Remember the Past... - Chapter Three

Prologue

Chapter One

Read the previous chapter here...

Mr Bingley returned Papa's visit the next day, but deferred Mama's invitation to dinner until after the coming Assembley, as he had business in London. Speculation abounded, as he had not specified the business that took him away so quickly when returning the various calls. Lady Lucas was certain that he went to bring back more ladies and gentlemen for his party, in time for the Assembly, while Old Mrs Banks prophecised that the Matchmaking Mamas had scared him off.

Lydia doubted that Mr Bingley would be scared off by the prospect of being in company with a number of young ladies. He was a single gentleman with a fortune, after all, and must therefore be in want of a wife. If he were not so inclined, all he had to do was fail to make an offer. It was a woman's prerogative to refuse, but a gentleman had to offer, first.

Nor did Lydia think that he would actually bring back twelve ladies and seventeen gentleman, as Mrs Long earnestly reported. Netherfield might be an estate of considerable size, but it simply wasn't large enough to house thirty guests - plus their maids and valets - for any great length of time. Mr Bingley might be wealthy, but feeding, housing and entertaining such a party for the quarter, or until the London Season started, would strain anyone's finances!

Still, bringing back the rest of his party did seem the most likely reason for Mr Bingley's business, even if the gossips were inflating the size of it. Mr Bingley would need a sister or female cousin to act as Hostess if he expected to socialize much with the young ladies of the region, and doubtless he had siblings or close relatives or friends who would enjoy a sojourn to the countryside.

Lydia, with the tacit agreement of her sisters, prayed for a small party, or at least a reasonable variety of personalities that limited the number of people they would have to watch for signs of Netherfield's Influence.

As she prepared for the Meryton Assembly, Lydia felt a little foolish as she folded her arms and tried to stare down her dancing slippers. “We need to talk.”

It was practical, though a little disappointing, for such commonplace objects to be the source of her powers. Jane had a brass haircomb decorated with rose quartz and angelite. Lizzy had a garnet cross strung on beads of tiger’s eye, red goldstone and hematite. Mary had the earrings of apatite and obsidian that she never took off. Kitty had a bracelet of citrine and serpentine, and Lydia had her dancing slippers, silver-grey satin embroidered with tiny beads of moonstone and clear quarz*.

Lydia was just grateful that her parents never noticed how the shoes grew with her feet, and never needed replacing. Now, they trembled slightly, reminiscent of Lydia’s own excited bounce whenever an event where dancing might be had was mentioned. Feeling slightly less foolish, though still quite ridiculous, Lydia explained. “I was a child the last time I called upon your power. I think we need to update my dancing dress into something a little more modern and suited for a young lady out in society, not a girl in the nursery."

The slippers quivered again, which Lydia presumed to mean agreement. "Nothing too fine or fancy, or there will be questions as to how and where I received such a dress. Though it is a pity, for I should dearly love a dress like the ones from a London Modiste."

Practical, she must be practical. However did Mary manage it? "I wonder... could you match my Dancing Dress as closely as possible to whichever gown I am wearing at the time? We are trying to be inconspicuous, after all."

The slippers wiggled in place, very like herself when Lydia was restless with excitement. Lydia took a deep breath and slippeed them on, examining her day dress in the mirror to be sure of the details, and struck a pose that was still familiar, after all these years. "Transform me!"

Perhaps it had been a good thing that Jane and Mary had vetoed five-year-old Lydia's first six choices of transformation phrase. How mortified she would be to repeat them out loud now! A child's sense of humor clearly did not stand the test of time, however much a young Lydia had giggled at the string of words she had heard a stableboy say when he dropped a bale on his foot.

Brightly colored lights swirled around her, not unlike the fireworks Uncle Gardiner had taken them to see at Vauxhall Gardens, a few years ago. Sadly, there was no way to make that inconspicuous. Perhaps hiding behind a pillar or large houseplant or statue would work, depending on Lydia's location at the time.

She finished spinning in place and examined the results. Her dress sparkled lightly in a way it hadn't before, barely noticeable in the daylight, but she would have to test the effect by candle-light. It seemed to be made of a different material, as light as the finest muslin but sturdier than the suit of armor Sir William had recently acquired. There was also an edging of tiny moonstone and quartz beads on the collar, sleeves and hem, matching her slippers. Again, barely noticeable unless you looked, and knew to look.

Mama might question why she had beading on her dress instead of the more fashionable lace, but with any luck she would give it up as a worthwhile expense.

"Oh, that is clever of you!" Lydia jumped at the soft cry from the door, which she was sure she had shut. Fortunately, it was only Lizzy, with Kitty hovering over her shoulder. She looked both approving and apologetic, so Lydia supposed that she was not due a lecture about keeping their powers secret.

Kitty shrugged, "Lizzy offered to help with one of our hair, while Abigail does the other, as soon as she finishes with Mama. Jane is trying to coax Mary into something less severe."

Lizzy, meanwhile, was examining the dress, eyes catching every detail. "That was very well done of you, Lydia. I had thought to make my uniform resemble a walking coat or spencer, but this is much more sensible. I suppose the magic has limits on how subtle it is willing to be."

The first time, their transformed dresses had all but glowed in the dark. It had been an effective tactic against the dark forces Netherfield had summoned, who had shielded their eyes with cries ranging from offended to horrified, but Lydia would face torture before she willingly wore that shade again. She was not a begonia, and she had no intention of imitating one.

Lydia was tall and well-formed, and found it a point of pride that she could dance every set without needing to rest.

How much of that was due to the powers she wielded increasing her stamina, and how much was natural ability and consistent practice was up for debate, mostly on those days when Mary was bored with her usual pursuits and the lending library was still a few days away on its monthly circuit. All of the Bennet sisters were considered quite good looking, having inherited their mother's beauty in varying degrees, and Lydia did not consider it a boast to claim that she might dance every dance. Jane, who likewise was assured offers for every dance, but also liked to sit down and converse on occasion, smiled in her gentle way. "I am sure you shall, but when your dance card is full, do be careful to direct your disappointed suitors to less fortunate girls. More than one young lady will be sitting down for want of a partner."

That was true, and Kitty, who coughed more than usual after the exertion of dancing and carefully allotted alternate dances to elderly gentlemen who liked company but were not fit for the floor, agreed. "With Netherfield... let," she remembered Mama's presence just in time and hastily altered what she had been about to say. "It would hardly be a good showing if we stirred up resentment by keeping all the available gentlemen to ourselves."

Lydia always had more willing partners than she did available dances, and she ran through her memory of who had danced with whom at the last Assembley. "Of course, though I shall not turn down Mr Bingley or his party if they ask."

Mama, who had been quietly fretting over whether or not it was quite proper for them to be introduced without Papa there as the mutual acquaintance, brightened. "Surely they shall, and with Sir William as the Master of Ceremonies, there can be no hesitation over introductions."

Lydia felt rather smug to have been proven correct on the number of Mr Bingley's guests.

There were the Hursts, Mr Bingley's married sister and her husband. The former appeared of the sort to be easily led by stronger personalities, and the latter a little too fond of drink, which could be a defense or a vulnerability. There was Miss Bingley, whose brother and sister had been heard calling her Caroline, and while she appeared to have a will on par with Lizzy's, her superior attitude might pose a danger. Rounding out the party - aside from the clearly amiable Mr Bingley, of course, was another single gentleman of good fortune, who had the matron's tongues wagging before he even set foot in Meryton.

Mr Darcy was very well favored in appearance, and taller than his friend by about a head, almost towering in both stature and consequence. He had dark hair and piercing eyes, and a face that would not look out of place on some of the classical statues of Roman Emperors that Lizzy had shown her an illustration of last month. Lydia considered him quite handsome enough to forgive his lack of a red coat, though his good looks were somewhat marred by an expression of superior disdain, unmistakably aimed at the entire Assembly, and the distinct impression that he would extend that judgement to all of Hertfordshire, if they had been present.

Papa would consider him a fine subject for sport, no doubt. Mama was already listening to her friends, who were speculating about his income. Lydia only hoped that they were not about to have a repeat of Sir Whosit, and all the trouble he had caused.

Lizzy, on the other hand... the second Bennet sister might laugh herself back into good humour easily enough, but Lydia doubted that Mr Darcy's words would be so easily forgotten. The... (young ladies did not curse) man had no idea of the trouble that he had just unleashed upon himself with his careless, dismissive remark.

Not that he would not richly deserve it! "Not handsome enough to tempt me", indeed! Lizzy might not be Jane's match for classic beauty, but no-one with eyes could claim that Lizzy was not also uncommonly pretty! "Slighted by other gentlemen" was also incorrect, since any fool could see the clear lack of gentlemen about, and Lizzy was being quite generous by choosing to sit out a dance or two so that other ladies might have an opportunity to display their talents.

Mr Darcy had better come up with some redeeming qualities, and fast, before Netherfield fixed upon him as a target, and Lydia started dancing a banishment!

La, just wait until Mama heard of the slight and began waxing indignant! Lizzy might not be Mama's favourite, but Mrs Bennet would hear no ill word spoken against her daughters, and as the Mistress of Longbourn, she held no small amount of influence on the society of Meryton and it's surrounds.

It would not take so very much social maneuvering to exclude Mr Darcy from invitations, if he continued to make himself unpleasant and refuse introductions.

Sitting down with some punch after her second dance with Mr Bingley, Jane clearly agreed. "I hope that Mr Darcy does not make his friend's stay at Netherfield more difficult than it needs to be."

There was a double-meaning there, and Lydia could only pat her older sister's hand and agree, before Mr Harris arrived for their set, and Lydia whirled back among the dancers.

She added some steps for benevolence and peace, disguising it as bouncing in place as she and Mr Harris waited for their turn to lead, just in case.

Natasja Rose is the author of two Austen Variations and twenty-nine non-Austen books of various genres, two of which are being adapted as scripts for a mini-series.

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*For anyone wondering about the stones used in their magic items...

Jane: Rose Quartz = Unconditional love, emotional healing, compassion. Angelite = Divine love, gentleness, healing.

Elizabeth: Garnet = Self-esteem, victory, eternal love. Tiger’s eye = Willpower, warrior’s spirit, self-motivation. Red Goldstone = Happiness, ingenuity, boldness. Hematite = Courage, inner strength, grounding.

Mary: Apatite = Energy cleansing, psychic attunement, Authenticity. Obsidian = Earth energy, personal power, integrity.

Kitty: Citrine = Brightness, positive energy, clearing. Serpentine = Hidden mysteries, observation, instinct.

Lydia: Clear Quartz = Awareness, amplifying energy, clarity. Moonstone = Intuition, sensuality, safe travel.

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