Page 53 of The Cherry Trees of Rosings
Elizabeth screamed even as Mr. Darcy’s arms came around her, and her own hands latched onto his shoulders to stop herself from falling.
“MissBennet!” he said in shock.
Their eyes locked. She stared at him, frozen dumb. Still very much in his embrace. Neither looked away.
“You are not an apparition…?” she asked softly. Emotions flared inside her, alongside intense disbelief.
Mr. Darcy searched her eyes. His dark gaze spoke volumes, touched as they were with sorrow and something else. Something familiar.
“No.”
Instant mortification raced through Elizabeth.Like fire!She pushed away from him at once, looking everywhere but at him.
“I apologize, Mr. Darcy, for my lack of decorum. I–”
She glanced at him and looked at the ground again, blushing furiously. “I… shall go now.”
Elizabeth walked around him and strode away, wishing the ground would open up and swallow her whole.Of all things that might have happened!
“Wait, Miss Bennet!”
She did not stop.
Heaven’s above!
The burn of mortification was almost overwhelming.
“Please, Miss Bennet, wait!”
She heard, rather than saw, Mr. Darcy run after her. But her feet would not let her stop.
“Please… Elizabeth.”
She gasped when Mr. Darcy’s warm hand caught hers. She came to an abrupt halt. He did not let go.
Instead, he tightened his hold around her fingers.
“Will you not look at me?” he asked.
Too close.
Elizabeth stared at the tree tops and blinked her eyes furiously as they prickled with unshed tears. The memories rushed back.
The cherry trees. The copse. The letters. The awful cups of sweet tea. Standing across from each other in the quiet silence of her room. The feel of his hand in hers…
…just like right then.
“Thank you for keeping me company when I…” Mr. Darcy’s voice became strained. “When I was in between life and death.”
Elizabeth whirled around and stared at him.
“You remember?”
Mr. Darcy did not look away from her, even as their fingers interlaced.
“Yes.”
Elizabeth did not know what else to do than continue to stare at him and feel the tears roll down her face.
