His Cousin's Betrothed: A Pride and Prejudice Variation (Iris Lim Pride and Prejudice Alternate Regency Collection) by Iris Lim

Author:Iris Lim [Lim, Iris]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2025-02-16T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seven

"Oh, I do dearly love a dance." Aunt Matlock gushed from her seat that night, after having been recently set upon it by a cold, polite Mr. Culham. Darcy muttered his perfunctory agreement while he kept his eye on Elizabeth.

He ought to be embarrassed. Honorable men did not go about kissing their cousins' future wives. But Darcy liked to comfort himself that honorable men also did not leave their fiancées unattended while eyeing the maids. He had thought better of Richard—and thought better of himself.

But, for now, he delegated himself to observing Elizabeth from the shadows, making sure that none of her dance partners caused her any discomfort. At least, for now, she danced with Richard.

"Are you not going to dance?" Aunt Matlock asked Darcy as she fanned herself. "You are rather young to be sitting out yet, my dear."

Darcy grimaced. "There are hardly enough partners for all of us."

"That is true." The Countess of Matlock sighed. "If only Lady Henrietta hadn't made such a ridiculous stipulation, we could have invited more girls from the village. Miss Merivale hardly needs to be set upon to dance every single dance."

"I suppose not."

Darcy resumed his observation of Elizabeth. She appeared mostly content with Richard, even laughing with him at one point between their hushed whispers. Did Darcy owe it to Elizabeth to point out Richard's recent neglect and wandering eye? Was it even his place to do so?

Darcy nearly scoffed at the realization that he, who had been so keen to guard his cousin against Elizabeth's schemes, was now just as keen to protect her from Richard's.

"Miss Merivale, please."

Darcy roused from his thoughts just in time to see Richard handing his betrothed to Mr. Culham for the next dance. Darcy frowned, his jaw set firmly after having seen how uneasy Elizabeth had seemed about pursuing Mr. Culham this morning. He did not know if Elizabeth had been reassured or agitated by what she had discovered about the uncommunicative farmer, but she most certainly appeared distressed now.

Did Richard not see her pain? It was clear in the way her brow furrowed and altogether apparent in the way she changed her hands so tentatively from Richard's to Mr. Culham's. Darcy groaned. It simply could not be borne.

Ignoring whatever awkwardness he still felt from their earlier shared kiss, Darcy rose and strode across the room.

"Mr. Culham, I beg your pardon. I believe Miss Merivale has promised me this dance," Darcy said in a firm tone once he reached the corner the three others had occupied. He extended a hand to Elizabeth, who looked up at him with a shimmer of gratefulness in her enchanting eyes.

"This is not a ball, Mr. Darcy," Mr. Culham spat. "One does not go about reserving ladies for dances."

"Perhaps not," Darcy replied, already securing Elizabeth's hand in his. The slight touch was enough to make him wish to pull her into his arms in a determined embrace, but he ensured every appearance of civility. "But there is always room for exception.

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