The room Charlotte pulls Elizabeth into is at least two times smaller than the grand ballroom. Elizabeth finds herself lost once more in the color scheme the room has taken on of white with red trim. Charlotte pulls her back to earth after a while with a light wave of her hand.
"Oh my Lizzie I am glad that, I too am light of foot, otherwise, Mr. Collins might have kept you all night." Charlotte giggles.
Elizabeth rolls her eyes, "I am surprised you where able hone such delicate steps." Gag. "I almost starting look for a reason to propose a dule out there. If not for your intervention." Elizabeth sighs.
It was Charlotte's turn to roll her eyes gracefully before sighing, "To be plane, my prickly companion, you could do far worse."
"I could do far better." Grumbles she.
Charlotte scrunches her nose, "You would prefer not to DO at all. Remain nestled under that tree with your book and you blade and never leave. Only when old age takes you, would you resign to the absence of either. I quite think, even at your age you may become some old spinster."
Elizabeth refrains from the eye roll she felt haunting her and instead began a turn about the room, tugging her friend with her.
"Its not, I don't really know Charlette." Elizabeth admits with a voice like sandpaper. "I had, stirrings, before but they got stifled by opinion and news and things that I don't want to both with. Why not people be themselves all the time and not just on occasion?"
Charlotte giggles, picking up a glass of bubbly liquid, "Darling Lizzie, if everyone was truly themselves there would be no society to speak of. Less we be eaten by half of them."
Elizabeth, sipping on her own beverage, laughs, causing said liquid to bubble up and over the edge of the glass. Both girls erupt into laughter. They are so consumed by the nonsense and nerves and heavy air of the night that habit arrives as Elizabeth once again runs straight into Darcy. Elizabeth straightens and swallows a hiccup before fluffing her dress and giving a light curtly. Darcy bows before he takes a deep breath.
"May I have the next dance?" He asks politely.
Without hesitation she responds, "You may."
Darcy suppresses a smile as he bows and takes his leave of the room. Charlotte stairs at Elizabeth awestruck.
"What game are you playing, my dear Lizzie?"
Elizabeth blushes, running her fingers along her gown, "I hardly know myself. I am conflicted...between loathing and ...something else."
Elizabeth looks in the direction Darcy went and back to Charlotte.
"I look forward to finding out."
Both girls break back into laughter as they down the last of their beverages and make for the dancefloor. Some things are fate and some are coincidence. It might have been both that kept the young ladies from noticing the light glow left on Elizabeth's cup as she placed it down. Or the gentlemen that picked it up.
*
As an older sibling Darcy has always taken teaching new things as a priority. Such as the time he was requested to teach Georgiana how to dance. Her servant Maria had cried when attempting it with the dance master. Both declaring that the girl had such a clumsy attitude about it, stepping on things she should not and moving as the lead instead of following. Darcy had laughed of course and dismissed them all. By the end of the first evening with just Darcy and Georgiana and the musicians, she was more than a proficient in the art and in fact came to rival him at the waltz. To this day Darcy has never found a dance partner to rival his sister. He did not think even as they made their way to the dance floor, Elizabeth's soft hand in his, that she would be such a rival.
YOU ARE READING
Vow of Blood and Starlight (a Pride and Prejudice retelling)
Historical FictionI will admit, my dear readers, that this is a story you have read before. But in many ways, a story I know, you will not see coming. A simple tale of love and loss, pride and vanity. Although, with a twist. A twist that came in the form of a tall ge...
