Elizabeth pulled her robe closer to her as she settled her resolve to return to the library. After dinner, they had retired early once again, but she was not tired. With nothing to do and already having dismissed her maid, she tied the knot on her robe tightly and opened the door. Listening to the silence, she felt completely alone. With a sigh, she hurried down the hall and stairs to the library. The fire was still burning, so she could see reasonably well. Moving along the shelves, she observed the titles until a cough made her jump out of her skin. Suppressing her shriek, she turned to find Mr. Darcy sitting in a chair by the fire. She could barely see his face as the fire glowed behind him.
"I am sorry to have frightened you." He rose and moved closer until he noticed her state of dress. "I should have told my valet to send some books to your room. I know you saw that I had selected some that I thought you would enjoy." He was rambling, and he knew it but could not think how to calm his racing heart. They were alone, it was late, and she looked so tempting.
Elizabeth turned away from him and moved to the stack of books. "I forgot to look through your selection earlier. I am not very particular, so I should be able to enjoy whatever you have picked." With a slightly shaking hand, she lifted the first book and tucked it under her arm without glancing at the title. She turned to leave the room, but his voice stopped her.
"Are you fond of Milton?"
"As I said, I can enjoy many titles. I have not read Milton for some time."
He moved forward as she stared at his chest, overwhelmed by his proximity and appearance. His jacket and vest had been discarded, and she could see his strong muscles through his shirt. He continued until he stood directly in front of her. Without thought, he lifted his hand to tuck a stray curl behind her ear, his hand lingering for just a moment before he came to his senses.
"Goodnight, Miss Bennet. I hope the book calms you enough to sleep well."
"Goodnight, sir." Elizabeth stammered, but she did not turn to leave. The look in his eyes was mesmerizing.
They stood there staring into each other's eyes for some time. She wondered what he could be thinking while he desperately avoided leaning down and kissing her soundly. A clock chimed in the hall, alerting them to the passage of time. Blushing, Elizabeth turned abruptly and fled as quickly as she could.
Mr. Darcy stood still and watched her retreat, wondering how much more she could tempt him to forget propriety. His desire would surely be his undoing.
AN: Thanks for reading!
