Chances Come, Ney Mitch [snow like ashes series TXT] 📗

of peace must not last, and we must never expect it to, for as I continued to sit there and ponder our predicament, I noticed a most unsettling sight:

Jane and Colonel Fitzwilliam were dancing another set together. Therefore, they now would have danced three times! What the devil could the Colonel have been about? After all, he knew that requesting a woman’s hand to dance for a third time always gave a subtle and silent—but evident—signal to everyone that there was affection between the two of them. And Jane was not to be blamed for accepting his hand, for it was always highly improper for a woman to refuse an offer to dance, unless it meant that she did not wish to dance at all for the entire evening. Jane was therefore obliged. It was the Colonel who made the choice, and the weight of that choice was therefore entirely on his shoulders.

Yet, my apprehensions for why this situation had come about was answered by my own theories. It was not a hard thing to determine his line of thought. Thrice they had been partners, and now the implication was set. Colonel Fitzwilliam was now sending a message, as clear to all, that he had sincere affection for Jane.

He wished for all to know it. And now they did. Especially Mr. Bingley.

And as if thoughts can summon flesh!

For no sooner had I internally extrapolated on the matter, than Mr. Bingley approached me, for he had been passing by the area that I sat in.

“Miss Elizabeth,” he began, with only a half-smile. “You are sitting down. I am shocked to find that a lady such as yourself lacks a partner at this time.”

“You need not worry for my pride being wounded,” I replied, lightly, “nor do you need to worry about saving me by offering me your hand to dance. In truth, I am actually quite exhausted! It is remarkable. There was a time when I could dance every dance at a ball and not be fatigued. Yet, here I sit. I suppose I am not as young as I once was.”

“No, you are younger,” he responded, and I smiled. “And since I am of your state, I wonder if you would be willing to withstand my company for a short duration.”

“There is an empty seat next to me, and I would be perfectly amenable to you filling it.”

“As witty as always.” He sat down beside me. “Now that we have time to speak, you cannot imagine the shock that I felt when seeing your company with Darcy. I felt as if a burst of heaven had filled my life and I was almost blinded by the light.”

“We saw your surprise and it was precisely as we wished for it to be. Mr. Darcy did a great deal to keep our visit a secret from you, because he wished for you to take pleasure in the surprise.”

“I confess, I never knew that he had it in him.”

“I confess, that I was just as surprised in him as you are now. Both you and I could know him for years, and still not know him. But that is a good thing. It is best to always have something about one that keeps a person being surprising every now and again.”

“Yes, it is a rare talent.”

“Your sister’s coming was surprising as well. I am truly glad to see you both.”

“As we are to see you.”

There was a pause in our conversation—a pause that came about because he was staring intently at Jane. Then he tore his attention away from her just enough for him to speak to me.

“The Colonel enjoys her as a dancing partner.”

“My sister excels at dancing,” was all that I could think of for a reply. Indeed, this was a conversation that I so much did not desire to have.

“Aye, she does. I never had a better partner than she. Yet, he dances with her three times as of now. Such an attention is usually a marked one. You would recall that I danced three times with her at Netherfield.”

“I had not forgotten.”

“Then I should thank the Colonel. For by his dancing with her three times, it allows others of us to do so without losing the better parts of discretion.”

“Yes, perhaps it does.”

Mr. Bingley was jealous, but perhaps he was so unused to the emotion that he did not even know he was in the middle of the sin. The poor man! Then again, in some ways, he did bring this fate down upon himself.

Soon, the dance came to an end, Colonel Fitzwilliam and Jane bowed to each other, the Colonel took her hand and led her away from the dance floor. Jane was about to sit down as they were about to begin a conversation, when Mr. Bingley quickly left my side, dashed over to them, bowed to Jane, and requested her hand for the next set.

From that spot, I could see each of their expressions.

Jane was flushed with indecision, happy to accept, but also unhappy in the prospect of upsetting the Colonel.

Mr. Bingley attempted to act as if the Colonel did not exist.

The Colonel’s expression was clearly one of bitterness.

Two men vying after the hand of the same woman.

I cared not what anyone else felt about the matter; it was not a state to envy.

The evening past in this manner, with half of our company miserable from jealousy, and the other half perfectly content. Yet, to my surprise, Kitty had the most joy out of the evening.

“What a marvelous experience!” she proclaimed as we got into our carriage to leave…at one o’clock in the morning. “No one made us feel inferior! No one judged us for not being of the highest circles! Oh, the joys of being equal to everyone else.”

Georgiana chuckled at her reaction. The rest of us were already half asleep, but we all did agree.

Chapter 16 Sisters!

The next morning, we all woke up very late. Thank goodness we planned no