Page 22 of Requirements for Love (Love in London with Mr Darcy #3)

Elizabeth wished she had been able to stride hastily from Darcy.

The entire house, even. But no, she had to hobble with a cane into the drawing room and suffer his presence.

He and his cousin slunk shame-faced into the room after her.

Darcy looked absolutely horrified to be overheard.

His countenance was as pale as death, and his cousin had also gone stark white.

They greeted Georgiana and Mrs Annesley but could scarcely look her in the eye after what she overheard.

Colonel Fitzwilliam endured his call, tried in vain to engage with her, but she answered with scarcely more than “yes”, “no”, and “thank you”.

He fled when fourteen and a half minutes passed, and then she sat to dinner with the others.

All the while, Elizabeth felt a storm in her chest. Her emotions were a tempest, a mix of anger, disappointment, and revolted pride.

Darcy’s heart rebelled from a connexion to her family.

It wounded her. Since they had addressed their misunderstandings, she had thought over the past week that she and Darcy had come to mean something to one another.

Her feelings had certainly been engaged, and by his manner and behaviour, she thought his were too.

She would have laid by any sum to bet he wanted to kiss her last evening.

But she must have been mistaken, in both his feelings for her and in what a proud man like him would tolerate .

After a tense dinner, she took up her cane and said to Georgiana, “If you will forgive me, I will retire early.”

“Miss Bennet,” said Darcy, and Elizabeth threw him a look that silently asked him how dare he speak her name. She saw in his face that addressing her was the last thing he wanted to do. “My friend Captain Peck is coming this evening—to meet you.”

“Lizzy, please meet him,” begged Georgiana. “I do not want to entertain him alone, and what if it turns out he is the man for you? He might meet every requirement on your list.”

Darcy scoffed and tried to turn it into a cough.

For Georgiana’s sake, Elizabeth did not scowl at him.

She wanted to sit hatefully and glare, because then it would be so much easier to keep the tears at bay.

She had thought Darcy might be the man to make her happy for the rest of her life, but all of that hope would now come to nothing.

She had let her anger conquer her politeness with Colonel Fitzwilliam. She could not do that with Georgiana or Captain Peck.

“Of course I will stay.” Elizabeth asked for Georgiana’s help to settle her onto the chaise. Darcy stepped forward, but her look told him his help was not wanted. Her sore ankle was just being arranged on a pillow under a blanket when the footman opened the door and announced Captain Peck.

He was a tall and slender figure, with short, straight, fair hair, somewhere around the same age as Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam.

“How do ye do, Darcy?” he said in a friendly manner, striding into the room to shake Darcy’s hand.

“I meant to say that was a fine bout at Angelo’s the other day.

” He then turned his attention to her and Georgiana.

“But I cannot imagine your friends are interested in hearing us talk about the art and science of defence.”

Darcy agreed and introduced them both to Captain Peck. Elizabeth was interested in fencing only in the sense that if she had a blade, she would take great delight in threatening Darcy with it.

Captain Peck sat across from her with an eager smile. “May I be so bold as to ask after your health? Darcy said you took quite a fall on some ice at Berkeley Square. ”

“I will be well soon enough.” Her gaze slid to Darcy’s. “Perhaps I can even return home earlier than planned.”

He flinched and looked away.

“I once sprained an ankle during a hunt,” Captain Peck said in a commiserating tone. “Mortifying, truly.”

He said it in a laughing manner that suggested he would welcome telling the story, but Elizabeth could not take the trouble to encourage him.

Georgiana was too shy, for she had only met Captain Peck this evening as well, and Darcy was as reserved as he had been that first evening at the Meryton assembly.

Captain Peck persevered. “I sympathise with you, Miss Bennet. For an active person like myself, I found it a trial to be confined to the house. You can certainly agree, can you not, Darcy?” he asked over his shoulder.

“You little like a tiresome evening at home with nothing to do any more than I do.”

It must be difficult for Darcy to engage with his friend when every look she gave him must feel like she was burning him alive. He managed a sound of agreement before they all lapsed into silence.

She knew Darcy regretted what he had said. She saw it in every averted eye, downward glance, and pink-stained cheek. He was not the acute and unembarrassed observer of everything he typically was.

But he had not ventured an apology. That told her enough. He was mortified to be overheard, not by what he said.

After some silence, Georgiana shocked her by saying, “Shall I play for you now?”

How awkward must the entire room feel if Georgiana spoke up to put everyone at ease? Elizabeth sighed to herself. She must do better to get through this evening. She would endeavour to moderate her anger. Georgiana, Mrs Annesley, and Captain Peck had done nothing wrong, after all.

Darcy thanked his sister more profusely than the offer required. And when Georgiana asked, “What will you have?” he practically ran to the instrument to pick something, and then remained by her side to turn the pages.

Elizabeth was now left to relative privacy with Captain Peck, as Mrs Annesley had sat farther away with her work.

She would have to be more agreeable. It was not his fault that Darcy was prouder than she thought, that he had offended her and crushed what was becoming strong hopes that he had affectionate feelings for her.

“I believe you are in the Foot Guards, along with Colonel Fitzwilliam?” she asked him pleasantly. The colonel had mentioned something about it earlier, but she had been unwilling to engage with him in Darcy’s company.

“Yes, I command a company in his battalion. We are both relieved to still be stationed in London rather than the peninsula.”

“He is a younger son, but I understand you are the eldest?”

“I am,” he said, smiling. “I am in the army because my father loathes the idea of a young man without employment. He seems to think I would otherwise race, box, fence, and hunt and do nothing else until I inherit. He did not pressure my sister into so much activity as me.”

“You might wound your sister’s vanity if you implied no one pressed her accomplishments upon her. Few ladies excel at music or drawing purely for their own sake.”

Captain Peck laughed and agreed. “I would never imply such a thing to her. Darcy said something or other about your sister being in town along with you. I got the impression,” he added, in a low tone, “that she was a favourite of Bingley’s.”

Elizabeth felt the strain in her eye muscles as they widened in surprise.

“If I am being impertinent, tell me so at once.”

He talked with fluency and spirit—and there was an archness and pleasantry in his manner. Elizabeth felt herself drawn to it. “No,” she said honestly. “If Mr Darcy told you about Bingley and my sister, then that must make it as fact. He would surely not speak it unless he was absolutely certain.”

“Of course! My friend would say nothing if it were not true.”

“Indeed.” She glanced at Darcy, but he was likely too near to the instrument to hear. “While nothing is decided, if it proceeds as the way I think all parties wish, I am glad of it.” They had not had an easy courtship, and Jane deserved so much happiness.

“Your smile tells me much. We always want those we love to be happy,” he said kindly.

“I have one sister, although I had no actual interest in her affairs of the heart. She is married now, thank heavens. At least that is what my father says. He despaired of her making a good match. I will not say her age, but when one is closer to thirty than twenty, one assumes that person will never marry.”

“Only if that one is a woman.”

Captain Peck bowed his acknowledgment. “A fair hit. And an unfair maxim.”

“Is your sister pleased with her situation?” She hated the idea of a lady approaching thirty marrying for security, with no attention to affection and character. As much as she understood it, Elizabeth mourned her friend Charlotte Collins’s choice.

“Well, the first pleasures of my sister must be to fill her house and give the best balls in the county. But I do not blame her for enjoying her new position.” Captain Peck grew thoughtful. “I think she yearned for a family and home of her own.”

Elizabeth smiled. “A natural wish. Not all ladies are fortunate to have that.”

“And have it with an amiable partner well suited to their tastes and inclinations.”

Elizabeth’s eyes betrayed her as they slid to stare at Darcy. He was watching her carefully, and now she wondered if he could hear her conversation over the music after all.

“I asked, are you a horsewoman, Miss Bennet? Shall I see you in Rotten Row after you are healed?”

She gave her full attention back to Captain Peck.

“I am afraid not. Having horses needed for the farm and five girls needing to learn to ride meant that I was not pressed into that particular accomplishment. I am not a confident enough rider for town. I am, however, an excellent walker. Let us hope I will continue to be so in another week,” she added, pointing at her injured ankle.

Captain Peck grinned. “I hope when you are recovered, we might saunter about together many a half hour in one of the parks while you are in town.”

There was nothing untoward in his comment, but it held the hint of a future acquaintance.

Nothing more, but she supposed whenever two single people of the opposite sex within a decade of one another became acquainted, there was the possibility of more .

He was amiable and lively. Not afraid of her like Sir George Reed or indifferent to all beyond his cause like Mr Walsh.

Elizabeth looked again at Darcy, who had been caught watching her and quickly returned his attention to the music desk.

Captain Peck had not insulted her nearest relations.

“I would like that very much.”