“You must miss the countryside,” Caroline purred at him, leaning forward so that he might admire her cleavage.
“I do, but society has claims on all of us,” he replied, glancing at her and then looking away.
For that matter, all of the men in the room had glanced at her when she had first arrived, but none of them had taken a second look. Infuriating!
Georgiana was now speaking easily with Mr. Stanley, who was evidently interested in music.
“Oh, play for us, Georgiana!” Jane exclaimed.
Not so very long ago, Georgiana would have run to her room rather than play for company, but she had been told to expect this. Mrs. Annesley had had her play for dinner guests at Pemberley often enough that she no longer feared playing in public. She had learnt that the near-trance that she usually fell into when she played served her well.
She moved to the beautiful instrument, opened the lid, and sat down. She needed no music sheets to play a complex Pleyel sonata, and her audience sat in appreciative silence as she played. Once done, she sat in silence for a moment, recovering from her trance, and then rose. Her audience burst into applause.
“I say, Miss Darcy, you are very gifted!” Mr. Stanley said with enthusiasm.
“Indeed, I do not think I have before heard anything so fine in a private home,” the Earl added.
Caroline was eager to display her own musical talents, but thought it best not to volunteer herself. Instead, she poked Jane rather hard. Jane jumped, but then quickly said, “My sister, Miss Bingley, is also an excellent musician.”
Knowing what was expected of her, Elizabeth said, “Oh, yes, please do take a turn at the instrument, Caroline.”
Caroline rose with alacrity and played the most complex piece she knew. However, her audience did not sit with the same reverent silence that had been accorded to Georgiana; indeed, she could hear the Earl and Mr. Darcy speaking to one another as she played. How very rude!
She received applause for her efforts, which she acknowledged with a regal nod of her head.
“You are also gifted,” Mr. Stanley said, politely.
“Thank you,” Caroline said, tossing her head.
But the Earl said nothing.
The gentlemen now rose and, with many thanks to their hostess, took their leave. The Earl, however, lingered a moment with Mr. Darcy; they spoke in low tones and then the Earl departed. Mr. Darcy bowed to the ladies and left the room.
“I am glad that is over!” Georgiana said at once, collapsing back into the sofa on which she had sat straight-backed.
“You did very well, Miss Darcy,” Mrs. Annesley said. “And the dress you chose was perfect for the occasion.” She then looked at Caroline, raised her eyebrows, and looked away.
“You may as well speak, Mrs. Annesley,” Caroline said, irritated. “Indeed, you look as if you will be in pain if you do not!”
“Caroline!” Jane hissed.
“Miss Bingley, there is no call to speak to my companion in that manner,” Georgiana said, sternly, much to everyone’s surprise.
“Oh, no, I am not disturbed at all,” Mrs. Annesley said, in her usual serene voice. “I was merely surprised at Miss Bingley’s choice of attire. Miss Bingley, it is as if you are completely unacquainted with the rules of the Marriage Game.”
“The Marriage Game? I do not have the pleasure of understanding you, Mrs. Annesley,” Caroline said, haughtily.
“Oh, let me tell it!” Georgiana said, leaning forward eagerly. “Let me see, how did it go? Making a suitable match in the Season is like a game. If you know the rules and play by them, then you might win! We call it the Marriage Game. Winning the Game is getting married to a suitable gentleman who can support you, who is kind and honourable, and who loves you. Is that right, Mrs. Annesley?”
“Yes, that is right. But the key is knowing the rules and playing by them. If you do not do so, you are unlikely to win the Game.”
“So the lecture I received from you about being kind and modest…” Caroline trailed off.
“That was my attempt to teach you some of the rules, yes,” Mrs. Annesley replied. “I saw you begin to speak about yourself when you first arrived, and then you corrected your course. That makes me think you are able to learn the rules, though you are clearly ignorant of a good many of them.”
Caroline began to take umbrage at being spoken to in this manner – and by a mere companion! – but she saw Elizabeth, Jane, and Miss Darcy all nodding, so she merely said, “And what words of wisdom do you wish to impart to me today?”
Mrs. Annesley replied at once. “Your attire is completely unacceptable for an afternoon call. Did you not notice that none of the gentlemen would look at you? They were embarrassed for you, and when a gentleman is embarrassed, he looks away. You are fortunate that there were no ladies present apart from family, or the bad-mannered among them would likely have hastened to spread gossip about you.”
