Page 81 of The Scarred Duchess
The rubbish continued with the second.
I must learn the name of the master that painted you to this mortal plane.
The third had him bite his lip in irritation.
You must allow me to secure two sets for the next ball you attend.
“Edward.”
Gardiner turned as Madeleine’s tone brooked no nonsense. “Yes, dear?”
Her eyes bore fire. “You will deal with this. Today.”
He held up the cards. “What else is there?”
“Jane has ground all the flowers into herbal scents. She will not admit to her distress, yet it is evident she is unhappy with Mr Bingley’s antics.”
Gardiner nodded. “As Jane remains with Lady Matlock, these trinkets affect us more than she.” When he saw her agreement, he asked, “What shall you have me do?”
She shrugged, looking pained. “What would Bennet do should he hear of this?”
“For the present, let us ensure he does not.”
“What shall you do?”
Gardiner crumpled the cards. “I shall send a note to one who desires to be of service.”
Elizabeth gazed round the huge space. Several footmen had pushed open the wall of doors between the music room and the large drawing parlour to create a respectably sized dance floor. Mrs Annesley sat at the pianoforte with a stack of music sheets. Her smile matched those of the participants.
Mr George Darcy had his hand on his son’s shoulder. “I shall see you dance. You cannot say you are unfamiliar with any of the party.” He leant in and spokesotto voce. “These dance lessons are for the ladies, but you cannot escape dancing with your beloved sister.”
Elizabeth smiled, seeing Mr Darcy laugh along with his father. Both bowed to Lady Catherine, who clapped her hands to gain attention.
“Where shall we start, Mr Sweet?” she asked.
“Piece one, if you please, Mrs Annesley.” He turned to the group. “Let us pair Mr Darcy with Miss Darcy. Mr George Darcy, please pair with Miss Bennet.”
Elizabeth took her place across from the older man. Mrs Annesley played Handel and the four dancers moved through a truncated cotillion; Mr Sweet whispered advice regarding posture, hand placement, and foot orientation. Mrs Annesley ended the short piece with a pleasing flourish; Elizabeth applauded, as did the others.
“A change of partners, please,” called out Lady Catherine.
The next dance was an allemande. Mrs Annesley played Mozart, which was livelier than Handel. At first, Elizabeth found it easy to pair with Mr Darcy, as his great height allowed her to turn under his arms easily. The difficulty was his trying to turn under hers, as she was much shorter than he was. Their second roundabout had both tangled up; their faces were nearly nose-to-nose. Elizabeth felt her face heat up; Mr Darcy cleared his throat several times.
“Next time, we shall adjust the pairings,” offered Mr Sweet.
“I hesitate to do so. Their gyrations thoroughly entertained me,” said Lady Catherine.
The activity continued for another hour without mishap. While Mr Sweet spoke to Georgiana and Mr Darcy, Lady Catherine and Mr George Darcy were whispering.
What is that about?thought Elizabeth.
Bingley stared out the window as his leg bounced up and down. The erratic beat of his boot heel upon the floor did nothing to distract him. His thoughts focused on confirming the name of the living angel he had met at the Gardiner residence.
His sister had been rapt with attention once he had described the vision he had encountered. Even though Caroline was adamant about shedding their roots in trade, she lost her ladylike equanimity at his tale.
“Scars, you say?” she asked.
“Yes, across her nose and chin.”
