Free One Thread Pulled: The Dance With Mr. Darcy by Diana J Oaks

nodded, looking at his face looming over hers in the glass.
    “Indeed, although I am certain it is more so when the weather is less foreboding.” Elizabeth could feel the heat of his body behind her, in stark contrast to the chill emanating from the windows. She felt a strangeness come over her as she contemplated whether to step to her right or her left, for she could certainly not turn around or step backward due to Mr. Darcy's proximity.
    “Does this mean that you will dispense with your walk today?”
    “No,” Elizabeth replied, “but I shall confine my exercise to the garden paths, for as much as I enjoy a walk, I am not as fond of being rained on.”
    “Are your walks always solitary?” Mr. Darcy inquired.
    Elizabeth blinked, looking downward as she considered her reply in a degree of confusion. Was he asking to join her, or was this just polite conversation? Looking up, with a slight shake of her head, she gave her answer to the glass. “No sir, they are never solitary, for one is never truly alone in nature. There are the birds, and creatures of the wood and glen to console me. Indeed, at times I find myself in the company of a stray hound, or even perhaps, the occasional horseman wandering the countryside.”
    She only saw it in the rippled glass, and indeed, it was so fleeting that she was not certain she saw it at all. There appeared, for the briefest moment, an enormous smile that crossed his face.
    “Touché, Miss Bennet. Would you allow me to show you the garden today?”
    “I will if you bring your handsome dog along.” Elizabeth said with a slight chuckle.
    “And give you yet another chance to steal his affections?” Darcy's tone was droll.
    “I could do not do so, sir, even if I tried.” Elizabeth smiled before adding, “Although ... it might be amusing to attempt it. He did seem to like it a great deal when I threw a stick for him to chase, and he did receive my attentions most enthusiastically....”
    “You must pardon my poor hound's eagerness, Miss Bennet, but you were, after all, kissing him quite profusely.” Darcy stepped backward a few steps, opening the way for Elizabeth to remove herself from the window, his face lit, not with a smile, but with a spark of humor in his eyes.
    Elizabeth had turned to face him, and that look on his face gave her leave to tease him back. “Then you   must   bring him, Mr. Darcy. It is imperative that I make amends at once, for I do not even know the beast's name, and it will not do to have his reputation tarnished in such a way.”
    “Apollo. His name is Apollo.” Darcy bowed slightly, as if making an introduction. “And I will by all means bring him if it would give you pleasure to see him again and allow you to make amends.”
    Elizabeth laughed. “Apollo? Upon my word, he is aptly named!”
    “How so?”
    “Did I not declare him to be as constant as the sun? His very name verifies it. You can have no fear that he and I will ever be anything but friends.” Elizabeth laughed again and quit the room.
    Bingley, having been the only person who had remained in the room, had observed the scene between them in its entirety and could not withhold comment. “You told me when we first met her that Miss Elizabeth Bennet was not handsome enough to tempt you, yet from where I sat, you were looking very tempted indeed, Darcy.”
    Darcy looked sharply at his friend. “My sensibilities are intact Charles. Miss Elizabeth Bennet is indeed a charming lady; but I am in no danger of being tempted by her, I assure you. She is ... intriguing, that is all. You need not fear that I have any designs upon her. Your guest is safe.”
    ~*~
    Elizabeth returned to Jane's room, where she found that Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst had joined her sister. Although they appeared to be most companionable toward Jane, Elizabeth suspected that their motive in coming was to access Jane's condition for themselves, for they had looked quite put out that Jane's recovery had not yet