He slowly rubbed his fingers over her hand, making little tingling nervous jolts travel up her arm.
“Does it make you happy?” he asked. “That is all I really want.”
She nodded.
“I am glad.”
“Oh, you cruel man,” Elizabeth replied. “It is wholly impossible to think of you as odious anymore.”
Darcy laughed at that. “Did you wish to do so?”
“Your appearance was too fine for me to defend myself in any other way,” Elizabeth replied.
“Perhaps.” He swallowed, suddenly serious. “You must do as you wish, but I promise to become someone you do not need to defend yourself from.”
She nodded. “I trust you.”
She did.
Oh, he had said that she was not handsome enough to tempt him the first time they met, and that had been odious and rude. But…
The fact that she had proven to be without question more than tempting to this gentleman made that memory rather more in the nature of a reminder of victory than a reason to despise him.
And without those things telling her to keep herself on edge near him, telling her to not look at him as though he were the most beautiful man in the world… Well, hewasin plain truth the most beautiful.
Georgiana finished her piece, and she looked at them. Darcy reluctantly started to pull his hand away from her, but Elizabeth gripped his hand tighter.
With her other hand she waved to Georgiana to come over.
“Well, Brother?” she asked.
“Very well played. But let us sit and talk, how have you two gotten on while I was gone?”
“Oh, very well!” Georgiana started chattering, “We walk round and round in giant circles every day. It is not as fast as riding, but Lizzy hates to be on horseback.”
“I am no horsewoman.”
“You might learn,” Darcy said with a smile. “I would be happy to teach you.”
“But you cannot read and ride safely at the same time, while it is easy to walk and read,” Elizabeth replied with a laugh.
“You can,” Georgiana disagreed. “Lady Cecelia from my school rode about everywhere on her pony while reading, you just need to let the horse pick the path, and keep a good seat, I dare say it is safer, since thehorsewill not wander into a person, off a cliff, or step into the way of a careening carriage during the best scene of the novel.”
“No, I did not wish to have my excuse disproven.” Elizabeth laughed.
“You do not have to,” Darcy said, with that enigmatic, deep smile. “But I confess, I would like to teach you.”
Elizabeth blushed again. “I’d like to be taught by you.”
Darcy then stilled, in a manner that made her think he was suddenly uncomfortable. He took a slow breath. “But later, first we must decide on something—” He looked at Georgiana. “I believe you know that Mr. Bingley has invited all of us to stay at Netherfield for when he marries Elizabeth's sister.”
Georgiana nodded slowly, seeing that she was the personprincipally being addressed. “I would like to meet Lizzy’s sisters. And all her family.”
Darcy smiled. “I wish you to meet them as well.”
Georgiana blushed and looked down. “Lizzy? Will your family like me? There are so many of them. Five sisters! And—”
“Do not worry aboutthat.” Elizabeth laughed.
