“Claude is almost always late.He thinks it is fashionable.”
Darcy frowned.Elizabeth laughed at him, as was her usual response when he was being dour.
“There he is!”cried Kitty.
They all gathered in the hall, prepared to welcome their cousin.Darcy was expecting a man a little older than Elizabeth, but he had not given him much thought beyond that.The man who entered Longbourn was tall and athletically built, with golden hair a little longer than was fashionable.His eyes were a startling shade of blue and his features were strong.
“Lizzy!”he cried.He rushed towards Elizabeth and embraced her, twirling her in a circle before setting her back on her feet.Elizabeth laughed in delight and Darcy fought back the jealous urge to yank her from the other man’s arms.
“Come meet Fitzwilliam.”
Claude greeted Darcy exuberantly.“If Lizzy likes you, I know we shall be great friends.”
“I hope we shall,” Darcy said solemnly.Elizabeth smiled happily up at him as Claude turned away to greet the rest of the family.
“Where is my sweet Kitty?”said Claude playfully.
“Over here, you ridiculous man.”
Kitty was treated to the same treatment as her sister, then Claude turned to Mrs.Bennet with a charming smile.
“Fanny, you get lovelier every time I see you.How do you do it?”
“Oh, you!”She swatted his arm.
“Is your cousin always so familiar?”Darcy whispered into Elizabeth’s ear.
“Yes.He means nothing by it, it is just his way.You’ll become accustomed to it soon enough.”
Claude was speaking rapidly in French with Mr.Bennet.Darcy spoke the language well enough, but he could not keep up with their pace.“How exactly is he related to your family?”asked Darcy.
Before Elizabeth could answer, Lydia thundered down the stairs.
“Lyddie!”
She leapt off the last two steps directly into her cousin’s arms.Mrs.Bennet scolded her not to behave so in the house, but no one paid any mind.
“Remember the French grandmother I told you about?”Elizabeth said quietly.
“Yes, I remember,” replied Darcy.Everyone was chattering around them so he leaned down to hear her better.
“Her sister married an Englishman as well.Claude is her grandson.”
“So he is your second cousin?”
“Yes.”
Darcy was grateful that Elizabeth had chosen to be marked.If she had not, she might have married this dashing man who already seemed to care a great deal for her.
Once Claude was shown to his room, the party calmed down to await Darcy’s family’s return.Darcy sat with Elizabeth on a settee by the window, enjoying what little alone time he got with her.
“I meant to ask you earlier.Is your cousin marked?”he asked.
“He was not originally.He meant to join the army and he thought it was no life for a wife.Then his uncle died and left him an estate, but by then it was too late to be marked.Fortunately though, a mark recently appeared on his left arm.”
“Oh?Is there a name?”It was common practice to share the name on one’s mark with family so they might be of assistance in finding one’s soulmate.
“It is still coming in.He thinks the first letter is a C, or perhaps a G.It is still faint.”She smiled at Darcy mischievously.“Maybe we will get lucky and he will match to one of your cousins.”
