Darcy and Fitzwilliam: A Tale of a Gentleman and an Officer

The chief of physicians at St. Theresa’s Hospital in London paced back and forth. “I cannot breathe,” he announced in amazement, then stopped. “Perhaps this is a heart attack?” He pressed his hand onto his chest. “I think I can hear my mother’s voice.”

“I do not understand what upsets you so.”

“Oh, dios mio mi vida, pardon my thoughtlessness,” he hissed. “You have told a man who desires you, whose profession it is to kill people, I might add, that I am your lover. Is this not correct?”

“Keep your voice down!” Amanda swept her glance around the main room of the church, concerned that they were in danger of being overheard, then returned her attention quickly to her agitated friend. “All right, Anthony, you are partially correct, in a way, yes…”

“In a way?” A ray of hope, that. Perhaps he had misunderstood her. “In what way am I mistaken, querida?” His long dark lashes were blinking furiously.

“Well, we had a somewhat intimate moment between us…oh, it was heavenly, Anthony. However, when he expressed a desire to court me, I am afraid I rather panicked, may have led him to believe something of a relationship was occurring between you and me.”

He took a few moments to run a bejeweled, elegant hand through his curling locks then perused his cuticles closely. It was a while before he could calmly express himself. He decided he would speak slowly to her in the hope that she could grasp the gravity of what she had done.

“Well, as you know, I am acquainted with this Colonel Fitzwilliam of yours, Amanda. I have been in meetings with him at the War Office concerning his wounded soldiers. He possesses a look and manner not unlike your American grizzly bear. That is, he can be short-tempered, ruthless, aggressive, self-confident due to his rather formidable build. Also, he has fairly coarse hair.” He watched her eyes closely for understanding, for a glint of comprehension. “He is vicious, pitiless, and ferocious.” She still did not respond. “I like him enormously. But”—his hand went up before him to silence her—“I have no intention of willingly becoming the object of one of his vendettas. He is as unrelenting as he is merciless. He always gets what he wants, Amanda, always, no matter whom he must annihilate.”

Anthony searched her face to see if this speech had affected her, penetrated her thick American skull. But no, he saw only hesitation in her sad, blinking brown eyes. She looked like a spaniel. He leaned forward and spoke louder to compensate. “Do you not comprehend me, querida??” Perhaps her hearing had gone the way of her brains.

She flapped her hands for him to be quiet. “Anthony, please cease being quite so Spanish. Compose yourself.” He spat out an indignant harrumph at that. “Dearest, are you certain we speak of the same man? Richard has been all that is gentle and kind with me. Well, aside from his furious explosion on the balcony. I do not believe that he will pursue me if he believes us betrothed, and I surely had to stop his coming to Penwood, to that house. No, I am confident that, at heart, he is a most honorable man.”

“ Betrothed? ” In his burgeoning terror, Anthony heard nothing else. “Tell me, do I have little beads of sweat forming upon my brow? No? I swear that I feel definite moisture about my hairline.” He brought his silken handkerchief up to mop his brow then inhaled deeply. “So, my darling—tell me quickly to lessen the sting— did you, or did you not, inform him that we were betrothed? Yes or no.”

“No, Anthony, of course I said no such thing. I would never lie, not really. Not in so many words. However”—Anthony’s breathing stopped—“I may have implied that you were about to offer for me.’

Anthony looked horrified, but she continued without noticing. “You see we were… together, in each other’s arms. Oh, it was beautiful, Anthony, heavenly. Never before have I experienced such passion, and he was so gentle. Anthony, he told me he loved me.” She beamed, her eyes shining. “Do you remember how I would question you about him after your meetings at the War Office? I must confess I have long admired him.”

Anthony still looked horrified.

“Anthony, do be calm. He is all kindness. I fear what he truly felt was the need to comfort me, not love me. Emily informed him how a woman who thought I was a servant ridiculed me and tried to have me thrown from the ladies’ retiring room. It was very lowering, Anthony. She made me feel very sad.” He looked down at her bowed head, his hands rubbing her upper arms soothingly, then leaned forward and softly kissed her forehead.

“All right, now tell me exactly what you said about me to the colonel.”

“Is that all that concerns you?!” She was incensed. “Have you heard nothing else?!”