“What?” Charlotte blinked.
“You know, Paroemiologia…? John Clarke…? 1639…? Oh, never mind. Perhaps I should have quoted Saint Augustine’s Confessions instead and told you that God had fashioned hell for you.”
Charlotte shook her head. “Did anyone ever tell you that you read too much?”
Before Elizabeth could retort, the song had come to an end, and the two women were approached by Lydia, Kitty, Wickham, and a few other soldiers. Requests for dances were made, andCharlotte was whisked away by a short young captain by the name of Carter. Wickham solicited Elizabeth for the third set, then escorted Lydia to the floor, leaving Kitty alone with her elder sister.
Elizabeth winced as Lydia once again tripped over the steps, nearly falling into Wickham’s arms. Kitty gave a soft growl, and Elizabeth looked at her younger sister in surprise. “Is anything troubling you, Kitty?”
Kitty crossed her arms and huffed, then looked down at her tapping foot. She then looked back up at the dancers and scowled before turning her attention to Elizabeth. “Have you ever been in love?”
Taken aback, Elizabeth’s eyes widened. After a moment, she cautiously asked, “Do you think that you’re in love, Kitty?”
Kitty’s eyes filled with tears. “IknowI am. But how can I know if he loves me in return?”
Elizabeth followed Kitty’s gaze to where Wickham and Lydia were skipping down the line. “Well, I think that a man in love will bothsayhe’s in love and alsoshowhe’s in love, but he will be honest about it.”
For the first time, Elizabeth commanded Kitty’s full attention. “What do you mean?”
“Well, a man in love will demonstrate those feelings both in private and in public. Look at Mr. Bingley, for example. When he met Jane and fell in love with her, he not only said it, but he showed it by preventing his sister from being cruel to her. Then, he not only asked her to marry him, but he also asked Papa. He treats Jane with the same tender care and concern in his home as he did when she was well enough to receive visitors.”
Comprehension dawned across Kitty’s face. “You mean a man in love won’t tell a girl he loves her and then go flirt with another girl.”
“Exactly,” Elizabeth said firmly. “He will prove himself to be constant and true. If he cannot do that, then he isn’t worth it.”
“But what if—”
“No.”
Elizabeth stopped her sister before she could begin to play what the family calledKitty’s What-if Game, something the poor anxious girl had done ever since she had learned how to speak.
“There is absolutely no valid reason a young man would want to hide his feelings for you from others. Life is not some romance novel. You do not have a wicked father who is forcing you to marry a lecherous old man or be cast out of your home.”
Looking around at the dancers uncertainly, Kitty bit her lip.
Elizabeth sighed. “Listen, Kitty. I’ll make a deal with you. If your young man truly loves you but thinks he has a valid reason for not speaking to Papa as of yet, then have him come speak with me.”
Kitty brightened. “Truly?”
“Yes.” Elizabeth said firmly. “We have all heard time and again that Papa thinks I have a bit more wit than the rest of you.” She made a face to take away the sting of this remark, causing Kitty to giggle. “I cannot give permission on Papa’s behalf, of course, but I can at least help ensure that you are not being deceived by pretty words and a handsome face. If he isn’t willing to speak even to me—or, I don’t know, confide in Dr. Fields at least!—then he isn’t trustworthy.”
Determination filled Kitty’s face as the dance came to its conclusion. “Thank you, Lizzy,” Kitty whispered, giving her elder sister a hug before she was collected by an officer named Denny to partner for the next dance. Captain Carter solicited Elizabeth’s hand as well, and she cheerfully agreed.
On her way to the floor, Wickham stopped them and asked if she would dance the next set with him. She barely had time tonod her head in acquiescence before the reel began and she was skipping in time with the music.
After the song ended, the musicians called for a ten-minute break, and Elizabeth made her way to a table in the back where a punch bowl sat next to several pitchers of lemonade. Doing her best to take ladylike sips and not swallow the entire glass in one large gulp, she looked around the room to see who had arrived.
Lydia was holding court with several officers, along with a few young ladies from Meryton and its surrounding environs. Kitty stood a bit to the side of the group next to Wickham. He was watching Lydia prattle on, but he also seemed to be listening to what Kitty was muttering at his side.
Further on, in an attitude eerily similar to that of her youngest daughter, Mrs. Bennet was gossiping with the other matrons in the neighborhood, including her sister, Mrs. Phillips. Elizabeth’s father and uncle were both ensconced in a corner nearby, most likely sneaking sips of brandy from the flasks hidden in their jacket pockets.
Elsewhere, Charlotte was speaking with a young man whose back was turned to Elizabeth, so she couldn’t tell who it was. He seemed familiar to her, but she was unable to determine who he was. Next to them stood Jamie and Penny, and Elizabeth was gratified to see that the pair looked quite content to ignore the remainder of the room in favor of one another’s company.
Her musings were interrupted when the first few notes played in anticipation of the next set. With a charming grin, Wickham approached and extended a hand to claim her as his partner. “Shall we join the others?”
“Yes, please!”
For all that Elizabeth loved to walk, read, and debate, there was little that she enjoyed better than a country ball. There was something about having the freedom to hop, skip, and jumpwithout being labeled as boisterous or wild that was liberating to her.
