An Accidental Scandal: A Pride and Prejudice Novella (The Accidental Love Series) by Melanie Rachel

Author:Melanie Rachel
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Publisher: anonymous
Published: 2023-03-30T18:30:00+00:00

Chapter Eleven

Darcy stood and took a circuit around the room, his mind a whirl of conflicting thoughts. When he had first seen Miss Elizabeth being assisted by her aunt and sister, it was all he could do not to sweep her into his arms himself, so powerful was his need to care for her.

That was the problem, was it not? She was not his to care for. Not yet.

Darcy had done his work too well in Hertfordshire. He had meant only to prevent raising Miss Elizabeth’s expectations, but he had clearly shot wide of the mark and persuaded her that he did not care for her at all. He knew how well he had buried his admiration—had he been handed a shovel, he could not have dug a deeper hole.

Darcy had certainly disliked being in Hertfordshire, and he had resented the power Miss Elizabeth held over him, a power he now realised she had no idea she possessed.

Compromise, rumour, innuendo—they no longer mattered. He had made his decision the moment he saw her being helped inside her uncle’s house. He wanted to marry her, could no longer think of marrying any other woman. That should have been the end of it.

Was this not the conceit of which his cousin had accused him? He had thought only his mind needed to be settled on the matter. He had assumed that given the circumstances, Miss Elizabeth would be anxious to accept his hand. Yet she had been given neither the time nor any reason to develop similar feelings for him, and no matter their predicament, she would not accept a man she was unsure of.

Miss Elizabeth’s fortune and connections might be trifling, but her sterling character was itself a rare, precious treasure. Darcy longed for the time to court her properly, to show her the man he truly was, to help her return his own ardent feelings.

Time, however, was against them.

He heard his father’s admonition in his head. “Patience, Fitzwilliam. Most problems can be resolved if you take them one step at a time.”

Very well. She had admitted to the possibility of respect. It was a start.

He sat again beside her. Her complexion was pale, her features drawn. “I fear this has been a very trying time for you.”

“And for you,” she replied, and he acknowledged that it was so.

“Miss Elizabeth,” he said gravely, “I am aware that I did not comport myself well in Hertfordshire, and it has resulted in a serious misunderstanding between us.”

“I did not misunderstand.”

“You did, because I made quite sure that you would.”

“Please, Mr. Darcy,” she said tiredly, “it has been a very long day. May we dispense with the riddles?”

He almost reached for her hand but stopped himself before she noticed.

“I did think myself clever, deriding you and your neighbours. It was such a spur to my genius to have Miss Bingley encouraging me to greater and greater spite.” He ran one hand through his hair. “It was not gentlemanly at all, and I am ashamed of myself.

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