Mr. Darcy's Bite

the cat had dragged in. But when he got closer, she realized that he was not in his best clothes either. Obviously, he had not come a-courting.

After exchanging pleasantries, Mary and Kitty went into the house, leaving Darcy and Elizabeth to stare at each other. Finally, Lizzy spoke.

“I did not know you were in Hertfordshire, Mr. Darcy. You should have written and given your sister advance notice so that she would be packed and ready to leave.”

“I will be at Netherfield Park for a few days, so there is no hurry. Knowing of her fondness for you, I imagine she is perfectly agreeable to remaining at Longbourn for another two or three days.”

“She is most welcome to stay here. She has been a delightful visitor, and we shall miss her when she leaves. But then all good things must come to an end. Isn’t that right, Mr. Darcy?” Lizzy asked in a voice lacking in any warmth.

And with that Darcy’s hopes faded. His first assessment of her exchange with Lady Helen had been correct. His leaving for Scotland had changed everything. She wanted no part of a life that involved being married to a werewolf. But then he hesitated. If that were the case, then why was she angry, and it was clear that she was. He would have anticipated regret, sadness, disappointed hopes. But anger? And for one of the few times in his life, he was genuinely puzzled. Apparently, he was already in hot water, so why not ask?

“You are angry,” he said, stating the obvious.

Lizzy glared at him. “Oh, yes. I forgot. You can tell how I feel without me having to say a word.”

The mystery deepened. “Didn’t you get my letter?”

“A letter? No I did not get a letter. I did receive a three-line note, consisting of twenty-six words in its entirety. Is that what you are referring to?”

Darcy dodged the question. “I was wondering if you would come to Netherfield Park this afternoon so that I might…”

“So that you might what? Take your leave of me? It is not necessary, Mr. Darcy. I fully understand what has happened.”

What did she mean by “take your leave of me?” Did she think he wanted to end their engagement? “I am not sure how to respond to that.”

“Of course not. You are a man of few words and fewer letters.”

Although her words stung, he was not unhappy with her being angry with him. Anger meant she cared. Right?

“I thought you might want to know what happened in Scotland.”

“Of course,” Lizzy said, looking down at the ground. Because she was so cross with him, she had neglected to ask about Teddy. She was pretty sure she knew what had happened to Rupert. Her embarrassment gave her pause, and she took the time to look at Mr. Darcy. There was no doubt he was exhausted, with dark circles under his eyes and a weariness about him that she had never seen before.

“You look awful,” she told him.

He laughed. “You don’t,” he said with that smile she loved.

And a picture flashed before her of him sitting on the floor of his study after he had returned from his two days in the woods with her foot on his chest to keep him from making any further advances. He had wanted her so badly, and if she were a different sort of woman, she would have given in to him. And then she realized that her thoughts had brought about a physical change in her, and it was the same thing as saying out loud, “I want you— every inch of you.” Her face turned crimson.

“When do you want me to come to Netherfield?” she asked, avoiding his gaze.

“May I send my carriage for you this afternoon? Let’s say three o’clock?” From the lilt in his voice, Lizzy knew that he had noticed the change.

“Are you sure you want me to come today? Because the days have grown so short, if I leave that late in the afternoon, I will need to stay at Netherfield.”

“If you do not have a problem with that, I certainly have no objection,” he said as he moved the reins over Montcalm’s head in preparation for his departure. “I look forward to seeing you—preferably without the knife?”

Lizzy looked down at the weapon in her hand and chuckled. “And maybe you will have shaved by that time.”

“You do not like my stubble?” he asked, scratching his face.

“You look scruffy. My preference is that you have a full beard or be clean shaven.”

Darcy was reassured. By her statement, she was telling him that whether man or beast, she loved him.

After mounting his horse, he tipped his hat. “Then I shall see you at Netherfield this afternoon. Oh, by the way, your Scottie has been looking out the window ever since I got here. You might want to reassure her that I am not coming into the house.”

Lizzy looked at the window in the front parlor, and she could see Magic’s face smushed up against the window. Even from such a distance, she could tell that the Scottie was very tense.

“I will go inside immediately or she will have an accident. But one more thing before you go. When I come to Netherfield, I want you to know that I am in no mood for noble speeches. Your aunt Marguerite told me to tell you that.”

Darcy bit his lip, and the furrowed brow returned. “Since it is never wise to disagree with Aunt Marguerite, I will consider myself warned.”

Chapter 24

Magic was not the only one with her nose pressed up against the glass. As soon as Lizzy walked into the house, she was set upon by her mother.

“Well, what did Mr. Darcy have to say? Why did he leave? Are you engaged?”

Lizzy did not need this kind of attention. She wanted to digest what Mr. Darcy had said, but her mother was like a hound on the scent when she thought there was a possible suitor in the neighborhood.

“Mr. Darcy came to say hello to his sister and to inform me of the happy conclusion of events in Scotland. He left because he is tired from such a long journey, and we are not engaged. Did I answer all your questions?”

“I have no doubt that you let that fish get away. Just like Mr. Collins. You will have to start all over again, and Jane has not been particularly helpful in finding you a husband. Mr. Bingley has four brothers. Why have you not been introduced to them?”

“We were introduced to two of them. You have forgotten that the next three oldest Bingleys after Charles are his sisters and that James, whom we did meet at the wedding, is only nineteen years old.”

“Nineteen years old? He is too young for you, but he will do nicely for Kitty.” Lizzy could see the wheels turning. “As for you, young lady, since there are no young men in the neighborhood with a fortune sufficient to support you, we must look to Aunt Susan.”

“If by ‘looking to Aunt Susan,’ you mean Mr. Nesbitt, I would rather have married Mr. Collins because whoever does marry Mr. Nesbitt will have to have a very large bed as the elder Mrs. Nesbitt will be sleeping between husband and wife.”

The Nesbitts were neighbors of Aunt Susan, Mr. Bennet’s sister, and because mother and son came to all their aunt’s teas, Lizzy had been in the gentleman’s company on several occasions. Excluding his resemblance to a stork, it was his habit of always sitting on his hands that made it impossible for Lizzy to take him seriously. Whenever Jane and she returned from a visit with Aunt Susan, they would have the best time trying to guess what Mr. Nesbitt was trying to stop Mr. Nesbitt from doing.

“You may jest all you want, Lizzy, but Mr. Collins is married to your best friend because you would not have him, and Mr. Nesbitt’s attentiveness to his mother shows that he has a kind heart. He also has a good income and a good-sized house and will shortly be called to the bar.”

“Mr. Nesbitt could live in Grosvenor Square and have ten thousand a year,” Lizzy said to her Mama, “and I would not marry him. I would rather be a spinster living on the parish than marry Mr. Dalton Nesbitt.” Turning away