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Elizabeth controlled herself and returned his smile.

“It was really quite simple, and it is a technique that you can copy at future events. There are many young ladies at these events who are not asked to dance very often, if at all. There are many reasons but the three most common are a small dowry, a shy demeanour or she is thought of as plain. I make no comment on that last one. These so-called wallflowers are often here at the orders of a relative and can be quite miserable. You are tall, elegant and, by your own admission, you have consequence.”

Darcy blushed once again.

“I really am a terrible person. I keep telling you that I will stop teasing you about the Assembly at Meryton yet here I have done it again. I apologise. Again. Returning to my story, your dancing with one of these ladies does not immediately have them setting their sights on you. Rather you have loaned them some of your consequence and made other men view them differently. Every event has several of these wallflowers. Dance the first with them and their evening will be much better.”

Darcy was struck by the matter of fact manner of Miss Bennet. The first dance that evening had been exactly as she had described. The young lady. He stopped and had to think of her name, Miss Johnson, was plain, and based on her frequent blushes, quite shy. But it had not been a horrid half hour and he did recall seeing her on the dance floor during the fourth set. He had a moment of chagrin as he realised familial pride had been close to moving to pomposity. A vision of Lady Catherine momentarily came to mind.

“You are correct Miss Bennet. I need to stop imagining that one dance with me, especially the first, is the pinnacle of a young lady’s social life.”

Once supper was removed and the ladies had an opportunity to perform, the dancing resumed. Elizabeth had only to ask one question to the Colonel about the tournament and the set was over before they knew it. He was excited and engaged and told her of the various elements coming together. The most significant was the demand of the Admiralty to be included in the tournament. A quarter of the 64 slots were now reserved for them and it meant that two of the final eight competitors would be naval men. As far as Elizabeth was concerned, bravery and courage were the same whether on land or at sea.

The seventh set was with the Duke and he was in a teasing mood.

“Miss Bennet I am most wroth with you.”

This was said with a smile so Elizabeth knew he was teasing her.

“Pray forgive me Your Grace. Which of my many secrets has been exposed?”

She watched as the Duke stifled a laugh.

“I cannot even maintain a strict face for two sentences. I was referring to the topic of gossip at the supper table. As an unmarried Duke I expect to be at the centre of the evening’s gossip. The distinction of rank and all that.”

Big smiles from both of them. The Duke did maintain the distinction of rank but was not afraid of gently mocking himself at the same time.

“Imagine my horror to discover that I was not the centre of attention. You were.”

Elizabeth’s smile faltered and she looked at him with worry. The Duke realised he had gone too far.

“Sorry Miss Bennet, this has been poorly done. This is a conversation for the drawing room not the dance floor. I have exaggerated some but there is truth to it. I will call on my cousin in the forenoon and we can discuss it then. Once again I apologise for worrying you.”

The rest of the ball passed and Elizabeth maintained her usual smiling countenance but it was a mask. The thought of being the subject of extensive gossip filled her with dread.

Chapter 23

Despite her turmoil Elizabeth sat with Claire when they returned home and wrote her notes of the evening. She did not mention the Duke’s comment to Claire, who did not pry. She knew something was bothering Elizabeth but it was late and it could wait until the morning. The household had barely finished breakfast when the Duke was announced.

“You are early this morning Your Grace. Have you broken your fast?”

“I have Lady Maria, and I apologise for my early arrival. I made a mistake last night and upset Miss Bennet and I wanted to set things to right as soon as possible.”

A footman prepared a cup of coffee for the Duke and then the servants all departed. It was just Lady Maria, Elizabeth and their two companions. As well as the Duke.

“During supper Miss Bennet was the topic of much gossip. She has been talked about on and off all season but there was more of a focus on her yesterday evening. I made a mistake and joked of it with her during our dance and it was poorly done. I should have kept my own counsel until this morning.”

“I accept your apology Lord Roderick. Let us put the matter behind us. I am all too aware of making a comment which although meaning no harm could have been better phrased or better timed. It is done. You are here now so please let us move on.”

The Duke stood and bowed before returning to his chair.

“Thank you, Miss Bennet. The reason you were discussed with such intensity was the ease between yourself and Mr. Darcy. He is renowned as a solemn man, severe almost, and his behaviour last night was sufficiently out of character as to be noteworthy. That is the heart of the gossip. I was about to say that it is nothing to do with your behaviour but that is not quite accurate.”

Elizabeth’s stomach involuntarily clenched. The Duke noticed Elizabeth’s flinch.

“I have done it again. I do not mean that you have behaved in any way that is inappropriate. What I mean is that your lack of sugary cloying, what society seems to expect as normal behaviour for a young lady at a ball, is noticeable. You are polite, well read and well informed, charming, dance well and make significant friends with ease. By which I mean Lady Maria, the Countess of Matlock and myself. Yet you are a self-confessed nobody. You made Mr. Darcy smile, you had the Colonel noticeably animated during your dance and you regularly dance with me. That is not normal for someone six weeks into her first season. Have I explained myself better?”

Elizabeth reflexively nodded as she pondered the Duke’s words. Lady Maria stepped into the silence.