{"id":2340,"date":"2018-03-23T12:57:22","date_gmt":"2018-03-23T16:57:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/elizabethannwest.com\/author\/?p=2340"},"modified":"2021-12-17T12:53:45","modified_gmt":"2021-12-17T17:53:45","slug":"chapter-13-if-mr-darcy-dared","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/elizabethannwest.com\/author\/wip\/chapter-13-if-mr-darcy-dared\/","title":{"rendered":"Chapter 13 If Mr. Darcy Dared"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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This book releases to direct preorders at 5 PM EST March 23, 2018. I will keep the $7.99 pricing for direct orders until Monday. After that, all pricing including preorders on other vendors, where the book comes out March 30th, will be $9.99<\/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

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Chapter 13- If Mr. Darcy Dared<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\u201cMy answer is still no. You may not marry in three weeks\u2019 time with your sister, Jane, and your friend, Mr. Bingley,\u201d Mr. Bennet said.<\/span><\/span><\/p>

“No? But that is unfair!” Elizabeth Bennet looked furtively at her betrothed, Mr. Darcy, then to her uncooperative father. Her face flushed to a shade similar to a ripened tomato. “It is utterly unfair!” she repeated, in a perfect older version of her sister Lydia. <\/span><\/span><\/p>

Lizzy proved to her father that all of his daughters were more than capable of the famous Bennet pout. He used a finger to massage the inside of his ringing ear as the pout came coupled with the equally renowned, Gardiner shrill.<\/span><\/span><\/p>

“Perhaps we ought to\u2013” Mr. Darcy began, halting when Elizabeth turned her ire on him. Her eyes slanted in anger in his direction were more than enough to keep him willing to hold back. Discretion, is, as they say, the better part of valor, and she was performing excellently as their champion.<\/span><\/span><\/p>

Mr. Bennet watched the nonverbal exchange between the two young people in his study with great interest, but it still did not change his mind. “Just this morning you could not tell me without a doubt that you wished to marry this man.”<\/span><\/span><\/p>

Elizabeth’s cheeks remained red as she now blushed and looked down at her feet. Then she recalled the feeling of Mr. Darcy’s hand snaking up the middle of her back, and his lips igniting hers on fire with just a mere touch, and her fierce defiance returned in spades. She was interrupted from beginning another attack on her father\u2019s logic when a knock sounded on his study door.<\/span><\/span><\/p>

\u201cAh, Phillips, glad you could make it.\u201d Mr. Bennet smiled, welcoming his brother-in-law, the solicitor, to the discussion. He introduced the man to Mr. Darcy, and the same extended his hand in greeting.<\/span><\/span><\/p>

\u201cWhy is Uncle Philips here?\u201d Elizabeth asked, hope swelling in her chest this had all been an elaborate ruse on the part of her father.<\/span><\/span><\/p>

\u201cI sent him a message this morning, rather anticipating I might see the two of you this afternoon. I do so enjoy when I can plan the intrusions to my reading time,\u201d Mr. Bennet said, sarcastically.<\/span><\/span><\/p>

Mr. Phillips opened his leather portfolio to slide out numerous papers. \u201cThis here is for Mr. Bingley and Jane,\u201d he explained as he handed one stack of parchment to her father. \u201cAnd these are what I managed to draft for Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth. Without knowing all of the particulars, I left some blanks for us to fill in.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>

Elizabeth closed her eyes and realized everything to do with her and Mr. Darcy had become topsy-turvy. Their public display of affection should necessitate that she married first, or at the very least, simultaneously with Jane. However, officially, Jane had become formally engaged first, so the right to select her date correctly rested in the eldest sister. But now the discussion of Elizabeth’s marriage settlement was about to begin. This was a conversation where she did not wish to be a party, thus allowing at least one part of her journey to the altar to remain conventional.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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