Every eye on the terrace seemed to turn upon her. Harriet Sitcombe clapped her hands together in delight. Clara Sitcombe smiled into her fan. Miss Harrington stared in horror before remembering herself, then pressed her lips together as though she had sucked on a lemon. Seated on the terrace, Mrs Harrington looked ready to storm the stage and remonstrate with their hostess.
Elizabeth managed a curtsy. "I am honoured, my lady."
"Good," said Lady Hortensia. "Try not to look so alarmed, dear, it gives the gentleman false hope."
That restored Elizabeth sufficiently to lift her chin.
A small smile touched Lady Hortensia’s mouth before she turned to the opposite line. "For the gentlemen," she said, "Mr Fitzwilliam Darcy."
If Elizabeth had been surprised before, she was doubly so now. Mr Ashcombe’s expression did not change overmuch, but the hand at his cuff stilled. Colonel Fitzwilliam, by contrast, looked thoroughly amused by this turn of events.
Mr Darcy looked no less startled than Elizabeth felt. He recovered quickly, but not before she saw the surprise cross his face. It softened the stern lines of his face, but the emotion vanished almost immediately.
He bowed. "You do me honour, Lady Hortensia."
"I hope so," she replied. "You may decide by the end of the week that I have done you a mischief instead."
This drew more laughter, though Darcy did not join it. Elizabeth found herself looking at him across the terrace. So, Mr Darcy was to command the gentlemen. She was to command the ladies. Lady Hortensia had chosen the very gentleman Elizabeth would have been happiest never to speak to again.
???
Darcy was painfully aware that he had already behaved like an ass. He had been unforgivably rude to a young lady who had done no more than try and perform a simple kindness. Now they would be thrown into company, during what was already likely to be one of the most uncomfortable weeks of his life.
Miss Elizabeth Bennet stood amongst the ladies with her chin raised and her sharp eyes bright with feeling. She did not look grateful for the honour Lady Hortensia had given her, nor intimidated by the prospect of it. She looked ready for battle, and Darcy, who had been avoiding notice all afternoon, found he could not look away from her.
Darcy had thought himself long past being surprised by young ladies. He had been admired, pursued, flattered and cornered often enough to believe he knew every variation of the species. None had ever captured his attention, other than for the few minutes it took him to extricate himself from their attention. But this was no ordinary woman. Lord, this was an Amazon—or perhaps Athena herself come down from the heavens. Auburn curls escaped from their pins, framing her fine-boned face with fire. The freckles across her nose and cheeks ought, by every fashionable measure, to have lessened her beauty. They did not, only highlighting the creaminess of her pale skin. But it was her eyes that captured him, otherworldly, pale green and tilted up slightly at the corners. Beautiful was too small a world. She was the most glorious woman he had ever seen.
His treacherous lips began curving into a smile. Darcy caught himself and brought his expression back under control, appalled. What the devil was he doing? He was not here to moon over a woman who obviously despised him. He tore his gazeaway from her, and prayed this week would pass quickly. He was no longer sure he would survive it.
Lady Hortensia looked from one to the other with an air of satisfaction. Darcy had the uncomfortable suspicion that the older lady missed very little.
"Miss Elizabeth. Mr Darcy. You will present yourselves to Mr Pritchard tomorrow morning after breakfast to receive the first instructions. Until then, I recommend you both enjoy your evening and get some rest. You have a great task ahead of you."
Beside him, Richard leaned closer. "Well, Darcy. That should enliven the week."
Lady Hortensia struck her cane once upon the dais. "That is all. Now it is time to change for dinner. Expect the gong in one hour."
Chapter Seven
Elizabeth knew she ought to have been changing for dinner. Instead, she lay flat upon her bed for a full half hour, staring at the canopy above her bed and listening to the faint sounds of activity beyond her door.
She was captain. The thought had not improved with repetition. Elizabeth had wanted something different. She had wanted new people and places. She had craved new experiences. Now she certainly had it, but bearing the responsibility for nine other young ladies and the weight of Lady Hortensia’s expectations felt more than she was equal to.
Nor had she expected to be competing opposite Mr Darcy. That, perhaps, was the most provoking part of all. It was bad enough that he had revealed such pompous pride upon the lawn. Then, during Lady Hortensia’s speech, he had watched her in that strange, fixed manner, as though still searching for fault. Once she thought she saw him laugh at her. Hateful man.
And perhaps worse of all, he was almost painfully handsome. Elizabeth was not so foolish as to deny it. A gentleman might be arrogant and still possess a fine face, though it seemed unfair that such good looks should be wasted on Mr Darcy. She remembered the dark seriousness of his eyes, his full lips,pressed into a scowl and one errant curl that had fallen forward over his brow, softening him just enough to make one want to…
But no. She sat up and beat her fists into the pillow beside her, hoping to shake off the unsettling emotions that plagued her. "Stupid."Smack."Hateful."Smack. "Ignorant."Smack."Man." She punctuated each word with a strike, sending feathers flying.
"Elizabeth Bennet!" came a voice from the door.
For a moment, Elizabeth thought her mother had pursued her to Derbyshire, but she turned to see Jane, ethereally beautiful in a gown of pale violet silk, with a look of amazement on her face.
"Oh, Lizzy. What has that pillow done to offend you so?"
"I know. I am disgracing my office already."
Jane crossed the room and sat upon the edge of the bed. "Whatever is the matter? And why are you not ready for dinner?"
