Mr. Darcy Dances: A Pride and Prejudice Variation Read online

  Mr. Darcy Dances

  A Pride and Prejudice Variation

  by Sophie Lynbrook

  Copyright © 2016 Sophie Lynbrook

  All Rights Reserved

  Cover art: The first quadrille at Almack’s

  CHAPTER 1

  CHAPTER 2

  CHAPTER 3

  CHAPTER 4

  CHAPTER 5

  CHAPTER 6

  CHAPTER 7

  CHAPTER 8

  CHAPTER 9

  CHAPTER 10

  CHAPTER 11

  CHAPTER 12

  CHAPTER 13

  CHAPTER 14

  CHAPTER 15

  CHAPTER 16

  CHAPTER 17

  CHAPTER 18

  CHAPTER 19

  CHAPTER 20

  CHAPTER 21

  CHAPTER 22

  CHAPTER 1

  Five sets of eyes surveyed the Meryton assembly room.

  Mr. Bingley looked upon the scene ready to approve everything he saw. A lively company, generously proportioned rooms, and pretty girls with whom he would be happy to dance.

  His sister Caroline was equally prepared to disapprove. A vulgar company, hideous rooms, and some very pert looking young ladies whom she did not care to know at all. Similar thoughts went through the mind of the elder sister, Mrs. Hurst; however, that lady could find one consolation. While they were in this backward part of the country, any card play would be for very low stakes.

  The same thing had occurred to Mr. Hurst, but in the form of a disappointment; there should be no difficulty in fleecing these country bumpkins of their money, but the few sixpences or shillings to be won would hardly be worth the effort.

  Mr. Darcy scarcely took in his surroundings. There was one thought on his mind which precluded all others: What am I going to do?”

  When a gentleman stepped forward to greet them, Mr. Darcy hardly noticed the man’s inelegant manners, but Miss Bingley took it upon herself to point them out in a loud whisper. “What a ridiculous, posturing man,” she said.

  They were introduced to several more people, and Miss Bingley found fault with all of them, whispering snide remarks into Mr. Darcy’s ear as they went along. It was not the first time she had done such a thing, but in the past, he had been inclined to agree with her. Tonight, being in a mood to disagree with all her opinions, he noticed that Sir William Lucas and his friends, while lacking fashion and elegance, were well-meaning people who wanted to make newcomers feel welcome. Miss Bingley’s attempts at witty remarks were making him uncomfortable. Yet, he could recall times in the past when he had been amused by her observations. It was a lowering thought. The revulsion which he was feeling for her behaviour this evening gave him a sudden distaste for what his own had been in consorting with her on numerous other occasions.

  He found himself next in front of a woman whose manners did not appeal to him, and on any other occasion he might have snubbed her, especially when she declared herself to be thrilled that Mr. Bingley had come to the neighbourhood and brought such elegant friends to the assembly with him. “You will find no shortage of pretty partners here,” she informed him. Even generous-hearted Mr. Bingley blushed at this effusiveness.

  “I myself am accompanied tonight by five daughters, who are all accounted to be great beauties,” the lady continued.

  “Five daughters,” Miss Bingley gasped. “Do you mean to say they are all out at the same time?” She gave the lady a scornful look, then turned her head toward Mr. Darcy and gave him one of her superior smiles. He was as taken aback as she was when the fond mother confirmed that this was exactly what she meant, but he made no sign of his feelings. While Mr. Bingley struggled to say something in response, Miss Bingley whispered to Mr. Darcy that she could not see any beauty among the girls in evidence, and felt a great abhorrence of her arrogant superiority.

  It was always like this with Miss Bingley. Either she was making up to great people or scorning those beneath her. Mr. Darcy had often felt his own share of scorn for those whom he found inferior, but in this moment, while feeling ashamed of her behaviour, he felt a sudden regret for all those moments when his had been no better.

  Overcome by a great desire to disassociate himself from her, he took up the conversation from his friend and addressed Mrs. Bennet in a much friendlier tone than he was accustomed to use with strangers. “What a delightful idea. I see no reason why the younger sisters should be kept at home. It would be very hard upon them not to have their share of society and amusement because the elder ones may not be inclined to marry early.” He thought it more likely they had not the means to attract eligible suitors, but it was more tactful to behave as though it were entirely a matter of choice. “Such a thing is hardly likely to promote sisterly affection,” he added.

  “You have the right of it, sir.” She beamed upon him. “They are very affectionate sisters, and my younger girls are as cheerful as any young ladies could be.”

  Miss Bingley was frowning at him in obvious disapproval, but the thought of displeasing her made him feel very cheerful, and he liked this strange feeling of knowing that he had made his new acquaintance happy. It really was much pleasanter than going on in Miss Bingley’s way. Of course, she could not leave things as they were. In her view of the world people needed to be put in their places.

  “It is all very well for them to be cheerful, but this shows a shocking disregard for the elder sisters, and for the expectations of society,” she now pronounced.

  Mrs. Bennet’s expression declared that she was affronted by this insult. Darcy was affronted on her behalf. It was one thing to treat people with cold indifference, or even disdain, but quite another to criticize them so openly. This was one of Miss Bingley’s worst habits, but it was not one of his even though he had certainly mastered both indifference and disdain.

  Before the doting mother could reply, Mr. Darcy was struck by a wish to make amends and a most impulsive idea came into his mind. “I must dance with all of your daughters,” he declared to Mrs. Bennet. “I have never danced with five sisters before. It is an experience not to be missed.”

  “You are very kind, sir.” Anger vanished in an instant, and she was glowing with satisfaction. “I can guarantee you will not be the loser by your generosity. They are all accomplished dancers as well as beautiful.”

  He looked at the three young ladies standing beside her. They were pretty enough, but he thought it an exaggeration to call them great beauties. “Perhaps I should begin by dancing with the eldest,” he said, looking in the direction of the tallest of them.

  She giggled. “La, sir, I am not the eldest even though I am the tallest.”

  “This is my youngest daughter, Lydia,” Mrs. Bennet said, “and these two are Kitty and Mary, who are next to her in age. My elder two daughters are over there, talking with Miss Lucas.”

  He glanced across the room. The other two ladies looked to have more of a claim to being beauties. “Then I shall reverse my plan,” he said. “Youngest to eldest instead. I shall dance first with Miss Lydia, second with Miss Kitty, and third with Miss Mary, if that is agreeable to them.”

  Apparently, it was very agreeable. The two youngest girls squealed with excitement as they accepted his offer. Miss Mary was also pleased to accept, not with squeals, but with a little speech about the usefulness of the exercise. She was an odd contrast to her sisters, but he perceived that listening to her moralize might be a welcome respite after dancing two sets with giggling girls. He had secured himself some very odd partners indeed, but he felt a flush of benevolence in having done the right thing to make up for Miss Bingley’s behaviour.

  Pr
omising Miss Lydia that he would return as soon as the music began, he hastened to catch up to Mr. Bingley, who had moved on, probably out of a strong desire to avoid being trapped into echoing his friend’s offer.

  “Whatever can you have been thinking,” Miss Bingley hissed at him.

  “I was thinking of good manners,” he snapped back. “You need not have been so rude.”

  “They are ridiculous. I cannot help it if they make a mockery of themselves. All five daughters out indeed. It is a disgrace and somebody ought to tell them so.”

  “So you took it upon yourself. I will have you know that I deplore your conduct.”

  “Surely you do mean to dance with all of them. You need not ask the two eldest.”

  “I have said I will and consider myself committed to it. I am a man of my word.”

  “You will be a man of ridicule”

  “Then so be it. Better that than to be a man of arrogant conceit with a complete lack of regard for others.”

  Further introductions put an end to this conversation, and in another moment, their party was introduced to the two elder Miss Bennets. Mr. Darcy asked them for the fourth and fifth dances and Miss Lucas for the sixth. He saw Miss Bingley grimace, and felt his good spirits increase. There was only the Boulanger left for her, if he even asked for it, which he had no intention of doing, or if she did so herself, which she was perfectly capable of doing to his certain knowledge. It would not be the first time of her taking such a liberty. This time however, he would take great pleasure in turning her down.

  When the dancing began, everybody waited for him and Mr. Bingley, who was dancing with Miss Lucas, to take their positions first before other couples joined the dance behind them. Miss Lydia was delighted for them to be the top pair, and she giggled some more.

  “My sisters will be jealous that I am to open the dance and my partner is the handsomest man in the room,” she cried.

  Mr. Darcy very nearly shuddered at this bold compliment, but seeing Miss Bingley standing nearby gave him a different idea. A very bold one. He would take advantage of an opportunity to increase her displeasure with him.

  “Perhaps I only appear to be the handsomest man because I am standing up with the prettiest lady,” he said, lifting her hand to his lips and touching it with a slight kiss.”

  Hearing a sharp indrawing of breath behind him, he smiled to himself with satisfaction. This was turning out to be a pleasant evening after all. Displeasing Miss Bingley was an enjoyable activity. In fact, it would be an excellent idea to continue doing so with deliberation. In that moment, a plan was born. From now on, what ever Miss Bingley liked, he would dislike, and vice versa. He would set himself up against all her opinions, and do everything possible to turn himself into a man she could only despise, starting with making himself some new and very unfashionable friends.

  The music began and Miss Lydia proved herself to be a rambunctious partner. She hopped and leapt into the air with great energy. She twirled about while others turned dignified circles, squealing out with excitement the whole time, and she did all of this while keeping up a steady flow of silly conversation. It seemed she was determined to make a spectacle of herself.

  Mr. Darcy could not have been more delighted. His course of action was obvious. He copied her movements and added some of his own. He kicked his legs up in the air and threw his arms about with wild abandon. He matched her conversation word for word, and once or twice he gave a creditable squeal.

  At the end of the dance he was a bit tired, despite being in excellent physical condition, and he had a sudden respect for Miss Lydia, who bounced off to her new partner with no signs of flagging energy. He watched this youthful stamina rather enviously. He had learned during their conversation that she was fifteen, the same age as his sister Georgiana. It was too young for her to be out in company, and a deplorable lack in her manners and behaviour was very much in evidence, yet she had a vitality in her air which he found intriguing. Dancing with her had made him feel that he was a dull person and consider that perhaps he might make an effort to be a little more spirited.

  With this thought in the back of his mind, he did his best to keep up his new energetic style of dancing with his next partner. Miss Kitty was similar to her younger sister – a little less showy, but almost as energetic in her dancing, which spurred him a second display of flamboyant movements. She also talked a great deal, and in the course of listening, he perceived that she had few opinions of her own. Her conversation was full of repetitions of Lydia’s opinions for the most part, with little sprinkling of references to things said by her other sisters. It made for an interesting blend.

  Her references to Miss Mary’s ideas were consistent with the few words he had exchanged with that sister earlier, but the words quoted from Miss Elizabeth and Miss Bennet suggested that they were intelligent, sensible girls, with whom he would agree on many subjects. Earlier, their manners had struck him as more refined, and they had not said anything remotely silly. Now he feared they would be disappointingly useless to his new endeavour.

  Having been too busy to notice them dancing earlier, he wondered if there was any hope that the style of their dancing would offer anything to disgust Miss Bingley. He took a look at Miss Bennet, who was dancing with Mr. Bingley. It did not bode well. She had the most sensible expression and a pretty, serene smile. Her movements were elegant and entirely proper. How she could be related to Miss Lydia was a great mystery, but it appeared she could not be of much use to him in his quest to repulse Miss Bingley.

  He looked around for Miss Elizabeth and saw her sitting down. Unaccountably, he felt the slight on her behalf. What gentleman wouldn’t want to dance with such a beauty? Her face was even prettier than her sister’s, in his opinion, and it contained the finest pair of eyes he had ever seen. Captivated by them, he erred in his steps and stumbled, something which Mr. Darcy never did. He hoped Miss Bingley had observed his lack of grace. With any luck, she might think that he was drunk and be repulsed by the notion. For a second, he wondered if he should take up drinking, but that went beyond his notions of comfort. Foolishness was infinitely preferable to drunkenness.

  Miss Kitty kindly inquired if he was all right, and her tone impressed itself upon him. Silly and ignorant the girl might be, but she had a warm-hearted manner. Perhaps in a few more years, she might grow more mature and gain something of the eldest sister’s manners. At any rate, she currently had a pleasanter character than Miss Bingley or many other ladies of his acquaintance, who were too obsessed with notions of their own superiority to think much of kindness and thoughtfulness toward others. He decided that he liked Miss Kitty. Just a bit.

  It was Miss Mary’s turn next and Mr. Darcy discovered that her ideas also lacked originality, but in her case, they were quoted from books, rather than her sisters. Many of them were inaccurately repeated and interpreted. He could have corrected her on a great many points. On any other day, he might have done so, but this evening he chose to agree with her. Her awkwardness was evident and he had the idea that she was not overly popular. It might have been a better service to make some attempt at informing her, but he felt more inclined to allow her to feel appreciated.

  Seeing her begin to dance in a wooden style, he did his best to offer a different sort of useful service. With smiles and clapping, he encouraged her to adopt something of his own newfound liveliness. It was rewarding to see that she made a small attempt and that his efforts prompted her to smile back at him.

  Toward the end of the set, he found himself feeling a keen anticipation for the next dance. As he looked forward to taking a closer look at those eyes and to discovering what Miss Elizabeth was like, the possibility that she might be foolish in some way did not form any part of his hopes.

  When it was time to claim his next partner, he found her standing beside her mother. To his surprise, Miss Bingley was talking to them. Even more surprising, she was smiling happily and had her arm linked with Miss Elizabeth Bennet’s. He had not thoug
ht her likely to further any acquaintance with the family, let alone single one of them out for such special attention, but she seemed to have struck up a friendship.

  Her motive was soon clear. The torment which he had almost forgotten while talking and dancing in such a merry way was forced back upon him with a few simple words.

  “I have just learned that you and Miss Bingley are engaged,” Miss Elizabeth said. “You must allow me to offer my congratulations and my best wishes for your future happiness.

  CHAPTER 2

  Mr. Darcy blandly acknowledged her good wishes, but it was with bitterness that he heard her speak of future happiness. He had no hope of any happiness if this dreadful situation could not be resolved.

  “Considering the circumstances,” Miss Elizabeth continued, “you must not think yourself obligated to dance with me. Your exceptional generosity and courtesy to my sisters and me is very much appreciated; however, I am perfectly willing to give up my share of dancing with you to Miss Bingley, who is far more entitled to it than I am. It seems there will otherwise be only the Boulanger left for her, which would never do, so we have agreed to exchange turns. Of course, if you find yourself too worn out from dancing with my younger sisters to manage every dance, I will not take it amiss if you would rather not stand up for the last one. You need not consider yourself absolutely committed to it.”

  So, Miss Bingley had laid claim to her property, and had apparently chosen to do so for the right audience. This sister appeared to have some notions of propriety, which his unwanted fiancée had stirred to her own benefit. The substitution had been made in a polite manner and would have to be borne, but he now decided that this was his least favourite sister. Those fine eyes were quite spoiled by her interference in his affairs.

  He would rather have Miss Lydia’s vulgarity than Miss Elizabeth’s thinly disguised disapprobation. He had heard a note of censure in her voice when she declared that the Boulanger would not do for Miss Bingley. Miss Lydia and Miss Kitty would not have so quickly taken Miss Bingley’s side, or spoken in an censorious tone. They were more likely to sympathize with him, especially if they could know the circumstances of his engagement. He decided to take Miss Elizabeth up on her offer and snub her for the last dance in retaliation for her interference.