Page 35 of Her Affections and Wishes

“She might have pushed it over and then returned to the drawing room. Several people were coming and going, on their way to bed or billiards, or moving about the room. It is possible she did it and remained unnoticed in all the activity.”

“Julia would more likely try to seduce you to engage your affections herself rather than attack me.”

That was pretty near to the case. “My passion for you is too strong to be weakened by the pitiful expedients of Miss Metcalfe.” He wished he could kiss Elizabeth right now. “But are you sure you will not consider going home? After all, you came to secure a husband, and now you have.”

“I came because Lady Catherine sent me, if you remember, and one does not refuse Lady Catherine. But there is no proof someone tried to harm me. It was an accident, my dear.”

He supposed there had been a bustle of people walking to and from the drawing room last night as some walked the passageway to find their entertainment or to go to bed. He could not be sure who was where and when—and accusing Julia without proof was unpardonable. It could have been anyone, even a servant. But it was also possible the vase was always a breath away from falling and it was an unfortunate coincidence that anyone was below.

She was right. Shards of pottery not where he thought they should be was not proof. It did seem rather ridiculous to imagine something nefarious happened now that the sun was up and the heart-racing anxiety of her being hurt was gone.

Elizabeth looked at him as though waiting for him to realise what she already knew. Darcy clasped his free hand over hers where it rested on his arm. “Is it so wrong for me to want you away from danger?”

“There is no danger,” she insisted. “There is no reason for me to leave. I am just starting to enjoy being at Woodcote. I have very fond feelings for one of the guests, in case you did not know.”

“Maybe I also want you away from Sir John Whitney and his vulgar manner.”

“Do you fear I will fall in love with him?” she teased. “My attachment may be newer, but it is as firm and fixed as yours, and no one here will shake it. However,” she drawled, “I would leave now if you went with me. We can apologise for not securing my parents’ permission when we get to Longbourn.”

Unless he was convinced there was a threat to Elizabeth or himself, he could not forsake his friend. He sighed. “I promised Tessier I would keep Henry out of mischief.”

She gave him a mock resigned look. “I suppose I must admire you for being a man who keeps his promises. Then we will go to Longbourn on Monday as planned, presumably with my parents’ knowledge and consent.”

“Your father may refuse his consent.”

Elizabeth shook her head. “He won’t. Once he reads my letter, he will have no grounds to object.”

Darcy smiled at the complete change in her feelings. “Did you compliment me? Say that you could not be happy without me?”

“I first had to assure him that although I may have disliked you for a few inconsequential reasons a few months ago, I love you now.”

He felt a few stirrings of uncertainty. “And you are confident your feelings are what they ought to be? Even with my letter at Hunsford and all the rest, we have only been three days together at Woodcote.”

Elizabeth leant into his arm, holding him tight. “I was a fool before. And I have a thorough conviction of my attachment to you now.” Raising her head to grin at him, she added, “We must walk for longer so I can remind you of all of your good qualities. You seem to have forgotten why any sensible woman like myself should fall instantly in love with you. Feel free to add a few of the reasons you admire me as we go along. I know my beauty you early withstood.”

“I did not resist it for as long as you think I did. In fact, by the time we met at Lucas Lodge, I had admitted that you were a pretty woman with fine eyes. And the mixture of sweetness and archness in your manner was a great attraction.”

There was not much of a garden near the house and no gravel walks, and their stroll took them near to the stables and by a cart behind it. As they came around the other side, two riders approached. Lady Metcalfe and Mr Travers rode up with energy. Mr Travers dismounted and tossed his reins to a stableboy, and continued toward the house without helping Lady Metcalfe down. He briskly walked away without a backward glance, but Darcy could not be sure if he was indifferent to his companion or indifferent to anything that was not a racehorse.

One of the grooms lifted Lady Metcalfe down, and she passed a critical eye over both of them. “Mr Darcy. Miss Bennet.”

There was no warmth in her tone, and her gaze dropped to where their arms were intertwined. It could appear that two friends were enjoying a walk, or it might appear as though there was much more between them. It would not be wise to announce their new understanding, but he would not drop Elizabeth’s arm as though he had done something wrong.

Lady Metcalfe would tell her daughter he walked with Elizabeth and encourage her to redouble her efforts to entice him into matrimony. Or encourage an evening in his bed to tempt him to offer her a more respectable connexion. Julia would be insufferable, so it was a good thing he and Elizabeth had agreed to keep their engagement private until Monday. She would likely not let up even if he was engaged, or maybe throw herself into a tantrum like a child.

He noticed Elizabeth watch Lady Metcalfe stride past them and enter the house. “Are you worried she will tell Julia we walked together?”

“Oh, no, not at all,” she said with a laugh. “I was thinking how well Lady Metcalfe sat on her horse and how animated she looked whilst riding.”

Did she sound wistful? “You told Sir John on Tuesday that you do not ride,” he remembered.

She gave him the arch look that he was so accustomed to. “Were you listening to my conversations? Julia must have been more tiresome than I realised.”

“I often attended to your conversations to learn more of you before I ever talked to you myself. You cannot suppose me to stop now when you are of even more interest to me. Why did you never learn to ride?”

“Too few horses at Longbourn and too many daughters needing to learn. Jane, as the eldest, is the most accomplished rider. Mary had no interest, but the rest of us might have learnt if we had the chance. Perhaps we should have shared better,” she added with a laugh. “But seeing the skill and speed of the horses at the races yesterday made me regret never having learnt.”

Mr Bennet should have bought a mare exclusively for his five daughters to share if he could not afford one for each who wanted to ride. And he should have taught all of his daughters himself. But if Elizabeth was serious about riding, Darcy would happily teach her.