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Knowing it was futile to argue, I nodded my head.
“Do you find yourself in need of a brother, by any chance?”
I smiled. “I have four brothers, but the eldest is thirteen, so the job of elder brother is currently vacant.”
“Then I accept, thank you!” he said with a flourish.
I laughed. “You are incorrigible!”
As if I had encouraged him, he dropped to his knee before me and took up my hand. “My lady, I pledge my fealty to thee. I am your servant forever.”
He bowed his head over my hand and I laughed in delight.
“Get up, you silly man!”
He rose and looked at me with a fond smile. “If Darcy were not already courting you…”
“It is the bond. It is not real,” I said gently.
He sighed. “I will settle for being your favorite honorary brother and a very dear friend.”
“I can agree to that.”
“Do you have any sisters, by any chance?”
I laughed and shook my head.
“I see you’ve met my cousin.”
I looked up to see Darcy moving towards me.
“Yes, we have decided we shall be very good friends, have we not, colonel?”
“Yes, my lady,” he said with mock gravity and a bow of his head.
I laughed again as Darcy looked back and forth between us in confusion.
“It is a silly joke,” I said. “Did you find the map you were looking for?”
“No. Hartley finally found me and told me he had moved it. I will find it later. Shall we go? Dinner will be served any minute.”
He held out his arm and I slipped my hand into the crook of his elbow, looking over my shoulder at the colonel. He winked and followed behind us.
Now that the colonel knew who and what I was, it became imperative that I tell Darcy. In a cowardly moment, I wished I could ask Colonel Fitzwilliam to tell him for me, but that would not do. Darcy deserved honesty from me.
I was now certain that there was something between us—something real and true. But if he continued to touch me as he had done, it would only be a matter of time before he realized something was odd about me. And if he found out on his own and I did not tell him myself, he would be hurt, and potentially angry.
I would tell him tomorrow. Though I might be just a tad cowardly and ask the colonel to assist me.
20
Darcy
Elizabethhadcharmedmyfamily completely. Not that I had worried she would not, but it was a relief to have it behind us. Today, she was coming to Darcy House to meet my sister. Georgiana had traveled to London with Lord and Lady Matlock, but she had been too tired last evening to join the company.
That was what she said at least, but I knew that she did not like crowds at the best of times, and she was hardly at her best lately.
She was settled on a chair in the front parlor, the room with the best light at that time of day, and Mrs. Annesley sat beside her, whispering soothing words. I made sure everything was ready, then informed my butler that I was home to no one but Miss Bennet and her aunt.
