"A load of blasted good luck, I say." Richard scoffed as the three Fitzwilliam male cousins fell onto their respective chairs in the drawing room the next afternoon. "There is little skill involved in having the geese all flock your way."
"It is my natural attractiveness, brother mine. I'm afraid you shall never understand." Frederick laughed as the footmen hurry to serve them drinks. The older guests had either refrained from the shooting or absconded to their rooms since. Only the young could manage to enjoy tarrying a bit longer before dressing for dinner. "Although, I must say, there is plenty to said of your skill in landing a woman as fine as Miss Merivale."
Darcy twitched slightly at the allusion to Richard's betrothed, though he kept his focus on his glass for the meantime.
Richard shook his head and sighed. "Not every relationship is a conquest, my lord."
"No, but nor is every one worth celebrating. Consider it a compliment. I hardly expected you to have done so well."
"And so quickly, I suppose." Richard raised a brow.
"Indeed. Most impressive secret courtship, I must say." Frederick chuckled. "If I knew you had such skills, I would have consulted you a long time ago. And here I thought my brother as a man versed only in the art of war, and not of love."
"What of love? I doubt I am any more the wiser about it than I was a year ago."
"Oh, come now, do not tell me you courted Miss Merivale out of convenience?"
Darcy swallowed a harsh gulp, his ears trained on his cousins.
Richard shrugged before sipping his own drink. "I cannot say I didn't."
"And here we are, convinced that you were the romantic-minded one."
"I am not entirely un-romantic, mind you."
"I thought practicality in matters of the heart was always my strong suit."
"You and Lady Harriett are a match made in heaven, and you know that full well, brother. Your future baroness, for all her eccentricities, likes you for who you are - foolish as that might be."
Frederick grinned. "And your Miss Merivale does not?"
"She is fine - a fine woman," Richard murmured, "I do respect her."
"Respect, bah."
"I would caution you against such attitudes when you are the one closest to the altar, Frederick," Darcy finally spoke. "Being dismissive of the fairer sex should hardly do you any merit."
"Ah, now Darcy is the wise one. Where were the two of you when I was courting my bride?"
"Perhaps we were only lacking personal experience," said Richard.
"Experience now, is it?" Frederick laughed. He slipped his emptied glass onto the side table before jumping to his feet. "That is a department, I suppose, where I have always been the superior cousin."
Both Darcy and Richard groaned.
"Again, not every relationship is a conquest," Richard grumbled.
"Nor is every one fun." Frederick winked. "Don't tell me you haven't so much as kissed your lady love, Rich?"
The thought of Richard kissing Elizabeth, even if he had every right to, made Darcy grit his teeth.
"That is none of your business," Richard answered evasively.
"Is that why we've seen you eyeing the maids - even your own fiancée's?"
Darcy snapped to attention, his eyes narrowing upon Richard, who looked unusually flustered given the usual banter between the brothers. Was Richard, the upright military man, already having a stray eye before the wedding? The thought was unsettling, and particularly infuriating considering that the woman he was meant to marry was -
"Don't accuse me of your own tendencies, Freddie," Richard volleyed back at his brother. "Was it not always you who said the worst sort of torture was being smitten with a woman one could not have?"
Richard's words struck Darcy keenly, although he felt little sympathy for his cousin given the guarded look on Richard's face. A man fortunate enough to have earned Elizabeth's hand ought to be much happier than Richard seemed to be. When Darcy had changed from suspecting Elizabeth Merivale to defending her was something he himself did not know, but he was fairly certain he took her side in this particular circumstance.
Frederick shrugged nonchalantly. "We all say things at times."
Richard sighed. "I suppose we do."
The brothers parted, leaving Darcy in a deeper entanglement than he had ever found himself in before.
The morning dew was still fresh by the time Darcy stepped out the following day, his eyes and feet instinctively directed towards the West Garden. His chest tightened slightly at the sight of Miss Elizabeth's form strolling the garden paths. Her lady's maid, a rather distinct-looking blond that Richard was supposed to be often distracted by, watched her from a distance. Despite his gentlemanly responsibility to voice awareness of his presence, Darcy found himself tarrying somewhat as he drank in the view.
Yes, the maid was pretty and rather graceful for a girl of her station. But why anyone would stray when a woman like Elizabeth had already promised him her hand made Darcy glower. Richard needed a stern talking to, but Darcy wasn't sure if he, of all people, had the right to deliver it.
What was he, after all, but just another fool nurturing unrequited attraction? Perhaps he would have to recruit Frederick to his cause instead.
The sound of rustling skirts had Darcy looking up just in time to see Elizabeth's maid take leave of her. The petite servant returned to the house while her mistress continued to walk alone.
Darcy frowned. It was hardly safe for Elizabeth to spend so much time unattended when half of the guests in the house party seemed to have an appraising eye for her. It was one thing for Darcy to encounter her, given how determined he was to maintain his honor despite the inextricable pull he felt towards her. It was another sort of risk altogether if the more unscrupulous men in their party found her alone.
"Elizabeth," he called out as he approached, relishing the way her name felt on his lips.
She turned to face him and offered a kind, genuine smile. "Darcy."
He bowed formally even as he allowed himself a moment to indulge in the informality of their mutual addresses. She dutifully curtsied in return.
"May I offer myself as a companion this morning?" He took pains to sound casual and assured.
She laughed brightly. "I would be honored, sir, although I wonder how long I would tarry here myself."
"Of course. I did not mean to impose."
"Oh, not at all." She rested a gloved hand upon his arm. "I would be glad to have your company, truly."
"I do not know if I am fully convinced."
She chuckled again. "I only wished to forewarn you of my intentions. It would not do for me to leave you in doubt of my preferences in the event that I should suddenly suggest the need to withdraw after only having just begun to spend time in your company."
"Ah, in that case, I must thank you for your consideration." He offered his arm with a smile, gratified when she took it readily. They walked together for a few paces. "And perhaps I may yet be able to convince you to circumvent your plans for the rest of the morning by offering my scintillating conversation and rambunctious sense of humor."
She laughed heartily, clearly understanding his self-deprecation, and they walked together blithely for several more minutes, discussing home and hopes and opinions about his aunt's hosting. Elizabeth appeared fully engaged for most of their exchange, even though her eyes seemed to dart occasionally to the main house. Darcy wondered if she feared being seen with him or desired to locate her betrothed. Both hypotheses unsettled him, so he rather decidedly ignored them both.
"Do you look forward to joining the family of an earl, then?" Darcy ventured to ask on their second turn about the small garden. "I would think the past week has given you a good glimpse into the life of the Fitzwilliam Clan."
She seemed to answer a little more slower than she usually did. There was a wistfulness to her tone when she replied, "I don't think I could ever prefer any family to my own, but I suppose it is a natural preference. It is also a foolish one, for a woman is rather destined to leave her birth family at some point, whether for marriage or employment."
"I color myself surprised that possibility of employment has ever crossed your mind given the supposed fame of the Merivale fortune."
This time, her laughter sounded both amused and strained. "Yes, that would be surprising, wouldn't it?"
Her eyes darted to the main house once more. Yet instead of resuming their conversation after a brief glance, like she had the past few times, she stopped walking altogether instead. Darcy watched as her brows furrowed and her head leaned to the side, as if she attempted to keep within sight something or someone near the house.
"Elizabeth," he said just as she dropped his arm and walked ahead, her singular focus upon what Darcy now saw as the figure of a man hustling away. Whether the person was a guest or a servant was difficult to discern given the light morning mist still surrounding them, but that fact did not seem to deter the young heiress from pursuing the sight.
"Elizabeth," he called out again.
"Pardon me," she said without turning back to face him. "I must go."
"Elizabeth." He strode forward until he was beside her once more. "What could you possibly - "
"I cannot explain. I am sorry." She huffed. "There is something that Richard and I need to be aware of, and I must do what I can - "
He held a hand to her shoulder. "Then let me go with you, if you must."
She met his eyes briefly, turned back to the scurrying figure, and then back to Darcy again. She nodded. "Very well."
They took off together without another word.
Elizabeth's morning walks had started as a matter of personal habit, but they had morphed quickly into a method of surveillance after the colonel informed her that there was substantial evidence being discovered of the culprit being in contact with his accomplices during the house party. As nothing of note was indicated by the correspondences being sent from the house, it was clear that whoever was betraying his country was doing so through means of personal communication. Richard had volunteered to play watchman at night, when it was much more likely for something dangerous to occur. Elizabeth took to the mornings, although she never seemed to observe anything unusual apart from the occasional spat amongst the servants.
In retrospect, it would have been wiser of her to have made arrangements for some sort of assistance in case any form of confrontation or pursuit was necessary, as it appeared to be today. That Mr. Darcy happened to be with her, and be willing to accompany her, was quite a godsend.
"Where do you think he is going?" Her unexpected companion asked in a quiet tone as they pursued the man from a distance. The taller frame indicated that it could only be Mr. Culham or Sir Tyler, though the lingering morning mist prevented her from determining who exactly it was just yet.
"I cannot tell," Elizabeth admitted, "though I wonder if it could be anything good."
Mr. Darcy nodded solemnly. He walked rather close to her, allowing her to feel the heat emanating from his shoulders. She drew reassurance from his presence.
A half mile later, the man they pursued stopped at the edge of a farm, where he seemed to wait for a few moments by himself. It was apparent now that it was Mr. Culham, merely dressed in older clothes. A small part of Elizabeth wished to step closer, to see more clearly and hear more clearly whatever it was that the gentleman farmer was doing. Good sense insisted that she remain where she was with Mr. Darcy, their presence shielded by a generous tree trunk a good thirty to forty yards away.
"What is Mr. Culham about?" He whispered by her ear, causing a warm, disconcerting sensation to trail down her spine.
Elizabeth tried her best to focus. "I am not at liberty to share very much, sir."
"You said this concerns you and Richard -"
"To a certain degree, yes." She paused, wondering how she could present the truth without deceiving him too much. She detested having to hide anything from Darcy when he had been nothing but solicitous and open-mannered with her since they had struck upon an unlikely friendship. "It is something more pertinent to my family."
"Your family's well-being is connected to Mr. Culham's behavior?"
"One could say so, yes." Elizabeth sighed. She narrowed her eyes slightly as a farmer departed from the small cabin and approached to talk to Mr. Culham. The two individuals seemed to convene comfortably, as if they were merely old friends exchanging gossip.
Elizabeth hardly knew to be disappointed or relieved that it did not seem to be anything more sinister. Even with Darcy by her side, she did not think she would be able to manage the discovery of a large stash of weaponry or anything of the kind.
She leaned back against the tree trunk and sighed. "It seems to be a misunderstanding. I'm so sorry to have wasted your time."
"Not at all. I am glad to have offered my company."
Elizabeth smiled cordially at her newfound friend, and they proceeded back towards Stratsbury Hall, eager to be back indoors before the rest of the household roused. Elizabeth suspected that it would do neither of them much good to be seen traipsing about unchaperoned.
They walked silently for a good ten yards in relative silence before Darcy inquired after her family. Eager for some sense of normalcy after her unexpected adventure, Elizabeth joyously described her parents and sisters as best she could without wholly destroying her alias.
They were nearly back upon estate grounds, with only a small road to cross, when the loud, rumbling carriage took her by surprise.
"Elizabeth!"
"Oh!" Elizabeth gasped when a quick glance away from her feet upon the road allowed her a glimpse of just how fast the horses were running - directly towards her.
She hardly had time to react before Darcy did - sweeping her clear of the road by the waist as fast as he could. The carriages dashed past, and the voice of a frightened woman called out her apologies. She appeared to be one of the neighbors of Stratsbury Hall, a woman who had manners but had no control of her inexperienced driver.
Elizabeth panted, her heart still reeling from the close encounter. Her fingers trembled as she tried to regain control over her breathing.
"Are you alright?" Darcy whispered. The nearness of his voice made Elizabeth look up, abruptly noticing just how close they were standing. His hands still braced her waist - large, warm, and secure. Her hands had somehow managed to land against his chest, her fingers absent-mindedly stroking the fabric of his coat. Her heart continued to careen, though she suspected that it did so for an entirely different reason than it did a mere moment ago.
"I am - fine," she whispered back, her voice breathier than she had anticipated.
He swallowed visibly and nodded. And yet, neither of them stepped apart.
"Thank you," she said quietly. It was difficult to speak when her heart was roaring. "I am rarely so distracted."
"You could have been harmed, very badly." His brow furrowed, as if the thought disturbed him. Elizabeth felt his hands tighten against her waist a fraction more. "If I hadn't been here - "
"I would have been fine, truly," she rushed to assure him. Her hand brushed against his chest instinctively. He seemed breathe slightly deeper at the gesture. "I traipse about the country alone all the time, and I am usually not so ungainly. It must have been you, sir, who diverted me too much."
"Elizabeth, I'm sorry." He sounded so guilty than Elizabeth immediately regretted her words. "I could never, ever intend to harm you. And to think that I might have inadvertently done so - "
"I'm teasing, Darcy, please." She pressed against him, trying to coax and to calm him. She did not realize until she did that she'd pulled him in by the shoulders, making them all but attached together, with her fingertips resting at the nape of his neck. "You could never harm me. In fact, I believe I owe you my life."
"I hardly saved you."
"But you did, didn't you?"
Some time in the last few minutes, the space between their faces had grown nearly non-existent. Elizabeth knew that she perhaps ought to be scandalized for so publicly embracing a man - but every inch of her whispered that there was no where else in the world she could possibly belong to more than she belonged in Darcy's arms.
The thought surprised her, and Elizabeth heard the hitch in her own voice. Trembling, she murmured, "And I would have it no other way."
His lips brushed against hers before she could think another thought - featherlight and sweet. Her whole body sighed as she angled her face towards him. His hands closed around her back as they shared another kiss, this one of a firmer, lingering nature.
The look on his face when they pulled apart was not what she expected, not remotely. Instead of hope, tenderness, or desire - there was a frown of grief and regret.
Elizabeth blinked and swallowed, uncertain what to make of his response. Did he find her too forward? Had she appalled him with her unladylike behavior?
"Richard," he muttered, his voice laced with contrition.
"Oh yes. Right," Elizabeth muttered.
Slowly, he let her go, and the soles of her feet landed on the ground with what felt like a decided thud. They stood where they were, a few feet apart, each seemingly lost in thought, for a good minute or two.
Elizabeth licked and lips and sighed. "We should return."
He nodded ruefully. "Yes, we must."
A/N: I never planned for them to kiss (at least not at this point). It was supposed to be a moment of intense eye contact. Somehow, the characters INSISTED they kiss. I argued with them extensively, but they refused to have things any other way. Writing is an exhausting experience. Lol.