Darcy's Winter Ball by A. J. Woods

Author:A. J. Woods [Woods, A. J.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-02-12T02:00:00+00:00

Chapter 7

“I know what I saw,” Darcy argued with more force than he intended. How was it that Elizabeth had the power to rile him so and cause him to question everything he’d done, even when he was absolutely certain it had all been in the best interest of those he cared for?

“Miss Bennet did seem delighted to receive the attentions of Mr. Bingley,” he continued, “but no more, I observed, than those of any others with whom she shared dances, and thus I deduced that she reserved no unique fondness for my friend.”

“You know what you think you saw,” Elizabeth said, moving to the edge of her seat. “But I am afraid you judged inaccurately.”

Closing her eyes, she pressed her thumb and forefinger around the bridge of her nose and Darcy felt a pang of remorse for having caused such distress in a woman he…

He what exactly?

When he had left the ballroom in search of the lady, he had been drawn to the library by an unseen force, as if his body knew instinctively where she would be found.

Not a sliver of consideration had he given to what guests might think when they noticed his absence, or what he would do if he was successful in locating her; he’d simply followed the pull, as the tide obeys the moon. And when he’d opened the library doors to catch sight of her standing in a far corner—slender shoulders hunched over, nose deep in a heavy tome as she scribbled something on a piece of paper—the lure had grown stronger still.

The tension had not alleviated until he had offered the crook of his elbow and she’d taken it, the innocent embrace sending a pleasant shiver along his spine…as though having her there, tucked safely against him, was the most natural thing in the world.

Yet, that could not possibly be right…could it? He was certain Elizabeth loathed the very mention of his name.

At that moment, she only peered at him with obvious disappointment, and he found he very much wanted to make things right, to change her mind about him so that she might regard him in a better light.

“You see, Mr. Darcy,” she said, laying her gloved palms open atop her lap. “My sisters and I have spent much of our lives at home rather than in the society of others—especially suitors.”

She paused, appearing to carefully measure her next words. “I suppose we have not been given chance enough to learn what should and should not be revealed when it comes to matters of the heart, and Jane was guarding hers carefully. She wanted more than anything to believe that Mr. Bingley returned her affection—and I can assure you of its sincerity—but I imagine she did not know the proper way to ask, having never before experienced anything akin to his admiration. My family, none more than Jane, were all surprised when he danced twice with her at the Netherfield ball only to depart without so much as a friendly goodbye. I now know with certainty what I believed all along to be true—that you, Mr.

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