The Trials of the Honorable F. Darcy by Sara Angelini Read Free Book Online

He felt out of practice, his manners w ere archaic. He didn’t want to ‘ hook up ’ with these women nor did he want to marry them. He didn’t want to debate politics or religion; he wanted someone to go to the movies with. Unfortunately, the women he met were ambitious; they disdained popular culture as vulgar, yet rose little above vulgarity in their own lives and took too much interest in his holdings in England. He stopped dating again and devoted himself to work.
    He told himself he was enjoying the carefree life of a bachelor, no commitments and now no worries about Georgiana. He told himself that he deserved this time to himself, to do whatever he wanted. Caroline had been persistent and, eventually, he stopped running and let her catch him. He had justified it as part of his new bachelor lifestyle but the truth was, she was comfortable; he knew what to expect from her. In any event, he had not succumbed to that comfort since last July and had no regrets.
    ***
    Elizabeth was not in the habit of working weekends; she valued her free time and used it to perfect the art of laziness. So she was quite put out by the fact that she had to write yet another appellate brief against Judge Clayton the Saturday after Thanksgiving. She looked out her window nine stories below and watched a man run a circuit of the park across the street. She let herself be distracted by his long lean form. He was running in long, loping strides, faster than a jog but not an outright sprint. She couldn’t make out his features but she admired his figure. Curse it, why was every tall man reminding her of Speed Racer? She allowed herself a little smile as she pictured a helmet on the running man; yes, they were nearly identical. She watched him make another circuit in quick time, then he stopped and bent over panting. As if sensing her, the man looked up toward her window. She instinctively darted aside to avoid discovery.
    Darcy completed another circuit around the park, trying to beat his last time. He had been a little miffed that his racing suit was so tight at Halloween. Granted, the years had not been unkind to his body but he had niggling doubts that being a judge was a little too “soft” of a job. He briefly fantasized about being a cattle rancher or construction worker. How his aunts, uncles, and cousins would howl!! They were already disgusted that he had chosen to have a profession at all.
    He bent over panting and let his heart rate slow a little. He looked over to his building; he needed to get back to work on his trial decision but the run had been a welcome diversion. He thought he saw a flash in one of the windows but with the overcast sky and the reflection off the window, he couldn’t be sure. He did another circuit at a slower, cool-down pace than doubled back toward the building and jogged into the foyer. Out of the corner of his eye he saw her: Elizabeth Bennet . Briefly - very briefly - he wondered what she was doing there. He quickly ducked his head and used the water fountain so that she would not see his face. He drank until she was out the door and then jogged up the five flights to his office.
    Elizabeth did not miss the fact that the jogger was in the foyer; she wondered who he was. He must have a security pass to get into the building on the weekend, so he must work here but she could not blatantly stare to identify him. She was interested, though, because of his resemblance to Speed Racer. She allowed herself to admire his legs while he drank from the fountain. He wore a black t-shirt, which clung damply to his torso, and blue nylon running shorts. He was wearing running shoes with no socks; she briefly admired his ankles which she found strangely attractive. She quickly left the building, determined to enjoy the remainder of her weekend.
    ***
    Elizabeth spent Christmas with her family and endured yet another year without a fiancé, much to her mother’s dismay.
    “Lizzy, you’re not getting any younger!