Mr. Darcy's Christmas Letters: A Pride and Prejudice Novella (Darcy and Elizabeth Happily Ever Afters) by Melanie Rachel

Author:Melanie Rachel [Rachel, Melanie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: anonymous
Published: 2023-11-22T18:30:00+00:00

Chapter Ten

Jane draped another heavy blanket over Elizabeth’s legs while Kerr filled several bed warmers and stuck them under the sheets on the other side of the room.

“Are you warm enough, dearest?”

Elizabeth sat with her stocking-clad feet stretched out in the direction of the fire and wiggled her toes. She was finally warming, but the whole ordeal had left her fatigued. Not that she ought to be the one who was tired, for Mr. Darcy had carried her back to the house. She wondered how he was feeling.

“I am well, though you may suffocate me with all of these blankets,” she teased.

“I cannot understand why you were out walking by yourself when it is so cold, Lizzy,” Jane fussed, mimicking a shudder. “You cannot move me from the fire on a day like today.”

“I did not expect to be out long.” She had felt compelled to visit the path where she had seen Mr. Darcy once before. How prophetic that had been! “The wind was not blowing when I set out. That is why it feels so cold.”

“It does not only feel cold, it is cold. I would not be surprised if it snows tonight.”

“Do you think so?”

“I hope not, for Mr. Darcy’s sake. Charles did not tell me his friend was still here, but he will be here longer still if there is any snow to speak of.”

“Why is Mr. Darcy still here? He mentioned horse trouble, but I thought he was to leave directly from the wedding breakfast.”

“He was. A series of mischances, it seems. His horse fell lame not five miles down the road, and another lost a shoe, and then there was an illness in the house . . .”

Elizabeth narrowed her eyes. Jane was not looking at her as she spoke, only fluffing pillows and replacing them on the settee.

“Jane . . .”

“I will check on your soup. Is the tea still hot?”

“Nearly scalding, yes.” Elizabeth looked at the kettle hanging over the fire and then back at Jane. She wanted to ask her sister what was happening, why Mr. Darcy had suffered so many delays, but suddenly she did not want to know. She only wished for Mr. Darcy to be delayed again so that he could ask her what he wished to know.

It will not be that, she warned her fickle heart. He would apologise for something or thank her for something, and in either case, he ought not. It would have nothing to do with calling on her or courting her, or better still, marrying her. It would not.

“I am sorry that you will be required to spend more time in close quarters with Mr. Darcy,” Jane was saying, peeking at Elizabeth as though she was afraid of her sister’s response.

“Jane, I have said time and again that his presence does not bother me.”

“Then you were not embarrassed that he carried you back to the house? For I must say, Lizzy, I am greatly indebted to him for his care of you.”

“You realise, of course, that Mr.

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