Imperative: Volume 1, A Tale of Pride and Prejudice (68 page)

“Not quite that long, Aunt.”  He retrieved Elizabeth’s hand.  “But I agree with the reason for my joy.” 

“Thank you, Mrs. Darcy, I . . .” She felt his hand close over hers again.  “I had no idea he was singing my praises.”

“Neither did I.”  He bit his lip.

“So your aunt attempts to improve you in my eyes?  Oh dear!  What am I to learn now that you have me in your remote castle?”  She laughed and turned to Georgiana.  “Miss Darcy, I am very happy to know you, I have heard so much of your accomplishments and I hope that you will condescend to share your knowledge with me.  I have four sisters and they are all unique.  I look forward to knowing my newest sister very well.”  Stealing a look to Darcy she winked conspiratorially, “Perhaps you might share the secrets of improving your brother’s disposition.”

“My disposition?  I am perfectly amiable.”  He sniffed.

“Yes, yes he is!”  She cried.

“Georgiana, she is teasing.  As am I.”  Darcy’s brow creased and holding open his arms, she fell into them.  He kissed her forehead and resting his cheek against it, looked to Elizabeth worriedly.  She smiled, holding her hand up to tell him all was well, and felt Susan touch her arm.

“I would like to speak with you when you are settled.”  She said softly.

“Of course, Mrs. Darcy.”

“Susan, please.”

“Elizabeth.”  She looked to the embraced and quietly talking siblings and back to Susan.  “My husband is occupied, could you introduce me to the staff?”

“Of course.”  Looking to Mrs. Reynolds, she nodded, and suddenly maids were at work removing her coat, hat and gloves.  “Mrs. Reynolds, this is your new mistress, Mrs. Darcy.”

“Mrs. Darcy, we are delighted to meet you at last.  Now Mrs. Gaston has written to me, and we already know your favourites for meals and preferences for the household, and I know that you are determined to learn about your duties, so I will be glad to guide you along.  The family will be arriving for Christmas, I do not have a firm date yet, but we have prepared enough rooms for everyone, and Mrs. Darcy, Mrs. Harding Darcy, has suggested a menu for their stay, but of course we will go over it all with you.  Mr. Darcy has not hosted them for years, so it will be wonderful to see the house filled with family once again!  Oh it is such good news to have you here, Mrs. Darcy!”  She beamed and caught her breath. 

“Thank you!”  Elizabeth smiled and put her hand to her chest, trying to hold back her laugh.  She caught Susan pursing her lips and realized that this housekeeper was going to be no problem at all to know.  “And the rest of these people?”  She nodded to the deeply interested staff.  Mrs. Reynolds went down the line, introducing maids and footmen, making note of their rank and years of service, and explaining that some were busy working in other parts of the home.  “Our steward, Mr. Barnes, is sure to be back soon, madam, he is collecting rents today.” 

“I see.”  She looked back to Darcy who seemed to be finishing his conversation with Georgiana and returned to them as Mrs. Reynolds quickly dismissed the servants to their duties.  “Perhaps we should settle in, dear.”

“Yes.”  He spoke softly; all signs of his earlier joy had evaporated.  Letting go of Georgiana, he started to unbutton his coat. Immediately two maids took over and disappeared with his things, leaving the four Darcys alone.  “Georgiana.”  He looked at her expectantly.

“Welcome to Pemberley, Elizabeth.”  She spoke to her hands.

Elizabeth took in her downcast eyes, her slumped shoulders, her pale features, and decided to moderate her approach to the girl.  “Thank you, Georgiana.  I am honoured to be a member of your family.”

“Our family, dear.”  Darcy took her hand and then reached for Georgiana’s.  “All of us together.” 

“Yes, Brother.”  She whispered.  “May I be excused?”

“Certainly.”  The familiar crease in his brow reappeared as she turned and quickly ran up the stairs. He sighed as he watched her go.  “Nothing has improved.”

“She did speak to you, if you recall she was mute when you left.”

“Not when she demanded I go, she was not.”  His shoulders sagged and Elizabeth recognized his sister’s defeated posture in his.  At least
he
she could help. 

“Fitzwilliam, do not be disappointed that she did not greet me with roses and affection.  I imagine that she has been fretting over this first moment together for some time.”  He looked to her and she saw the man who had proposed to her.  He had returned in a moment to the desperate burdened man who begged her to save his life.  “And remember that you left before she learned of her condition.  She has not faced you, her father figure, to hear your reaction.”

“And she expects you to return her to her husband.”  Susan whispered.

Glancing around and relieved to see the foyer still empty, Darcy quickly ushered the women into his study and closed the door.  He looked at his aunt.  “We do not believe she ever was married.”

“Thank the Lord!”  She cried with her hand to her heart.  “Harding was not sure, he was so angry, I could not tell if it was wishful thinking or not.  Did you find . . . him?”

Darcy’s head shook.  “The staff does not know of her situation?”

“No, Mrs. Reynolds worries over her, but she is barely showing, and the way that our dresses are cut, she could be six months along before anyone could see for sure.  She will not tell me if she has felt the quickening.”  Darcy’s eyes closed and he started twisting his ring furiously.  Elizabeth placed her hand over his fingers, stilling the movement that had disappeared in the last days. “The news that she is not married will come as a deep blow to her.”  Susan said softly.

Darcy studied her eyes.  “She will not be glad to be completely free of her seducer?”

“She cared for him, Fitzwilliam, or she would not have been seduced, would she?  She was happy playing at his wife,” She looked to Elizabeth, “until the money ran out.”

“And he became mean.”  Elizabeth whispered.  “And took it out on her.”

“He did not harm her physically . . .”

“Yes he did.”  Darcy said without emotion, but the grip of his hand on Elizabeth’s was unbelievably strong.

“We must tell her our plans for the baby . . . before we tell her that she is not married.” 

“Why?”  He looked to her. 

“Because I am afraid that she will not hear us when the shame of what she has done strikes her.”  Elizabeth saw Susan nodding.  “You agree?”

“Yes, I think that your plans, whatever they are, should be explained first.” 

“Well.”  Darcy began and then stopped. 

“It does not have to be this moment, dear.”  Elizabeth smiled softly up to his pained eyes.  “Let us go and settle in.”  He nodded and she turned to Susan.  “I am so glad that you are here for Georgiana, I am just a stranger.”

“I am glad that you are here for Fitzwilliam.”  Susan saw that he was lost in thought.  “I will see you in a few hours; why not take a good long rest?” 

Elizabeth read the face of a long-married woman and looked back to her husband.  “I think that is an excellent idea.”  Tugging his hand, he awoke from his thoughts.  “Show me our rooms, Will.”   She opened the door and she looked at him expectantly.

“Oh.  Forgive me.” 

Entwining their fingers, he walked up the stairs as a man to the gallows.  Silent, lost in his worry.  Elizabeth took in the decoration and attempted to remember the path they followed.  Eventually they arrived at a door and mutely, he opened it to reveal a deeply masculine room.  Parker appeared expectantly and spotting Elizabeth, he immediately turned around and shut the dressing room door.  Running footsteps down the hall preceded the mysterious closing of the door to their sitting room.  Darcy had gone to stand by the window, and sank against it, staring silently over his cold estate.  He heard Elizabeth moving around, but paid no heed, lost in thought about his sister and the reunion that had so forcefully moved him from the happy homecoming with his wife, to the hard reality of why he married in the first place.  Barely noticing her hands moving around his waist, the buttons on his coat and waistcoat were released, and in turn, the garments were slipped from his shoulders.  It was not until the same warm hands slipped inside his shirt and touched his stomach that he jumped.

He turned and his mouth dropped open.  “Elizabeth!” 

Standing before him dressed only in her chemise, her unbound hair falling over her shoulders, she held out her hand, “Come . . .” 

“Lizzy, I . . . I do not know if I can . . .” He looked down.

“I am not asking you to do a thing.”  She stepped closer and began untying his neck cloth, then pulling it from his throat; laid it over a nearby chair.  Darcy watched as his shirt was eased open, and closed his eyes when she pulled it free of his breeches, and lifting his arms helped her to remove it from his body. 

“You are cold.”  He whispered, touching gently the tight peaks of her contracting nipples.

“Warm me.”  Their eyes met, and suddenly he pulled her hard to his chest, and crushed her mouth with his kiss.  Breathing hard, he sat down on the bed, bringing her with him as he fell backwards.  Her arms embraced his shoulders and her hair sheltered their faces as they kissed; their tongues and mouths battling each other to claim dominance.  Darcy groaned when her teeth found his neck and muttering something under his breath, reached to his open breeches, then grasping her hips, drove into her.  Elizabeth gasped and lifting her head she saw his eyes close, and could almost feel the relief spreading over his body. 

“Oh Lizzy . . .” He moaned.

Thrilled with the blissful expression on his face, she whispered, “What should I do now?” 

Darcy opened his eyes; and seeing her determined expression, chuckled and brushed back her hair.  “Use your imagination.” 

“I am afraid that I will need a little more experience before I can truly imagine . . .” He thrust his hips upwards and she gasped again.  “Oh my!”  Laughing, Darcy wrapped his arms around her and drawing her down to his chest, held her close. 

“Relax.”  He whispered against her ear.  “We can spend all night exercising our imaginations; let us just lie together now.”

“That sounds wonderful.”  Elizabeth sighed and settled on his chest as his hands moved slowly up and down her body.  Thinking of his direction to imagine, she wiggled her hips.  Darcy’s chuckle rumbled in his chest.  “Is this where I learn how to bounce?”  Now laughing, he held her hips and rocked her steadily with a riding motion.  “ohhhhhh.”

“Do you see, love?” 

“Mmmhmmmm.  I feel, too.”  Elizabeth lifted her head and found his twinkling eyes smiling up at her.  She laughed and tenderly kissing him; nipped his chest and laid her head back on his shoulder.  Darcy’s arms tightened around her.

“How did you know that I needed you?”

Turning her face to see his, she spoke softly, “You needed me when you proposed.”  He nodded.  “You needed me when you came racing to Longbourn, and when we married, and when you came to Gracechurch Street . . .” He gladly opened his mouth to feel the caress of her tongue before she moved to whisper in his ear, “The difference, my sweet Fitzwilliam, is that now I may provide comfort.”  Letting go of a slow breath, he smiled.  “Now . . . as intriguing as this is . . .” She sat up and he groaned at the sight of her, automatically reaching up to caress over her breasts.  “It is cold!” 

“Boots off?” 

“If you please?  And the rest of your clothes as well, we have some lovemaking to accomplish.  I have no desire to wait until we retire for the night.”  She arched one brow.

“This time.”  He advised her and laughed softly to see her astonishment as he pulled her back down into his embrace and rolled them over.  “But not always, my dear wife.  I have plans for us.”  Looking down into her sparkling eyes, he kissed her before rising.  “So many plans.”  

Chapter 22

D
arcy lay awake on his back, his head and shoulders propped up by pillows; and Elizabeth lay curled along his side with a leg hooked over his, one arm draped around his waist and her head nestled over his heart.  He hugged her to him and watched the maid rebuilding the fire, her shovel noisily digging into the brass bucket on the hearth as she added coals to the grate.  She took up the bellows and puffed air over the glowing mass.  New flames grew, and the dark room filled with dancing light.  The young girl stole a glance at the bed and seeing Darcy’s eyes upon her and Elizabeth in his arms; gasped and quickly gathering her things, disappeared.  He smiled and closed his eyes, kissing Elizabeth’s head. 

“I will have to speak to Mrs. Reynolds.”  She said softly as his hand stroked lazily over her hip and down the back of her thigh.

“About knocking?”

“mmmhmmm.” 

“Definitely.  If she had come a moment later, I am afraid that her innocence would be shaken to the core.”  Elizabeth laughed softly and turned her head to kiss his chest.  “Come here, Mrs. Darcy.”  Easily, he lifted her onto his belly, and ran his hands up and down her back.  They kissed, and he pushed her hair away from her face and over her shoulder.  “mmm, I love you up here.” 

“Staring down at you?  Good morning, Blue Eyes.”  She moved comfortably over him and he looked appreciatively at her breasts pressed to his chest.  “What are you smiling about?”

He chuckled.  “You, love.”  His palms glided down her shoulders to her bottom and back up.  “You are so relaxed.  Was it not just weeks ago when you cowered under the covers when the maid entered our room?”

“So I am either brazen or have become used to being ridiculously wealthy.” 

“Neither.”  Darcy brushed her cheek with his fingers then drew her face down to kiss.  Their mouths met softly.  Elizabeth drew in his lip to suckle and delighted in his moan and the feel of his arousal growing against her belly.  “Lizzzzzy . . .”

“You like that.”  She giggled, whispering as she left a trail of kisses up his jaw to his ear, and nipped at the lobe before settling to nibble his throat.  “What else do you like?”

Darcy immediately rolled her over and laughed at her surprised squeal.  “I love finally having you here in this bed.”