Page 25 of A Different Impression

The moment they were alone, Elizabeth attempted to pull her arm from his grasp.

“Mr Lucas, you will release me at once,” she said firmly. “I have no wish to be handled in such a manner, and I will not tolerate such behaviour.”

John ignored her demand. Instead of releasing her, he shifted his hold, seizing both her hands and drawing her uncomfortably close. Elizabeth instinctively leant away and attempted to free herself, but his grip was far stronger than she had expected. His hold only tightened as she struggled against him.

“Lizzy—” he began, but Elizabeth refused to allow him to continue.

“Release me,” she repeated, more sharply than before. She was considering whether to bring her heel down upon his foot when footsteps sounded behind her.

“Mr Lucas.”

Relief swept through Elizabeth at the sound of Mr Darcy’s stern voice. He stepped to her side and placed a firm hand upon John’s shoulder.

“The lady has asked you to release her. You will comply.”

For one alarming moment, John’s grip tightened. He looked from Elizabeth to Mr Darcy, as though debating whether to defy him as well. Whatever he saw in the gentleman’s expression appeared to settle the matter.

With evident reluctance, he released her hands. Elizabeth immediately stepped closer to Mr Darcy, grateful for his solid presence beside her. She had never been so thankful to see another person in her life.

“What is it to you?” John demanded, his anger apparently overcoming his caution. “She is my intended. We shall marry before Christmas, and I will not allow you to toy with her.”

For one stunned heartbeat, Elizabeth could only stare at him.

“I have never agreed to marry you, John Lucas, and I have no intention of doing so now. I cannot imagine why you would speak such nonsense.”

“I proposed to you when I was ten and you were five, Lizzy; surely you remember,” John insisted. “We have always known that we would marry one day. It has always been expected.”

Her astonishment gave way almost instantly to indignation. Elizabeth drew herself up, every trace of civility vanishing.

“Mr Lucas, a proposal made when I was five and you were ten is hardly binding—even had I accepted you then, which I did not. You must put an end to this delusion. I will not marry you.”

“Delusion?” he cried. “What can you mean?”

“You proclaimed that we were engaged, sir, which is decidedly untrue,” she retorted. “As you ought to recall, I refused you even then. Now you are attempting to force my hand by spreading a rumour that could injure my reputation. You have no claim upon me.”

“But Lizzy,” he pleaded, “your mother and I have spoken many times of my plans to marry you.”

She felt suddenly ill.

“How strange that you have never spoken a word of those plans to me.” Every word came more coldly than the last. “I will not be forced into an unwanted marriage, particularly to a man who conspired with my mother rather than speaking to me and approaching my father as is proper. Such a man is not a husband I could ever want.”

“Do you truly expect this fine gentleman to offer for you, Lizzy?” Mr Lucas taunted. “Your mother knows mine is likely the only honourable proposal you will ever receive. This man means only to lead you on before returning to Town. He will never marry you.”

Elizabeth felt Mr Darcy stiffen beside her. His expression hardened, and he took one deliberate step forward before she instinctively caught his arm.

“William,” she whispered, though whether in warning or reassurance, she hardly knew.

Before he could speak, another voice sounded from the study doorway.

“What is the meaning of this?”

Elizabeth turned in surprise and saw her father standing there, his expression as severe as she had ever seen it. Mrs Hill hovered a short distance behind him, and Elizabeth had the sudden impression that the housekeeper had fetched him.

“Mr Lucas, might I remind you that you are no longer ten years of age,” her father continued sternly. “It is improper for you to address my daughter with such familiarity. She is Miss Elizabeth to you unless she grants you permission to call her otherwise.”

He fell silent for a moment, his gaze moving from Elizabeth to Mr Darcy and finally to Mr Lucas.

“Am I to understand that you are attempting to win my daughter’s hand by slighting both her and the man who is courting her? He, at least, spoke to me of his intentions, as is proper. As for Elizabeth being unable to do better than you, I sincerely doubt that to be true.”