touching her still flushed from sleep skin.
The clock struck half past while, on her tiptoes, she walked downstairs. Noise coming from the kitchen told her that the servants had already begun their day, and the back door was open. She pulled her shawl over her head and slipped from the house unnoticed.
The rain was not heavy, merely a persistent drizzle, but the feeling of cold was magnified with the strong, biting wind. Elizabeth usually liked when it blew, but not today.
“You came.”
She heard his voice before she saw him. She did not have a bonnet because she was afraid to ruin it in the rain. She had found it especially hard to pin her hair up in a reasonable fashion this morning because the wet weather curled it into numerous, tiny locks, sticking out in all directions. Instead, she had left it in a simple braid.
She could not stop shivering.
“You are cold.” He pulled her to him. “You should not have come.”
“Yes.” she agreed, and watched as the puff of air came out of her mouth.
He rubbed her arms. “I will be worrying now whether you became ill, coming here to see me. Come, I will walk you back to the parsonage.”
She shook her head. “No, you should not. Someone might see us.”
He enveloped her completely into his embrace and, like once before, opened his great coat, wrapping it about her.
“Better?” he asked after a moment, rubbing her back.
She nodded, relishing his warmth, her eyes closed, sudden sleepiness overpowering her. He smelt nice, spicy and clean, and something else she could not define.
“We will not see each other for a week at least. I think that the family business I must deal with will take at least that long.”
She stifled a yawn, still sleepy, which made him grin, exposing large white teeth. It was so strange, the thought of Mr. Darcy having teeth. He had never smiled wide enough before, allowing only infrequent half smiles.
“We shall see you at Longbourn then,” she spoke, once again amazed by how a simple smile changed his entire countenance. “I wish you a safe trip.” she added formally, taking a small step back from him.
He pulled her back to him, lowered his head and spoke in a quiet voice. “There is one more thing.... Since I came back, I have wanted to apologize to you, but there was no opportunity for that.”
Her eyelashes fluttered, and she titled her head. “Apologize?”
He gazed into her eyes. “Yes, for what I said about you the evening when we were introduced. I know you overheard my remark.”
Elizabeth gaped at him, completely taken aback with the turn of the conversation. “How do you know about it?”
“From your father; he told me.” His arms tightened around her. “Forgive me for what I said; I was in a foul mood, unhappy that Bingley dragged me to that Assembly. I knew I was lying, even when I uttered that nonsense. You were not meant to overhear it.”
She did not speak for a moment, but then her lips curled into a smile, eyes sparkling. “Should I now understand that you consider me tolerable enough to tempt you?”
Darcy laughed out loud, picked her up into the air, and twirled her around. “You know very well that I consider you a most tempting creature,” he said as he put her down, “much too tempting for my peace of mind, “ he murmured against her lips.
“What has happened which requires you go to Matlock so suddenly?” Elizabeth asked abruptly, putting an end to the tender moment, afraid he would kiss her. She realized that she should be more careful in the future; her usual teasing had a very definite effect on him.
“Such a shameful, sordid affair.” Darcy shook his head, frowning again. “The mistress of my cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam’s elder brother, expects a child.”
Elizabeth’s eyes widened. “It is serious indeed. Is he married?”
“Yes, he is married, but he refuses to send the woman away.”
“Do you think he should?”
“We cannot be sure that the child is his.”
“This
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