reveal about his friend’s private business regarding his affection for Miss Bennet and therefore was silent.
“Forgive me if I speak plainly of matters unpleasant to you, but I know about your actions last autumn regarding my sister and Mr. Bingley, and I wished to know whether I will have to guard her heart again from your friend.”
There was steel in her voice again that stabbed at his heart. How will she ever love me when I have hurt her so already? “Miss Elizabeth . . . ”
“No, Mr. Darcy, you may not deflect my question.” Impassioned, she continued. “For the sake of giving relief to my sister’s feelings, I care not how much I may be wounding yours. Is your friend a danger to my sister?” Although Elizabeth was filled with righteous anger, she finally felt relieved to be confronting him.
Darcy sighed. “I will tell you what I know if you will allow me to apologize for my hurtful and presumptuous actions last autumn.”
That he wished to apologize and appeared to regret his actions rendered her speechless, and she could only manage a weak nod.
“I was wrong, I admit, in acting to separate your sister from my friend. At the time, I did not think she had feelings for him, and I did not wish him to connect himself with someone who did not love him. I thought that your mother — forgive me, I can see that it pains you to hear it — had mercenary motives in the match. That I also wished to remove myself from Hertfordshire, I shall not deny, but not for the reasons you may assume.”
“What other reason could you have?” She was all curiosity. In the past few days, she found herself intrigued about the man who seemed so changed from before. I am only curious, she tried to convince herself.
His steady gaze caused her heart to beat rapidly, and a sensation she could not explain reminded her of similar feelings during her stay at his house in Town.
When he finally spoke, his voice was hoarse. “Can you not guess, Elizabeth?”
She barely managed to look away at his use of her Christian name. She felt discomfited and still could not fathom what he could mean by it. Recognizing her discomfort, he cleared his throat to address her with some composure.
“As for Bingley, I believe your sister is quite safe from him unless of course she would not welcome his attentions now . . . after both our actions last autumn.”
Elizabeth looked up. “I will not betray my sister’s confidence, but I believe that, if he is in earnest, then he will be most welcome in the neighborhood.”
“He is devoted to his mission, I assure you, and has only the most honorable of intentions,” he said with significance.
Elizabeth’s smile was bright and beautiful. It was the biggest smile he had seen grace her features since before Lydia’s death. His heart beat wildly, and he was lost to her all over again.
“I am pleased to hear it, sir.” Her smile faded. “He will have to wait, you know, as we are all in mourning. It would not be proper.”
“I know.” More than you know, Elizabeth!
Then a thought came to her, and she looked at him in horror. “Please do not think that any of us, that Jane, could ever forgo propriety in lieu of a chance for happiness!”
Darcy shook his head. “I could not think any of you capable of that. It would not be honorable for any man to be so indelicate as to ask that of a lady in mourning.” He paused, feeling his own conviction behind the words. “Bingley will wait until it is proper and pay his addresses to your sister then — if it pleases her.”
Elizabeth was relieved at his assurances. Oddly, she felt more relieved that he did not think so ill of her family. Loath to interrupt their companionable silence, he was conscious they might be missed. “Have I satisfied you, Miss Elizabeth?”
Elizabeth startled but turned to him with a half smile. “Not quite; I have one more thing.” She reached below the bench to retrieve a small package wrapped in paper she had hidden
“Forgive me if I speak plainly of matters unpleasant to you, but I know about your actions last autumn regarding my sister and Mr. Bingley, and I wished to know whether I will have to guard her heart again from your friend.”
There was steel in her voice again that stabbed at his heart. How will she ever love me when I have hurt her so already? “Miss Elizabeth . . . ”
“No, Mr. Darcy, you may not deflect my question.” Impassioned, she continued. “For the sake of giving relief to my sister’s feelings, I care not how much I may be wounding yours. Is your friend a danger to my sister?” Although Elizabeth was filled with righteous anger, she finally felt relieved to be confronting him.
Darcy sighed. “I will tell you what I know if you will allow me to apologize for my hurtful and presumptuous actions last autumn.”
That he wished to apologize and appeared to regret his actions rendered her speechless, and she could only manage a weak nod.
“I was wrong, I admit, in acting to separate your sister from my friend. At the time, I did not think she had feelings for him, and I did not wish him to connect himself with someone who did not love him. I thought that your mother — forgive me, I can see that it pains you to hear it — had mercenary motives in the match. That I also wished to remove myself from Hertfordshire, I shall not deny, but not for the reasons you may assume.”
“What other reason could you have?” She was all curiosity. In the past few days, she found herself intrigued about the man who seemed so changed from before. I am only curious, she tried to convince herself.
His steady gaze caused her heart to beat rapidly, and a sensation she could not explain reminded her of similar feelings during her stay at his house in Town.
When he finally spoke, his voice was hoarse. “Can you not guess, Elizabeth?”
She barely managed to look away at his use of her Christian name. She felt discomfited and still could not fathom what he could mean by it. Recognizing her discomfort, he cleared his throat to address her with some composure.
“As for Bingley, I believe your sister is quite safe from him unless of course she would not welcome his attentions now . . . after both our actions last autumn.”
Elizabeth looked up. “I will not betray my sister’s confidence, but I believe that, if he is in earnest, then he will be most welcome in the neighborhood.”
“He is devoted to his mission, I assure you, and has only the most honorable of intentions,” he said with significance.
Elizabeth’s smile was bright and beautiful. It was the biggest smile he had seen grace her features since before Lydia’s death. His heart beat wildly, and he was lost to her all over again.
“I am pleased to hear it, sir.” Her smile faded. “He will have to wait, you know, as we are all in mourning. It would not be proper.”
“I know.” More than you know, Elizabeth!
Then a thought came to her, and she looked at him in horror. “Please do not think that any of us, that Jane, could ever forgo propriety in lieu of a chance for happiness!”
Darcy shook his head. “I could not think any of you capable of that. It would not be honorable for any man to be so indelicate as to ask that of a lady in mourning.” He paused, feeling his own conviction behind the words. “Bingley will wait until it is proper and pay his addresses to your sister then — if it pleases her.”
Elizabeth was relieved at his assurances. Oddly, she felt more relieved that he did not think so ill of her family. Loath to interrupt their companionable silence, he was conscious they might be missed. “Have I satisfied you, Miss Elizabeth?”
Elizabeth startled but turned to him with a half smile. “Not quite; I have one more thing.” She reached below the bench to retrieve a small package wrapped in paper she had hidden
Similar Books
