“Oh, come now, Caroline,” her brother-in-law said with a smirk as he drained his glass and set it upon the table next to the settee, “the way Darcy’s eyes were devouring that woman tonight, I would not have been surprised if he had forgotten we were even in the room. If I did not know better, he looked as though he would have taken her right there in the middle of the first course had the opportunity presented itself.” And with that, he removed himself to join the other two gentlemen in the billiard room, chuckling over his sister-in-law’s pale complexion and her scandalized look of alarm.
“Hurst, come in and have a drink,” Darcy said with uncharacteristic cheerfulness. “I was just thrashing Bingley at billiards.”
Grateful for an opportunity to lay aside his cue, Bingley poured a healthy glass of port for his brother-in-law and refilled Darcy’s and his own. As Mr. Hurst accepted his drink, he fixed Bingley with a level look that belied his inebriated state, and said, “By God, Bingley, that sister of yours will be your ruin.” Then he raised his glass in Darcy’s direction. “And she won’t do you any favors either, I might add.” He took several satisfying gulps of the contents as Darcy stared at him with a furrowed brow.
“Come, Hurst,” said Bingley with his usual good humor, “I grant you that Caroline may be difficult, but I hardly think it will lead me to ruin. And as for Darcy”—he laughed—“well, I doubt there is any woman in all of England who is prepared to do more for him!”
Darcy shrugged his shoulders, simultaneously rolling his eyes with distaste.
“Bloody right about that one! If I were you, Darcy, I’d think twice before courting Elizabeth Bennet again in Caroline’s company. Damned jealous of that one, she is, and rightly so. Come now, man, you must know Caroline has been determined to get you since the day she laid her eyes on Pemberley, and she is pretty blasted angry right about now.” Mr. Hurst took another drink and laughed. “What the devil ever possessed you to stare at Elizabeth Bennet like that all night in decent company? Caroline would have sold herself to the devil for half a glance, never mind what went on between the two of you tonight. Now she wants to drag us all the way to Town just to be rid of her. She may as well remove us all to the Continent for all the good that would do her.”
Bingley sighed and shook his head in exasperation. “Yes, that does sound like our Caroline.”
Mr. Hurst noticed Darcy’s frown. “Now do not go and take offense, Darcy. Though he only manages to gawk at her like a lovesick puppy, I suspect my sister-in-law has similar plans to dispose of Bingley’s Miss Bennet as well.”
Bingley sputtered and choked on his port.
“If you have any thoughts of proposing, Bingley, I would get to it, if I were you. There is no telling what Caroline is capable of when she sets her mind to it.” He threw back the rest of his drink and bid them both a good night.
Earlier that evening, after Darcy and Elizabeth had abandoned the relative privacy of Netherfield’s library to rejoin the rest of their party, the couple had found very little opportunity to be alone. Toward the end of the night, however, they managed to steal a few moments of privacy, where they wasted no time orchestrating a plan that would enable them to meet discreetly.
It was quickly decided Darcy would ride out early each morning, as was his wont, to meet with Elizabeth at Oakham Mount. As she habitually indulged in early morning rambles, it seemed a logical plan, so long as the weather was conducive to exercise out-of-doors. From there, they would walk out together, spending at least an hour in each other’s company before parting and returning to their respective households. Darcy would have far preferred to visit with her at Longbourn and openly declare himself to her father, but she had requested he refrain from doing so for the time being. Though he did not like it, Darcy was hesitant to do anything that might cause Elizabeth to withdraw her acceptance of his courtship. He agreed to the scheme only to appease her.
Though Elizabeth was not completely at ease with the idea of keeping their courtship a secret from her father, she was determined to conceal it completely from her mother, whose rampant effusions and scheming, she well knew, had the potential to drive away even the most determined suitor. It would not do to subject either Darcy or herself to her mother’s high-handed machinations just yet. There was much she felt she needed to learn about Darcy, and she was determined to discover it away from the prying eyes and embarrassing scrutiny of her nearest relations.
The late November morning was a particularly fine one. Elizabeth, now well past the pale to the entrance of her father’s estate, broke into a run as she hurried toward Oakham Mount. She should have set out a full quarter of an hour earlier but had found herself unhappily detained by Mr. Collins, of all people. To her growing irritation, with the passing of each week he spent in Hertfordshire—and, indeed, his initial plan had been to spend only one—the odious parson somehow managed to extend his stay. How his patroness could possibly spare him for so long baffled Elizabeth exceedingly; though, if Lady Catherine found her clergyman’s ingratiating attentions half as offensive and tiresome as the young ladies of Longbourn did, it was no wonder she would encourage his absence. Thank Heaven for dear Jane and her unending patience with that man! Elizabeth sent up a silent prayer of gratitude for her angelic elder sister, all the while hoping Darcy would still be waiting when she arrived.
Elizabeth was surprised to admit the last fortnight had been one of the most enjoyable she had ever spent. She had faithfully—and secretly—managed to meet with Darcy every morning, and on many occasions, they found themselves reunited again in the afternoon or evening, either at small, informal gatherings or at dinners given by one neighbor or another.
At first, Darcy was hesitant to approach her when in company and reluctantly resigned himself to the possibility that he would be forced to find consolation in the form of his old standby—staring at the woman he loved with undisguised longing from across the room—but, to his immense delight, Elizabeth no longer seemed to be of a mind to stay away.
Having gained a better understanding of Darcy’s taciturn disposition and his haughty composure when in company, Elizabeth made every effort to draw him into conversation with her friends, her neighbors, and the few truly intelligent members of her family.
Much to Darcy’s surprise, he discovered that under Elizabeth’s keen and solicitous guidance he was beginning to relax his stoic mien and even enjoy himself with the people of Hertfordshire. But Darcy found he was never so much at ease—he had never felt so accepted nor so valued for his own merits and contributions—as when he was alone with Elizabeth on their early morning rambles.
Elizabeth turned onto the path leading to Oakham Mount and immediately discerned the familiar figure whose presence she had come to welcome, even anticipate, as he leaned against a tree. She took a moment to study him while he twirled a strand of dried hay between his fingers, seemingly lost in thought. Even in such an informal setting—or perhaps in spite of it—Darcy presented a striking picture. Elizabeth raised her hands to her hair, smoothing any stray curls that may have escaped the confines of her bonnet. She struggled to calm her breathing and then, repressing a smile of pleasure, made her way toward Darcy.
A wide smile overspread his face as he beheld her—her cheeks aglow from the exertion of her morning exercise. It took less than an instant for his mind to begin contemplating how she might look after having partaken of another form of exercise—that of writhing beneath him in ecstasy as he plundered her lips and pleasured her body, claiming her as he so fervently wished to do, forever as his own.