The Heir and Spare (Jane Austen Adaptations)

22. Elizabeth

Chapter 22

Elizabeth

L izzie’s mind was a storm. Not just wind and rain but a torrential, tropical, dangerous storm. With swells and circular motions and blasts of rain and sudden quiet. She was not exactly unhappy. She was confused. She was unsure. And through the midst of it all, she was very happy.

But also hesitant.

Realizing that all the things that had bothered her about Mr. Darcy were not in fact found in one of the twins, that she’d treated him abominably for no reason at all except that she’d met his twin, and knowing that certainly she’d never put her best self forward to a man who was undeniably suddenly so attractive to her she was finding it difficult to breathe, she wasn’t certain how to move forward.

She was aware of every fall of his mud-covered boots. Even though Fitz walked between them, a heart-pounding heat and energy flowed in her direction through or around the brother. She could hardly think, hardly walk on her own. She placed a hand at her heart.

Fitz immediately turned to her. “Are you well? Should we adjust our pace?” Fitz frowned at Arthur. “Sometimes the task at hand becomes more important than the people performing it around here.”

Arthur shook his head, but he turned to her with concern. “Are we moving too quickly? The barn is just up ahead…”

She shook her head. “No, I’m fine. I have much on my mind that is quite exhilarating and I have to admit, stealing my breath.” Her eyes sought his. She could not resist her subtle declarations. She could not resist him at all. He stepped closer. “I, too, have much on my mind.”

Fitz again cleared his throat. “Perhaps we should continue then, if everyone is able to keep the breakneck speed of my brother’s walking pace.”

“Yes, I’m well.”

“Well, indeed.”

Fitz moved forward, returning to their previous pace. Lizzie fell in step with Arthur so that now she was walking between the twins.

The heat burning off of him almost jumped out to her.

Twice, their hands brushed and even through her gloves, she found it tingly and exhilarating and full of yearning. More. She wanted more of him, more brushing, more nearness, more of him.

She knew he might not be hers. She knew he might not care for her, and he’d have every reason to think her quite the harpy, if she were being honest. But she could in no way shield her heart anymore from this man. He was truly all that she’d wanted. Now that the previous concerns were put to rest, she felt free to love him. But steady on, she would need to pace herself.

Ridiculous, desperate craving was not something she thought she’d ever feel. But at the moment that’s all she could feel. She needed to overcome this or else she’d make a bumbling fool of herself for the rest of the day.

Fitz hummed to himself a moment and then stopped. “I met you in Meryton.”

She and Arthur both paused as well, Arthur pressing his lips together.

She nodded. “Yes, that was you.” She laughed and turned to Arthur. “And it was you at the house party.”

“House party?” Fitz tilted his head.

“Lord Shackley invited us both, with Miss Mary as well.”

“And that is where you two met.” Fitz rubbed his chin with his hand. “But you thought I was him?”

“I thought you were both the same person this whole time.”

“That must have been a bit of a turmoil.” Fitz nodded.

“Yes, to say the least. You two did not treat me the same way…”

“Then I can only blame myself for my behavior in Meryton not to immediately notice the diamond in that small town and do all in my power to be more impressive of a catch.” He winked. Before she could respond, he pointed toward the barn. “Shall we be off, then?”

“Yes, we shall.” Arthur softened his tone with a gentle smile to them both. “Though I, too, am very intrigued in all that happened between the two of you while she thought it was I.”

“Or she thought you were I.” Fitz pointed.

She laughed. “This is quite a story. And I’m surprised it doesn’t happen more often.”

“Well, most often, we are near people who already know us or at least know of us. Meryton is not somewhere we have ever been.”

As they approached the barn, servants opened the doors and stood at attention. She’d never experienced anything like the fineness of Pemberley.

Arthur glanced in her direction once more and then stepped forward. “We are going to need as many as can possibly be spared to assist on Periwinkle Lane. The flood has trapped many, and I don’t know the situations of others. Our home is open. The vicarage, I’m assuming, is as well. Perhaps we will need the barn. Please grab warm blankets and carts and make your way to assist.”

They immediately sprang into action. Arthur himself opened the stores and grabbed a handful of blankets.

Fitzwilliam turned to her. “And someone needs to take care of you.” He called to a passing servant. “Could we get a pair of boots for the lady?”

“Yes, very good, sir.”

“Thank you. I do hope to be of use. I can’t imagine being flooded in my own home.”

“Nor I.” He shuddered. “But they are more used to it than we, I would assume. Don’t allow yourself to be overcome. They will be well.”

“Yes, thanks to your family. It’s wonderful how you treat them.” She remembered his recklessness in town. “I only feel sorry that you felt the need to entertain us while so many suffered. We would have understood had you needed to cancel or leave us, or anything at all.” She watched him.

His face remained blank. But he toyed with his timepiece for a moment. “My brother and I see things differently. I, of course, knew that the tenants were in trouble. The vicar is working. The tenants themselves are working. I alerted Arthur. And I had important guests at my table. All in good time, everything can be taken care of.” He held her gaze a moment longer. “I don’t think anything is more important than your time at my table or that of your family.”

His words shook her to the core. Powerful sentiments she could not help but be affected by coursed through her like her life force. Did she feel the same? Would she have cared enough about her guests to be certain they were the most important for at least the time they were in her home? Did this Darcy twin actually care for her?

She saw only sincerity in his expression.

“I know we have not been able to converse much at all, but I was hoping this evening to express an interest, to show you my earnest desire to know you better.” He sighed. “But, naturally, my brother feels something along those lines and I sense you might?”

A servant arrived with the boots, saving Lizzie from responding just yet.

Fitz indicated a bench against the wall. “Might I assist you?”

“Yes, thank you.” She studied his face. It was the same face she’d looked at countless times, sometimes as Fitz and sometimes as Arthur. But she could see the differences now. It was mostly in expressions, but Fitz was definitely Fitz, and he had a softer, sincere side she was appreciating greatly at the moment. Seems as though, once you impressed the man, he was all yours. At least for a time. She rested a hand on his arm. “Who knows what would have happened had I been handsome enough to tempt you.” She laughed.

He groaned and rubbed a hand over his face.

“But I hold no ill feelings. Sometimes things happen for a reason.”

“Is there no hope of convincing you still? No pull of Pemberley itself? We might not yet have an affection but surely you can see all that would be available here.” His eyes held hope.

And she couldn’t dash that hope, but she couldn’t inflame it further, either. “I do love Pemberley already. And the opportunity to do so much good. But I want a marriage of more than convenience.”

She sat and he lifted one of her feet. “Then I shall have to win your heart or give in to a brother who has perhaps already won it?” He studied her face that she tried to keep from turning bright red, with little success. He ran his thumb over the side of her ankle. “With your permission?”

She nodded. No man had ever touched her feet before. Was this permitted? She glanced down the barn to find Arthur.

He was surrounded by servants and seemed to be organizing the rescue effort, or at least to have forgotten all about them.

She was about to nod her consent when Arthur glanced their way. He held up a hand and hurried in their direction. “Fitz. They are in need of your direction. Could you lead the first group? They need your exceptional abilities with horses. I think I can assist Miss Elizabeth from here, and we will move with the second group.” He was standing in front of them in what seemed to be two strides, his hand outstretched as if to ask for the boot in Fitz’s.

She felt her mouth drop and forced it closed. The two stood eye-to-eye, and she recognized just how identical they were, the same height, same jaw line, same handsome features. But there was a tenderness to Arthur that seemed more of an edge in Fitz, and even the strength displayed by Arthur in his commands was the kind of leadership that people wanted to follow. Fitz might be intimidating in some settings, but he would not often be admired, at least not yet. She saw so much potential in him, but Arthur seemed to have already arrived.

Goodness. The power of two Darcies both vying for her attention was almost too much. She stood. “I think I can don my own boot, but thank you very much for the offers to assist.” She tucked both boots under her arm and moved farther down in the barn to a different bench.

Fitz and Arthur engaged in a rapid-fire conversation which she would have loved to overhear but dare not.

After what seemed an eternity, both brothers gripped the other’s shoulder and Fitz moved toward the group of servants hard at work, preparing to leave by loading carts with needed supplies. After a few steps, he turned to Lizzie and dipped his head in a half bow.

She smiled her encouragement and then Arthur stood in front of her. He knelt. “I see you’ve made no progress with your boot.” His smile was soft, tender and his eyes sparkling with light and admiration.

“I have not.” Her face colored. “I find my mind is highly engaged in the mystery of two Darcys when I thought there was only one.”

He closed his eyes. “When I met you at the house party…”

“I thought you were Fitz.”

“And he was less than gentlemanly?”

She looked away, not wishing to speak ill of him. “I… He did not seem to favor my company.” She gasped. “Nor that of my sister nor her relationship with Bingley.” She placed a hand over her mouth. “Oh, Mr. Darcy. I have treated you so ill. I must apologize.”

He reached for her foot. “May I?”

Her mouth went dry but she nodded and lifted her foot so that it fit in his hand. His large, strong fingers slipped the slipper off of her foot, placing it on the bench beside her. One hand cupped her foot, his fingers gently rubbing against the skin at her ankle while the other lifted the boot. “I do think this will fit well enough. It is not, perhaps, the prettiest of feet adornments.” He laughed as a large and clunky but very useful boot encased her foot and leg up to her knee.

“I shall fully appreciate these, I’m certain, as we go slogging in the mud.”

“You will, indeed.”

He lifted her other foot, both hands cradling its stocking smallness. “You have lovely feet.”

Her smile turned to a soft laugh. “I don’t think I ever imagined such a compliment.”

“Oh? And what do you think of it now that it is received?” His smile widened.

“I find you might say all manner of compliments and I would never tire of them.” She forced herself not to look away, though she felt more bold than she’d ever been.

“Then I shall find many reasons to shower them upon you, for I’ve been thinking them up these many long weeks.”

“You have?”

“I most certainly have. And trying with no avail to forget them.”

“Oh dear.”

“You were clearly not interested in hearing them then.”

“Not from Fitz…but from you? You are an entirely different opportunity.”

He squeezed her ankle one more time and then slid on the clunky boot. “And now, my lady, we are off to the tenants. I’m afraid it will not be the beautiful house tour, nor the quiet parlor game or the boisterous charades but rather, the smudged and dirty faces of cold and wet people in need.” He was not apologizing.

And she was smiling even wider. “I shall enjoy it far more than anything else we could do together, I do believe.”

He laughed with his belly then which made her join him, though she had no idea the cause of such amusement.

“Then you, my dear, will be delightful to please.” He reached for her hands and brought her to stand in front of him. “I can promise you one thing.”

“Only one?” She widened her eyes, glued to his face to hear what it might be.

“Only one for now.” He shook his head. “I cannot believe this is actually happening right now.”

“Nor I. I shall not sleep tonight. This seems but a dream.” She stepped nearer, without even thinking. “But what is the thing you promise?”

“Oh yes, I promise that we shall do other more enjoyable things than rescue the tenants.”

“What a lovely thought. How many?”

“How many things?”

“Yes, I shall have to clear my calendar.” She tapped her chin.

“A lifetime of them, if you can find the time.” His face colored slightly and then he held out his arm. “But enough of that before I go making a muddle of things before they can even begin. Shall we?”

She placed her hand at his elbow. “We shall, most definitely, begin.”

He rested a hand on top of hers. “I’ve instructed the servants to take you back to the house at the first sign of real fatigue.”

“What?” She stopped and turned to him. “We shall have none of that.”

“I cannot have you working yourself to exhaustion.”

“I will not overly tax myself. But I will be tired. I love a good tired, don’t you? The kind where you fall into bed knowing you did something of worth that day.”

“Keep talking, Miss Elizabeth, and I won’t ever be able to let you go.”

She was quiet for so long after that, in awe and wonder that Mr. Arthur Darcy could speak so to her, that he paused their steps. “Have I scared you already?”

“Oh my goodness, no. I’m merely trying to exercise a bit of restraint over here.”

“And what are you restraining, might I ask?” His eyebrow twitched with a sort of wicked gleam, but she laughed and shook her head. “Oh no. I shall not reveal such things yet. There is still a mystery to unfold. That is part of the fun, is it not?”

“It most definitely is. And I shall enjoy every smallest bit I unravel.”

Her face warmed so much she felt feverish. “And now we shall have to pretend once again to be at odds.”

“Why would we do that?” He frowned.

“So we can accomplish something this evening.” She laughed. “I would certainly like to be of use.”

“And we shall.” He waved to a servant who stepped forward. “Our conveyance awaits.” They rounded a corner, and a cart full of supplies was loaded and ready with a donkey to pull it.

“Most excellent.” She circled around to climb in, but Mr. Darcy called out.

“Now wait. I must help you up like a gentleman should.”

“Ah, very true.” She placed her hand in his and the thrill of any attention from him raced through her. “I don’t suppose I shall get used to that too quickly.”

“Did you enjoy that as much as I?”

“I might have.” She grinned. “Now stop. We are not to flirt so shamelessly.”

“Ah, success! If you noticed I’m flirting, I’m at last doing it correctly.”

She laughed, with abandon. “You are too self-deprecating. I’m certain there are many women half in love with you and your charms.”

He shook his head gravely. “I have not wished to know many women in such a manner. I’m generally much more reserved. Some call me proud.”

She studied him for a few minutes and just nodded. “But I’d think it was a good kind of pride. I cannot imagine the arrogance on the faces of so many on you. It wouldn’t fit.”

His eyes twinkled, and he took the reins. “And now we are off.”

They moved out down the lane. “Where are we headed?”

“We are in search of the vicar. First stop, the vicarage. I do believe he is hosting many there, and he will have news on the rest, I hope.”

“And Fitz?”

Darcy’s eyes clouded a moment, but he smiled. “My brother will assist those who have been left or trapped or unreachable from the vicarage but more accessible from our side of the dirt trails.”

“Is that where you found the others?”

“Yes, it was. And a sad state they were in.”

She nodded. “We shall do all we can. I admit to being anxious to arrive.”

“I, too. But I will not begrudge a moment or two with you. Of all the pursuits today, even though some are, indeed, very pressing, my pursuit of you is the most important to me. I hope you know that. Even though things will get drastically busy and I may leave or be distracted, this right here is where I long to be.”

She nodded. “I would not want you to stay too close if it meant others could not be helped, though my heart might wish otherwise.” Her face flamed. She was so bold. She had never been this bold. But he seemed to listen with supreme contentment as though she brought him great balms of comfort.

“We will make a good pair this night then, I suspect.”