Darcy, her cheeks burning, and for a moment, she wondered whether he was making fun of her. Her head felt painfully heavy, and the daylight was intolerable. His words sounded loud and clear, but their meaning was uncertain. He seemed slightly uneasy, and the trace of fatigue on his face became more visible with each moment. He looked at her as though waiting for a sign to continue, and she knew she should stop him.“Miss Bennet, please forgive my intrusion and the manner of my declaration. I can understand your surprise, your shock; to be honest, my presence here is a surprise even to me. I have thought of little else since last night, and I confess I did not sleep a single moment as I considered my decision to speak with you. But surely you cannot be surprised by my words as you must have noticed my inclination for you since we were in Hertfordshire.”She continued to stare at him in silent astonishment. Of what was he speaking? His inclination for her? ‘She is tolerable, I suppose, but not handsome enough to tempt me.’“Almost from the beginning of our acquaintance, I came to admire you.
