Page 68 of Yearning

“None,” said Mr. Darcy. “My father was an only son of an only son. And the extended part of my father’s family is French. You might have guessed by the sound of the name.”

Ah, yes, likely it had once been D’arcy, she supposed. “Of course.”

“Many of them did not quite survive the worst of the ravages to France.”

“Guillotined?”

He inclined his head.

“I’m sorry.”

“As am I. There is not a great deal of family left on that side, that is all I am saying.”

“And you would not mind that if it was Richard’s child, since he is your cousin.”

“I would not mind if it was anyone’s child, as long as it was your child,” he said. “I find Lily to be the most winsome of creatures, I must say. I would be honored to provide for your children.”

She was warmed by this answer. He could well provide for her, for her children. This dower house, it was very small compared to Pemberley. He had lands and tenants and rents and investments besides. She knew from Jane that he had taken Bingley’s advice in investing in trade. Mr. Darcy was a wealthy man. He had always been a wealthy man, and that had never been the reason she wanted him. It was not the reason now.

But was it folly not to agree to marry him?

“I am in mourning,” she said.

“No, I know, but you will be in half-mourning in but two more months, will you not? We could marry then. The reason for the wait is often because of confusion about who has fathered the babe, anyway, and we cannot avoid that.”

“Well, all right,” she said, nodding. “All right.”

“That’s an acceptance?”

“I accepted you before,” she said with a laugh. “You sound so very surprised.”

“You said you did not see any reason to marry anyone before.”

“I know, but I…” She swallowed. “It is hard to be sure of you, I suppose. You have abandoned and pushed me away a number of times. But if we are married, then, well, you will not be able to do that. Perhaps it is exactly the solution to everything.”

“I am not going anywhere, Elizabeth,” he said.

“See that you don’t,” she said.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

THE SERVANTS WERE all whispering things about them, of course, so she supposed it did not make any sense for their behavior to fan the flames of the rumors.

However, they’d had that conversation on the walk, the one about interest and being pleased and all of that, and…

And she thought he would at least kiss her, but he did not even try.

That night, Elizabeth paced in front of the full-length mirror in her room. She was only wearing her shift. She was trying to get up the courage to go and seek him in his chambers.

She thought of all the things he had said, things about how he desired her, things about how his desire needed to be awakened slowly, things like that. Did that mean she needed to go to him?

Well, would he be so forward as to come to her when he was a guest in her own house? And he did have to wear those braces and the fake leg and everything else, and that must be a bother. He would have to put all those things back on to come and find her, would he not?

He wanted to marry her.

She was afraid, however.

Was it rejection she feared?