Chapter Sixteen #2
And she could not help but be amused by his impatience with Mr. Darcy. “I fear I ought to have done more, Miss Elizabeth – that I could have done more for Ja- for Miss Bennet. Mr. Darcy acted very quickly, but I should have liked to….” Captain Wentworth sighed, then took Elizabeth’s hand in his.
“I have heard enough praise of you from your sister to know the value of your good opinion, Miss Elizabeth.
Anne is fortunate to have a friend in you, but I hope you will not let your estimation of me be shaded.
‘Tis reasonable to fear my actions may be motivated by more than affection, but today has only redoubled my feelings, which would be no different if I had met your sister elsewhere.”
Elizabeth gave his hand a squeeze and then released it.
“I comprehend you perfectly, sir, and I appreciate your candor. I can hardly bear y out any ill will after your quick thinking in rescuing my sister. You did not reach her first, but you brought the rope, her lifeline to safety. And for what it is worth, Anne bears you no ill will. As to the rest, it has been but a week. Time will tell. I have high hopes for your success in wooing my sister, having seen another fail already.”
Captain Wentworth gave her a crooked smile. “Indeed. And who knows, Miss Elizabeth – perhaps in a few weeks yet, you may find yourself happy to call me brother.” He grinned, winked, and dipped into a bow before moving away.
Elizabeth smiled in spite of herself at Captain Wentworth’s provocation. He was certainly more interesting to engage with than Mr. Bingley! She had felt Mr. Darcy’s eyes upon her as she had spoken with the captain, and she allowed herself to look his way, her spirits high.
He looked strangely stricken, sitting across the room with a book in his lap. His cousins were playing a rowdy game of cards with the Goulding ladies, but Mr. Darcy merely stared at her as if they were preparing for a funeral.
She approached him slowly, her humor ebbing into the anxiety she had felt early in the day. “Jane is well – I have you to thank again, sir.”
He nodded as if he had scarcely heard her. Elizabeth furrowed her brows, and was about to take a seat beside him when Lady Rebecca called out to her, entreating her to play some music for them. “It will take your mind off your worries to apply yourself to something else.”
Elizabeth hesitated, feeling herself entirely unequal to the task. Colonel Fitzwilliam swatted at her. “You play, if you wish for music, Rebecca. Let Miss Elizabeth have your place in the game.”
Lady Rebecca shrugged herself shoulders and relinquished her chair, seeming content to remove to the pianoforte so long as she detached Elizabeth from Mr. Darcy. Elizabeth concealed how this chafed at her every rebellious impulse, and she joined the game of cards.
Elizabeth played Speculation with the colonel and their hostesses for half an hour, when Lady Rebecca tired of the instrument.
She rejoined the game, shooing her brother away, but Elizabeth hastened to the colonel’s defense and relinquished her own place, instead.
“I fear I am entirely too distracted. Perhaps I shall attempt to read something.”
She perused a bookshelf that was near where Mr. Darcy sat, finally reading his book again. After a few minutes, he closed it once more and turned to her. “I believe there was more you wished to say to me, earlier, Miss Elizabeth.”
“Only that I….” Elizabeth fidgeted a little, glancing back to ascertain that Lady Rebecca was occupied by the game, and then she moved closer to Mr. Darcy.
“I suppose I cannot at all account for why you should take such a risk to save my sister as you did. I do not mean to suggest that I think you incapable of such gallantry, but….”
Her eyes darted to Captain Wentworth, and Mr. Darcy gave a nod of understanding.
“I will own that I am aware of some history – that is, I have noticed your own wariness of him – I suppose I thought to protect your sister, if his intentions are not what they ought to be. I did not know that you and he….”
“I have made my peace with him,” Elizabeth said with a dismissive wave of her hand. “And, I hope, with you, sir. I am truly indebted to you for your kind service today.”
Mr. Darcy’s gaze lingered on Captain Wentworth, who was presently occupied in mending Lady Sophia’s broken spectacles, for which she blamed her losses at the card table. There was something severe in his eyes, as if he felt the same distrust that Elizabeth was resolved to overcome.
“Let us all be friends,” she said, hoping to put him at ease.
He gave a stiff incline of his head. Elizabeth had hoped for something more – she had seen glimpses of him at ease with her, and she could not account for why he should now return to his previous reticence.
“Would you like to play a game of chess? I promised Anne that I would practice. I fear the promise of an easy win must be some enticement.” Elizabeth smiled encouragingly at him, and noticed that she again held Lady Rebecca’s attention. Lady Blanche reached across the table and pinched her.
Elizabeth smiled to herself and led Mr. Darcy to the chessboard, and ere long she had earned a smile from him as she proceeded in the game more cleverly than she expected.
“You are progressing well,” Mr. Darcy said when she captured his first piece of royalty.
“And what of your practice, sir? You have been heroic, but it was not at all sociable to sit about and read, though I know your views on improving one’s mind through extensive reading.”
She deepened her voice as she repeated the words he had spoken once at Netherfield, and Mr. Darcy’s eyes twinkled with mirth.
“I said nothing then that I now repine. But you, Miss Elizabeth, have entirely forgotten your promise, not ten minutes ago, to read to everybody, which shows a commendable appreciation for the endeavor, and yet a failing to be sociable – I must reconsider my example in how to behave.”
Elizabeth sputtered with surprised laughter. “Am I to set the mark, then, Mr. Darcy? ‘Tis only a small thing, I suppose.”
He smiled, but dropped his gaze. “I quite depend upon it, Miss Elizabeth.”
She comprehended him perfectly, and again a swell of thrilling confusion rolled through her. “I cannot devote all of my time to your improvement, sir, amongst a large party of pleasure. When I am otherwise occupied, I hope you shall improve yourself.”
He grinned as he captured her queen with a knight. “I recommend you not allow yourself to grow too distracted, Miss Elizabeth.”
She was vexed and impressed and entirely flustered, but there was that broad, unfettered smile she had seen once before – and now it was for her.
Elizabeth thought she should fall out of her seat as Mr. Darcy beamed at her, his eyes shining with something deeply provoking that made her want to sweep the chess pieces from the board and trounce him upon it.
Across the room at the card table, Lady Rebecca eyed her curiously, and Lady Blanche fanned herself to hide a smile before whispering to the colonel.
Elizabeth felt her face flush hot as she smiled back at Darcy, thinking of all the things she had not been willing to admit to her hostesses. Did she… regret refusing him?