Page 2 of A Letter in the Wind (Mayhem and Scandal Collection #1)

Elizabeth peered up at Darcy without removing her hand.

“Thank you for assisting me,” he said gently.

She seemed slightly confused, and her cheeks slowly turned pink. Darcy looked into her chocolate brown eyes, and the icy wall he had around his heart began to melt. “Will you allow me to escort you back to the parsonage? This wind can be…”

“Abominable?” she asked with a slightly teasing voice. “I can surely manage, and you should return directly to Rosings.”

“I would never forgive myself if you also came to injury due to the fierceness of these gusts.”

“We have already established that I am prone to accident while walking—”

“All the more reason to have an escort,” Darcy insisted.

Elizabeth frowned. “There is really no need to be so polite.”

“You are so slight; it is the least I can do.” She could easily be shoved about by the gales. Many people were in Darcy’s care, but there were few about whom he felt so protective.

Finally, she shrugged her shoulders and sighed. “Very well, but only if you do not continue thinking you owe me any special favour.”

He did not press his point. Truthfully, he was uncertain what he intended to do. He had begun this walk congratulating himself on avoiding Elizabeth and withstanding the allure of seeing her after an evening of torment. Truthfully, he arrived late last night and had it been any decent hour, he would have gone to the parsonage to see her. The cold light of day convinced him his impulses were folly. Now, he placed her hand on his arm and had the pleasure of being nursed by her. Could he give up the possibility to secure that for a lifetime?

“I apologise if I startled you earlier,” Elizabeth said after several minutes of silence.

“I had not expected you to be here,” he admitted. Was that not what he had told himself upon leaving the house?

“You did not know that I was in the area? That must have been a shock. I had thought your aunt would have informed you. Your presence has long been discussed by her. Indeed, I believe she is rather angry that I have a previous acquaintance with you.”

Darcy bit the inside of his cheek. She exposed his folly. “Lady Catherine does like to gloat and introduce guests to her nephews. While informed of your visit, I did not suppose I would find you in this grove.” He refused to admit when he had heard of her presence at Hunsford.

Elizabeth grinned at him. “By now, you should know that I dearly love walking, especially in wild lanes.” She peeked up at him and then cleared her throat. “Perhaps I was more astonished to discover you than you were to see me. Lady Catherine had said you would not come until just before Easter. I was surprised to see you…”

“Let alone so undignified?” He asked with raised brows.

She smiled. “It merely made you appear more human. I had supposed you impervious to such absurdities before then.”

“You are teasing me.” He smiled back at her. How he had missed this!

“You do make it rather easy. If you do not like it, I shall cease. After all, you are a wounded man.” Her lips twitched.

Darcy laughed in response. “Do not let my cousin hear you. He is the one with the war stories and would be the first to put me in my place. This is nothing, but I thank you for your help and have been fortunate for the added company.”

“Did your cousin arrive with you?”

“No, I travelled ahead. My stubborn horse needed assistance walking through a stream last night.” He did not explain the animal was spooked because it was already dark. “That is why my boots were too wet to wear this morning. Richard will come next week as he could not leave his Regiment any earlier.”

“Oh, I see.” She chewed her bottom lip. “I suppose you have reasons for coming without him and spending more time at Rosings. You must greatly miss it. How often do you visit?”

Darcy did not understand how she came to such false beliefs. “I only come once a year. I confess that I do not always arrive so early before Easter, but I was dissatisfied with London.”

He had grown exhausted with town and all its banalities. Everywhere he went, he looked for Elizabeth’s face, hoping she had come to visit her sister. The ridiculousness of it was that he knew Jane Bennet would not be at any of those soirees, and he certainly did not go out of his way to attend places where the Gardiners of Cheapside might socialise. He had told himself it was all for Bingley’s sake, but deep down, he knew it was out of selfishness.

“Truly?” Elizabeth asked in a tone of considerable surprise. “I understood from Miss Bingley that you enjoyed London immensely and favoured it over the countryside.”

He looked at her in disbelief. He had believed Elizabeth was more intelligent than that. “Does Miss Bingley strike you as a credible source to understand my preferences? The lady has never perceived that I do not prefer her.”

Elizabeth giggled. “It was rather absurd to believe her. I suppose she was correct on at least one thing. You like spending time with your sister.”

Darcy tensed. If the cut to his knee throbbed, it was nothing compared to the pain he felt over Georgiana.

“I am sorry; I did not mean to pry or bring up something that upsets you,” Elizabeth said quietly. “I understand feelings towards sisters can be very complicated.”

He started in surprise. “It certainly astonishes me to hear you state that, but then you have many more sisters than I do, and perhaps they cannot all please you equally.”

She smiled a little, but it appeared sad to him. “That is true. Jane was always my playmate. It was harder to get along with my younger sisters. You know how exuberant they can be.”

“Your middle sister seemed rather steady and level-headed.”

“Perhaps.”

She shrugged but did not seem as nonchalant as she hoped to appear. They continued in silence for a few minutes. He had made her sad, and he had not wanted that. He wondered what had happened to make her so pensive. He tried to find something to say that might cheer her. He was not as adept at this sort of conversation as she was. “Do you often walk this way in the morning?”

“Yes, it has become a favourite path. I sometimes enjoy an evening walk, but morning is my preferred time. I like how it clears my head before the day begins.”

“I quite agree with you there. That has long been my habit as well. Additionally, it did not take you long to perceive one of the best paths on the grounds. I usually walk it as well.”

She gave him a cautious smile but did not reply. Had he said something upsetting again? Darcy determined to try a different subject. “I fear you may not have much of a holiday from exuberant relatives due to my presence. I understand Mr Collins is quite aflutter over my arrival.”

Elizabeth flashed a genuine grin. “He was already profuse in his admiration for Lady Catherine and very intent on showing me all the great things about his position. He was elated to hear of your coming. You will not get away easily if he sees you out the window.” She glanced up at him. “Perhaps it would be better if you allow me to continue alone.”

A sudden blast of wind made speech impossible, causing Elizabeth to cling tightly to his arm. He put his free hand over hers to keep her in place and tucked his arm close to his body.

“I am not afraid of Mr Collins,” Darcy said upon the gust ending. “I will deliver you to the parsonage door and not let you go until then.” He might be obliged to carry her in his arms if the gale became any worse.

“Thank you.”

When she said nothing else, Darcy cast his mind about for a conversation topic. “How does your friend like Kent?”

“She is well pleased with her home and the situation.” Elizabeth shook her head. “I always thought Charlotte was so prudent, but I would say her marriage was the most nonsensical thing she ever did.”

“They often say love is illogical.”

“You do my friend a great disservice if you think she could love Mr Collins. She sees what he is, and as much as it pains me to admit it, she married him for security. It sounds so mercenary, but I would rather say that of her than allow you to think she was out of her wits to love a man like—”

Darcy could keep a straight face no longer. A hearty guffaw erupted from his lips.

“Oh! I deserved that tease!” Elizabeth grinned before pealing in laughter.

He had won a genuine smile from Elizabeth, finally making her laugh. The full force of her joy made him light-headed for a moment.

When they had sobered, he said, “I believe Mrs Collins married for the same reason so many couples do. It is not very romantic, but it is the reality nonetheless. I do not find fault with her.”

She frowned. “I do not know if that means you are more generous than me or merely more cynical. I am sure you think you are perfectly reasonable.”

“You would not marry for those reasons?” He kept his gaze on the path ahead despite a nagging desire to closely observe her.

“A man can hardly understand as he is much more independent.” She sighed before continuing. “I do not blame Charlotte; I am not in any better of a situation than she is. However, even if the gentleman were more agreeable than Mr Collins, I could not marry under such slight incentive.”

She was mistaken for thinking that gentlemen had much more freedom in choosing a spouse than ladies. “Do you not consider the weight of expectation upon a gentleman to marry in a way that is a credit to his family? While the character of a woman is certainly important, and there can be no lack in the case of Mrs Collins, a gentleman must think about the alliance of families and wealth.”

“Rich gentlemen surely have fewer constraints. As do men with a smaller or less demanding family.” She looked at him for a moment. “I will not say which of those I believe is your greater burden.”

Perhaps she had a valid argument. If his family would approve of her, then his situation would be the ideal answer for her relative poverty. He had more than enough fortune to make up for her lack of dowry. “What would prevail you to the altar, then?” It was a dangerous question amid a hazardous conversation.

Elizabeth shivered against the wind, and he pulled her even closer. They were very near their destination. He held his breath, waiting for her reply. When she spoke, she stared forward and would not look at him.

“I understand my answer must be all but a foreign language to you, but we marry for love in my family. I will never marry a man I do not love and who does not love me in return. Neither will any of my sisters. For good or bad, that is how it is with us.”

Elizabeth let go of his arm and dashed ahead. They had finally reached the parsonage. Mrs Collins met Elizabeth at the door and invited Darcy in. He declined and began walking back to his aunt’s house, escaping the obnoxious parson. Darcy had always known he would not offer his hand to Elizabeth. Everything about their situations in life and the circumstances of their families prevented it. Despite these things, he was astounded to discover an even more fundamental reason; she desired a love match. Darcy could never offer her that. He prayed that he could withstand the temptation of her nearness for the remainder of his visit.