“I’m very proud of you,” he said simply.
He stood across from her and suddenly, his hands were on hers. “Very proud indeed,” he said with a beaming smile. Her pulse thundered at his touch and she gulped down the lump in her throat. “You are formidable.”
The elation of their success, combined with his nearness and the sincere admiration in his voice, overwhelmed Elizabeth’s restraint. She parted her lips and drew closer, feeling his breath on her skin.
“Elizabeth,” he said softly, though she wasn’t sure if he meant to stop her or not. Their lips were so close, she almost tasted him but then, he pulled back, letting go of her hand.
“Forgive me,” she stammered. “I didn’t mean—”
“There is nothing to forgive. But if we wish to bathe and dress in time for dinner with your family, then we ought to return.”
Why had he grown weary so suddenly? She could not understand him at all at times.
He’d wanted to kiss her, she knew this from the way he looked at her. Was he still angry over her harsh words weeks ago? Or was there something else holding him back?
Chapter Twenty-Two
Darcy
She’d wanted to kiss him. He knew this. He’d wanted to kiss her too. There was no denying it. Yet, when he had the chance, when she had been standing in front him showing him she saw him as more than an inconvenience forced upon her, he had to step away.
The lies he had told her pressed down on him light weights, suffocating him. It wasn’t right to kiss her, or to want her when his lies were the only reason they were married in the first place.
He had to remain the way they had been. Stoic, distant. Married only for show. Was that what he wanted? Especially when he could not deny his growing feelings? No.
But it was what had to happen.
Elizabeth glanced at him sideways. “You seem rather out of sorts this evening. I hope my impulsive behaviour has not made you uncomfortable about dining in company with me.”
“Not at all.” Darcy cleared his throat. He didn’t want to add to her discomfort any more than he already had. “I confess, this will be the first time I have dined with Lord Hartford in my capacity as his son-in-law since our wedding breakfast. The circumstances feel different now.”
Different indeed. Then, he had been a steward who had compromised an earl’s daughter through misfortune. Tonight, he was a gentleman dining at his father-in-law’s table—atransformation that sat uneasily on his shoulders like an ill-fitting coat.
“There is another matter troubling me,” he admitted. “I met with our new steward this afternoon upon our return from fishing. He wishes to evict the Farmington family from their tenancy.”
Elizabeth’s pace slowed. “The Farmingtons? But they have been on the estate for decades.”
“Precisely. They have fallen behind on their rent due to poor harvests and illness, but I have been working with them to establish a manageable plan. The new steward believes such arrangements set dangerous precedents.”
“You must speak to Papa about this,” Elizabeth said.
“I am uncertain he will listen to me. I am not the steward anymore after all. Only the man who gained an estate through marriage.”
“You may have gained your property through marriage, but so do many gentlemen—either through marriage or inheritance or purchase. The means matter less than the knowledge you possess. You understand these estates better than most.”
Her words stirred something in Darcy’s chest, though it warred with the familiar weight of his deception. She defended him so readily, not knowing the full extent of the lies that bound them together.
The lights of Netherfield blazed before them, interrupting their conversation. As they approached the main entrance, Darcy noticed Jane standing in the drawing room window, herface radiant with happiness that seemed to illuminate her from within.
“Your sister appears cheerful this evening,” he observed.
Elizabeth followed his gaze and smiled. “Yes, she does rather, doesn’t she?”
Before Darcy could pursue the matter further, they were ushered through to the dining room—a grand space dominated by a mahogany table that could seat twenty comfortably. Tonight, it hosted the entire Bennet family. Crystal glasses caught the light from twin chandeliers, while silver serving pieces gleamed against pristine white linens.
Warm welcomes were exchanged among the group, though Darcy felt more like an unwelcome addition than anything else. Lady Hartford was especially cool in her welcome, remarking on the impropriety of them walking to dinner rather than taking a carriage. Lord Hartford fortunately stepped in, welcoming him with more enthusiasm.
Upon being seated, the first course arrived promptly—steaming bowls of white soup accompanied by fresh bread still warm from the ovens. Conversation filled the room the way it only could when those in the space knew one another well.
