Imperative: Volume 1, A Tale of Pride and Prejudice (56 page)

“How did you know what I was wondering?”  Darcy smiled and kissed her.  “We are becoming closer.”

“I think so.”  Elizabeth yawned and he put his arm around her.  “I will not miss the theatre tomorrow.” 

“We will see.” 

“Please Will . . . I am not one to lie in bed.” She whispered as her eyes grew heavier, and she finally gave in. 

Darcy kissed her forehead, saying prayers of thanks that it was no worse, thanks to whoever created laudanum, to the inventor of the hot water bottle,   Elizabeth curled into him and he held her closer.  “Sleep well, love.” 

“I AM ENGAGED.”  Mary said blankly.

“To Mr. Collins!  What a joke!”  Lydia laughed and leaned on Kitty.  “Oh Mary, how could you?”

“What do you mean?   Mama was there, and Papa was there, and everyone was just staring at me, and I realized that he stopped talking and I . . . said yes.”  She turned to Jane with wide eyes.  “I said yes!  And I . . . I barely know him!  Lizzy knew Mr. Darcy much longer when he proposed!”

Jane sat down and put her arm around Mary’s shoulders.  “But you have the benefit of living with Mr. Collins, so you have seen him informally and know more of him.  You do admire him, do you not?” 

“Yes, of course, he is an educated gentleman, a man of God, he is perfectly acceptable.”

“Do you love him?”

“Love?”  Mary stared at her.  “No, of course not!”

“Why of course not?”  Kitty demanded.  “Should you not love your husband?”

“He smells; how can you love that?  You must insist that he bathe, Mary!  You must make him promise!  He must bathe at least twice a week and clean his teeth daily or else you will refuse to kiss him.”  Lydia nodded emphatically.

“I have to kiss him?”  Mary whispered. 

“You have to do more than that!”  Lydia started giggling and Kitty fell on to her, laughing even harder. 

“That is enough!”  Jane chastised them when Mary’s face went white.  The unusual tone in her voice immediately gained their attention and the girls settled down.  “Mary if you are unsure, if you felt pressured to accept him, I am certain that Papa would break the engagement.  You are quite young; there is no hurry to marry.” 

“I bet that Charlotte Lucas would take him quick enough.”  Lydia sniggered.

“No.”  Mary said softly.  “Papa was going to make Lizzy marry him, and he loves her the most of all of us so he must think well of him.  After all he does have an admirable position and excellent prospects.  Mr. Collins said it was to my advantage to accept him, especially after Lizzy’s wedding.  He said it was shameful what happened with her and that we would follow the strictest propriety.”

“Shameful!  Lizzy was not shamed!  She received a proposal and accepted it, even if it was to someone as boring as Mr. Darcy.”  Lydia flounced into a chair.  “At least he likes to kiss her!  I guess that makes him much more interesting.”

“And he does smell ever so nice.”  Kitty said to nobody in particular.

“Mr. Collins does not seem to like Mr. Darcy.”  Jane noted and when her sisters looked at her she spoke softly, “His words about propriety I think are about Mr. Darcy’s behaviour.” 

“I never understood Lizzy’s fussing over his not wanting to dance.  I guess he made up for it when he kissed her.  She certainly seemed to like it!”  Kitty giggled and sat down.  “Mr. Collins liked Mr. Darcy well enough when he was talking about Lady Catherine.  I think he is just jealous, he wanted Lizzy.” 

“He wanted Jane, first!”  Lydia pointed out.  “And he’s getting Mary!”

“At least he wants me.”  Mary lifted her chin.  “And I think that we are very well suited.”

“You can read Fordyce together!”

“I will be mistress of Longbourn someday.”  Mary said stubbornly.  “And what will you be mistress of?”

“I am marrying a soldier.”  Lydia sniffed. 

“So am I!”  Kitty echoed her.

“Who are you marrying, Jane?”  Lydia prodded her with her foot.  “Where is Mr. Bingley?” 

“He is in London.”  She blushed and stood.  “I think that Lizzy should hear this news, excuse me, I have to write her a letter.” 

“THANK YOU.”  Darcy handed a stack of letters to Lowry and they both looked to the door when they saw a flash of green go by.  The two men exchanged glances and Lowry inclined his head before leaving the study.  Darcy smiled and sat back in his chair, stretching out his muscles after spending much of the day at work.  The arrangements for their travel were completed, and he was free to contemplate his wife travelling the halls of the house in quest of her exercise.  “Can she possibly be at it again?  No . . . she was dressing.”  Looking at the clock, he saw that it was nearing time to depart for the theatre.  He stood and walking to the mirror, checked over his appearance and started to reach for his uncle’s port, but put the stopper back into the decanter.  “No, that should breathe for a few more days.”  Walking out into the hallway he paused, wondering where she might be.  Spotting Mrs. Gaston shaking her head with a smile as she walked past the ballroom, he knew exactly where to go.

Oh my
.  Darcy breathed when he arrived at the door.  Elizabeth turned and he cleared his throat.   “I was directed here by our bemused staff.”

Smiling, she twirled around in her new gown, moving gracefully between patches of fading sunlight filtering through the four arched windows.  “I just had to see how it felt to dance in here wearing such a beautiful gown.”

“I can tell you that the gown is nothing without the woman who wears it.”  Advancing, he took her hands and they moved together easily to the steps of an unnamed dance.  “How can you dance alone?  With no music?” 

“I have a tune in my mind, and I have danced alone many times.”  She smiled when they turned together. 

“Where did you dance alone?  When you took your walks?”

“Sometimes, if I thought nobody would see.”  Elizabeth laughed when they anticipated each other’s moves.  “We have yet to trip!”

“I hope that we never do.”  He stopped.  “Where else did you dance alone?”

“At Assemblies.”  She looked down to his boots.  “When nobody asked me, I would sit in my chair watching and pretend that I was holding a man’s hands.”

“I used to do that, pretend that I was dancing.”

She looked back up to him.  “But you could have asked any lady to dance, it is your own fault that you did not!”

“True, but . . . my asking a lady to dance was more complicated than just asking a lady to dance.  Expectations were raised, as you now know.”  He smiled and his eyes twinkled as he began to turn her again.  “What are you hearing in your mind?” 

“The same song you have in yours.”    Elizabeth started to hum a tune and Darcy’s eyes lit up.  His smile grew and he laughed.  “How did you know?”

“The first set of the Netherfield Ball, our first dance.” 

“I think, my dear love, that you and I are starting to know each other very well indeed.”  They moved together, holding hands and turning slowly in the precise pattern until Darcy drew her forward and wrapped his arms around her waist.  “Your eyes are sparkling like sunlight on a rushing stream.”  Bending, he kissed her softly, then pausing, he felt her lips seeking his again; and their embrace strengthened, just as their kisses grew deeper. 

“Will . . .”   Elizabeth forced herself away and leaned against his chest while he closed his eyes and rested his cheek on her head, both still swaying to the music in their imaginations.  “Shall we give a dance?” 

“For the two of us?  Gladly.”  He turned them around and she laughed.

“Oh, to dance like this!  Would it not be wonderful to have a room filled with music and to be able to hold each other so closely?”

“Imagine the scandal!”  Darcy began humming, deftly guiding her around and around as he held her tightly 

“What is that you sing?”

“I do not know the name, just a love song I heard once.”  He stopped, smiling down at her.  “How do you feel, dearest?  Are you sure that you want to go?  Should you not be lying down or at least settled in a chair?”  Hearing her sigh, he kissed her.  “So the herbs and your exercise have helped?  I must say that the servants were all shaking their heads, watching your endless circuit around the house today.”

“If you had let me walk in the park they would not have had to witness my madness.”  She waved her hand towards the windows and they both looked out to see the bare trees bending in the stiff wind.  Their eyes met and one of his brows rose as he stared at her pointedly.  “Well, they will undoubtedly have much more to shake their heads over as the years go by.” Darcy chuckled and hugged her.  “I do feel much better.  I am awfully tired, but I think that is the lingering effects of the laudanum.  I will be fine for tonight.”

“We do not have to go; after all we are not meeting anyone.”  He kissed her forehead.  “I am just as happy being at home.  I can admire you much better here.”

“hmmm, you have the freedom to touch here.”  Elizabeth laughed and letting go of his waist, slipped her hand in his.  “I want to go.”

“I cannot persuade you?” 

“No.”  She tugged his hand.  “Come, Mr. Darcy.”

“Very well.”  He at last moved and they walked out to the foyer.  “We will be home by ten at the latest, Lowry, hopefully sooner.”  He shot a look at Elizabeth.

“Yes, sir.  I will be sure to have supper waiting in your chambers.”  He handed Darcy’s hat over and watched the maids adjusting Elizabeth’s coat.  “A message just arrived from Lord Matlock.”  Lowry picked up the folded sheet of paper and Darcy studied it.

“He is very glad to know that you are well, dear, and raises a glass in toast to you.”  Darcy smiled when her eyes expressed her doubts.  Balling up the page, he tossed it in the grate of the small fire in the foyer and offered his arm.  “Shall we?”

“Absolutely.”  They stepped out of the open door to the portico where the carriage waited and climbed inside.  “I am surprised he did not suggest that you toast with that port he sent home with us yesterday.  He was quite anxious to throw it into the carriage as we left.”

“I suppose that he . . . well no, I will not speculate on his motivation, but he does have a rather dogged personality.  He will fix his attention on one subject and pursue it relentlessly.”

“Such as getting you to like him by having a drink?”

“I suppose.”  Darcy shrugged.  “It probably serves him well in Parliament.” 

“Oh, I had not thought of that.”  She looked out of the window thoughtfully as they set off through the streets.  “I wonder what the viscount will be like when he takes that position?”

“I wonder that myself.”  Darcy squeezed her hand.  “You will meet him soon.”

“He will not like me.”

“I have no idea.”  Their eyes met and he smiled.  “I honestly do not.”  Pulling her close to his side, he kissed her.  “I like you.”

“I certainly hope so!”  Elizabeth laughed.  They settled together in companionable silence, and watched the world pass by as they slowly made their way to the Theatre Royal in Covent Garden.  The entrance was alive with people and carriages, tradesmen trying to sell to the people as they entered, pushing forward to the better dressed ones as they passed.  Darcy took Elizabeth’s arm and held her closely as they dodged mud and manure and happily entered the theatre unscathed.  They both breathed out their relief and exchanged smiles.  Elizabeth noticed the people heading for the cheaper seats and felt a small thrill as she was very quickly steered away and gave up their coats to an attendant. 

“Box, please.”  Darcy nodded to the man selling the seats.  He handed over the fourteen shillings and taking their playbills, expertly guided her up the steps.  “I usually purchase a box for the Season, so we can just go directly in.  I was not expecting to be in Town this winter, so we had to stop.” 

“Are you apologizing for having to buy tickets?”  Elizabeth laughed and saw that he was surprised to see her reaction.  “Will, it is no hardship to have to wait a moment.”

“I suppose not.”  His lips lifted a little.  “You do not see it especially now, but in the Season, this is more uncomfortable.  It is hard to describe, but the sooner I could bypass the gaping crowds and find the relative sanctuary of my box, the happier I was.”

“Oh, now I understand.”  Elizabeth nodded, and took note of the quality of people they began to pass as they moved along.  “I suppose that even the relaxation of watching a performance was marred by their unending attention.” 

“Precisely.”  Darcy located their place and displaying his ticket to a uniformed boy, they were shown to their seats.  Elizabeth’s hand went to her breast as she looked out over the vast expanse of seats on the floor, and towards the stage just below.  “Dearest?”

“It is so high!”  She whispered, looking upwards to the boxes climbing seemingly to the sky.  “And so very large!” 

Smiling to himself, he took her hand and leading her to a chair, sat beside her.  “You have never been in such a large place?”

“No, we visited smaller venues.”  Her eyes were wide and she turned to him with an enormous smile.  “And I certainly never sat here.  This is a whole new world!” 

“I cannot tell you the satisfaction that gives me.”  He kissed her hand.  “I want to show you so much, dear.  I hope that we may travel one day, around England for now, and when it is safe again I would love to show you the continent.  I want to see it through your eyes.”

“How much have you seen?”

“Father forbade me to take a grand tour with the war raging, so I travelled all over England and spent a great deal of time in Scotland, at the lodge where we will go this summer.”

“Well then, if one day we do visit the continent, I will enjoy seeing everything through your eyes.”  Elizabeth smiled and his cheeks coloured.  “I think that you are as capable of wonder as I, Fitzwilliam.”

Smiling to his boots, he nodded.  “Yes, it is . . . something that I rarely experience, let alone express, and certainly not with any witnesses.”  He looked back to her and squeezed her hand.  “I cannot wait to take you home.”  Settling into their chairs, he kept her hand in his, rubbing unconsciously over her ring, and watched her watching the crowd.