Page 79 of A Different Impression

When he stopped before her, Elizabeth placed one hand against his chest. His skin was warm beneath her palm, his heartbeat still rapid from the exercise—or perhaps now for another reason.

“What I witnessed was rather…” She traced her fingertips lightly downwards as though the proper word required careful consideration. “Enticing.”

He caught her hand before it could travel very far. “Enticing?”

“And alluring,” she added, dropping her voice to a near whisper. “Although next time, I should prefer a private exhibition.”

A low growl sounded in his throat. He drew her hand to his lips, pressing a lingering kiss against her palm before pulling her firmly against him.

“And what,” he murmured beside her ear, “would you expect from such an exhibition?”

“I could not possibly say without first seeing it.”

“You are a dangerous woman, Mrs Darcy.”

His mouth descended upon hers before she could answer. Elizabeth wound her arms around his neck, heedless of the damp warmth of his skin or the certainty that her gown would bear evidence of their embrace. When his lips moved to the sensitive place beneath her ear, she briefly forgot the dinner, their guests and the carriage even then drawing nearer to Darcy House.

Only the distant striking of the hall clock restored some measure of sense.

“My father will arrive soon,” she protested breathlessly, making no effort to escape his arms.

“Then he has chosen a remarkably inconvenient hour.”

Elizabeth laughed against William’s mouth before surrendering to one final kiss. The remaining dinner arrangements could wait a little longer—but, regrettably, Mr Bennet’s approaching carriage could not.

CHAPTER 33

Old Habits Return

Mr Bennet and Mary arrived in the middle of the afternoon, considerably later than Elizabeth had expected. She had awaited them with mingled pleasure and unease, but when the carriage finally stopped before Darcy House, anticipation briefly overcame her apprehension.

She and William went to the hall to greet them. Her father entered first, his expression dark and his movements unusually abrupt.

“Thank you for coming upon such short notice, Mr Bennet,” William said. The pleased smile upon his face faded almost immediately.

Her father offered a gruff acknowledgement before asking to be shown directly to his room. His gaze passed over Elizabeth without recognition, and he followed the housekeeper upstairs without offering her so much as a word.

Elizabeth stood motionless for a moment. She had invited him into her home so that he might share in one of the happiest announcements of her life, yet he had greeted her as though she were scarcely present.

Mary entered more slowly and gave Elizabeth an apologetic look.

“I am afraid the journey was not pleasant,” she said quietly.

Elizabeth forced a smile and embraced her sister. “Come into the drawing room—unless you would prefer to refresh yourself first. You may tell me what occurred whenever you are ready.”

As they walked towards the drawing room, Mary explained the cause of their delay.

“Mama saw the Darcy carriage arrive at Longbourn yesterday and guessed that someone was preparing to travel. This morning, she appeared with a valise in her hand and had somehow contrived to have her trunks loaded onto the carriage.”

Despite herself, Elizabeth nearly laughed. “How did she accomplish that from the dower house?”

“I have no notion. It required considerable effort to persuade her that she had not been invited and could not accompany us. She insisted that you must require her assistance in finding wealthy husbands for Jane and Kitty, since neither has announced an engagement.”

Elizabeth’s momentary amusement faded. She pulled Mary to a stop and looked around to see that all the servants had disappeared. “I suppose she blamed me for that as well.”

“She did,” Mary admitted. “Papa eventually threatened to reduce her pin money further unless she returned to the dower house. He also arranged for a footman to accompany her whenever she leaves it while he is away. And she is expressly forbidden from entering the manor house.”

“That explains why he is angry,” Elizabeth said, glancing towards William on her other side.