by Robin Helm
She had no need to check her dance card. “Admiral Lord Stephens requested that dance.”
“Then I shall escort you to your sister.” He looked towards Elizabeth. “Is the young lady with Mrs. Darcy a friend or relation of yours?”
Kitty followed his glance. “The blonde girl in the white gown is a great friend of mine from Meryton. Maria Lucas is her name, and her brother Julian stands beside her. The two of them are staying with me and the Darcys a few days. They have been my companions since we could barely walk, so they came especially for this ball. Shall I introduce you to them?”
Lord Beaumont nodded. “I should be honoured to know any close acquaintances of yours, Miss Bennet, especially should they prove to be as kind and cheerful as are you.”
He offered Kitty his arm and proceeded to navigate his way through the crowd to her sister and friends.
After Kitty performed the introductions, he turned to Maria. “Are you engaged for the quadrille, Miss Lucas?”
“I am not, My Lord,” she said, blushing.
“Then would you do me the honour?”
After Maria gave her assent, Kitty had the pleasure of watching Lord Beaumont lead her beloved companion to take their position on the floor.
Kitty and Elizabeth were observing them, noting aloud the way Lord Beaumont put their friend at ease, when they heard a deep voice rumbling behind them.
They turned to find the admiral looking quite relaxed. He bowed gracefully.
“Good evening, Mrs. Darcy. I have come to collect Miss Bennet, for the quadrille.”
“I hope you two will enjoy yourselves, then, and I shall be off,” answered Elizabeth, leaving them to themselves as she hurried away.
The admiral smiled. “You’ve seen me dance now, so I hope you haven’t changed your mind.”
“Not at all, Admiral. I’ve been looking forward to speaking with you again,” she answered.
“But not dancing?”
His expression was so serious, she wondered if she had offended him in some way.
Her hands flew to her face. “Oh, no! You misunderstand me, My Lord. I meant only that we could converse while we dance. I should be very sorry if I lost my opportunity to dance with you.”
The gentleman chuckled, and she relaxed.
“I was teasing you a bit, my dear. I haven’t met anyone as innocent as you for many years, and I could not resist having a little amusement – though I am sorry it was at your expense. Can you find it in your heart to forgive me?” he asked kindly, offering her his arm.
“I think it would be extremely difficult to refuse whatever you requested,” she said, placing her hand on his forearm.
He looked away. “You are precious, Miss Bennet, so I shall be very careful in what I ask of you.”
What could he mean? she wondered. No one has ever before called me ‘precious.’
The opening chords sounded, and they hurried to take their places.
“I should have known,” he said, chuckling again as he looked around their group.
The three other couples in their square were Maria Lucas and Lord Beaumont, Colonel Fitzwilliam with Georgiana, and Lord Jonathan partnering Caroline Bingley.
Kitty thought it rather odd to see Mr. Bingley’s sister there, as there had been no mention of her coming. In truth, she had never had any great love for the lady. However, she had been taught well; hospitality and good manners required that she acknowledge her. “Miss Bingley, how pleasant it is to see you. So happy you were in Town. Have you been introduced to everyone in our group?”
Miss Bingley, tall and thin, towered over the other women, nearly the same height as Lord Jonathan, which made it quite easy for her to look down her sharp nose at Kitty.
“I came to Town to visit my brother’s family, Miss Bennet. Fortuitously, I arrived this morning, which gave me ample time to prepare for this event, for Jane simply insisted that I come with her and my brother.” She arched a brow. “In answer to your question, because I attend London balls and soirees regularly, I have had the honour of meeting all the people in our square, with the exception of your partner.”
Lord Jonathan looked heavenward so quickly Kitty almost missed it. She tucked the memory away, determined to find out what it meant.
She looked up at her companion. “Admiral Lord Stephens, may I present Miss Caroline Bingley, the sister of my brother, Mr. Charles Bingley.”
After Miss Bingley and the admiral exchanged pleasantries, the quadrille began.
Before long, Kitty was lost in the symmetry of the dance, entranced by the music and movement. But she soon came out of her reverie at the sight of her dancing partner, completely at ease and seeming to exude a peacefulness, calming everyone he met.
Kitty smiled at him while they moved through the familiar steps. As she watched him, she remembered the fearsome animals of the Royal Menagerie in the Tower of London. For such a large man, he moves with unusual elegance and dignity, much like the lion and tiger we saw. She continued to observe him, fascinated. Maybe more like the panther or the leopard. Perhaps the majesty of the lion combined with the stealth of the panther. I wonder if he could be as dangerous as those animals. She shivered a bit.
The admiral’s voice wrested her from her thoughts. “Are you cold, Miss Bennet? Shall I send for your wrap?”
Kitty raised her eyebrows. “Oh, no, My Lord! You have caught me gathering wool, and I must beg your pardon.”
On the next turn, he spoke again. “I fear I must be boring you after seeing you with Beaumont and Beckett. You are quite animated with them, but it appears I am a cure for insomnia.”
She was quite distressed, worrying that she had offended him. “Please, My Lord! Never say that. In truth, I was wondering if you were as fearsome as the animals in the Royal Menagerie, for you have their grace of movement. Now, you know how silly I can be.”
They parted again, and when the admiral returned to her, he wore a broad smile. “I must say, I rather like being compared favourably to the great cats, or was it the bear? I have been told often enough that I am large and frightening.”
Kitty laughed at that, and they parted again.
When she met him again for the final turn, she said, “You may be dangerous, but I am not afraid of you. I know you would never hurt me. If I needed a protector, I would ask you.”
He looked over her head, not meeting her eyes. “I sincerely hope that shall never be necessary, though if it were, you could certainly rely on my assistance.”
“You are certainly a puzzle, My Lord, but far more than a simple diversion,” she replied quietly.
All too soon, the quadrille ended, and he returned her to Elizabeth. When she looked for him a few moments later, he was nowhere to be found.
CHAPTER 3
“But I don’t want to go among mad people," Alice remarked.
"Oh, you can’t help that," said the Cat: "we’re all mad here. I’m mad. You’re mad."
"How do you know I’m mad?" said Alice.
"You must be," said the Cat, "or you wouldn’t have come here.”
Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland
Kitty was still scanning the room to catch a glimpse of the admiral when Lord Jonathan’s voice caught her attention.
“Miss Bennet, I appear to have made a tactical error,” he said in a rather grumpy tone.
She could not help but laugh at him, and, to her relief, it seemed he could not help but chuckle in turn.
“I should love to know your meaning, My Lord. Do enlighten me, or I shall wonder for the remainder of the evening, and that would quite spoil the ball for me,” she said playfully.
“I thought it would not bother me to see you with Beaumont, the admiral, and your other dance partners so long as I knew I had the supper dance and meal with you. I reserved the largest block of your time, after all, but they were too crafty for me. I had no idea my two rivals would each reserve two dances. They outplayed me,” he intoned, wearing a tragic expression.
Kitty placed her hand over her mouth, fearful of making a most unladylike sound.
The gentleman struck a dramatic pose. “You think I am funny? You are La Belle Dame Sans Merci.”
The lady giggled in spite of herself. “You have no shame. Even so, I am not without mercy, and I would have you smile again. Tell me how to accomplish the Herculean task I have taken upon myself.”
His face lit up immediately. “Nothing so simple. Give me a second dance.”
She shook her head. “That is out of my power. All my dances have been claimed.”
“May I see your card?”
After untying the ribbon from her wrist, she handed it to him. “Of course. You shall soon see that I have none available.”
“Who is this?” he asked, pointing to a name. “Who is Julian Lucas? I have never met him before.”
Kitty turned to look behind her. “He stands just there, with my sisters Jane and Elizabeth. I have known him all my life. He’s a childhood friend who came from Meryton with his sister to attend this ball.”
“Then, may I assume you’ve danced with him many times before, at Assemblies and such?”
She widened her eyes. “You cannot mean what I suspect you do. No gentleman would do that.”
“You think that I would not ask him to give me the cotillion because my time to make my case with you is limited? Of course, I can mean that, and I’m a pedigreed gentleman. I have the papers to prove it,” he answered in all gravity. “I will show them to you, if you wish.”
Kitty shook her head. “It is not done. You know it’s very improper. The room would be scandalized, and I would become fodder for the gossips.”
He tilted his head to the side. “And how would they know? Only a limited number of people have seen your dance card, and I highly doubt the ones who have seen it remember the name of Julian Lucas when none of them have ever before met the boy.”
“He would not appreciate your calling him a boy,” she answered, raising a brow. “Julian is twenty-one years old.”
“Ah! A grown man,” he snickered. “Am I to assume that Mr. Lucas and his sister are staying with Mr. and Mrs. Darcy, since they came all this way to attend your ball?”
She frowned. “Well, yes, but what has that to do with anything? And his name is more properly Sir Julian Lucas. After the death of his father, Sir William Lucas, the king bestowed a knighthood on Julian.”
“Very interesting, I’m sure. I meant only that you and Sir Julian Lucas shall have plenty of time to visit with each other, while I shall be confined to morning visits, card parties, assemblies, and balls. In none of those rather boring scenarios shall we have any time to truly become well acquainted. Your combination of innocence and wisdom fascinates me, Miss Bennet, and I very much wish to know you better.”
Kitty considered his words, spoken with absolute sincerity. “You confuse me, Lord Jonathan. I cannot tell if you truly mean what you say, or you are merely a consummate actor.”
He smirked, bowing low. “Thank you for the compliment, Miss Bennet, but I assure you, I hardly ever say what I do not mean. I believe you should trust me.”
“What else would you say, sir? Would you tell me not to trust you? However, as your point is well made, I shall go with you to hear what you say to Sir Julian, and if he agrees, I have no objection.”
Lord Jonathan offered her his arm, smiling broadly, and escorted Kitty to her guests from Meryton.
After Kitty introduced him to her friends, she fell silent, listening with open amusement.
“Sir Julian,” he began gravely, “I find myself in a dire situation, and I beg your assistance.”
The young man’s green eyes sparkled with intelligence as he raised a brow. “I should be happy to help you, Lord Jonathan, if it is within my capability to do so. Please state your request.”
Lord Jonathan nodded solemnly. “Only you can help me. I wish to beg for your cotillion with the lovely Miss Bennet, and I am quite pleased to bestow a favour upon you in return.”
Sir Julian smiled complacently. “I value my dance with Miss Bennet very much and fail to see how anything you could provide would adequately recompense me for the loss of it.”
Kitty put her hand over her mouth and bit her lip to prevent her laughter from escaping, for she well knew her friend’s stubborn streak. Julian had long been famous for his refusal to give way on anything he thought was right.
“I have many contacts in London, and I would be most happy to introduce you into the best society,” answered the young lord.
The younger man’s eyes flashed briefly. “How very kind of you, but I think I prefer to keep my dance,” he said, shifting his eyes to Kitty. “That is, unless Miss Bennet would agree to something which is solely under her control to grant.”
Lord Jonathan began to object, but Kitty prevented him by raising her hand. “For what do you wish, Julian? I would give you whatever you want, you know. You do not have to give up your dance.”
“T’would be a great sacrifice to allow Lord Jonathan to have the cotillion,” he intoned. “However, I am willing to do so if you allow me a day for the two of us to tour London. Together.”
Lord Jonathan shook his head. “Absolutely not, for you are with her at Darcy House already. You shall be in her company for many hours every day. I withdraw my offer. Keep your dance.”
Kitty tilted her head and glanced between the two men. Her eyes softened as they settled on her childhood friend. “Is that truly what you want?”
“It is,” he nodded.
She turned to the nobleman. “I am happy to dance the cotillion with you, Lord Jonathan, unless you no longer wish it. However, I shall spend a day with Julian, regardless of your choice.”
“Since I have paid thoroughly for the privilege of dancing with you,” he answered with an edge of disappointment, “I shall certainly claim you, Miss Bennet, at the beginning of the cotillion.”
He quickly turned on his heel and strode away.
“Now there goes a gentleman who is accustomed to having his way at all times,” said Julian, quickly running a hand through his unruly, black curls. “Had he grown up at Lucas Lodge, he might have learned a bit of patience.”
Kitty smiled in response. “That quality was in short supply in some quarters at Longbourn, too, I fear, although my sisters and I were required to learn it. Are you enjoying the ball? I have yet to see you dance.”
“You know I rarely dance,” he answered, “though I would have enjoyed the cotillion with you. Perhaps your sister will play for us at Darcy House, and we can still go through the steps, if only so I can hold your hand.”
She was looking at him speculatively when Lord Beaumont approached to collect her for the waltz.
“I trust you both are having a wonderful evening,” he said bowing, then extending his hand to the lady. “Are you ready for the waltz, Miss Bennet? I confess I have looked forward to it all evening.”
“Of course, though I have never waltzed with a gentleman before, as the dance would have scandalized everyone in Meryton – perhaps all of Hertfordshire,” she replied. “My sisters have been my partners for practice purposes these past two weeks.”
Sir Julian looked down at her with surprise. “I should have been happy to be your partner, Kitty. We can add that to the growing list of dances for Elizabeth to play while Maria and I are in London.”
Lord Beaumont’s eyes widened. “Oh! Private lessons? That sounds like a bit of fun! Would you mind if I joined you? We could switch partners for Miss Lucas and Miss Bennet, for you cannot partner them both at the same time, Mr. Lucas.”
Kitty blushed. “Where are my manners? Julian is actually Sir Julian. I fear I failed to introduce him properly to you, My Lord. He hardly ever uses the title.”
The earl’s eyes gleamed. “How interesting. Baronet or knight?”
“I’m a knight by appointment of the king. He bestowed the knighthood upon me after my father, Sir William Lucas, passed away.”
Lord Beaum
ont nodded. “May I congratulate you on your appointment while condoling with you on the loss of your father? I hope you will forgive my forwardness, but have you considered running for election to the House of Commons? I hold a seat in the House of Lords. Perhaps we could work together for the betterment of our country. Many reforms are needed to change the constituency boundaries of the House of Commons. I have several allies in both houses. Perhaps I could help you find financing for your campaign? I know many members of Parliament and society in general who would be more than willing to support a reform candidate in the House of Commons. They would give you financial backing as well as an inroad with your constituents.”
Kitty was amazed at his enthusiasm. She had certainly noticed he was a handsome man, but he had seemed so correct that she thought of him as rather passive, though he did carry a weapon. Now, the earl’s animation and passion made him much more attractive.
Sir Julian cleared his throat, and Kitty snapped to attention, embarrassed to be caught woolgathering.
“Actually, your offer of help is quite timely, as I have been seriously considering launching a campaign.”
“Julian, I had no idea you were interested in politics,” said Kitty. “When did you begin thinking in such a way?”
“More importantly,” interjected the earl, “what is your political persuasion?”
“Whig,” answered the younger man. “I think the king should have to obey the same laws as his subjects do. I also agree with you, My Lord, on the need for reform of boundaries. All of our people deserve to be represented.”
Lord Beaumont fairly beamed his approval. “We shall get along quite well, I think. If you are agreeable, I shall visit you at your convenience at Darcy House before you return to Hertfordshire. We could dance with the ladies, as well as discuss your election strategy. Would that suit?”
“Of course,” answered Sir Julian, smiling. “I am honoured that you would help me.”
“Ah, there are the opening chords of the waltz,” said the earl tilting his head. “Miss Bennet, we must take our place to open the dance.” He inclined his head to the younger man. “Send your card around to Waterford House telling me when you will be able to receive me. I shall be happy to attend.”
