Chapter 16
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
“Have you enjoyed your day at Dovedale, Miss Bennet?”
Elizabeth was seated next to Miss Darcy and had been in pleasant conversation with her as they finished their picnic under the shade of the alder trees skirting the river.
Hester went to a small hill to sketch, Mrs Annesley was reading, and Darcy and his cousin were fishing.
She could hear them muttering to themselves about grayling and trout, but their baskets were empty.
She could not keep her eyes from admiring the brother when she answered the sister. “My happiness certainly has been promoted by the excursion.”
Darcy must have felt her attention; he turned from the water to give her a smile.
His features in general were under control, but she knew now that they could be expressive of deep feeling when moved by his emotions.
A rush of heat passed through her at the thought of his words, his look, the feeling of his being pressed against her.
There had been unparalleled tenderness in all of Darcy’s actions towards her today, but she felt that tenderness was only a breath away from an unconquerable passion.
She turned from Miss Darcy as a joyful grin threatened to burst from her lips.
She had only secured his affections two hours ago, but now that they had admitted to every feeling, she was eager to embrace him as a lover.
Darcy had admitted to never having one before, but he had not shied away when she suggested it was not too early for them to begin.
She was certain she would never forget the look in his eye when he bent to kiss her, the way he wrapped his arms around her.
She had felt the heat of him, the barely contained strength, when he held her against him on Thorpe Cloud.
She wanted to see all that strength without any clothes covering it up.
“I hope this is not your last visit to Pemberley,” Miss Darcy went on, and Elizabeth pushed her immodest thoughts away to be the friend that Miss Darcy deserved. Soon she could call her Georgiana and profess all the affections of a sister.
“I know that you cannot always want guests about when you are at home, so I am grateful that you have made me feel so welcome. I hope that we shall be dear friends.”
Miss Darcy blushed, but nodded eagerly. The men then came from the river and set down their tackle in such a manner as to tell everyone that they did not have any sport. She exchanged an amused smile with Miss Darcy as Hester came from the hill and packed her pencils and paper.
“I do not think the anglers were successful,” Miss Darcy whispered.
“Will your brother and cousin be in a poor temper today because of it?”
Miss Darcy shrugged. Elizabeth gave her a small smile and decided to hint at their soon-to-be nearer relationship. “Shall I practise to improve my powers of consoling your brother and charming away his worries?” Miss Darcy smiled, her expression amused.
“You are not going to be in a fit of bad temper for the rest of the day, are you?” Elizabeth called to them both, but looked expressively at Darcy. “I would hate for there not to be a single thing for you to enjoy about our excursion to Dovedale.”
Darcy frowned, saying something or other about “the damned wrong-sized flies” as he put away his tackle.
“Maybe you should get married,” Colonel Fitzwilliam said to him. “You need a wife to tease you into better humour. Do you not agree, Mrs Lanyon?”
“Certainly. His lady ought to be of a friendly disposition to counteract his gravity,” added Hester.
Elizabeth exchanged a look with Darcy, who turned slightly pink and clenched his jaw.
They are determined to see us engaged. Elizabeth wished that Darcy could find amusement in their charmingly awkward attempts to forward his interest in her, at their help being entirely unneeded, but he was either mortified or too genuinely annoyed at not having caught anything.
“And his chosen lady ought to be a good-humoured woman who has the courage to stand up to him,” said Colonel Fitzwilliam. “Miss Bennet, where shall we find such a woman to esteem Darcy?”
For such a conversational man, one who was in general at ease, he was anything but subtle. “It cannot be difficult, I am sure, to find such a woman. It is impossible to know Mr Darcy without esteeming him.”
“You did not always think so,” Darcy said, standing from the tackle box.
“I did not always know you as I do now.”
She hoped he saw in her brief look all the affection and esteem he could wish for. At least it seemed his annoyance over the angling was gone.
“What say you, Georgiana?” The colonel was determined to keep on the topic. “What manner of woman do you want to be your sister?”
“That is entirely up to Fitzwilliam,” she said quickly. “But . . .” She looked at Elizabeth, but not into her eyes. “I am sure Fitzwilliam would make an affectionate husband. And he is remarkably clever.”
“You have all said quite enough,” Darcy said firmly.
The conversation ended, and everyone saw to gathering their own things to walk back to the carriage.
Darcy and Elizabeth, by unspoken agreement, let the others outstrip them on the path along the river.
When they had fallen far behind, he said, “If we had not come to the point earlier, I would not have had patience for their hints. As it is, I am too happy with my good fortune to be resentful.”
“They did lay it on with a trowel”—Darcy laughed—“but they love you and they think marrying me will make you happy. And Hester knows that I have been desperate to command five minutes of your time to learn if you loved me.”
“At least now I know that Georgiana desires the connexion as much as Fitzwilliam does.”
“Yes, and now because of her I know that you would be a fond and kind husband and that you are clever. Thank goodness for your sister’s good information, otherwise I would not know what manner of man I promised myself to.”
He laughed again. It was quiet and restrained, but the amusement was genuine. Elizabeth said, “Why, I had no idea that you had such beautiful teeth. I shall have to keep you smiling and laughing so you show them more often.”
“You intend to keep me in perpetual drollery, then. Are you up to such a task?” he asked, leaning down to kiss her cheek since no one was near.
“I ought to say that I expect you to make the chore worth my while,” she said, linking her arm through his, “but the truth is I want to sport with you and make you smile as often as I can.”
They continued in this manner, walking slowly, leaning against one another, teasing and laughing, until they arrived at the carriage.
As they approached the others, Elizabeth dropped his arm, and he reined in his smiles so they would lead to no suspicion.
Colonel Fitzwilliam gave a pointed look at Darcy and mouthed the word “Well?” and he returned his look very innocently and whispered, “What?”
His cousin huffed, and Elizabeth shared an amused glance with Darcy as Hester came near.
“Mr Darcy, I sent your man ahead to Lord Poole’s for Lewis and Mr Utterson to travel back with us.”
Immediately, Darcy looked like the sort of man who could frighten away another’s speech with a haughty glance. His posture changed, and Elizabeth could feel the tension rolling off of him.
How will he ever keep from showing his suspicion until he can prove if one of them killed Carew?
“Capital!” Colonel Fitzwilliam cried, coming beside them. “Darcy, if you intend to drive, lead on.” He gestured to the box with a hard look in his eye. Darcy took the hint, and Elizabeth was grateful his cousin was here to help manage Darcy’s behaviour. “Mrs Lanyon, may I?”
Colonel Fitzwilliam assisted the ladies into the barouche, and they made the short, but sometimes steep, drive to Tissington to meet Mr Balfour and Mr Utterson.
She could understand Darcy’s feelings; in Meryton he could scarcely touch his hat to Wickham and now he would have to act the gracious host to someone who might be a killer.
Her own stomach twisted at the thought of bantering with Mr Balfour or walking the gallery with Mr Utterson.
I will have to overcome my revulsion if I am to help ease Darcy’s manner in front of the others.
They arrived at Lord Poole’s seat and saw Mr Balfour and another man on the sweep by his travelling coach. Everyone alighted and Lord Poole met them graciously. He was a polite man satisfied with his consequence and was about as old as her father.
“How are you, Hester?” Mr Balfour said, greeting his sister with a kiss. He then turned to Miss Darcy. “I understand you want to return home in the finest travelling chariot in the Peak. Will your brother allow you and Mrs Annesley to ride home with me? I promise to not upset them, my dear Darcy.”
Darcy gave a restrained smile.
“I see Fitzwilliam managed to do what I could not,” he went on. “He was able to convince you to have a few hours of recreation. I am glad of it! Shall I have the same luck and convince you to shoot with me before we leave Pemberley?”
Darcy touched his hat but said not a word as Lord Poole joined them.
“My lord, where is Mr Utterson?” Elizabeth asked whilst Mr Balfour assisted Miss Darcy and Mrs Annesley into his carriage and asked their opinions on the upholstery.
“He said his man forgot something and ran back inside,” his lordship answered. “He ought to be here by now. Darcy”—he turned—“I am glad you are enjoying yourself with your friends. I understand your estate village suffered losses last week.”
Darcy chatted easily enough with his fellow landowner about the storm and their tenants, but then Mr Utterson ran down the steps. The effect was immediate. A shade of hauteur overspread Darcy’s features.
“Did you find whatever it was, Utterson?” Lord Poole asked, and Mr Utterson gave a polite assent and thanked him for his hospitality. Whatever Mr Utterson had forgotten inside must have been small enough to fit in his pockets because he carried nothing.