Page 34 of Her Affections and Wishes

“I can better face the strangers and the flirting and the vulgar talk and games knowing that in a month I will be married to you.”

She laughed, beaming all the while, and her happiness charmed him. “I am overcome with love and joy!” He smiled back, but her eyes searched his face. “You are happy, are you not?”

He felt the same, even if he did not show it the way she did. “Elizabeth,” he said in a tone of wonder, “I have no reason to feel the pain of an unreturned passion any longer, so I am extraordinarily happy even if I do not show it.”

Apparently, she had to kiss him for that, and soon their arms were back around one another and her body was pressed against his. The clock struck the hour, and he pulled back, breathless. It was far too late to be here with her alone, certainly if they were to keep their engagement private until her parents consented.

“Our plans will keep us apart during the day tomorrow. Will you meet me in the garden in the morning before we go to the races?”

Elizabeth hummed an agreeing sound. “I would like to walk before I sit in the carriage all day. I suppose you could join me, if you find my company tolerable.”

After a deep parting kiss to show her how tolerable he found her, Darcy left her in the library. He crossed over the entrance hall on his way to the drawing room and leant against the railing to settle his mind before joining the others.

Someone here could bend over and see where he and Elizabeth had stood. There was no smattering of pottery directly beneath the empty table that had held the heavy vase. The largest cluster of shards was about a yard to the right and a little forward, where he and Elizabeth had been standing.

It had not fallen, but was thrown.

Chapter Seven

Darcy did not wait long in the garden in the morning before Elizabeth found him. Perhaps she had missed him as much as he missed her, although it had only been hours. He was now engaged and had every expectation of earthly happiness. But he also felt relieved to see her safe after last night’s disaster. He could not greet her as he wanted to, for they were still in sight of the house, and from the bright-eyed look and smile she gave him, she felt the same.

“You are here earlier than I thought you would be,” she said. “Any particular reason?”

“If you want me to admit I was eager to see you, I was. And partly afraid Miss Metcalfe would lurk outside my door and waylay me if I lingered.”

“She might,” she said with a laugh, “but not before breakfast. She claims to be too tired to appear before ten. I think she is simply lazy. She is never up early, although her mother is. I understand she will now ride with Mr Travers every fine morning.”

Darcy thought he likely dragged Lady Metcalfe to Epsom to see the horses exercising before the Derby Stakes and the Gold Cup. Maybe he wanted his old friend to fund his race week since Darcy had refused. Although they had known one another for years, Lady Metcalfe appeared to be the one to keep up the connexion. Mr Travers seemed only to care for wagering. “I understand the ladies are attending in a more fashionable method than you chose yesterday.”

“We are taking Mrs Tessier’s coach and standing next to the course to watch. I will be properly attired this time. I do not even think we will leave the carriages.”

“No plans to spend your coin on ale at a publican’s booth?” At least if she stayed with the carriages, no one would encourage her to solicit a prostitute once she had enough practice with the other sex. Sir John may have thought he was talking to a young man, but it was still in dreadfully poor taste. It was mortifying to listen to such talk in front of Elizabeth.

“No, but I will give you a half-crown to put toward paying my racing debts.”

She was resolute, so he took the coin but thought of a better use for it. He had seen a silversmith and engraver in Epsom. “I wrote a letter to your father this morning.”

“So did I.” She drew out a letter of her own. “Will you post mine? We want them to be prepared for a future son-in-law. I am confident they will sanction it and let us travel to Longbourn together on Monday. I wrote at length of our reciprocal attachment. Besides, how could they have any objection to your escorting me home when they had no objection to sending me to Woodcote with a stranger?”

“I wonder if you ought to leave Woodcote now, Elizabeth,” he said carefully. “I can send you home in my carriage with a servant and⁠—”

“What?” she cried. “Why would I leave now, and alone?”

“I am afraid that vase did not fall by accident. I think it was thrown at you on purpose.”

She gave a disbelieving laugh. “It was just a frightening accident. It must have been unstable and would have fallen at any time. Or someone walking to bed or the billiard room bumped it and was too embarrassed to confess it was their fault when they learnt someone below was nearly hit.”

Darcy shook his head. He could not shake the feeling that someone, perhaps jealous Julia Metcalfe, had thrown it. “It did not fall beneath the table, but some distance from it, right where you were standing.”

“Where we were standing,” she corrected. “How do you know it was aimed at me and not you?” When he had no answer, she added with an impudent grin, “Any number of ladies might want to throw furnishings at you.”

He laughed in spite of himself. “Were you tempted at Hunsford to throw a book or an inkstand at me?”

“I can honestly say I never once thought of physically harming you.”

“That bodes well for our future marriage.”

Elizabeth put an arm through his and leant into him. “You cannot think someone tried to injure me? Did Julia Metcalfe see me kiss you and become so enraged she wanted to kill me with a vase? I did not even see her in the corridor when I came up the stairs.”