Page 62 of Sweet on Mr Darcy

Anne’s brow furrowed in concentration. This was the first and most important undertaking she had ever begun, and she could not bear to fail. Especially not in front of Mr Bingley. She turned in the same manner as Priscilla. Perhaps her movements were not as graceful, but they were competent.

“Capital!” Bingley was thrilled.

“Truly?” Anne asked in surprise.

“Indeed!” Mr Bingley assured her.

“I feel that I am not as elegant as my cousin,” she worried.

“No one is so elegant when they are just beginning, Anne,” Priscilla promised her. “I was gangly and stepped all over everyone’s feet when I began learning. Even my own.”

Mr Bingley and Priscilla danced together in great exaggeration to demonstrate the turn that was expected next, and Georgiana could not help but giggle from her place at the pianoforte.

Priscilla seemed pleased by this and endeavoured to behave in an even more cheerful manner. The oppressive mood seemed to lift from Georgiana as the two ladies and Mr Bingley worked with Anne.

After a half hour of such activity, a small crash was heard from a nearby room, and, murmuring an apology, Georgiana rose from the pianoforte and rushed from the room to see what had happened. With a promise to return soon, Priscilla followed her, leaving the door ajar, as was proper.

Alone in the room, Bingley turned to Anne. “Are you tired?”

“A bit,” she admitted.

“Then you must rest!” He went to lead her to a chair.

“Not yet!” she objected.

“Miss de Bourgh, you must not over-exert yourself.” Mr Bingley looked at her in concern.

“It is only…” she trailed off.

“Yes?” He smiled gently.

“I have waited so long. I am not ready to stop,” she admitted.

“Very well, but we must take it quite slow, and you should rest soon.” He watched her face carefully for signs of strain.

“I will,” she promised, and he took her hand and led her through the first steps of the dance.

They danced slowly, without music, and Anne spent much of it looking down at their feet and counting.

“You are doing quite well, Miss de Bourgh,” Mr Bingley said. “Soon, you will remember the steps without effort, and you will be less nervous, I promise you.”

Anne glanced up, and their eyes met. Suddenly, even though they were quite alone, it was as if the entire room seemed to melt away. Their steps faltered, then stopped entirely.

After a long moment, Anne coloured, then looked down. Then she met his gaze again. “Thank you.”

“It is my pleasure to be of service to you, Miss de Bourgh.” He bowed low and kissed her hand as her heart pounded wildly.

When Georgiana and Priscilla joined them again twenty minutes later, the two of them were sitting on a sofa together while Anne rested, and Mr Bingley questioned her about the things she had never done, and what she would like to do.

“I am stronger than my mother gives me credit for, I am sure of it,” Anne was saying.

Bingley looked outraged on her behalf. “I am certain of it, Miss de Bourgh. It does not seem that there is any proper reason for you to be so ill.”

“My mother insists that exertion is nearly always lethal,” Anne continued. “But it does not seem to do other ladies any harm.”

“It certainly does seem improbable that everyday activity should strain you so excessively,” Mr Bingley pointed out.

Anne grinned. “Mama is not much led by probabilities.”