“I behaved abominably at their public assembly.”
“Ah, you never are your best at large gatherings. And you are worse when surrounded by strangers. Let me guess… this gentleman’s daughter you insulted is none other than Miss Elizabeth Bennet?”
I replied with a grimace.
He chuckled. “If Bingley is courting her eldest sister, he will be disappointed he did not think of securing such a thoughtful gift.”
“Bingley does not have the unfavorable opinion of a strong-minded woman to overcome.”
Richard guffawed and clapped me on the back. “You are up to the challenge, I see! I am eager to meet this formidable female who has tied you in knots.”
I carefully replaced the lid on the box and pulled the bow back into place. “If Sultan Abdul Hamid found success promoting peace in his household with this confection, I can hold hope they might soften Elizabeth’s heart toward me. At least, I can give her a novel experience.”
I could hardly wait to see her expression—she had such lively eyes—when she took her first bite. I could picture the wonder in her eyes as she sampled her first taste, her smile when she declared the candy the most delightful treat ever to grace her tongue.
The box was tucked into my pocket just so, and I called for my horse to be readied. My two companions clamored their intention of joining me. I did not wish for their company, but nothing would discourage me from presenting my first token to Elizabeth.
She had already seen me at my worst, and I was now resolved to show her my best. Today and for all eternity.
CHAPTER 13
Bingley extolled Miss Bennet’s charms all the way to Longbourn. Confident in my own impending success, I listened with more interest than was my wont. I wondered why, if he was so enamored of Miss Bennet above all others, he had not secured a gift for her. Perhaps he felt it was too soon to grant her such a distinction. Did he fear he might change his mind? The thought made my brow furrow, but I did not feel it appropriate to put the question to my friend just then, not until I had proven myself to be a credible authority on the subject of courtship.
We dismounted and left our horses with the stable boy. The houseman waited at the door, ready to see us inside to the front parlor. I had a question for the groom, but it would have to wait until my call had finished. Snippets of the conversation Elizabeth and I had enjoyed in the hut had given me a glorious idea, but I required more information.
Mr. and Mrs. Bennet received Bingley happily. They were charmed to meet Colonel Fitzwilliam, though Mrs. Bennet informed him in no uncertain terms that their pleasure would increase exponentially if he would be so gracious as to wear his uniform rather than plainclothes for any future calls.
The matron turned to me and sniffed. “Mr. Darcy,” she acknowledged stiffly. “What are you doing here?”
I bowed and widened my smile. “I assure you, Mrs. Bennet, I am calling today with the most honorable of intentions.”
Her eyes widened. “Lizzy?”
I nodded.
“B-but you said she was not handsome enough to tempt you! You said?—”
Before she could repeat anything else I had said, I interrupted. “My sight has improved dramatically since the assembly.”
“We are saved! Come! Come into the drawing room! The girls will have put it in order by now! Mrs. Hill, do bring in a pot of tea! And the cake!”
Mr. Bennet smiled wryly and followed his wife into the drawing room. “Yes, do bring the cake for our guests, I beg you! I have had my fill and would sooner give up my library than ever wish for another slice in this lifetime.”
Elizabeth sat on a chair with her ankle propped upon several pillows that had been stacked over a footstool. She smiled when she saw me and blushed prettily when her mother pulled a chair closer to her and insisted I sit there.
Bingley joined Miss Bennet on the settee, and the two youngest wasted no time vying for Richard’s attention. With Miss Kitty hanging off one arm and Miss Lydia on the other, he had little choice but to join them on the couch, where Miss Mary perched on one end, her lips pursed into a disapproving frown. Mrs. Bennet joined the group in a chair nearby, and Mr. Bennet took his position where he could best observe the performances and make his own remarks for the benefit of those appreciative of his sarcasm.
I leaned closer to Elizabeth. “How fares your ankle?”
“Sore enough to keep me off it, but not so sore that I occasionally forget my injury and attempt to stand…”
“…upon which you are immediately reminded…”
“Precisely! It is a maddening injury…”
“… that will take twice as long to heal if you are not cautious.”
She nodded, her eyes smiling. “You sound as though you speak from experience.”
