“I’ll be back Sunday morning,” she said briskly.
“You will? It is not as though you live nearby. Pemberley is two hours away. You certainly are visiting more frequently than usual.”
“I am a woman on a mission. Be ready.”
“For what?”
“To go out.”
“Where?”
“You’ll see,” she said breezily as she strolled out the door.
“Come along,” Lizzy said. “We mustn’t be late.”
She appeared at my door bright and early, dressed in her Sunday finest, a navy pelisse over a sky-blue gown with a fitted bodice. I yawned. I hadn’t slept well. Thoughts of Michael—and that kiss—kept me tossing and turning. “Where are we going at this hour?”
“You will see soon enough,” she said. “Don’t dally.”
I grabbed my pelisse and accompanied my sister to the coach, a stately affair with red velvet seats.
To my surprise, Darcy emerged from within. He was impeccably dressed, as usual, with his prominent sideburns flawlessly trimmed. My brother-in-law’s midnight tailcoat topped a dark-patterned waistcoat, and his snowy cravat was tied in an artful knot. “My dearest sister,” he said with a frosty kiss on my cheek. “I trust you are well.”
“Well enough, thank you,” I lied as we all climbed back into the conveyance. “Where are we going?”
“You shall soon see,” Lizzy said.
We were silent for most of the ride. Darcy and I rarely had much to say to each other, mostly because I sensed his disdain. Lizzy said it was just Darcy being shy and a bit awkward, but I remained skeptical. Although the coach was quiet, a sense of anticipation buzzed off of Lizzy.
I nervously adjusted my bonnet. I’d dressed with care, donning an emerald-green gown with a round neck and a dark greenband just above my waist. My bonnet was adorned with a matching ribbon.
Darcy finally spoke. “Your sister tells me that the local vicar has made you a proposal of marriage,” he remarked in his usual solemn manner.
“He has,” I replied, not at all surprised by Lizzy’s loose tongue. I had the impression she kept few secrets from her husband. “But I turned him down.”
“It that because you don’t care for the man, or due to Squire Worsley’s interference? If I may ask.”
“I find the vicar to be most amiable, but, as you know, my reputation precedes me. The squire has made it very clear that he will not abide the marriage.”
“If it were not for the squire, am I to understand that you should like to marry Mr. Haddad?”
Why did he insist on twisting the knife? “Yes,” I said, remembering the feel of Michael’s lips pressing against mine. “I believe I would.”
“I see.” Darcy remained expressionless.
The carriage came to a stop. I glanced out the window. We were at the church.Michael’schurch.
Alarm rippled through me. “What are we doing here?”
Lizzy’s eyes twinkled. “We are attending Sunday services.”
“We?”
“Yes.” She grinned. “We.”
“I am not,” I said furiously. “I no longer attend church.”
“That won’t do for the future wife of a vicar,” she said.
