Unforgiving Temper (38 page)

“Miss Bennet. I beg your pardon. I did
not expect…that is…I, um,” he clumsily stammered before finally
managing to put together a coherent greeting. “It is a pleasure to
see you again.”

“You know each other then?” Driscoll was
pleasantly surprised. “How splendid!”

“Yes! We were introduced last year in
Hertfordshire,” Elizabeth offered. The recollection of their last
time together at Hunsford colored her cheeks. “That is to say, we
have met on a few occasions.”

“This is even better than I thought! Darcy, I
brought Miss Bennet over to entice you to dance and get better
acquainted, but I see my work is already done – except for the
dancing, of course. What do you say?”

Darcy's mind was still reeling with
astonishment.
Was there a miscalculation – an early birth, or
worse? This does not make any sense!

Mistaking Darcy's look for an expression
strikingly similar to the one he had displayed as he left Hunsford
Cottage, Elizabeth gave Mr. Driscoll a slight, embarrassed smile.
“I am afraid Mr. Darcy and I are not the best of friends.”

“I am surprised to hear that,
Miss Bennet!” He threw a quick glance at Darcy and his
friend's grim silence seemed to confirm the fact. “I beg your
pardon. I had no idea. Shall I return you to Mr. Whitely? He must
be looking for his dance by now.”

“No!” cried Darcy in sudden panic. Seeing the
startled reaction to his extraordinary outburst, he quickly
tempered his reply. “I mean, that is to say, please forgive my
boorish manners. Indeed, I would be honored if Miss Bennet
would dance with me.”

“I know Mr. Darcy does not care for
dancing, and I would not wish to impose,” Elizabeth responded,
giving Driscoll another apologetic smile. She dropped a polite
curtsey and began to withdraw.

At that moment, Darcy did not care how or
when or why Elizabeth came to be at this ball in the middle of
Cumberland. He was just glad that he had finally found her and he
was not about to let her go. Stepping forward with a meaningful
smile about his lips, he held his hand out to her.

“And I know, Miss Bennet, that you
sometimes profess opinions which, in fact, are not your own. I
should very much like to dance with you. Will you do me the
honor?”

Elizabeth stared at him, confused at his
gently teasing manner. After all her hateful words and discourteous
manners, did he truly desire her company? It was impossible to
imagine, yet the warm, inviting look in his eyes declared
otherwise. He did indeed seem genuinely eager to dance with
her.

She paused a moment longer, now disposed to
accept his surprising change of heart, yet realizing her hopes of
any lasting amiability would surely be in vain. Perhaps he had
managed to overlook the inferiority of her connections and the
eccentricities of her family, but the circumstances surrounding her
current employment with Lord Grissholm was another matter.
Lydia had allowed George Wickham to drag her family into disgrace,
and Elizabeth knew from Mr. Darcy's letter last April that he
would never, in any possible way, connect himself to his worst
enemy.

“Miss Bennet? Shall we dance?”

She looked hesitantly at his outstretched
hand and then into his suddenly anxious and uncertain eyes. She saw
no judgment, no condemnation for her past offenses. What she did
see in the depths of his eyes sent a jolt of surprise through her.
He was obviously in want of her company.

“Yes, Mr. Darcy. I should like that very
much,” she answered softly and placed her hand in his.

Darcy's heart jumped to a frenzied pace as
his fingers closed tightly over hers and he led her to their place
on the dance floor. His placid expression was all that it should
be, but his eyes glittered with the rapture that burned within him.
There were a thousand questions to be answered, but for the moment
he would simply allow himself the very great pleasure of her
company.

Gathering her courage to face Darcy's eager
gaze, Elizabeth offered a gracious smile. He really was quite
handsome in his formal attire; but more appealing than any aspect
of his physical appearance, was a greater understanding of his
noble traits she had heretofore failed to acknowledge. Traits that,
sadly, she would never come to fully comprehend. When the music
swelled with the opening of a country dance, bringing them together
for the first figure, she had to forcefully remind herself that his
attentive manner would only last as long as he was ignorant of her
situation.

Darcy moved in to grasp Elizabeth's hand,
drawing her close to him as they pivoted, the length of their
bodies nearly touching, and then it was back to the line as the
next couple followed suit.

For several minutes, they moved through the
steps in silence, but there was no awkwardness felt by either
party. For Darcy, it was sheer bliss. When he was not relishing the
feel of her hand afforded by the dictates of the dance, his eyes
were absorbing every delightful detail of her appearance, from the
topmost curl of her head to the pale blue slippers on her feet.

Elizabeth simply watched him, wondering at
the transformation of the man who now stood opposite her.

At last, Darcy recalled her previous
criticism of his reluctance to speak while dancing and thus moved
to put right that particular deficiency. When next they came
together, he leaned in and murmured softly.

“Miss Bennet, may I say how stunning you
look this evening?”

Elizabeth blushed self-consciously, not so
much at his words, but at the passionate fervor with which he
uttered them.

“I thank you, sir. That is high praise
indeed.”

“I only speak as I see,” he smiled down at
her heightened color.

Averting her gaze from his steadfast one,
Elizabeth searched frantically for a safer, more neutral topic.

“Um, Mr. Darcy, I was very surprised to
see you here tonight. How do you come to be in this part of the
country? Are you acquainted with Sir Percy?”

“Only slightly. I actually came with Mr.
Driscoll, a friend from my university days.”

“I see,” she remarked as casually as she
could. “And do you intend to be in the neighborhood long?”

“Not very long, I hope. In truth,
Miss Bennet, I have been looking for you these past several
weeks and am very glad to have finally found you.”

“Found me?” she asked as they parted to cross
over the couple to their left. Coming back together, she continued.
“What reason could you have to be looking for me in the first
place?”

The dance separated them and Elizabeth held
his eyes with a puzzled look until they were moving down the set,
arm in arm. Darcy's heart beat in furious delight as she moved
gracefully alongside him. He struggled to keep his mind on the task
at hand. Astonishingly, he had not found her to be with child; but
further consideration as to the meaning of that revelation would
have to wait. The most pressing need now was for her to return to
Hertfordshire to restore her reputation and that of her family.

“I have news from Longbourn. Your elder
sister has been very anxious that you be found. I have been…that
is, Mr. Bingley and I have – ”

“News from Longbourn?” Elizabeth froze in
place, nearly causing a calamity with the other dancers. Darcy's
arm wrapped solidly around her waist, pulling her back into
position.

“Is it my father?!” she breathed. “I know he
has been ill. Is he – ”

“You know?” It was Darcy's turn to be
startled. “How could you? Miss Bennet said there have been no
letters passed between you.”

Elizabeth shook her head to clear the
troubled thoughts crowding in. “An acquaintance…wrote me of my
father's attack. Is he…is the news bad?”

“It is not as bad as you are imagining,
Miss Bennet. Your father was recovering suitably well when I
left him some weeks ago.”

Elizabeth's relief was evident, although her
color had not recovered completely. With an understanding smile,
Darcy guided her down the line thinking her misstep had gone
undetected. He did not know there was one person who had seen it
all. Obscured in the press of bystanders that ringed the room,
Lord Grissholm sullenly continued to watch their every
move.

The dance sent the couple down the length of
the figure, and Darcy's heart constricted painfully when Elizabeth
suddenly glanced up at him, worry and concern still shining in her
eyes.

“If my father truly was out of danger before
you left Hertfordshire, then why have you come all this way to find
me?”

Darcy glanced to the couples on either side
of them, then to the colonnade that ran along the east side of the
ballroom.

“Could I persuade you to walk with me in the
corridor? I believe what I have to say would be better accomplished
in a more private setting.”

Concerned even more by his evasive response,
Elizabeth gave a slight nod and allowed herself to be guided away
from the dance floor. As they wound their way through the crowded
room, she was strangely comforted by the gentle touch of his hand
held protectively at the small of her back.

They quickly reached the row of soaring
columns and stepped in the shadowy corridor beyond. There were a
few others occupying the space as well, but for the most part,
their attention was fixed on the scores of guests in the adjacent
ballroom.

When Darcy had retreated a few more steps,
Elizabeth turned anxiously.

“What is it, Mr. Darcy? What news do you
have?”

“I have been looking for you because your
family is quite anxious for your return. There are certain rumors
circulating regarding your sudden departure last June.”

“Rumors? I do not understand. We were very
careful to make it quite clear that I am travelling with Mrs.
Whitestone – one of my father's relations.”

“When your father fell ill, and the
responsibility for Longbourn's affairs was thrust upon your sister,
she was quite anxious for you to know. She had no directions for
sending a letter, and in her desire to find some, she applied to
Mr. Collins, who had happened to call at Longbourn.
Regrettably, Mr. Collins came to the unfortunate conclusion
that there is no such person as Mrs. Whitestone in his family, and
thus began to speculate that something was amiss.”

“Oh, no! This is dreadful. That man cannot
keep anything to himself!”

Even in the shadows of the columns, Darcy
could see Elizabeth pale considerably. He moved closer, wanting to
hold her close and assure her all would be made right again.
Instead, he contented himself with taking up her hand and tucking
it into the crook of his arm, feeling a thrill of contentment in
the warmth of her touch as they walked on.

“Please know that I have addressed
Mr. Collins personally, and he will not speak of this to
anyone.”

“But, Lady Catherine – ” she whispered
faintly. “He will never keep anything from
Lady Catherine.”

“He will this time, I have made certain.”
Darcy's hand pressed hers reassuringly. “Please do not give
Mr. Collins or Lady Catherine another thought.”

“I cannot believe you would trouble yourself
so much on our account. I thank you, Mr. Darcy, very much, for
what you have done for my family. I do not know how we can repay
you for this kindness.”

“Your family owes me nothing. Much as I
respect them, I must confess I thought only of you.
Miss Bennet, as much as I do not deserve it, would you allow
me to – ”

His words were interrupted when a liveried
servant suddenly appeared in the corridor and hastened to
Elizabeth's side. Murmuring something too low for Darcy to
understand, the boy waited for an answer, which she gave with a nod
of her head, and then he was gone.

She looked up at Darcy with an apologetic
smile.

“I am sorry, Mr. Darcy; urgent business
calls me away at once, but I should very much like to hear what
else you have to say. Could we continue this tomorrow?”

“Yes, of course. I must tell you, however,
that time is of the utmost importance. Would you permit me to call
on you in the morning?”

Suddenly hesitant, she averted her eyes. She
could not bring herself to tell him the “urgent business” was
Lord Grissholm demanding she come at once. Nor could she allow
him to call at Everton and learn of her disgrace. Still avoiding
his gaze, she offered him a small curtsey.

“I am engaged in Hensingham the greater part
of the day tomorrow; but if you would care to walk in the park at,
say four o'clock, we could meet there. I am most anxious to hear
more of my family.”

Darcy could sense her eagerness to be gone,
still he could not bring himself to let her go so easily. It was
too soon for him to let her walk away just yet.

“I would be happy to join you tomorrow, but
is there not something I can do for you tonight?”

“No, I thank you, Mr. Darcy,” Elizabeth
replied firmly, turning away. “I shall meet you in the park at four
o'clock.”

Doggedly, Darcy followed after her, gently
catching her arm and turning her about to face him. Her beautiful
face was a mixture of emotions he could not decipher.

“The message has obviously distressed you,
Miss Bennet. I cannot bear to see you leave in this manner.
Would you…would you allow me to escort you home?”

“No!” she cried. “That is, I thank you for
your concern, but there is no need to trouble yourself. Please, I
must go now.”

Darcy reluctantly released his hold and
watched her walk back through the columns and into the ballroom.
After all the weeks of agonized searching, their time together had
been distressingly short-lived; but tomorrow he would see her
again. Then he would perform the difficult task of relating the
details of the rumors and what could be done about them, including
how prudent it would be to accept his offer of marriage. If fortune
was on his side, he could then claim the privilege of accompanying
her home. Their time spent travelling together would give him every
opportunity to show her he was not the man she had thought him to
be last April!