“I am unwilling to bend on this particular. Your loved ones play a significant part in your life and influence your state ofmind—thus, I insist on spending time with them. You will still have privacy with your wife and son in the evenings and early mornings. But for the majority of your day, you will serve as my guide and will…” Mr. Graham cocked his head as though listening, yet the room remained quiet.
He straightened, his expression grave. “You must decide at once, Mr. Darcy.” His words rushed out. “Your wife is on her way to your study at this moment. Will she find you alive?”
My resistance drained from me. I could not subject Elizabeth to the horror of discovering me dead at my desk. “Do I have your word that no harm will come to my wife or son?”
Mr. Graham raised a hand to his chest. “You have my solemn promise.”
The rampant thumping of my heart reverberated in my temples like the frenzied beat of a drum. With no good choice left to me, I should be forced to trust the man. “Very well. I agree.”
A bright smile raised Mr. Graham’s cheeks. “That is excellent. You will introduce me as a visiting friend from university who has been living in Calabria.”
The door opened and Elizabeth entered. Mr. Graham and I stood, and I fought off a grimace.
She strode towards me. Her buoyant presence brightened the room, eclipsing the bleakness that dominated the area prior to her entry. “Fitzwilliam, I—” Her sight veered to Mr. Graham and she stopped short. “Oh, pardon me. I understood you to be alone.”
I stepped around the desk and went to her. Somehow, I should conceal my disquiet. Whilst I performed the introductions with the narrative Mr. Graham had suggested, my stomach twisted. I reminded myself that the deceit, though detestable, would preserve her peace of mind. At the conclusion of my discourse, Idoubted my performance. Had my explanation been too forced? Too hasty? To my relief, she revealed no sign of alarm.
Elizabeth curtsied to Mr. Graham’s bow. “It is a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Graham.”
“I am honoured to meet my dear friend Darcy’s beautiful wife.”
“Well…” My wife’s sight remained riveted upon the blond man’s vivid blue irises, her mouth slightly open. Whatever she had been prepared to utter died on her lips, and she continued to stare at the man.
A dull pain emanated from deep within my chest. Elizabeth had never been moved by another man in such a way before! I had always taken my good looks for granted, having received praise for my appearance from family and friends all my life. Until Graham, I had never encountered a man who so decidedly surpassed me in appearance and stature. My wife’s response to him shook me to my core. Hecaptivatedher.
With a start, she looked around the room, and her customary composure seemed to return, though her cheeks blazed a deep red. She shook her head as though to clear her thoughts.
For his part, Mr. Graham appeared to overlook my wife’s lapse. His gaze remained upon her as he swept his arm towards me. “My friend has spoken of you in a tireless fashion. In fact, I feel as though I know you already.”
She aimed a quick glance at me, her eyebrow arched.
What?He had learnt nothing of her from me. Of course, as an angel, he must have alternative methods of obtaining information. The overt admiration reflected in Mr. Graham’s azure eyes made my mouth go dry. I edged closer to Elizabeth, positioning my shoulder between her and the angel.
“It is unusual for my husband to be garrulous.” She lightly patted my arm. “I hope his remarks did me credit.”
“Indeed, they did. You can have no concern on that front.” Mr. Graham beamed at her. “I intend to purchase an estate one day soon. Whilst I am here, I hope to learn as much as possible from Darcy.”
“There is no better person than my husband to clarify the many aspects of managing landed property. You are in the best of hands.” She took a backward step. “Pray excuse me. I shall leave you two to talk in privacy.” She curtsied and turned to go.
I touched Elizabeth’s arm to forestall her. “Did you seek me out for a purpose?”
She viewed me over her shoulder. “I had intended to ask whether you were inclined to walk with me this morning, but it is of no matter. Rory will accompany me.”
“Shall we go tomorrow at sunrise?”
“Yes, I should like that.” With a final brief look at Mr. Graham, Elizabeth left the room.
At her departure, equal measures of relief and regret warred within me. How should I tolerate Mr. Graham’s presence around my family over the coming days?
“So, I have met the delightful and charming Elizabeth.”
With a step towards him, I took an erect position, my chin jutting out. “She is Mrs. Darcy to you.”
Profuse laughter shook Mr. Graham’s top half. “Come, now, Darcy. If we are to convince your wife of our old and abiding friendship, we must not be so formal. I can already surmise from that brief conversation with Elizabeth that she is not one of those cold, pompous ladies who are slaves to formalities. She will not mind her husband’s dearest friend from university calling her by her given name.”
“In any event,Imind.”
He raised his index finger to me. “Be careful, Darcy. If you persist in being so fastidious, you will spoil my holiday. If I am not satisfied at the week’s end, I may decide to stay longer.”
