Page 10 of Fitzwilliam Darcy Undone
Stretched beyond the limit of his patience, Darcy closed his eyes briefly, drawing upon his natural reserve to obscure his thoughts.
“I happen to enjoy the quiet respite I have found here in Meryton. There is something in the air that allows you to pause and regroup.”
“Respite? You have found respite in a place where the Bennet horde cause mayhem and chaos?” She gazed about the room, an almost permanent sneer marring her face. “I shall have Mr. Penray check Charles’ wine reserve to make sure you have not partaken more libation than your senses can withstand.”
And the stars rolled back.
“I urge you to temper your chastisement, Madam.” He turned to face the upstart who clutched the mad dream of being Pemberley’s next mistress to her chest like a precious vase. “Never seek to reprimand me for my behavior. You are not my mother nor my sister, and you are most decidedly not my wife. It will be a cold day in Hades before I allowed that to happen.” He gave her a crisp bow. “Good evening.”
He cared not that she stood in complete shock, her mouth opening and closing like a carp out of water. In his peripheral vision he noted her sister scurrying to her side. With luck, they’d call the carriage, return to Netherfield Park and leave on the morrow. Spotting Charles, standing next to Miss Bennet, he joined them.
“Miss Bennet.” He gave her a polite half bow.
“Mr. Darcy.” She returned with a small nod of the head. “Are you enjoying Sir William’s house party?”
“I am and wondered, would you do me the honor of the next dance, if your sister continues to play such happy music?”
“I would.” Jane Bennet’s cheeks flushed slightly. “Thank you, Mr. Darcy.”
He noted that Charles practically beamed with joy, knowing this was his way of subtly approving of his choice of lady. How long that would last after his sisters informed him of his despicable manners, only time would tell. He’d warned Charles often enough that he would not tolerate Caroline insinuating herself into his life any more than reasonable given their close friendship. In Town she was easy to avoid. He and Charles met at the club or Gentleman Jack’s, but within the close confines of Netherfield, she’d begun to portray a kind of desperation that made him leery. And vigilant. Every night he bolstered the wards around his room in case she attempted a compromise.
Shoving those unpleasant thoughts aside he escorted Miss Bennet to the head of the line and, surprisingly, enjoyed a pleasant half hour in her company. Although demure to the extreme, he was pleased to note that she had a healthy knowledge of books and current events, reminiscent of her closest sister. Jane Bennet may not command the attention of the room beyond her stunning beauty, but waters ran deep in her soul and Charles was a lucky man to have discovered this diamond in the rough.
When the dance was complete, he handed her off to Charles who was speaking with Miss Elizabeth and Sir William.
“Thank you for the dance, Mr. Darcy.”
Miss Bennet gave him a slight curtsy.
“My pleasure, Miss Bennet.”
He had to work hard to stop the smile which threatened to appear at the look of surprise in Elizabeth’s eyes at his pleasant demeanor.
Sir William spoke up. “What a charming amusement for young people this is, Mr. Darcy. There is nothing like dancing after all and I see that you are quite adept at the science yourself.”
“Indeed, Sir William. But then, any savage can dance.”
“Quite so, quite so.” The gentleman guffawed, abruptly stopping to stare keenly at Miss Elizabeth. “My dear Miss Eliza, why are you not dancing? Mr. Darcy, you must allow me to present this young lady to you as a desirable partner. I’m sure you cannot refuse her a dance when such beauty is before you.”
Darcy witnessed Elizabeth visibly start at Sir William’s words. He could see her lips forming the word ‘No’, and stepped forward, taking her gloved hand in his, bowing low over it.
“Miss Elizabeth. Would you find metolerableenough to suffer through a half hour of my company?” She gasped at the direct reference to his odious remark from the public assembly and he thought for sure her one eyebrow would make contact with the delightful curl which insisted on wisping out of her elegant coiffure. He gambled further and continued, “Although I might not behandsomeenough totemptyou, I’d be honored if you would be my partner in the next dance.”
“Mr. Darcy, you are all politeness...” She attempted to withdraw her hand but he held firm.
“Thank you, Miss Elizabeth. I know I have not made a good first impression upon the fair people of Meryton and for that I apologize.” Was it possible for her eyebrows to creep up any further? “I hope I can count on you, and your fair sisters to aid me in re-establishing my good name.”
He noticed her cast a quick glance toward her sister who gave her a quick nod.
“In light of your wish to reform your pride, Mr. Darcy, I accept.”
He dropped her hand and offered his arm to escort her to the head of the line. He sensed the whispers flowing about the room.
Proud Mr. Darcy standing up with Elizabeth Bennet? I thought she wasn’t handsome enough for the likes of him.
He chastised himself internally. What a fool he’d been. He placed his full attention toward Elizabeth as the opening chords of the dance began. As they circled around each other for the third time, he noticed her fichu had slipped where the base of her neck met the gentle slope of her shoulder. His eyes were drawn there in happy remembrance of how soft her skin had felt beneath his lips. As she raised her arms to move under his, the fichu slipped again and he sucked in a sudden breath. At the base of her neck, the very neck he’d lavished unbridled attention upon in her dream, was a lover’s mark. Only a steely resolve kept his feet moving in time to the music.
How was that even possible? First, she’d remembered the music of the waltz, and now this. They had been in the dream realm not the physical world. He gave her neck another quick glance to make sure he’d not imagined the physical manifestation of their lovemaking and felt a familiar tightening of his body. For one sizzling second, he was transported back to the exact moment he’d cupped her breast and recalled with unbridled delight how her nipple had hardened from his devoted ministrations.
