Mr. Darcy Goes Overboard by Belinda Roberts Page A
Authors: Belinda Roberts
Tags: Jane Austen Fan Lit, Shortlist
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Maria, who stopped only when Lizzy, laughing and denying any such thing, picked up the screaming Maria and dumped her in the sea.
Chapter 33
It seemed strange to Lizzy that in her ramblings over the next few days Darcy always seemed to pop up by some remarkable coincidence: while she was drinking Pinot Grigio with Lottie in the secret garden of the Victoria Inn, Darcy was sitting at the next table, nursing a Bells; as she walked over to Bolt Head, he appeared in a gorse bush; on a cliff-side walk to the Pigs Nose Inn at East Prawle, Lizzy was followed not only by Parsnip, the inn's friendly little dog, but also by Darcy; as she watched the boats sail by from the sun-kissed terrace of the Dick and Wills waterside bar and brasserie, he could be spotted, also out on the terrace, hidden behind Yachting World; during her fishing trip off the coast of Hope Cove, he happened to swim by. Even whilst Lizzy scrambled over the rocks at Mill Bay, Darcy seemed busy with his net in the very next rock pool.
On one occasion, however, it was Colin that Lizzy happened upon when skimming out at The Bar, the stretch of sand at the mouth of the estuary, only exposed at low tide, at which time it becomes a great favourite with those who like to skim along the wet surface on their surfboards. Lizzy, looking most athletic in her wetsuit, happened to pass Colin as he whizzed in the opposite direction. They stopped for a chat, which soon turned to the topic of Mr Darcy and his sister Georgiana. Lizzy did not wish the opportunity to pass without gleaning a little more information on behalf of Jane.
'I have heard only good things of Georgiana. She is a favourite of Caroline Bingley, I understand.'
'Yes. Her brother is good mates with Darcy.'
'Oh yes! Darcy is good mates with Bingley and takes great care of him.'
'You are right there. I do believe Darcy does take care of Bingley. Why, I have heard that Darcy managed to save Bingley from a most disastrous marriage! Apparently he nearly married into a ghastly family. The girl had the most hideous mother and outrageous sisters. Near escape, so they say. Cheers.' And with that, Colin skimmed away, unwittingly leaving Lizzy in a state of great anxiety, her heart bursting in fury against the detestable Darcy.
Chapter 34
Moments later, another figure in black skimmed towards her. To her horror, it was the detestable Darcy himself. He skidded to a halt before her, his taut, muscular body trapped within a black, rubbery wetsuit, and with a strange, manic look in his eye, stared at her for a full two minutes before speaking, whereupon he blurted out,
'It's no good, Lizzy. I love you deeply and desperately.'
Now it was Lizzy's turn to stare back with a strange, manic look in her eye. He went on.
'I realise your family is odious, your mother quite hideous, and your sisters outrageous, but for some nonsensical reason, I can't help loving you deeply and desperately. What do you have to say?'
Lizzy's astonishment was beyond expression. Despite her dislike of Darcy, she could not help to be a little flattered by such attentions. But then her anger rose.
He had made it quite clear that he liked her against his better judgement. Was this a compliment or an insult, she challenged.
'But even if my feelings had been favourable to you,' she continued, growing in fury, 'do you think I could be tempted by the man who has ruined the happiness of a beloved sister, perhaps forever? And what is more, you have reduced another, Mr Wickham, to comparative poverty, withheld advantages designed for him, and deprived him of independence which was his due.'
Darcy grew pale.
'And this is your opinion of me?'
'I have no qualms in expressing my opinion. You have saved me the concern I might have felt in refusing you, if you had behaved in a more gentlemanlike manner.'
Lizzy saw Darcy start at this and, feeling there was little more to be said, took the only course available to her and slapped him across the face. The force
Chapter 33
It seemed strange to Lizzy that in her ramblings over the next few days Darcy always seemed to pop up by some remarkable coincidence: while she was drinking Pinot Grigio with Lottie in the secret garden of the Victoria Inn, Darcy was sitting at the next table, nursing a Bells; as she walked over to Bolt Head, he appeared in a gorse bush; on a cliff-side walk to the Pigs Nose Inn at East Prawle, Lizzy was followed not only by Parsnip, the inn's friendly little dog, but also by Darcy; as she watched the boats sail by from the sun-kissed terrace of the Dick and Wills waterside bar and brasserie, he could be spotted, also out on the terrace, hidden behind Yachting World; during her fishing trip off the coast of Hope Cove, he happened to swim by. Even whilst Lizzy scrambled over the rocks at Mill Bay, Darcy seemed busy with his net in the very next rock pool.
On one occasion, however, it was Colin that Lizzy happened upon when skimming out at The Bar, the stretch of sand at the mouth of the estuary, only exposed at low tide, at which time it becomes a great favourite with those who like to skim along the wet surface on their surfboards. Lizzy, looking most athletic in her wetsuit, happened to pass Colin as he whizzed in the opposite direction. They stopped for a chat, which soon turned to the topic of Mr Darcy and his sister Georgiana. Lizzy did not wish the opportunity to pass without gleaning a little more information on behalf of Jane.
'I have heard only good things of Georgiana. She is a favourite of Caroline Bingley, I understand.'
'Yes. Her brother is good mates with Darcy.'
'Oh yes! Darcy is good mates with Bingley and takes great care of him.'
'You are right there. I do believe Darcy does take care of Bingley. Why, I have heard that Darcy managed to save Bingley from a most disastrous marriage! Apparently he nearly married into a ghastly family. The girl had the most hideous mother and outrageous sisters. Near escape, so they say. Cheers.' And with that, Colin skimmed away, unwittingly leaving Lizzy in a state of great anxiety, her heart bursting in fury against the detestable Darcy.
Chapter 34
Moments later, another figure in black skimmed towards her. To her horror, it was the detestable Darcy himself. He skidded to a halt before her, his taut, muscular body trapped within a black, rubbery wetsuit, and with a strange, manic look in his eye, stared at her for a full two minutes before speaking, whereupon he blurted out,
'It's no good, Lizzy. I love you deeply and desperately.'
Now it was Lizzy's turn to stare back with a strange, manic look in her eye. He went on.
'I realise your family is odious, your mother quite hideous, and your sisters outrageous, but for some nonsensical reason, I can't help loving you deeply and desperately. What do you have to say?'
Lizzy's astonishment was beyond expression. Despite her dislike of Darcy, she could not help to be a little flattered by such attentions. But then her anger rose.
He had made it quite clear that he liked her against his better judgement. Was this a compliment or an insult, she challenged.
'But even if my feelings had been favourable to you,' she continued, growing in fury, 'do you think I could be tempted by the man who has ruined the happiness of a beloved sister, perhaps forever? And what is more, you have reduced another, Mr Wickham, to comparative poverty, withheld advantages designed for him, and deprived him of independence which was his due.'
Darcy grew pale.
'And this is your opinion of me?'
'I have no qualms in expressing my opinion. You have saved me the concern I might have felt in refusing you, if you had behaved in a more gentlemanlike manner.'
Lizzy saw Darcy start at this and, feeling there was little more to be said, took the only course available to her and slapped him across the face. The force
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