Damn it, she was right.

Elli had no clue where she was. Everyone was talking and moving around her when they arrived at wherever they were at as Elli stood there confused and frustrated.

She wanted the damn blindfold off.

She wanted to see Shea.

Her day had been amazing, except for the blindfold business, and she wanted to thank him.

“Are we getting her dressed now?” Harper asked as Elli was sat on a couch.

“Yeah, go ahead. Everyone is starting to arrive.” Grace said.

“Grace?” Elli asked.

“Yeah, happy birthday!”

“Thanks, what are you doing here?”

“Um, I don’t know. You don’t hear me.”

Everyone started laughing except Elli. She didn’t think this was funny. Gosh, she hated secrets. Someone started pulling at her clothes, and then she felt someone taking off her bra.

“Hey!”

“It’s me, El. Shush,” Harper said, putting another bra on her. Harper directed Elli into what she guessed was a dress. The satin was cool against Elli’s skin and she was dying to know what it looked like, to know what was going on, and when the hell she could take the damn blindfold off! Harper zipped her up and tied something, then Elli didn’t feel anything, but she heard everyone gasp in awe.

“Beautiful.”

“Fantastic”

“Breathtaking!”

“Okay. When you hear the door shut, take off the blindfold,” Harper said. Elli just stood there, waiting. Everyone wished her luck, and then finally, the door shut. Elli practically ripped the blindfold from her head. When her eyes, adjusted she was looking at herself if a full length brass mirror.

“Oh my God,” she muttered as her hand came up over her mouth. She was wearing the dress from the shop that Grace had her try on. Her hair was done up in pin curls with pearls holding in each curl. Her makeup was done so softly that it was hard to tell she even had any on. The dress, oh, it was a masterpiece, beautiful, stunning. Elli could go on for days describing the beauty of it.

She looked like Elizabeth Bennet, and Elli had a feeling that when she walked out the door, she would be stepping into the Nethierfield ball. A nervous giggle escaped her lips as she looked back at the large white door. With every step she took to the door, she got more and more excited as questions filled her head.

Would it be just like the movie?

Would everyone be there?

Where was she?

And the biggest one, would Mr. Darcy be there?

Well not the real Mr. Darcy, but Shea as Mr. Darcy.

Elli opened the door and took a step out, walking down the hall, taking in the exquisiteness of the place that she had no clue she was at. The walls were covered with beautiful gold paper that had white swirls on them. Vintage furniture was everywhere, along with large floor candlestick holders. It was beautiful.

When Elli came to the end of the hall, she reached a staircase, and her last question was answered.

Shea stood at the bottom of the stairs, smiling up at her, in a black waistcoat with a white under coat. The cravat that covered his neck to his chin was white, the pants that came down to below his knees were black and, bless his heart, to complete the outfit he wore sheer black socks.

Elli couldn’t help but laugh when she saw he didn’t have the traditional shoes of the 19th century, but his Chucks.

“My Mr. Darcy, Adler style, huh?”

“Oh yeah, and Grace is livid about it,” he said, taking her hand as she made it to the last step.

“I bet, even though I love it. It’s totally you.”

He gave her a sheepish grin.

“I felt like a sissy in those princess shoes.”

Elli giggled as she pressed her lips against his. When they parted, she smiled as she looked up into his eyes, running her hand down his cheek. “You’re amazin’ Shea, this is unbelievable, thank you.”

“Oh, you haven’t seen anything yet. Come on.”

He took her hand, leading her down the long staircase. When they reached the bottom, Elli heard people talking and laughing as Shea placed his hand on the small of her back, leading her to a pair of French doors.

“Ready?”

“Sure am,” she gushed as he pushed open the door. Everyone turned, looking back at the door, before a chorus of “Happy Birthday” rang through the filled ballroom. Elli’s face lit up, seeing all her friends, Shea’s friends, and her daddy, dressed in her favorite era. The ballroom was spectacular. It looked like Elli had stepped onto the set of Pride and Prejudice, with the gold drapes and candles that covered every square inch of the beautiful ballroom.

As Shea led her through the room to greet everyone, Elli took in every detail. She wanted to remember this night for the rest of her life, so she remembered the candelabras that hung on the walls, the way the gold swirls twisted so finely on the walls, and how the violists that sat in the corner by the piano looked exactly like the ones in the movie. But most of all, she took in how gorgeous Shea was.

It wasn’t any surprise that Shea would look good, even in the 19th century. Some of the other guys who had dressed up looked dorky in their dress coats, but not Shea. He looked regal, established, perfect, and he had done all of this for her. He slid his hand into hers, leading her to the middle of the dance floor. He stood her on one side, as Harper, Jodi, Reese, and Piper came to join her. Then he went to the other with Jakob, Derrick, and two guys Elli didn’t know.

When “A Postcard to Henry Purcell,” started, Elli’s mouth dropped.