Page 14 of Leave Her Wild
“Not expecting me to claim a kiss from my betrothed?” he asked before he could swallow the words. Darcy sucked in a steadying breath. “I rushed things. It is I who should apologize.”
“I do mean to be a dutiful wife,” Miss Bennet declared. Darcy did not want a wife simply to lie beneath him. “I shall not act in the same manner again,” she promised when he did not immediately respond.
His annoyance remained, but Darcy managed to say, “I simply wanted to please you and take the first steps to place our journey on solid ground. I did not mean to frighten you. Such was never my intention. Permit me to offer my apology. I should leave you as I found you.”
Miss Bennet placed her hand on his to stay his rising. She turned her face up to him and closed her eyes.
“A martyr,” his mind announced. Therefore, instead of kissing her as would a man in affection, as he originally intended, he brushed his lips across hers and stood. “I mean to join my cousin. We had previously discussed walking some of the fields together.” He knew Fitzwilliam had already done so with the assistance of Miss Elizabeth, but Darcy was too angry to come up with another excuse. “I will see you for the meal with your family.”
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Elizabeth had not only changed out her boots by the kitchen door, she had also stopped to assist Clara with slicing the potatoes and then pulling and punching the dough so it might rise again. Free at last, she climbed the servants’ stairs which led to the main hall only to encounter the colonel again as he descended the stairs from the family wing.
“It assuredly did not take so long to clean your boots,” he said with a smile.
“No, I decided to assist . . .”
“Your cook,” he finished for her.
Elizabeth’s brow rose in question. “How might you be so confident, sir?”
“You have a bit of flour and a few drops of dough in your hair.” He used the back of his hand to brush a loose strand behind her ear. “I must say you will be quite as lovely when you are older as you appear now.”
“None of that,” she said as she reached to fix her hair. “You simply wish me to think you are my gallant.”
“You have found me out,” the colonel said with a chuckle.
“You are an open book, sir.” She began to climb the stairs. Without turning, she said, “I am very fond of reading, Colonel.”
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Darcy had watched from the open door of Mr. Bennet’s library, where he had retreated to nurse his “wounds” after his encounter with Miss Bennet. How could Fitzwilliam go on so easily with a woman he had met only yesterday, while Darcy had not only stood attendance upon Miss Bennet for several weeks, but had also offered the lady his hand in marriage.
Unable to tolerate the scene, Darcy said, “There you are, Fitzwilliam.”
His cousin turned to face Darcy. “Was I to be someplace else, sir?”
“No. I had simply thought if you had finished with your correspondence that we might go into the village together. If so, I will order the horses to be brought around.” In truth, Darcy had no desire to travel into the village, but he needed to be away from Longbourn before he called an end to his engagement and permitted Bertram Darcy his “pound of flesh” in the form of prime land on Pemberley estate.
“We could walk,” the colonel said. “It is only a mile. Is that not correct, Miss Elizabeth?” his cousin said with confidence as he looked up to where the woman had waited to hear their discussion.
Darcy’s eyes followed the colonel’s to where Miss Elizabeth stood on the landing between the flights of stairs. “Yes,sir,” she said. “I believe Mr. Butler explained the way to the village and then on to the main roads leading west and those connecting to the one leading to London. Are you confident regarding the way or do you require me to repeat them?”
Although there was nothing in her tone to indicate the lady’s response was anything more than a clarification, Darcy felt her words to be some sort of chastisement.
“I believe I have the right of it,” the colonel responded as if he and the woman were already close companions. “Thank you for your kind offer.”
“Then let us be about it,” Darcy ordered. With a glance to where he left his betrothed a quarter hour earlier, he jerked open the door leading to the circle before the estate and led the way down the drive. Behind him, though Darcy had not looked back to view their interaction, the colonel grinned at Miss Elizabeth before following.
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Elizabeth remained on the stairs until the gentleman closed the door behind him before she descended the steps again and turned in the direction Mr. Darcy had glared. Finding the door to the small sitting room open, she was not surprised to find her eldest sister lying back against the pillow of a settee, but she had not expected the muffled sobs.
“Jane, are you unwell?” she asked as she rushed forward. “Have you argued with Mr. Darcy?”
Jane sat up immediately. “Nothing of the sort,” her sister was quick to say. “I am simply a bit tired from the whirlwind I have known of late. Mr. Darcy has settled things with our father. And look . . .” Jane extended her hand in Elizabeth’s direction. “He has presented me with a ring belonging to his mother. I vow I could never have imagined to be so blessed.”
Elizabeth knew she frowned, but she could not disguise her concern. “I saw Mr. Darcy leave with the colonel to walk into Meryton. The gentleman appeared irritated and unhappy.”
