Chapter 1

1

W here on earth was Miss Elizabeth Bennet?

Fitzwilliam Darcy hurried down Netherfield Park’s corridors, glancing into each of the rooms before rushing to the next. Where was she?

Guilt ate at him. For as long as he lived, Darcy would never forget Miss Elizabeth Bennet’s stunned expression when she stepped into the drawing room of Netherfield Park. Caroline Bingley, whose irritation was barely masked, denounced the Bennet family’s complete lack of manners. In particular, she attacked Miss Elizabeth.

“I must confess that I never could seeany beautyin her. Her face is too thin. Her complexion is dull. Her features are not at all handsome. Her nose wants character. There is nothing marked in its lines. Her teeth are tolerable, but not out of the common way. As for her eyes, which have sometimes been called fine, I never could perceive anything extraordinary in them. They have a sharp, shrewish look, which I do not like at all. I am sure you agree, Mr. Darcy that in her attitude is a self-sufficiency and impertinence which is intolerable.”

Unfortunately, during her tirade, Darcy sat in silence, doing and saying nothing to stop his hostess from committing the egregious error of speaking scathingly against a guest. Miss Bingley was clearly in the wrong. So was he. A gentleman would never allow harm to come to a lady. The least he should have done was defend Miss Elizabeth. Or he should have removed himself from the conversation. He did neither. Therefore, he needed to do whatever was in his power to make it right with Miss Elizabeth.

Catching the notice of Bingley’s aging butler in the hall, Darcy asked, “Did Miss Elizabeth leave the house?”

“Aye, sir. About fifteen minutes ago, she requested her coat and bonnet. I believe she intended to take a brisk walk around the lake.”

With a quarter-hour lead, Darcy worried he would not be able to catch her if he waited for his horse. Instead of heading to the stable, he accepted his outerwear and then took off down the footpath.Once he could no longer be seen from the windows of the great house, he ran.

Surely, Miss Elizabeth must be halfway around the lake where ancient oaks lined the narrow path. Occasionally, as the shrubbery opened, he could see across the water to the other side of the lake. He kept vigilant, hoping to spot her progress.

Moving ever faster, he stopped at the next clearing and was overjoyed to catch a glimpse of Miss Elizabeth through the trees. He called out. She turned his way without breaking her stride. He was horrified to see her feet slip. After frantically trying to keep her balance, she landed on her back with a thud. Then, she did not move at all.

Oh, good lord! Had he startled her?

“Miss Elizabeth!” he yelled. She lay still as panic rose in his body. He whispered her name as he ran—chanting it with every step. He rounded a bend and found her as he had seen her, motionless, only a tendril of hair that had escaped her bonnet, moving in the slight breeze.

Impervious to his surroundings, he dropped to his knees beside her, gulping air as he surveyed her head to her toes. Picking up her gloved hand and holding it between both of his, he watched to see if her chest moved up and down. To his vast relief, it did.

“Miss Elizabeth, I beg you, open your eyes.”

He reached under her bonnet and found a stone, almost the size of his fist. His heart sank to the pit of his stomach. He knew of the dangers of moving someone with a head injury.

“Please, Elizabeth, wake up. Please.” His earnest requests went unheeded. Gingerly, he tucked his scarf under her head. He ripped off his cravat, took the two steps to the shore, and dipped it into the lake. Returning to her side, he wiped the mud from her cheek. He should have run faster. He would have reached her sooner.

“Miss Elizabeth, you must wake up. We must leave here.”

Darcy glanced across the lake in hopes they would be seen from the house. Since the only thing visible from their location was the chimneys, the likelihood of anyone seeing them was nil. Until nightfall, there would be no reason for the household to worry about his absence, and he could not fathom his hostess, Miss Bingley, being concerned about Miss Elizabeth’s whereabouts at all.

The cool water failed to revive her, and even though her breathing seemed regular, his worry escalated. He could not leave her to run for help. The sun had already started its descent. By the time he returned to Netherfield Park and back, it would be dark enough that he would not be able to detect any obstacles in the path. The chill in the air grew colder as the minutes passed.

Darcy heard her breathing change before her head slightly moved from side to side. She groaned softly. Her eyes remained closed.

“Miss Elizabeth,” he said. Her movements stilled, and her breathing returned to the same rhythm it had before she stirred. He would do what he could to protect her.

Removing his greatcoat, he covered her. Tucking the sides underneath her, Darcy slid his hands beneath her, lifting her into his arms.

The return to Netherfield Park would be arduous. He was grateful she remained unconscious if it protected her from further pain. At the same time, he recalled the doctor’s orders when his cousin sustained a head injury. They were to not allow Richard to fall asleep. Should he do the same for her? Although his inclination was to hurry, he forced himself to move slowly.

Blast and damnation!

Fearful for her welfare, he could not help speaking of the first thing that came to mind, wishing for any reaction, even ire. “I need to tell you how mortified I am that you heard my harsh words at the assembly. You see, Bingley told me that you were close enough to hear me.” Darcy thought to bang his forehead on the rock that had caused Miss Elizabeth so much harm. That she had heard the insult was not the issue. That he had uttered the lies was the problem. It was his mouth, not her hearing which was at fault.

Unfortunately, it was not only his insult at the assembly that harmed her. His not speaking up each time Miss Bingley’s venom was directed at Miss Elizabeth was both unkind and ungentlemanly.

She was kind. She walked three miles to care for Jane Bennet, spending most of her time in her sister’s chambers instead of seeking the company of two wealthy unmarried men. This said a lot about her character. Yet, Darcy ignored the obvious, foolishly grouping her with the grasping females of the ton who connived to gain his notice. Idiot!

Stepping over a puddle, he gently shifted his grip until her head rested against his shoulder.

Suddenly, she inhaled deeply, a slight smile gracing her lips as if the scent of his coat was pleasurable, and then settled back into the position.

Were her senses engaged, though she was not conscious?

“Miss Elizabeth,” he whispered. “Are you in pain?”

What a ridiculous question. Of course, she was in pain.

He tried again. “Would sitting ease your distress?”

He halted his steps, waiting for any sign of consciousness. When none came, he proceeded toward Netherfield.

“If you can hear me, I pray you accept my heartfelt apology. As I said, Bingley told me that you heard my unkind opinion at the Meryton assembly that I thought you were merely tolerable and not handsome enough to tempt me. What a horrible thing to say about a lady! I deeply regret what I said. As well, since you are aware that disguise is an abhorrence to me, you will understand how much I sincerely regret those words because they were a lie.

“The truth is that I think you are beautiful. Oh, I heard your mother proclaim that your eldest sister is the beauty of the Bennet family, but she is wrong. Very wrong. Miss Bennet is a classic beauty, and Bingley finds her quite attractive. I will give her that. However, when you walk into a room, every head turns to see you. Like you, I value intelligence and honesty. You have never failed to demonstrate either in my presence. Your loyally expending yourself to care for a beloved sister is a testimony to your character.”

He cleared his throat, lowering his voice, not wanting to alarm her.

To ease his battered conscience and distract her in case she was able to hear, he confessed, “My worries on the night of the assembly were many. There was a matter of most serious concern that was tearing my heart into shreds. My sister, my own sweet, innocent sister, had encountered the vilest of men, a man who used to be one of my closest friends and companions. Georgiana had grown up with and trusted him as I once did.

“And here we come to one of my greatest sins, Miss Elizabeth.” The pain in his heart felt like lightning bolts had hit him in the chest. He blurted out the rest. “My father left Georgiana under my protection, and I proved most unsuitable. I made a conscious choice not to share the history of this man with my sister. I wanted to keep her untouched from the wickedness in the world. It was a bad decision. In doing so, I failed her. It was a mere chance that moved me to travel to Ramsgate a day early, stopping the intended elopement. Yes, Miss Elizabeth. As shocking as it sounds, my fifteen-year-old sister agreed to an elopement with a man almost thirty who has more charm in his little finger than I do in my whole body. Needless to say, the devastation that my sister continues to suffer is complete.”

He looked at Miss Elizabeth again in hopes she would wake up and tell him to stop. Tell him she needed to hear no more. She remained silent with no evidence that she heard or understood one word of his confession.

His concern deepened. He picked up his pace. He was the only one distracted with his confession. Since it made the time pass more quickly, he finished his sorry tale.

“My intention, after returning from Ramsgate, was to stay in Town with Georgiana for the winter. However, at her request, I came to Hertfordshire. You see, my presence served as a constant reminder to her that our father’s trust in me as a guardian was unmerited.”

The hurt still filled his heart.

“Certainly, this is no excuse for the pain I caused you that night as, truly, there is no excuse.” He carefully stepped over a protruding tree root. “But I hope you can see me differently. I will do all I can to prove to you that I am a man of honor as I am trying to do the same with Georgiana.”

Her breathing changed, and her eyelids flickered. He stopped.

“Miss Elizabeth! Elizabeth! Can you hear me?”

Lifting her hand from under his greatcoat, she rubbed her forehead with her delicate fingers.

He could do nothing but hold her, speaking to her in quiet tones.

“Miss Elizabeth, you have taken a fall. We are on our way back to Netherfield Park. Please open your eyes, please.”

When she did, the first words out of her mouth took him by surprise.

“Mr. Darcy, where is your horse?” Then she closed her eyes again in a faint.