Imperative: Volume 1, A Tale of Pride and Prejudice (63 page)

Our rooms.
  Darcy thought and resigned, followed the innkeeper’s wife to the table.  Almost instantly a tankard of ale was set before him and a girl, her face marked with the scars of smallpox, looked expectantly at Elizabeth. 

“Some cider, please.”

“We have a nice stew, unless you want a pie?”  She offered, smiling invitingly at Darcy.

“Stew will be fine.”  He glanced at Elizabeth, who nodded.  Across the room, he saw his coachmen, footmen, Judy and Parker gathering together.  “That group over there, just sitting down.  I am paying for their meals.”

“Oh, all right, then, sir!” She said brightly, and bustling off, she left them alone.  Elizabeth saw men calling to the maid as she made her way through, and she came back at each of them with a saucy remark. 

“I wonder what sort of life that would be.”

“What is that?”  Darcy settled back in his chair and took a cautious sip of his ale. 

“To work as a maid in an inn.” 

“Why in heaven’s name would you let such a thought cross your mind?”  Darcy demanded.  “Have you considered what it would be to work as a maid in our homes?  Would you trade positions with them?”

“No, of course not,” Elizabeth tried to explain, “I just have never seen anything like this before.  This is all new to me, Fitzwilliam.”

“I keep forgetting that.”  He searched for something to say.  “Well . . . If for some inexplicable and impossible reason you found yourself, God forbid, forced to work in such a place as this . . . With your wit, I can imagine you being a great favourite amongst the patrons.”  Darcy smiled a little to see her surprise.  “Dearest, I know that you would skewer them all and they would never know they were insulted.  But I am thankful that your life will forever be on
this
side of the table.”

She smiled and took his hand.  “Thank you for trying to humour my curiosity no matter how distasteful you felt the subject.”  Darcy sighed and entwining his fingers with hers, drank his ale, watching her watch the people.  “You are sketching characters.”  She looked at him for a moment and nodded.  He shook his head and smiled.  “Of course.”

“Have you never done that?  You are not one for the boisterous conversations I hear around us.  I can see you quite happily tucked away in your corner, watching everyone.”

“Passing judgement?” 

“You said it, not me.”  She smiled as he shrugged.  “Where did you usually sit?”

He cast his eyes around the busy room.  “I prefer private rooms, but mostly it depended on my companion.  If it were just Father or just men in general, I would likely be in here.” 

“Aha!”

Darcy laughed softly.  “But once I had Georgiana travelling with me, I would ask for a private room.”

“So it is not out of disdain for others that you asked to be separated, but rather for protection of the fairer sex.”  He nodded and her eyes danced.  “I believe that I am quite capable of holding my own here, sir.  Did you not just say I would make a popular maid?” 

Darcy said nothing, refusing to be drawn into her innocent challenge when he knew better. 
Do you know how maids become popular, Lizzy?

The girl returned with the cider and a loaf of bread.  Seeing Elizabeth’s attention occupied with the crowd, she smiled warmly at Darcy.  “Your stew will be right out, sir.”  She leaned down to wipe some crumbs from the table with a cloth stuck in her bodice, and displayed her ample cleavage.  “Is there anything else you might be wanting to warm you tonight?”  She whispered suggestively.  Seeing Darcy’s stony expression, she shrugged.  “Well, if you change your mind . . .” Turning, she made her way back across the room.

Darcy squeezed Elizabeth’s hand tightly and she looked at him.  “What do you see?”

“I am watching a mooncalf staring at his object.”  She laughed and leaned to his ear.  “The girl in the yellow gown and the boy with the blue hat.”

“Ahh.”  Watching, he laughed.  “I know that expression.”

“What is he thinking?” 

“He is thinking that he dare not stand anytime soon.”  Darcy’s eyes met hers and he nodded when she glanced down to his lap and back up to him. 
I am thinking the same about us.

Their meal arrived and was set down without ceremony, and without a smile.  Elizabeth watched the girl go.  “I wonder what soured her mood?”

“I would not begin to speculate.”  He picked up his fork and tasted the stew.  “This is very good.”

“You look surprised.”  She began eating and watched him.  “Slowly, Will.”

“But I am hungry!”

“Slowly.”  Smiling at him, she took a bite and chewed deliberately.  Darcy matched her and they took their time.  Elizabeth spent the meal entertaining him with speculation about the people sitting around them, and he was hard pressed not to laugh out loud in response to her tales. 

The maid reappeared.  “You said you were paying for them?”  She gestured to the table with his staff as they got up to return to their duties.  Darcy dropped some coins on the table.  “Oh.”  The girl scooped them up.  “Thank you, sir!”

“How much did you give her?”  Elizabeth asked curiously.

“Enough so she might sleep alone tonight.”  He murmured into his ale, and draining the tankard, stood.  He had not missed the attention that was fixed on his wife as she laughed and smiled at him throughout their dinner.  “Come, love.  I sense the atmosphere of the room is changing as the evening wears on.  This is no place for a lady.  We should retire.”

“Oh.”  She looked around and back to him as she stood.  “What is changing?”

“The men are no longer drinking to assuage their thirst.”  Taking her hand and tucking it securely on his arm, he began walking.  Before and behind them, other couples and groups with families were gradually gathering their things and doing the same.  Elizabeth glanced over her shoulder and saw that she was the object of interest and blushing, held onto Darcy’s arm a little tighter.  They walked upstairs to their chambers, and found Parker and Judy laying out their nightclothes.  Two pails of water were sitting in the fireplace, keeping warm.  “I think that you may retire for the evening, Parker.  Do you need Judy for anything else, Mrs. Darcy?”  He looked at her and raised his brow. 

She looked at him curiously.  “No . . . I suppose that you can help me.” 

“Very good, sir.”  Parker sent a last glance around, making sure that all was in place and catching Judy’s eye, they made a hasty exit. 

“Will?  Why did you dismiss them so quickly?  Are you feeling ill?”  Elizabeth watched him remove his coat and waistcoat, draping them over a clotheshorse in the corner, and untie his cravat.

“The farthest thing from it.  I thought we could wash each other.” He nodded at the buckets in the fireplace and walking forward to place his hands on her shoulders, rubbed his thumbs against her throat.  “I would love to soak in a warm bath with you, but . . . we will save that for Pemberley.”

“Bathe together?”  Suddenly all of the tension that had faded in the company at the tavern reappeared tenfold.  She laughed nervously as he smiled down at her.  The expression in his eyes was one she did not know.  It was dark, it was assured, and it was deeply attractive. 

“It is over?”  He asked softly.

“How did you . . .?”  

“Shhh.”  Darcy kissed her and turning her around, he removed the combs in her hair and started unbuttoning her gown.  Pushing it to her waist he kissed down her throat to her shoulder where he breathed in the lingering scent of her perfume.  His hands traced over her arms and down to her hips. 

Elizabeth closed her eyes and leaned against his chest, the heady scent of musk and orange surrounded her as it had the entire day while she cuddled his sleeping body.  “Something is different about you,” she whispered and gasped as Darcy’s warm mouth wandered from her shoulder up to taste her ear.  His teeth nipped the tender skin below her lobe, and once again the unbidden frisson of anticipation moved over her.  “Ohh.”  Her knees buckled, but she was held securely in his arms.

“Do you like that, love?”  Again he nuzzled her neck and suckled over her fluttering pulse.

“Yesss.”  She breathed shakily as the palms of his hands slid up her waist and cupped her breasts, then ever so gently circled her nipples.  Darcy groaned softly, feeling them harden into tight peaks beneath his fingertips.  Elizabeth turned her head and his tongue, soft and warm, slipped into her mouth.  A violent shiver moved through her and he felt it.  The reaction sent an equal thrill over him and turning her around, he deepened the kiss, exploring her mouth, tasting the cider on her tongue and losing himself in the soft, open, and gloriously welcoming kisses she bestowed upon his eager and starving lips.  Breathing unsteadily, he released the ribbons on her stays and pushed her dress down over her hips, dropping everything to the floor.  Elizabeth stepped out from the puddle of fabric and lifted her arms to slip around his neck while his hands moved down to cup and knead her bare bottom.

“Lizzy,” He breathed, drawing far enough away to see her darkened eyes and cheeks blooming with colour.  Her tongue appeared and he watched as it moved over her swelling lips.  Darcy’s nostrils flared, his blue eyes nearly black with desire, and firmly caressing his hands down her body, took up the edge of her chemise to lift the sheer fabric up and over her head, leaving her clad only in her garters and stockings.  This time her shiver was from the chill in the room, and he watched in wolfish fascination as her nipples contracted further.  His warm palm caressed over her breasts, “Oh dearest . . . how magnificent you are . . .” Dipping his head down, he suckled each, feeling them soften under his tongue only to harden again when he stopped. 

Elizabeth moaned, “What are you doing to me?”  Darcy laughed softly and rubbed his face in the warm valley, pressing the soft flesh to his cheeks and breathing in her heady scent.  The gesture broke the incredible tension, and they relaxed, falling back into each other’s arms to kiss again. 

Darcy was taken by surprise when he felt her hands tugging out the tail of his shirt from his breeches.  He smiled, and then laughed to see her determination.  “Shall I help?” 

“I want to touch you, too.”  Her face displayed a fascinating expression of desire and uncertainty that he found incredibly arousing, and immediately, he answered her request. 

Pulling off the shirt and kicking off his shoes, he stripped away his breeches and drawers, taking his stockings with them.  “There . . .” Grasping her hands, he challenged her.  “Better than a statue?” 

Elizabeth blushed.  “Will you never forget that?”

“Never.”  Darcy smiled and then blushed just as warmly.  “You are looking at me.”

She lifted her chin, “How can I not?  You are entirely too tall.” 

“Is that so terrible?”  He laughed as she ran her hands along his shoulders. “What now?”

“You are the size of two statues put together! Woe to the sculptor who wished to copy your likeness!  The cost of the marble alone . . .” Elizabeth squealed when he lifted her up to bring her eyes level with his. 

“Is this better?”  He demanded.

“It is like climbing a tree.” 

“I would love to have you climb me, love.”  Kissing her, he let her slide back to the floor.

Darcy watched her eyes travelling over his chest, following the curls of hair as they tapered down to the bloom of curls around his groin, her gaze finally resting on his erection.  The tip of her tongue caught in her teeth, and his heart began to pound.  He sought to regain control; and biting his lip, reached for a cloth and picked up the bar of soap.  “Ready?”

“You were serious?”  Elizabeth laughed and lifted her hands to her mouth when he nodded with a boyish grin.  “Oh no, Will!”

“You do not wish to wash off the dust of the road?  The smoke of the tavern?”  He spoke softly and walked closer.  “We are properly dressed for the exercise, and you are fond of commenting about how concerned I am about my appearance.”

“I meant your attire, Fitzwilliam, which you may notice; you have tossed without care upon the floor.”

“It is keeping good company with your gown.”  His eyes warmed and he dipped the cloth and soap into the warm water.  “I will have you know that I am equally enamoured of a clean body.  I take to heart the words, ‘cleanliness is next to godliness.’”

“Oh, well then . . .”  Elizabeth claimed the soap from his hands, worked up a lather and rubbed it onto his chest, spreading it around and over the soft brown hair, down his stomach and between his legs.  “Have I ever told you how much I admire your thighs, Mr. Darcy?”  She whispered.  Darcy groaned and watched her confident caress, the slippery soap creating a sensation that only reminded him of his goal for the night.   Grabbing back the bar, he quickly made his own lather, and did the same to her.  Between them they washed and kissed, laughing and touching each other.

“How will we dry?”  Elizabeth looked around.  “We have no towelling.”

“Come here, Wife.”  He caught her up in his arms and smiled.

“You are wet!  Fitzwilliam, oh, at least let us stand before the fire.”  She tried to move but he was not letting go.  Elizabeth sighed, “What are you about, Mr. Darcy?”

Chuckling, Darcy rubbed his hands down over her shoulders while kissing her.  “Do you truly think I would let you go?”  Laughing, she gave up trying to escape and tangled her hands in his hair.

“It would just be for a moment.”  She spoke to his twinkling eyes.

“As you see, I have no pocket watch to time you.”  His lips pursed back a smile.

Elizabeth bit her lip and then made a show of carefully examining his nude form, then looked up innocently, “Because you have no pockets?”

“Precisely, love.” 

“Whatever shall we do then, to dry, I mean?”

Elizabeth squealed when he immediately responded by wrapping his arms around her body, holding her securely to him as they returned to slowly tasting each other.  Darcy nuzzled his face against her cheek, kissing along her jaw, down her throat, and lifting her cascading curls away kissed and nibbled the back of her neck.   “You smell so sweet.” 

“So do you.” Elizabeth’s eyes sparkled when he straightened to look down at her, but her smile faded when his expression changed.  “Will?”