{"id":2252,"date":"2018-02-14T13:37:02","date_gmt":"2018-02-14T18:37:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/elizabethannwest.com\/author\/?p=2252"},"modified":"2021-12-17T12:53:44","modified_gmt":"2021-12-17T17:53:44","slug":"chapter-9-if-mr-darcy-dared","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/elizabethannwest.com\/author\/wip\/chapter-9-if-mr-darcy-dared\/","title":{"rendered":"Chapter 9 If Mr. Darcy Dared"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

This scene was hilarious to write….\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>

XOXO Elizabeth Ann West<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPREORDER DIRECT TODAY AND SAVE $2!<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

Chapter 9- If Mr. Darcy Dared<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Hazy grays of dawn punctuated with the pinks and oranges of a rising sun filled the sky as two soldiers bumbled their way down the road. Teasing one another over the relative beauty of their various dance partners, Lieutenant Denny and Captain Carter continued to pepper each other with the frustrations they both felt. Too much dance and drink had caused them both to miss the wagon. By the time they realized the rest of the regiment had left, not even a friendly ride in a carriage was available, leaving no choice but to walk the five miles, in the dark, back to their camp.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>

“But you are the lucky one, Denny; you managed to dance with Miss Bennet. She was by far the prettiest in the room,\u201d Captain Carter said.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>

\u201cFortune favors the bold; you should have asked her to dance soon, Carter.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>

Captain Carter gave Denny another playful shove. \u201cI should’ve had a set with her if that Mr. Bingley had not selfishly claimed the third set. Who ever heard of dancing three times with the same partner?” Carter complained as he kicked a stone down the way. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>

Denny matched him by kicking another stone, further down the lane. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>

For a time, they engaged in a contest of kicking rocks, scuffing their boots without thinking about the polishing they\u2019d both have to do later. When they finally reached a crest in the road, down the hill they could make out the telltale shapes of the white tents for the regiment. There were not so many more yards to walk before they’d reach the outskirts of camp.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>

“Miss Bennet held no eyes for me, that I can assure you. But her sister, Kitty, I’m sorry, Miss Catherine, I daresay I enjoyed both sets that I was lucky enough to procure.” Denny couldn’t help but look to the east where he knew Longbourn lay. Mrs. Bennet had implored both gentlemen to call upon the estate at any such time that they may have liberty to do so. It was an invitation that Lieutenant Denny intended to exercise.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>

“But you must not be too taken by any of the Bennets, they say. They are all penniless.” The Captain warned his comrade of gossip he had come across from a local, a Sir Lucas he thought, but didn\u2019t name the man in case as he was in his cups the memory was mistaken.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>

“Penniless? That cannot be, for any dowry at all is much more than this poor soldier’s wage!” Denny joked as they approached Lieutenant Wickham slumped against a tree trunk, fast asleep. Denny put his finger to his lips and he and Captain Carter tiptoed to the young lieutenant.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
[swpm_protected not_for=\"3-4\" do_not_show_protected_msg=\"1\"]\n
\nAdvertisement<\/b>\n<\/center>\n[\/swpm_protected]<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
[swpm_protected not_for=\"3-4\" do_not_show_protected_msg=\"1\"]\n
\n\n