One of Richard’s eyebrows arched upward the same way my aunt’s did when she found me lacking. “You certainly know how to make an impression, Darcy.” He turned away and regaled Bingley with all the wonderful things the locals had said abouthimwith no mention of me. I was in agony.
Trying not to show that the omission had sorely disappointed me, I resumed watching the path leading to the house while Richard related the latest London gossip. He reveled in news, and Mrs. Hurst and Miss Bingley were a most appreciative audience. His voice grated on my nerves.
I could have caught up with the messenger by now, my gifts for Elizabeth safe in my possession, the first part of my plan in motion.
Just when I felt ready to burst with impatience, Richard stood. “If I might retire to my room for a spell, your man of business charged me with a delivery.”
My head snapped to face Richard.Him?!He was the messenger?
Why, in heaven’s name, had he not said so from the beginning? I clamped my teeth together and laced my fingers, restraining my irritation all the way up the stairs and down the guest wing to my bedchamber.
No crate was visible on my first sweep of the room. I walked around, expecting to find a crate on the other side of the bed. Not there, either. Frustration coiled in my belly.
Richard had leaned casually, maddeningly, against the wall, and now extended a note in his hand to me.
I snatched it, tearing the seal in my haste to read my man’s explanation: he had secured the last candies to be found in town, but the flowers had to be picked fresh and delivered early the following morning on a cart he had hired for that purpose.
“When do I get to meet her?” Richard asked, pulling a box out of his pack. I watched him unravel it from the clothing in which he had wrapped it for protection.
My appreciation for the care he had taken overcame my previous vexation. I picked up the box and plucked at the twine and brown paper left around it. “I aim to call today.”
“Is she related to Bingley’s angel?”
“Her sister.”
“Ha! I knew it!” Richard clapped his hands together, his expression teasing. “I do not suppose they have another sister to spare for me?”
“It is a family of five sisters.”
His jaw dropped, as I had known it would. Richard would not marry until the war was over. Much to the chagrin of his mother, who would rather see him happily settled and bouncing babies on his knees, he had decided to marry only when he could give his full devotion to his bride. It was a wise decision, true to Richard’s loyal character. He would make an exceptional husband to his future wife.
“If you knew how tempted I was to snatch one of the candies from the box, you would appreciate my exertions in your behalf much more,” Richard pointed out.
“You would not dare.”
“If they were not so rare, I absolutely would have dared.” Richard was at my side. “Come on. Open it. Let me at least see them.”
I rolled my eyes at Richard, but truth be told, I was as excited as a young boy with a wrapped present placed before him, all thrill and anticipation.
I only sampled one Turkish Delight in my life. They were always snatched up by those with deep pockets, sweet tooths, and powerful connections, preventing me from sampling more of the sweetmeats. After tasting that one morsel, I understood their popularity. The creations were as delicious to the palate as they were beautiful to the eye.
With painstaking caution, I slipped the ribbon off the box—careful not to alter the perfectly tied bow—and peeked inside at the colorful soft candies sprinkled with sugar dust and separated by glossy paper. These bite-sized works of art had crossed the ocean to get to the shop where a list of clients waited for the next shipment to reach British shores from the Ottoman Empire, and I had secured the last six. My chest swelled with pride.
Richard let out a low whistle. “What is her name?”
“Elizabeth Bennet.”
“Will she know how rare these candies are? How expensive?”
“Not likely. It does not signify.”
Richard scoffed. “Of course it signifies! Women like to know how much trouble we go through on their behalf. From the sounds of things in the village, you could use the help that this knowledge would give you.”
I sighed. “What did you hear?”
“That you are as fine of a gentleman as has ever lived, hardworking, honorable, generous…” He waved his hand, indicating that the townsmen had been generous in their praise. I was grateful, though I also knew I would have to redouble my efforts or risk losing all the progress I had made in recovering my reputation as a gentleman. One little slight, and I would be right back where I had started… or worse.
Richard continued, “I also heard how you had insulted a gentleman’s daughter, a favorite among the villagers…” He let his sentence trail off, leaving me to confess what I had done.
