Chapter 1.1 #3
His lips twisted in a hidden smile. Indeed, I usually do not do such things for myself, but in this, I shall amaze you, Elizabeth.
He did not even turn to face her. He just left the room while drying his hair with the towel.
Oh, what a smell! I shall have to take at least a two-hour bath to clean myself. And Elizabeth will need one too.
Suddenly, the image of Elizabeth in a bathtub fully occupied his mind, and for a second to enjoy his fanciful imaginings.
In the next second, he censured himself.
She is here with me alone in a sorry situation, and I am such a poor excuse for a gentleman that I am thinking such vile things. No wonder she hates me!
Darcy set the fire with relative ease. He had done so many times in his youth.
His excellent father always told him he must be able to look after himself and his family in any circumstances, no matter how difficult or how unlikely they might be.
Well, Father, this is certainly a difficult and unlikely situation in which I now find myself.
“Miss Bennet! The fire is ready.”
In the next room, Elizabeth tried somehow to arrange her hair, which she knew was an absolute disaster; she caught it together at her nape, dried her face, and wrapped herself tightly in the blanket.
Although there were several more, she decided this one would absorb most of the water from her clothes, after which she could take another.
She also considered saving a dry blanket for Darcy.
Miss Bingley would kill me if something happened to him.
She heard his voice calling, and she was sure he was asking for help. Quickly, she appeared in the doorway, and the first thing to draw her attention was a strong, welcoming fire.
“Mr Darcy, I must confess I am all astonishment. I never would have imagined that the master of Pemberley—”
While speaking in her usual teasing tone, she looked towards him and suddenly stopped in astonishment; she began to chuckle. She put her hand to her mouth in a futile attempt to stop her laughter, but her eyes betrayed her, and she could see that she was offending him.
“May I inquire as to what you find so amusing about the fire I made? Does it not please you?”
“Of course, sir. I am most grateful for your trouble in making the fire, I assure you. It is just that…”
She could not contain her mirth any longer and began to laugh openly. His face was streaked with brown smudges! She knew what had happened; the heavy dust on the towel had combined with the rainwater on his face and turned to mud, which was now covering most of his features.
With his dirty face, no hat and gloves, and his hair in disorder, he looked more like a mischievous boy than the proud, unpleasant man who always made people feel uneasy and intimidated.
Oh my, what a wonderful sight! I must share this with Jane and Charlotte as soon as possible. How I should like Miss Bingley to see this too. He is, all of him, six inches deep in mud!
Darcy was watching her intently as she laughed heartily, unaware of the arousing sight she presented with her wet, muddy gown adhering to her legs and the spencer moulding to the curves of her body.
He needed all his strength to control his desire to take her into his arms and kiss those soft lips and laughing eyes.
He allowed himself to relax and join Elizabeth in her amusement. Pursing his lips, he tried to keep his countenance, but his eyes and the corner of his mouth betrayed him. Thus, Elizabeth saw with wonder for the first time a full view of his dimples when he began to speak again.
“As you seem unwilling to reveal the reason for your amusement, I shall try to puzzle it out. Might it be the fact that my face is covered in dirt?”
Elizabeth was startled, and a surprised gasp escaped her lips.
“Indeed that is the reason, Mr Darcy, and I must apologise for my manners, but I simply could not help myself. I never would have imagined seeing you…please, forgive me.”
He gazed steadfastly into her eyes and smiled at her, an open and sincere smile that gave her an odd combination of chills and warmth. It was the first reaction of that kind Elizabeth had experienced in the company of a man.
“There is no need to apologise. If you will just assure me of your secrecy about this situation, I shall go outside and wash my face in a moment.”
“Of my secrecy, sir, you can rest assured. But how did you know what roused my amusement?”
Darcy looked at her again, his smile growing larger until he began to laugh in spite of himself.
“Miss Bennet, we are both wet and used the same set of towels. I shall find something for you to clean your face as well.”
Elizabeth became flushed with mortification and was at a loss for words as she caught his meaning.
She could think of nothing to say and cast her eyes down, imagining what she must look like.
She felt suddenly even more ashamed of her behaviour compared to Mr Darcy, who graciously said nothing about her appearance until she began making fun of him.
Darcy opened the cottage door, took the rainwater in his hands, and began to wash his face. When he was done, he took off his neck cloth, folded it as a handkerchief, kept it in the heavy rain for a few seconds, and then handed it to Elizabeth who was staring at him mesmerised.
Never before had she seen a man do something as intimate as cleaning himself or removing his neck cloth, and never had she held a man’s garments.
She took it, afraid to touch it, embarrassed that she would have to clean her face with something that had been in such close contact with his body.
The thought made her tremble, sending cold shivers down her spine.
Darcy was watching her and finally comprehended her uneasiness. He smiled to himself at her innocence. She looked so young, fragile, and uncomfortable that all his other feelings for her were put aside. He felt overwhelmed by a tender need to take care of her, protect her, and keep her safe.
“I am deeply sorry I cannot find something more adequate to clean your face. If it is not comfortable for you to use my…this, I shall try to find something else in the closet, or perhaps you would prefer to remain as you are until you return home. After all, there is no one here to see you—
“No…no…I shall use it. Thank you, sir. I am just afraid I shall spoil it forever,” she answered, not wanting to appear ungrateful for his efforts.
“As for that, you must not worry at all.”
She began to clean her face as well as she could without thinking of anything else.
A few moments later, her face was clean; she could see that from the approving smile on his lips. But at the same time, she felt increasingly chilled even though she was near the fire.
“I must get another blanket. This one is completely wet. And, Mr Darcy, you should do the same. There are a few more blankets in there; you look very cold yourself.”
“Yes, I think I shall do that. But please, rest near the fire. I shall bring the blankets for both of us.”
Elizabeth followed him with her eyes and could not cease to wonder at his transformation. He is being kind and attentive. Who is this man? This cannot be Miss Bingley’s Mr Darcy.
He was back with the blankets immediately and helped replace her wet covering with a dry one.
He stood in front of her and put his arms lightly on her shoulders to adjust the blanket, allowing his hands to linger only a few seconds.
Facing him, she felt as if she were wrapped in his embrace.
He kept gazing at her, his countenance worried.
She was not looking well at all. She was clearly chilled through.
“Miss Bennet…” He hesitated a few moments and then continued. “I know it is highly improper for me to ask you this, but you must find a way to dry your clothes before you put the blanket around you.”
She raised her eyes at him incredulously as if she could not believe he was suggesting such a thing. “I am afraid I do not fully understand your meaning, sir,” said she soundly, wrapping the blanket forcefully around her body and trying to protect herself.
The rain was becoming more intense; she could hear it beating on the roof like a wild animal.
“I shall explain myself. Your gown is soaked, and no matter how many blankets you use, they will soon become wet. You will never manage to keep yourself warm. Staying near the fire might help, but there is a great risk of catching a dangerous cold. I am suggesting that you…remove your gown and put it near the fire to dry, and to…twist and drain your other clothes…and after that to cover yourself in one or two blankets to warm yourself and—”
He twisted his signet ring. He did not know what else to do. His voice was trembling a little; he could not believe he dared suggest such a thing. His face was flushed—as was Elizabeth’s—and neither of them could look at the other.
“Mr Darcy, I thank you for your concern, but you are perfectly right; it is completely improper for you to suggest such a thing. You could not possibly believe that anything would convince me to remove my clothes in here while I am alone with you.”
Darcy knew he had no right to insist, but he also knew how to have his way; he felt responsible for her safety.
“I know I have given you no reason to trust me since we have known each other, but you have my word as a gentleman that neither you nor any other woman would be in any danger in my presence. I have a young sister who is under my care. Please believe me when I say I have always treated young ladies with the same respect I expect other men to show towards my sister. When I asked you about drying your clothes, I thought only of your welfare. You look truly ill, cold, and tired.”
He never took his eyes from her, and Elizabeth held his gaze for a moment, lost in its intense expression. Unexpectedly warmed, although water was dripping from her gown below the blanket, she averted her eyes, suddenly feeling flushed and shy.