Darcy left the room. Caroline looked about the table as she frantically tried to think of a reason to call him back. Nothing was coming to mind. Any minute now, he would walk down the steps and travel on to Lambton and return an engaged man. Her future was slipping away before her eyes and there was nothing she could do about it.
She murmured an excuse and left the room. Bingley and Georgiana did not appear to notice.
Darcy was downstairs, walking towards the entrance. Caroline almost called out to him but to do so would have made her seem desperate. She pressed her lips together and glanced down at the stairs. She glided down another few steps and allowed her foot to slip. She shrieked as she stumbled, crying out as loud as she could. She came to a landing and whimpered aloud, glancing up to see if Darcy had heard her.
He had. He whirled around at once at the sound of her fall and was striding across the hall to her.
“Miss Bingley,” he cried. “Are you alright? You are not injured?”
He hurried up the steps towards her and crouched down in front of her, his eyes anxious.
Caroline pulled herself up, her lip trembling but her eyes shining with tears she was too brave to release. At least she hoped that was how she appeared.
“My ankle,” she quavered. “There is a pain.”
“May I?”
Caroline tried not to thrust her leg out too quickly. She was supposed to be injured, after all. She held her breath as Darcy released the slipper and gently held her ankle between his hands. He turned it this way and that until Caroline thought she might swoon with pleasure.
“It does not seem to be broken,” he said. “I do not think it is even sprained. You are fortunate, Miss Bingley. If you had fallen from any higher, I think you would not have been able to walk. Can you stand?”
“I’ll try,” she said in a small voice. She made a show of struggling to rise but collapsed weakly against the stairs. Darcy shifted so he was sitting beside her.
“Put your arm around my neck,” he said. “And if you will allow me, I will put my arm around your waist. Then try to stand up with me.”
Caroline was quivering with excitement when Darcy slipped his strong arm around her. It felt just as she imagined. If only he had been doing it out of affection and not necessity, but one step at a time. She held her breath and rolled her eyes and clung to him and leaned into him as much as she could as Darcy slowly stood up, taking her with him.
“Now try to out some weight on it,” he said.
She did as he instructed and cried out, stumbling a little so she fell against him. He caught her lightly.
“I will send for Mrs Reynolds. She will fetch some ice from the ice house,” he said. “You must rest your ankle. It is just as well we already decided you would stay home today.”
“Will you stay with me?” she asked. She stared down at the ground, blushing as delicately as she could. “It would be a comfort to know you are nearby.”
Darcy stared at her for a long moment. Caroline held her breath.
He laughed.
He laughed? She whipped her head up to stare at him.
‘Forgive me for laughing,” he said, still smiling. “Come, Miss Bingley, you have not been injured on a battlefield. You hurt your foot a little but it is not even swollen. You have a house full of servants to take care of you, as well as your brother and sister and my sister. There is nothing I can do for you that they cannot do just as well. Beside, I shall not be gone all day.”
Caroline gritted her teeth. How could she have feelings for such a hateful man? He was no gentleman. How detestable of him to laugh at her pain and act as though she were malingering. It was intolerable.
“Thank you, sir,” she said, trying to hide her irritation. “Perhaps it is best. I do not wish to cause a fuss. I am sure if it worsens, someone can send for you in town.”
“I am sure they can.” Darcy’s eyes still twinkled as though he found her extraordinarily amusing. The door opened over head and Bingley called down the stairs.
“Everything all right?” he asked.
“Your sister had a little fall,” said Darcy. “She does not seem to be injured though she has some pain. Will you tell Georgiana to arrange for Mrs Reynolds to fetch some ice? There, Miss Bingley. You are in good hands. I must depart.”
Bingley hurried down to take Caroline’s arm. She stared after Darcy in outrage as he strode from the house.
‘I cannot believe him,” she said. “What sort of man is he? One of his guests has injured herself very badly and all he can do is think of his own affairs. I am astonished he would leave me in such a plight.”
Bingley looked confused. “What plight are you talking about? Your foot is a little sore, but you are not dying. Come. I shall help you to one of the parlours. You will be well once you have rested it a little.”
“Oh, leave me alone, Charles.” Caroline pushed her brother’s arm away and swept down the remaining steps, her hands clenched in rage.
“What happened to your foot?” Bingley called after her.
“It has recovered,” she snapped.
The sound of Bingley’s low laugh following her as she marched down the hallway made her once again fantasise about throwing something hard and heavy. She did not know where she found the patience to endure such vexing people.
32
Darcy had already forgotten about Miss Bingley and her accident before his horse had left the park. All he could think about was seeing Elizabeth. Michael’s words and the bliss in his eyes kept rebounding through his mind.
Was the same happiness possible for him? If he chose Elizabeth, his family would be furious. It had always been impressed upon him that he must marry well. Georgiana’s portion was thirty thousand pounds. When she married, she would take that sum out of the estate and it was expected that Darcy would marry a woman of, if not quite the same portion, at least a great deal close to it. And Elizabeth had nothing close to such a sum. It would greatly impact his estate and his family if he chose her as a wife. If he was as sensible as he had always believed himself to be, he would have proposed to Miss Bingley and be done with it. Her twenty thousand pounds would have gone a great way towards closing the gap. But the thought of marrying her and bedding her and spending his life with her left Darcy cold inside. He could no more think of marrying her than he could think of wedding Bingley. At least Bingley was more pleasant company.
His head screamed at him that Elizabeth could not be his wife, but those screams had been growing quieter and quieter every time he encountered her. Instead, the whisper in his heart that said she was the one for him increased. He thought he would give up everything, his name, his estate and his family, if he would just have Elizabeth Bennet for his wife. She touched him and bewitched him and his head was filled with her. He never knew he was capable of such strong feelings but here he was, galloping across his grounds just for the hope of a glimpse of her. Michael’s words about wanting to defy his family and how he did not regret it resonated with him in a way that would have been unimaginable only a few weeks before. Only last month he would have though Michael a fool and silently decided that the man would live to regret it. And now he thought Michael the most sensible man in the world and only a fool would not follow his example.
He galloped up the lane towards the market square. Georgiana had mentioned a book seller who had a store there to Elizabeth last night and she had been eager to visit it. Darcy hoped she would not have waited around. Otherwise, he would have to find an excuse to visit the inn. Perhaps he should not have given her the guidebook the night before. He could have pretended to forget it so he had a pretext to see her. He grinned to himself. Whoever would have though that he, Darcy, would have been thinking of ways to throw himself into the path of a young lady?
“Mr Darcy,” a high voice called.
Darcy looked around, his heart already racing even though he knew the voice was not Elizabeth’s. His heart stopped racing and started sinking when he saw Mrs Abbot. She hurr
ied across the square, still waving to him as though he could have missed her.
“There you are, sir! I have not seen you in the longest time.”
Darcy nodded to her and exchanged a quiet greeting.
“I have been meaning to send an invitation to you and Miss Darcy to dine with us,” she said. “My Sarah is home from London and she has grown into quite the young lady. I think you would be amazed if you saw her. Everyone says she is completely altered, she is quite radiant. I have had quite a few young men calling to the house, I can tell you.” She giggled.
“Send my regards to Miss Abbot,” said Darcy. “I am afraid I have house guests at present so I am not at liberty to dine.”
“Oh, that is a shame. Well, will you not take tea with us? You could come right now, if you liked. It would not take long, and I know Sarah would be happy to see you.”
“Some other time, perhaps. I have some matters to attend to.”
“And what of that when there are old friends to see?”
Darcy could not recall a time when he or any of the Abbots were old friends.
“You must forgive me. As I said, another time.”
“Oh, very well. Do you have a particular message for Sarah? There is a dance at the assembly rooms next week, you know. Perhaps we might see you there?”
“As I said, send my regards to Miss Abbot,” he said abruptly. “Excuse me.” He touched his hand to the brim of his hat and rode on, feeling irritated.
This had been his life since he came of age. Everywhere he went, he was seen as the rightful property of single ladies and their mothers. Everyone thought they had a claim on him. Elizabeth was the first woman he had met who did not actively seek to make herself agreeable to him. Their first encounter where she did not know him had allowed him to be himself in a way he could not do with other women for fear of raising expectations he had no desire to fulfil. And when she had discovered his identity, it did not change her treatment of him in the slightest, apart from making her colder towards him until she came around. Every woman he met just highlighted her superiority. Elizabeth. How he yearned to see her…
As though his longing for her had conjured her, Darcy saw a familiar face walk around the corner. She held a book in her hand and was already engrossed in the pages. His smile spread as he saw her lightly skip over some broken cobbles without even looking up from the story. Heads turned to watch her with curiosity, but she took no notice of anyone, completely lost in her own world. Darcy was sure he had never seen anything so enchanting in all his life.
Before he knew he was doing it, he had jumped down from his horse and was leading him towards her.
“Miss Bennet,” he said. She looked up startled and her face broke into a smile. She closed the book and strolled towards him.
“Mr Darcy,” she said. “I did not think to see you here today, sir.”
“I have some business to attend to,” he said. “I hope you are well? How are Mr and Mrs Gardiner?”
Elizabeth laughed. “Quite well. There have been no major mishaps since I last saw you.”
Darcy nodded. He tried to think of something else to say. How did all those dandies in London talk to lady after lady without batting an eyelid? He felt like an idiot schoolboy before this girl.
“And your family? Have you heard from them?”
“Jane writes. The rest of them include their own little notes or messages in hers, but I would be badly off if I did not have her for a correspondent. My family might have up and left the country in my absence and I would be none the wiser without her.”
Darcy fell into step beside her. “I look forward to meeting your family if Bingley takes Netherfield Park.”
Elizabeth flashed him her enchanting smile. “Be careful what you wish for.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Because my family are not the easiest people to be around. Jane will delight you. She cannot give offence. But my parents and my younger sisters…” Elizabeth fell silent as she considered how to phrase it. “My mother suffers from her nerves,” she said. “So she is very — well — high strung. I am close to my father but he is a remote man and can be very sarcastic. I do not mind it as I enjoy his wit but it can leave others feeling confounded.”
“And your younger sisters? You mentioned something of them before”
“Hmmm. Well, how do I describe them to you, a man who has a wonderful younger sister any of us would love to claim as our own.” She grinned. “Mary is the sister after me. She does not like to mix with people and she is vain about her accomplishments, though I think her pride in them is greater than her abilities. She will sermonise to you if you allow her. I think it a shame she cannot become a clergyman. Kitty and Lydia are the youngest. They are rather wild. They think of little but flirtations and dancing. My father says they are the silliest girls in England.”
“But they must be very young. Surely they will grow out of it?”
Elizabeth sighed and gave him a smile of such sweetness Darcy thought he might be in danger of proposing to her there and then.
“We can always hope, sir.”
33
Darcy wrapped the reins about his hand as his horse tossed his head by his side. He cleared his throat. “I hope you were not offended by Miss Bingley’s behaviour last night. She spoke out of turn. I mentioned it to Bingley and he said he will speak to her about it. I am astonished by her behaviour. I never expected her to speak like that to anyone. I know her well enough to know she thinks it, but her tongue was loosened last night.”
“I am not offended. In truth, I was so stunned by the things she said that I found it hard to keep my countenance.”
Darcy stared down at her in amazement. “You found it amusing?”
Elizabeth was laughing openly now, her eyes dancing. “I did. I could not find it otherwise. I delight in the folly of others and Miss Bingley displayed hers so perfectly I could do nothing else but laugh. It was simply too ridiculous to take seriously.” She coughed to clear her throat and affected a voice with an exaggeratedly plummy accent. “Do you not worry you will only have daughters? Do you not fear girls might be contagious?”
Darcy laughed. “I am relieved you can see it in such a manner though it should not surprise me. I have the honour of knowing you well enough by now to know you never behave in ways I expect. And when you put it like that, I cannot but see the humour in it.”
“It is what I prefer,” said Elizabeth. “Why be annoyed at someone’s foibles when you can laugh at them instead? It is far more enjoyable, and makes the world a more entertaining place.”
“And yet I was rather ridiculous to you when we first met, wasn’t I? Did it take you long to find it amusing?”
Elizabeth coloured slightly as she considered his question. “I find it amusing now,” she said slowly. “But it is curious that it took me longer than usual to reach that point.” She looked directly at him. “I do not know why you had such an impact on me. Perhaps—“
Darcy’s breath caught. “Perhaps?”
Elizabeth grinned and shook her head and looked away. “It is nothing. I do not even know where I was going with such a thought.” She took a breath. “And where are you about, sir? You said you had business to attend to.”
“It is completed,” said Darcy. His eyes were rather intent. “Do you have anywhere you need to be?”
Elizabeth sighed. “I am afraid so. My aunt is visiting her friends and I promised that this time I would go with her. The Thompsons are coming too.”
Darcy looked confused for a moment before his face cleared. “Matthew Thompson. The young man who was so concerned for you in Derby.”
“He is their son, yes.”
“And will he go with you?” Darcy tried to keep the jealousy from his voice. He told himself it was unworthy of him but he found it hard to help it. Matthew Thompson was not as wealthy as he but he was still comfortable and he had a lightheartedness about him, or so Darcy heard, that was sure to appeal to a woman like E
lizabeth more than his own reserved nature. Was there a chance she was interested in this man?
“I am not sure. I should think it likely but who knows? What is the matter, sir? You look a little strange. Is it the heat?”
“Not at all. I am perfectly well. Then you must return to the inn now?”
“I am afraid so.”
Darcy nodded. “If you do not mind, I will escort you.”
“There is no need to do that.”
“Not at all. I should like to pay my respects to your aunt and uncle.”
Elizabeth smiled and agreed.
“Did you have a chance to read the guidebook?” he asked as they wandered down the winding lanes towards the inn.
Elizabeth’s face lit up. “I did. I marked quite a few places so be warned. We might end up touring for days.”
“I would not have a problem with that. Where did you see?”
Elizabeth mentioned her favourite landmarks and Darcy grinned.
“You have chosen just the places I would have done.”
“I suppose that marks me out as a woman of impeccable taste.”
“You are the one who says so.”
Elizabeth laughed. “I like it when you are like this. Light and teasing. It suits you.”
“What about my other ways of being? I know I can be reserved much of the time.”
Darcy tried not to look as though he cared too much for her answer but it was hard when she looked at him so appraisingly.
“I have come to like those moods too,” she said softly. “I always thought I preferred people who talk and laugh all the time, but there is much to be said for someone who can be serious sometimes.”
“You like it when I am like that?”
“I do.”
It took all of Darcy’s self command not to grasp her hand and ask her to marry him right then. He paused as they drew up to the gate leading to the inn courtyard.
“Miss Bennet,” he said. Did he imagine it or did she draw closer to him? Or perhaps he had drawn closer to her? Darcy was no longer sure.
An Engagement at Pemberley Page 15