Dating Mr. Darcy: A romantic comedy (Love Manor Romantic Comedy Book 1)

by Kate O'Keeffe

Maybe it’s exhilaration from the ride, but I notice her eyes are slightly manic as they dart between us.

  “We were just heading back, actually, Hayley,” Sebastian says, avoiding her question. He pulls on the reins and his horse breaks into a walk.

  “Great!” she exclaims, her voice unnaturally high. “We’ve all been missing you, Sebastian. Me especially.”

  “Thank you,” Sebastian replies. “Shall we return to the group?”

  “That would be amazing.” Hayley gives him a broad smile which she drops when her eyes slide to mine. I swear, if looks could kill I’d be dead, buried, and strumming a harp on a cloud by now. She looks back at Sebastian and says, “Ride with me?”

  “We should help Emma back. This is her first time on a horse.”

  “Oh, I’m sure Emma has stolen you away for far too long already,” Hayley purrs. “Haven’t you, Emma?”

  I open my mouth to reply when Sebastian beats me to it. “I would prefer it if she came with us, Hayley.”

  I get another death stare from Hayley.

  “It’s fine,” I say with a wave of my hand. “You two go. Marilyn and I are good.” I pet Marilyn and she makes a sound that I decide to interpret as agreement.

  “If you’re certain?” Sebastian asks, and the look of concern for me on his face has me melting.

  “Sure am.”

  “Come on, Sebastian. I’m sure you’ve had enough of this learner trot. Let’s go for a decent gallop to blow those cobwebs away,” Hayley says.

  Sebastian darts me a look and I nod and smile at him. He turns back to Hayley, and says, “Let’s go.”

  I watch as they ride off together, side by side. They look like Mr. Darcy and Lizzie Bennet, out for a romantic ride together.

  As I make my way back to the stables alone, my mind is filled with Sebastian and I realize I’m only now beginning to admit something to myself.

  I like him. I really like him.

  And the thought scares me half to death.

  Chapter 17

  “Tell us about your horse ride with Sebastian,” Cindy asks as I sit in a chair with bright lights shining on me, a camera catching my every look and word. My mic pack digs into my back, and I shift my position.

  “It was great to get some one on one time with him, even though I wasn’t exactly confident on my horse. First time riding for me.”

  “What did you talk about?”

  “We talked about his job and Timothy. Timothy is my activewear label, not my boyfriend, in case you were wondering.”

  “Have you developed any feelings for Sebastian?”

  A small smile creeps across my face before I can stop it. Even though I’ve begun to, I don’t want to tell her about it. “He’s a great guy.”

  “Can you expand on that? Start with ‘The way I feel about Sebastian is.’”

  This is so natural.

  “Sure. The way I feel about Sebastian is ... I like him. I didn’t think I would, but I do.”

  “Why didn’t you think you’d like him?”

  “Because he’s—”

  “Begin with ‘I didn’t think I would like Sebastian because,’” Cindy says, much the way a mom says to her child for the four hundredth time that day.

  “Right. I forgot. I didn’t think I would like Sebastian because he was so reserved when we first met, but now I’m getting to know him and I like him a lot more.”

  Cindy gestures for me to continue, so I add, “Of course he’s super hot and charming, but he’s got a playful side to him, as well.”

  “Like the time he read your note and told you he couldn’t go to your room?”

  “For the record, as I’ve said before, I did not invite him to my room in that note. He was kidding about that. It was hilarious, when you think about it.”

  Which it wasn’t.

  “He called you a firecracker today. How did you feel about that?”

  I think of our horse ride, before Hayley rode up and stole him away, and something stirs in my chest. “I liked that he called me a firecracker,” I begin, remembering what I’m meant to do, “because it was cute. I am a firecracker at times.”

  “In what way?”

  “When I go after something, I really go after it. I’m like a dog with a bone.”

  “Like with Timothy, your label?”

  “Exactly. I’m working really hard to get Timothy off the ground, which, now that I think about it, makes it sound like a blow-up character, floating in the air.” I laugh lightly at my own joke, but Cindy just looks at me.

  Tough crowd of one.

  “Is your label the reason why you came on this show, Emma?”

  I blink at her. “No,” I reply in an entirely unconvincing way. “I came on the show to find love.”

  “Not to promote Timothy?”

  I shake my head vehemently. “No way.”

  She tilts her head to the side, watching me, and I know I’ve got to convince her—and the American people.

  “I’ve been a fan of reality TV dating shows since forever. Me and my friend Penny watch them, like all the time. I adore the romance, the suspense, the whole thing. I guess I’m in love with love, you know what I mean? I watched people fall in love on these shows. And I figured that if others can do it, why not me? And trust me, I am here for the right reasons. I’m here to fall in love with Mr. Darcy.”

  I hold my breath. I’ve pulled out every cliché known to dating show contestant-kind. One of them has got to do the trick.

  “Camille must have got that wrong, I guess,” Cindy says pleasantly.

  I lock my jaw. I should have known it would be Camille. “She has.”

  “Good to know. Okay, Emma, we’re done here. The card ceremony is coming up soon, so you’ve got an hour or so before then.”

  My mind swimming with thoughts of the traitorous Camille, I thank Cindy, remove my mic, and head back to my room.

  Of course I get why Camille would tell the producers about my label. I’ve made no secret of the fact my clothes are all by Timothy. I told a bunch of contestants on my first night here.

  I reach the empty bedroom and flop down on my bed, thankful for the rare solitude.

  Camille’s playing the game, that’s all. She wants to get me kicked off the show. In a way, I should see it as a compliment: I’m sufficient enough competition in her mind to make her want to get rid of me.

  The problem for her is, if Sebastian follows through on getting Timothy some air time, she’s got no clue the star of the show is in on the whole thing.

  * * *

  It’s another card ceremony and the final two are standing on the other side of the room from us. Hayley and Shelby are clutching onto one another as though the Titanic has struck the iceberg and Leonardo DiCaprio is nowhere to be found.

  Despite knowing how Shelby manipulated Sebastian with that whole fake fainting saga, I still feel sorry for her. She genuinely thinks they’re destined to be together, and by the looks of the confusion and hurt on her face right now, she’s having a hard time processing her current predicament.

  Then there’s Hayley. I’m not going to lie, Hayley being sent home would make my life here considerably less like a scene from Mean Girls, not to mention the absence of the Oompa Loompa in drag will mean Camille might not be quite so horrible to be around.

  Who am I kidding? She’ll continue to look down her aquiline nose at me and work behind the scenes to get me thrown off the show.

  I guess all’s fair in love, war, and reality TV.

  “Who’s it going to be?” Kennedy mutters under her breath at my side.

  “I know who I want it to be.”

  Johnathan has his hands steepled as he looks at the two girls, waiting for the drama to build until he puts one of them out of her misery. “Shelby. You have been invited to stay. Please, join The Lizzies.”

  Shelby instantly bursts into loud sobs as she hugs a shocked Hayley.

  Hayley pushes her away, throws her hands on her hips, and glares at Sebastian.
“Are you freaking kidding me? We went on that horse ride together. I told you things about me. I opened up to you. I was real. And this is how you treat me?”

  “Thank you for doing that, Hayley. I appreciate your honesty and ... enthusiasm,” Sebastian replies.

  I hold in a giggle. “Enthusiasm” is one word, but I can think of a bunch of other words for Hayley, some of which I would not repeat in polite company.

  “There was one tiny detail you omitted from your conversation with Sebastian, though. Wasn’t there, Hayley?” Johnathan says.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she sniffs.

  “We have recently learnt something about you that we found unexpected.”

  Hayley shifts her weight, her plumped up lips pulled together. “I can get a divorce,” she spits.

  Wait, what?

  Hayley’s married?

  I turn and gawp at the women around me. Everyone looks as stunned as me, riveted as the scene unfolds before us.

  Johnathan’s voice is calm but firm as he says, “All contestants are required to be single, Hayley. Had we known you were married before filming began we would not have been able to have you on the show.”

  “Yeah, whatever,” she huffs as she crosses her arms. “It’s a stupid rule.”

  I flick my eyes to Kennedy. “It’s a stupid rule that the contestants on a dating show have got to be single?”

  She chortles as she shakes her head. “So unreasonable.”

  Shelby has been watching along with the rest of us. She sniffs loudly and wipes the tears from her eyes before she collects her card and joins us on the other side of the room.

  Meanwhile, Hayley is still fuming that she’s been found out, and I’m not sure she’s going to go quietly. “Sebastian, you should know that you’ve missed a major opportunity here. Major. No one else here comes close to me. I am the full package.” She does a little shimmy to show us all just how full her package is. “And now,” she adds with a waggle of her finger, “you can’t touch this.”

  I half expect her to break into that old MC Hammer song. She doesn’t, which is a shame as the mood in here could really use some “Hammertime” to lighten it up.

  “I’m sorry, Hayley,” Sebastian replies. “You’re a wonderful woman and I’m certain things will work out for you.”

  “You got that straight, mister,” she spits at him.

  Johnathan jumps in. “Hayley, rules are rules, and as you have broken one of them, we have no choice but to send you home. I ask now that you say your goodbyes, pack your bags, and leave.”

  “All right. I’ll go. This show sucks, anyway.” She scowls at him before she holds her hand in the air and exclaims, “Later, bee-otches!” to us. She turns on her slipper-ed heel and waltzes out of the room, her hips swinging from side to side like a pendulum.

  I’d like to say I’m sad to watch Hayley leave, but we all know that would be a bald-faced lie. She's been nothing but horrible to me the whole time we’ve been here. Seeing her sent home has me punching the air. Well, metaphorically anyway. The cameras are trained on The Lizzies so I don’t want to look too happy.

  A tall guy from the crew follows her out, probably to ensure she doesn’t set the house on fire or something, and we’re instructed to stay where we are for more filming.

  Beside me, Shelby asks, “After what’s just happened, I thought we would definitely be done for the night.”

  “There’s a special announcement coming up,” one of the crew replies. “Hold tight. We’ll be right with you.”

  I glance over at Sebastian. He’s now on the other side of the room with Johnathan, their heads down as they talk.

  “That was brutal,” Kennedy says. “Who knew she was married?”

  “I know, right?” I reply.

  “She’s an idiot,” Camille announces.

  I shoot her a sideways look. “I thought you two were friends?”

  “I’m not here to make friends,” she replies scathingly. “This is Dating Mr. Darcy, not Making New Friends. Particularly not when they’re stupid enough to think they can get away with something as big as being married and no one would be the wiser.”

  “You’re so right, Camille,” Lori, my sleep-talking roommate says as others around me agree. “It’s good she’s gone now. At least all of us are here for the right reasons.”

  I work hard at not rolling my eyes.

  “Why do you think they’re going to film some more tonight?” Phoebe asks.

  Reggie turns around to face us. “Maybe they’re gonna announce a second guy.”

  “Darcy’s best friend, Mr. Bingley, maybe,” I offer, watching Johnathan and Sebastian on the other side of the room.

  “Mr. Bingley would be nice,” Phoebe replies.

  “Or Mr. Wickham,” Reggie says. “I could take a scoundrel like George Wickham for a twirl right about now. I bet a man like him would be real excitin’.”

  “Gosh, yes,” one of the other contestants nearby agrees as others pile in with their ideas.

  A few moments and a lot of eager chatter between the contestants later, they call for order and the camera lights flick back on.

  Johnathan stands before us once more, flanked by Sebastian. “Ladies, with Hayley now gone we are down to you as our Lizzies. Congratulations to you all.” He beams out at us. “Now, I’ll hand over to Mr. Darcy to say a few words. Sebastian?”

  Sebastian steps forward, looking serious. “Ladies, it’s been wonderful to be here at the ranch, but I’m afraid our time must come to an end. Hayley won’t be the only one leaving.”

  What?

  “I need to ask each and every one of you to return to your rooms and pack your bags.”

  We dart stunned looks at one another. Are we all being sent home?

  “I need you to pack your bags,” Sebastian continues after the crew is satisfied the contestants have got sufficiently worked up, “because tomorrow we are all taking a flight to England to stay at Pemberley, my family’s home.” His smile stretches across his face and I can tell it’s the real deal now.

  My face on the other hand, probably more closely resembles a deer in headlights.

  The women around me erupt in excitement, hugging, whooping, and thanking Sebastian. I do none of these things. Instead, I stand rooted to the spot, my brain on fire. I’m going to England? But that’s a thousand miles away. No, more. A lot more. It’s over an ocean. It’s an entirely different country.

  Sure, they said bring your passport, but I figured it’d only be for the contestants who got into the top few, and I had no plans whatsoever of being one of those women.

  “Oh, one other thing, ladies,” Sebastian says and the room falls quiet. “You’ll be able to wear whatever you want on the flight. No need for Regency attire. Might I suggest some comfortable activewear, perhaps?” His eyes slide to mine, and I feel a shot of elation.

  It cushions the blow.

  As we’re herded (cattle, remember?) back out of the room and directed to our bedrooms, I catch Sebastian’s eye once more. He mouths “my room,” and I manage to nod briefly before I move into the hallway, lost in thought.

  I feel a hand on my arm and look up to see Kennedy, her face bright with excitement.

  “Can you believe we’re going to England tomorrow? England, baby!”

  I knit my brows together. “I think I’m still processing.”

  “What is there to process? We’re gonna have such an adventure. I’ve never been there before. Heck, I’ve never even left the country. Well, other than to go to Cabo, but everyone does that where I’m from.”

  “But it’s England. It’s, like, really freaking far away.”

  She looks at me sideways as we lift our petticoats so we don’t trip on them as we climb the stairs to our rooms. “You okay, Emma?”

  “Sure. I guess I should have worked out that we’d be going to England if we’re on a show called Dating Mr. Darcy.”

  She laughs. “I know, right? This is going to be ama
zing!”

  I chew on my lip. Why does it bother me so much? Is it because of the fact we’re travelling far away from here, from my work, from my life? Or is it something else?

  Whatever it is, I’m finding it hard to kick the unsettled feeling that’s sunk in my belly.

  Chapter 18

  Later that night, once Reggie and Lori are lightly snoring and mumbling in their sleep respectively, I throw on some leggings and a tee and sneak on mouse-like feet down the hallway. As I round the corner a couple of doors down, I literally walk into somebody. I stagger back in surprise.

  “Emma?”

  “Phoebe?”

  “Is everything okay?” she stage whispers.

  “I, err, couldn’t sleep,” I reply, flustered. “I thought I’d go for a walk.”

  “A walk? Oh. I thought you might have been going to the bathroom.”

  That would have been a lot more believable.

  “What are you doing here?” I ask.

  “Same.”

  I take in her cute tank and PJ shorts. They’ve got teddy bears and love hearts all over them. They’re so Phoebe. “But you’re in PJs.”

  “Oh, they’re very comfortable for walking.”

  “Right.”

  “I guess I’m nervous about the flight tomorrow.”

  I’m eager to get away from her so I can get on with my clandestine activity, so I say, “You’ll be fine. We can sit together.”

  She smiles at me. “That would be nice.”

  “Well, enjoy your walk.”

  “You, too,” she replies before she takes off down the hall as though her pants are on fire.

  I watch her leave and am once again alone in the darkened hallway. What was she doing here? There was no way she was going for a walk. I chew on my lip as a fresh thought fills my brain. Had she been to see Sebastian? I didn’t think any of the other contestants had a clue where he slept. But then, maybe I’m totally naïve and he’s been seeing contestants in his room all this time.

  Despite knowing that rationally it shouldn’t matter to me even if he has, my belly sinks to the floor. I know this is a dating show. He’s got his choice of eager women, and he’s here to fall in love. At the end of this show he’s got to name his “Mrs. Darcy” and propose.