On Equal Ground by Elizabeth Adams

Author:Elizabeth Adams
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: regency romance, clean romance, widow, jane austen, sweet romance, mr darcy, elizabeth bennet, pemberley, longbourn, darcy and elizabeth
Publisher: Elizabeth Adams

Chapter 13

Elizabeth and Kitty were sitting in the front parlor when a visitor was announced.

“Mr. Darcy, my lady.”

“Show him in, Franklin.”

Elizabeth stood and arranged her skirts, wondering what Mr. Darcy was doing here, and failed to notice the flush on her sister’s cheeks. The door opened and Thompson was followed in by a tall man with dark hair, a straight nose, and a bright green waistcoat. He was not Mr. Darcy.

“Good day, Lady Asheland, Miss Bennet,” said the stranger.

Elizabeth curtsied and tried to cover her surprise.

“Forgive me, sir. I thought you were Mr. Darcy,” she said with a smile. She sat on the sofa and gestured for him to sit on the chair opposite.

“I am. Mr. Darcy, that is. We met briefly a week ago, but we didn’t speak, so I don’t expect you to remember.”

He smiled affably and Elizabeth couldn’t help but smile back. His manners reminded her a little of her brother Bingley.

“I apologize. Do you know my sister, Catherine Bennet?”

“Yes, we’ve met on a few occasions.” The tips of his ears turned red and he looked at her sister with barely contained excitement.

Glancing at Kitty, Elizabeth saw she was blushing fiercely and her eyes were glued to her lap. Kitty wasn’t usually shy in company, so Elizabeth was immediately suspicious.

“I know a Mr. Darcy from Derbyshire. Are you related to him?”

“Yes, we’re cousins. Our grandfathers were brothers.”

“Ah. Yes, I see a resemblance.” Truly, she had seen it the moment he walked into the room. Both were tall and lean with broad shoulders and thick hair. But this Mr. Darcy was all smiles and easy conversation, and his eyes were a warm brown, while the elder Mr. Darcy’s were cold and blue.

“Do you live in Derbyshire as well?”

“Yes, I do. I have a small estate not too far from Pemberley. I recently inherited it from my mother’s brother. But I grew up in Staffordshire, on my father’s estate. He’s there now with my mother and younger sisters, but my elder brother is in town.”

“Will you be in Town for the season?”

“Yes, I plan to remain until May. Will you spend the summer at Cressingdon?”

“That is the plan, though it is undecided whether Kitty will accompany me. She may prefer to spend the summer at our father’s estate in Hertfordshire.” Elizabeth smiled encouragingly at her sister and sipped her tea.

“Yes,” stammered Kitty, “My plans are not yet fixed. Last summer we stayed at the seaside and it was lovely, but Elizabeth wants to be home this summer.”

“There is nowhere like the English countryside in summer, I daresay, though the seaside brings its own joys. Have you travelled much, Miss Bennet?”

“Oh, not too much. I’ve travelled to my sisters’ estates in the north, and I was in school in London, and of course the seaside.”

Before she could say more, there was a loud crash followed by the wailing of an injured child. Elizabeth immediately stood.

“If you’ll excuse me,” she said as she bustled out the door.

She quickly made her way

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