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WHILE DARCY BUSIED himself making a spear the next morning, Lizzy recovered more materials from the jungle and driftwood from the beach to build a signal fire. If they kept their smaller fire burning—and they had every intention of doing so, since it had taken the two of them quite a long time to figure out how to start a spark yesterday when neither one of them had ever even lit a fire in a fireplace before—they could quickly light the bonfire to signal for help if they saw a ship approaching.
She looked up when Mr. Darcy cursed, shocked at his lapsed manners. “Is everything all right, Will?”
He looked at her, flushing. “My apologies, Lizzy. These blasted fish are far too difficult to spear. I suspect the article I read was full of distortions and contrivances.”
Her lips twitched as she moved away from the bonfire, holding out her hand. “I should very much like to try.”
With a frown, he passed it over to her. “It is difficult, I warn you.”
She nodded. “I do enjoy a challenge.” At first, she started out on the beach as he had been, but that seemed illogical to her. It took forever for fish to even come close, so she lifted her nightdress, her dress still in her satchel, and wrapped it around her waist. She ignored Darcy’s indrawn breath as she plunged into the water, standing still for what felt like forever.
Her first few attempts ended ignobly, but she let out a cry of delight when the next time she tried, she speared a large fish. “I have one,” she cried out with glee as she turned to face him, grasping the fish firmly by the gills. She squirmed at the sensation before he took it from her.
She expected him to be disgruntled, and he looked mildly displeased until he saw the fish. “Well done, Lizzy. I shall clean it if you would like to try to catch another?”
She nodded as she turned back to her task. “You know how to clean a fish, Mr. Darcy?”
“Indeed. I am quite adept at hunting and fishing. I have been doing so since before I can fully remember. Both my father and my uncle, the Earl of Matlock, were avid sportsmen. Uncle still does the occasional spot of hunting these days.”
“It could prove quite useful for us then.” Lizzy paused, holding her breath as a large fish swam by before darting back to her. When it was near a rock, she rushed forward, shoving the spear forcefully into it. She had a wince of regret for the poor thing as it flopped against the rock for a moment while she tugged loose the spear. The fish started to slip away, but she reached out and grabbed it, thankful it was slowed by its current condition. She tossed it on the beach to Darcy, who was currently busy stripping skin and fish guts from the first catch.
As she turned to walk toward him, deciding they had enough fish for the evening, she was unexpectedly overcome with arousal at the primitive sight before her. Right now, in just his breeches and boots, having shed his shirt sometime during the hot day, he looked nothing like the proud and disdainful scion of society she’d met the first night of the reception aboard the ship. Instead, he seemed savagely beautiful, and there was wildness in her heart urging her to join him.
Before she could talk herself out of it, Lizzy reached for the sharp rock he was using to cut the fish and used it to slice the side of her nightdress. When it was to her knee, she turned the makeshift knife to make another notch, ripping it widthwise as well. She felt much freer, and she ignored his look of shock as she sat down near him. “Show me how to skin this fish, Will.”
He shook his head. “It is an unladylike task and quite disgusting, as you can see.”
Lizzy nodded but affirmed her resolve by stiffening her shoulders. “I see that, but it is still a skill I desire to learn. I might need to know how to do it to take care of myself at some point.”
With a grunt, he told her to find a sharp rock similar to the one he was using. When she returned, he had waited, though he’d finished filleting the first fish. He talked her through the process, and as she finished up a while later, handing over the fish that he wrapped in leaves and placed near the fire as he’d done with the first fillets, he said, “That shall never happen.”
She frowned. “What do you mean?”
“You will not be alone to fend for yourself.”
There was something in his voice, a tantalizing note that made it difficult not to believe him. Lizzy firmed her shoulders anyway. “No one can be sure of that, Mr. Darcy, so it is wise that I learn to take care of myself.” She frowned. “I do hope Jane is not in a similar situation. Mr. Bingley would surely look out for her, but I do not know that Jane could endure such hardship. Ever since she had scarlet fever as a child, her constitution is not as strong, and when cholera nearly knocked her flat almost three years ago, I fear she never quite recovered from that.”
“I hope they are not stranded together on an island like us, deserted with just the two of them.” His lips twisted. “Mr. Bingley will assuredly find himself married at that point.”
She glared at him. “My sister would be just as ruined, Mr. Darcy.” She couldn’t bring herself to call him Will at the moment.
He turned to her, arching a brow. “You really think so? She would not have the better advantage, having acquired a wealthy husband who is forced into a position to offer for her to avoid her ruin? I believe Charles would be the greater injured. Ruination can be beneficial for some.”
She glared at him. “I am just as ruined as my sister in this situation, Mr. Darcy, and there is no benefit.”
His eyes closed for a minute, and he heaved a sigh clearly full of regret. “Yes, I realize that. When we are rescued, I shall preserve your reputation by offering for you.”
He was so reluctant and so burdened by the idea that Lizzy’s mouth dropped open in shock, and for an instant, she had no words to express the depth of her outrage.
He continued, clearly unaware she wasn’t feeling any gratitude for his sacrifice. “Of course, that would come with a generous settlement upon you and shouldering the responsibility for your family. Perhaps this is not the worst thing that has ever happened to you, Lizzy.”
She struggled to breathe and control the urge to slap him. Her gloves were long gone, and she was certain she could leave a bruise if she tried this time, but the idea was disquieting. Lizzy was not particularly forceful or physical, except with this man.
Squeezing her hands into fists, she stood up and strode to the water, intent on removing the fish guts from her hands. “It will please you to know I would never marry you under any circumstances, Mr. Darcy. Indeed, I had not known you an hour before I couldn’t imagine a man I would like less, and the idea of being tied to you for life is no joy.”
He sounded shocked. “What choice would you have? We are compromised.”
She turned back to glare at him as she scrubbed her hands. “I assure you I will never compromise about that, Mr. Darcy. Your fortune and your virtue are quite safe from me. I want no part of you or marriage to you.”
With those words, she turned and strode down the beach, needing to get away from him. For the first time, she regretted she hadn’t insisted on maintaining two smaller shelters. It would’ve at least given her the illusion of privacy to escape him for a while.