The family dined a half-hour early to ensure that they would be done in time to greet the first guests even if they came a little early. At nine, the party was underway.
Elizabeth seemed to flit about the room greeting her guests and organizing tables. As the guests were being seated, Elizabeth came over to Mary.
“Mary, I need you to play whist with Lord and Lady Castleton,” she said. “They are a formidable pair when playing together. I had hoped to seat them at separate tables, but they insist on playing together tonight. You and Lord Matlock are the only players I know who even have a chance of giving them a challenge when they are paired up.”
Before Mary could respond, Elizabeth fluttered away. When she returned, she brought Lord and Lady Castleton and Lord Matlock. Within moments, the four of them were seated around a square card table. Then Elizabeth disappeared.
Mary greeted her fellow card players, doing her utmost to not allow any nervousness to show in her face or her actions. She was not certain she had succeeded. After all, she had promised herself she would avoid Lord Matlock as much as possible, andhere she was seated across from him, preparing to play a game that would last an hour at least.
Fortunately, the others that sat down with her seemed to be more interested in the game than in socializing.
Once the game began, Mary fell into her usual focus, counting cards, speculating who would play what, and doing her best to help her partner. In the end, it was an absolutely delightful game. Mary and Lord Matlock had done well, but Lord and Lady Castleton won.
“That was an excellent game, Miss Bennet,” said Lady Castleton as the cards were being cleared up and the final scored was totaled. “My husband and I have played against Lord Matlock before, and he is a delightfully challenging opponent, but I have yet to meet a lady who can match him in skill. I think you might just be such a lady.”
“I thank you for the compliment, my Lady,” said Mary.
“I can’t think that we will get such a challenge for the rest of the night,” said the Lady as she looked around the room at the other guests. “There are a few competent players here, tonight, but they mostly favor party games. I suppose that is only to be expected, since that is what Mrs. Darcy prefers.”
Mary looked around as well. There was only one other whist table. The rest of the guests were playing more casual games such as lottery tickets and commerce.
“You know, the four of us make such an excellent combination that I wouldn’t mind simply staying put right here for the rest of the evening,” said Lord Castleton.
Mary was not certain how to respond. It was not entirely polite to not mingle at such a party. On the other hand, it would not do to contradict a baron. She looked to see how LordMatlock would respond. Since he held the higher rank, it would be completely within his right to object.
“I think that is an excellent idea,” said Lord Matlock, dashing Mary’s hope of escape in the process. “Miss Bennet is a most excellent partner, and it would be a shame to waste such an opportunity.”
His sincere praise made Mary blush, but she kept her face as bland as she could. “Very well. If that is what you wish.”
The four of them played another complete game before pausing for refreshments, though Mary and Lord Matlock lost that one as well. Despite their losses, Mary was delighted. Never before had she been required to use all her concentration for such a lengthy time. As she played, it seemed as though the ideas and patterns of the game simply flowed through her, and the feeling was heady indeed.
With the joy of the game still within her, Mary made her way over to the refreshments to get some lemonade, only to find Lord Matlock at her side.
“You played an excellent game, Miss Bennet,” he said. “I can’t remember the last time I enjoyed whist quite so much.”
“That is only because Lord and Lady Castleton make for such excellent opponents,” she said.
“While it is true that they are quite good at the game, I have played against them before without nearly as much enjoyment. Therefore, it must be you who has made the past three hours fly by as though they were only fifteen minutes.”
Mary’s first instinct, as it had been her whole life, was to brush away the compliment and talk of something else, but something within her rebelled at the thought. Perhaps it was the memory of Mr. Porter talking of honesty. Perhaps, it was simplythat all her practice and improvements over the last two years were making themselves known.
Perhaps it was simply that she could not be anyone but herself around this man.
No matter the cause, Mary decided to be honest in her reply.
“I will not debate you on your assertion, my Lord,” she said, “but I do believe that I should be the one thanking you. I can honestly declare that I have never had such a pleasant time playing cards. It was both a challenge and a delight.”
Lord Matlock’s face was a confusing mixture of responses. When she called him, “my Lord,” he seemed to wince as if hearing it was unpleasant. As she continued, he seemed both pleased and puzzled at her return compliment.
Before he replied, he seemed to study her intensely, from the top of her head all the way down to her toes, though his gaze lingered mostly on her face.
“You have changed, Miss Bennet,” he said eventually. “Though I think it is not so much that you are different. Rather, it seems as though you are simply more yourself. I am overwhelmingly pleased to see it.”
Mary had barely managed to handle one sincere compliment from him. She could not handle another, and this one so much more pointed and personal. She didn’t wish to ignore it completely, so she simply said, “Thank you, my Lord.”
Again, he winced at the title. “You don’t seem happy to be called by your proper address,” she added. “Is there some other way I can address you?”
“I admit, I don’t particularly like to be called by my titles, mostly because I don’t feel as though they belong to me. They belong to my grandfather and my father, but I am not big enough or grand enough to fill their boots. However, most of thetime, I simply put up with it. With you, it is different. Somehow, it feels as though you are pushing me away every time you say it.”
