Page 2 of Diversions With Darcy & Elizabeth

“Thank you. What is this?”

“A rare and powerful brew, a love potion.”

I chuckled. “You are teasing me.”

“Not at all.” A cunning glimmer stirred within her dark eyes, and she beheld me with a grin. “I believe you know an eligible, ’andsome gentleman, one who has not yet learnt to appreciate your charms.”

“What? How dare you? You do not know anything about me.” Flames seared my face. I should moderate my tone and preserve my equilibrium lest I allow this woman to unnerve me. “You are mistaken. There is no such…” To my chagrin, a distinct image of the proud and haughty Mr. Darcy thrust to the forefront of my mind. At the Meryton assembly a fortnight earlier, he had refused an introduction to me and proclaimed me not handsome enough to tempt him—within my hearing and whilst meeting my gaze. I had swallowed my humiliation, strode past him, and recounted the incident to my friend Charlotte. We shared a laugh at his boorishness. Could Mrs. Greenwood have referred to him?

“Use this the next time you see ’im. Add the mixture to ’is tea or coffee.” She poked her forefinger at me. “This is most important—your face must be the first ’e sees after taking a sip.”

“But I have no use for this…potion.” I toyed with my sleeve, averting my vision from her piercing scrutiny. I could not shake the fanciful notion that she had a window into my thoughts. Wait…could this be a possibility? Maybe she possessed a divine ability similar to that of my late grandmama Bennet.

“Do as I say, and you’ll ’ave a most beneficial marriage.”

Stuff and nonsense! Nevertheless, I yielded to my curiosity and opened the pouch to peek inside. The mixture resembled ordinary green tea. “Could this blend cause harm to anyone?” In any case, I should never use it.

“No, of course not.” Her hand wagged in a dismissive manner. “The recipe has been passed down in my family for ’undreds of years. It’s made from dandelion extract. The power comes from the method of preparation.”

“Well…” I had no choice but to accept the offering to avoid any insult. “Thank you.”

With a parting nod, Mrs. Greenwood returned to her camp. I tucked the pouch in the pocket of my pelisse and took the path towards Longbourn House.

No doubt many gullible people had paid Mrs. Greenwood and her ilk for love potions and similar forms of quackery. Would it not be amusing, though, if I could compel Mr. Darcy to find me irresistible? I could not imagine a more fitting punishment for his rude and unfeeling treatment of me.

Thursday, 31 October

Lucas Lodge

Elizabeth

Thanks to Mama, who impelled Jane to change her gown several times before directing her to wear the azure one my sister had originally selected, we arrived late to the party.

I greeted Charlotte, and we exchanged pleasantries and accounts of our activities since we had last spoken. I made no mention of my encounter with Luke and Mrs. Greenwood, nor had I related the incident to anyone else. Over the past two days, I had wavered between wanting to discard the mixture or use it for a bit of frolic. In the end, I had taken the potion with me tonight.

When the refreshments arrived, Charlotte accepted my offer to assist by serving the beverages. I took advantage of Jane and Mr. Bingley’s proximity and delivered their drinks first. At my inquiry, Mr. Bingley provided the helpful intelligence that Mr. Darcy preferred coffee to tea, with one lump of sugar.

After providing libations to Mrs. and Miss Long, I obtained the beverage intended for Mr. Darcy. He wandered the perimeter of the room alone, sending dour glances here and there. With a furtive look around me, I slipped into an alcove and added the potion to the cup. I wiped perspiration from my palm and set my shoulders before continuing towards Mr. Darcy. His brown eyes flashed as I drew near, betraying surprise at my audacity in approaching him.

“Would you like coffee, Mr. Darcy?” I swallowed. If he refused me, my little game would be over before it began.

“Thank you, yes.” He accepted the cup and continued to stare at me in that disconcerting way of his.

Bother, why did he have to be so attractive? His strong jaw, dark, intelligent eyes, straight nose, and prominent cheek-bones aligned with perfect symmetry; and his tall, virile figure contributed to his singular masculine allure. I coughed to dispel a sudden thickness in my throat. “I should be obliged if you would taste it. Charlotte fretted that she might have used too much sugar.”

He took a sip and nodded. “You may assure Miss Lucas that the coffee is to my liking.”

“Thank you. She will be pleased.” As I turned and strode back to Charlotte, the thudding of my heart echoed in my ears. I could not shake the worry of having erred. What if Mrs. Greenwood had lied to me and given me a poisonous substance? Yet that did not make sense; she had no reason to do anything so hateful. Nevertheless, a twisting discomfort plagued my insides, hampering my appetite. For the remainder of the evening, I should keep a covert watch over Mr. Darcy for any indication of a malady.

Thank the stars, Mr. Darcy appeared to remain hale that night. Nevertheless, he transcended his usual personality with puzzling conduct that spurred my anxiety.

Just before we departed, I encountered Lucy, the Lucas family’s maid. She waved to me, and I approached her.

“Miss Elizabeth.” Lucy looked left and right, before her head bent near mine. “I thought you might want to know what I over’eard tonight.”

“Oh?” What could this pertain to?

“When I gathered the empty cups in the drawing-room, I stood behind Miss Bingley. She told ’er sister that Mr. Darcy ’ad proclaimed you to be pretty and your eyes fine.”