A NIGHT OUT WITH MR DARCY


The night began with Samantha and I walking into a gathering of people who stood  around sipping wine and eyeing each other up.  For you could be standing next to the rich and famous or even the girl from the factory floor - there were no class barriers here.  Unlike at at a real Regency Dinner with Jane Austin at the `Netherland Ball`. If you were invited to that - everyone was judged by their station in life and on entering the ballroom, you were announced by a footman in order of rank.  We were given cards on arrival, with sudo names and I looked down on my card dubiously - for I was not a Lady of even a Countess, I  was in fact Ann De Burgh and I was thinking - Id have to find out who she was!,
  "Oh she was the daughter of Lady Lucus" I was told.  That`s alright then I thought, for this is not upstairs and downstairs and I wasn`t going to be any serving wench.  Especially when my friend Samantha was a titled Lady according to her card.   Never the less, I grabbed a white wine from the silver tray as the waiter passed and went to talk to Mrs Bennett, who was very lady like looking and suited her sudo name and perhaps was even one of the rich and famous.  We were greeted by our pretty hostess, who was also the author of a cook book and not surprisingly enough, our evening menu was to be taken from the very pages of her exquisite cook book that stood on the side.   The group of Jane Austin fans gathered around as our hostess in a bright red dress read out some of the menu`s that would have been partaken at a real Jane Austin Dinner - but tonight was just pretend.   However, we would be treated like titled Ladies, with all the food and etiquette of the day! although, I could do without the wild boar.  Samantha was keen to buy a signed copy of this book but I was more interested in looking at the handsome Mr Darcy who stood next to the hostess, holding an open book, ready to read out Jane  Austin`s work.  He wore a Georgian dinner suit with long tails, a high frilly white collar and britches, with white stockings.  But the black patent shoes, with criss cross laces and buttons, looked rather large, but then he was six foot five - but what a handsome hunk.  He could have been taken for a Romantic Hero from a Mills and Boons novel.

   The tables were laid with white clothes, napkins and bone china and the candles flicked from the silver candlesticks.  As you sat there, you could be transported back to those times and be sitting a dinner surrounded by high ranking people.  Although, next to me was my friend Samantha,. who at least looked the part in a Jane Austin type dress.  She seemed the only one who dressed up and had many compliments, even though the long dress, was more like a night dress, it did have an empire line, puffed sleeves and a frilled neckline and she could have been mistaken for a lady from the book `Mansfield Park`  Even her hair she wore in a bun and was parted in the middle and it was like sitting next to a Jane Austin look a like.  But I`m glad she didn`t wear the bonnet, that she showed me earlier, it was black crumpled silk and tied under the chin, for she would have looked more like the milk maid.  But when Mr Darcy came and sat next to her at the table, they looked the ideal couple  - both dressed for the part.  But on standing for a photo, his tall, lean figure, towered over Samantha, who was short in stature, although she did not mind and grinned from ear to ear, for it was certainly, one for the album.

   There was a reading from "Pride and Prejudice".  We also heard how Queen Caroline had broken her little finger and would crook it when holding a cup.  This however, got copied by others, as some kind of lady like mannerism and little fingers would be crooked when holding cups, even though fingers were not broken.  But this was all part of the etiquette and when Mr Darcy read from Mrs Bennets speech, that she would do at dinner and it was compared to `come dine with me` - this did seem a bit far fetched for for in our modern times, when it comes to carving joints of mutton in front of the guest and eating partidge and pheasant,   Although, when we were served dinner, I expected more than meat pie.  So while Mr Darcy walked around addressing the guests, displaying his airs.  The staff lined up beside the beautifully laid table to serve the soup.  This was eaten with wholemeal bread, although, the thick green soup was more emerald than green, but was served from a sparkling silver dish with a big ladle and of course, served by staff, very politely, as they would the gentry of the times.  When Mr Darcy disappeared we wondered where he had gone, but he suddenly appeared dripping with water, without his dinner jacket, and just his frilled flannel shirt.  But whether he had been in the river that flowed outside, or perhaps he just splashed himself with water in the Gents, we did not know, but here he was the dashing Mr Darcy standing all wet and dismayed - just like `Colin Firth` in the film.  But when I stood next to the wet Mr Darcy to have a photograph - I said - `I`ll warm you up" and smiled sweetly up at him, and of course, he laughed, taking it  for the joke - that it was. For he was far too young for me and far too good looking.  Anyway I did not want to upset Samantha, who thought he was the bees knees.

   For desert - an ornately decorated silver bowl of fruit was placed on the table.  There was a jelly trifle, as the Victorians ate a lot of Jelly it seems.  They also ate a lot of apple pies and apples were a symbol of neighbourliness - just like when the character Mr Woodhouse was invited round to dinner.  We had been read to from Mansfield Park and Emma and taken through the etiquette and behaviour at our Jane Austin dinner, even told about flirting.  But no one had said to me with a bow - "Please do me the honour to have a glass of wine with me" - but never mind I just grabbed myself a glass from the waiters tray.  After desert,  in Jane Austion`s day it was tea and muffins, once the men had joined the ladies in the dining room - but I think I`ll pass on that, since I was now into the wine.  Samantha wanted a last photograph of Mr Darcy but he was in demand and sitting a around table, surrounded by women.  he was a popular guy and not a bit intimidated by all these career type women.  He had a smug smile on his face and after all, the evening was almost over and he was now relaxing.  He had been reading our from Jane Austins books and supposedly jumped in the river, even Mr Darcy deserved a break.  But alas Samantha and I were missing his company.

   Outside the dark river rippled and the lights from Victorian lanterns reflected on the water.  We said our farewells to the guests and on the way out we bumped right into our Mr Darcy.  He had changed out of his Georgian attire, but we thought he looked just as handsome, even though he wore flip flops and carried a little rucksack and he was probably going off to the bar for a relaxing drink.
   "Take care of yourselves" he said  in his charming way.  He was gallant right to the end.  But it was time for us to go home, Although we talked and giggled about our handsome Mr Darcy all the way, like a pair of school girls.  When Samantha headed off to walk through her council estate - `telling me she will take her oyster card out of her bag in case someone nicks it`  - Be careful I told he.  And I went on my way, off into the station to get my train and then to walk the dark streets home.  But no doubt we had our thoughts of that wonderful dinner, when were were - `Ladies of the Manner` for the night of and of that handsome Mr Darcy - who was only borrowed.