Page 27 of Master of Himself

“I was kicked once and have avoided them ever since.”

“Not by Ginger, I would imagine,” he said, recalling her sister’s docile mare.

“No, but she’s so old, she probably wouldn’t put herself to the trouble.”

Darcy hoped that one day she would grace him with that same teasing smile. Only then would he be assured that she had truly forgiven him.

“Did my friend finally make proper amends for his blunder at the assembly?” he inquired, hoping to determine her true opinion on the matter.

“Oh dear,” she said, frowning. “I shouldn’t have mentioned anything about it. He must think me quite vain for taking offence over such a trifling matter.”

“Not at all, in fact, he regrets speaking out of turn. I believe he’s quite taken with you,” he said, throwing all caution to the wind.

She slowed her steps and stared in disbelief. “Mr Darcy? No, I doubt he’s anything of the sort.”

“I’ve never seen him converse so easily with any woman.”

A rosy glow suffused her face, and she averted her gaze to the skies. “Well, we’re trapped in the same house together, so I’m rather impossible to avoid,” she said in a playful tone.

“I don’t blame you for being sceptical, Miss Elizabeth, but I am certain I’m right about this. Other ladies usually clamour for his attention, but your relaxed demeanour puts him at ease.” He certainly had never craved any other lady’s company as he did hers.

She stopped to face him, tilting her head as though studying him. “You are an excellent friend, Mr Bingley,” she finally said.

Darcy bowed to acknowledge her compliment – to another man. He knew perfectly well she held a favourable opinion of Charles, as did the world at large, but as they turned to retrace their steps, he was even more determined to win her regard.

***

Charles gritted his teeth as he poured the wine. After enduring another supper hour with Caroline asking all manner of useless questions, he was close to the breaking point. Having lost both parents at a young age, he was well acquainted with adversity. Their passings had seemed insurmountable, but time had eventually made those losses less unbearable.

But time wouldn’t fix this problem. In fact, three days had already passed. Since that terrible stormy night, the skies had been inordinately fair.

“How are you holding up, Charles?” Darcy inquired.

Charles squeezed his eyes shut at the absurdity of hearing that question uttered in his own voice. “Three days.” He was losing hope that they would ever find a solution.

“Have a drink and you’ll feel better.” Henry raised his glass and drank down half the contents.

Ignoring his brother’s advice, Charles merely sipped his wine. “I prefer to keep a clear head. Otherwise, I’m likely to slip and say something I ought not when we join the ladies.”

“At least Darcy enjoyed his supper companion,” Henry said.

Darcy nodded glumly at this.

Recalling Caroline’s latest nonsensical blathering during supper, Charles held his head in his hands. “Why hasn’t it rained? How can we put an end to this fiasco without the rain?”

“Perhaps we shouldn’t wait for the next storm, Charles,” Darcy said. “Why don’t we go out tonight? We’ll bring lanterns and walk down to the lane.”

“What’s this about the rain?” Henry inquired. “Do you think the reversal can only happen if it’s raining?”

“Well, it stands to reason that if the switch happened during a rain storm, then we need the same for the reverse,” Charles explained. “I am convinced that the weather gods had been angry that night, and that the next storm will bring an end to this fiasco.”

“Shall I join you? After all, I was there the first time.”

Struck with alarm, Charles wondered why he and Darcy had neglected to take Henry’s presence into consideration.

“So were Lockhart and the horses, for that matter,” Henry continued. “Do you need to recreate the same conditions to reverse the spell, like getting a wheel stuck in the mud?”

Charles slumped back into his chair at this added complication. “Lord, I don’t know. I would hate to rouse Lockhart from his bed at that hour. How would I explain what we were doing?”