“Nothing really.I was only thinking about how I cannot stop myself from blushing even when I try.”
He touched her cheek with his fingertips and traced them down to her jaw, then softly to rest below her chin and tilt her face up to his.“I like your blushes.”
She smiled shyly and lowered her eyes.
“Don’t do that.”
“Do what?”
“Look down.I want to see your eyes.”
She looked up at him, her breath coming shakily.She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out.Finally, she laughed a little and pulled away.“Mr.Darcy, you surprise me.”
“Do I?How so?”
“You are so,” she fumbled for words, “well, flirtatious!”
He smiled.“I am glad you think so.I have never spoken so freely before.I feared I might seem bumbling or vulgar.”
“You are neither, though I shall tell you if you drift into vulgarity.”She smiled teasingly at him, her eyes sparkling and her mouth quirked in that way he always wanted to kiss.
He was leaning towards her mouth when he remembered himself and turned away, huffing out a breath.“So shall you allow me to court you?”
Elizabeth’s expression changed to one of trepidation and she looked toward the water.“I believe so, Mr.Darcy, but I must make a few things clear.”
“Yes?”
“I would wish this—us—to progress slowly.It was only a few days ago I thought you disliked me heartily, and that I felt the same.”
“Do you still dislike me, Miss Elizabeth?”he asked, his voice strained.It was surprisingly painful to hear that she had held him in disdain so recently.His heart hammered in his ears, but he had to know.
She looked at him anxiously, at the forest floor, then back to him.“No, Mr.Darcy, I do not dislike you.I have found that I do not know you at all.What I saw of you, what I knew of you before, was colored by my own offense.I am afraid that I cannot look back on our acquaintance without feeling quite ashamed at how constantly I baited you.”
“I hope you will not quit the practice altogether.”
She looked at him in surprise.
“I rather like it when you bait me.Though I can think of a more satisfying conclusion than those we were accustomed to at Netherfield.”
She flamed scarlet and her mouth formed an O.After a moment, she found her tongue and said, “For a man who does not do much flirting, you are certainly making up for lost time.”
He laughed.“Shall we walk?”
She took his arm when offered and they meandered down the path for some time.Finally, Elizabeth broke the silence.“May I ask you a question?”
“Of course.”
“When you joined me on my walks before, it was by design, was it not?”
“Usually, yes.Though the first time had been a happy accident.”
“Why did you never say anything?”
“What do you mean?”
“You went to so much trouble to walk with me, yet you hardly spoke a word!I wonder why you bothered at all.”
“Is it so unusual that I would desire to simply be in your presence?”
