Page 26 of Without Pride and Prejudice

“Now, let’s speak of dance etiquette before the dance lessons begin. We will be learning the English country dance and the cotillion. There will be no waltzing,” Lady Catherine said shrilly. “It is scandalous to embrace one’s partner so closely, as is standing up with the same partner more than two times in a row.”

I had to press my lips together so as not to laugh at how outraged she sounded. It was almost as if she weren’t playing a part, but actually believed it to be true. I caught Fitz staring at me with a look of disappointment. Was he as sad as I was that we wouldn’t be waltzing together? Butterflies erupted in my stomach when I thought about being in his arms and twirling romantically to the music. I knew Fitz was an excellent dancer—he’d taken dance lessons when he was younger because the British still have a social season in which he was expected to participate. If we became an item, I supposed I would have to as well. Oh gosh—that was a daunting thought. Fitz had literally rubbed shoulders with royalty. We are talking about the Queen and now the King of England. Knowing me, I’d probably step on their royal toes or maybe try to straighten their crown if I saw it was askew. Just the thought of making a fool of myself on an international stage gave me heart palpitations. I was just a simple girl from Kansas, and I liked it that way. But I loved Fitz,and I knew it wouldn’t take much for me to fallinlove with him—he only needed to knock on that door and I would open it wide. But it wasn’t just Fitz that I had to consider—there was the duke.

“We are going to start with the English country dance. For tonight, we will pair you together. For the rest of the week, you will follow your script.”

Ugh. I knew that meant I wouldn’t be dancing with Fitz tonight. No way was Lady Catherine going to let that occur. Sure enough, I was right; first up was Mr. Collins. It could have been worse—could have been my ex.

Of course, Lady Catherine paired Caroline and Mr. Darcy together. Winnifred looked more than smug about it and practically ran to Fitz, all the while looking elegant. But Fitz surprised me when he dashed over to me, looking as determined as I’d ever seen him. Not even Lady Catherine could stop him, although she tried. She literally stepped in front of him. “Now, Mr. Darcy, we must stay in character.”

“Believe me, madam, I am.” He pushed past her and landed next to me.

Oh. My. Gosh. That might have been the sexiest thing I had ever seen. Fitz was rewritingPride and Prejudicefor me, and I was here for it in a big, big way. Judging by the way my “sisters” and “mother” were all figuratively drooling, they loved this new version too.

Fitz’s eyes roved over me, so slowly and sensually, it was as if he were physically touching me. I held my breath until his eyes had gone the length of my body, leaving a trail of sparks. No man had ever elicited such a reaction with just a look.

“Miss Bennet.” He stepped so close I could feel the heat rolling off him.

“Yes, Mr. Darcy?” I stammered, so overcome by him. I felt as if we’d not only crossed the friendship line, we’d erased it.

He leaned in closer and discreetly placed a folded note in my hand. “You would honor me if you read this,” he whispered between us.

Oh, I was going to honor him all right. “I will.” I beamed, hardly believing this was happening. Every concern I had about being more than his friend faded away.

“Until later, then.” Fitz strode away, and I stared after him, keeping the note completely secreted in my hands.

Best. Honeymoon. Ever. It was like I had died and gone to that old show,Fantasy Island, that my dad loved to watch in reruns. Except, horrible things always happened there before the happy ending. Scratch that. We were not onFantasy Island... I dared to hope.

“The more I see of the world, the more am I dissatisfied with it; and every day confirms my belief of the inconsistency of all human characters, and of the little dependence that can be placed on the appearance of merit or sense.”

FITZ

I FELT AS IF THIS day would never end. The last thing I wanted to do now was play whist in the drawing room, especially because the woman who fancied herself the real Lady Catherine was determined to keep me away from Monroe. She made Monroe sit at a table across the room from me. Monroe’s intoxicating laugh that I could never get enough of called to me like a siren in the stuffy drawing room with an inordinate number of blue velvet settees and chaises. Little did she know how much she was beguiling me and had me wishing that we were alone together. Had she read my note? The smiles she had given me at dinner from down the table would indicate she had. But would she risk the wrath of Lady Catherine and sneak out to meet me? I felt like a schoolboy waiting for her to check the box to say she liked me.

To add to my irritation at being kept away from Monroe, Tony sat at my table. I found it odd and unsettling that he hadn’t tried to weasel his way near Monroe. Wasn’t that why he’d come to this wretched place? Not to say I wasn’t glad he was keepinghis distance from her, but he’d purposely sat at the table with me. Why was that? What was his game? I knew he was playing at something.

“Should we make an actual wager?” the idiot Tony asked the table. Winnifred and the woman who played Charlotte Lucas were seated with us. Charlotte, who I believed was really named Lily, sat near me and across from Tony, serving as his partner. She’d taken every opportunity to catch his attention and smile at him flirtatiously. To make it more uncomfortable, she had a ghastly, high-pitched laugh, and she found everything the moron said to be humorous. Tony didn’t seem to mind the attention, which only made me more suspicious of his motives for being here.

“I don’t think that would be appropriate.” I didn’t bother to look up from my cards.

“Are you afraid to lose?” Tony tried to bait me.

I scoffed at his audacity. Whist was in my blood.

“A word of caution—do not trifle with Alastair,” Winnifred commented.

“Don’t you mean Mr. Darcy?” Charlotte corrected.

“I meant what I said,” Winnifred responded coolly, trying to catch my eye.

Trying not to encourage her, I ignored her attempt to engage me. It had been difficult, given that Lady Catherine was constantly pairing us together. It made me wonder if Lady Catherine was in league with my mother, or perhaps Winnifred.

“If you are so confident, what do you have to fear?” Tony wouldn’t let it drop.

This time, I zeroed in on the parasite.

His eyes gleamed with malice.

I took a moment to study him as I would a historic piece of literature. He was much easier to read. “The question is, what are you afraid of?”

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