Page 24 of His Pride and His Prejudice

“Sister!”

She laughed at her brother. “Oh, please, Charles. I passed by the Bennet’s residence myself the other day on our way home from Meryton. It is no bigger than Netherfield’s dower house.”

“If you continue in this way,” Charles warned. “I will send you to the dower house.”

She laughed again, knowing full well that her brother’s threat was an empty one. “What of you, Darcy?” she asked. “Have you seen Longbourn?”

“I have not.”

“Perhaps you should,” she suggested slyly. “Given your current interest?”

Charles halted at those words and shot Darcy a quizzical look. “What?—”

He was interrupted by the door opening, a servant entering, and Elliot Bennet being announced. Darcy suddenly felt quite hot. It occurred to him then that there was barely a breath of air in the room, and someone really should open a damn window!

“Show him in!” Charles said quickly and he strode forwards to greet Elliot, who entered a moment later.

To say his appearance engineered a great deal of surprise would have been an understatement. Darcy rose slowly, he was not able to help himself, and as he did so he looked Elliot up and down. The other man had clearly walked, for a trip to Netherfield on horseback would not have created the many, many splatters of mud across his boots and breeches. This was confirmed when Miss Bingley said, “Good grief, Mr. Bennet, did you walk here?”

“Indeed, I did,” Elliot replied happily.

That he should have walked three miles so early in the day, in such dirty weather, was almost incredible to Miss Bingley and to the Hursts, and Darcy did not doubt they would now hold Elliot in contempt for it. They could not help themselves. Behaviour outside of what they considered to be socially acceptable was treated thus. Of course, had Charles and Darcy done the very same thing their behaviour would have engineered only a laugh and a soft chiding.

They were alphas.

They could do as they pleased.

Charles stepped forwards and greeted Elliot warmly, giving him a bow that was slightly lower than it needed to be. Elliot responded immediately, and he was smiling quite sweetly at Charles when he straightened. Darcy had not seen the omega smile in such a way before, at least not when in their company, and something about that bothered him.

Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst took their direction from their brother and received Elliot politely. Mrs. Eleanor said very little at all for her mind was still on her breakfast, deciding between an apple and a pear.

And Darcy?

He took a step forward, intending to greet Elliot also, but when Elliot noticed him, his smile changed. It did not fade but it lost the sweetness that had been there for Bingley and instead became quite fixed.

Why?

Darcy clenched his fists. An action that seemed to seize him whenever he was around Elliot! And yet…the brilliancy which exercise had given to Elliot’s complexion could not be denied. For perhaps the very first time being in such close proximity, Darcy looked exceedingly closely at Elliot’s face, and he could not deny that he liked what he saw. As well as his dark, curly hair, which Darcy found quite attractive in on itself, his skin had a lovely blush, his lips were plump and inviting, and those dark eyes held something that Darcy found intriguing.

He did not understand it!

He had met many a male far more attractive in his years!

“Are you well, Mr. Bennet?” he snapped.

“I am,” Elliot replied with a deep bow. “But how is Jack? We received his note, and I am concerned about the speed with which this affliction has arrived.”

“Your concern is justified,” Bingley said. “He is most unwell and cannot leave Netherfield.”

Darcy fancied that was a slight over dramatism on Charles’ part. “Mr. Bennet is resting,” he said quickly. “He is in no immediate danger.”

“Has the apothecary been sent for?” Elliot asked.

“We were planning to wait until this afternoon,” Charles said. “To see if he rallied.”

“Then perhaps I should assess the situation myself?” Elliot said and Charles was quick to agree with him and even offered to accompany him upstairs. Darcy could not make the same offer without it being commented upon.

The moment they were out of the room Caroline Bingley turned to her sister and gasped. “Did you see that!” she asked.

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