“Wait, Lizzy!” I called after her, but she’d disappeared inside Cupid’s Confections. I turned to Rosalie. “Why did you say that?”
“Say what?”
“That we’re boyfriend and girlfriend. We’re not.”
“Are you sure?” She gave me a skeptical look, her hand on her hip. “I thought it was being arranged so that you and I were going to be a thing. Aren’t you coming to the dinner tomorrow night at Lady Catherine’s?”
“Yes, I am, but we don’t even know each other. And I haven’t agreed to anything.”
“But you’re at least going to give us a chance, right?”
I didn’t want to. I wanted the girl who had disappeared inside Cupid’s Confections, but she didn’t want me. I knew that, but I was having a harder and harder time with all of these Valentine’s activities accepting it. “We aren’t getting married, Rosalie. I need to go.”
Getting into my car, I pulled out of the stall. I drove to Netherfield by myself, unable to forget the kiss between me and the only woman who had completely captured my heart.
Chapter 8
Thenextmorning,Jane,Lydia, and Wickham showed up at Netherfield. Lydia immediately pulled Jane off to look at books on wedding ideas in the library.
I was in the kitchen, finding some breakfast, when Charles and Wickham walked in and took seats at the bar.
“Hey Darcy.” Wickham observed me. “I’m sorry about yesterday with the play. Lydia was just trying to help. She really wants to bring the two of you together.”
I set my plate on the counter a bit too harshly. “I asked her to keep my involvement in your wedding quiet.”
“And she has mostly, but come on, you can’t tell me that deep down you don’t want Lizzy to know.”
Charles took a bite of the muffin left out on the counter. “Did she have to do it in such an unconventional manner?”
Wickham straightened, looking slightly affronted. “I like her unconventional ways.”
“It doesn’t matter,” I cut in. “If Lizzy had any feelings, Rosalie smashed them when she walked up and declared herself my girlfriend.”
Charles’s brows drew together. “Rosalie Trent? Why would she do that?”
“Because my aunt and uncle want me to marry her and take my place as king,” I said. “She has arranged a dinner tonight with the Trents to press the matter.”
Both men stared at me in shock.
“What about your reason for coming here? The Moonrot?” Wickham asked.
“And finding your parents’ killers?” Charles added.
I ran a hand over my face. “Uncle wants me to do that and assume the throne. But I turn twenty-eight soon anyway, and then I don’t have a choice. So I talked Uncle James into waiting, because once I’m king, I won’t have as much time to dedicate to searching for my parents’ killer. Both he and I are aware of that.”
My friends fell silent. Each probably processed what that might mean for the women they loved.
“Do you think it’s a lost cause?” Charles asked.
My heart twisted for Lizzy and all that it would imply if it were. “I hope not.” I clenched my jaw before responding. “I’m going to do whatever I can to make sure it’s not.”
Charles nodded. “How can we help?”
I blew out a long breath. “I’ll update you if I come up with something.”
“What about Lizzy?” Wickham asked. “Did you tell her that Rosalie isn’t your girlfriend?”
I pushed the bagel away, my appetite gone. “I think it’s a stretch to assume Lizzy cares that much.”
