Darcy and Diamonds: A Pride and Prejudice Variation by Caitlin Marie Carrington

Author:Caitlin Marie Carrington [Carrington, Caitlin Marie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2018-12-12T02:00:00+00:00

16

Elizabeth

They walked in silence for some time. The sun had risen and the green canopy of the woods was at turns verdant emerald, then glowing yellow. Despite her aches and bruises—and confusion with the man by her side—Elizabeth could not help but sigh happily at the beauty of nature.

“Are you alright?” Mr. Darcy turned to look up at her. “Are you hurting?”

“My pride is injured more than anything else,” she admitted.

He looked down and scoffed—no, he was laughing. Quietly, as if over a private joke. “Pride will heal, I suppose.”

“I hope not. I should hope I learn a lesson from this. Never boast about your riding skills. And never challenge an expert rider to a race.”

He glanced up at her, and Elizabeth had to stifle a gasp. His face was so—so open. As if they had no damaged history. As if they had not fought yesterday—or ever.

“I’m furious with the groom. You should never have been given that horse. Her temperament is off.”

Elizabeth suppressed a smile now, as Mr. Darcy gave way to a slight rant over poor Sabine. “You are being entirely too hard on her, Mr. Darcy. She is a dear. I am afraid this morning’s fall was entirely my fault. I was too impetuous. Sabine and poor Jeremy the stable boy are blameless in all of it.”

His horse huffed slightly, as if he shared the same suspicious temperament of his master. “It is my fault, then,” he said. “I should not have raced after you.”

“Do you always blame yourself for everything that goes wrong in the entire universe?”

He glanced up at her, shocked. “My friends would say you have described me perfectly.”

She laughed, even as it hurt her ribs. “Oh, I do hope you are jesting. That is no way to live.”

They shared a surprisingly easy smile, before both grew troubled and turned from each other. Elizabeth stifled a moan as the saddle shifted below her, but Mr. Darcy somehow heard it—or saw her pain.

“Eliza—Mrs. Allerton, you are in pain. I confess I don’t know whether to give you the reins and have you race back to Netherfield, or stay the course. I’m not sure how badly you are injured. And I apologize that you cannot ride side-saddle.”

Elizabeth glanced around at the thinning trees. “We are almost back to the pastures. And please, I am most capable of riding, despite the events of the past half-hour. I actually ride astride at my home, quite often.”

He continued looking straight ahead as they walked, though she noted his jaw clenched. He must disapprove of her confession and her unladylike behavior. Elizabeth stiffened. No matter how kind Mr. Darcy had been this morning, she had to remember that at heart—at the core of his very being—he felt himself above her, and he would always judge her.

“So you needn’t—you needn’t worry,” she said softly. Would he always judge her?

He laughed to himself, though she could not guess as to what he found humorous. “How can I not? You have had a dreadful fall, and now you tell me you ride astride at your own home.

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