Damned woman.
He had made his sentiments upon this point clear. He ought to call on them at some point, to honor the relationship with Elizabeth, but there was no call or need to do so until he returned to London for the season. He would not appear insufficiently respectful of his wife’s unwanted relations if he did not run attendance upon them during a busy time when they were only in London for a week.
“I will meet them once when we return to London for the season, but I absolutely refuse to treat them with any pretense of equality. They are not to call upon us. I will not receive them.”
“I understand,” Elizabeth said.
“Why are you so determined upon this? You have gained your goal by marrying me. And I have promised to do what is necessary to show honor to your poor relations. I simply refuse to do more than that.”
“Iunderstand,” was the sharply voiced reply.
“No, you do not. If youreallyunderstood, you would not have this petulant tone.”
“Petulant? I—” She took slow deep breaths. “Mr. Darcy, I know I cannot expect anything more fromyou, and I understand perfectly that it was unwise for me to have even made the suggestion. Let us just accept that I very much like my aunt and uncle — I am after all bound to them by ‘ties of blood and long affection” — and this despite the deep disgrace of them being in trade, and I am saddened by your refusal to call upon them with me this week.”
Darcy knew he had made a mistake, and that he washalfway to being a brute by insisting upon this. “I am glad that you do understand that you cannot expect me to enter any intimacy with a family in trade, but while I will not call upon them more than absolutely necessary,” he said, “you should use your own judgement to decide how often you visit them. I suppose… no, I would not wish to interfere with your affection for your relations. Call on them every day if you must. With the carriage, livery and all.”
“Thank you.”
Elizabeth’s tone was odd, as though she could not decide whether to be offended by how Darcy had given her this boon or pleased by it. Her face twitched between a grateful smile and a frown three times.
That was what he'd always liked about her, that quick mobile face. He felt as though he could see her thoughts. It reminded him of how he… felt about her. And made him glad once more that they were married, despite all of the deficiencies of the situation.
This marriage might yet be the making of his happiness.
Chapter Six
The carriage wound its way slowly up the hillside.
The road to Pemberley was well kept, but still the twisting back and forth made Elizabeth feel a little sick and unable to read her book.
She was rereadingBelinda, but this section was not nearly interesting enough to hold her attention under the severe penalty of a headache and a sick stomach. Elizabeth saw Mr. Darcy studying her.
He often studied her.
That look in his eyes made her think of how he came to her bed every night, and then usually fell asleep next to her. Before they were engaged, she had assumed that he stared at her to catalog imperfections. She had not realized the deep desire he felt for her.
He probably had not ceased tonotice her every imperfection.
Noticing her noticing him, Darcy smiled, with that small self-satisfied smile he had, and placed his hand on her knee. “We are nearly there.”
He had long warm fingers. The wedding band gleamed on his hand. Elizabeth leaned towards his touch, almost wishing that he would stroke her leg like he did at night, in that way which made her whole body tighten with a need for more.
She had proven to be quite as wanton as Papa had accused her of being.
Odd, thatthat, and not the accusation of her being mercenary, had the ring of truth.
Elizabeth softly put one of her hands over the hand Darcy had put on her knee and pressed his hand tighter against her leg.
She cuddled herself closer to him.
They had been on the road long enough that the heated bricks had become the vaguely warm bricks, and the carriage was cold from the icy December air. The coachman only let the horses move at a walk so that he could carefully watch patches of ice that had formed over the night.
He disapproved of her, he wished to separate her from her family, and he refused to offer any explanation of himself. When he was pushed sufficiently far to become angry, he showed that he also despised that thing in himself that had led him to kiss her and forced them to marry.
But…
When he touched her, he wasn’t a hateful arrogant man.
