Page 47 of His Pride and His Prejudice

Darcy held out his arm. “Shall we?”

Elliot could not refuse. Flush faced still, he took Darcy’s arm, and it was all Darcy could do not to groan. It was exactly like that first touch. That same, sizzling excitement. Darcy wanted nothing more than to take Elliot into his arms and away from the noise of the ball.

He would take him to the library, a little used room in Netherfield.

It would be silent there.

They would be surrounded by silence.

Perhaps Darcy would be able to hear the beat of Elliot’s heart as he leaned in to kiss him…

Twenty-Two

All eyes were on them as they walked onto the dance floor, including those of the Bennets and the Lucases. Even over the chatter or the room, Elliot actually heard Mrs. Bennet squeak her surprise when she spotted them, and he could imagine her whispering furiously to Mr. Bennet the moment the music started! Fortune or not, she despised Mr. Darcy, and she would not be happy that Elliot was dancing so publicly with him, not considering her current schemes!

Jack was on the dance floor, still in the arms of Mr. Bingley, but he too watched them, wide eyed and shocked. Christian was dancing with an older woman of indeterminate age, though it was clearly a chore for him, and he paid Elliot little attention. Marc was stood next to the pianoforte watching the musician with not a little awe and jealousy, and Louis was nowhere to be seen.

“Mr. Bennet.”

Elliot had no choice—not with so many watching—but to turn on the dance floor and position himself in front of Darcy ready for the steps. He took a deep breath, conscious that his face was flushed, and looked up. Their eyes met and, in that moment, Elliot understood why he had felt so bad when Wickham told his tale. It was not because he felt sorry for Wickham, not really. It was because Elliot did not want Darcy to be responsible for causing any harm.

Was he rude? Yes.

Was he conceited? Yes.

Was he prideful? Yes.

But Elliot did not want to believe that Darcy was cruel.

He swallowed carefully, trying to work through the lump in his throat, which seemed to have been brought on entirely by this understanding of his motivations. It was both pleasant and unpleasant and Elliot would have liked to find somewhere quiet to consider it in detail, but that was not to be.

All eyes were on them.

The music began.

It was a piece of two parts. Two dances then. Their gazes held one another but they did not speak. They began their steps in silence. The noise of the crowd started up once more, but Elliot barely noticed.

They reached out, their hands connecting, and it was like a small jolt through Elliot’s body. His flush deepened, would that it did not! In an effort to compose himself Elliot made a slight observation on the dance. Darcy responded with a nod. Their hands touched again and again. Elliot swallowed once more.

“It is your turn to say something now, Mr. Darcy,” he said past the lump. “I talked about the dance, and you ought to make some sort of remark on the size of the room, or the number of couples.”

Darcy smiled. “Perhaps you could tell me what you wish for me to say, and I will oblige?”

“That reply will do for the present,” Elliot said. They turned and the action brought Elliot in line with Mrs. Bennet. She shook her head at him before gesturing to Mr. Collins who was watching the whole thing gravely.

“Perhaps by and by I may observe that private balls are much pleasanter than public ones,” Elliot said quickly. “And now we may be silent.”

“Do you talk by rule, then, while you are dancing?” Darcy asked.

“Sometimes,” Elliot said. “One must speak a little, you know. It would look odd to be entirely silent for half an hour together. Of course,” he added. “That presumes that one does not have a partner who has an unsocial, taciturn disposition.”

“Are you suggesting I am unsocial and taciturn?” Darcy asked.

“I am,” Elliot said, and Darcy smiled.

“Then it is surely fortunate you and I are dancing,” he said. “As it seems our characters balance one another nicely.”

Elliot almost missed a step, and it was lucky for him that the dance separated them then because that smile… Had Darcy ever smiled at him like that before? Elliot did not think so. The action changed the other man’s features entirely, making them much more appealing.

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