Chapter 6
Chapter Six
Darcy paced in his bedchamber.
This would not do!
The past three nights Elizabeth Bennet had slumbered peacefully down the hall while he writhed in agony on his bed, willing himself to stay within the confines of his own bedchamber.
He’d dared not enter her dreams again, knowing that she maintained a memory of them and exhibited physical manifestations, of which he still did not understand.
She couldn’t possibly have magic as Miatharans were of noble blood, and all of his findings concluded the Bennet’s were not of their class.
Hudson, his valet, had tried giving him soothing teas and other remedies for insomnia but he knew his only relief would come when she was safely ensconced within his arms night after night until they were both old and gray.
He’d been torn between casting a healing spell on Jane Bennet so she and her sister could leave for Longbourn sooner, or casting a spell so she’d take a turn for the worse and have to stay longer, tying her beloved sister to her side and within his purview every day.
Bloody hell!
He turned and paced back toward the window and gazed outside, seeing nothing as his thoughts were consumed with Elizabeth.
Part of his frustration was that she held him at arms length, behaving with the utmost propriety, which the same couldn’t be said for Miss Bingley.
As he wrote to his sister, she exclaimed he wrote uncommonly fast, went into raptures over his sister and how she ‘longed’ to see her again - which was not reciprocated in any way shape or form - and had the audacity to offer to mend his pen.
When not proclaiming that everything about the Darcy family was all glitter and gold, she contemptuously belittled Elizabeth in so many ways he’d been sorely tempted to tell her, again, exactly what he thought.
However, Elizabeth deftly warded off all attacks and gave back as good as she got, although Miss Bingley was completely ignorant of how often, and how successfully she’d been insulted.
As it remained, he was surprised his teeth weren’t ground to mere stumps by how hard he clenched his jaw to keep from speaking out in Elizabeth’s defense.
The stark contrast between the two became glaringly apparent the previous evening when he’d ignored Miss Bingley completely and read a book.
With an abruptness, which startled everyone, she insisted Elizabeth parade about the room with her.
In some small-minded way, she knew the only way his eyes would follow her was if Elizabeth remained tethered to her side.
And they had. He’d unconsciously closed his book and watched them, appreciating how Elizabeth’s gown moved over her body, following every luscious line, caressing her skin like a lover.
Upon noticing his attention, Miss Bingley immediately invited him to join them.
Not trusting himself to stand so near his beloved, he’d politely declined and when Richard, the imp, interrupted his thoughts with a bawdy remark, he almost blurted out his affection but covered by saying the ladies had only but two motives for choosing to walk about and his joining them would only interfere.
Miss Bingley, believing she had finally captured his undivided attention, begged him to explain his comment.
You should have stayed silent cousin.
Aren’t you dining with Colonel Foster?
I am, but it’s much more fun to watch you fumble around Miss Bennet. Now you’ve created a conundrum.
If you hadn’t mentioned how the candlelight illuminated Elizabeth’s figure, I’d have had better control of my thoughts.
He could still hear his cousin laughing even though Richard stopped their conversation.
When Miss Bingley asked Elizabeth if she understood the meaning of Mr. Darcy’s comment, Lizzy replied by saying, “Not at all, but depend upon it, he means to be severe on us, and our surest way of disappointing him will be to ask nothing about it.”
The minx! She was so artfully clever. In a few words she’d lofted a soft tease toward him and had egged on Miss Bingley’s obsession.
Given the horrified look on Miss Bingley’s face, he knew she had no idea that Elizabeth practically had her in leading strings and directed her at will.
He caught Hurst’s crooked grin. He obviously understood what Elizabeth was about and approved.
Miss Bingley, completely incapable of disappointing him as Lizzy suggested, asked him again to explain his comment.
Knowing she would take it as a compliment toward her own person, he granted her reprieve.
But, his sole purpose in the way he crafted his answer was to let Elizabeth know how much he admired her, and not her walking companion.
“I have not the smallest objection to explaining them. You either choose this method of passing the evening because you are in each other’s confidence - not likely, given Elizabeth’s subtle scorn for the you and your sister - or because you are conscious that your figures appear to the greatest advantage in walking.
And I do appreciate your figure, Miss Elizabeth in more ways than one.
If the first, I should be completely in your way.
And, if the second, I can admire you much better as I sit by the fire. ”
While Miss Bingley had almost fainted over his comment, Lizzy stayed and teased him once more before excusing herself for the evening.
When Darcy returned his attention back to his book at her exit, Miss Bingley called for music.
The following day, after he and Charles had returned from another inspection of the estate, he’d inadvertently stumbled across Elizabeth in the library.
In an effort to keep his hands, lips and tongue to himself, he sought the chair opposite her, opened his book and pretended to read.
Almost an hour passed before she politely excused herself and vacated the room leaving him with his thoughts once more.
It was only after she left that he realized his book was upside down.
She and her sister returned to Longbourn tomorrow after church and he was half hope, half agony over the aspect.
Agony he would not see her every day, hope that his dealings with Wickham would finally be brought to a satisfying conclusion and he could begin to understand his obsession with Elizabeth.
~~oo0oo~~
“I hope, my dear, that you have ordered a good dinner today, because I have reason to expect an addition to our family party.”
Lizzy and Jane had returned home the day prior and were once again gathered with their family around the breakfast table.
At her father’s comment, Mama immediately assumed it might be Charlotte Lucas, seeing as their daughters had finally come home to roost. When Papa said the caller would be a gentleman and a stranger, she’d jumped to yet another incorrect assumption of Mr. Bingley.
Lizzy turned to face Papa; her brow furrowed.
She knew it couldn’t be Mr. Bingley as he was not a stranger, but Mama was so focused on the young man becoming her son-in-law she couldn’t see past that obsession.
With a few gentle misdirection’s, Papa finally revealed their visitor was a distant cousin, whom he’d never met, and he’d be arriving that very day at precisely four o’clock.
Unfortunately, he also revealed Mr. Collins was the person who would inherit Longbourn upon his death and could, if he so desired, turn them out of the house as soon as he pleased.
Lizzy thought Mama was about to faint for real this time, as she called for her salts and waved a lace handkerchief about her face.
Papa!
I am sorry, daughter. I shall read her the letter and try to set her mind at rest
For a moment Lizzy sat in shock. Never before had she communicated with someone solely with her mind.
The sensation was... beautiful. All she could do was bask in this new found knowledge and barely heard the remaining contents of the letter.
Fortunately, there was much discussion following breakfast and she was brought up to speed fairly quick by her mother and sisters.
Precisely at four o’clock a small conveyance rumbled onto the graveled drive of Longbourn bearing Mr. Collins and his solitary trunk.
At first glance there was nothing untoward about the young man, the exception being that he had all the grace of a gangly youth still not used to his height.
He tripped stepping out of the carriage, losing his hat in the ensuing chaos and stumbled directly into Mama, tearing the small flounce at the bottom of her skirt.
With many apologies, accompanied by low bowing, Mr. Collins eventually made his way into the front parlor where she and Jane attempted to hush Lydia and Kitty, who had fallen into a laughing fit.
Mary, bless her, sat composedly near the window in quiet contemplation.
Any good will she held for Mr. Collins soon disappeared as his eye roved over not only the walls and belongings of Longbourn, but also the eldest daughter.
His attention became more marked and unwillingly bestowed until Mama, after dinner, quietly mentioned how fortunate they were that Jane was very soon to be engaged.
Even Lizzy had to hide a smirk at how his face had fallen into a look of abject misery until Mama whispered something in his ear and he turned his hound dog gaze in her direction.
No, no, no, no