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Chapter 16
The next time that Percy and Lydia saw each other was at a party held by Marianne’s family. It was a more informal country ball than the others had been, and Percy was very much looking forward to a setting with less societal pressure where he and Lydia could sneak away and spend some time together.
He was quite surprised to have received an invitation to tonight’s festivities, but then he remembered that Marianne must have known about what was going on between him and Lydia. And at the thought of that, he was utterly delighted.
When he arrived at the ball with Lewis and Georgiana in tow, Percy left the two of them talking amicably together to go and see if he could seek out Lydia. He did not find her on his first loop around the house, and when he came upon Lewis and his sister again, Lewis turned to him and said, “Who are you looking for, chap? That Seymour girl?”
Percy shushed him. “Yes,” Percy whispered, “but keep your voice down; we don’t need the whole room knowing that I’m looking for her. Have you seen her?”
Lewis shook his head and looked to Georgiana. Percy was very pleased to see that his best friend and his sister were getting along so well, as he had assumed that Lewis just thought of Georgiana as his pesky little sister for a long time. But now that they were talking as equals at the ball, Percy was very relieved. He was quite happy that Georgiana had matured enough to keep up a polite conversation with his best friend.
“Perce,” Georgiana shouted over the music that had just begun, “why haven’t you spoken with Mama about Lydia? It is plain to everyone in this room that you admire her, so why not …”
“Georgiana,” Percy said sternly, “do not butt into conversations where your opinions are not wanted, such as this one.”
Georgiana scoffed. “Aren’t you the brother who is always telling me that I should be more mature and act my age?!” she cried. “And now that I’m giving you advice about your admirers like a young woman should, you are rebuking me for having an opinion? Brother dear, I believe you need to get your advice straightened out.”
Percy felt his anger boiling up inside of him almost immediately, but Lewis’ laughter quickly diffused it. “Georgiana, I believe that your wit is becoming as sharp as your brother’s!” he applauded her, and his laughter was so infectious that soon both Georgiana and Percy were also laughing.
But suddenly, Georgiana looked behind Percy and gestured with her head to turn around. He did immediately and was overjoyed to see that Lydia was standing behind him with Marianne beside her.
“Good evening, Percy,” Lydia boldly greeted him and hearing his first name said by her in a public setting made his pulse race.
“Good evening Lydia,” he responded with a smirk on his face. “Might I speak with you for a few minutes?”
Lydia nodded, and then she looked to Marianne, and Percy looked to Georgiana and Lewis. Percy believed that all three wordlessly agreed to cover for them, and moments later, they were setting off across the hall together. They walked until Lydia looked around quickly to make sure no one was about to see them, and then she pulled Percy into a room and shut the door behind them.
Percy laughed as she did so and saw that she had taken them to what looked to be a spare bedroom that Marianne’s family kept for guests. “Lydia,” he said seductively, looking towards the bed, “was there a specific reason that you brought me in here?”
But when he looked to Lydia, he saw that she was not looking at the bed at all. She was staring at him with her arms crossed, looking quite cross herself. “Yes, there is, and it has nothing to do with that bed,” she said abruptly.
Percy cleared his throat and tried to get his head back into position and ready for whatever it was that she wanted to speak about. “Of course,” he said seriously, straightening his dark green suit jacket that she had ruffled when she pulled him inside the room. “What is it that you would like to discuss?”
She looked away for a moment, and he couldn’t help being taken by her beauty. Her blonde hair was so beautifully done his evening that it didn’t look real. Her grey-blue eyes seemed to be clouded by whatever was on her mind, but it only succeeded in adding to her beauty. And her dimples may have been hidden as she was not smiling, but the promise of seeing them at some point that evening buoyed his spirits.
“I’m afraid it is a rather serious topic,” she said. Percy nodded at her and tried his best to look like he was taking what she was saying as seriously as he truly was. “And it has to do with ... you and I.”
Percy’s heart skipped a beat. “The two of us?” he said in a small voice. “Is ... is there something the matter? Have I done something that has made you …”
“No, no,” she said, understanding where he was going. But she still did not look happy about what needed to be discussed. “I do not wish to part from your company ... in fact, quite the opposite.”
Percy cocked his head to the side, intrigued. “Yes ...” he said, encouraging her along.
“I should just get to the point, shouldn’t I?” she asked herself. She clapped her hands in front of her to give herself some focus. “All right. Here it is. Does my family’s lack of class and money offend you?”
“Lack of – what? No,” Percy quickly responded. “Have I made any mention of anything that would lead you to believe that?”
Lydia shook her head. “It isn’t that you’ve said anything ... it is what you haven’t said.”
Now Percy was well and truly confused. “I ... I don’t understand,” he stammered.
An annoyed look crossed over Lydia’s face and then disappeared just as quickly as it had shown up. “Percy,” she explained patiently, “I am referring to the fact that you have not formally requested to court me. I think it is plain to both of us as well as everyone around us that there is something developing here. I ... I’m just hesitant to continue in the manner that we were previously without you asking to court me.”
Percy could hardly put his thoughts together. He had become so caught up in finding himself falling for Lydia that he hadn’t yet considered the consequences, both good and bad, of his actions. Yes, he knew that he admired Lydia a great deal, and the way they had been going along had been very pleasant. He hadn’t ever felt this way for a woman before, and so as Lydia was saying these things, he thoughtof course, I should formally ask to court her.
But then, he remembered his mother. His mother, who never set a toe out of line when it came to appearances in society. His mother, who had been telling him since he was a young man that he would marry a well-bred woman. And his mother, who had been gutted when his father died and now relied on Percy a great deal.
At the same time, however, Percy knew that his mother would want him to be with whichever woman made him the happiest. She had been very lucky with Percy’s father because he was the love of her life and was also of the same class. And so, Percy decided to tell Lydia the truth.
