Page 94 of The Lost Prophecy

The maid hid the damp section under the fall of the gown and helped Elizabeth draw on the clean gloves. Mrs Hurst placed the shawl around her shoulders, covering the pulse which had caused Mr Darcy so much distress earlier.

Elizabeth surveyed herself in the mirror, which returned only her own pale face and Mrs Hurst’s gown moving without a woman inside it. The sight should have been terrifying. After Mr Wickham’s death, it appeared merely impolite of the glass.

“Does the absence of your reflection trouble you?” Elizabeth indicated the empty space where Mrs Hurst should have shown.

“At first. However, after two centuries, one learns to distrust other people’s descriptions and employ an honest maid.”

The maid continued adjusting the shawl without reacting.

When Elizabeth returned to the passage, Mr Darcy was waiting exactly where she had left him. His eyes moved to the clean gloves and the shawl before settling on her face.

“I am unharmed, Mr Darcy. You may lower your guard now,” Elizabeth reassured him.

“You were nearly converted by force.”

“But I was not.”

“Because Mr Collins and a bowl reached the room before I did.” He stared at the wall without seeing it. “I heard nothing from you. Not fear, not anger, nothing at all. Miss Lucas reached me first. She had seen your cousin walk past her without recognising her. When your heart finally broke free, I had two hundred people between us, and I could not cross them at the speed I wished without showing every guest in that ballroom what I am. I should have been there. I shall never forgive myself.”

“Mr Darcy, I am afraid the fault is mine,” she said, smiling at his puzzled face. “I was trying very hard not to have my pulse disturbed in order to avoid alarming you.”

“What? Miss Elizabeth, do you realise how reckless that was?”

“For some reason, I felt... invincible, full of energy.” As an afterthought, she added: “And for some other reason, I felt... protective.”

“Of me?”

“Yes, Mr Darcy, of you. Is it so hard to believe?”

He offered no response, but the softening in his eyes and his posture relaxing spoke volumes.

Mrs Hurst stepped between them and opened the door to the public corridor. “You may continue conversation after we have prevented the county from discovering a corpse in the study.”

They returned separately. Mrs Hurst entered the ballroom first and Elizabeth followed later with Charlotte. Mr Darcy stayed away long enough to preserve the cover story.

The ball had continued normally. Couples moved through another set, candles burned steadily, and Mrs Bennet enjoyed her gossip with Lady Lucas, unaware that one prospective son-in-law had spent the previous half-hour killing a vampire while another entertained Jane.

Mr Bingley still occupied his assigned place. He had not left Jane even when Mr Hurst returned and spoke briefly in his ear. His face filled with relief, but he stayed beside her until it was proper to return her to Mrs Bennet. Only then did he approach Mr Darcy.

Miss Bingley directed the musicians, corrected a servant carrying refreshments and continued hosting a ballroom which had acquired a corpse without permitting the rhythm to suffer. Elizabeth’s respect for her increased against personal inclination.

Mr Hurst was speaking with Colonel Forster.

“Mr Wickham became suddenly unwell,” Mr Hurst explained when Mr Denny and Mr Carter joined them. “He requested a private conveyance and left through the side entrance.”

Colonel Forster frowned towards the hall. “He gave no indication of illness earlier.”

“It developed rapidly, apparently.”

Mr Denny glanced at Mr Carter. “Should one of us return to Meryton?”

“He requested solitude,” Mr Hurst countered. “I am told the condition is embarrassing rather than dangerous.”

Neither officer volunteered to investigate an embarrassing condition. Colonel Forster was displeased but permitted the matter to end when Miss Bingley announced the next dance and his lively wife came to collect him.

Lydia, however, would not let the subject drop so easily.

“He has left before supper?” She approached Elizabeth with Kitty beside her. “He promised me another dance.”