Darcy & Elizabeth: A Season of Courtship (Darcy Saga Prequel Duo) (2 page)

Yet he had to know the whole sordid
tale—not out of any possible hope in salvaging the damage she had done,
but because his honor required he attempt to apologize to Miss Elizabeth at the
least.

“What reasons did you lay at her
feet? Tell me precisely what you said made… us… unacceptable.”

“Well, there is Anne, of course!
Whether you acknowledge it or not, Darcy, it was the wish of your mother, and
Anne is your destiny.”

He spun about, clutching on to the
curtain sash for stability. Lady Catherine clamped her lips on “destiny” and
involuntarily stepped backward, his expression clearly alarming her.

“Not. Another. Word. And never
mention my mother again. Ever. Consider that a warning, Aunt Catherine. Now,
tell me what else you said.”

Straightening her spine, she
complied, in fine detail, unquestionably relishing the words. Numb, Darcy was
unable to wince at the familiar reasons she recounted. Had they not once
crossed his lips? Undeniably in a nicer tone, and after expressing his love,
but equally as harmful. This debacle coming on the heels of the Wickham
disaster was a sure death knell to any chance he might have had with Elizabeth.
He struggled not to strangle the woman standing before him—or fall to his
knees weeping.

“I am deeply disappointed in you,
Darcy. I fail to comprehend how you can toss aside your honor, family
interests, and position in society to entertain an alliance with Elizabeth
Bennet. As unfathomable as the prospect is to me, imagine how Lord Matlock
would receive such an abhorrent woman. Promise me that you will not make such a
disgraceful connection!”

“I repeat, Aunt, my personal
affairs are outside the realm of your authority. I judge for myself and reach
decisions based on
my
wishes and desires in
all
matters. I am not
beholden to you and will certainly never extend to
you
a promise to do,
or not do, anything. Just as I never promised to marry Anne, so will I never
promise
not
to marry Elizabeth Bennet!”

As if that is an option
, his
soul sobbed,
but it is worth the shock on her face to pretend otherwise.

“Have my points of fact fallen onto
deaf ears, Darcy? Are you to be as unreasonable as she? Refusing to promise
entering into an engagement, you must know in your heart is utterly wrong, just
as she did. Are you resolved to have her despite the consequences? Like her,
you would face contempt and ruin? For what? I know why she is determined to
ensnare you. But what is your motivation? Is it love,” she sneered, “or is it
simply lust?”

Darcy frowned, creases marring his
brow as he ruminated on her references to Elizabeth being as unreasonable as
he, refusing to promise as he did, and being determined to ensnare him. The
curiosity of those oblique statements overrode the offense at the last slurs.
As if he would discuss love or lust with his aunt!

Suddenly a number of the comments
during her tirade were seen in a different light.

“Elizabeth argued with you. Is that
what you said?” He spoke slowly, examining her face and holding up his hand
when she opened her mouth to speak. “A nod will suffice. Thank you. She did not
back down or agree with your bleak assessments of a union between us, is that
what you are saying? Ah…interesting. She has always been a woman who speaks
forthrightly and with courage.”

He smiled, and in spite of the
tense aura in the room, his heart lifted in fresh admiration.
God, she is
amazing! Facing down Lady Catherine de Bourgh, no less! What an incredible
Mistress of Pemberley she would be!

“Darcy, listen—”

“One more question,” he
interrupted, his voice calm but as stern as his granite gaze. “I presume, by
what you said, that you attempted to extract a promise from Miss Elizabeth not
to accept me? And she refused to make that promise?”

Lady Catherine flinched and glanced
away, the reaction quickly covered by her hastening to grab the cloak she had
tossed onto a sofa back. “I can see that you are overwrought, Nephew, so will
leave you. Please dwell upon my—”

“Answer the question, Aunt. Did she
refuse to promise?”

“Yes,” she snapped, “and that alone
should reveal the depth of her recalcitrant… ambitious… horrid nature!”

“Oh, it reveals a great many
aspects of her nature indeed, just none of them as you have listed. I wish for
you to leave Darcy House this instant, Lady Catherine. I have had enough of your
interference.”

He crossed the remaining space
until he was only a foot away, never diverting his hard gaze from her eyes. She
was angry still, that was obvious, but also worried and, perhaps, a bit
frightened. Good.

“Listen to me closely, and have no
doubt that I mean this as a threat. If you
ever
go near Miss Elizabeth,
or any of the Bennets, I cannot say precisely what my response will be but can
assure you will not like it.”

“Threats do not become a gentleman,
Darcy.”

“Irrelevant. Of course, if you
prefer, consider it a
promise
rather than a threat. You know the way to
the front door. Good day, Lady Catherine.”

Without a bow or backward glance,
Darcy exited the room.

Mr. Travers, once again his calm
self, stood at the end of the corridor and watched his master approach. “Mr.
Travers, please ensure that Lady Catherine is safely escorted to her carriage.
Immediately. Then have the groomsmen prepare my horse and carriage. I will be
departing within the hour.”

“As you command, sir. Should I be
informed as to your destination?”

“Of course. I will be joining Mr.
Bingley at Netherfield in Hertfordshire.”

During the course of a person’s
life, there will be days or hours, even brief minutes, that become etched upon
one’s memory vividly. Decades later those unique, pivotal times will be
recalled with clarity of vision and emotion.

The day when Fitzwilliam Darcy
proposed marriage to Elizabeth Bennet for the second time would not merely
inhabit the list of special days in their lives. Rather, it would hold a
position within the topmost tier, remaining there on into eternity.

For Elizabeth, the element of
surprise enhanced the memorable event.

Surprise in the realization that
Mr. Darcy still loved her. Surprise in discovering the depth of desire and love
she felt for him. Surprise that quick-witted and saucy-tongued Lizzy Bennet was
unable to articulate the emotions pounding in her heart.

How do you tell the man previously
rejected that your feelings have profoundly changed? Can it be expressed in
words when you barely comprehended the yearning within your soul?

“My affections and wishes are
unchanged, but one word from you will silence me on this subject forever.”

Mr. Darcy vowed that
one word
would silence him on the subject of his affection and wishes, and in no way did
Lizzy want him to be silent on that subject. Considering it fortuitous that her
mind reeled, she clamped her lips and waited, eyes luminous and fixed upon his
face.

Then,
as he hesitantly stepped closer, she detected a tentative light warming his
eyes and a faint relaxing of his facial muscles.
Never removing his gaze
from her face, he inhaled shakily, his voice husky and tremulous as he
continued with his declaration. Shivers raced up her spine as he revealed his
love for her, claimed with conviction that his body and soul were bewitched by
her, and divulged his wish to never be apart from her.

Some might argue that a proper
marriage proposal it was not. To Lizzy his words were the sweetest music.

Perfection.

So perfect that she was overcome
with the desire to freeze the moment, ensuring she would never forget the
tiniest detail or nuance. It was the nakedly pleading expression on his face
that made her gasp through the paralysis affecting her lungs and feet. Suddenly
she
needed
to be near him. Three short steps brought her so close that
the impact of his presence—impossibly handsome and utterly male—combined
with the welter of emotions flooding his face once again overwhelmed her
senses.

Abruptly dry of throat and devoid
of words, Lizzy glanced downward to restore a semblance of control.
Accidentally, perhaps, her gaze fell on his hand where it hung limp at his
side. Inexplicably, a mingled surge of sadness and protectiveness pierced her
heart. In that moment, she saw his empty hand as symbolic of his loneliness. It
was a loneliness she understood, even if the emotion was not one she would have
admitted feeling hours before. Instinctively she pressed his cold hand between
hers and lifted it to her lips for a gentle kiss.

There was a minuscule pause before
he gently squeezed her fingers. His understanding of her acceptance was
conveyed in that simple gesture. No more than three heartbeats had passed, yet
the strength flooding her body from the simple connection of their hands was
enough to dispel her nervousness. The pages of words etched within her heart
tickled her tongue with a yearning to be spoken aloud. All of them were lost
the moment she lifted her face and met his eyes.

He looked honestly stunned! His parted
lips and wide eyes comical if in a different situation. Lizzy’s smile was a
bare upturn of the corners of her mouth, yet enough to flood his face with
relief and light his blue eyes with joy. So enraptured was she by the
transformation in his countenance that the tentative touch of his fingertips to
her cheek and the exhilarating cascade of sensations ignited by his feathery
touch astounded her.

Instinctively, Lizzy leaned into
the warmth of his palm and closed her eyes to better
feel
the wonder.
When he bent and tenderly rested his forehead against hers, his sigh of
contentment wafting over her sensitized skin, Lizzy could almost hear the walls
of past misunderstanding and distance disintegrating.

Magical.

The connection between them was
instantaneous, even though no words had been uttered. There was a dreamlike
quality to the event augmented by the sunlight shining upon them as a
benediction. Entranced as she was, a flash of clarity shone through, and of all
the words she knew must be said eventually, the three vital ones rose to the
top.

“I love you.”

Darcy inhaled sharply and jerked as
if stuck by a pin. His eyes flew open; they were so close she could note the
individual flecks of colors in them.

“Say it again.”

“I love you…Fitzwilliam.”

He shut his eyes again and released
a sibilant moan. Then the brilliant smile she had so rarely seen burst forth,
and he opened his sparkling eyes.

“Elizabeth. Lovely, precious
Elizabeth,” he breathed as delicate fingertips traced a line of fire across her
jaw and chin, finally lingering on her lips.

Lizzy’s breath caught in her throat,
and her muscles trembled from the raw emotion written on his face.

Kiss me!

Her silent plea echoed within his crystal-blue
eyes, and she honestly did not know if living through the disappointment of him
not
kissing her would be worse than the drowning bliss if he did! She could
see the harsh struggle he waged, his desire as strong, if not stronger, than
her own. Somehow he conquered his urges and, with a visible shudder, withdrew a
pace. He clasped her small hands between his broad ones and gazed at her with
such intensity of love and thankfulness that any shreds of disappointment Lizzy
felt at evading a kiss were dissolved.

“Elizabeth, there is much to say,
much for me to apologize for, although I do not deserve your forgiveness. I did
not plan this…rendezvous, and it is not how I intended to proceed in winning
your affection. I wanted to court you properly, allot you time to improve your
opinion of me, and maybe, if I was so blessed, have you love me. I never
entertained the notion, even after my aunt restored my hope, that you felt a
fraction of what I do.”

“I do,” she murmured with a nod and
smile.

Darcy exhaled a happy sigh and
shook his head in amazement. “Elizabeth, clever phrases and spontaneous
conversation are not my forte, as you can attest. Luckily, fate has gifted me
with this opportunity, and considering how atrociously I botched my
well-rehearsed proposal, fate has also proven to be wiser. Simplicity appears
to be its recommendation. Therefore, on that note—”

Without releasing her hands or
diverting his gaze for a second, Darcy bent onto one knee. “Miss Elizabeth
Bennet, I love you fervently and with all that I am. Will you honor me by
becoming my wife?”

“Yes! Oh, yes, you know I will!” A
wavering sob accompanied her shout. Lizzy was powerless to stop the tears or
the launch into his body. He nearly fell, but rallied and stood while
encircling her with his strong arms. His rumbling laugh vibrated the broad
chest she was instantly pressed against.