One Thread Pulled: The Dance With Mr. Darcy (39 page)

Colonel Fitzwilliam stood by them, his admiration for Elizabeth growing with each moment as she drew shy Anne de Bourgh into easy conversation. Not since her illness had he seen such a thing happen, and he stood in open awe at the scene before him. Several minutes passed thus, and he minded not at all his lack of share in the conversation, so great was his enjoyment of his cousin's pleasure in it.

They would have continued for some time were it not for the cues that the first dance was imminent. “Anne,” Richard interrupted, “you have promised the first dance to me, and I believe we must take our places.” Anne and Elizabeth looked up to see that Mr. Darcy now stood next to the colonel, having apparently been there, unnoticed, for several minutes.

Darcy held his hand out to Elizabeth. “The hour is at hand, Miss Bennet,” he said with a bow. “I have come to claim you.”

Elizabeth placed her hand into his to be led to the floor, slightly perturbed at the possessiveness of his declaration. She was, however, secretly pleased at the surprised looks of others in the room to see that she was the chosen partner of the distinguished Mr. Darcy for the opening dance.

She honored him with a curtsey and a smile to begin, and although he only reciprocated with the requisite bow, she was beginning to understand the nuances of his expressions well enough to know he was gratified by her smile. She knew also that the care she had taken in her appearance was not wasted on Mr. Darcy, for there was a look in his eyes that threatened her knees with weakness and her lungs with a forgetting of their function.

She rallied, as the familiar motion of the steps and strains of the music restored her calm, and she relinquished any nervous tendency and instead determined to enjoy the dance. She glanced around her and saw Jane dancing with Bingley, her eyes alight with contentment and happiness. Mary, she noted, was partnered with Mr. Collins, who was bumbling the steps already. Colonel Fitzwilliam was with Anne, who was surprisingly graceful and competent on the floor. Caroline Bingley was standing up with one of the officers, as was Lydia, although Lydia seemed blissful while Caroline seemed resentful in their respective countenances.

Turning her attention back to Mr. Darcy, she found that his eyes had not left her while hers had strayed.

“Mr. Darcy,” she said lightly as they passed, “if you are as hungry as you appear to be, there are refreshments to appease you.”

“I am not hungry.” He denied with a shake of his head, as he gracefully turned and looked quizzically at Elizabeth.

“In that case,” she said, as their hands joined briefly, “I beg you not to look as though you would consume me.”

Now separated, Darcy could only look at Elizabeth as he contemplated his answer.

When they drew near again, he replied in a whisper barely audible above the music. “Trust your eyes, Miss Bennet.”

At this unexpected response, Elizabeth chuckled. “Perhaps we should speak of the dance instead—of the number of couples or how pleasant private balls are compared to public ones.”

“Private balls are far more pleasant, it is true, especially when one is particularly acquainted with one's partner.” Darcy smiled pleasantly.

“You are very agreeable tonight.” Elizabeth commented. “Do you enjoy dancing after all, Mr. Darcy?”

“Not as a rule” he answered as their hands clasped yet again, and this time, he held it longer than the dance called for, requiring Elizabeth to gently tug to break free and get out of step.

“Is your enjoyment gained then, in tormenting me?” she asked when she had caught up with the dance.

“If I torment, it is not to abuse my partner, but rather because I am distracted by her.” Darcy replied.

“So I am to blame? That is ungenerous! Will you step on my toes next?” Elizabeth challenged him with a tinkling laugh. “The courtesy of a warning would be best.”

“I think,” said Darcy with thinly veiled mirth, “that I would prefer to take you by surprise.”

The dance separated them once more, and this time it was Elizabeth whose mind raced, searching for a fitting reply. When they drew together once more, their arms crossed and both hands connected as they circled each other in time with the music. Elizabeth waited until they had gone around before she said, as they broke free, “I do not like surprises, Mr. Darcy.”

“You will like mine,” he replied confidently as they took their place in line.

Elizabeth glanced over at him with some degree of alarm, fearing a reappearance of the conceited man she had first encountered in Hertfordshire several weeks prior. “You are very bold tonight, Mr. Darcy. What assurance do you have that I would welcome surprises from you?”

Darcy made no answer and seemed discomfited by the turn of the conversation.

At that moment, Sir William Lucas came by them, and on seeing Mr. Darcy, he stopped to compliment the couple on their dancing. “This is capital indeed! Such superior dancing is not often seen in the country. It is evident that you belong to the first circles, Sir! Allow me to say, however, that your fair partner does not disgrace you! I must hope to have this pleasure repeated often and soon, perhaps when a certain desirable event shall take place!” Sir William glanced from Elizabeth to Jane and Bingley meaningfully. “What congratulations will then flow in! But you must return to the dance now, Mr. Darcy! You will not thank me for detaining you from the bewitching conversation of Miss Elizabeth for long. Carry on! Carry on!”

Darcy acknowledged the man with a slight bow. “Thank you, Sir William. I do have great hopes of dancing again with Miss Bennet very soon.” He glanced up at Jane and Mr. Bingley and his expression softened. “Including, as you say, at a certain desirable event, should it take place.”

Sir William crossed the floor, dodging those still engaged in the set, as Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy joined back in the dance.

“I was wrong, Mr. Darcy.” Elizabeth said sweetly across her shoulder as they passed, and when he returned, he approached with a skeptical expression, as though he did not believe he had heard it. Elizabeth continued. “Your response to Sir William just now was a great surprise, and you were perfectly right. I did like it ... very much indeed. I find myself in some anticipation of the next surprise, if another is yet in store.”

She said this as the first dance of the set concluded, and following some applause for the musicians, the couples lined up for the second.

When Elizabeth looked back up at Mr. Darcy, she found a transformed man, for he was beaming at her unabashedly. She looked first to the right and then to the left to see if there were something in the room that had caused his transformation. Just as the dance began, she realized with sudden clarity that it was her expression of approval that had done it.

This was a revelation of no mean proportion to Elizabeth, for she had not thought that a man of Mr. Darcy's status and position would care for her approval, and she determined to test her discovery forthwith.

“Mr. Darcy, I hope you do not think me bold in saying that Sir William was correct. Your dancing is indeed very fine.” Elizabeth commented as they entered the first formation.

Darcy looked oddly at her. “Thank you,” he replied, “as is yours.”

Elizabeth, her eyes dancing impishly added, “I particularly admire the arrangement of your cravat tonight. It looks very well on you.”

Darcy's eyes widened slightly, adding emphasis to the smile already on his face. “I am glad you approve, Miss Bennet.”

They passed the next several minutes simply dancing, Elizabeth smiling and lively, and Mr. Darcy unable to remove his eyes from her. Eventually, during a lull in their progression in the set, Elizabeth ventured again.

“Mr. Darcy, may I express to you how fond I am of your dog Apollo? He is truly a delight.” Elizabeth's sincerity could not be doubted.

“Apollo is equally fond of you, Miss Bennet.” Darcy's eyes registered that he had caught onto her game.

“And Romeo! Such a handsome mount I am sure I had never seen!” Elizabeth added enthusiastically.

“He is a pleasure to ride.” Darcy smiled indulgently, waiting for her next statement.

“You have a fine seat on him, Mr. Darcy. His rider is well-matched.” Elizabeth was grateful that the dance turned her back to him at that moment, for she felt her face turn warm at her forwardness, and her several steps alone in the progression of the dance allowed her to breathe deeply and reconsider her course. She ceased with her compliments and continued to dance, each step made in perfect grace, each pass by Mr. Darcy marked by a glance upward to his handsome face.

“You do not ride, Miss Bennet?” Darcy asked after several more minutes had passed with only the music to accompany the perfectly synchronized harmony of their motion.

“No, I do not.” Elizabeth replied with no apology.

“May I inquire as to why not?” Darcy asked patiently as he rose up on his toes and turned into the next sequence of steps.

“I prefer to walk,” Elizabeth said, looking askance as her part in the dance took her near to Mr. Darcy.

“Would you like to learn to ride?” Darcy tipped his head to see her face.

“I have never desired it.” Elizabeth turned her head to the side, unwilling to look at him and relieved that the dance moved them apart at that moment.

“Would you allow me to teach you?” Darcy offered.

“I have no suitable mount, Mr. Darcy.” Elizabeth replied, “And I hardly think that a man such as you would understand the horror of riding side-saddle.”

“I taught Georgiana.” Darcy replied.

Elizabeth shook her head. “I do not feel safe on a horse.”

“You will be safe with me,” Darcy said.

“How many ways must I refuse before you relent?” Elizabeth laughed.

“How many times must I offer before you accept?” Darcy countered with a smile. “It is not in me to back down, Miss Bennet. Once I have set my course, I persist.”

“Mr. Darcy, it is my course you are setting, not your own.” Elizabeth replied. “It can mean nothing to you if I choose not to ride. Why
do
you persist, sir?”

Her question marked the end of the second dance of the set, and Darcy left it unanswered. He took Elizabeth by the hand and led her from the floor; his reluctance to separate from her was palpable.

“Miss Bennet, I look forward to the supper dance. Please enjoy your evening until then.” He bowed, and walked away.

~*~

The next set with Colonel Fitzwilliam passed quickly, for he was entertaining and lighthearted, elevating Elizabeth's spirits with each passing moment. The last few minutes of their dance, however, came to an abrupt end, despite the continuation of the music.

“Miss Elizabeth,” Colonel Fitzwilliam said, as they skipped with another couple in a circle, “may I ask what it was that rendered Darcy so serious toward the end of your dance with him?”

“He made me an offer I was not prepared to receive, Colonel.” Elizabeth answered with a dismissive laugh.

Fitzwilliam's eyes popped with astonishment. “He made you an offer in the middle of a dance?
 
How peculiar! If I may be so bold, what was your reply, Miss Bennet?”

“I refused him, of course. I know my own mind,” Elizabeth replied, “although he was most persistent. I believe I would be refusing him still if the dance had not ended.”

“I must ask you, Miss Bennet, if there is any hope of persuading you otherwise?” Fitzwilliam's face had drained of all color. “I know my cousin is not always well spoken, but I cannot believe he has no hope of success.”

“Do not be alarmed, Colonel. I explained to Mr. Darcy that I never desired it, and although he seemed disappointed, he took it well enough.” Elizabeth smiled encouragingly. “Besides, he has asked me to stand up with him for the supper dance, and I suspect that he will press me on the matter again at that time.”

“You do not know my cousin, Miss Bennet. Once refused, he will not raise the question again.” Colonel Fitzwilliam shook his head sadly.

“That is not what he said to me.” Elizabeth replied, shaking her head. “He insisted that he would not back down, but that he would persist in his offer until I accepted.”

“He did?” Fitzwilliam shook his head in disbelief. “I know my cousin well, and I assure you that should he once make addresses to a lady, his pride would prevent a second offer if the first was refused.”

Elizabeth suddenly stopped dancing and stared, open-mouthed, at the colonel as the color first drained from her cheeks and then was restored to a brilliant hue when the stain of mortification cast a blush upon them.