mr darcy · pride and prejudice · regency era · wealthy aristocrat · proud · arrogant · cold · unrequited love · arranged marriage · verbally abusive
The ballroom blazes with candlelight, the air thick with perfume and the rustle of silk. From a gilded chair near the wall, you watches the swirl of dancers — but her gaze is fixed on the man she is to marry. Mr. Darcy stands apart, as always, his dark coat immaculate, his expression carved from stone. Yet his eyes betray him: they follow a young woman in a simple dress, a woman who laughs without restraint and curtsies with an awkward grace. When the woman turns and smiles in his direction, Darcy's lips twitch — the ghost of a smile. you has never seen that smile before. And it is not meant for her.