Page 94 of The Briar Bargain
“And that is?”
“That you reserve every supper dance for me and sit beside me during the meal.”
A laugh escaped her lips, though her gaze softened in the moonlight. “A selfish stipulation, sir.”
“A fair exchange, madam,” he replied, bowing his head with mock solemnity.
She studied him a moment longer, then offered her hand. “Very well. It is a bargain.”
He ran his thumb lightly along her knuckles. “And my proposal?”
Elizabeth cocked her head to one side. “I will accept that as well.”
Darcy scarcely heard his own quiet laughter as he brought her hand to his lips. His heart was too full of the soft radiance in Elizabeth’s eyes. There was no coyness now, no reserve, only a joy that shone as brightly as the moonlight upon her face. She was happy—gloriously, assuredly joyful. The knowledge left him both more humbled and more exultant than he had ever been.
Her acceptance had done the same for him. "Thank you," he said. “You have made me the happiest of men.”
Above them, the smoke pouring from the open window began to change from thick black to white, indicating that someone had finally managed to douse the fire that had been burning in the hearth. Almost simultaneously, they heard Bingley's voice calling from somewhere below.
"Darcy! Miss Elizabeth!Where are you?"
"Here!" Darcy called back, his voice carrying clearly in the night air. He stood. “We shall require a ladder!"
Harrison soon appeared below, leading a small army of footmen, and within minutes of their arrival, a ladder had been set up to offer them a safe path to solid ground.
Darcy stepped to the ladder, cast a glance at Elizabeth’s bare foot and the lantern-lit outline of her legs beneath her skirts, then down at the assembled crowd of men, and decided, firmly, that he would descend first.
“Stay with me,” he said, and stepped out onto the ladder. “You should remain only a rung higher.”
“If I slip, I shall fall on you.”
“Better than my falling on you.”
“We might go down one at a time.”
“But then how shall I shield you from the view of what appears to be half the household?”
Her laugh was low and husky from the smoke, and the sound went straight through him. He told himself, with all the firmness of a man on the edge of folly, that they must wed very soon, for his sanity could not long survive such exquisite torment.
“Very well, Mr Darcy, you did say you would protect me. Do go be noble.”
He swung onto the ladder and guided her onto the rung just above his. Together, they made their way down.
Bingley arrived in time to clap him on the back. “Go on inside, Darcy. Miss Bennet is waiting for her sister.” Then he turned to give orders to the footmen.
Miss Bingley awaited them at the door, her face pale with what appeared to be genuine distress. The moment they entered the house she rushed forward with tears streaming down her cheeks.
For once, she paid Darcy no attention at all.
"Miss Elizabeth, I am so very sorry," she said, her voice thick with emotion. "Please believe me when I say that I would never have wished you anyrealharm. I was just so angry . . . I merely wanted . . ." Miss Bingley's voice broke slightly. "I wanted one last evening as mistress of this house without having to watch . . . that is, I thought if you were not present, I might have one final dinner where I could pretend things might be different. But I never meant for you to be in anydanger."
The confession was the most genuine thing Miss Bingley had ever said in Darcy’s presence. Elizabeth's expression softened. "I understand. But perhaps in future, such schemes might be better avoided entirely?"
Miss Bingley nodded tearfully. "Of course. It was very wrong, and I apologise profusely.”
“Well then,” Elizabeth said. “As long as you tell me this shall be the end of it, I shall accept your apology.”
“You have my word, Miss Elizabeth,” she said. She looked at Darcy then.
