Snowbound with Darcy by Caitlin Marie Carrington

Author:Caitlin Marie Carrington [Carrington, Caitlin Marie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Caitlin Marie Carrington

Darcy

He was not able to speak with her after that. But he could not keep his eyes off of her.

And a confounding discovery: Darcy felt that as long as he could see Elizabeth Bennet—watch her face, discover her shades of emotion—then he felt calm.

Or, somewhat in control.

But once he could not see her, he became agitated. Wary and pacing.

It was like a beast had been unleashed inside of him.

After Mrs. Bennet had discovered them in the library, the older woman had vacillated between outright hostility toward him and confusion at her daughter. She had hustled Elizabeth to dinner, barely acknowledging him and refusing to walk close by. But for the first time, once they were all seated at the table, Darcy saw that it was not just Mr. Collins who pursued Elizabeth Bennet.

It was her mother who was pushing them together.

“Darcy, did you hear? We might go skating on the ice tomorrow!”

Darcy blinked and focused on Bingley at the head of the table. “Skating?”

Caroline, on his right, cleared her voice and said huskily, “Yes, Mr. Greene the butler says there are plenty of skating shoes in storage. How remarkable, to glide on ice? Oh, but I am simply terrified thinking of it. Would you help me tomorrow?”

Darcy forced himself to take a deep breath before he answered her. He did not want to hurt her or be curt, but he in no way wanted to encourage Caroline in her foolish pursuit of him.

Especially in front of Elizabeth Bennet.

He could not control himself. He looked up and sought Elizabeth’s face. There were those deep, dark eyes staring at him. When had they begun to communicate without words? She stared at him as if encouraging him, as if saying, You can stand this. You can stand these fools.

No, he was the fool.

That was not what Elizabeth was saying to him. She probably simply wondered what in the blazes he had begun to tell her there, in the library. She was a curious, intelligent woman. She just wanted to know what…

He stopped thinking as she took a sip of wine, closing her eyes to luxuriate in the taste.

What would she taste like?

“Mr. Darcy?” Caroline spoke again, and he forced himself to attend to their conversation.

“Metal blades on shoes?” Mr. Hurst declared. “It sounds rather dangerous to me. We shan’t be involved, Mrs. Hurst.”

The rest of the table ignored him and discussed other activities they could plan for a second, snowy day.

Mr. Collins monopolized Miss Elizabeth’s conversation, but Darcy saw clearly now that she loathed him. Of course, he had known she felt little affection for the man—but now that he saw how very little, it was heartening.

After dinner, the men retired to smoke and drink, while the ladies went to set up whist in the yellow parlor. Darcy could scarcely pay attention to Bingley, who spoke only of Jane and asked her father a million questions, from her favorite color to her favorite dessert. Mr. Bennet bore it all with the patience of a saint, though Mr.

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