A Match for Mary Bennet by Eucharista Ward

have.”
    â€œPlease, Aunt. Anne is not yet married, and you may be all wrong about his intentions or hers.” After a pause, in which Lady Catherine only grunted, Darcy went on, “And I believe the music has stopped. I must lead my guests to supper.”
    â€œWait! Before you go, promise to visit in the spring as you used to do. You may bring Mrs. Darcy and my grandnephew, if you will. See the situation for yourself, and I know you will agree with me. I am never wrong about such things.”
    Darcy extinguished one candle. “Aunt, I will promise to look into the Kent situation as soon as I can—by proxy if not in person. I will not rush Elizabeth into any arduous journey, and Charles is much too young.” The other candle went out, the door opened, their voices died out below, and only the crackling of the dying fire sounded through the library. Mary made her way to the door and watched the outline of light beneath it until no moving shadows darkened it. Then she slipped back into the bright hall, blinking against the glare, and mingled with guests moving toward the staircase to the supper room.
    Once downstairs, Mary was accosted by a frowning Mr. Oliver. Bowing, he greeted her solemnly. “I saw you briefly when dancing began but not afterward. Are you so invisible in a crowd, Miss Mary Bennet, or do you so disapprove of dancing?”
    Fortunately, Mary had time only to respond, “No sir,” before Darcy and Lady Catherine passed and she could excuse herself to join her sisters, trusting that Lydia would not choose to be one of the party. Lydia had never cared to be among those who might frown upon her lack of decorum. Jane and Catherine sat at a table with Bingley, and Mary joined them. Elizabeth, with Miss de Bourgh and Mrs. Jenkinson, looked around for Lady Catherine. Elizabeth smiled as Darcy escorted the dowager to her table and then turned to care for their other guests. After the meal—which had progressed amid praise for the sumptuous banquet, the Bristol glass, and the new Spode china—Elizabeth became free to join her sisters and parents, just as Jane explained to Kitty, “Lydia visited us a fortnight ago, and I mentioned this ball. The poor thing had not been to any festive gathering for so long, I did not think it improper for her to join her sisters. She and Wickham are staying at the inn at Lambton, as the Gardiners always do. Naturally, Wickham does not dare to show his face at Pemberley, but that need not prevent Lydia from her enjoyment.”
    Kitty nodded as she said, “Lydia stayed upstairs in the card room. They just began a round of piquet when supper was announced. She said she had eaten enough from the refreshment table and would forgo supper. Perhaps I should do that.” Elizabeth arrived and sat next to Mary, across from Jane and Kitty. Bingley stood behind Jane, searching for Darcy. Kitty made to rise, saying, “If there is sufficient room at the card table, I can watch them play.” Jane put a hand over hers and whispered to her, and she sat down again. Mary rejoiced that Kitty showed no resentment at being curbed. Across the supper room, Mr. Oliver joined Reverend and Mrs. Wynters, and Mary relaxed, preparing to listen to Jane and Elizabeth, as she usually did, allowing herself a comfortable, unobtrusive reverie. But soon Elizabeth turned to her. “Why did you not play for the group this evening? Georgiana looked for you in vain and finally had to play alone. And you practised so often with her.”
    Mary wanted to say they might have asked Caroline Bingley, who always spoke enviously of Georgiana’s Broadwood grand, but she simply said, “I am sorry to have missed it. But surely the noels are still to come?” Then she applied herself to the delicious curry.
    Elizabeth persisted. “Georgiana wanted to share the honours with you, as she played only the folk dances you had done as duets. She thought them thin