“Pardon my indiscretion; I should not have said anything.”
“You must tell me who dared to disparage you in such a manner,” her aunt said. “Point him out when your uncle joins us. I know, for a fact, he will have a quiet word with the gentleman.”
“I do not know who he is,” Elizabeth answered honestly, regretting her tiny outburst. “Besides, he has already left the ballroom.”
“You will tell me when you see him. Yes?”
“Thank you for wishing to be my champion, but I am quite capable of holding my own in a battle of words. If you insist on worrying, save it for that gentleman should we cross paths.”
“You have a bit of a spitfire on your hands, Lady Courtland,” Mrs. Jennings said with a wide smile. “I look forward to your niece slaying the rude dragon. That is if he dares to make a reappearance.”
ToElizabeth’sgreatsurprise,given the earlier disappointment, she enjoyed the ball. Having just returned from her last set, her back was to the dance floor when Lady Courtland’s face brightened with delighted surprise.
“Fitzwilliam,” she said with a wide smile. “What a pleasure to see you this evening.”
Elizabeth started to turn, wondering which gentleman had garnered such warmth and pleasure from her aunt when she heardthatvoice and froze.
“Lady Courtland, would you do me the great honor of dancing the supper set with me?”
It was him! She could scarcely believe her ears.
“I would be delighted,” Aunt Sarah replied. “I will ask my husband to partner with my niece, then we can have a merry party during supper.”
“As you wish, madam,” came his silky reply.
Aunt Sarah signaled her husband, who quickly joined them. Elizabeth had yet to turn around, unwilling to look upon the rudest man she’d ever had the displeasure of meeting.
“Darcy, my boy. Are you here with that rapscallion Ashton? Or maybe Richard?”
The rude oaf was her cousin! Her aunt had nothing but good things to say about her Fitzwilliam cousins. Elizabeth held back a soft sniff of disapproval. It was quite apparent, to her, that he showed his titled cousins a different facet of his character, saving his cold rudeness for hapless young women he thought below his social sphere.
“Ashton is here, attempting to coax Lady Abigail into dancing with him.”
“She still hasn’t forgiven him for his triflingfaux pas, eh?”
“No sir. He may have to strengthen the fabric in the knees of his trousers before the lady will soften her heart.”
Uncle John laughed out loud.
“It will do that young pup some good to have his ego deflated. What about you? What are your plans for the evening?”
“I am here, sir, to ask your wife to grant me a set.”
“I thought you abhorred dancing.”
“How can I not wish to dance when such a delightful partner as your wife is before me?”
“Ahh… You inherited your father’s charm, I see.” Uncle John half turned and held his hand out to Elizabeth. She took it and allowed herself to be brought forward. “Have you met our niece, Elizabeth?”
“No, I have not had the pleasure…”
A flicker of disgust first crossed his face upon seeing her, then he paled when he realized she was the niece of Lord and Lady Courtland, not some lowborn girl he could dismiss.
“Fitzwilliam Darcy, I present to you, Lady Elizabeth Hamilton, the daughter of my wife’s late brother Timothy, the Earl of Tiverton.”
Mr. Darcy quickly recovered and gave her a polite half-bow.
“Lady Elizabeth.”
