{"id":2231,"date":"2018-01-30T13:24:50","date_gmt":"2018-01-30T18:24:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/elizabethannwest.com\/author\/?p=2231"},"modified":"2021-12-17T12:53:44","modified_gmt":"2021-12-17T17:53:44","slug":"chapter-6-if-mr-darcy-dared","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/elizabethannwest.com\/author\/wip\/chapter-6-if-mr-darcy-dared\/","title":{"rendered":"Chapter 6 If Mr. Darcy Dared"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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\u00a0This is the chapter of FIREWORKS ladies and gentlemen for Our Dear Couple! PLEASE leave a comment if you are loving this story, the stupid doubts in my head are getting the better of me and I could really use knowing others are counting on this story. \ud83d\ude42\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>

XOXOXO Elizabeth Ann West<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Chapter 6 - If Mr. Darcy Dared<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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A collective hush fell over the ballroom as the first couples stood in two neat lines. Elizabeth stood between her sisters, Jane and Mary, who were dancing with Mr. Bingley and Mr. Collins respectively. Directly across from her, a full four inches taller than the gentlemen on either side was Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy. Elizabeth noticed that in the romantic candlelight of the ballroom he looked more like the charming gentlemen she met on Oakham Mount than the proud and stuffy snob she believed him to be.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>

As was fashionable, the first violin began a single low strain as the couples nodded to each other in courtesy. When the rest of the instruments joined in the piece, all three Bennet ladies extended their right hands to grasp their partners\u2019 left forearms and the set began.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>

“Forgive me, but you appear less jolly then when I left you this afternoon,” Mr. Darcy noted as he and Elizabeth took three steps into the direction of the musicians. In unison, the couples turned and began their short promenade in the other direction.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>

“Less jolly? You are mistaken, for I dearly love to dance.” Elizabeth gave a hollow laugh that even those who spent less time studying her person than Mr. Darcy would recognize as a false emotion. They turned again and Elizabeth grasped both of Mr. Darcy’s hands with a tighter grip than most ladies of his acquaintance. There was no use as the more Elizabeth tried to conceal her irritation, mostly aggravated by the conversations in the carriage with her elders, the more subtle hints she conveyed to her dancing partner against her will.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>

They each stepped closer to each other to form a nearly perfect line as each couple went to the other\u2019s side, only Mr. Collins and Mary ruined the lovely effect to the notice of most in the room. Mr. Darcy used the opportunity to \u00a0gently squeeze Elizabeth’s hands provoking a small gasp of shock as the lady looked up directly into his gaze.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>

“I make no mistake,” he said as they pulled apart and came close again, this time standing on the other side of their partner. \u201cI only wish you would tell me,” he continued as Elizabeth left Mr. Darcy’s arm to take a spin with Mr. Bingley before returning back to her own partner and gently clapped as Mr. Bingley and Jane walked down the line to take their new places at the end. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>

Mr. Darcy never finished his thought as the sequence began again and Elizabeth held her tongue. But each time Mr. Darcy gently squeezed her hand, her body betrayed her with an illicit thrill of affection. Inwardly, she cursed her traitorous heart with each dance step. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>

Finally, realizing she would not get many more opportunities to push the issue with Mr. Darcy, she cleverly came up with a subtle barb see how he would react, much as her aunt had suggested, but on a subject she cared about more.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>

“If my mood has altered, it is the results of an obligation to one’s cousin that has dashed my hopes, sir.” Elizabeth allowed her venomous anger to punctuate her last syllable. Completing the ascribed steps, she held her breath as she neared Mr. Darcy’s person to avoid his intoxicating scent of sandalwood and musk. She would not meet his eye and instead stared at the button holding his vest together, which only brought thoughts of how his chest had felt so warm . . . Elizabeth nearly stumbled as she blushed and wished the set was already over.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>

Mr. Darcy missed the lovely blush of his partner as he glared over her head at the bumbling fool next to him, Mr. Collins. When the shorter man bumped very rudely into the backside of Elizabeth as they took a turn, Mr. Darcy sneered, \u201cWatch yourself, sir!\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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