Darcy looked at him sharply.She had said she did not know him at all…
“Did you know she thought you dislike her?”
“What?How could she think such a thing?”Darcy looked horrified.
“Because you act like this!Silent and forbidding.Did you even speak on all those walks you joined her on?”
“Of course I did!”
“Beyond basic pleasantries?”asked Fitzwilliam with a doubtful expression.
“Yes!”Darcy was indignant.“I spoke of,” he hesitated, “well, we talked of Rosings, and Kent, and springtime.”
“Springtime!A woman does not fall in love with a man who talks to her of the weather.”
Darcy’s face reddened and his lips drew in a hard line.
Colonel Fitzwilliam softened his voice.“You will have to try harder, Cousin.And unbend.She is worth it, is she not?”
Darcy sighed.“Very well.I shall try.”
Fitzwilliam clapped his shoulder.“I am off to bed.Best of luck to you in the morning, Cousin.I have every faith in your success.”
Darcy told him goodnight and prepared for bed, wondering what he would say to Miss Bennet in the morning, and how on earth he would go about showing her that he loved her and was utterly devoted to her without frightening or angering her.It would require delicacy, something he had never excelled at, but Fitz was right.He had to try—he had to show her how he felt, or he would lose her.And that was the worst possible outcome.He could withstand a little embarrassment if it meant having her for his own.
At Last!Friday
Elizabethhadhadthestrangest dream.She had been crying in Rosings’ gardens with Colonel Fitzwilliam, then she had flirted quite brazenly with Mr.Darcy in Charlotte’s parlor!Never had her dreams been so vivid, nor so full of eligible men.
She awoke shortly after dawn—for she had gone to bed at sunset—with a prodigious thirst.She felt somewhat similar to mornings after a party where she drank too much wine, but she had not had anything at all last night.In fact, she could not remember even eating dinner.Her stomach made a loud grumbling noise and she quickly dressed and put up her hair before skipping down to the kitchen.A village woman came to the parsonage to cook most days and was generally there early in the morning to bake bread.She had been very kind to Elizabeth and often packed her a scone or muffin to take with her on her walks.
“You’re up early, Miss.”
“I believe I went to bed rather early.”
“Molly said you had an upset yesterday.I hope all is well with your family.”
“Yes, everyone is well, thank you,” said Elizabeth hesitantly.What upset was Mrs.Hopkins referring to?
“I’m glad to hear it, Miss.”She pulled a tin of muffins from the oven and set them on the worktable to cool.“I suppose you’ll be wanting to take some of those on your walk?”
“Yes, please.”
Mrs.Hopkins was wrapping a few muffins when Molly came in.
“Are ya feelin’ better, Miss?”
Elizabeth looked at her in confusion.“I am quite well, Molly.Why would you expect otherwise?”
“You were awful upset yesterday.And then the gentleman came to see ya and you went straight to bed before it were full dark!”
Elizabeth felt the floor tilt beneath her and grabbed the back of a chair.
“Have a care now, Miss!”cried Mrs.Hopkins.She pulled out the chair and guided Elizabeth to sit down.
“What gentleman, Molly?”she asked, dreading the answer.
“Why, Mr.Darcy, of course.Do you not remember?”asked Molly.
