The Engagement by Wegner Ola

Author:Wegner, Ola [Wegner, Ola]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Published: 2014-06-14T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eleven

The following day, Elizabeth was ready to agree with her aunt that she had been right yesterday saying that Darcy was jealous of Colonel Fitzwilliam.

Darcy was reserved and quiet, even more than usual. He did not seek her company. He was avoiding her, closing himself in his study for long hours. He was polite but also distant. They were to leave for Hertfordshire in three days, and the initial plan was that Darcy and Georgiana were to travel with them. However, now Darcy said that he would have to stay in town for a few more days and only Georgiana would join the Bennet ladies.

Elizabeth could not believe that her short conversation with Colonel Fitzwilliam could have caused such a change in him.

When he chose to take tea alone in his study the second time in two days, Elizabeth decided that she had to address the matter, as this behaviour could not last any longer.

She excused herself to her mother, Jane and Georgiana, explaining that she would join Darcy for tea.

“I thought that you might wish for company,” she announced with a smile, entering the library, the maid following her with a tray with tea and refreshments.

Darcy put away a letter that he was reading and stood up to greet her. “It would be my pleasure,” he assured, but his voice and manner were guarded.

Elizabeth sent the maid away, fixing him a cup the way he liked it with sugar but without milk.

They enjoyed tea in silence for some time before she asked, “Fitzwilliam, are you upset with me?”

He put down his empty cup and said nothing.

“Fitzwilliam,” she probed.

“I am not upset, Elizabeth. I simply realized something in the course of the last few days.”

“Oh? What is it?”

He shrugged his broad shoulders, looking down at his hands. “Nothing of importance. Will you leave me now? I still have much correspondence to attend to.”

“Fitzwilliam,” she repeated.

He looked her right in the eye. “What do you want from me, Elizabeth?”

“Talk to me.”

“There is nothing to talk about. Please join your mother and our sisters. I wish to complete as many matters as possible before the wedding.”

Darcy returned to the desk, sitting down in the leather chair and opening the letter which he had been reading before she had come.

Elizabeth knew that he had dismissed her, but she was not one to admit defeat easily. She came to stand beside his chair, placing her hand on his shoulder. “Are you upset about me conversing with Colonel Fitzwilliam?”

He stiffened visibly under her touch, not tearing his eyes away from his letter. “You showed your preference very clearly that evening, madam.”

“Fitzwilliam,” she pleaded, cupping his cheek, forcing him to look at her. “We spoke about you.”

He searched her eyes. “Did you?”

“You can ask him if you do not believe me.”

“I will not ask him anything. I made a fool of myself in front of him too many times for my liking.”

Elizabeth felt that his formidable pride was coming to voice. She knew that it was a dangerous opponent, even to her.

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