Page 53 of The Wager
“Sadly, I do not. My man is at this very moment on his way to London with my belongings and after I bid Lady Elizabeth adieu, I shall be on my way.”
“What is the great rush? Most gentlemen do not abandon their lady the very day they are granted permission to pursue her hand in marriage.”
“There is a valid reason, and if you grant me but fifteen more minutes of your time, I will tell you all.”
“I am all ears, Mr. Darcy.” Bennet leaned back in his chair and laced his fingers over his stomach. “Tickle my ears with your tale.”
With that, Darcy told him of the wager, the balls he was forced to attend, his terrible first meeting with Elizabeth, all the way to their third unexpected meeting at the assembly in Meryton.
“And that, sir, is a faithful narrative of why I must leave today and attend my final ball, hosted by Lady Kildair on the tenth of next month.”
“Must be some horse.”
For some unknown reason, this ignited Darcy’s sense of humor and he began to laugh. Bennet joined him and after a few minutes, they both settled, still sporting wide smiles.
“I have raised Arion since he was a foal. He is more like an extended family member. At times, I think he can read my mind.”
“I am like that with Bucephalus.” Darcy raised a brow at the name of Mr. Bennet’s horse. “At his birth, his dame accidentally nicked his thigh. While it looks nothing like a bull’s head, it struck my fancy that he may be a reincarnation of Alexander the Great’s horse, and the name stuck.”
“The origins of Arion’s naming are not as dramatic. My sister was eleven when he was foaled. At the time she had just begun studying the romantics in poetry and was enthralled with the story of Arion. I had promised she could name my next horse and the rest, as they say, is history.”
The somber tones of the hall clock striking the hour reminded the gentlemen they had been holed away for quite some time.
“I had best let you say your farewells to Lizzy. She will not appreciate me taking up so much of your time when she craves it for herself.”
“She does?”
“Fishing for compliments or a stroking of your ego?”
“Neither. I have learned to not take anything for granted when it comes to Elizabeth… erm… I mean, Lady Elizabeth,” he corrected at the arching of her father’s brow. He stood and gave Mr. Bennet a proper half bow and opened the door, pausing in the doorway long enough to add, “When I next see you, Mr. Bennet, I hope it will be with certain documents in hand that we shall both have to agree upon and sign.”
“Any time, Mr. Darcy. I am quite at my leisure.”
At the sound of the Bennet patriarch chuckling, Darcy made his way to the family parlor, whereupon he sought out Elizabeth, seated by Miss Charlotte Lucas. He politely acknowledged Mrs. Bennet and Lady Lucas, then crossed the room and sat next to Elizabeth. Before he could utter one word, Mr. Collins bustled up to them and began prattling on about a letter he had received from his noble patroness who admonished him to remind Darcy of his betrothal to Miss Anne de Bourgh.
“Forgive me, Miss Elizabeth, I must address Mr. Collins's concerns. Can I ask that you meet me at the front entrance in fifteen minutes?”
“Certainly, Mr. Darcy. Shall I call for your horse to be saddled?”
“Yes, thank you.”
They both stood. Elizabeth called for a servant to relay information to the stablemaster, while Darcy asked Mr. Collins to accompany him outside. They had barely crossed the threshold of the terrace doors when he rounded upon the misinformed pastor.
“This is the last time I will speak on this matter of my aunt and her daughter, Mr. Collins.”
“I must follow her ladyship’s dictates. She is quite distraught over your blatant disregard of your mother’s greatest wish.”
“Doyouknow my mother’s greatest wish?”
Darcy loomed over Mr. Collins, who visibly gulped, his Adam’s apple bobbing convulsively.
“No, sir, I do not.”
“She wished for me to marry someone I love and specifically said she did not want me to marry her sister’s daughter. Does that sound like a cradle betrothal to you?”
“Your mother must have misunderstood—”
“You dare to impugn my mother!"
