Page 39 of Fortuitous Encounters
“Do not ever get in the crosshairs of a Bennet girl's angry voice.”
“Sage advice, Papa.”
~
“Benita, why are you not dancing?”
“I cannot.”
“And why can you not dance?”
“I refused a dance.”
“Refused!”
“Yes.”
“Refused the second dance of the night?”
“Yes.”
“Who exactly is this boy that was so repulsive you gave up dancing for an entire evening just to spite him? I know how you love to dance.”
“Well—”
“Spit it out, girl.”
“Bennet.”
“Which Bennet? Since we discovered the other branch of the family, I cannot keep track of them.”
“Bennet Darcy.”
“Bennet Darcy!”
“Yes.”
“You gave up an evening of your fondest pleasure just to avoid dancing with your cousin?”
“I did.”
“What did he do?”
“I overheard him boasting to his friends that he would dance with me. He even—”
“He what?”
“He made a bet!”
“And??”
“A bet! I can barely tolerate the boy, and he made me subject of a bet! I have never been so insulted in my life.”
“Insulted? Why?”
“The terms. He bet a farthing?”
“A farthing!”
