Page 35 of Mr. Darcy's Complex Courtship

“I appreciate that.”

Wednesday, 27 May

Gracechurch Street

Elizabeth

Fitzwilliam and I descended the front steps and took the path towards the park. Noah lagged at a discreet distance.

“It seems your sister has met her match.” Fitzwilliam glanced my way. “Mrs. Perry impressed me as a competent and tenacious lady.”

“You are correct. She began Lydia’s lessons soon after our arrival yesterday. My sister’s complaints continued throughout the evening. Today, she has progressed to glowering at us.” I had been braced for Lydia to insult or otherwise provoke Fitzwilliam today, but she demonstrated a modicum of restraint; she offered a sullen greeting and engaged him with a bare minimum of civility but thereafter remained quiet.

His subtle tug on my arm directed me to the path through the grove—a preferable route compared to the busy and dusty road. I had grown accustomed to walking arm in arm with him—so much so that solitary walks had lost their former allure. The sight of his taut attitude, though, gnawed at my contented mood. “Is anything amiss?”

Fitzwilliam shot a look back towards Noah. “I have news.” In a matter-of-fact style, he recounted information provided to him yesterday by the Bow Street investigator he had hired.

“This is wonderful! Now that any concern for Mr. Wood’s character has been eradicated, you may meet him.”

“Yes, the report is all I had hoped for.” He offered a weak smile.

“Are you having second thoughts?”

“Perhaps I am. Yet I have no rational reason to change my mind. I trust Mr. Notley, and he is certain of his conclusions.”

“Still, this is a momentous decision, and I do not wonder why you are hesitant.”

He flexed his head to view me. “Yes, once I allow him into our lives, there is no going back. Do you still think I ought to meet him?”

“Yes, I fancy you would regret not taking that step.”

He nodded. “You are correct.”

“Will you invite him to live with you and your sister?”

“Assuming nothing in his manner gives me pause and the family resemblance is as distinct as Mr. Notley described, then yes. I am postponing my visit to Rosings. First, I shall go to Bath.”

“Ah.” I continued forwards with diminished vivacity. Now he had an additional trip, and another reason to be apart from me. “When will you leave?”

“Later today. With luck, I shall meet with him tomorrow and return on Saturday afternoon or evening.”

“I shall miss you.”

“Not as much as I shall miss you.” His brown eyes flashed. “I shall write to you.”

“I should love that.” I bit my lower lip.Darn—Papa and his rules! “Oh, but we cannot write to each other.”

“Why not?” He frowned.

“My father specified we cannot correspond while our engagement is secret.”

“Oh, I see.”

“I am sorry.”

“You have no reason to apologise, and this is a minor inconvenience.”

I gave him a nod, though the restriction did not seem ‘minor’ in the least. Why had I not protested this decree? My arm tightened around his. “Although there is no reason to expect Mr. Wood is in any way dangerous, you will be careful, will you not?”

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