Words Unspoken: A Pride and Prejudice Variation by Iris Lim

Author:Iris Lim [Lim, Iris]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Iris Lim
Published: 2022-08-15T00:00:00+00:00

• • •

Darcy huffed as he approached the pond the next morning—half of him eager to meet the woman he pursued, the other half exasperated at Miss Bingley’s heightened pursuits of himself since the night before. It seemed that Miss Bingley believed one engagement begat another—despite Darcy’s every intent to avoid any sort of romantic alliance with her.

A few more large strides led him to their usual meeting spot.

“Miss Elizabeth,” he greeted.

She beamed up towards him before standing to offer a curtsy of her own. Her playful smile belied the formal greeting.

“Are you well today, Miss Elizabeth?” Darcy inquired politely. Already, he was smiling. A few moments in her company was all it ever took to drive away any former worries he may have been carrying upon his shoulders.

She nodded enthusiastically, no doubt joyful over her father’s recent change of heart.

“Jane is so happy.” She lifted her slate.

Of course, she was rejoicing for another. Darcy nodded. “She and Bingley both, I believe.”

“And thank you for convincing Papa,” she scribbled next. “I look forward to attending the wedding.”

He wished to tell her that he did it for himself as much as he did for her. A part of him even wished to profess right then and there that he had never met a woman as kind and bewitching as her—a woman who deserved to bless the world with her insight.

He refrained for the moment.

“Has your father spoken of other things to you?” Darcy asked instead, rather tentatively. Their simple interactions had been nothing but innocent before today, and Darcy found himself rather uncertain as to how to proceed.

“Regarding what?” she wrote.

“Regarding—” Darcy breathed in deeply. He shook his head to whisk away any lingering irritation at the way Miss Bingley had clawed at him in the garden this morning. “Regarding my—intentions, perhaps?”

Miss Elizabeth blinked at him, eyes wide, before looking askance.

“Miss Elizabeth—”

“Is it true?” She lifted the slate to him.

Darcy paused. He chose his words carefully. “If you are referring to my having requested to pursue you—yes.”

“You wish to court me?” She clarified, her handwriting shakier than it usually was.

Darcy smiled slightly. “If you would permit it.”

She blinked repeatedly, as if charged with some sort of rapid consideration. She swallowed visibly before writing again.

“I thought it was a ploy to convince my father to let me join society—a very good ploy.”

Darcy read her words quickly. He shook his head. “It was not a ploy, not at all.”

She regarded him then—bottomless eyes meeting his gaze and entrancing his soul.

“You mean it then?” she wrote.

Darcy smiled. “Of course. I would never joke of such matters.”

“I am not whole.”

“In every way that matters, you are.” He reached for her arm and held her gently by the shoulder. “Elizabeth—please, allow yourself to see yourself as I see you.”

Her eyes, when she lifted them back towards his, shined.

Slowly, she gratified him with a smile.

“Do you accept, Elizabeth?” Darcy whispered. “May I court you—to seek your hand?”

She blinked. She smiled. Then she nodded.

In a rush of relief, Darcy pulled her close.

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