Page 45 of His Pride and His Prejudice

Only, this wasn’t the sort of decision you could fix by handing back the keys or spending a few months abroad. No, Jack Bennet would be a different decision entirely.

He had attended Netherfield a dozen times since their meeting in Meryton, for luncheons, for afternoon teas, for dinners—and Darcy had realised something. Jack Bennet smiled a lot. He smiled at Caroline, at the Hursts, even at Darcy…and of course, he was always smiling at Charles. But and it had taken Darcy a little while to realise this, Jack Bennet smiled at them all in the exact same way. And it was exactly how he was currently smiling at the gentlemen and the officers surrounding him.

His smile did not change when it was a smile only for Charles.

A few weeks ago, Darcy would not have considered such a thing. What did he know of how mates smiled at each other? What did he care? But his growing regard for Elliot suggested that, for him at least, his smile for the other man must be manifestly different to any that he would give to another. Damn it, Darcy could feel the change across his whole body when Elliot was near, the fact that Jack didn’t, or at least didn’t in any way that Darcy could see, well, that concerned him…

“Where are you heading, Mr. Darcy?”

Caroline Bingley had finished her hosting duties at the doors of Netherfield and was now making her way through the crowds. She looked quite lovely in an emerald dress and wrap.

“To the refreshment rooms,” he said.

“Ah, you are on your way to see Elliot Bennet. You have been watching him since he left the ballroom.” She smirked. “Your behaviour is quite obvious, Mr. Darcy. You should have a care.”

“I am always careful.”

“Unlike Charles,” she said with a sigh, as he had just extricated Jack Bennet from the group and was steering him on to the dancefloor.

Darcy looked very closely at the way they interacted as the dance began. Charles was gentle, thoughtful as he held Jack. He looked across at him, so clearly smitten that anyone in the room could see. Jack looked back up…smiling.

“Elliot Bennet has not attended any of our invitations to lunch or dinner,” she said as Darcy continued to watch the couple.

“I know.”

“Jack Bennet was the primary invite, of course,” she said. “Charles has insisted upon it. But I wanted to do you a kindness by inviting Elliot Bennet also. You would have no excuse to see him otherwise, not unless you were making some sort of intention.”

The dance was one where couples exchanged partners. Charles gave Jack to one of the officers. Jack’s smile did not change.

“There is no intention,” Darcy said quickly. “I simply plan to ask Mr. Bennet to dance.”

Her eyes widened. “You are correct, that is not an intention at all, more of a declaration. The whole of Meryton society will watch as you finally dance with a Bennet. I wonder what they will make of it?”

Darcy ignored that. “And Charles,” he asked instead. “Is he close to a declaration?”

Caroline Bingley frowned at that. She was always sarcastic, always given to quips and insults, but she quickly picked up on the tone of Darcy’s voice and moved closer to him, serious now for once.

“I do not know,” she said in a half-whisper. “He will not tell me.”

“Does he believe Jack Bennet to be his fated mate?” Darcy asked.

“If he does, he has not confided in me.”

Jack was back in Charles’ arms. Was he happy about that or was he smiling simply because he thought he should? Because Charles was an alpha? A rich alpha? And didn’t all omegas want to mate with an alpha in the end?

“It is insupportable of course,” Caroline Bingley said quickly, her voice back to its usual volume. “And I have told Charles this.”

“Because of the family?” Darcy asked.

“Quite,” she replied. “But also…” She paused. “I do not believe they will suit.”

“Why?”

“Charles is irreverent, impulsive, wild even at times, but he is the best of brothers,” Caroline Bingley said honestly. “Jack Bennet is nothing like that. He is so quiet, so polite, so proper.”

“You do not believe he feels deeply for Charles?”

She frowned. “I did not say that. Besides, even if I did, why does that matter?”

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