Page 7 of Before She Knew Him

Miss Darcy considered this before returning her hands to the keys.

“Elizabeth does herself an injustice,” Mrs Gardiner said from her place nearby. “She plays very well when we can persuade her to perform for us. While she may want for practice, she plays with great expression and sings beautifully.”

“My aunt is excessively partial to me—and entirely too kind,” Elizabeth replied.

“Then perhaps you will play for us tomorrow and allow us to judge which of you has come nearer the truth,” Mr Fitzwilliam Darcy said from behind her.

Elizabeth turned towards him. “I thought tomorrow was to be a picnic.”

“Pemberley will still possess a pianoforte when we return from our outing.” His solemn countenance might have deceived her, had she not already learnt to recognise the amusement in his eyes.

Beneath the teasing, she detected an unmistakable expectation—not merely that she would play, but that she would return to Pemberley once again.

Miss Darcy resumed her playing, and when she had finished, the party passed another agreeable half-hour in conversation. At last, Mrs Gardiner regretfully observed that they ought to return to Lambton, and the gentlemen sent for their carriage.

While the others exchanged their farewells, Mr Fitzwilliam Darcy approached Elizabeth with a volume in his hand.

“You expressed an interest in this yesterday.”

Elizabeth accepted it with care. “You would allow me to borrow it?”

“If you promise to return it.”

“We leave Lambton in less than a se’nnight. I shall have very little time to read, especially with all the outings your father has suggested.”

“Then read what you can of it while you are here. If, as I suspect, Georgiana’s regard for you continues to grow, she will no doubt insist upon corresponding with you, and we can arrange for its return after you have finished it. You may find it a welcome distraction upon your journey home to Hertfordshire.” Mr Darcy paused. “Unless, of course, you would prefer to bring it back yourself upon another visit to Pemberley.”

His tone remained composed, but there was nothing ambiguous in the look accompanying those final words.

Elizabeth lowered her eyes to the volume, though not before she knew he had seen her smile.

When she entered the Gardiners’ carriage a short while later, she held the book carefully against her. It was not until Pemberley had disappeared from view that she allowed herself to wonder whether Mr Darcy had lent it to her merely because he believed she would enjoy it—or because he hoped she would choose to return it herself.

She rather hoped it was both.

Chapter Five

Fitzwilliam Darcy had never been so anxious for guests to arrive. During the past hour, he had consulted both the clock and his pocket watch far more often than necessary, and still the Gardiners had not come.

That was, of course, entirely to be expected, as they were not due for another half-hour. Nevertheless, he could not resist checking his watch once more.

His father chuckled behind him. “They will come, Fitzwilliam—and no doubt at precisely the time they are expected.”

Fitzwilliam turned from the window, where he had been watching the drive.

“I know, Father.” He returned the watch to his pocket. “I merely wished to ensure the weather remained favourable for our picnic. I should hate for it to be delayed by rain.”

His father came to stand beside him and gazed out at the unbroken expanse of blue.

“A very real danger,” his father said gravely. “You had best look again in five minutes. Derbyshire weather can be unpredictable.”

Even as he spoke, however, he could not entirely suppress the smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. Fitzwilliam saw it but chose not to acknowledge it. He could only hope his father did not also notice the warmth creeping up the back of his neck.

He was spared any further teasing by Georgiana’s arrival.

“Are they here?” she asked, hurrying across the room to join them at the window.

“No, they have not yet arrived,” her father replied. With exaggerated deliberation, he withdrew his watch and consulted it. “Nor are they expected for another twenty-five minutes.”