New release-The First Moment of Their Acquaintance

I love a good short story, especially at this time of year when reading time gets more scarce! I hope you all do, too, especially when you see what great company my little tale finds itself in! An Inducement Into Matrimony was released today and includes the First Moment of Their Acquaintance, in which Darcy is persuaded by his cousins to attempt to recreate a first impression with Elizabeth Bennet. A happily ever after is guaranteed!

For sure, there’s a giveaway!–I will send you a paperback of this beauty, signed by me–just leave me a comment below to enter the giveaway.

Bingley’s colour was high, and his eyes could not be moved from Miss Bennet. With a vague sort of bowing gesture, he said, “Miss Bennet, Miss Elizabeth, allow me to present Mr William Darcy.”

“Mr William Darcy?” Elizabeth echoed with clear bemusement.
 Miss Bennet appeared enthralled by Bingley, and the older lady was engaged in another conversation; thus Elizabeth was left to converse with Darcy, which suited him very well.

“Mr Fitzwilliam Darcy is my cousin,” he told her.
Her eyes slowly roamed across his countenance.

“Your cousin?” She looked dubious. “You are very much alike, sir.”

“We have heard it all of our lives,” he said with a genial smile.
 From the corner of his eye, he noticed Bingley escorting Miss Bennet towards the set of dancers just forming. “Will you do me the honour of dancing the next with me?”

Her eyes went wide again, and a spark of mischief came into her countenance. “You are fond of dancing, Mr Darcy?”

Darcy did not falter. “Given an agreeable partner, I am.”

Her lips pursed, and he thrilled in delighted anticipation of being teased. “Are you certain I will be an agreeable partner? After all, we have only just been introduced. What if you come to find me exceedingly disagreeable?”

He chuckled. “I daresay I must take my chances, Miss Elizabeth. After all, nothing ventured, nothing gained, or so I have always believed. Shall we, then?” He gestured towards the lines of dancers. She nodded, taking his arm as they made their way towards the set.

The first part of their set was spent relating to Miss Elizabeth the story that had been agreed upon. She appeared to think it true, responding to him agreeably and even a bit warmly at times. When at last he had depleted his pre-arranged topics of conversation, they were silent for a moment. It was then that Elizabeth posed the first question of her own.
”Sir, I wonder if I might be so bold as to ask a question of you?”

Darcy smiled, noticing that the action was becoming less forced and more habitual. “Anything you like. I am well-pleased to answer.”

“Are you in your cousin’s confidence?”

“His confidence?”

She smiled, seeming a bit apologetic. “Do you know the particulars of my acquaintance with your cousin?”

Darcy was not sure how he should answer and thus prevaricated awkwardly. “Oh, ah, yes, he told me you were a fine lady and excellent company, and that I should seek you out at my earliest opportunity.”

“Did he?” Elizabeth asked. After a moment’s silence, she asked, “Was it recently that he said so? Since his return from Kent.”

“Oh, ahh, yes. Yes it was.”
Blast! He had thought long on safe topics of conversation and nevertheless she had him knotted up in tangles within minutes! He did not wish for this ‘cousin’ of his to put the real him in any sort of jeopardy. Did she think William Darcy was mocking her?

There were a few moments to gather his thoughts as they moved through a pattern and then, on an impulse, he said, “My cousin told me he considers you one of the handsomest women of his acquaintance.”

She glanced up at him. “Did he?”

Darcy nodded, rather too emphatically, but he felt himself on thin ice and wished to seek firmer ground. “Yes, but also he said he admired your wit to much the same extent as your beauty.”

Elizabeth looked at him rather doubtfully so he added, “He has always admired any lady who does not fear the improvement of her mind by extensive reading.”

Elizabeth tilted her head up towards him to reply to his comment. In so doing, her eyes held a momentary look of interest and warmth that was intoxicating. Her neck was exposed to him, the skin creamy and soft-looking and he noted, for not the first time, how particularly dainty and well-formed her ears were. He was distracted for a moment, envisioning himself placing a kiss onto the delicate skin where her jaw, her neck, and her ear were united.

He spoke without thinking. “I know you do not like to discuss books in a ballroom, but perhaps you will tell me of some of your favourites.”

He realised his mistake a moment too late. He had made reference to their conversation during their dance at Netherfield—a conversation of which William Darcy would have no knowledge.
 Frantically, Darcy began speaking, in an effort to overcome his error. “That is to say, I believe most ladies would not like to speak of books in a ballroom. Is that not true? After all, are not ladies’ heads generally filled with other things in a ballroom?”

“Such as what?” Elizabeth raised one eyebrow at him. “What is it you think my head is filled with, Mr Darcy? As we have only just met, I am interested to know what it is you would imagine I think of.”

He stammered like a fool, thoroughly unnerved. “I…I am sure I do not…the size of the room or the number of couples. There are many couples I see—” He glanced around him quickly to confirm it was true, noting thankfully that it was so “—but the room is by no means insufficient for it. That is to say, it is a fine room and the couples are…well, Hertfordshire has many handsome couples indeed and… and dancing is a charming amusement for young people. Do you like this dance?”

Elizabeth stared at him another long moment before lowering her eyes. Then, peeping at him through her lashes, she remarked, “So…you talk by rule then when you are dancing?”
 The conversation was too familiar to him. Had it been said before? Did she recall it?

His heart began to pound while he sought to determine whether he had revealed himself. He began to stammer another response but she saved him.
”I agree. I think it would be exceedingly odd to stand up together for half an hour without saying anything. I cannot abide someone who will not trouble himself to speak to his partner.”

“I agree,” he said, his heart still hammering madly. Then he considered what she said. There was a reproof in it—was there not? An intimation of his past arrogance. He decided to rectify it immediately.
 “At times, it is not the trouble which keeps a man from speaking during a dance. There are some times when a gentleman simply cannot speak.”

“Why is that?”

What did she know? It was impossible to tell. She appeared teasing… She was not angry and yet it was a chance to improve her opinion of him. He took a breath, hoping to avoid an additional misstep.

“Often times the lady with whom you most wish to dance is the self-same lady who is able to render you stupid and tongue-tied in her presence. So you are silent, not because you do not want to talk but because you cannot.”

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