“You seemed concerned about something, Miss Darcy,” said Captain Wentworth.
"Not quite, sir. I was just wondering where I might have met your friend, Captain Price. I am convinced we are somehow acquainted, as unlikely as that is. You see, I have not been in society much. Pray, tell me, is he originally from Derbyshire?"
"Derbyshire, you say? An unlikely home for a sailor if I ever heard of one. No, Miss Darcy, he's from Portsmouth. His mother was a Bertram, as in the Bertrams of Mansfield Park. Lord Bertram is his uncle. Perhaps you are acquainted with the family?"
I shook my head. The Bertram name didn't mean much to me.
"Captain Price is an excellent man, and one of the bravest sailors I've ever had the pleasure to work with. He was a second lieutenant at the Laconia for a while and then became the first lieutenant at the Leonidas under Captain Harvey. Alas, his luck turned sour then."
"How so, Captain Wentworth?"
A shadow darkened his noble features.
"Captain Harvey was a disgrace to the profession. He was a man of barely any morals, and no sense of duty whatsoever, who only made it to captain on account of a very wealthy relative who was happy to sponsor his promotions in the Navy so as to keep him away from land. He relied on his first lieutenant for everything, and Price was captain in all but name. Captain Harvey would often lock himself up in his quarters and drink himself to sleep, with no regard for those under his command. On one such occasion at the peak of the war, Captain Price behaved most courageously in a crucial clash that claimed many of our countrymen's lives. His eye for the battle and unwavering bravery not only saved those on the Leonidas, but also drove the ship to victory. However, Captain Harvey took all the credit, and with it, the lion's share of a prize that was justly not his."
"That is appalling!"
"Lieutenant Price was made Captain, but these are bad times for getting on, and as a result his fortune is much less than it ought to be, with little prospect of change ahead. A most unfortunate affair, madam, but every soul in the Navy knows the truth, and one day justice will be served. Until then, Captain Price will be a wronged man, although it's not in his nature to be bitter about his fate."
I looked at Captain Price. He was politely listening to Miss Elliot, the perfect image of an attentive gentleman. He certainly didn't bear the expression of a resentful man who has been cheated of his well-deserved rewards.
Captain Price felt my stare, his eyes fell on mine and he smiled. I had met him before; I had no doubt about it.
The meal finished shortly afterwards, and the ladies retired to the drawing room. Once Lady Catherine, Lady Dalrymple, Miss Carteret and Miss Elliot had sat down for a game of pool, Mrs Wentworth approached me with a kind expression on her face.
"How are you finding London, Miss Darcy?"
"It is very different from Pemberley. The sheer amount of people is rather overwhelming."
She nodded, knowingly.
"I too miss the tranquillity of the countryside, but not for long. We are due to visit Admiral Croft and his wife, the Captain's sister, in Somersetshire. By a happy coincidence, they are settled in Kellynch, where I grew up. I am very much looking forward to seeing it again; it’s a magnificent building surrounded by breathtaking scenery, although I suppose we all describe the places we love in similarly praising terms."
Mrs Wentworth gave me a gentle smile. I nodded. Her depiction of Kellynch sounded just like the one I might give of Pemberley. The big house was as close to my heart as any of my kin, my memory so intertwined with its existence that one might say it was part of me. I had spent endless hours of sheer happiness in the bright nursery, run along the corridors playing hide and seek, and counted the steps in the grand staircase over and over again in my childhood games. I had walked for miles in its gardens, soaked my feet in the stream, and fed the red fish in its many fountains. Alas, Pemberley was soon to become a paradise forever lost to me. My spirits turned melancholy, and Mrs Wentworth must have noticed because she changed the subject.
"However, my future is linked to the sea. I am planning to accompany the Captain in his foreign engagements, should they arise. Of course, many people, amongst them my father and sister, will despair at the fate of my poor skin, mercilessly exposed to the elements. That I may get freckles is the worst possible destiny in their eyes. But it is a price I'm prepared to pay for sharing my life with Captain Wentworth."
She said so with defiance and deep affection. Nobody could argue that she wasn't deeply in love with her husband.
Before I could reply, my aunt commanded my attention.
"Georgiana, will you play for us? It would give Lady Dalrymple, Miss Carteret and Miss Elliot great pleasure."
I excused myself and sat on the piano stool. The instrument was new and beautifully polished, the keys soft and shiny, as if they had been waxed. I started to play a bagatelle, a piece suitable for cards and conversation. The men entered shortly afterwards. Upon hearing me play, Don Cosimo came towards me and took a seat right next to the pianoforte. I blushed, trying to focus on the keys, but through the corner of my eyes, I could see him observing me, all rapt attention. After I had played the last key, Don Cosimo stood up and started to clap enthusiastically.
"Brava!" he shouted, and with great feeling added, “What musical ability you have, Miss Darcy. Music is one of the most marvellous joys in life, and seeing it performed by someone so talented is a true gift."
My cheeks were burning. I wanted to look away but couldn’t; the green eyes weren't letting me go. Don Cosimo turned around to the rest of the guests. Captain Wentworth, his wife and Captain Price had clapped as well and were smiling in my direction. My aunt seemed pleased with the attention I was getting. Miss Elliot and the lady of the house were busy with their game, but Miss Carteret had left the cards on the table and was looking towards me with clenched fists.
Don Cosimo theatrically swept the room with his arm.
"I am sure everyone in this drawing room is thinking the same. Look at that lovely lady; she is so musical, and so beautiful too!”
This time I looked away. I knew when someone took their compliments too far. But he wasn't waiving.
"May I suggest a duet next?"
I silently asked for my aunt's approval, and Lady Catherine, who had been observing us, discreetly nodded.
With a deft movement, Don Cosimo sat next to me, perused the music book on the music stand and decided on a page. Opening it wide, he put it in front of us.
“When you are ready, Miss Darcy,” he said in a low voice.
I wasn't ready. Through my sheltered years at Pemberley, I had had very few opportunities to get so close to handsome strangers. Firmly planted on the same stool as me, I could feel the warmth of his body and smell his musky scent of clove and sandalwood. Wickham also used to smell of sandalwood. I felt my skin tingle. Would Don Cosimo notice the goosebumps? I hoped not.
We started to play. The melody he had picked was a gentle and joyful Irish dance, easy to hum and easier to play. Don Cosimo's fingers were deft on the keys, long but manly, with big, round nails topped with white crescents, just as they ought to be.
"You are a talented player, Miss Darcy," he muttered when he sensed I was comfortable with the rhythm. "I hope we will be able to enjoy many more duets together."
It was meant to be a trifle, a friendly comment, but it made me blush violently. A few moments later, Don Cosimo's voice again was a whisper in my ears, so close that his jaw was brushing my curls.
"Allow me to tell you that yours is the most beautiful complexion of all the ladies in the room."
It shames me to say so, but as clear-headed as I was in the face of Mr Collin's flattery, I was helpless when the same compliments were paid by a good-looking man with fine green eyes. Upon hearing his words, my face burned, and my insides trembled.
We finished the piece. This time, the claps were merely polite. Miss Carteret came towards us, her complexion a blotch of white and red.
"Miss Darcy, would you kindly take my place in the card game?" she said in a commanding voice. "You have been kind enough to play for us long enough and now deserve some rest. Don Cosimo, shall we perform another duet?"
Without waiting for his reply, she planted herself on the stool next to the prince, sitting closer to him than I had dared. Don Cosimo gave me a sheepish smile, then said something in Miss Carteret's ear that made her laugh coquettishly, her hand covering her mouth like a child's. Lady Dalrymple didn't even bother to glance in her daughter's direction. I saw that Captain Price had turned his back on the room and was looking out of one of the windows.
Miss Elliot smiled at me as I sat at the card table.
"Your duet with Don Cosimo was charming, Miss Darcy. I imagine you enjoyed it very much. But you must not take him too seriously. He has a reputation for being a tad eccentric. He has spent a lot of time in England, but he can't help being Italian, and their ways are rather different."
"Have you known Don Cosimo long, Miss Elliot?" I asked her.
"A while. I met him during my first season. He was still at Cambridge at the time. We became very fond of each other, and have remained good friends since."
My aunt seemed interested in the turn the conversation was taking.
"Miss Elliot, may I enquire, is there any particular reason why you didn't become more intimatelyacquainted with Don Cosimo at the time?"
Miss Elliot smiled, and fine lines appeared in her handsome face.
"You know what they say about Italian princes; they are a penny a dozen. And fancy leaving your family and country to live in such a backward place, with half of the comforts one may find in London or Bath!"
Lady Catherine seemed to be taken aback, but did not retreat.
"Nevertheless, Miss Elliot, I understand that Don Cosimo's family owns a palace so majestic that the Pope himself envies it," my aunt said with a deliberately indifferent tone of voice.
As her only response, Miss Elliot burst out laughing.
Chapter 10
The following day we were due to go to Almack's, the most elegant and exclusive assembly rooms in the country. Championed by ladies of the highest order in society, Almack's was reputedly the place where the most desirable matches were made, and Lady Catherine had pulled all the strings at her disposal to obtain two prized tickets to attend. For her, it was a most momentous occasion, and I knew better than to let her down.
I dressed in one of my new gowns, a dream of a garment made in soft silver satin with white lace over the sleeves and skirt. Jones had curled my hair tightly, and pretty ringlets framed my face, softening my features. On my collarbone, my mother's most exquisite diamond necklace shone brightly.
I entered my aunt's drawing room with my reticule clutched in my right hand, prepared for our departure. Lady Catherine was at her usual spot on the sofa, her lapdog sleeping on a cushion placed at her feet. The Colonel was facing her, his back to the door.
My aunt was the first one to see me.
“Ah, Georgiana, you are finally ready. Come closer."
I took a step in their direction, and Colonel Fitzwilliam turned to look at me. I saw his expression change in a split second, surprise appearing in his eyes as if he had seen me for the first time. Then, he slowly smiled and gave me a gentle nod.
Lady Catherine was also inspecting me, her gaze as severe as usual.
"Your maid has done a satisfactory job. You can tell she has been learning from Cosette.”
Colonel Fitzwilliam, who hadn't yet uttered a word, was still observing me.
"Lady Catherine, may I escort you to Almack's?" he finally asked.
She cut him short.
"I am afraid it is impossible to gain entrance without an express invite of one of the patronesses, Colonel, and we do not have one for you. Moreover, you would put potential suitors off."
My cousin didn't reply.
"Of course, if what you wish for is a rich wife, I can assist you once Georgiana is engaged. I will find you the wealthiest and prettiest heiress in town so that you can join your cousin in the holy state of matrimony. You just have to wait, however. Georgiana is in a hurry to get married. She must do so before she turns one-and-twenty, remember, whereas for you another few months are of little consequence."
Somewhat reluctantly, Colonel Fitzwilliam nodded, but he insisted on helping me board the barouche himself, and I sensed his gaze on me until the Grosvenor Square house disappeared from our view.
Although it was still rather early, the King Street establishment looked very busy, with at least two dozen carriages waiting at the entrance. Ladies and gentlemen, all most elegantly attired, were standing by the door clutching their tickets, and after a short wait, we too were ushered inside.
The interiors of Almack's were more pared back than I expected. The high-ceilinged rooms had large windows covered with plain velvet curtains, and large mirrors and simple pastoral paintings hung on the walls. I noticed with some disappointment that the crystal chandeliers were modest, definitely not large enough to make Mama's diamonds sparkle.
In the rooms it was warm, but not unpleasantly so. On the dance floor, a few couples were gracefully dancing the quadrille with the utmost elegance, their steps in perfect synchronicity. I watched them with admiration mixed with apprehension. My dancing skills had been much admired in Derbyshire, but whether they would prove becoming enough for the London ton remained to be seen.
My aunt quickly recognised an old acquaintance, a Lady Hamilton, the widow of a late cousin of hers, and they were soon engrossed in conversation. The music was cheery, and I was eager to dance. I looked around to see if I could recognise any familiar faces in the crowd, and to my surprise, I spotted Captain Price in a group of gentlemen. He saw me, smiled in my direction and, after some hesitation, approached us. He addressed my aunt, who was barely civil towards him. Then he spoke to me.
"May I have the honour of the next dance, Miss Darcy?"
I ignored Lady Catherine's frown and readily accepted. It would be an opportunity to find out once and for all why his countenance was so familiar to me. I also had to admit that I found his figure rather dashing. He wasn't perhaps as debonair as some of the other gentlemen of my acquaintance, but I felt an unyielding attraction towards his manly features, his big, strong hands, and his sincere blue eyes.
Captain Price was a fine dancer, agile and attuned to the music, and his movements were graceful. He was the first to speak.
"I am sorry we didn't get to converse more at Lady Dalrymple's. I was rather hoping you would be keen to continue to investigate our acquaintance some more."
I was surprised.
"So you admit that we have previously met! You must tell me how and when."
He gave me a half-smile.
"Have you forgotten all about your saviour? Young ladies are fickle indeed."
I looked at him with astonishment. The straight nose, the strong jaw, the piercing gaze.
He was the stranger at the inn!
The memory of the strength with which he had carried me to safety invaded me all of a sudden. His arms had been a haven after the commotion in the courtyard, his decisiveness a source of comfort, but he had lifted me without reserve, like a shepherd might carry a milkmaid, and I blushed at the recollection. At the same time, knowing the identity of my saviour came with more questions than answers. His attire on the day was not quite what one would expect from someone who frequented the most fashionable drawing rooms in London.
"If you're wondering at my appearance on that fateful day, I should explain that I was wearing my stable boy's coat," Captain Price said with a teasing voice. "A fellow captain was due to attend a ceremony, his best coat was being mended, and I offered him the use of mine. However, I fear that the favour to an old friend lost me the respect of a new one."
"By no means!" I exclaimed.
He gave me a grave smile, then observed me in silence.
"I am glad to see that the wound has healed well."
I nodded.
"I followed your instructions. I still have your hip flask; I must return it to you."
"It certainly has been a faithful companion for many years. A lady very dear to me gave it to me to mark a particular occasion. I would be a happy man were I to have it back, but I also delight in the knowledge that it is safe in your fair hands."
My cheeks flushed. I paused, then plucked up the courage to ask the captain something that I had been wondering since polishing the hip flask.
"May I ask as for the lady and the reason of the commemoration?"
His brow creased, as if he the remembrance brought him pain.
"It was the day I was made first lieutenant under Captain Harvey at the Leonidas. It was going to be my great chance at progressing and making my fortune, and my very kind sister Fanny and her husband Mr Bertram presented me with an object to remember the date as a turning point for the better in my naval career. Unfortunately, things didn't quite go according to plan."
A shadow darkened his face for an instant. I thought of what Captain Wentworth had explained to me about the cowardly behaviour of Captain Harvey and the injustice it had brought upon his first lieutenant.
"I am sorry. I should not have asked."
"You have nothing to be sorry about. What was it that Burns said? The best laid schemes of mice and men..."
"... Gang aft agley, an' lea'e us nought but grief an'pain, for promis'd joy."
Captain Price looked at me with astonishment.
"Your Scotts is remarkable, Miss Darcy."
"My nursemaid came from Bonnyrigg."
"You are full of surprises, indeed."
The blue eyes were warm and friendly, and a wave of gratitude enveloped me.
"Captain Price, I owe you so much. It is a pity that my cousin isn't here; he would have been delighted to make your acquaintance and properly thank you for your assistance on that fateful day."
"Do you think so?"
Miss Darcy's Beaux Page 8
