Page 55 of The Briar Bargain (The Rom Com Collection #3)

"Hold fast," he said, pulling himself through the window and onto the narrow ledge beside the opening. "I am coming down to you."

"Be careful!" she warned as he found his footing. "You are larger than I am, and the ledge is narrow."

"I am well," he replied, working his way carefully along the wall to where she waited.

When he reached her position, he could see that the flat roof over the bow window was directly below them.

It was still a bit of a drop, but perhaps ten feet.

If he lowered himself as far as his arms could stretch, the drop would not be difficult.

Far more manageable, to be sure, than attempting to reach the ground.

And less dangerous in the end, he thought, then trying to turn on this ledge and climb back up to the window.

"I am going to lower myself to that roof," he told her, nodding at the lead-covered surface below. "Then I will help you down as well."

"Mr. Darcy, I cannot—"

"I will catch you."

He positioned himself carefully, gripping the edge of the ledge with both hands before slowly lowering himself to his full length and dropping the remaining three or four feet to the roof.

The surface held his weight easily, and he immediately turned back to coach Elizabeth through the same manoeuvre.

"Now," he called up to her, reaching as high as he could manage, "lower yourself as I did."

She hesitated for a moment, looking down at him with an expression he could not quite read in the dim light. "You will not allow me to fall?"

The question was asked quietly, but he heard in it something that went beyond mere concern for physical safety. She was placing her welfare entirely in his hands.

"Never," he said firmly .

She took a deep breath, nodding once with decision. "Very well.” She turned her back to him, gripped the ledge with her hands, and gradually lowered herself down until she was only a few feet above his head. “One,” she counted, “two, three!"

She released her grip and dropped into his waiting arms. The impact sent them both staggering back slightly, but he held her securely until they both regained their balance.

For a moment, they remained frozen in that position.

Then Elizabeth turned in his embrace to throw her arms around his neck and bury her face in his chest.

He held her close, feeling as though his heart could beat again.

After a long moment, Elizabeth seemed to realise the impropriety of their position and released him, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment even through the soot that covered much of her face.

"Thank you," she managed, smoothing her ruined skirts with nervous hands.

Darcy guided her to sit on the centre of the roof, settling beside her as they both caught their breath.

The cold November air was a welcome relief after the suffocating atmosphere of the smoke-filled room, and they found themselves alternating between coughing and taking deep, grateful breaths of the clean night air.

"Well," Miss Elizabeth said hoarsely, “that was something new. I have never exited a building through a window before." She paused. “Not one on the second floor, at least.”

Despite everything they had just endured, Darcy felt a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "I confess I am beginning to suspect you of deliberately seeking out such situations."

"I beg your pardon?" she replied, a little incredulous. "I was merely attempting to join my sister and her betrothed for dinner and instead found myself locked in a room with a smoking chimney. "

"Miss Bingley will pay for it,” he said sombrely. He would make certain of it.

Elizabeth's expression grew more serious. "As angry as I am with her, this was meant to be a temporary inconvenience rather than anything truly dangerous. Miss Bingley could hardly have anticipated the problem with the chimney. She said she intended to keep me away from dinner, that was all."

“She had no business locking you in any room,” Darcy grumbled.

“Oh, I quite agree with that,” Elizabeth replied.

She drew her legs up to her chest and arranged her skirts so that her bare foot was covered.

“But she was rightfully angry with me. Not long ago, I spoke to defend the maid who was found with her mother’s brooch tonight.

The only argument I shall make on her behalf is that she did not intend to kill me. ”

Darcy began to shrug off his coat. “Hold the collar if you would,” he said to her as he worked his arms out of the tight fighting garment.

Once he had managed to remove it, he tucked the coat around her shoulders and fastened it in the front. “This is lovely,” she said with a happy sigh, drawing it around her.

He began to roll up the sleeves to her wrists. “Elizabeth . . .” He hesitated until she arched a brow at him.

“What is it?”

He coughed, then smiled and shook his head. "I had intended to ask for your permission to court you tomorrow morning during our walk in the gardens."

She looked at him with surprise.

Something told him to keep talking. "However, I find that nearly losing you again , has made me rather anxious. "

He turned to face her fully, taking in her dishevelled appearance—the ruined skirts, her loose hair, the streaks of soot across her face, bundled in his coat.

She was quite possibly the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

Elizabeth turned her face up to his. "Mr. Darcy, what are you saying?"

“I am saying ‘Yet seem’d it winter still, and, you away’ . . .”

“Is that Shakespeare?”

“Sonnet 98. Do not you recall?”

She smiled impishly at him. “I do now.”

He shook his head. “I would very much like to marry you, as soon as possible. You seem to possess a remarkable talent for finding yourself in situations that require rescue, and I should like to be in a position to provide that assistance whenever it might be needed."

Elizabeth stared at him for a moment, and then, to his surprise, began to laugh. "I rescued myself this time. You simply helped me off the ledge.”

“I believe you understand my meaning.”

“Well, I am not certain,” she replied, and then smiled. She tipped her head to one side. “Was that supposed to be a proposal?"

“I am making you an offer,” he said with growing confidence. “A bargain, if you will.”

“A third bargain?” she asked, eyes narrowing with amusement.

“Yes, though this one shall be for life. If you agree to marry me, I will stand at your side through a thousand Miss Bingleys and every adventure your spirited nature may contrive. More than that, I shall be unfailingly civil at every assembly.”

Her brows arched. “And you will dance?”

“It will be no hardship to dance with you, Elizabeth. ”

“But you must promise more,” she countered, her expression turning shrewd. “To dance with at least one lady at every dance who has been slighted by other men.”

He considered this, then smiled. “Very well, I agree. But you must grant me one condition in return.”

“And that is?”

“That you reserve every supper dance for me and sit beside me during the meal.”

A laugh escaped her lips, though her gaze softened in the moonlight. “A selfish stipulation, sir.”

“A fair exchange, madam,” he replied, bowing his head with mock solemnity.

She studied him a moment longer, then offered her hand. “Very well. It is a bargain.”

He ran his thumb lightly along her knuckles. “And my proposal?”

Elizabeth cocked her head to one side. “I will accept that as well.”

Darcy scarcely heard his own quiet laughter as he brought her hand to his lips.

His heart was too full of the soft radiance in Elizabeth’s eyes.

There was no coyness now, no reserve, only a joy that shone as brightly as the moonlight upon her face.

She was happy—gloriously, assuredly joyful.

The knowledge left him both more humbled and more exultant than he had ever been.

Her acceptance had done the same for him. "Thank you," he said. “You have made me the happiest of men.”

Above them, the smoke pouring from the open window began to change from thick black to white, indicating that someone had finally managed to douse the fire that had been burning in the hearth. Almost simultaneously, they heard Bingley's voice calling from somewhere below.

"Darcy! Miss Elizabeth! Where are you?"

"Here!" Darcy called back, his voice carrying clearly in the night air. He stood. “We shall require a ladder!"

Harrison soon appeared below, leading a small army of footmen, and within minutes of their arrival, a ladder had been set up to offer them a safe path to solid ground.

Darcy stepped to the ladder, cast a glance at Elizabeth’s bare foot and the lantern-lit outline of her legs beneath her skirts, then down at the assembled crowd of men, and decided, firmly, that he would descend first.

“Stay with me,” he said, and stepped out onto the ladder. “You should remain only a rung higher.”

“If I slip, I shall fall on you.”

“Better than my falling on you.”

“We might go down one at a time.”

“But then how shall I shield you from the view of what appears to be half the household?”

Her laugh was low and husky from the smoke, and the sound went straight through him. He told himself, with all the firmness of a man on the edge of folly, that they must wed very soon, for his sanity could not long survive such exquisite torment.

“Very well, Mr Darcy, you did say you would protect me. Do go be noble.”

He swung onto the ladder and guided her onto the rung just above his. Together, they made their way down.

Bingley arrived in time to clap him on the back. “Go on inside, Darcy. Miss Bennet is waiting for her sister.” Then he turned to give orders to the footmen.

Miss Bingley awaited them at the door, her face pale with what appeared to be genuine distress. The moment they entered the house she rushed forward with tears streaming down her cheeks .

For once, she paid Darcy no attention at all.