Swipe Left on Mr. Darcy — One Dance, Page 16
By Suha · Published
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Transcript
From the dark terrace, Lizzie looks back through the tall glass at the warm party — where Darcy stands alone amid the crowd, watching the room, unreadable, framed by the glass. One of her hands drifts unconsciously to her own waist, to the place where his hand had rested during the dance. Her expression is deeply conflicted: certain of her verdict, and unable to forget the dance. (No dialogue.)
Image description
From the dark terrace, Lizzie looks back through the glass at Darcy standing alone amid the party, one of her hands drifting to her own waist where his had rested, her face deeply conflicted.
About this chapter
The party Lydia bullied Bingley into throwing lights Netherfield up for the night. Lizzie comes dressed to see one person — George — and he never shows, ducking the one room Darcy is in and leaving only a breezy 'long story' text behind. Jane and Bingley fall into each other on sight; Caroline circles; and then Darcy, stiff and unexpected, crosses the whole floor to ask Lizzie for a single dance. She says yes before her pride can stop her. The dance is close, charged, and honest in a way neither of them planned — until she pushes on George's name and Darcy goes cold and guarded, warning her, without explaining, to be careful whose story she believes. She reads the chill as guilt. The night curdles as her family performs at full volume and Darcy watches it all; Lizzie steps out to the terrace with her verdict louder than ever and the ghost of his hand still at her waist. She leaves more tangled than she arrived — certain she was right about him, and unable to forget the dance.