielding replied, “I am certain you have much more important things to discuss when you visit. Excuse me.”

  Darcy watched as Mrs. Fielding circulated the room, speaking to several different women and watching the couples dancing. He could not fail to notice how Caroline Bingley talked with Mrs. Fielding for a long time.

  “What do you know of Mr. Bingley, Lady Lucas?” asked Mrs. Golding as they watched him dance by with Mary Bennet.

  The matron turned to her friend. “Sir William and John called on him at Netherfield the day he took possession of the estate. Mr. Bingley is from the north of England originally but he leased Netherfield for a period of time to determine if he wants to purchase an estate.”

  “And the party that accompanied him? His wife, perhaps?”

  “Mr. Bingley is single. The ladies are his sisters, Mrs. Hurst in the blue gown with her husband, Mr. Hurst in the dark green coat. The tall, slender lady is Miss Bingley.”

  “She is very well dressed except for the number of ostrich feathers,” Mrs. Golding replied. “I wonder that they do not dance more.”

  Darcy noticed the lady glance around before she asked, “And the other gentlemen, the one who looked so unhappy but then disappeared?”

  “Charlotte tells me that he is Mr. Darcy, a close friend of Mr. Bingley. I believe Mrs. Hamilton gave him refuge in the card room with food and ale. There was something said about not having time to rest before attending the assembly after riding out from London.”

  “Young people are so lively,” Mrs. Golding replied. “Is Mr. Darcy married? Or is he engaged to Miss Bingley?”

  “I have not heard that such an engagement exists,” Lady Lucas replied. “Though the way that woman watches Mr. Darcy, I would not doubt that she wishes for such an arrangement.”

  “I notice that your son John is paying attention to the Bennet sisters and he lingers with Miss Mary,” Mrs. Golding said. “She has blossomed in the last two years into a lovely girl even though she wears spectacles.”

  Lady Lucas smiled, “It is time John began to consider a wife and I think highly of those girls.”

  Mrs. Golding’s face became slightly drawn, “All of the girls? Isn’t the youngest proving to be a handful?”

  “What young girl isn’t a handful at that age? They are almost grown and want to dance with handsome young men but they don’t understand that not every youn
g man is honourable. They chafe under necessary parental guidance.”

  “And they believe that we do not remember what it is to be young!”

  The two ladies shared a smile before turning back to the young couples dancing under their gaze.

  ++**++

  Mr. Darcy approached the dance floor and looked for familiar faces in the boisterous throng; Bingley danced with one of the Bennet sisters though Darcy did not remember the girl’s name, Bingley’s sisters stood in one corner; Mrs. Hurst talking with the ladies nearby and Caroline silently disapproving of everyone around her. Among the dancers, he saw Mrs. Hamilton with one of the local young men.

  As the set ended, the young man escorted Mrs. Hamilton to her sisters and another local lady in the corner opposite of the Bingley sisters. When he noticed that Charles was escorting his dance partner back to her sisters, he followed and joined their conversation.

  “Thank you, Mr. Bingley,” the young woman told Charles. “This has been a marvellous dance you made it memorable for me.”

  “You are welcome Miss Mary,” Charles replied before he turned to his friend. “Welcome, Darcy. Have you met everyone?”

  “I have met Mrs. Hamilton,” Darcy replied inclining his head toward Elizabeth.

  “Then allow me to introduce Mrs. Hamilton’s sisters – Miss Jane Bennet, Miss Mary and Miss Catherine Bennet,” Charles said before he turned to the others. “This is Miss Charlotte Lucas, and her brother John Lucas, daughter and son of Sir William Lucas.”

  “I am pleased to make your acquaintance and beg your pardon for my long absence from the festivities.”

  John Lucas smiled, “Every fellow has times when he is peckish, Mr. Darcy and you have joined us now. The evening is just over by half.”

  Bowing to Elizabeth, Darcy asked, “Mrs. Hamilton, would you do me the honour of the next set?”

  Elizabeth looked carefully at Mr. Darcy; the proud young man who didn’t find her tempting enough an hour earlier now stood before her asking her to dance. His eyes were anxious and fearful of rejection – how a rich, handsome young man could be afraid was beyond her understanding.

  “I would be most honoured to stand up with you, Mr. Darcy,” Elizabeth replied with a sparkle in her eyes that caught Darcy’s attention as well.

  As he led Mrs. Hamilton to the dance floor, Darcy was aware of the attention and the whispers. Even after the dance began, he noted that faces followed the pair as they moved through the steps.

  “Mr. Darcy,” Elizabeth said. “I apologize for drawing such attention to you.”

  Surprised by the lady’s words, Darcy asked, “What do you mean Mrs. Hamilton?”

  “Meryton is not used to widows joining in the merriment of an assembly ball,” she explained. “And I have danced three sets tonight – surely enough to set tongues to wagging across all of Hertfordshire for a fortnight or longer.”

  Darcy grinned. “Ah madam, you wound my ego.”

  “How so?” inquired his partner with her bright eyes sparkling.

  “I feared the attention was for me – I cannot take the floor in London for a dance without a mother fainting or speculation of an engagement appearing in one of the gossip sheets the next day.”

  Elizabeth grinned. “Simply by dancing with some young lady? Surely your weight in society is not so great! Are your connections so pure that the exchange rises and falls with your sneezes or your smiles?”

  “Hardly such mundane matters as my sneezes, madam,” Darcy exaggerated his serious tone. “The exchange only rises when I lengthen my shirt sleeves.”

  Elizabeth laughed aloud and Darcy’s face brightened at the lovely sound of Mrs. Hamilton’s glee.

  “Then I must recommend that you remain in Hertfordshire for a full month or more Mr. Darcy. Here we shall dance only for the enjoyment of the music and rhythm of the movements. As I explained to Mr. Bingley earlier in the evening, the gentry hereabout gather to share an enjoyable evening and young couples may dance without the rumour mongers printing stories the next morning.”

  “But human nature is the same in all the kingdoms of the world, Mrs. Hamilton. Mothers and fathers look to find husbands for their daughters in all seasons and phases of the moon,” Darcy argued.

  “I concede the argument sir,” Elizabeth replied. “But you must concede that gentlemen pursue the ladies relentlessly – the mothers and fathers have reason to watch their daughters.”

  “Human nature drives men and women together then?”

  Nodding her head, Elizabeth added, “And dancing helps exercise our natures.”

  As the music ended, Darcy escorted Mrs. Hamilton back to her sisters. As they crossed the floor, Elizabeth asked, “Tell me Mr. Darcy, has your nature had enough exercise?”

  “Are you asking me to dance Mrs. Hamilton?” he teased.

  Blushing, Elizabeth leaned in closer, unaware that her scent filled Mr. Darcy’s senses. “This is my younger sister’s introduction to society. Might I ask a favour of your standing up with Catherine for a dance? She has been so very anxious to be noticed tonight.”

  Darcy bowed slightly as he released Elizabeth’s hand. “I am already in your debt Mrs. Hamilton and I would be honoured to stand up with your sister.”

  Darcy turned to the young blond headed girl in the fashionable gown and asked, “Miss Catherine Bennet, may I have the honour of the next dance?”

  Blushing brightly at the honour to be asked to dance by the gentleman, Kitty replied, “Thank you Mr. Darcy. I should be pleased.”

  As he led Miss Bennet to the dance floor, Darcy realized that soon he would perform the same service for his own young sister.

  “And what would I want a young man to talk about with my sister while they danced?” he wondered for a moment. Smiling at his partner, he found she had bright eyes like her sister but not the self-confidence of Mrs. Hamilton.

  “Miss Catherine, have you enjoyed your first dance tonight?”

  ++**++

  Chapter 10.

  The Ladies Return to Longbourn

  The evening altogether passed off pleasantly for the Bennet sisters and their guests, Mr. and Mrs. Smyth. The sisters were proud of Kitty; the debutante beamed with happiness for the many dances and compliments from the many young men who danced with her. The carriage that approached Longbourn was filled with tired, but happy ladies.

  Mr. Smyth handed down the sisters before climbing back into the carriage for the short drive to the steward’s home. By the faint light of a single lantern, the coachman directed the team around the house to the small road leading to the barns and farms behind Longbourn.

  “Oh, Mamma! It was truly wonderful!” Kitty exclaimed as she slipped through the front door before Mr. Hill could fully open the portal. They found Mrs. Bennet waiting in the hallway with a book – a gothic novel – in her hands; her eyes were bright and her curiosity as to the evening’s event had been sufficient to keep sleep at bay. To satisfy her splendid expectations, Mrs. Bennet led her daughter into the parlour followed by the other sisters.

  “Where is Lydia?” Jane asked looking about the room.

  Smiling, Mrs. Bennet said, “She fell asleep an hour or two ago in my bed and I came down to wait for my girls to return home.”

  “Mamma,” Mary exclaimed as she entered hall, “we have had a most delightful evening, a most excellent ball. I wish you had been there. Jane was so admired; nothing could be like it. Everybody said how well she looked; and Mr. Bingley thought her quite beautiful and danced with her twice!”

  “And who asked you to dance Mary?” asked Kitty grinning.

  When her mother raised her eyebrows in question, Mary blushed but admitted, “Mr. Lucas asked me to stand up with him twice tonight.”

  Kitty beamed, “I danced many sets Mamma and two of your daughters were asked to dance twice by very nice young men. They were the only ladies in the room who were asked a second time by the same gentlemen.”

  “And Mr. Bingley is the new tenant at Netherfield?” a
sked Mrs. Bennet.

  “Mamma, you know he is,” Kitty protested.

  “And how was my Catherine received at the assembly?”

  “We received many compliments on the proper young lady, Mamma,” Jane replied. “She was lovely with smiles and kind words for everyone.”

  “Oh Kitty, I am so pleased,” her mother said as she hugged each daughter. “Now, let’s get to bed for some sleep. I am certain Lady Lucas and Charlotte will call on us tomorrow to discuss all the details.”

  Mr. Hill made certain the front door was locked and put out the candles in the parlour. Each lady carried a candlestick up the stairs as they retreated with the last of the day. Once upstairs, Elizabeth quietly entered the nursery to check on Matthew. She smiled at her sleeping child and bent to place a kiss on his head as Mrs. Brice stepped to the door and Elizabeth inquired, “How was his evening Nanny?”

  “Master Matthew played with his grandmother and aunt until bed time, Mrs. Hamilton. Miss Lydia danced with him in her arms while your lady mother played the pianoforte and he enjoyed it very much.”

  “Thank you,” Elizabeth replied tucking Matthew’s covers up before she made her way to the chamber she had shared with Jane for almost four months. Alone in their room, Jane told Elizabeth how much she admired Mr. Bingley.

  “He is just what a young man ought to be,” said she, “sensible, good-humoured, lively; and I never saw such happy manners and a pleasant character.”

  “He is also handsome,” replied Elizabeth, “which a young man ought to be, if he possibly can.”

  “I was very much flattered by his asking me to dance a second time. I did not expect such a compliment.”

  “What could be more natural than his asking you for a second dance? He could not help seeing that you were about five times as pretty as every other woman attending the assembly.”

  “All of my sisters are pretty!” Jane insisted. “Mary has blossomed into a lovely woman and Kitty will be just as lovely!”