Page 16 of Requirements for Love (Love in London with Mr Darcy #3)

After breakfast the next day, Elizabeth passed the morning with Georgiana.

Darcy had left to fence with his friends on Bond Street.

A young man of independent means without a family had a great deal of leisure during the season.

How freeing it must be to be an independent gentleman with the liberty to go anywhere without needing anyone to accompany him.

Elizabeth enjoyed Georgiana’s company too much to resent Darcy for his freedom.

She talked with Georgiana, asking her about her school friends and what she liked about the seaside.

There was no mention of beaux or requirements for a good husband or the other two men Darcy arranged to meet her.

Georgiana was gradually becoming more comfortable with her and spoke more openly about herself and her interests as the morning went on.

“We have calls to return, Miss Darcy,” said Mrs Annesley as she entered the room about an hour later. “Your brother arranged to have his carriage at our disposal now. Are you ready?”

“Yes,” said Georgiana, sounding disappointed by the idea.

Mrs Annesley laughed a little. “My dear, you will do well, I promise. These ladies are all friends of your family and will be kind to you.”

“They are kind because they knew my mother, or know one of my aunts,” Georgiana said as she rose. “Or they have a daughter they want to marry my brother.”

Elizabeth scarcely held back a laugh, and Mrs Annesley shook her head, smiling. “That may be true, but they are still connexions you must keep up.”

“I never know what to say. They have no genuine interest in me.”

“Then you can affect an interest in them,” said Mrs Annesley.

“Yes,” Elizabeth agreed. “People like that love to talk of themselves.”

With her friends gone, Elizabeth now wished to write her letters.

She ought to have asked Georgiana and Mrs Annesley to help her to the table before they left.

She should ask Darcy’s valet to help her, but she could make it on her own.

Darcy would not know any different, so with a few careful hops and by balancing against a side table and a chair, she got to the table in the smaller drawing room.

Jane wrote again to say that Bingley had called on Saturday and yesterday. His sisters had even sent an invitation to dinner for this evening. Her aunt was still unwell, but had said that Jane could dine with her friends and her uncle would send a man with her across town.

She smiled to herself as she read. Bingley had clearly encouraged his sisters to welcome Jane.

While she wrote to her mother, her father, Charlotte, and Jane over the next few hours, Elizabeth felt glad Bingley was no longer a victim of his designing sisters.

Jane might even be married before the season was over.

How remarkable that Darcy, who had realised he was wrong to interfere, had aided their reunion.

He would even write to her father to warn the neighbourhood about Wickham.

It was an impressive mark of character to note a flaw in one’s self, to realise that one had made mistakes, and then resolve to correct them.

She finished her letters and saw Georgiana’s writing box was within reach. Atop it was her list of requirements for a husband, and Elizabeth read down the page.

Kind

Willing to be sported with

Clever

Respectful of family

Writes long letters

Willing to travel

Confident

After four days in his house, Elizabeth now felt that Darcy could meet every line on the list. She had been wrong about him for months.

He was an amiable and estimable man, and for the first time, she wondered if he could earn her confidence and affection.

Even more unexpected, it felt like she could earn his.

He did not seem deeply invested in her marrying any of his friends.

Last evening with Sir George Reed was painful.

To think she had once thought Darcy taciturn.

He was downright loquacious compared to Sir George.

Even Georgiana opened up more readily. Hopefully, the next friend she met would not be afraid to speak to her.

But now she found she would rather spend the time in conversation with Darcy than with any of his friends.

Darcy had chosen them not because they perfectly suited this list of requirements, but because they were single and respectable and of the right age. It was a way to entertain Georgiana and amuse Elizabeth with company while she was confined to the house.

But did Darcy see her as a woman he could marry?

While he now regretted his interference, her family’s want of connexion must be as great an evil to Darcy as it had been to Bingley.

Darcy had no improper pride, but that did not mean he had no pride at all.

And yet sometimes she noticed how he looked at her, with a smile, or a glance that lasted a little too long or felt like it held more warmth than a look between friends should.

Elizabeth recognised the quick tread on the stairs. If her heart revived this much on the sound of his footsteps, she ought to more carefully consider her feelings for Darcy.

He came into the small drawing room still dressed in his fencing clothes and set down a fencing mask and glove.

He wore no coat, only a waistcoat simpler than she had seen him in before.

Elizabeth looked at his shirtsleeves and wished he rolled them up like she had seen the other day.

She had never thought that forearms could be attractive, let alone that Darcy’s would preoccupy her.

“I said, how is your ankle?”

She started. He must have asked after her health, so she said she was well.

“I hope my sister helped you into that chair, because when I left, I distinctly remember you were on the chaise.”

“Please do not make me answer that. We are such good friends, and I would hate to lie to you.”

He gave her a knowing look and slowly shook his head. “Would you like to stay there, or do you wish to make use of me?”

“I am finished writing,” she said, putting everything away, “and will return to the chaise with my work basket where I will safely remain.”

She rose on one foot, and Darcy made quick work of sweeping her into his arms and carrying her to the adjoining room. “You will safely remain here while I am present. I suspect you are one poorly placed hop from being confined here for another week.”

“Then why do you not keep me company and ensure I do nothing foolish?”

He bowed his agreement and then brought her work basket nearer and placed a pillow under her foot. She did not ask him to help her; he just anticipated her needs. She thanked him for his consideration, but it seemed to her that he saw nothing remarkable about what he had done.

“Had you a fine morning with Georgiana?” he asked, settling across from her.

“I did. She has gone on her dreaded calls, but I think Mrs Annesley bolsters her courage. Did you win your bouts?”

“Most of them,” he answered directly. “I am confident against anyone holding a foil. I do not practise épée.”

“I do not know the difference.”

Darcy went into an enthusiastic explanation about épée and foil, and how foil was used for practice, as a sport and pastime.

She only partly heard his talk of parries and offensive actions.

Elizabeth watched him gesture with his hands as he spoke, her gaze drifting up his arms. He ought to go without a coat always while at home.

“Do you find me tiresome?” he asked.

“Not at all.” Her face must have shown her distraction. She was interested, but she could not say that the hope of watching him roll up his sleeves was absorbing her. “I just do not understand the positions you mentioned.”

“When you are healed, I will show you the weapon positions, if you care to learn them.”

“I am afraid I know little about the sport other than from drawings. It is not as though women fence.”

“Some do,” he said. “Angelo’s accepts female students. Although most of them are from France or Italy, or are actresses who wish to appear better on stage.”

Elizabeth frowned. “And I suppose they are seen as a novelty rather than true proficients of the sport, like the men are?”

He looked chagrined. “They are. But I watched Mr Henry Angelo fence Madame Caine, and no one could doubt her ability. I know she would have bested me.”

“Then when I can stand on two feet and hold a blade, you must teach me.”

Darcy smiled. “Given all I have done to offend you, I do not think it wise to give you a blade.”

She laughed. “I promise to only use my wit against you.”

“Then I am equally threatened.”

Her cheeks burned. They must be bright pink. She picked up her work with an eagerness it rarely commanded. “Does your list of marital requirements include an active sort of woman? One who fences, perhaps?”

“I will not say.”

She knew she was unlikely to move him, but it was amusing to try. “Must she ride? Is walking enough? How active must Mrs Darcy be?”

“You ought to be more concerned with your list than mine. ”

She kept silent that his list was of more interest because it was a secret. “I had not thought to consider whether he rides, fences, and engages in field sports. If I insist on a sportsman, he might always be gone from me at bouts and races.”

“But if you do not, you might end up with a husband who is always at home trying your patience.”

“Hopefully, I will find someone whose company I enjoy, and I will not mind if he is always about. And,” she emphasised, “he will want to spend time with me beyond merely sitting across a table together twice a day.”

“You need not add that to Georgiana’s list. Some things go without saying.”

Before she could agree, a servant entered. “Are you at home to Mr Walsh, sir?”

Darcy looked puzzled. “I just left him at Angelo’s half an hour ago. Would you care to meet him?”

“He is the man who was to come to dinner on Thursday for your sister’s project?”