Page 80 of Mr. Darcy's Complex Courtship

I moved to the back wall and examined the placards and play-bills announcing past and forthcoming events. As the minutes ticked by, my earlier bit of courage abandoned me. Could I avoid this meeting entirely? Maybe if I remained here until Papa and Mr. Baxter wanted to depart, Mr. Darcy would not notice me. But a brisk set of footfalls caused me to huff out my breath.

“Miss Bennet, it is a pleasure to see you.”

At the familiar baritone—hisvoice—I closed my eyes and willed myself to remain calm. I turned towards him, donning what I hoped to be a show of composure. “Mr. Darcy, it is a surprise to find you here.” I focused upon him and swallowed. Why must he be so handsome?Why are you in Bedford, andwho is that lady with you?But I should refrain from posing questions when the answers would be apt to overthrow me.

“This is neither the ideal time nor the place, but I need to speak with you.”

The urge to reach out and touch him almost overwhelmed me.Dear Lord, how should I endure this conversation? Maybe I ought to make an excuse and leave now.

“Will you meet me tomorrow morning? There is a woodland area across from—”

“How dare you?” Papa bolted at Mr. Darcy and pushed him, driving him into a backwards step. “You will stay away from her!” My father’s words, though low in volume, had a venomous sound. Had he gone mad? Why would he put his hands on Mr. Darcy like that?

Mr. Darcy raised his palms. “Mr. Bennet, I assure you—”

“Save your breath. Nothing you could say would make any difference to me.”

I stirred from my frozen state and found my voice. “Papa, I do not understand this. We were talking—nothing more. For goodness’ sake, he is a friend!” My sight flitted between them. Although Mr. Darcy had every right to be furious at my father’s assault, he displayed no trace of ire. Still, I gave him an apologetic look.

The tall lady who had been seated beside Mr. Darcy emerged from the dispersing crowd and strode towards him.

My father grabbed my wrist, his fingers digging into my flesh. “We are leaving, Lizzy—now.” Before I could protest, he tugged me away, forcing me from the room. When we neared the carriage. Mr. Baxter drew alongside us.

“What has happened, Bennet?”

“All is well now, but I must take Lizzy back to the house.”

“As you wish.”

I bided my time until we entered the carriage, and the two men sat opposite me. I glared at Papa, whose face had darkened to carmine. “What possessed you to attack Mr. Darcy for no reason?”

My father’s stony visage softened, and the fiery blaze in his eyes diminished. “Perhaps I did not handle the situation as I should have done. I did not intend to frighten or embarrass you.” My father glanced at Mr. Baxter, who raised his eyebrows. “I should not have lost my temper, my friend. I am sorry for my conduct.”

Mr. Baxter shifted towards Papa. “This sort of aggression is not like you, Bennet. What do you have against the gentleman?”

“Back in May, Lizzy accepted his marriage proposal. I believed she had made a mistake, so I insisted they wait before they entered an engagement. To my relief, they dissolved their agreement.” My father shot me a quick look. “Lizzy suffered from low spirits when she first arrived home, but she has improved. The last thing she needs is to be exposed to that man now. He is certain to make her miserable again.”

My lips squeezed flat. Must Papa disclose my personal history this way? Well, at least I trusted in Mr. Baxter’s discretion.

“Despite the man’s wealth, I knew Lizzy would not be happy with him.” Papa removed his spectacles and cleaned the glass with his handkerchief. “He may not be dishonourable, but he is a prominent member of theton, and I observed him to be arrogant and imperious. Over time, he would have crushed her spirit, and I could not bear to see that happen.”

“You do not know Mr. Darcy as I do. He did not want to alter me. In fact, he appreciated my liveliness—I believe this trait is what first drew him to me.”

“As clever as you are, you can be naive at times.” My father replaced his spectacles. “He had every reason toappearcompliant in order to obtain your agreement. But mark mywords, had you become his wife, he would have exerted control over you—that is the way of powerful men.”

“I disagree. Nevertheless, the point is irrelevant, since we arenotengaged, and I have reason to believe he is enamoured of another lady.”

Papa fidgeted in his seat. “Then why did he wish to speak to you?”

“You interrupted before he could say anything of substance. For us to encounter him here is an extraordinary coincidence, but it is natural for him to approach me. After all, he has a close association with my brother-in-law. It is inevitable we shall cross paths in the future.”

“Yes, well…” My father averted his gaze for a moment. “I expect he will seek you out tomorrow. For the remainder of your stay in Bedford, I want you to forego your morning walks.”

“No, Papa—this is ridiculous!”

“I do not want you speaking to him while you remain in a vulnerable state. He may employ a pretty speech to bend you to his will.”

“Would you attempt to make me a prisoner when I am mere weeks away from reaching my majority?” I angled towards him, my palms on my thighs. “You raised me to be a critical thinker, so please do not treat me like a simpleton. I am well capable of making my own decisions.”

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