Mrs. Annesley paused to sip her tea. “You will find all the gentlemen dressed in knee-breeches with stockings, white cravats and chapeau bras.”
Georgiana put a hand over her mouth to hide her smile, but this did not escape Mrs. Annesley’s keen eye. “Miss Darcy?”
“Well, I do not think I have seen any of my – well, gentlemen friends – wearing knee-breeches!”
“They are rather out of fashion, so it is unlikely you will see them anywhere else. It can be quite engaging to see your gentlemen friends, if I may borrow your phrase, in this form of attire. Be aware that some gentlemen, those who lack the sort of lower limb musculature that shows to advantage in knee breeches, may use padding to disguise this fact.”
“Rather like the young ladies who pad their bosoms,” Caroline contributed.
“Precisely. As for the dancing, in the past, only country dances were performed at Almack’s, but I have heard that Lady Jersey has introduced the quadrille and the Countess Lieven has brought in the waltz.”
“The waltz? At Almack’s?” Elizabeth was surprised.
“Yes, but do not expect to dance it. The patronesses have to give you permission to do so. And given its reputation as being rather scandalous, I would suggest that neither Miss Darcy nor Miss Bingley dance the waltz even if permission is given. You must avoid doing anything that would be cause for gossip.”
Georgiana said, “I have heard that only lemonade is served; can that possibly be right?” Her nose wrinkled in distaste; she had developed a liking for champagne in the past weeks.
Mrs. Annesley said, “Tea and lemonade are available, but no spirits. The patronesses think it best that no one has the opportunity to behave badly as the result of drink. Also, there is no supper, only thinly sliced bread and butter, and cake with no icing.”
“I would think the whole thing most distasteful to gentlemen,” Caroline observed.
“It is, yes; gentlemen attend for one reason and one reason alone – to find a wife. This is why it is called the Marriage Mart, and this is why it is so very important.”
Elizabeth said, “Mr. Darcy never attended; he said he would have felt like the fox in a fox hunt.”
Mrs. Annesley smiled. “And he certainly would have been that! But now that he is safely married, he may attend without fear.”
“And do the usual rules apply? That I cannot refuse to dance with a gentleman?” Georgiana demanded.
“You are quite correct.”
Georgiana could only pray that Lord Fane would not attend. If he asked her to dance, which of course he would, she would not be permitted to refuse. She sighed. If only Ramsgate had never happened! She tried and tried to put Lord Fane from her mind, but she could not help thinking about the things he had said, the way he had held her hand briefly when helping her in and out of her carriage, the way he…
“Are you quite well, Miss Darcy? You appear distressed,” Mrs. Annesley said, concerned.
“Oh! No, quite well, I thank you.” Truly, she had to forget the man completely!
***
Mr. Darcy watched as Daisy put his wife’s hair up in an elaborate coiffure, fastened with jeweled pins. “I have never before been to Almack’s and have yet to feel the lack,” he complained to Elizabeth.
“I well know this is not to your taste, my darling, but we agreed to do what we must for Georgiana,” she reminded him. “It does no good to complain about it.”
“But you are wrong, for it does me a great deal of good to complain about it,” he said, half-laughing. “And if I cannot complain to my beloved wife, what am I to do?”
“Oh, very well, complain all you like! But remember that you must, you trulymustdance tonight.” She turned a worried gaze upon him.
“I know that I must.”
“You will dance with Georgiana, of course, and with Caroline Bingley.”
He made a moué of distaste.
“She is much improved, William; you must admit it.”
“Well, she is better dressed now,” he allowed.
“No, it is more than that. She has befriended a group of young ladies that she once referred to as ‘nobodies,’ but now they are good friends. And she does not flutter those ginger lashes of hers, at least not that I have seen.”
