Page 42 of Not Exactly Mr. Darcy
“Have you found out why it stopped working?”
“I’ve had a great deal of other things requiring my attention,” he said stiffly. Like how to stay afloat in life, not just in matters of the Hall.
“I know.” Her face lost a little of its vivacity. “I understand that you have been very busy, but I really feel like Hartbury Hall needs to capitalize on its connections toPride and Prejudice.”
“So you keep saying,” he muttered.
“Because fans of Mr. Darcy are going to be Hartbury Hall’s number one fans. So many people began to think of Chatsworth as Pemberley after the Keira Knightley version was filmed there, even though Jane Austen clearly stated in the novel that they were different places. And before that it was Lyme Park, even though that was only used for some of the external scenes in the 1995 miniseries, and even Mr. Darcy’s famous wet shirt scene wasn’t filmed there but somewhere else entirely.”
“Yes, you’re obviously not a big fan if you know all that.”
She pressed her lips together.
“Why do women like Mr. Darcy so much, anyway?”
She half shrugged. “For lots of reasons. He’s moral, responsible, he cares about the less fortunate. He might at first come across as arrogant, but he proves that he is humble and teachable, and he sacrifices for the sake of the woman he loves even though he doesn’t expect anything in return. What woman wouldn’t want someone like that?”
Each word she threw at him seemed to reveal his own flaws and failings, those qualities his wife and ex-fiancée had objected to. Trinny had accused him of being selfish, cold, too proud to admit he was wrong. He’d tried to do better with Antonia, but she too had accused him of having a stone for a heart, of conceit and lack of passion. His fingers clenched, and he had to actively relax them.
Liv seemed to notice his discomfort as her cheeks pinked. “Look, all I’m saying is that Mr. Darcy is very popular, so it’d be smart to make the most of the movie tie-in. But for that to happen, you need to have the fountain work.”
He shook his head. “I don’t have time to fix it.”
“What about right now?”
“I’m not prepared for it.”
“You’re hardly dressed in a tailored suit,” she said, eyeing his usual gardening attire with an upraised brow.
“I had hoped to check over the grounds and ascertain which tasks might be easiest for all those volunteers you’ve landed me with.”
“I believe it was the vicar who got you those volunteers.” She smiled sweetly. “For which I’m sure you are verygrateful.”
Fine. “Yes.”
She dusted off her knees—muddy again, just like the other day when she’d been attempting to fix her grandmother’s hedges. He wouldn’t put it past her to attempt to fix the fountain herself. Maybe he should get in there and try to see what was wrong. Except he had a feeling that the Hall’s insurance policy wouldn’t cover any damage done in their attempts to get a Grade II listed fountain to work again.
She frowned. “Where did you disappear to after lunch, anyway?”
Ah, that. Any trace of a good mood disappeared, like a grey cloud hiding the sun. The phone call from his godfather and head trustee, Lord Atwood, who had called to check in on him. Maybe Liam had been feeling stupidly optimistic, but he’d spilled some of their plans, which had been met with bewilderment.“But I was under the impression you had no plans to reopen and were happy with the suggestion to investigate selling.”
“I don’t ever recall beinghappyabout the thought of selling,” he’d said. “How could I possibly be happy about the thought of being the last of the Fitzbrownes to live in the Hall?”
His godfather had met this with a lengthy silence. Then,“It’s just that the trustees and I have been making plans to sell, so this is quite a different plan to what we have discussed before.”
“It’s a new idea. Something unexpected came up.”
Someoneunexpected had come up. The woman standing in front of him, looking at him like she wasn’t sure why he wasn’t answering her. Had she asked a question?
Oh, that’s right. “I had a call from one of the trustees.”
Her face lit. “And are they excited about the plans?”
“Um, I expect they will be.” Lord Atwood had informed him he’d need to attend another meeting in London soon to more fully explain these plans with the others.
Liv seemed to sense this as she nodded. “I’m sure they will be pleased.”
Yes, nothing to be too sure of there.
