Mr Darcy's Scandal: A Pride and Prejudice Variation by Juliana Abbott

Author:Juliana Abbott [Abbott, Juliana]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Pride and Prejudice & Related Fandoms, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence
Amazon: B0CW1FT573
Goodreads: 209444946
Published: 2024-03-02T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirteen

Elizabeth

Elizabeth looked up at the sky, the soft droplets caressing her cheeks. They rolled down her face, clung to her chin, and then dropped down onto the ground.

“Faith, we will have to seek shelter,” Mr Darcy said and looked up. “I didn’t notice the clouds moving in so very quickly. I was too engrossed in our conversation.

“Indeed, as was I,” she said and looked around. The house was too far away for them to reach, and the rain was increasing rapidly.

“Please take my jacket, Miss Bennet,” Mr Darcy said and swiftly removed his jacket and draped it over her shoulders. She couldn’t help but be touched by the gesture.

As she pulled the jacket closer around herself, the subtle notes of Mr Darcy’s sandalwood cologne wafted into her nose.

“Thank you, but now you will get wet and fall ill,” she protested but he shrugged.

“I assure you, I won’t catch cold. I was once caught outside during a rainstorm without shelter nearby. Soaked to the bone. A little drizzle will not vex me, the Darcys all have a strong constitution. However, we should seek shelter,” he pointed at the gazebo she’d admired earlier, and they hurried there together.

As they walked, he placed a reassuring hand on the small of her back, guiding her forward. The rain intensified and by the time they’d walked the short distance from the magnolia tree to the gazebo, the rain streamed down rapidly.

“We’ll be sheltered here,” he assured her, his voice a soothing melody amidst the increasingly loud concert of raindrops.

The octagonal, wooden gazebo had been painted white at some point, but was now quite weathered. The inside had been left unpainted and half of the structure was fitted with rough, wooden benches.

“Let us sit, the roof will keep most of the rain out,” he explained and motioned for the benches. Indeed, when she sat, she noted the benches were dry and the sloped roof would keep it that way, lest the wind changed directions.

“Is it usual for this time of year for the rain to come down so heavily?”

“In spring? Oh yes. However, downpours like this are usually fleeting,” he reassured her with a gentle smile. “We can wait it out comfortably here. Look, the sky is turning blue already over yonder.”

He pointed his finger in the direction of Lambton, and indeed, a sliver of blue peeked out from between the grey clouds. It would not be long before they were released from their temporary confines. Oddly, this filled her with a certain sense of regret, for she had to admit she quite liked being alone with him here.

“You said you were caught out of doors? How did this happen? I would have imagined you’d know every nook and cranny of your estate.”

He smiled broadly and she saw her reflection in his eyes.

“It was not here,” he said, and she felt foolish at once for having assumed it. “The rainstorm of which I spoke occurred in Italy, in Venice. The skies opened, and the streets transformed into rivers—it was almost impossible to tell the canals from the roads.

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