Memory: Volume 1, Lasting Impressions, A Tale of Pride and Prejudice (Memory: A Tale of Pride and Prejudice) (77 page)

Audrey’s brow creased and she looked down.  “They are underway, sir.”

“I hope for your sake that they are a success.”  He took her hand, and felt her fingers tighten in his grasp, then let go.  “You deserve to be happy with your surroundings.”  Stewart looked at her to see that she understood and began to walk away.

“Mr. Stewart . . .” Audrey called.  “I hope that you are equally successful with your plans.”

“I have none, but thank you.”  He bowed and smiled as Singleton passed him on the way to Audrey’s side, and was glad to see her smile and accept his arm.  Stewart’s progress was stopped by Darcy, who broke away from Elizabeth. 

“I need to thank you again.”

“For what?”  Stewart smiled and saw Elizabeth watching them.  “For being a fool and giving her up?  Even if I never had a chance, as you said?  Well you are very welcome!”

Darcy smiled.  “Well there is that, but no, I want to thank you for coming over to beat me.”

Surprised, Stewart crossed his arms and regarded his friend.  “Very well, go on.”

“I realized how destroyed Elizabeth’s life would have been had I married my cousin, and what a great gesture it would have been for you to marry her.  So, although it would have killed me see her marry anyone besides me, I am grateful that you would have accepted her.  She would have been safe.”

“But unhappy.”

“You are a good man.”  Darcy said sincerely.   

“All right now Darcy, you have had entirely too much punch.”  Stewart was flushed with embarrassment.  “Return to your bride.  I think that I will take my leave.  Good luck to you both.”

“I am not drunk, but I understand.  We will see you soon, I hope.”

“Not until the knocker is back on your door.”  Stewart winked, then turned to Elizabeth, who had come to join them.  “Take care, Mrs. Darcy.”  He leaned and kissed her hand.  “And take care of your sottish husband.”

“Good heavens Mr. Darcy, we are married but moments and you are already in your cups?”  She rested her hands on her hips and laughed when Darcy seized and kissed them both.

“If that is what it takes to excuse me from this celebration, then so be it.  Yes, Mrs. Darcy, my wife of lo these many minutes, I am drunk with your beauty, and I need to be cared for . . . as my sister charged you . . . immediately.  Come, let us leave our friends and family to their merry making and depart for our home.”  He bowed and smiled, then raised his brow at her inquiringly.

“You sir, are giddy!”

“I am!” 

“But what of our guests?  You have barely spoken with Captain de Bourgh!”

Darcy sighed and grabbed her hand.  They walked over to the tall sandy-haired man.  “Cousin de Bourgh?”

“Cousin Darcy, I am delighted to have been invited today, and am pleased to meet you and your lovely bride.”  De Bourgh smiled at them both.  “I hope to know you better in the future.”

“I do as well, and I wish you well with your trip tomorrow.  If you need assistance understanding Rosings, please do not hesitate to ask me.”  Darcy smiled down to Elizabeth, “But not for a week or so.”

“I understand.”  He laughed. 

“And on that note, I would like to thank you all for our celebration, but Mrs. Darcy and I are exhausted and would like to retire to our home.”  Darcy shook his uncle’s hand and kissed Lady Matlock’s cheek.  Elizabeth shook her head at his unprecedented silliness and went around the room saying goodbye.  She ended with her family. 

“Thank you for coming, Papa.  What will you tell Mama?”

“The truth, we came to London to visit a school for Mary, and you and Mr. Darcy decided to marry earlier than planned.”  He shrugged.  “She misses out on the planning, but in the end, it is the result that matters.  She is saved from the hedgerows.”

Jane hugged her and whispered, “I am praying for you to be well, Lizzy.”

“I am not afraid.”  She whispered back. 

“Lizzy.”  Mary held out her arms and hugged her.  “I will miss you so much; I hoped you would come home once more before you married.  I am so happy that Papa brought me here today.  May I come and visit you?”

“Of course!”  Elizabeth moved back to look at her.  “Perhaps when your school ends, you can come to Pemberley.  I am sure that Georgiana would like to have a girl near her age to visit, and then you and I can be free to just be ourselves.”  She squeezed her hand.  “I look forward to that.”

“Will you come to Longbourn?”

“I will let you know our plans.”  They hugged each other and she turned to her aunt and uncle.  “Thank you both for everything.  You rescued me.”  She kissed Mr. Gardiner, who was wiping back a tear. 

Mrs. Gardiner hugged her tight, and whispered, “Just relax, Lizzy, all will be well.”  She smiled and patted her cheek.  “Remember everything that I told you.”

“I will try.”  She whispered, then turned when she felt Darcy take her hand. She looked up and saw his warm and happy smile.  “Are you ready?”

“I am.”  He squeezed.

She drew a breath and nodded.  “So am I.”

With one last wave they departed and climbed into their coach, sitting side by side and holding hands.  “I shall have to order a new carriage.”  Darcy said as they were underway.  “In honour of our wedding.”

“Oh that seems silly, this one is perfectly lovely.”

“But not new.”

“Does everything have to be new?”

“mmm, not everything.”  He leaned to kiss her.  “I love my new wife.”

“As opposed to the old one.”

“You are being silly now.”

“You have yet to see me be silly, Husband.”  Elizabeth laughed.  “You are in for a rude awakening.”

“Oh, and what do you have in mind?”

“That I could not say.”  She turned to nestle against him.  “I shall let whim be my guide.”

“That sounds dangerous.”  Darcy breathed into her ear. 

“And that tickles.”

“Does it?”  He whispered again.  Elizabeth rubbed at her ear and he laughed. “I feel so good.”

“If I am the cause of this, I am glad.” She kissed him and his smile widened.  “So Mr. Darcy, we are on our way home, it is the middle of the day, what will we do until nightfall?”  Darcy glanced out of the window and saw that they had arrived, and said nothing, only raising her hand to his lips.  The door to the carriage opened and without a word, he exited and held out his hand to help her down.  “Fitzwilliam?  Will you not answer me?”

“Not yet.”  He said with a small smile, then escorted her inside.  The staff was assembled and greeted their new mistress after Darcy made the formal introduction.

“Congratulations to you both.”  Mrs. Mercer said with a smile. “Is there anything that you would like?”

Darcy looked at Elizabeth and saw her watching him.  “No, I . . . We will ring for you if anything is required.”  Then holding out his arm, he felt her hand take its place and they walked up the stairs.  Entering the mistress’s chambers, they found Elizabeth’s new lady’s maid at work.  “Millie, Mrs. Darcy will not require your help for some time.” 

“Oh.”  She looked from her mistress to her master and disappeared.  Darcy laughed and heard his wife’s throat clear.

“Yes, my love?”  Darcy took her hands in his, and looked at her intently. 

Awareness of their location and solitude crept over her.  “Fitzwilliam, do you, do you mean for us to . . . to . . .”

He let her splutter a little longer and then took pity.  “I cannot pretend to sit through hours of stilted conversation until dark, Elizabeth.  I do not want to share a meal that neither of us will taste.  I do not wish to tour the house with you, or read to you, or take tea, or hear you play.  All of those things we will surely enjoy together, but not now.  I need you, I need my wife.”  Darcy saw her eyes widen and he kept his hands around hers and his voice soft and steady.  “Do not fear me, dearest, I love you more than my life.  I need to demonstrate that to you in the most intimate way I can.”

“I . . .I look forward to it.” 

“I dreamed that I had lost you last night.  I dreamed that I was married to Anne.  I begged you to stay with me, but you accepted Stewart.  It was horrifying.”  He looked down at their hands and held them tighter.  “I need to make you mine.”

“I had the same dream.”

“You did?” Darcy lifted his head, “Dearest you dreamed I had abandoned you?”  She nodded, and he saw her eyes well up.  “How did you wake?”

“Jane came in when I cried out.  She stayed with me the rest of the night.”

“Richard poured a pitcher of water over my face.”  Darcy smiled a little and Elizabeth gasped.  “It worked, I am a very difficult person to awaken, it seems.”

“I suppose that I will discover that soon.”  She blushed again.  “If . . . if you wish for me to sleep with you.”

“You know that I do.”  His head tilted and he looked closely at her, and gently touched her face.  “You are exhausted.”

“It has been a trying time.”  She looked down then up to see his face at last exposing the stress of the past weeks.  “You are as tired as I.” 

“I propose, my love, that we discard these wedding clothes for something far more comfortable, and . . . rest together.”

“Just rest?”

Darcy smiled and leaned to kiss her.  “Yes.  Just rest.”

“I . . .I would like that.”

“Shall I call back your maid?”  She nodded and he pulled the bell.  “Wear whatever you like, however you feel comfortable.”

“What will you choose?”

He looked down and back up.  “Breeches and a shirt?”  Noting her smile he nodded and started to walk away then stopped.  “No neckcloth?”

“Oh, no, I am entitled to see your neck now.” 

“Of course.  What will I be permitted to see?”  He asked softly.

“You will find out soon enough.”  She said with a lift to her chin.  Darcy laughed and disappeared.  Elizabeth relaxed, he wanted their union, but he was willing to go slowly for her.  “I think that I love you even more for this, Fitzwilliam.”

When Elizabeth emerged from her dressing room, barefoot and wearing only a silk nightdress, Darcy was standing by the window, leaning on the frame and looking out at the park.  He was barefoot and wearing only his breeches and shirt, and did not hear her soft intake of breath when she first saw him.  Although it was afternoon on a bright day his form was shadowed, except for his face which was illuminated by the sun.  She stood still and studied his expression.  A smile played gently on his lips.  His head rested on the glass and she could see that he was looking over the trees of the park, perhaps wishing that they were at Pemberley.  Elizabeth sank against the doorframe and took in so many features that she had only imagined before, his neck, seeing it at last exposed made her heart race, her fingers itched to touch that vulnerable skin.  His thin shirt, unbuttoned at the collar and cuffs, did not mask the shape of his form the way his coat did.  There, easily seen, was the essence of his masculinity, wide shoulders that tapered down to his narrow waist, the coarse hair peeking from the open shirt and more from his exposed forearms.  Her gaze travelled downwards, seeing how his breeches hugged his buttocks and legs, again exposing the strength and muscles of an avid horseman.  She closed her eyes and pictured his thighs gripping his mount, then blushing, found her view now focussed on his bare calves and feet.  An unstoppable need to touch drove her to move from her station and walk quietly to stand behind him.  Slipping her arms around his waist, she rested her head on his broad back.  Darcy startled then smiled down at the hands exploring his stomach and chest.  “I was wondering if I had been abandoned.”

“You certainly knew where I was.” 

“And it was taking every bit of my strength not to rush in and find you.”  Darcy turned around to find her smiling at him.  He combed his fingers through the long unbound curls, then holding her hands made a studied examination of her blushing figure.  “Beautiful.”

“Blind.”

“No, delighted.”  He closed his eyes when her warm hands traced up his chest to touch his neck.  

“You are entirely too tall.”

His eyes opened to find her focus on her fingers as they caressed his skin and began wandering into his hair.  “I have a solution to that.”  Bending suddenly, he scooped her up in his arms and laughed when she squealed with surprise.  “Come, my love.”  Darcy carried her through the doorway and into the master’s chamber, and from her comfortable position; spun her around as they toured the newly decorated room.  “Are you pleased?” 

“I cannot believe how quickly this was done.”  She looked at it all in wonder.  “It is overwhelming.” 

“This is my favourite piece.”  Darcy walked over to the bed, and lay her down on the pillows, then quickly joined her, lying on his side and slowly tracing his hand down her shoulder.  “I cannot tell you how often I have imagined you here.”

Elizabeth reached up to his face, and he gladly bent down to kiss her.  “I love you, Fitzwilliam.”

“I love you.”  He then settled behind her, spooning their bodies together.  His arousal was very evident, but he did not press her.  Instead he settled his face onto her shoulder and kissed her ear.  “Sleep, dearest.”  Elizabeth placed her hands over his where they rested on her stomach, and relaxed in the comfort of his arms.

As he felt her slip away into sleep, Darcy watched over her.  It was all he could do not to caress every bit of her, his fingers itched to touch and explore, to take possession of the woman who was now forever his, who had been bound to his heart in a moment two years before.  Instead he listened to her soft breathing, impressed in his mind the feel of her silky skin under his palm, wondered how he ever managed to lie in a bed before without her in his arms, and slowly his eyes drooped, and he relaxed, and allowed the comfort of his almost-lover to soothe him to rest.

It was the chime of the clock that brought Elizabeth back to awareness. She blinked open her eyes and realized first that it was nearly dusk; and then that she was being kissed.  “You are awake.”  Darcy’s lips were wandering over her face and found her mouth.  She responded passionately, meeting his deeply stroking lips, accepting and encouraging his exploring tongue, and wrapping her arms around his neck, gladly joined her mouth with his for seemingly endless kisses.