Darcy and Elizabeth What If? Collection 1 Read Online Free PDF Page B

also sensible, but she was capable of being romantic and idealistic as well. She had decided long ago that only love would tempt her into marriage, but she knew that Charlotte would accept any eligible gentleman.
    Jane was soon talking to Mr Bingley. Elizabeth was happy to see them together because it was clear to her they were falling in love.
    ‘They make a handsome couple,’ came a voice at her shoulder.
    Turning round, she saw George Wickham. She blushed and smiled. He was looking very handsome in a blue coat and cream pantaloons.
    Mr Wickham sat down beside her and entertained her with his amusing and lively conversation.
    Elizabeth happened to glance up as Mr Wickham finished an anecdote and to her surprise she found that Mr Darcy was watching her. What could he mean by it? He had made his opinion of her perfectly clear, so why was he paying her attention?
    Mr Wickham noticed her eyes and saw that she was looking at Mr Darcy.
    ‘Does my company bore you?’ he asked with a teasing smile.
    ‘Not at all,’ she assured him. ‘It is just that Mr Darcy is watching me. I cannot make him out.’
    ‘I should not try,’ said Mr Wickham. ‘He is not worth the trouble.’
    ‘You speak as if you have had trouble with him before,’ said Elizabeth.
    ‘Indeed I have. I would not have mentioned it if you had not guessed it for yourself, but Mr Darcy and I knew each other as children.’
    Elizabeth was intrigued.
    ‘We grew up together. My father was his father’s steward. Old Mr Darcy liked me very much and left me a living in his will, but young Mr Darcy decided not to honour his father’s wishes and he refused to give it to me. If not for a great piece of good fortune, when I inherited from a great uncle, then I would have been destitute.’
    ‘But this is monstrous,’ said Elizabeth, shocked. ‘How could he do such a thing? And why?’
    George Wickham shook his head sadly.
    ‘Because he is jealous of me. His father loved me best, you see. I was friendly and helpful. Darcy was not. He was cold and arrogant. He could not forgive me.’
    Elizabeth looked at Mr Wickham and thought she could quite see why old Mr Darcy would prefer him. He was everything that was charming, whereas Mr Darcy was haughty and above his company. He was doing nothing to make himself agreeable. He was standing by himself, talking to no one.
    He seemed to feel her watching him and he turned towards her. Just for a moment she thought she saw a flicker of jealousy in his eyes. But that was ridiculous. Why should he be jealous? Unless he was one of those men who did not want a woman himself, but did not want anyone else to have her.
    She decided to ignore him and gave her attention back to Mr Wickham
     
    Mr Darcy was feeling equally disturbed, for the more he saw of Elizabeth, the more he was attracted to her. Her eyes were uncommonly beautiful and her figure was light and pleasing. And he was caught by the easy playfulness of her manner.
    Once again she was talking to George Wickham, and jealousy stirred in his breast.
    He wanted to go on watching her, even though it was pleasure and torment in equal measure, but Sir William Lucas approached him and started to bore him with talk about St James’s. Mr Darcy paid no attention to him. Instead he watched Elizabeth, and his pulse began to beat faster when Lady Lucas took Wickham from Elizabeth.
    Elizabeth went to speak to her sister, and as she did so she drew close to where he was standing.
    ‘My dear Miss Eliza, why are you not dancing?’ asked Sir William. ‘Mr Darcy, you must allow me to present this young lady to you as a very desirable partner. You cannot refuse to dance, I am sure —’
    ‘Indeed I cannot,’ said Mr Darcy, cutting Sir William off in his haste to dance with Elizabeth. He offered her his hand. ‘Miss Elizabeth?’
    She was surprised and before she could think of an excuse, he had taken her on to the floor. Thank goodness he had spoken when he did, instead of allowing Sir