Chapter 2 #2
“What’s not to like? You seem to like them too. Charlotte says checking off the ‘Animal Lover’ box is a must on dating profiles.” She cringed when she heard the words leave her mouth. Did I really just bring up dating profiles? To this guy?
Darcy bit back a smirk. “Well, I imagine there’s a magic algorithm or some such thing.”
Elizabeth glanced over at her sister, firmly ensconced on Charles’s lap and covered in leaves.
“Or maybe a healthy swallow of Love Potion No. 9.” She rose and headed for the door. “Time to wash up. Would anyone like a drink?” she called, loud enough for all to hear.
Ten minutes later, she and Jane were sitting on the front porch swing and sipping Irish coffees.
“You looked good out there. I hope you don’t mind that I told Charles you used to play soccer in college.”
Elizabeth groaned. “‘Used to play’ is right. Not even two seasons, and my career ended in a blaze of glory.”
Jane frowned. “I know breaking your leg was awful, but at least you never had a concussion.”
“True, I have all my brains. Plus a leg that aches when it rains and, as a bonus, sets off airport security alarms.” Elizabeth laughed. “So, tell me about your love life. Things seem good.”
“Charles is sweet. He made sure to bring my favorite wine, and he picked up these amazing scones for tomorrow’s breakfast.”
“So the man has some serious shopping skills. What are his other good points?”
“He’s just wonderful!” Jane’s voice dropped. “And he’s such a good kisser. Good everything.”
Elizabeth couldn’t remember ever hearing Jane voice such strong feelings. “That’s great. I’m happy for you. You deserve a nice guy. And I have to tell you, he has great taste in real estate.”
Jane beamed. “I know! It’s so beautiful. Fitzwilliam helped him find it.” She saw Elizabeth’s skeptical expression. “How are you two getting along?”
Ah, I knew it started with an F. “He’s polite. I like his car. It was nice he picked me up. I should thank Charles for asking him to.”
“Charles didn’t ask him. He mentioned you were coming up and Fitzwilliam offered.”
“Oh.” Oh.
She stretched out her legs, wincing as she flexed the calf muscles. That’ll hurt tomorrow.
“But what’s the deal with his dog? Princess Coconut? What’s up with that name? And he told me not to feed her scraps or throw sticks for her or let her go in the woods.” She laughed. “I’ve never had anyone give me a ‘Don’t Do’ list for their dog.”
Jane shrugged. “I don’t know. Charles asked if I was allergic because he wanted Fitz—I mean Darcy; I think everyone calls him that—to get out of the city and come here, and he won’t leave the dog.”
Elizabeth nodded and considered her words. “We all have our little phobias. I bet he didn’t share his toys, either.”
“Well, there are ticks here. And she is pretty old. Charles says that dog is the only thing Darcy really cares about. He’s given up trying to fix him up with anyone.”
Jane sipped her coffee as Elizabeth rolled her eyes.
Rich, handsome, and no wife or girlfriend? There’s a story there.
“By the way, Lizzy, where’s Brian?”
After a snack and a brief nap, Elizabeth changed into her hiking boots and headed out with her camera.
She wanted to capture the waning autumn light coming over the hills and reflecting through the leaves around the creek.
She clambered up and down the creek bed, snapping photos until she slipped on a bit of moss, lost her balance, and tumbled a few feet.
She caught hold of a tree branch and steadied herself before lowering herself onto a boulder.
Ah, the life of a former athlete. She knew she’d overdone it by playing soccer and taking two walks without stretching first. When the weather was damp, the titanium pins in her right tibia would throb.
At other times, it was her shins; whoever said shin splints were a short-term issue?
Once in a great while, her knee would ache from that almost-but-not-quite ACL tear nearly two years ago.
But her leg almost never hurt all over as it did now.
Elizabeth reached in her pocket for her zip-pack.
Years ago, her Eagle Scout boyfriend had given it to her for Valentine’s Day.
He’d thought the case—containing a whistle, pillbox, collapsible water container and water purification tablets, compass, flashlight, sunblock, and bug repellent—symbolized his deep feelings for her.
Elizabeth was less sure of the romance conveyed by a hot-pink pleather survival kit, but five years later, she still carried it around.
She didn’t know what had happened to the eager young man she’d broken up with a month after Valentine’s Day, but his gift was indeed one that kept on giving.
She pulled out the pillbox. No ibuprofen, just Imodium and salt tablets.
Oh, and a Vicodin. On a scale of one to ten, the pain was at least an eight, which merited using up the last prescription painkiller in her possession.
Elizabeth swallowed the pill and took a swig from her water bottle.
As soon as the medication kicked in, she would feel well enough to walk back to the house.
She envisioned occupying the deep, comfortable couch for the rest of the day.
“Er, hello.”
Elizabeth looked up into the shadowy autumnal gloom settling in. Oh. It’s him. “Hello.”
Darcy looked around and squinted into the dusk. “Was it a good sunset?”
“I wouldn’t know.” She gestured at the horizon. “I’m facing east.”
He nodded solemnly. “Oh, of course. Are you heading back to the house?”
Elizabeth stared up at him. “In a bit.”
He looked around. “Do you know your way back? It’s getting rather dark, and this is your first visit here. I’d be happy to—”
“I’m fine. You can go.”
“Are you—?”
“Yes.”
Darcy nodded. “All right then. Please be careful.” He pulled a small flashlight out of his pocket and offered it to her. “You might need this.”
“No, thanks. I have a flashlight app on my phone.”
“All right, then.”
He turned and began walking across the field. Elizabeth knew the house was straight ahead: through the field, down a small hill, across the stream, and up through the woods. Easy-peasey. The pain had subsided, and she knew it was best to get moving. She stood up slowly.
“Ow! Shit!” She bent over.
Elizabeth felt him before she heard his voice. With one arm supporting her, he lifted her chin to see her face.
“Are you all right? What happened?”
Elizabeth met his eyes and grimaced. “I torqued a muscle in my ankle. Old injury.” She took a deep breath. “I’m not sure I can walk.”
“Lean on me. I’ll take you back to the house.”
“But…”
He pointed at the hot-pink case. “You don’t have another option unless you have a cane in that kit.” She saw his smirk but missed the gentleness in his teasing.
“I left my shillelagh at home,” she muttered. “If you can find me a stick to lean on, I’ll be okay.”
“No, we’re doing fine this way. You all right?”
Elizabeth felt the evening chill settling in around them and the start of a cold drizzle. She was suddenly grateful that he was with her. “Yeah, I’m fine. We can go faster.”
She could feel the pill start to take effect, and the pain and stiffness lessened as they moved across the field. He grasped her a little more tightly as they walked down the hill.
“Hey, cowboy, don’t squeeze too tight.”
“Cowboy? So you’re both a college football fan and a country music aficionado?” He shook his head. “You are such an American.”
“Excuse me, Oxford. Nothing wrong with a little Johnny Cash. But I’d rather listen to Bach and stuff.”
“Stuff?”
“Yeah, stuff. Bands you’ve probably never heard. You seem like a jazz guy or maybe a Wagner man.”
“Do I?” It was too dark and they were moving too quickly for her to see the expression of amused disbelief on his face.
“Kill the wabbit, kill the wabbit…” she sang. “Oh mighty warrior of great fighting stock…”
A booming crack of thunder filled the late afternoon sky.
Darcy picked her up. “I think you’re delirious with pain. We need to hurry.”
“Put me down,” she cried, wriggling out of his arms and landing with a thud. “Ow! Dammit!” She stared up at him accusingly.
He reached for her arm. “Fine, lean on me. Please. We need to get you inside.”
Elizabeth leaned heavily on his arm and they hurried across the lawn. Rain started pouring moments after they reached the house. Darcy sat her on the huge sofa in the family room and knelt in front of her. “May I?” He lifted her foot and began untying her boot.
“Oh. Um, no I can do it.” She jerked her foot away. Darcy went to light the logs that had been laid in the fireplace while she wrestled off her boots and damp sweater.
With the fire started, Darcy removed his jacket and looked at her. “May I get you something for the pain? Ice? Pills?”
“Um, yes. Both, please. Well, no. I took pills. A pill.” Elizabeth shivered, and he immediately pulled a thick afghan off another sofa and draped it across her shoulders. Then he went to the liquor cabinet and poured them each a small glass of brandy.
“Here, this will warm you up. I can make some tea.”
Elizabeth recoiled from the smell but quickly drank it down. “Oh, wow,” she exclaimed. “My Uncle Leo smells just like that tastes.”
Darcy nodded. “Why don’t you lie down and elevate your foot?” He grabbed a pillow and looked at her expectantly.
She stared at him. She hated to admit that he was right.
Again. And that he looked so damn handsome and smug about it.
The fire was appealing, though, so she lay back against the sofa’s armrest and stretched out her legs.
He began arranging pillows around her, and as she watched him, Elizabeth suddenly wondered why the house was so quiet.
“Where are Jane and Charles?”
“They were driving off when I left. I’ll be right back with the ice.”