Mary considered this carefully. Her stomach was beginning to hurt, and she was not at all sure that she was not going to be sick. Thiswouldhappen today! She had not felt even the slightest pang until the stranger had appeared!
Cautiously, she turned back. The man smiled encouragingly at her and Mary felt another sharp cramp rattle her bones. Her heart raced, and she felt like she could not inhale. She tore her eyes away and the discomfort vanished at once.
I am attracted to him!She thought with amazement,Or I am dying.
The stranger held out his arm and Mary took it. The promised apology was both flowery and insincere. Mary had no grace left in her wretched body to summon a reply. She only let out an awkward laugh and wondered if she was breathing too loudly.
The man patted her hand. It wasnotsoothing. “There. Now, shall we walk to the house together? You can tell me your name. You are Mrs. Darcy’s sister, are you not?”
“How did you know?” Mary blurted out, then slowly reasoned: “I suppose nobody else would be here alone.”
“There is that, but I knew who you were long before I made that connection. You look a lot like her, Miss…?”
“Mary. I’m… my name is Mary Bennet.”
Ugh!
Could she not get anything right? She was even fumbling saying her own name! Mary’s self-loathing made her sound indignant when she protested: “I look nothing like Elizabeth!”
“You look enough like your sister for me to mistake you! I never forget a pretty face, Miss Bennet, and I know how shockingly rude it is to confuse one lady with another.”
She was blushing again! Goodness, perhaps dying of indigestion would have been the better option. Nobody had ever mentioned Mary in the same sentence aspretty facebefore!
“You know my name, sir.” she mumbled, trying desperately to change the subject, “May I ask for yours?”
The man looked surprised, “Didn’t I tell you? I have been shockingly remiss. I must apologise again.”
“Pray, do not. I know what your silly apologies sound like already; I do not know your name.”
Mary was staggered by her own impertinence. She felt her cheeks heat and opened her mouth to apologise for being so sharp. She would never normally…!
“My name is Fitzwilliam.” the man grinned, nodding his head in a kind of bow. “I am Mr. Darcy’s cousin.”
“Oh! He did not say that you were visiting.”
“He doesn’t know. I only decided to come a few days ago, and I made haste. I would have arrived before the courier, had I bothered to send a letter.”
“How nice,” Mary said quietly, “To be able to drop everything and travel for days on a whim.”
Fitzwilliam looked sidelong at her, searching the young lady for any hint of hidden meaning. He saw only simple honesty. He returned it with uncharacteristic sincerity; he was not in the habit of being candid with strangers, but this one deserved a little honesty.
“Yes, I suppose it is.”
“And to be assured of a warm welcome when you arrive!”
The man looked up at the approaching house and took a deep breath.
“Well,” he muttered, “We’ll see.”
Chapter 50
It was unusual to be shown into one’s own billiards room by one’s own servant. It was even more strange to see your own billiards table being appropriated for a game, with one’s estranged cousin casually holding out a cue.
“Is that an invitation to play?” Darcy asked warily, “Or should I duck?”
“Either way, Darcy, I intend to give you a thrashing. Which would you prefer?”
Darcy smiled crookedly and took the cue, “When did you get here?”
