Revelations an adaption of Pride and Prejudice

Chapter 80

Meanwhile, Elizabeth feels rather overwhelmed by the importance of all the people around her.

Actually, the opposite is true. Observing the cream of London high society she is nothing so much as disappointed, they all seem rather dull. Dull in their behaviour and conversation that is, for the colours all around her are positively gaudy.

She has taken Simon's advice and has had Fanny dress her in the least exuberant of her new ensembles, and she is happy to have listened to him or she would have stood out like, well, like Fitzwilliam, actually. He absolutely refused to wear breeches and a colourful coat, and now he not only tops the few present males by at least a head, and the ladies by even more, his dress proclaims him a dangerous, progressive radical.

And he doesn't seem to care one bit.

For someone who used to hate society he seems to have taken to it above Elizabeth's wildest expectations. He does get a lot of admiring looks and even a few stares, maybe they make him feel attractive. But somehow she cannot imagine that's it, in fact, he seems almost lost in thought.

Darcy has no clue of Elizabeth's train of thoughts, he is enjoying the attention but for an entirely different reason: he is especially aware of his beloved, comparing all the ladies he sees to her, as he did at the Ball. None can measure up to his Elizabeth, in his eyes she is the most beautiful, the smartest, and loveliest of all, and she loves him and no other. To be the one walking beside her is the best thing that ever happened to him.

And there is no way she'll ever see him in breeches again, better have everyone stare at him than have Elizabeth look at him as she looked at Manners when she spied their guest in those foppish clothes. The garish colours, the shoes, Darcy cannot imagine how he once wore coats and buckles like that himself. Never again!

Tomorrow, they'll be among the middle-class, and Darcy is really curious how that will turn out. Elizabeth will be wearing one of the more spectacular dresses, Mr Goodfellow will probably attend since it's a public affair, and undoubtedly the gossipers of the society pages will also look their fill of Mr Fielding and his new in-laws. But Darcy mostly wonders whether his soon to be brother-in-law will be chased as determinedly as he is here.

He expects not, and he turns out to be almost right.

As they share Manners' carriage to the hall, Eric feels a certain anticipation rise inside him. This is the world that he came from, where he often performed, where he is already known. The higher classes have accepted him above his expectation, he really needed a quiet day at the piano with Georgiana to process the adulation and possessiveness of the ladies the night before, but what will his former patron's peers say?

Will they adore his music, now officially known as his, and as romantic? Or will they hate it as much as Mr Zumpe did? Tonight he will find out.

The hall is magnificent, they are let in through a veritable artists' entrance at the side of the building, into a comfortable room where they can sit and chat, or where Eric can take his time to find his inner quiet and prepare for the show. At the request of the owner they have come two hours before opening, the stage is located in a public part of the hall, so Eric will have to test the piano before the audience arrives.

'We are nearly sold out, Mr Fielding,' the owner states, he has come to introduce himself to the artist and see whether he is pleased with the accommodation.

'I expect the rest of the seats to be taken within ten minutes after opening. Shall I give you and your entourage a little tour of the building, to give you a feel for it? After that you can try the instrument, I'm so glad you agreed to use our own, I would have loved to have you before now, but Mr Zumpe... well, the less said about that the better. Will you follow me?'