Free Darcy's Passions by Regina Jeffers

fawning over my every move I admit I sometimes try to purposely engage Elizabeth Bennet’s attention.The only thing I regret in the
exchange is an offhand remark by Bingley about my “dark” nature. He insinuated I could be an imposing figure, especially of a Sunday evening when I have nothing to do.The gravity of his statement was an indignity I did not expect from my friend.
    As far as my objecting to your giving needlework or other such items to the poor in Derbyshire, you will hear no such complaint. Giving to the poor has always been something our family embraced. Our parents are warmly remembered for such generosity. How could I object to your following their example?You are your mother’s daughter; she would be as proud of her daughter as I am of my sister.
    Â 
    Your loving brother,
Fitzwilliam Darcy
    As the evening progressed, Darcy, having finished his letter, wanted to relieve the earlier memories of the day. He applied to both Miss Bingley and to Miss Elizabeth for some musical entertainment. Jumping, literally, at the opportunity to do something to achieve Mr. Darcy’s favor, Miss Bingley was beside the pianoforte before she realized her duties as the hostess. “Miss Elizabeth,” she said through gritted teeth,“would you favor us by going first?”
    â€œPlease precede, Miss Bingley,” Elizabeth responded sweetly, “your skill should take precedence to my pleasure.”
    Mrs. Hurst joined her sister as they took up several Italian love songs to demonstrate their expertise. Elizabeth moved to the instrument to peruse some music books found there. Enthralled with her earlier performance, Elizabeth’s deferment to Miss Bingley initially disappointed Darcy. Still, being given the comparable pleasure of watching her figure from afar was nearly as intoxicating. He mentally created a list of her mannerisms—the biting of her lower lip when concentrating on her needlework, the creased forehead when she challenged him, and the curl, which often fell, along her chin line in a caress of her neck. Fitzwilliam Darcy saw little about Elizabeth Bennet, which did not fascinate him. Before he realized what he did, Darcy moved up to stand beside her at the
instrument. He felt the air intensify around him. Miss Bingley, not wishing to have Darcy standing beside Elizabeth while listening to Italian love songs, varied the charm by now playing a lively Scottish air. In almost a hypnotic trance, Darcy turned to Elizabeth and said, “Do you not feel a great inclination, Miss Bennet, to seize such an opportunity of dancing a reel?”
    As soon as he said it, annoyance filled him. He wanted desperately to say something, which would engage Elizabeth and would make her see him in a positive light. Instead, she could easily think Darcy laughed at her social origins.Those of refined and exacting taste did, after all, not prefer reels. Darcy did not mean it to be so, but Elizabeth could interpret his words as such.
    She smiled, but made no answer. Her silence surprised him, and instantaneously, Darcy wanted to retract his words, but they were out there; he could not change them now so he repeated the question.
    â€œNever fear, Mr. Darcy, I heard you before, but I could not immediately determine what to say in reply. You wanted me, I know, to say ‘Yes,’ that you might have the pleasure of despising my taste; but I always delight in overthrowing those kinds of schemes, and cheating a person of their premeditated contempt. I have, therefore, made up my mind to tell you that I do not want to dance a reel at all—and now despise me if you dare.”
    Darcy could not disengage his mind from thoughts of Elizabeth. She was resplendent! That was all he could think. “Despise you? Indeed I do not dare. No, Madam, I could never have such an opinion of you, Miss Elizabeth,” he said, before bowing to her as he took his leave of the room; feeling her eyes piercing his