Chapter 21 #5
“So you are pleased with at least one of my habits?” he teased her back.
“I am sure I will be pleased with many of your habits once I become accustomed to them, sir.”
“I hope so. But I would be more than willing to change those habits of which you do not approve.” He was speaking in jest, but she could sense the promise behind his words. His palm covered her hand and their fingers entwined; she leaned against him, their bodies touching as they walked.
“This evening was quite difficult to bear, was it not?” she inquired shyly a few minutes later.
“What do you mean by difficult? Did anything happen?”
“No, nothing happened…I mean…I know my mother can be very insistent sometimes. I imagine how tiresome it must be for you, all those—
“Please believe me when I say there is nothing ‘tiresome’ for me about anyone in your family although I am a little bothered at constantly being compared to Mr Collins. Are there many similarities between us?”
Elizabeth frowned for a moment; then she began to laugh loudly.
“No sir, not so many—except the fact that both of you are closely acquainted with Lady Catherine de Bourgh.”
Heedless that, despite the darkness, they were in full view of the house, she rose onto her toes and kissed him passionately. Darcy seemed to resist for a moment, then he surrendered with equal fervour.
After a time, determined to maintain a modicum of control, he gently broke the embrace.
“We should return; it has turned quite cold.”
“I rather enjoy the freshness of the cold air…especially if you are here to keep me warm.”
“Still, we should return, and you should prepare to retire shortly. You have had such a difficult time lately that I wonder whether you slept one entire night through in the last fortnight.”
“I am exhausted,” she admitted. “But you are wrong—I did sleep a few nights, quite soundly and restfully; you must remember that,” she added blushing, with a quick playful glance.
“I do remember, but it was not enough. You must promise me you will try to rest as much as you can; in the meantime, I will call on you every day but will retire early.”
“I shall rest as much as possible. However, I am not sure if I will succeed as I have been quite spoiled of late and discovered I sleep much better when I am being held,” she answered boldly.
“So, if I am unable to keep my promise, I am sure I shall recover all the sleep I have lost after we marry.”
Elizabeth could hardly believe she was flirting with him so shamelessly.
“Miss Bennet,” he replied as he opened the door for her, “I strongly advise you not to depend upon that too much. I will do everything in my power to hold you in my arms every night—but I cannot guarantee anything regarding sleep. That is why I must insist and advise you to be perfectly rested before our wedding.”
When they entered the drawing room, Elizabeth was still flustered, and her hands were trembling; she was the one who had started the teasing and flirting, but she could not believe he replied in such a manner, mere feet from her family. Of course, nobody heard them, but still…
A few minutes passed, and everyone in the room was enjoying animated conversation—except Elizabeth.
She knew she must look a sight with her reddened cheeks, staring at her hands and casting repeated glances at Darcy who was speaking with her father—but what else could she do?
How could she possibly carry on an intelligent conversation when all she could think of was the picture of them, intimately embraced in an enormous bed, his strong arms holding her tightly—and not sleeping at all? !
∞∞∞
As soon as the Miss Bennets together with Darcy and Bingley left, Netherfield’s inhabitants parted. Miss Bingley retired to her room with only a cold excuse to Georgiana and the colonel, and Mrs Hurst followed her.
“They do not seem very pleased to have us here,” Georgiana whispered. “Now that William is engaged, Miss Bingley does not seem as friendly as she used to be.” The colonel laughed.
“I am pleased to see you are not affected by their incivility, dearest. You have changed,” he said affectionately.
“If I have, I certainly hope you are not displeased with the change.”
“No indeed—quite the contrary. I am happy to see you so much more confident and daring.”
“I do feel I am somehow changed. I think it is the benefit of Elizabeth’s presence—and Cassandra’s.”
“Just be careful to behave in the presence of Lady Catherine. She might not approve of these changes.”
“Oh dear, did any of you announce the news of William’s engagement to Lady Catherine?”
“Not exactly. Darcy only informed my parents when we were in London.”
“I see. Were they displeased with the news?”
“Well, I will not deny that my parents were surprised and not entirely happy with the news. You must know by now that they had some expectations for Darcy’s choice of wife—as for mine.”
“Yes, I do know. I hope and pray my Aunt will come to like Elizabeth very soon.”
“I am sure she will; Miss Elizabeth is the perfect choice for Darcy, and my mother will see that.”
“I know Aunt is very fond of Cassandra,” Georgiana said meaningfully.
“Dearest, let us focus on Darcy’s betrothed, shall we?”
“I spoke to Cassandra early this morning, David. She told me everything.”
He blinked in obvious surprise, and to Georgiana’s shock, she saw him blushing for the first time in her memory. “I am sorry—I truly am. But at least now you are able to understand things better.”
“I do. I understand why she refused you, but I also understand that she needs you.”
“It is for her to decide what she needs and desires. Let us not insist upon this subject, dearest,” the colonel concluded gently but decidedly.
Georgiana averted her eyes and whispered, “She might be with child after…you know.”
The colonel stared at her in shock and then hurried to pour himself a glass of wine. “Georgiana, I will not have such a conversation with my little cousin! Let us change the topic, shall we?”
“Of course.”
They remained in the music room for another hour, Georgiana at the pianoforte and the colonel turning pages for her; however, the tension of their unfinished conversation endured.
It was late afternoon when they were interrupted by Mrs Spencer’s entrance; she approached and handed the colonel a folded sheet of paper, which he took with a puzzled expression.
A quick look at the page was enough to startle him and make him move toward the window, leaving an intrigued Georgiana staring at him from the instrument.
Twice he read the short note—less than half a page long—and then finally met Georgiana’s eyes.
“It is a note from Cassandra. She wishes to speak to me.”
“I will remain here to practice a little more. Please tell Cassandra I shall see her later.”
With hesitant fingers, Georgiana searched through the music sheets but was unable to find anything to her liking. When the door closed behind the colonel, she put all the music down and remained still, lost in her thoughts, unable to decide what she should do next.
∞∞∞
David had barely knocked when the door opened and Mrs Spencer invited him in.
“David,” said Cassandra with a gentle, pleading voice, “thank you for coming.”
“I…you said you wished to speak to me. Are you well?”
“I am perfectly well, thank you. Please take a seat close to me. I cannot see you from here.” Her voice was so soft that David hesitated before obliging her. Something must be wrong, he thought.
“Are you sure you are feeling well? You do look much better.”
“Indeed, I am much better. I only wish to apologise for my unfair and cruel outburst yesterday and to thank you for your care and devotion. Allow me to express my gratitude for—
“Cassandra, please stop this. No gratitude is needed. I accept your apologies, though most of your reproaches were deserved; I should not have stayed in your room without your consent.”
“You were here only to help me.”
“No, I was here for a selfish reason; I could not bear from afar the worry and uncertainty of knowing you were unconscious. That is the truth, and I deserve your anger. I should have respected your privacy.”
“I thank you nevertheless. And you are right,” she admitted, “I would be uncomfortable with anyone seeing me in such a state. I can only imagine how horrible I must have appeared.”
“I truly hope you are speaking in jest, Cassandra. Do you believe that any of us spent time considering your appearance?” He was puzzled and obviously displeased with her assumption.
“Surely you understand what I mean, David.”
“I most assuredly do not. Am I to presume that appearance is more important to you than health or life itself?”
She startled and stared at him, turning even more pale. “I do not deserve that.”
He frowned and, not knowing what to do with his hands, brought his fists together.
“No, you do not deserve that…forgive me. Is there anything else you want to discuss, or should I let you rest now before I manage to ruin your spirits completely?”
“I was wondering…” He waited for her to continue—hopeful and fearful at the same time—but she remained silent. She appeared distressed and inhibited as never before.
“Cassandra, what is the matter?”
“You did nothing to stop the duel,” she suddenly burst out furiously. “After everything I told you, it was still not enough for you to consider it.”
“I am well aware that both you and Miss Bennet are angry with me for this incident. I do not wish to argue with you, nor do I want to distress you. I am only being honest. Nothing will change my opinion that Darcy behaved as any honourable man should in his situation. Of course I supported him.”
“He—or you—could have been hurt, maybe murdered.”
“No, indeed. We knew Markham to be a cowardly man, so we were prepared to confront him.”
Cassandra remained angry and pale, and could no longer tolerate his gaze. She averted her eyes and turned to the fire in an attempt to dismiss him.