Jane paused, glancing up from a magazine. “Are you sure about this shade of pink, Lizzy? It’s a bit loud.”
“It’s fine.”
“Okay,” she answered doubtfully, staring at her half-painted toenails. She looked up in the mirror and met Elizabeth’s eyes. “Darcy told Charles the same thing you told me. He asked you out, youdeclined, he asked why, and you argued.” Jane took a breath. “Is there more to it? More you’d like to share?”
“No.” Elizabeth had kept everything that happened at Netherfield—and nearly everything since—to herself. Only Charlotte knew any of it, and even with her, she hadn’t shared all the details. Jane didn’t need to carry the baggage of her sister’s stupidly awful behavior into her relationship with the poor man’s best friend.
“But I can tell you’re uncomfortable whenever his name comes up. Are you sure you can handle the weekend? Is it too soon? Remember, the wedding isn’t until October. You have months to buck up for that.”
“Exactly. He won’t be there. I’m fine.”
“Are we there yet?” piped up a small voice. Elizabeth hadn’t dared to speak the same thought. Sitting in the backseat with her young cousins had distracted her from a pervading sense of doom, but her ears and her patience were worn out. Still, it had been preferable to riding with Jane and Charles in a car packed with Caroline’s “extra luggage” sent ahead of her next-day arrival. The lovebirds had discovered a shared passion for singing old commercial jingles, and Elizabeth, already suffocating under their happiness, hated to think she might scare them with the fierce, angry face she’d shown so freely to Darcy.
Elizabeth was grateful to have a day and night without the rest of her family or Charles’ sisters. Louisa’s unexpected—and seemingly unwanted—pregnancy would delay them for a day. Leave it to a Bingley girl to have “evening sickness” and thus plan an early morning car trip. The father of the bride, Barbara, and the girls would likely arrive by noon if they could roust Lydia from her bed by then.
Bingley’s Lexus slowed down as they crested the hill. His arm emerged from the window and he gestured for Uncle Joe to pull alongside him. “There.” He pointed at a sprawling, shingled, low-slung mansion on a cliff above the beach. “That’s Pemberley.” Elizabeth was speechless. It was stunning. It was beautiful. It washis.
The family followed Charles into the house and dropped their bags. “Hmm…” He looked around the vast open space. “Let me go find Mrs. Reynolds. Darcy promised me she’d be here.”
Elizabeth grabbed a water bottle from her bag and wandered outside with the children and her aunt. The kids raced to a swing hanging from a huge oak, but Elizabeth set off to clear her head andsee the grounds. A generous sandy beach stretched out behind the house, waves lapping gently at the shore. She didn’t see another house for miles. A copse of trees stood at the cliff’s edge across the road, and seeing gardens beyond, Elizabeth decided to explore. She was walking through a meadow of lavender and goldenrod when she heard a noise. She turned around and looked up. It washim.
CHAPTER TEN
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“Elizabeth,” he gasped.
“You’re here.” She gulped.
Indeed he was. Filthy and dripping sweat, his hands and polo shirt covered in grease.
“Yes,” he choked out. Elizabeth washere, at Pemberley, staring at him. He shook his head, trying to erase the fog that had him wondering whether he wasin heaven or hell.
“I was leaving,” he added. “But, um, I had a flat tire and I was trying to change it, but I lost a nut.”
Her eyes widenedand he hastened to explain.
“When I was trying to yank it off. The tire? And the spare was stuck. I was trying to leave. But…the tire.” He looked away and took a step back.I’m babbling. I sound like a bloody idiot.
“Do you need some help? I can go get Charles. Oh, wait…my Uncle Joe is here. He’s great with cars.”
His eyes darted back to her and then off toward the house. “Your family, they’re here? Already?”Oh, I’m in hell. Definitely.
“Not all of them. Just Jane and Charles, and my aunt and uncle and their children.”
Darcy nodded. “Er, I should clean up. And get a drink. It’s beastly hot.” He bent his head and lifted a clean corner of his shirt to wipe his brow. He looked up and saw her staring at his chest. He quickly pulled his shirt down.
“Pardon me.” Cringing at his behavior, his face bright red, Darcy started to move past Elizabeth.
“Here,” she said awkwardly, her face as crimson as his. “I have some water.” She held up her water bottle.
He looked at the bottle and then at her. He appeared confused.
“I only took a sip,” she said stupidly.
He blinked and offered her a crooked smile. “Thank you. Very much. But I can get something at the house.”
“Oh. Sure.” Elizabeth looked away. “Well, I was going to explore a bit. Good luck.”
