Page 14 of A Cleverly (Un)contrived Compromise (Love’s Little Helpers #3)

CHAPTER 14

D arcy’s face flooded with heat with all he had endured over the past few minutes. First, a father whose negligence exposed his family to shame had questioned Darcy’s honor and called him to account for his ungentlemanly behavior. That the accusations were not unfounded struck Darcy to the core.

However, it was Elizabeth’s reaction which crushed him. Was marriage to him so unpalatable that she would rather face absolute ruin? If not for her loyalty to her sisters, Darcy was convinced Elizabeth would have stood by her decision to refuse him. Him! A Darcy!

On one hand, he grumbled at her displeasure. He was hardly an ogre! On the other hand, he admired her. Elizabeth was a lady of high principles. She did not pretend an emotion she did not possess, nor was she swayed by fortune. Her respect and affection would be honestly granted… if he could earn them.

He rose to his feet, releasing her hand as he did, and the irony of their position nearly moved him to laugh. Of all the women he could be stuck with, it had to be the one who had posed the greatest threat to his plans.

Now she had ruined his escape to London. Throughout the recent events, Darcy had spared nary a thought for Bingley, Miss Bennet, or even Georgiana. He would have to be cautious lest Elizabeth distract him altogether from his purpose: to get Bingley away from the Bennets.

That was a problem he would wrestle with later.

First, he must convince a skeptical crowd of a secret engagement. Growing up with Wickham had taught Darcy that facts were useless unless people believed them. Appearance was everything. If he and Elizabeth won over the good opinion of the majority, nobody would doubt the veracity of their tale.

Mr. Bennet took his daughter’s hands in his, pressing them against his chest. “It is a better beginning than most have, my dear girl. I will own that I am encouraged toward optimism. Both of you are of strong mind and character, and I have no doubt that if you direct your energies to work together, you will find a way to be content enough. Perhaps you will be happy, and you will think upon this moment with humor some day.”

Darcy did not feel like laughing, but he appreciated the attempt at lightheartedness. He could see where Elizabeth had learned it.

Moving away from his daughter toward the door, Mr. Bennet said, “I shall tell Mrs. Bennet the good news. She will be delighted.”

It pained Darcy to be the object of that vulgar woman’s delight. He dreaded the day Mrs. Bennet crossed paths with his aunt Catherine.

There was another detail he must share before Mr. Bennet departed and the curtains opened to Act One of his new life. “About that… there is something you must know which will undoubtedly add credibility to our sudden announcement.”

Two sets of curious eyes regarded him.

Mr. Bennet said, “You have an evil twin who called my Lizzy ‘barely tolerable’ at first sight?”

Wishing he could turn back time and keep his surly thoughts to himself, Darcy replied, “No, but if part of a later conversation becomes as well-known as that ungracious comment, our sudden engagement will not be looked upon with so much suspicion.”

Mr. Bennet cackled. “Good play, Mr. Darcy. I accept your chastisement and take your assessment as guarantee from your own mouth that henceforth no further ungracious comments will proceed from said aperture.”

Poker references. How appropriate. Darcy felt the stakes rise. Once they left the study and returned to the party, he was all in. There was no going back.

Clearing his throat, he summoned every ounce of bravado in his possession, and continued, “The night of Sir William’s dinner, I made a favorable comment about Elizabeth—”

Did his voice have to sound so gruff? Darcy had been thinking of Elizabeth by her given name since Mr. Bennet gave his consent, but to hear himself say it aloud felt like a privilege he must earn. He cleared his throat again and pulled at his cravat. He could do this.

“—I praised Elizabeth to Miss Bingley.”

He could practically see the wheels turning in Elizabeth’s mind. She would assume this had happened before she had refused to dance with him, and given the humbling Darcy had received that night, he took greater pleasure in disquieting her than in preserving his own pride. “It was immediately after you refused to dance with me.”

Elizabeth gasped. “What did you say?”

His assumption had been correct. With greater boldness, he continued, delighting in her shock. “I remarked that you have fine eyes and a pretty face.”

“You said that to Miss Bingley?”

Darcy felt smug, and he did not bother to suppress it. “She presumed to know my thoughts. I merely informed her of her error.”

“She must hate me.” Elizabeth did not sound troubled. Her eyes gleamed, and her lips curled upward.

“She wished us joy.”

“She was teasing, no doubt!”

“It is of no import. She knew I was not indifferent to you, and she jumped to the very conclusion we now need your friends and neighbors to accept. She cannot deny the exchange. She referred to it again only this afternoon.”

Mr. Bennet clapped his hands in applause. “If people are going to talk, we might as well encourage them to speak in your favor. All it will take is a little nudge for someone present at the dinner to recall overhearing your comment.”

“My own mother will profess that she knew since that evening that a match was inevitable. But it is not true!” Elizabeth pressed her hands against her cheeks.

Darcy stiffened. If their story was to be believed, they must eliminate all doubt among themselves now. “Be that as may be, I assure you that it is the truth and that I spoke in earnest.”

“You must convince everyone that this is a love match.” Mr. Bennet rubbed his chin.

“Mr. Darcy is to play the love-struck suitor to me, the starry-eyed maiden?”

She did not believe he could do it. A sensation Darcy had not experienced since his rowing days at Cambridge surged through him. Elizabeth had thrown down a challenge, and he would meet it. He would win her over. He had to.

Darcy had never been bested when challenged—and winning Elizabeth’s favor would be the greatest prize he could imagine.