The room quieted at once. Harriet, who had been sitting to one side of her, gripped her arm. "This is it. This is it!" she squealed, spraying toast crumbs over the white tablecloth.
Elizabeth looked at the crumbs, then at Harriet's shining face, and found herself smiling despite the sudden flutter in her stomach. "Yes," she said. "I had gathered that."
Harriet did not release her. "Remember everything."
"I shall try my very best."
Across the room Jane caught Elizabeth's eye, gave her a warm, encouraging smile and mouthed, "Good luck."
Elizabeth lifted her brows in silent acknowledgement and rose. Mr Darcy had risen at the same moment. For one awkward instant they both moved towards the door from opposite sides of the room, their teams watching on in silence.
"Miss Elizabeth," said Mr Darcy, standing back to let her exit the room ahead of him.
"Mr Darcy," she responded coolly. She passed through the doorway, close enough to catch the clean scent of soap and linen. She thought she heard him take an unsteady breath, but when she looked at him his face was its customary stern mask.
Mr Pritchard led them down a narrow passage panelled in dark wood. Neither captain spoke. Elizabeth could hear the faint sound of breakfast resuming behind them. Ahead lay the small library, and beside her, just half a step behind, Mr Darcy walked with slow careful steps. Her neck prickled, she was aware of his every movement.
Lady Hortensia was already seated at a round table when they entered, two pieces of folded paper in front of her. The room was lined with books, sheer drapes blocking out the harshness of the morning light.
"Good," said Lady Hortensia brightly. "Captains present and correct. That is a promising beginning."
Elizabeth curtseyed. Darcy bowed.
Lady Hortensia's eyes moved between them. "Our first day is devoted to logic and observation. A gentle beginning, you will be pleased to know. There is no need to look so dour, Mr Darcy. You may even enjoy yourself."
A laugh escaped Elizabeth before she could stop it. It was small, little more than a breath, but Mr Darcy heard it. His eyes moved to her at once, and his brows drew together in a look of such wounded dignity that she had to press her lips together to keep from making it worse.
"Forgive me," she said, not sounding especially sorry.
Mr Darcy's scowl deepened and he looked determinedly away from her.
"Each captain will receive the same instructions," said Lady Hortensia. "You will have ten minutes to discuss them with your team before the contest begins. No questions will be answered once you leave this room, so if you have any, ask them now."
She tapped the folded papers. "The first contest is a type of treasure hunt."
Elizabeth and Mr Darcy both reached for their papers, and their hands brushed, the lightest touch of his fingers againsthers, gone almost before it had happened. Yet Elizabeth felt a sudden warmth that made her snatch her hand back as though the paper had burned her. Mr Darcy did not move so quickly. He went very still, his eyes dropping to her hand as if he too had felt it.
Lady Hortensia cleared her throat noisily and continued. "Each team will receive three clues. Each clue will lead you to an object hidden somewhere within the public rooms of this floor. The correct object will be marked by a card bearing my initials—and you must be in possession of all of the objects answering to the clues at the end of the challenge. You may search the drawing room, the music room, the east gallery, the morning room and the small library. You may not go upstairs, outside or into any room where a servant tells you not to go. You may not move furniture larger than a footstool. You may not open locked doors. You may not bribe the staff, though I daresay several of them would enjoy the attempt. If any member of your team breaks these rules, I will apply a deduction of my choosing."
"For each object found, your team receives one point. When you have all three objects, you must determine the phrase they make together. The phrase is worth one further point. The final point will go to whichever team first brings the correct phrase, written clearly and signed by its captain, to Mr Pritchard in the library first."
"How long do we have?" asked Elizabeth.
"One hour and a half," said Lady Hortensia. "The gong will sound once when the contest begins, once when there are fifteen minutes remaining and once when time is concluded. At that final gong, Mr Pritchard will accept no further answers."
Mr Darcy, who had now recovered himself enough to look at his paper rather than Elizabeth's hand, said, "And if both teams present their answers at the same time?"
Lady Hortensia turned to him. "Then, Mr Darcy, I shall be the judge of how points are awarded—or not, as the case may be."
Mr Pritchard placed two pencils upon the table, one before Elizabeth and one before Darcy. "Your answers must be written on the lower half of the instruction sheet. The three objects should be named plainly. The phrase must be written beneath them. Captain's signature at the bottom."
"You will now return to your teams. You have ten minutes to read the clues and organise your search. You may choose to divide them among you and work in smaller groups or to stick together. That is up to you. Now go on and get started, this old woman is anxious for the games to begin!"
???
Darcy followed Miss Elizabeth from the library with the instruction sheet in his hand and the memory of her fingers still warm against his own. It had been nothing, the briefest brush of skin, accidental and over in an instant, but he could not forget it. She walked a little ahead of him, her pace brisk and her head held high, as if she had already dismissed him entirely.
"Miss Elizabeth," he said.
