False sadness filled his eyes. “I cannot pretend that her apparent dislike does not affront me, but that does not affect my own feelings. I should like nothing more than to request her hand, sir.”
Sir Thomas was silent for a long while. He pushed the stylus back and forth along the logbook. Darcy was confident in the knowledge that either way, Sir Thomas was bound to lose his daughter, but if she was married to him, she would be secure.
“I must insist on a proper courtship. I shall not let her go before the three months is past. She deserves that much from me, I am afraid.”
“I can be away from the North for another month at most. If we can settle the bride-price immediately, I shall court her properly during my remaining time here. However, we must be married from Pemberley. My court and my people are the priority. They must see their High Lord's wedding.”
After hesitating, and with an obvious scowl on his usually pleasant face, Sir Thomas nodded. “Very well. I shall contact my solicitor to draw up the contract.”
Darcy stood and offered his hand, and they shook on their bargain. He turned and showed himself out. As he quit the building, he glanced up at the window of Elizabeth's bedroom—he had known which one because he had carried her to her bed. She sat at the window staring down as he mounted his horse. Her hair was unbound, and her white shift uncovered. Even from this distance, her eyes were full of misery.
He tilted his head towards her, and those miserable eyes narrowed and suddenly flashed with anger. She was gone in the next moment, and Darcy grinned, anticipating that angry passion once she was in his bed.
* * *
In no way could she tolerate being near her father, so Elizabeth took dinner in her bedchamber that evening, refusing to admit him into the apartment until he finally demanded entry in an angry tone like he had never used before. They stared at each other for a long moment as Hill slipped away. The nurse was probably too upset to witness what was about to happen.
“When I am to be taken as his slave?” Elizabeth asked, her voice venomous.
“Ye need not be like that. What is done is done and there is no use in fighting it.”
“I am not fighting it. I am merely asking how long I have in preparation of losing my soul.”
“He is not the monster ye think him to be, Liza.”
“Hell could open beneath his feet, Father, and still, he would walk the earth for the demons below would fear his wrath!”
“Ye are making too much of thy initial impression. He seemed a pleasant enough chap when we spoke this midday.”
She shook her head and turned away from her father. He was blind with guilt and greed and trying like a madman to justify his decision to sell her maidenhead. There would be no tears, though. She would not give either of them the satisfaction of seeing her broken heart.
“Ye have said all ye need to say. Inform me of the plans and I shall follow. I ask, though, that ye not be present on my wedding day. I do not think I could bear to look at thy face, knowing I once loved ye so dearly.”
“Liza—”
“Go.”
When Elizabeth turned around to beg forgiveness, he was gone.
* * *
She had no choice but to craft a letter to be sent in secret:
Dearest George,
O, my bonny boy! It did not take long for my marriage to be remade from our good and pure plans to this mockery. My father has sold me for a bride-price to High Lord Darcy, that arrogant, repulsive prick who has looked upon me as his property from the moment we met.
If I had proof, I should say he has arranged this somehow. He has power enough. Damn him to hell.
Ye are aware that we are forbidden to see each other now that Lord Darcy is to be my groom, but I cannot bear the thought of traveling North and never seeing ye again. Hill is our one ally; she will make certain ye are given this letter and she will see that I receive the letter ye write for me.
Devise a plan, my dearest, bonny George, so we may meet again before I am banished to the wild, forbidding country to the North. Where ye go, I go. Where ye demand, I obey.
I must go. He is here to pretend he loves me so my father might ease his own conscience.
Love forever,
Elizabeth