Page 30 of The Cherry Trees of Rosings
“Yet it isyouwho can see Darcy while his own family cannot,” Colonel Fitzwilliam said, glaring back at her. “The woman who—in your own words—has only a slight acquaintance with the man. It all seems rather fortuitous, would you not say?”
Elizabeth took in a deep breath, and tried to calm the agitation thrumming through her. She could not leave off just yet. The matter was far too important.
“I wish I could say your suspicions are invalid, and I know how all of it appears because it was difficult for me to accept atfirst as well when it started,” she said. “But it is indeed Mr. Darcy’s apparition. And the letter I sent you were in his words. At least, the portion after mine.”
Elizabeth glanced behind her to see how far Maria and the Collinses were. They seemed to be strolling more peacefully, and were still at some distance from her and Colonel Fitzwilliam.
“I know not how it came to be this way, or how such a thing is possible. It boggles the mind,” she continued, turning back to her suspicious companion. “All I can say is that even if you do not believe me, I would hope that you take the letter for Miss Darcy once it is done. Please do not deprive her of it!"
Colonel Fitzwilliam grimaced.
“Very good, Miss Bennet! Brilliantly done! Pulls on the heart strings and all that,” he said. “But, of course, you must know that very well!" A shadow passed over his face. "How many such apparitions have you seen in the past? Perhaps a wealthy aunt of another acquaintance? Or someone’s dog that passed away and wished to say goodbye to its beloved mistress? Yes?”
Elizabeth glared at him. She was at the end of her patience with the man.
“Neither! Because this is the first instance, and I would very much prefer it to be the last.”
She dropped her hands from her skirts. Face burning.
“Sir, if you believed I was a fraud, why did you come all the way to Hunsford?”
The desire to turn around and storm away burned through Elizabeth. But she held herself in place, meeting Colonel Fitzwilliam’s accusatory gaze with her own.
"Why not set the letter on fire?” she continued. “Would it not have been more prudent to assist your ailing cousin than to come here and participate inall this charade?”
“But that is where you are wrong, Miss Bennet,” Colonel Fitzwilliam replied, his tone clipped, gaze thunderous. “I would like to know who told you about Georgiana and what you are planning to do with the information.”
His eyes became even steelier than before.
“Or perhaps I should have you committed to Bedlam for trying to take advantage of people when they are vulnerable. It would kill two birds with a stone!”
“That’s enough, Richard!”
Elizabeth gasped.
Mr. Darcy stepped around her, coming to a halt beside them. She stared at him.
There was a ringing in her ears. Seeming silence surrounded her. Blood thumped through her veins. Her heart raced.
“Am I to believe that Darcy is with us at the moment?”
Elizabeth blinked. Sensations rushed back to her.
She glanced at Colonel Fitzwilliam who was staring at her with faint mockery in his eyes. Then she looked back at Mr. Darcy. He was glaring at his cousin.
“Yes,” she said, voice hoarse all of a sudden.
She turned back when Colonel Fitzwilliam started laughing. “How fortunate!”
Her face flamed.
“Richard…”
Elizabeth looked at Mr. Darcy. Grim anger was etched on his features. But also a nascent helplessness. Their eyes met.
She straightened herself to her full height—not that there was much of it to begin with. She could not be bothered with Colonel Fitzwilliam any longer.
“You said you could not see anyone else but me,” she asked Mr. Darcy. A strange frisson was growing within her.
