Page 17 of His Pride and His Prejudice

“Allow me to accompany you back to your carriage,” Darcy said.

“I believe I can find my own way.”

“Charles and I will begin our walk from there,” he said both because it was true and because he was eager to discover what Charles might be discussing with the Bennets.

“You have plans,” Elliot asked as they turned towards the entrance.

“A walk.”

“Do you enjoy walking, Mr. Darcy?” Elliot asked and abruptly Darcy noted that Elliot’s voice was actually quite pleasant. He recalled Jack Bennet being very quiet and the rest of the Bennets far too loud.

Darcy nodded. “I do.”

“The grounds of Netherfield are certainly something,” Elliot said. “There are numerous routes for your enjoyment here. I confess I have walked many of them myself when younger but was often chased off by Mr. Roberts!”

“Mr. Roberts?”

“The head gardener. I assume Mr. Bingley inherited him? He has been here for as long as I can remember.”

Darcy could not recall meeting the head gardener. He was also oddly fascinated by the prospect of Elliot sneaking onto the grounds simply to walk them.

“Do you have a particular route planned for this afternoon?”

Darcy nodded. “Yes.”

“Does it cover a significant part of the grounds?”

“Yes.”

Did Elliot just sigh? Darcy was not sure. They were outside now, almost to the carriage where Bingley was smiling at Jack Bennet and Mrs. Bennet was giggling far too loudly.

“Well, thank you for accompanying me,” Elliot said. “Given the treacherous nature of the route!”

Darcy narrowed his eyes. “You are welcome.”

Mrs. Bennet was swatting Charles’ arm in a coquettish fashion now. It was not quite appropriate behaviour, overly familiar in fact. Charles took it in his stride, but Darcy would not have done so. He raised a brow and looked down at Elliot just in time to see a flush spread across the other man’s face.

Darcy realised then that Elliot was embarrassed. It had never occurred to him before how life must be with an overbearing, socially ambitious mother. His own mother had died some years past and it had been Darcy and his sister for many years now. There was no question of anyone in his circle being ambitious. They were almost all at the pinnacle of polite society.

Darcy was not a man given to sympathetic feelings, and certainly not for omegas he barely knew and had little interest in, and yet he found himself speaking before he knew what he planned to say, and the words that came out were surprising to him.

“I understand the Lucases are holding a ball.”

Elliot pulled his gaze away from his family and gave Darcy a quick nod. “Yes.”

“And will you attend this ball?”

“Of course. They are friends of ours.”

“And do you enjoy balls, Mr. Bennet?” Darcy asked. Why was he still speaking?

“Sometimes.”

“And no doubt you will dance?” he asked, though he was still not quite sure why.

Bingley was helping Mrs. Bennet into the carriage. Jack followed her in. The other Bennet boys were already installed. The carriage waited only for Elliot who did sigh now before turning and smiling up at Darcy. It was not the sort of smile that Darcy would have expected, the sort of smile if he was honest that an omega should give to a high-ranking alpha. No, instead it was as smile filled with some sort of secret. Darcy was half on his way to demanding to know exactly what that secret was but then Elliot spoke.

“Dancing is far from my favourite pastime,” he said softly. “But I do quite like the activity if it is with the right partner. Alas, it has been said that I am not handsome enough to tempt most people.” He paused. “I am, in fact, barely tolerable.”

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