Page 10 of The Secret Diary of Anne de Bourgh

I was watching the reel with Mary, amused by Darcy’s expression, when a deep voice behind us said:

“Miss de Bourgh? Can that be you?”

I turned to see the red coat of a soldier, and was about to wave him away when I recognised the doctor.

“Captain Doctor Spears!”

He smiled delightedly and bowed over the hand I offered. “It is you. I thought I heard your name mentioned as part of Darcy’s party, but I own I would never have recognised you!”

“Truly?” I flushed. “That is very kind of you to say so.”

“No more than the truth, Miss de Bourgh. You have blossomed, and it is a pleasure to see.”

My blush deepened, and the doctor took pity on me and turned to Mary, giving her a smile. I was surprised to see her blush as well, and look shyly at her feet.

“Captain Doctor Spears, please allow me to present my friend, Miss Bennet. She is Mrs Darcy’s sister,” I exclaimed. “Mary, this is Captain Doctor Spears, we met in Kent – I do beg your pardon, sir, I am not sure of your connection to Derbyshire, though?”

He bowed over Mary’s hand. “Mr Thurston is my uncle. My parents are gone, and I often visit him when I have leave. I met your cousins here; Mr Darcy, Colonel Fitzwilliam and I have been friends for many years.”

Mary looked up at him, then down at her hands. I had never seen her so shy of a soldier.

“How is it that a doctor also becomes a soldier?” I asked.

“It was the other way about. I was a soldier first. When I was wounded early in the war, I helped in the field hospital. My mother had taught me something of herbs and healing, and I discovered there how much more I needed to learn. My commanding officer obtained leave for me to study in England. I earned my medical degree and licence before returning to the men with whom I had served.”

“I don’t understand why you would go back to the battlefield,” Mary said then. “Would you not have been able to do well enough as a doctor here in England?”

“Certainly, Miss Bennet. But...” He hesitated, looked at us and obviously re-thought what he was about to say in the presence of two young ladies. “Being a physician is a calling, perhaps similar to being a minister. Where I am needed most, that is the place where I must be. I know Miss de Bourgh will understand I do not include her in this category, but the place I am least needed is in the fashionable drawing-rooms of the ton caring for the imaginary ailments of ladies.”

I could not help but let out a laugh, and at that moment saw Mr Byerly approaching to claim our dance. “Your pardon, Captain – Doctor – which do you prefer?”

“Whichever you wish, Miss de Bourgh.” Goodness, he was handsome when he smiled. “When in uniform, Captain creates less confusion.”

“Of course, Captain. If you will excuse me, my partner for the next dance awaits. Would you keep Miss Bennet company a little while in my absence?”

“I should be delighted to be of service.” He sketched me a short bow, and turned to Mary. “But, Miss Bennet, you are not engaged for this dance?”

She shook her head, and he reached out and touched her gloved hand. “Then I must ask if you will do me the honour of standing up with me?”

I did not hear Mary’s answer, but a few minutes later they danced past me. Her cheeks were pink and her eyes bright.

“Your friend seems to be enjoying herself,” Mr Byerly observed when the dance brought us together again.

“I am very glad of it. She was not certain that she wished to dance at all.”

“Perhaps she was waiting for the right inducement.” He smiled, and I could not help smiling back.

He was a good partner, attentive without making me feel watched, and when I mistook a step he corrected our course so neatly that I do not think anyone else noticed. Certainly he did not think it necessary to apologise to the whole set on my behalf, as one of my earlier partners had done.

At the end he returned me to Elizabeth, thanked me very prettily, and said he hoped we might meet again before he returned to London. I told him I should be pleased, and meant it. It was pleasant to have been asked, though I knew quite well whose company I should have preferred.

Kitty had followed her sister’s dance with the Captain closely. In the carriage home she could contain her curiosity no longer.

“Mary, who was that gorgeous soldier who you danced with after supper?”

“Kitty,” Elizabeth admonished gently, but Kitty only tossed her head.

“Elizabeth, I think he was quite the most handsome man in the room! I saw him earlier but there was no one to introduce us and you need not fear, I was most circumspect and only looked at him. Who did you find that knew him, Mary?”