Page 17 of Arranging Ayra
“I’ve been wanting to talk to you. You see, I feel that we got off on the wrong foot and I would very much like to remedy the situation. You must know that it was never my intention to... well to...”
“To stand me up and leave me humiliated at a pub in a town that I know nothing about?” I said a little more harshly than I’d intended. “Everyone saw me enter that pub... alone. Everyone watched as I waited... and waited all while slowly, ever so slowly nursing a beer, and then two. Everyone caught my repeated glances to the door, clearly awaiting someone. And everyone watched me leave... alone... in abject humility.” I knew I was laying it on a little thick, but, yes, I wanted him to feel bad about what he’d done to me.
He shook his head slightly and an embarrassed blush seemed to color his cheeks, but as he shifted into the shade, I realized it was not a blush at all, but the play of light that had given that impression. No. Chances were Mr. Darcy rarely, if ever, blushed at all. “Please, do accept my apologies. I beg of you.”
I stood stiff, not willing to accept his apology so readily. After all, was he truly sorry for what he’d done... or had his mother put him up to it?
He shifted his feet apart and clasped his hands behind his back, looked down at the ground for the briefest moment, then looked up at me. “I must admit that I was surprised when my mum told me of this arrangement she’d made with your mother. It’s not her habit to meddle in my love life.”
Splendid. Now blame your mother for this disaster.
“I hope you didn’t take it personally,” he added.
Gee, you didn’t even bother to show up, I thought as I forced a smile.It’s kind of hard to not take it personally.
“Because,” he went on when I said nothing, “I would very much like to make it up to her. After all, I know she has my well-being in mind.”
Make it up to her?Was he offering to go on a date with me just to please his mother? Really? If I wasn’t offended by his original snub, I certainly was now. But I gallantly smiled through it all.
“So, what do you say? Will you join me for dinner? Let us say, tomorrow evening?”
He was even more like the fictional Mr. Darcy than I could have imagined.
“Ayra?”
I offered him a genuine smile as I realized just how perfect he was for the role of Mr. Darcy. I even wondered if, perhaps, he was a method actor who permanently remained in character or was this all his true nature.
“It would be my pleasure to join you for dinner, Mr. Darcy,” I finally said. “I would hate to see our mothers disappointed to learn that we’d barely spoken. After all, they went through too much trouble to ensure that we got acquainted.”
“Indeed.”
He showed absolutely no sign of interest in me, solely the desire to please his mother. Oh, well. I was certain I could put my pride aside for one dinner and simply hope for the best.
FIVE
Dressed for a day of shopping in town with Devi, and my hand on the doorknob ready to go, I stopped as my name was called from behind me.
