Chapter Eighteen
Elizabeth had gone into the garden with Mr Darcy intending only to walk until the company was called together for the next contest. They had not gone far.
The morning was bright and cool, and the lower path was conveniently hidden from the house by a thick border of yew and laurel.
When Darcy stopped beneath one of the trees and turned towards her, she made no attempt to remind him of the time.
He kissed her slowly at first, one hand at her waist while the other rested at the nape of her neck.
Elizabeth slipped her arms around his neck and rose closer, still scarcely able to believe how completely the distance between them had vanished.
The man who had once seemed incapable of looking at her without disapproval now held her as though she were the most precious thing in the world.
When she laughed softly against his mouth, Darcy drew back just enough to look at her.
"What is it?"
"I was thinking how very poor we are at conducting ourselves properly."
"I have made several attempts," he said, nipping at her lip.
She playfully pushed him away. "None that I have noticed."
His smile widened. "You are a minx." Before she could answer, he caught her more firmly about the waist and swung her around beneath the tree. Elizabeth gave a startled cry and clung to his shoulders as her skirts lifted around her ankles.
"Mr Darcy!"
He set her down only to kiss her again, leaving her breathless when he finally drew back. The laughter in his expression was unlike anything she had seen from him before, and she found herself laughing too as she held on to his coat and tried to recover.
"We shall be late," Elizabeth said when she had recovered her breath.
"We have several minutes."
"You said that several minutes ago."
Darcy glanced towards the house, though his arm remained about her waist. "Then I suppose we ought to go."
Elizabeth looked up at him. "Your team is already two points behind. It would be unfortunate if their captain were also absent when the next contest was announced."
He kissed her once more, briefly this time, before offering his arm. Elizabeth placed her hand upon it, and they returned towards the house at a pace which suggested neither felt any great urgency.
Most of the company had gathered in the long gallery by the time they entered.
Conversation faltered for no more than a moment, though it was long enough for Elizabeth to notice several glances pass between the gentlemen.
Mr Ashcombe said something under his breath to Sir Geoffrey, while James and Henry Blackwood looked towards Darcy with open amusement.
"It appears our captain has been occupied elsewhere," Mr Anstruther remarked.
Mr Hadley glanced at Elizabeth's hand upon Darcy's arm. "Perhaps he has been negotiating a truce."
"A very thorough one," Colonel Fitzwilliam said.
Darcy ignored them and continued across the room without releasing Elizabeth.
She ought to have felt embarrassed by the attention, but the morning had left her too happy to care.
Jane smiled at her from among the ladies, Lady Frances shifted along the bench to make room and Harriet Sitcombe looked as though she were struggling not to applaud.
Lady Hortensia waited until Darcy had escorted Elizabeth to her place before striking her cane against the floor.
"Now that both captains have deigned to join us, we may begin.
" She gave Darcy a meaningful look, which he met with admirable composure.
"Today's contest will test your wit and will be divided into two parts.
First, each team will face a series of riddles worth three points.
You may confer before answering, but once an answer is given it cannot be withdrawn.
The final two points will be decided by a debate between your captains. "
That produced an immediate stir among the company. Elizabeth looked across at Darcy, who had already turned towards her.
"The subject will be announced only when the debate begins," Lady Hortensia continued.
"You will each be required to defend the position assigned to you, whether or not it reflects your true opinion.
The riddles will commence in thirty minutes, which should give you sufficient time to consult with your teams and, in some cases, recover your concentration. "
A ripple of laughter passed through the room. Darcy bowed to Elizabeth before crossing towards the gentlemen, though he had taken only a few steps when Lady Hortensia called after him.
"Mr Darcy. A word."
???
Darcy crossed the room to Lady Hortensia, who waited until he stood beside her chair before speaking. Her expression was not severe, but neither could it have been described as warm. "I am pleased to see that you and Miss Elizabeth have resolved whatever difficulty lay between you yesterday."
"We have," Darcy said. "She has agreed to allow me to court her." He could not suppress a grin.
Lady Hortensia's brows rose, though she did not appear surprised. "That is certainly more satisfactory than some other possibilities. I hope you intend the courtship to be conducted openly."
"I do."
"Then I must point out that your conduct has not yet been entirely open.
I know that you went to the ladies' corridor yesterday and ignored the footman placed there to prevent precisely such visits.
I also know that you and Miss Elizabeth were alone in the gardens this morning, and I am reasonably certain that neither of you spent the whole time admiring the view. "
Darcy felt some warmth rise beneath his collar but made no attempt to deny it. "I have already apologised to the footman for placing him in a difficult position."
"I am glad to hear it. I am not a great stickler for every rule of propriety, Mr Darcy, and I have no wish to prevent two young people from enjoying one another's company.
But Miss Elizabeth is under my protection while she remains at Chaffley Hall.
You have not yet spoken to her father, and until you do, I expect rather more caution than you have shown thus far. "
"I would never act in a manner that could harm her."
"I believe you. That does not make you incapable of foolishness." Lady Hortensia glanced towards Elizabeth, who was speaking to Jane but watching them whenever she thought herself unobserved. "Affection has made greater fools of better men than you."
Darcy followed her gaze. "I intend to speak to Mr Bennet before the ball."
"Good. In the meantime, you will remember that Miss Elizabeth is not only the lady you are courting but the captain of the opposing team. I will not have her distracted to the point of ruining my competition."
At that, Darcy almost smiled. "You are more concerned about the Challenge than her reputation."
"I am perfectly capable of being concerned about both. Her reputation requires discretion. The Challenge requires her full attention, and this morning you appeared determined to deprive her of it."
Darcy accepted the rebuke, though Lady Hortensia's mouth had begun to soften at the corners.
"I gave much the same warning to your father," she continued.
"He too developed a habit of disappearing with Lady Anne when he ought to have been consulting his team.
I told him that if he intended to court her, he must do it properly and leave her enough time to defeat him. "
Darcy looked at her with renewed interest. "Did he listen?"
"Not especially. Once the men of your family fall in love, they seem to lose what little good sense they possessed beforehand."
"I had not realised it was a family failing."
"It is a very marked one." Lady Hortensia settled both hands upon the head of her cane and gave him a look which was now more amused than stern.
"Speak to Mr Bennet. Treat Miss Elizabeth with the care she deserves.
And for the next few hours, try to remember that nine other gentlemen are relying upon you to think about something besides her. "
Darcy glanced once more towards Elizabeth. She caught his eye this time and smiled before returning to her conversation.
"I shall do my best," he said.
Lady Hortensia followed the exchange and sighed. "Yes. I feared that might be the most I could expect."
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Half an hour later, the company had arranged themselves upon two long sofas facing one another across the drawing room.
The ladies occupied one side and the gentlemen the other, while Lady Hortensia sat between them near the fire with the Challenge ledger upon a small table at her elbow.
Mr Pritchard stood beside her holding a sheaf of folded papers and wearing his usual grave expression.
"The rules are simple," Lady Hortensia said. "Mr Pritchard will read each riddle once. The first team to give the correct answer will receive the point. You may confer, shout, argue or make fools of yourselves as you please, but Mr Pritchard must hear the answer clearly."
"And if both teams answer together?" Mr Hadley asked.
"Then Mr Pritchard will decide who spoke first."
Every face turned towards him. Mr Pritchard inclined his head but gave no further explanation.
"There will be seven riddles," Lady Hortensia continued. "The team which answers the greater number correctly will receive three points. If the result is tied, I have one final riddle prepared."
The two teams settled themselves with very different ideas of how the contest ought to be approached.
Lady Frances sat upright beside Elizabeth with the same calm concentration she had brought to the fencing, while Miss Harriet Sitcombe tucked one foot beneath her and leant forward, plainly ready to answer before Mr Pritchard had finished speaking.
The gentlemen arranged themselves with rather less discipline.
Mr Hadley lounged against the back of the sofa, Sir Geoffrey continued to question the rules and Colonel Fitzwilliam had chosen a place directly opposite Jane, which suggested that the riddles were not his chief concern.