Falling for Mr. Darcy (35 page)

She bowed her head against his chest and could feel his hands clench into fists behind her. She listened to his labored breathing before speaking again.

“What did he want from you? His note . . . ”

Darcy considered for a moment not telling her but then decided she deserved to know it all after what she had been through. “He wants to meet with me. He wants me to pay him to keep quiet over what he attempted to do to you and the intended elopement with Georgiana.”

She pushed against him to sit up in panic. “But you cannot meet him! What if he tries to hurt you, too? What about Georgiana? Is she all right? Did he come for her, too?” Elizabeth rubbed her hands in worry.

Mr. Darcy was washed anew with love for her as he saw how, mere hours after her own attack, she was already more worried about the welfare of him and his sister.

“She is well and safe at home,” he replied, reassuringly.

A moment later, he became conscious of the elapsed time they had spent together and did not want to cause the Gardiners or Elizabeth any more discomfort, so he slowly withdrew his arms the rest of the way from around her. He took out his handkerchief and handed it to Elizabeth, who took it gratefully to wipe her tear-stained face. His timing could not have been better because, not a moment later, Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner gingerly entered the room and sat opposite them.

“Mr. Gardiner, Mrs. Gardiner, I am most sincerely grieved, and I ask that you accept my apologies.”

Elizabeth turned to Darcy and, with fervor, declared, “Mr. Darcy! What have you done today that you should apologize for? Wickham is to blame, not you.”

“I beg your pardon, Miss Bennet, but I would have to disagree. I was Wickham’s ultimate target, and as such, I must take responsibility.”

Elizabeth crossed her arms in frustration and angled her body away from him. “That is the most ridiculous — ” She stopped and pressed her lips together to keep the words from coming out.

“Mr. Darcy, I have to agree with my niece,” said Mr. Gardiner. “As unfortunate as Elizabeth’s attack was, it was by no means your fault.”

Mr. Darcy merely nodded at him. “Regardless of culpability, we should speak about Miss Elizabeth’s safety now. I do not think Wickham will attempt anything further, and I certainly will not allow anything to happen to her again.” He turned to Elizabeth and repeated adamantly, “I will not let anyone hurt you again.” She lowered her eyes from his intense gaze, and he turned back to address her aunt and uncle. “I think it may be best, however, that Miss Elizabeth returns to Hertfordshire.”

Mr. Gardiner nodded his head. “We are planning on leaving in a week’s time. Unfortunately, my business does not allow us to leave before that.”

Mr. Darcy looked at Elizabeth and then at her relatives. “Sir, with your permission, I would like to offer to take Miss Elizabeth back to Longbourn myself. I have no fixed engagements after this evening. My sister will be accompanying me to Hertfordshire for the wedding, and we can leave as early as tomorrow.”

Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner looked towards their niece to see how she felt. She looked to Darcy before speaking. “I should like to see Jane.”

Mr. Gardiner nodded his head. “Then I thank you, Mr. Darcy, for your generous offer. What time shall you leave tomorrow?”

“If we leave by noon, we shall arrive in the afternoon. I do not want to leave too early in case Miss Elizabeth needs to rest in the morning.”

“Thank you, Mr. Darcy.” Elizabeth turned to her aunt and uncle. “May I have permission to speak to Mr. Darcy for a moment in private before he takes his leave?”

Mrs. Gardiner looked towards her husband, who looked at the two of them. “I suppose you may.”

Elizabeth waited until the Gardiners left before turning towards an expectant Mr. Darcy. He did not know what she wished to speak about, but he was silently glad for the opportunity to converse privately again. He watched as she nervously folded and refolded her hands in her lap.

“Mr. Darcy, I wished to thank you for the comfort you provided me today.” She held up her hand to forestall a response. “Please, sir, allow me to say what I wish to say before my courage leaves me.” She looked for his nod of agreement and breathed deeply as she dared to look him in the eyes. “Mr. Darcy, earlier you said that Wickham targeted me because he knew that he could hurt you that way. You said he always tries to hurt those who are important to you.”

“That is true, Elizabeth.” He spoke with soft conviction.

Elizabeth looked down at her hands and spoke as if to them, “You said you will be meeting Mr. Wickham tonight. I just wanted to be certain you will take care.” She swallowed and continued barely above a whisper, “because you are important to me too, sir.”

Mr. Darcy’s lips spread into a broad smile, exposing his dimples, and his eyes filled with tenderness. He could hardly believe what he was hearing.

He brought one finger to raise her chin up gingerly so that she could see him. Again, he glanced briefly at her bruised face and said, “Elizabeth, I will be careful. There is much more for us to say — even if all we say are the same things over and over again.”

Chapter 16

Richard walked into his cousin’s study, expecting to find him in as irritated a state as he left him hours before. Instead, he found Darcy sitting calmly — too calmly — watching the dance of flames in the fireplace. He closed the door to the study behind him and walked quietly up to his cousin.

Darcy looked up at him lifelessly when Richard placed a hand on his shoulder. Their eyes met briefly before Darcy returned his unseeing gaze to the fire.

“Talk to me, Cousin,” Richard said as he took a seat next to Darcy. He watched his cousin take off his cravat and unbutton the neck buttons of his shirt.

“He hurt her, Richard.” Richard understood the pain behind those few words, and he reclined back into his chair, loosening his cravat.

“Did he . . . his letter said . . . ” Richard struggled for words to ask the delicate question. He had begun to respect and esteem Elizabeth from the moment he learned of her. As he loved his cousin so dearly, any woman who caught his eye would immediately gain Richard’s approbation. Having also met Elizabeth in person and having seen the natural liveliness and warmth she brought to both Georgiana and Darcy only caused Richard to esteem her more. The idea that Wickham had hurt her pained him nearly as much as it did Darcy for not only what she went through but also the extent to which his cousin suffered for it.

Darcy shook his head slowly and rubbed his face. “He did not. Thank God, he did not!”

Richard breathed a sigh of relief and confirmed the sentiment.

Darcy’s face took on a humorless smirk. “He did not get the chance actually. Elizabeth did not let him.”

“Indeed? What do you mean?”

Darcy turned to his cousin with the beginnings of a proud smile. “She assaulted him before he could so much as kiss her. She left him writhing on the ground at her feet, dastard that he is.”

Richard smiled to himself before falling into quiet laughter. Darcy looked at him questioningly, and he said between chuckles, “Where did you find this woman? She has the power to compel the best and worst of men to fall at her feet.” Richard saw his cousin frown and continued, “She broke through your wall, Darcy! Made you fall in love with her despite yourself. I would even venture to guess she did nothing to encourage you. Then she has the strength and courage to outplay the biggest cad in England. She is simply brilliant. A ‘
Phantom of Delight’.
”

Darcy smiled slightly. “I have often thought of her as such. Sometimes I wonder whether she is truly real. I still cannot believe that I have been so fortunate as to gain her esteem.”

Richard leaned forward with interest. “Her esteem? Care to elaborate?”

Darcy smiled smugly at his cousin. “She told me to be careful tonight — that I am important to her.”

Richard whistled and sat back again. Darcy smiled as he heard his cousin mumble under his breath, “Lucky bastard.”

For a few minutes, they sat in silence. Darcy replayed the sound of her voice speaking the words he had so longed to hear. She cared for him. He was important to her. For now, it would be enough. He did not know if she loved him yet, but he determined that not a day would go by that he would not try to make her fall in love with him. If it took a lifetime to earn her love, he would do it. And when he was sure she loved him, he would ask her to be his wife: his beloved companion, partner, lover and friend for the rest of his life.

He closed his eyes and leaned his head back in the chair to remember better the feel of her in his arms. She had sought
his
embrace — her actions a declaration that he was not lost to her even after what Wickham had done. She had thanked him for his comfort. His heart swelled at the thought that she drew comfort from him. Thinking about holding her reminded him of the tears she shed — tears that still stained the silk of his cravat.

He opened his eyes and reached for the discarded fabric. Turning it around in his hands, he watched the light catch the water marks. Anger again rose in his chest.
I will not allow another person to bring tears to her eyes like this again!
He turned to his cousin who was watching him quietly.

Richard noticed the moment Darcy had prepared himself to face whatever needed to be done that evening. “Are you ready to hear my plan?”

Darcy sat up straight in his chair and looked his cousin in the eye. “Tell me what I need to do.”

* * *

Darcy walked briskly through Hyde Park towards the place he would meet Wickham. The cold winter air was chilling, and the frost was beginning to remove the feeling from his feet. When he reached the statue, he placed his lantern down and began pacing restlessly in front of it.

Darcy needed to look the part in order to convince Wickham, but he tried to remind himself it was not necessary that he actually
feel
nervous. Wickham was going to get what he deserved, and Darcy finally would be free of him. Footsteps on the path behind alerted him to someone’s approach. He swung around to see the shadow of a man a few feet away.

In the darkness, Darcy could not make out all the man’s features, but his jaw clenched and his eyes narrowed when he heard the familiar voice.

Wickham casually strode up to Darcy and said tauntingly, “Good evening, Darcy. It was so good of you to come.”

Darcy stood still, ignoring the mocking tone of his old, childhood friend. “Wickham.”

“What? No greeting for your old friend? ’Tis a pity, for we have so much in common.”

Darcy clamped his teeth together and ignored the attempt to raise his ire. He needed to appear indifferent to Wickham’s threats.

“Perhaps we can dispense with the pleasantries, Wickham.” He turned to face him. “Your note said you wished to speak with me?”

Wickham laughed derisively. “You are such a bore, Darcy — always quick to get down to business and never willing to have a little fun. Perhaps that is why your father loved me better.”

Darcy opened his mouth to retort but quickly closed it again. He forced himself to count to five — and then again three more times — before he was calm enough to speak indifferently. “You should know, Wickham, that you will not see a pound of my money. I have had enough of your evil.”

Darcy saw Wickham’s easy, charming façade fall away and his face twist in anger for a moment before he composed his features and gave him a mocking smile. “Very well, Darcy. It is your choice to make.” Wickham saw that his friend appeared unconcerned by the threat. Never had he imagined Darcy would not agree to his terms. It worried him a bit, and he decided to dig in where he knew it would hurt. He sneered at his old friend and said provokingly, “Georgiana deserves what she will suffer when her reputation is ruined after I tell all of London, stupid girl that she is. But see here, old friend, I am not one to carry a grudge. When you cannot find a suitor in all of England who will want to take her off your hands, you can give her to me. She was not half bad to look at, after all.”

Darcy took a step towards Wickham but then shook his head and swallowed hard to regain his control. “I am not afraid of you or your threats.”

Wickham’s mouth fell open slightly, and he turned his head to think. Things were not going as he had planned. Darcy was still irritatingly in control of his emotions. He leaned causally against the statue, and the two looked at each other. Darcy could see that Wickham was planning his next tactic and knew it would be even more difficult to restrain himself. He was barely able to keep from throttling him.

Wickham laughed, spitefully. “My compliments on your choice with Miss Bennet, Darcy. She is a nice piece of muslin — responsive, passionate, just my type. Would you like me to tell you what her kisses tasted like?”

Darcy laughed once and turned amused eyes to Wickham. This reaction was not what Wickham had expected, and Darcy could see his companion begin to lose composure. Wickham obviously did not expect Darcy to know what really happened. It increased Darcy’s amusement, and he laughed again.

“Now how would you know what her kisses taste like, Wickham? From what I hear, you were too busy crying in pain at her feet to experience any.”