What Would Lizzy Bennet Do? (39 page)

As Harry and his parents filed out of the drawing room, Holly turned to Hugh. ‘Will you stay for a few minutes longer? I… I need to talk to you.’

Surprise skimmed over his face. ‘Of course.’ He waited as she sat down on the sofa and seated himself next to her. ‘What is it?’

‘I hardly know where to begin.’ She stared down at her hands. ‘A lot’s happened since you brought me here to Cleremont.’ She met his eyes. ‘I’ve come to realise, over these last few weeks, that you and I…’

‘You want to break our engagement.’

Holly blinked. ‘No. Yes,’ she added, flustered. ‘Yes, I want to break the engagement, and release you from your obligation to me.’ She took off the ring he’d bought her with trembling fingers and held it out to him. ‘I care deeply for you, Hugh, and I always will. I hope we can remain friends – good friends.’

He made no move to take the ring.

‘But the fact is,’ she rushed on, ‘our engagement’s a mistake. Your mother was right – I don’t love you, at least not in the way I should. I loved the
idea
of you, of being your wife, and I looked forward to being a part of all of this.’ She glanced at the Van Dycks and Reynolds’s lining the walls, the coffered ceiling, and the late morning sun filtering through the mullioned windows.

‘What changed?’ he asked as his fingers closed over the ring. His expression gave no clue to his feelings.

‘Two things, really.’ Holly clasped her hands once again in her lap. ‘One, I realised I’m not ready to take on Cleremont, or my role as the future Lady Darcy. I don’t think I ever will be. It’s a huge responsibility, and one I honestly don’t think I’m up for.’

‘And what’s the second reason?’

She drew in a breath. ‘Lizzy.’

‘Lizzy?’ Hugh frowned. ‘What has she to do with our engagement?’

‘You love her, Hugh. Whether you realise it or not, whether you admit it or not, you love Lizzy Bennet, and I think you always have.’

He stood and walked away, stopping before the windows, then turned back to face her. ‘And on what do you base this – this ridiculous assumption?’

‘I see it every time you’re near her. I hear it when you say her name. You love her.’

For some minutes he was silent, and Holly was sure he meant to deny it.

‘I do,’ he admitted finally, and sighed. ‘I realised I loved Lizzy the day I told her you and I were engaged. She was devastated. Gutted. I knew then that she loved me, and always had. Until that moment, I never realised it.’

‘You need to go to her and tell her how you feel.’

‘I will.’ He glanced down at the ring in his hand. When he looked back up, his face was troubled. ‘But I feel badly that I brought you here to meet my parents and introduced you to my family, and now nothing’s worked out as we thought it would.’

‘No, but it doesn’t matter. I’m just glad we realised it while there was still time to change our minds. And I loved meeting your family. Even your mum… once I got to know her,’ she admitted. ‘She only wants the best for you. Like all mums do.’

‘She’s very protective when it comes to me and Harry. Always has been.’ He grimaced. ‘She means well, I suppose, but she goes about it in entirely the wrong way. I’m sorry for the way she behaved when you first arrived.’

Holly shrugged. ‘It’s funny, isn’t it – she was right all along. Somehow she knew before either of us that we weren’t really meant for each other.’

‘You won her over in the end. I think she might even be disappointed when she learns we’re not getting married.’

‘I doubt that,’ Holly said, and gave him a wry smile. ‘I have to admit, though – there’s one person here at Cleremont – besides you – that I’ve grown… fond of.’ She blushed.

His gaze was steady. ‘My brother.’

Her blush deepened. ‘Oh, God – is it so obvious?’

‘Only to me, and only because I know him so well. Harry looks at you like a moonstruck calf whenever you’re near. But I wasn’t sure if you returned his feelings.’

She hesitated. ‘I haven’t told him… but yes, I do.’

‘Then I’m happy for you. Both of you.’

Her eyes swam with tears. ‘You’re far too honourable for your own bloody good.’ She kissed him impulsively on the cheek. ‘It’s one of the things I love most about you.’

‘I only want you to be happy, Holly. If Harry makes you happy, then you have my blessing.’

She put her arms around him and held him tightly. ‘Thank you,’ she whispered, and held him a moment longer before she stepped back. ‘You know I wish the same for you and Lizzy.’

‘I hope everything works out… for all of us.’

‘It will.’ Holly thought of Lizzy, giving her a passionate telling-off in the middle of the field while Harry looked on, and smiled. ‘I’m sure of it.’

‘Well, I’d best go if I’m to talk to Elizabeth.’ He glanced at the ring and dropped it in his pocket. ‘My luck with engagements thus far has been dismal.’

‘You know what they say – the third time’s the charm.’

‘They also say “three strikes and you’re out”,’ Hugh said, and sighed.

‘That’s baseball, not love.’ She paused. ‘Now that Imogen’s admitted you’re not Billy’s father, will the paper print a retraction?’

‘I expect so. Oliver’s promised to take care of it. He knows if he doesn’t, I’ll sue.’ He lifted his brow. ‘I’m afraid that after tomorrow I won’t be headline news any longer.’

Holly slipped her arm through his and smiled as they headed for the door. ‘No. Sorry, but you’ve already had your fifteen minutes of fame, Mr Darcy.’

Chapter 46

Harry found Holly outside on the terrace a short time later. As well as the cast and crew, all of the cables and sound booms, the lights and the rain machine had vanished, whisked back with the rest of the equipment to a soundstage in London.

‘It’s strange not to see people running madly back and forth,’ Holly said as he joined her. ‘No canvas chairs, no cables snaking everywhere…’

‘Strange, but nice. Nicer still not to see Ciaran hanging round.’

‘I wonder what he’s doing now?’ Holly mused, and rested her arms atop the sun-warmed stone balustrade as she leaned forward and looked out at the gardens.

‘Probably seducing an underage French maid.’

She laughed. ‘Probably.’

‘Did you talk to Hugh?’ he asked, and kept his gaze trained on the lawn that sloped away to the gardens, and the pool beyond.

‘I gave him his ring back. We’re officially no longer engaged.’

‘And?’ Harry straightened and turned to face her. ‘What did he say? How did he take it?’

Holly hesitated. ‘He was surprised at first. He tried to deny his feelings for Lizzy. But after I badgered him, he finally admitted he loves her. He’s on his way to tell her so now.’

‘Good.’ He let out a short breath of relief. ‘I’m glad.’

‘What about you?’ she asked, and reached out – gingerly – to touch the side of his face. ‘How’s your jaw?’

‘Hurts like blazes.’ He caught her hand and turned it over to kiss the inside of her wrist. ‘But I don’t mind.’

Her own breath quickened at the warmth of his lips against her skin. ‘I should go and get some ice. Your poor eye’s still swollen.’

He kissed his way, very slowly, across her wrist and up her arm. ‘No one’s ever administered a bag of frozen peas with as much tenderness as you,’ Harry told her, his voice husky. ‘Still – I’d rather you stay right here.’

‘All right,’ Holly agreed, her heart doing odd little flips. ‘If that’s what you want.’

‘It is.’ He leaned forward and, holding her face gently in his hands, kissed her.

She was vaguely aware of the warm stone balustrade pressing against the back of her legs, and the distant hum of a tractor; but now there was only Harry’s mouth on hers, touching, exploring, and then his arms came around her as he pulled her forward and deepened the kiss.

Holly’s hands slid over his shoulders. She felt the ripple of muscle beneath skin, the gingery stubble on his jaw, smelled his scent – soap from his recent shower, an intoxicating hint of aftershave – and she threaded her fingers into his hair.

He dragged his mouth away. ‘I’ve wanted to do that for a long time. Since Hugh first brought you home.’

‘So you planned this, then?’ she teased.

‘Right from the start.’ He grinned and kissed her again, lingeringly, and drew back. ‘I do have to ask you something, though.’ His eyes were serious on hers. ‘And you have to promise to tell me the truth.’

Her heart began to beat faster. ‘Of course I will. What is it?’

‘Did you and my brother…’ He stopped, and tilted his head back with a frown. ‘Did you two ever… did you sleep together?’

‘What?’ She stared at him. ‘Why would you even ask me that?’

‘I just… wondered, that’s all.’

Holly let out an exasperated breath and looped her arms around his neck. She met his questioning gaze. ‘No, Harry, we haven’t slept together,’ she said. ‘If by “sleep together” you mean “have sex”. Not even once.’ She blushed. ‘Although not for lack of trying – we came pretty close a couple of times,’ she added.

He snorted. ‘Right, I can just imagine. Underneath that veneer of propriety, I’m sure Hugh’s just as randy as the rest of us blokes.’

‘No, what I mean…’ Holly’s blush deepened. ‘I mean, not for lack of trying on
my
part. But the time was never right, and Hugh was always so busy – he’s
incredibly
busy – that it just… didn’t happen. He was tired, or I was working late, or we didn’t have protection to hand. And you know Hugh.’ She rolled her eyes. ‘Precautions
must
be taken and the proprieties must
always
be observed.’

Harry laughed. ‘Yep. That’s my bruv.’

‘So we basically just decided to be old-fashioned, and wait until our wedding night.’

‘Wow. That’s… I can’t even imagine waiting that long,’ he admitted. ‘I couldn’t do it.’ He reached out to run his thumb gently over her lips. ‘I’d have you right now if I could.’

Holly met his eyes. ‘I don’t half fancy it myself,’ she murmured, and smiled. ‘But I think the flagstones might be a bit uncomfortable.’

‘There is that,’ he agreed. His eyes searched hers, all teasing gone. ‘So you and Hugh really didn’t…?’

‘No! We really didn’t.’

Harry grinned. ‘More fool him,’ he said huskily, and lowered his mouth to hers once again.

***

‘Goodbye, you two,’ Oliver said as he set his suitcase down and opened the front door. He knelt down to ruffle his son’s hair and glanced up at Billy’s mother. ‘I’ll be in touch, Immy.’

She nodded. ‘We’ll set something up. I’m willing to be generous with visitation rights, Oliver, if you can prove to me that…’ She lowered her voice. ‘That you can be a proper father.’

He straightened. ‘I will be.’ His eyes were serious on hers as he added, ‘I mean it, Im. I never had a proper dad, growing up. I want to make sure…’ He stopped to glance at Billy, who was busy with a handheld game, and his unsteady voice made no secret of the depth of his emotions. ‘I don’t want Billy to have a hole in his life, never knowing his father, the way I did. I want to be there for him. But we’ll take it slowly. As slow as you like.’

‘Thanks for understanding.’ She lowered her voice. ‘I don’t want him to feel overwhelmed. Better to ease him in to the idea, I think.’

Oliver nodded. ‘Right. Well, time I got on. Please thank your mum for me. She’s been great through all of this.’

‘I will. Goodbye, Oliver.’

‘Goodbye.’ He picked up his suitcase and turned to go, then paused atop the steps. ‘Maybe we can try again, too, eh, Immy?’

She met his jokey, hopeful grin with a wary expression. ‘Maybe,’ she conceded. ‘No promises, though. We’ll see how it goes.’

He nodded again, pleased. ‘Right. That’s good enough for now. I’ll see you again soon.’ He raised his voice. ‘And you too, Billy boy. Be good for your mum and your gran.’

Billy glanced up briefly. ‘I will. Bye, Oliver.’ He returned his attention to the gaming screen.

‘Bye, lad. Goodbye, Imogen.’

She reached out and held him briefly. ‘Safe journey, Ollie.’

‘Thanks. Here’s my ride.’ He looked up as a taxi came up the drive and drew to a stop at the bottom of the steps. ‘See you soon.’

She nodded. She didn’t trust herself to speak.

With another grin he hove his suitcase into the back seat, climbed in after it, and shut the door, and the taxi drove away back down the drive.

Chapter 47

Lizzy, in an effort to escape Litchfield Manor and her father and sisters, made her way across the field to the apple orchard, where she now sat with a copy of
Pride and Prejudice
on her lap. She eyed the gathering clouds – rain would arrive, and soon, from the looks of it – and opened the book. Although she didn’t expect to make sense of a single word in her present state, she tried to read it nevertheless.

But too many thoughts and questions intruded and she gave up and put the book aside. Her father and Charlotte had launched into a row when they returned home, a row that led to slammed doors and a great deal of shouting. But on the subject of her sister’s punishment, Mr Bennet stood firm; Charli was grounded for the rest of the summer.

‘And perhaps,’ he’d thundered, ‘for the rest of your life, as well!’

Charlotte had stormed upstairs, crying and wailing out of all proportion to her punishment before slamming her bedroom door and sending Aunt Henrietta’s portrait crashing down, while Emma fussed over their father until he escaped to seek solace behind the closed door of his study.

Lizzy sighed. She felt in her pocket for the letter she’d received only that morning from Mark Knightley.

Elizabeth,

I was both surprised and pleased to hear from you. I’m glad to hear you’re well but sorry that your circumstances are not what you might wish.

Given how things ended between us, I’m gratified you can find it in your heart to still consider me your friend. What happened at the hotel between us on that rainy afternoon continues to cause me an equal measure of both gratitude and regret. Gratitude, because spending those hours with you was a gift I’ll always treasure. Regret, because our relationship didn’t last beyond that single afternoon.

I’m honoured to have spent that time, no matter how brief, with you, and hope that I may always call myself your friend.