Page 16 of Leave Her Wild
“You would refuse to marry into the earldom and society, choosing spinsterhood, in order to tend your father and mother?” he asked, completely flabbergasted by the idea.
“I love my parents,” she said simply.
They sat in silence for several minutes as Darcy studied the room, and Miss Elizabeth returned to her book. At length, he said, “Then you hold no objection to my marrying your sister?” He could tell he had disarmed her, for she stared straight ahead, obviously organizing her thoughts.
Finally, she looked upon him again, and Darcy found himself becoming lost in the most compelling eyes he had ever encountered. “Fine eyes, indeed,” his mind announced.
“Look to my sister and display your affection for her,” Miss Elizabeth stubbornly instructed.
“Miss Bennet and I do not hold each other in deep affection,” he admitted, “but I hope someday we will. We are quite fond of each other.”
“Are you?” she asked, anger lacing her tones.
“Why would I ask to spend my life with Miss Bennet if I did not hold her in affection?” he asked in a harsh whisper.
“I know Jane’s reason,” Miss Elizabeth said in poorly disguised anger. “She means to save her sisters and her mother. What I do not know is why you proposed so quickly. With a snap of your finger, you could name your bride from all of society. Yet, you chose a sweet, but insignificant, young woman who means to see her sisters and mother live in comfort after her father’s passing. I, therefore, ask myself what Jane might provide you, other than a comely countenance and mild manners.”
“I see,” Darcy said as he prepared to stand. “Thank you for your truth.” He sighed heavily. “I pray you will not attempt to influence Miss Bennet in this matter.”
“I have spoken my qualms to Jane and now also to you. Both of you are set upon this path. Eventually, we shall be brother and sister so we must find some harmony. I believe honesty is the best we might share at this point. I pray someday you will prove me in error. When that day comes, I shall celebrate with a sincere apology.”
Chapter Seven
“Miss Elizabeth!” a voice she easily recognized called. Despite the brightness of the day and the most excellent company of the family’s springer spaniel, Elizabeth groaned. She liked the early hours when others were not about, but, unfortunately, Mr. Darcy also appeared to enjoy the thrill of a new day.
“Easy, Pooch,” she warned the dog when it growled as the man approached. She had hoped to climb Oakham Mount alone. With the two gentlemen in the house and her eldest sister’s obvious unhappiness, Elizabeth required time to consider if she should attempt to stop the wedding or permit the players their game.
Most assuredly, something significant had occurred between her darling Jane and her sister’s “odious” betrothed, but neither was speaking of the incident.
Poochie growled again. “I agree,” Elizabeth responded as she bent down to settle the dog’s protectiveness. “But I doubt it would do any good if I also growled.”
Mr. Darcy held back when he bowed to her. “Well met. I see you, too, are an early riser. I like to be out early when I am at Pemberley. Are you off to the fields again today?”
“I think not, as it is the Sabbath. Pooch and I like to climb Oakham Mount regularly,” she explained. “Do we not, girl?” The dog responded with a lick of Elizabeth’s cheek.
The gentleman looked about him. “A mountain?”
Elizabeth frowned for she did not wish to have the man plague her by joining her on her walk. “Not a mountain as one would view in the northern shires or the Peak District, though itis called ‘Oakham Mount.’ It is my favorite place hereabouts for enjoying nature and clearing my thoughts.”
“There are a few such spots on my beloved Pemberley—more than a few were created by God’s hands.” He smiled in obvious remembrance, and Elizabeth would admit, if only to herself, his smile changed his countenance greatly. “And a nature walk,” he continued, “created by my father as a wedding gift for my mother. She would take me there often and explain the different plants and how the waterfall had created its own path to the lake that sits before the house.”
There was such longing in his tone that Elizabeth relented enough to offer, “Would you care to view Hertfordshire from Oakham Mount?”
“I would not wish to impose,” he said, but she recognized the one genuine emotion, beyond anger, that he had shown since arriving at Longbourn.
In that moment, his vulnerability was on display, and so, she said, “You would not be imposing, but, first, you must make friends with Poochie.”
He looked at her as if she had two heads, but he nodded his agreement.
“Come, then.” She wrapped her arm over the dog’s back. “You are to greet a new friend, my girl.” Elizabeth’s playfulness arrived. “The gentleman believes I have not warmed to his presence. Perhaps you may convince him.”
Mr. Darcy’s eyebrow rose, whether in amusement or concern, Elizabeth could not tell. He approached the dog by, first, presenting the spaniel with the back of his hand to sniff before kneeling down to look the animal in the eyes before he dared to pet her. “Good dog,” he repeated several times as the animal sniffed him thoroughly. A wag of the spaniel’s tale said she was prepared to accept him as their walking partner.
Elizabeth did not know whether she was amused by or jealous of the attention the dog was receiving from the gentleman. “Come, Pooch,” she said as she stood. “The birds are waiting.” She turned towards the path up the hill. Making a clicking sound with her tongue, Elizabeth signaled the dog to follow her and began the ascent. Within seconds, the dog swept past her legs to lead the way.
In less than a minute, Mr. Darcy was behind her on the trail. Elizabeth realized she had made a mistake, for she could hear his breath and twice his hand touched her back when a rock slid past her booted foot, and she wobbled for a second or two to maintain her footing. Naturally, the gentleman did not understand that she could climb this particular hill in her sleep.
Up ahead, Poochie was already barking and chasing the birds that nestled in the few trees on Oakham’s summit.
