Falling for Mr. Darcy (4 page)

“Miss Bennet, do I have a mole on my face or perhaps a bit of dirt that has caught your attention?” At seeing her color in embarrassment at being caught, he broke into a full grin.

Elizabeth, completely discomposed, managed to push her embarrassment aside in an attempt to tease him for his ungallant comment. “Mr. Darcy, you do not have a mole or dirt, I can assure you of that. However, I do see something at present on your face that I have not seen before, and it briefly caught my attention. I apologize.” She paused, waiting for the response she knew he would give.

“Whatever do you mean, Miss Bennet? What is on my face?”

Chuckling to herself in satisfaction that he responded as she thought he would, she replied, “A smile, sir. Are you quite sure your face will not break?” She turned merry eyes to him with an eyebrow turned up in playful challenge.

His smile grew bigger and a soft baritone chuckle escaped his mouth as he realized her jest. He gave her a tender look that made the breath catch in her throat as he spoke with amusement, “No madam, I do not believe it will, but I thank you for your kind concern.” As they arrived at his horse, he explained he needed to adjust her a bit, and if she would just use him as support, he would set her on the ground. “Just be sure, Miss Bennet, not to put any weight on your foot. Yes, that is right; hold my arm there. Good.”

They stood for a moment with his hands on her waist and her arms on his as she tried to balance on her uninjured foot. Darcy looked at anything but her, as he was fully aware that if he looked at her right then, he would have to kiss her. With great effort, he reined in his thoughts and asked, “Miss Bennet, are you ready? I will lift you now.”

She was breathless from their playful banter and close proximity and, so, did not think about her fear of actually getting on the horse until she found herself being lifted by strong hands into a sidesaddle position. Suddenly, she was quite high up on an extremely large animal.

Mr. Darcy could see exactly the moment she went from distracted to fearful as she stiffened and looked worriedly back and forth from the horse to the ground again and again. He raised his hand to hers and spoke softly and reassuringly. “Miss Bennet, it will be all right. Salazar is a good horse, and I will not let anything happen to you. You are quite safe.”

Elizabeth could feel more than hear his words. She could see his concern and his attempt to comfort her. She looked in his eyes and, seeing the conviction in them, knew he would allow nothing to hurt her — not just then, but ever. A feeling of calm came over her, and she nodded numbly to him. He smiled reassuringly and, with a tender voice, indicated they would begin walking. While holding the reins, he prompted his horse to move.

Elizabeth’s fear again rose at the movement, and she found her voice in panic. “Mr. Darcy — I cannot. It is too much — please!” she pleaded.

He could see she was trembling and wanted to take her in his arms and hold her, comfort her and help her to feel safe.
How is it, in just a couple of hours, she has become everything to me?
Thinking of holding her in his arms, he decided on another alternative. Without asking permission, because he was afraid she would not give it and he did not want to miss this opportunity, he grabbed the saddle, pulled himself up and sat behind her. He steadied her with his hands and, seeing her startled look, spoke softly.

“Miss Bennet, forgive me for my impulsiveness. I do not want to make you feel uncomfortable. I believe I can safely return you to your home more quickly this way, and you will be quite safe on this horse with me. You have only to protest, and I will dismount and try to find another way.”

Elizabeth’s heart was beating wildly but not out of fear; in fact, her fear had disappeared as soon as she felt his gentle hold and the deep timbre of his voice at her ear. Her face colored deep pink in the confusion of her feelings.
This is Mr. Darcy! How can his touch affect me so?
She thought of being terrified of riding horses since falling from one when she was nine. Never had she felt safe on one since — never until then.

Unsteadily she took in a breath and replied, “No, sir, you are right. I feel better now, and you may proceed. Slowly.” She tried to relax as he nodded and prompted his horse to move again. “Very slowly!”

“Yes, madam.” Mr. Darcy could feel her tension slowly ease after a few moments and he allowed himself to relax. Eventually, they set out at a comfortable pace that lulled them into a companionable silence as the gait of the horse’s steps softly rocked them. After a while, they began to talk. It was a comfortable conversation about books, the theatre and landscape. He learned that she had similar tastes in books if not impressions of them. She learned that the formidable Mr. Darcy had a weakness for the theatre, especially Shakespeare. Before she realized it, the journey towards her home was nearly over as she spied Longbourn in the distance. She could not believe she had just spent thirty minutes on a horse and had enjoyed it! Seeing her home coming closer, she felt she must say something.

“Mr. Darcy.”

“Hmm?” he replied absently, as he thought about how Elizabeth seemed to belong in his arms. He had one hand on her waist and the other around her holding the reins.

“Mr. Darcy, I must thank you for coming to my rescue and helping me. You have been most kind, and I am sorry for taking up your morning this way.”

He was quiet for a moment as he contemplated how to respond. She could feel his hesitation and hastened to continue out of uneasiness, “I must also add that I appreciate your patience with my silly protestations about your horse. I can see that Salazar is quite tame.”

He smiled down at her. “Yes, Miss Bennet, he is not so wild, and I must compliment you on your fine riding. You do not seem as afraid as you were earlier.”

She turned to him with a smile. “No, sir, you are quite right. I am not very afraid right now.”

He allowed her words to linger in the air and he savored them before speaking softly. “You have no need to thank me, Miss Bennet; the pleasure was all mine in, as you say, coming to your rescue.” With mutual feelings of unhappiness at their upcoming separation, they rode quietly.

After a moment, Elizabeth said, “Mr. Darcy, I am aware of what improprieties may be assumed by my family spying us together on horseback, and I would not want you to bear the effusions that my mother will be unable to control. I understand you did only what any gentleman would do under the circumstances, and so, for your sake, I will try to manage the last bit of the journey on this beast by myself if you will hold the reins and walk beside. This way you are not put in an uncomfortable position with my family.” She held her breath awaiting his response.

He could not help but again think how generous she was. At that moment, he did not care whether all of London spied him riding with Miss Bennet. In fact, the idea of being forced to marry her appealed to him in a most gratifying way. It pained him slightly that she would think he did not want to be connected with her, but he was touched by her concern for him, especially when it came to the behavior or conclusions her mother would make. He also could see that she was uneasy and perhaps worried about it herself.

“I thank you for your concern, Miss Bennet. I will just dismount here and walk with you the remainder of the way.” He gave her a gentle squeeze, because he could not help himself and wanted to feel her pressed against him one last time, and then pulled his horse to a stop. Dismounting, he grabbed the reins and looked up to see she again had become a bit nervous on the horse.

“Are you all right, Miss Bennet?”

“Yes, Mr. Darcy, thank you,” she replied, shakily. “I am just a bit unsettled. If you please, walk slowly.”

“Of course, Miss Bennet.”

He walked close to the horse and held the reins in his right hand, which rested near her legs. His occasional touch seemed to calm her and make her more relaxed in the saddle. Soon, they were at the gates of Longbourn, and as they walked into the garden, they could hear the concerned and relieved voices of her family coming out of the house to greet them.

Chapter 2

Elizabeth looked over at Mr. Darcy one last time before facing the members of her family. As they neared the house, she could see his shoulders stiffen and his posture mold back into the imposing wall he had always displayed anytime he had contact with the residents of Hertfordshire. The relative ease with which they had interacted over the last two hours was beginning to slip away, and he was reverting into the proud, aloof gentleman she found distasteful. Even now, she had the familiar stirrings of irritation over how quickly he seemed to set himself above those around him. She noticed now that his jaw was set into a firm line and his free hand rubbed rhythmically on the inside of his palm. As if sensing her gaze, he lifted his head to her on top of his horse, and she saw his jaw relax and his brows crease in anxiety. It struck her, then, that part of his proud visage was masking his real discomfort of the situation. She was not sure whether it was an uneasiness born from interacting with those below him or he simply did not like the attention others paid to him. She suspected the first, but then there was that look in his eyes that made her wonder. She had no time to ponder it as, with matching exhaling breaths, they turned to her family.

In a matter of seconds, Elizabeth assessed the entire feelings of her family. She knew them so well that it did not take long to see what each of them was thinking in seeing her — not only on a horse, but on Mr. Darcy’s horse. She groaned inwardly at the glint in her mother’s eye of suspicious excitement. It was as if she were already calculating the number of dresses and fine carriages Elizabeth would own as the future Mrs. Darcy. Her hands were even steepled together in anticipation of wedding bells. It was as if riding a man’s horse was tantamount to being compromised by the man in a public square. She could not consider her mother any further and moved her gaze to her father. Mr. Bennet also had a suspicious look in his eyes at seeing her on a horse accompanied by Mr. Darcy. She knew her father would tease her about this and that her mother would be unbearable. With a sigh, she turned to the last member of her family. Jane’s face held all that she needed at that moment. It was full of the most sincere concern and relief. Looking at Jane gave her a bit of comfort, and she took in a deep breath as the horse stopped.

“Mr. Darcy, how pleasant to see you this morning . . . ” Her mother’s sickeningly sweet words oozed out of her without the briefest concerned word for her daughter.

Mr. Darcy stiffened and turned to Elizabeth’s family, nodding his acknowledgement. Addressing her father, he said with strangled civility, “Mr. Bennet, I came upon your daughter after she had taken a fall when a tree was blown down beside her. She has injured her ankle. If you could assist me, we should get her into the house.”

“Of course, Mr. Darcy. I thank you for your assistance in coming to my daughter’s aid.” Elizabeth squeezed her eyes shut briefly and bit her lip at the amusement in her father’s voice.
Oh, he is having fun with this!

She had not noticed that her hands were shaking until Mr. Darcy turned and gave her a reassuring look before reaching up to help her off the horse. When his eyes caught hers, she could see his frozen features relax slightly. With his back to her family, he looked into her anxious eyes and winked. Elizabeth bit her lip to keep from laughing at the absurdity of the situation.
At least he sees some humor in this.

Mr. Darcy did indeed see some humor in the situation, even through his discomfort at the scrutiny given by the ladies of Longbourn. He memorized Elizabeth’s amused expression for future enjoyment, and securing her in his hands, he gently, and with as much dignity as he could muster under the circumstances, lifted her off his horse. He supported one arm as Mr. Bennet came to claim the other to assist her into the house.

Everyone cleared the way for them, and Elizabeth cringed at the giggles from her sisters walking behind. The gentlemen moved her as carefully as possible to sit on the sofa in the morning room. Jane rushed around them to lift her legs gently onto the sofa, ensuring her skirts were tucked modestly around her legs as she moved them.

As soon as Elizabeth was comfortably set, Mr. Darcy backed away from the crowding bodies of her family members and walked to the far end of the room. He brushed his hands through his hair and shook his arms out in an attempt to school his thoughts and regain his composure. All focus was now on Elizabeth, and he used the distraction to think about what he should do next. Mr. Bennet observed the gentleman surreptitiously as he feigned participation with his family over his second daughter’s comfort.

Mr. Darcy’s thoughts whirled in his head as if the wind from outside had broken through to his mind. His senses were coming back to him as, for the first time, he really thought about what had taken place that morning. Was he not trying to forget Elizabeth, only to come upon her in a moment of great need? He had truly enjoyed his time with Elizabeth, though. It was the only time he spent with her alone besides that hellish thirty minutes in the library at Netherfield.
That didn’t count!
She sat there reading so demurely the entire time, tempting me to distraction with the soft pat of her slipper on the floor as she tapped out the rhythm of the poem she was reading.
And he was sure she meant to torture him when she absently played with a small curl on her neck as she mouthed the words. He stopped his pacing as he remembered how his favorite chair in the library suddenly had become uncomfortable and his book about Wellesley’s war chronicles no longer held his interest. Coming back to the present, Mr. Darcy looked around at the scene before him and turned towards the window to pretend interest outside.