Mr Price’s eyes brightened with interest. “A cousin of Lady Lacey, you say? And she has no children of her own, does she not?”
Elizabeth could clearly see the direction his thoughts tended in.
“None at all, sir,” she said cheerfully. She was amused to see him eye her with renewed interest and move his chair marginally closer to hers than Miss Long’s.
As they played their hands, Elizabeth gradually grew bored of the conversation. Mr Price continued his attempts to flatter her and obtain her good opinion while Miss Long alternated between glaring at Elizabeth, and trying to capture Mr Price’s attentions for herself. Poor Mr Black seemed content with his never empty wine glass, and beamed vaguely at all present.
Elizabeth’s heart sank. Was this all she could expect from Bath? She had always heard such exciting tales about life here and the friends and connections people made. But so far, all she had met were foolish people with no clever thoughts and scarcely two words to say for themselves that were sincere, and not simply designed to flatter. She gently scolded herself. It was her first night, after all, and it was not in her nature to accept defeat so easily. She would have plenty more evenings and outings with which to enjoy herself. But tonight, she must simply endure the company of the idiots here present and amuse herself with what her father would say if he were here.
“…And he has taken a house in Great Pulteney Street?” a voice nearby asked in excitement. “I can hardly believe it. I always thought Mr Darcy hated Bath. He scarcely danced one dance when he were last here.”
“As I understand it, his doctor has recommended it for his sister’s health. She has caught an illness as school, I believe, and you know how devoted he is to Miss Darcy. Nothing would do him but to take her out of school and bring her here where she could take the waters…”
“I must tell my sister. She will be very pleased to hear of this…”
Elizabeth sighed in barely suppressed irritation. Nothing but gossip and beaus. If Mary were here, she would stand up and treat them all to a sermon on the dangers of shallow living. She caught Lady Lacey’s eye. Lady Lacey was also engaged in a game and had an impressive amount of winnings beside her. Elizabeth gaped in surprise and Lady Lacey gave her a rueful grin. Elizabeth was pleased that one of them at least had found the night to be a success. Lady Lacey discreetly rolled her eyes and glanced towards the door. Elizabeth nodded in silent agreement. Immediately, she placed her cards down and smiled at her companions.
“I am afraid I must leave you all here,” she said. “My young charge and I have travelled much today, and are quite worn out. Thank you, Mrs Carmichael for a lovely evening.”
Elizabeth stood up eagerly. She nodded goodbye to her table and as she joined Lady Lacey in the hall, Mr Price came scrambling after her.
“Miss Bennet,” he said. “I hope I will have the pleasure of seeing you at the Assembly Rooms tomorrow?”
“I am sure you shall see her there soon,” Lady Lacey interjected smoothly. “But as to an exact time, I cannot tell you. Miss Bennet and I shall be quite busy tomorrow.”
“Of course.” The young man scarcely concealed his annoyance. “I am sure you must have many friends eager to remake your acquaintance here. It would be selfish of me to keep you all to myself.” He took Elizabeth’s hand and bowed over it. It took all her effort not to flinch and pull her hand away. “Much as I would like to,” he added in an breathy undertone. His eyes scorched into hers with a look that was intended to leave Elizabeth breathless and confused. Elizabeth had to bit the inside of her cheek to prevent herself from laughing. The man clearly fancied himself a Lord Byron. He would need to look elsewhere for a young lady willing to fall at his expensively shod feet.
“Well, your first night here and you have already made a conquest, Lizzy,” Lady Lacey declared in the carriage home. “Your mama will be so pleased. Henry Price is considered quite the catch in Bristol, I believe. The family is very wealthy and he stands to gain £6000 a year when his father dies. And Henry Price stands to lose it all again in gambling halls just as quickly.”
Elizabeth laughed. “You have no need to warn me, Aunt. I am well aware if what kind of man Mr Price is. And I doubt a man like him would want me anyway. He will not be content to gamble away his own fortune. He will seek a wife with a fortune to dispose of likewise. I’d say Miss Long will make him a far better prospect than I with my lack of fortune could offer him.”
Lady Lacey tapped Elizabeth gently with her fan. “That is where you may be wrong, my dear. A man like that will want a woman who is not easy to have and you might have proven yourself to be that woman. Do not assume your lack of fortune will keep you safe from unworthy men. There are those who will seek to make you a conquest, with no intention of making you an offer.”
“And if they are foolish enough to try, I am quite happy to waste their time and energy,” Elizabeth responded pertly. Aunt and niece laughed as the carriage rumbled over the cobbles, taking them back to the warmth and sanctuary of the Circus.
CHAPTER FIVE
Aunt was still asleep when Elizabeth came down the next morning. “She keeps late hours when she is in Bath, Miss,” said James. “And she was most tired after her journey yesterday. Can I get you anything?”
“Oh, no thank you,” said Elizabeth. “I am not hungry yet. I would much prefer to take a walk before breakfast. Can you recommend some places?”
The butler directed her to Sydney Gardens. It was not quite the rambling wilderness Elizabeth cherished, but it was a large space with pleasant walks that would allow her some fresh air and exercise. Even better, it was likely to be deserted at this time of the morning.
The gardens were bigger than expected. Fresh dew still clung to the roses and blades of grass. All around Elizabeth, the grand houses of Great Pulteney Street had their curtains drawn, their fashionable occupants still sleeping soundly after their late night at balls and parties. Elizabeth was happy to have the gardens to herself. She removed her bonnet and spencer and threw them on a nearby bench, relishing in feeling the cool morning breeze on her skin. As she did so, she felt something tug gently at the hem of her dress. She spun around in alarm, and laughed with relief when she saw a small brown spaniel staring up at her with melting brown eyes. She planted a ball at her feet and stared up at her, her tail thumping in excitement. Elizabeth looked around. She could see no-one to whom the dog might belong.
“Good morning,” she said, stooping down to caress the silky ears. “Where did you come from? Someone will be searching for you.”
The dog gave a happy little bark and picked the ball up before dropping it again and stepping back, her hind-quarters quivering in excitement. Elizabeth laughed and picked up the ball.
“Alright then,” she concurred. “I am sure I can spend some time playing with you.”
She flung the ball over the grass and laughed and clapped her hands as the little dog almost fell over her own paws in her haste to reach it. She returned with it and dropped it again, her tongue hanging out.
Some time elapsed and Elizabeth realised more people were about. It would be time for her to return home for breakfast soon, but she had no idea what to do with the little lady who had curled up in her lap and gazed up at her adoringly, worn out from their game.
“What on earth am I going to do with you?” she crooned.
“Jessie,” a deep voice called. The dog straightened at once, her ears raised and alert. A tall man crossed the grass towards them. The little dog leaped from Elizabeth’s arms and scampered towards him, then jumped up and down in excitement. The man sighed with relief.
“There you are, you little fool,” he said affectionately. He knelt in the grass, heedless of the damp seeping through his expensive trousers. “Georgie has been looking all over for you.” He looked up at Elizabeth, who watched the dog and master with a smile. “So you are the poor misfortunate she tricked into being her playfellow, I see.”
“I fell for it, hook, line and sinker,” El
izabeth admitted. “But I do not mind. I think I had just as much fun as she did.”
“It was very kind of you to indulge her,” said the young man. “She’s been known to make a bit of a nuisance of herself.” He smiled, his brown eyes very warm.
He was extraordinarily handsome. His dark curly hair was tousled, and in his anxiety to find the dog, he’d left the house without shaving. Elizabeth had never seen a man in such a dishevelled state before and she felt her face grow warm. He wore no jacket or cravat and his shirt was open at the throat. The man followed Elizabeth’s glance and looked down at himself. He blushed and cleared his throat.
“Forgive me,” he said. “When I realised Jessie was out, I left as fast as I could to find her. My sister is excessively attached to her and it would cause her great distress if anything were to happen to her.”
Elizabeth felt her colour rise even more that he had caught her staring.
“Please, do not apologise,” she said. “It is still quite early, and I doubt Jessie will complain of your informal attire.” She hoped the joke would ease the embarrassment of the situation, and the man shot her a quick smile.
“Well, I had better return home,” he said. He scooped the squirming little dog into his arms and pushed the ball into his pocket. “I need to get her back before my sister panics. Thank you again.”
He gave a quick bow. Elizabeth watched him leave, occasionally patting the dog’s head and talking to her in a low voice. She smiled. How nice it was to see someone unaffected and sincere after her encounters the evening before. And how handsome he was. It was so kind and thoughtful to search for his sister’s dog before she should become distressed. And how Jessie loved him. Elizabeth hoped very much she would encounter this handsome stranger again.
CHAPTER SIX
Mr Fitzwilliam Darcy of Pemberley sat back in his chair and eyed the stack of cards before him with a resigned look. He should have known word would spread quickly of his being in Bath, but he had hoped to have a day or two of solitude with his sister before the visitors and husband-hunters came calling. But he could not be too critical of ambitious mamas or bright-eyed young ladies on the hunt for a rich husband. Their goals were exactly in alignment with his. For at eight and twenty, he considered it high time he found himself a wife. His younger sister Georgiana was in full agreement. She did not express it in too many words, but the way her eyes lit up when he mentioned it revealed she too was impatient to see him married.
Unfortunately, that meant he would have to force himself to go out into society and meet young ladies. He would have to accept dinner invitations, and attend balls, when he would much rather be at home. He was painfully shy and found it excruciating to converse with strangers. He knew it made others find him aloof and arrogant, but he found it impossible to catch the relaxed, easy tone he observed others using in company. Bingley was a master at it.
Darcy laid his head back against his chair and stared at the ceiling. If only Bingley were here, instead of taking it into his head to run off to some rural backwater in Hertfordshire. He had raved about the house he had found there, a place called Netherfield. In his last letter, he said he meant to spend at least the whole winter there. He’d insisted Darcy join him, and he would do so if his stay in Bath proved unsuccessful; either by not finding a suitable lady amongst those he encountered, or by not overcoming his reserve and encountering any young ladies in the first place.
The scattering of claws on wooden floors pulled him from his musings. He smiled as Jessie scampered in, her ears twitching with delight and her ball in her mouth. Georgie was busy with her music, leaving Jessie on the hunt for another playmate. He pushed back his chair and patted his lap. Immediately, the little dog leaped into his arms and snuffled into his coat.
“You creatures have it so easy,” he said, pulling at her ears. “There is no pressure on you to attend tiresome balls and meet endless people with nothing to say for themselves, all so you can find a spouse and pass on your family name. Perhaps in my next life I will come back as a dog. What do you think, eh? Would you recommend it?”
Jessie cocked her head and looked at him. The quizzical expression always made Darcy laugh. His mind drifted back to the young lady who had been so good to Jessie that morning. He had noticed her as soon as he went into the gardens, even before he realised Jessie was with her. She had been as informally dressed as he himself, her bonnet and spencer cast aside and her curls flowing freely down her back, the early morning sun lighting up the rich chestnut to gold. She had been laughing, completely oblivious to being observed. Darcy had been captivated by that sound. When he spoke with her, he saw how her eyes were dark and flashing, filled with life and intelligence.
He wished he’d had the presence of mind to ask her name. He hoped he would have a chance to see her again. He had a strange sensation that he would like to get to know her better.
But he would have to tread carefully. Her simple, homemade dress suggested she was not one who moved in the highest circles, and it would not do to lose his heart where it was not wise. He smiled as he imagined his Aunt Catherine’s response if he brought a lowborn wife to present to her. She still had her heart set on marrying him off to her own daughter, Ann. Ann had told him years ago that she had no desire to marry him or anyone else and he should not consider himself bound to her. No-one but the formidable Lady Catherine believed they would marry. Like most people of rank, she simply refused to believe reality would behave in any other way but how she wanted it.
Downstairs, the music had stopped. Darcy heard Georgiana’s feet pattering below, and Jessie straightened up, alert at once. She called up to her and Darcy gently placed the dog on the ground to return to her mistress. He selected a card from the little pile. Lady Dalrymple was giving a ball that night. Darcy felt a heavy weight in his chest at the prospect of a crowded room and the need to converse with strangers. But it had to be done, and the sooner he found a wife, the sooner he could forget all this socialising. He sighed and ticked off his acceptance. Lady Dalrymple’s it would be. He put the card in another pile where his butler would find it to send it out, then brushed off his clothes and followed Jessie from the room. Georgiana would wish to go for a walk at this time as she often did, and today, he would join her. Perhaps he might even see that bewitching young lady again.
“Are you quite well, Georgie?” he asked. They walked arm in arm along Milsom Street and Georgiana was oddly distracted. She stared at him blankly, then shook her head with a smile.
“Forgive me, brother. I am miles away, thinking of my music. Some of the new sheets you were so good to bring me from London are challenging, and I am thinking how best to master them.” Her eyes turned back to the crowds of people passing them by. He noticed her crane her neck for a better look at a small group near Mr Cole’s. A lively group of young ladies stood chatting animatedly with a group of officers.
“Do you know them?” Darcy asked. “Those young ladies?”
“Oh, no.” Georgiana withdrew her gaze. Her face was flushed. “I thought I did. One of my friends from school said her mama talked of coming to Bath, and that we might meet here.”
“Perhaps you should write and ask her,” said Darcy. “It will be far more rewarding than straining your neck to see everyone who passes by.” His tone was light and teasing, but he sobered for a moment. “I would like you to have friends here, Georgie. I realise I can be dull company for a young lady.”
Georgiana stared at him aghast and stopped walking, almost colliding with a portly man in front of them. He started to glare, then realised how pretty the young lady was, and smiled instead. He caught Darcy’s eye and a flash of recognition went through the two men. The portly man gaped, then nervously touched his cap.
“Mr Hughes,” said Darcy coldly. He took Georgiana’s arm and led her on. That was one of the many things he disliked about Bath. There were far too many opportunities of running into those he would rather avoid.
If Georgiana had noticed anything about
the exchange, she didn’t show it. She was still troubled by Darcy’s earlier comment.
“Do not say so, William,” she cried. “I have missed you so much these past few months and I love spending time with you. Not liking balls and parties does not make one dull, you know. I am happier being with you almost more than with anyone else.”
Darcy put Hughes out of his mind. He was bemused by the impassioned outburst. Georgiana was in many ways far more reserved than him and rarely gave voice to such animated feelings.
“I am glad to hear that,” he said, gently leading her on. “But you should still write to your friends. It would be pleasant to have someone to chat to and visit with when I am occupied with business.”
“Oh look, there is Smith’s,” Georgiana cried. “Do you remember me speaking of it, William? They sell the most marvellous gloves. Look how large and fine the store is.”
“I take it you would like to visit?” he said dryly. Georgiana was already marching determinedly in that direction, a firm grip on his arm. He laughed. “Very well. I need a new pair of riding gloves anyway.”
The shop was far larger than any Darcy had been in outside London. Shelves lined the walls, and filled the rooms. It was the sort of store he would have loved when his father took him on shopping trips as a child, filled with all sorts of nooks and crannies. He went to where the gentlemen’s gloves were kept, while Georgiana went in the other direction, saying something about selecting some new ribbons. The owner, Mr Smith came to attend him. A selection was laid before him, and he took some time choosing a pair that would last him a long time. Mr Smith attempted to direct him towards the more fashionable gloves but Darcy was adamant.
“I ride with my friends, and neither they nor my horse will care if the colour of my gloves is not up to the latest fashions,” he said. “I merely want something that will keep the rain out and will last longer than one season this time. That is all I require.”
In Want of a Wife: A Pride and Prejudice Variation Page 3
