November Twenty-Seventh

by Kate Speck

  After he kissed her affectionately, they fell into deep sleep. The next day would be busy with packing and preparing for their trip to Hertfordshire, and to take care of George Wickham.

  Chapter 14

  “He is not bad looking, Caroline,” Louisa whispered, “He may be twenty years elder but he is more handsome than Mr. Hurst, that is for certain. Oh, I worry for you for tonight. Mr. Hurst took forever to consummate our vows and it was the worst five minutes of my life, but Mr. Dalcy looks quite virile and might take much longer. Make sure to use all of the excuses I taught you, Caroline. Your husband will be merciless if you allow him too much from the beginning.”

  Caroline scoffed, “And yet your husband is demanding a child immediately, Louisa. I will be able to fend him off, I am certain. I will have control over him with my wit and he will be at my beck and call.” She smirked. “I am so much more accomplished than the usual females and I will be able to manipulate him into giving me the funds at my disposal again. £2,000 a year is not horrid; I can throw many grand parties and establish myself as the grandest hostess in this circle. Perhaps convince my husband to change his name to ‘Darcy’ instead of ‘Dalcy’ and purchase an estate so I can become a respectable gentlewoman.” She sneered, “Yes, that is exactly what I will do.”

  Mr. Dalcy approached after speaking with Bingley and was introduced to the woman that he would marry in five minutes.

  “Miss Bingley, I am Ezekiel Dalcy and I will be marrying you today. Your brother has signed over all of the required documents and I have signed mine. After the priest marries us, I will be taking you to my home and will introduce you to the servants. I hope that is satisfactory.” Mr. Dalcy spoke firmly.

  Caroline fluttered her lashes, “Oh, it is such a pleasure to meet you. I am very pleased to see that you are so handsome and to stand up with you today to take our vows will bring much joy to my life. I am so grateful that we have found each other, however unconventional this may have been.”

  Without any show of emotions, Mr. Dalcy proffered his arm and the couple walked inside the church together.

  “He will be a fine husband if he allows Caroline what she wants, Charles. You chose well. She will have him under her thumb soon enough and her disgrace will be forgotten.” Louisa confidently shared with her brother. “I do wish you would speak to Mr. Hurst. He is determined to leave today after the ceremony without even a wedding breakfast! He has been firm with his commands for the first time in our marriage and will not listen to a word I say. I told him we could stay through the season and only avoid the higher circles but he will not hear me. Talk to him, Charles. I wish to stay to support Caroline’s marriage and to do some more shopping. He has cut off all of my allowance and will not give me a farthing more until I earn it, he says!”

  Bingley quietly growled, “You will do as your husband says. No wedding breakfast, Louisa. Mr. Dalcy will be taking Caroline to his home immediately after the ceremony and it will be a long while until you see her again. She may write to us but I do not plan on seeing her for several months at the least. You will not interfere in Caroline’s married life and Mr. Dalcy, as pleasant as he appears, will have tight control over Caroline. She is a fool if she thinks she will be able to govern her husband.”

  The group entered the church and sat down in the pews. After vows were taken and it was pronounced that they were married, Mr. Dalcy quickly pecked Caroline on the lips and called for a hackney.

  ~*~

  After escorting his new wife into the hired coach, he shook Bingley’s hand. “I will write to you in three days to update you of your sister’s situation. I am certain it will go as we agreed and I am confident she will do as we wish. She is pleasant looking but her manners will need some work, Bingley. I am returning to work today after I leave her at her new home so I must go. Congratulations on your own wedding next week.” Without a glance at the Hursts, he entered the hackney and tapped on the roof to depart.

  Caroline attempted to wave to her sister but the coach lurched and they were already off. She suddenly became nervous that she was in a carriage, alone with a virtual stranger, who was now her husband.

  She attempted to make conversation as she was wont to do when she was anxious.

  “So, Mr. Dalcy, I do not know anything about you at all. You are four and forty and a businessman. What line of work do you do? Where is our home located?” Caroline began to ask.

  Mr. Dalcy evenly answered, “I own a large warehouse in Cheapside and my business is in importing silks and muslin from Europe and India. Our home is located two blocks from the warehouse on Gracechurch Street. Some of the most beautiful dresses you see the ton wear come from my warehouse.” He saw his new wife’s eyes open widely in excitement. “It is a very profitable business and I have done well to establish myself as a fair but demanding employer and business partner. My business partner is Mr. Gardiner who is Mrs. Darcy’s uncle, and our warehouse is the largest in the city. Do not think you will benefit from my business, wife. I will not be giving away my products unless you pay for it out of your pin money. I did send £50 worth of the best fabrics as penitence for my new wife’s slander, which I will ask you to pay me back. Your brother assured me that you had received your quarterly allowance only a week ago and since you were given £250, I will be withholding your pin money until the next quarter. You will receive £50 per annum as agreed upon with your brother so I hope you will learn to be frugal, Mrs. Dalcy.”

  Caroline paled, as less than half of her allowance remained. She had ordered the most elaborate of dresses with expensive accoutrements for the season and Louisa had forced her to repay her for the many broken items before leaving the Hurst townhouse. She had £100 pounds left to her name now and would only have £50 left after paying Mr. Dalcy.

  She attempted to flirt with the man. “Oh, dear husband, I do hope you will show kindness.” She leaned over and fluttered her lashes. “This whole situation was an awful misunderstanding and Mr. Darcy completely misconstrued my intentions. I am certain I can clear this all up as soon as I make a call at Darcy House tomorrow. Now that I am married, he can hear me out and recognise that it was all a terrible mistake. Anyone could have made the same error and I was blameless, I assure you! Those awful shrews who started the rumours are all at fault and I was innocent of it all!”

  Mr. Dalcy quietly growled, “You called my business partner’s favourite niece a whore, wife, to her face! No one is blameless after using such a word against a lady and I know you are responsible for all. The only reason I married you was because your dowry was incentive to expand my business in the north and I am to train you to be a respectable woman. I will ensure that you learn manners worthy to be Mrs. Dalcy and you will never approach the Darcys again. Mrs. Gardiner will be keeping a close eye on you and if there are any reports that you are not behaving properly, I will have you carted off to York to stay with your spinster aunt with no funds. I married you so you can be hostess and bear my children. You will do your duties and I will do mine, even if it is to treat you like a child.” The hackney arrived at the townhouse. “This is your new home now. Your trunks that were sent ahead are far too many and I will give you a few hours to choose half of what you have. The other half can either be sold to the ragman or donated to charity. Mrs. Darcy has been working with several orphanages and charity houses these past four months and she has left directions for some of our scraps to be sent to those charities. I am certain they will be most pleased to get your clothes.”

  “But, but...” Caroline argued.

  “You will do as I say. My generosity is dependent on your obedience, Mrs. Dalcy.” He opened the door to hand her out and walked her into the home. “The housekeeper will give you a tour.” Mr. Dalcy looked at his pocket watch. “I must return to the office as I have several appointments. I will be home by six o’clock, dinner will be served at seven, and you will be in my bedroom so we can consummate our marriage at nine. I do not have a spare room as a mistress’ rooms, as my first
wife always slept with me. Perhaps I might set you up in the guest room but I keep those rooms unoccupied for my mother and sister’s family whenever they visit from Shropshire and Mother will be arriving in town in a month. I hope you will be useful by then, otherwise she will have her hands full to train you herself.” He nodded imperceptibly, “I will see you this evening.”

  Mr. Dalcy quickly departed and Caroline stood frozen in the foyer, realising that her life as she knew it was over.

  When she finally gathered her senses, she spoke to Mrs. Thornton who appeared as shrewish as the most difficult governesses or seminary teachers she had ever seen. Without any pleasantries, the housekeeper showed the new Mrs. Dalcy the small townhouse with plain furnishings and no taste at all.

  “Well, as soon as I speak with my dear husband, I will need to have all of these furnishings updated and many more enhancements made to this drab place.” She looked down her nose. “I would be ashamed to host any parties in a home like this.” She looked at the stern woman. “Have the servants move my trunks into the spare rooms for now. I am certain there is enough room to keep them there until I have the dressing room remodelled to fit my belongings. I would rather move into a more fashionable neighbourhood instead but I suppose it will do for now.”

  “Your trunks will remain in the hallway until you are able to sort them out yourself, madam. I see that you did not bring a maid with you. We do not have anyone that can assist you in that role so you must hire one right away if you do not wish to do the work yourself. We have only myself, a manservant, and one other maid, along with the cook. Mr. Dalcy is very frugal and he insisted the household needs would not increase and that you would be responsible for your own maid. I have duties to see to, madam. Please excuse me.” Mrs. Thornton stated and departed.

  Caroline fumed and sat in a chair by the fireplace in the master’s rooms. Her own maid had been removed from her services and Charles had taken her to Netherfield to be Jane Bennet’s maid after their wedding. Caroline could no longer afford her maid and had thought her new husband would be supplementing a new maidservant but it appeared she was wrong.

  For the first time in her life, she cried from being distraught, understanding that she would no longer have her own way and that she had completely lost everything she knew. Mr. Dalcy did not seem an abusive man but he controlled her dowry and allowances, and she would have to do everything she could in order to gain some of her luxuries back in her life.

  ~*~

  “I hope you are a maiden, Caroline, but I care not as long as no one else touches you from now on.” Mr. Dalcy commented as he undressed in the bedroom.

  “Of course, I am a maiden!” Caroline shrieked. “What kind of a lady do you think I am?”

  Mr. Dalcy smirked and answered, “I will attempt to be gentle with you but it has been a while since my last release.” He chuckled, “No need to be shy, Caroline. Husbands and wives are intimate like this and until I can see some improvement of your manners, my relief is your only use to me right now. Take off that gaudy nightgown and get into the bed.” He instructed. “There is nothing I have not seen before, woman. I am tired and I wish to sleep between sessions.”

  Caroline jumped into the bed and shyly undressed under the covers. She was mortified that her first time would be with an old man that she barely knew instead of the handsome Mr. Darcy that she had dreamt of for years.

  Her husband lifted the counterpane and climbed in next to her. “I am not going to lie, Caroline. The first time will be uncomfortable for you since I will not take the time to make you relaxed before proceeding. I loved my wife dearly and my heart was broken when she died two years ago but I only married you to bear my children and you will do your duty in that, at least. Now lay back and relax. You can close your eyes and do try not to cry.”

  Caroline closed her eyes tightly and held her breath. She felt her husband’s hands caress her breasts and mouth her nipples. She twitched anxiously as his hand lowered to between her legs and he began to finger her womanhood. She felt his fingers enter her and push in and out of her and then she felt a sharp pain as his larger member entered the same space quickly in one push. Caroline opened her mouth to scream but Mr. Dalcy’s hand covered her mouth. “Keep quiet, Caroline. You do not want Mrs. Thornton to know I am taking your maidenhead now, do you?” He laughed at her. “This feels good.” He moved in and out of her. “I will not take long, wife. Attempt to relax until I finish.”

  He slowly moved in and out of her for another ten minutes and grunted loudly when he completed. He lifted himself off and lay next to her.

  Caroline had stayed very still and had expected the worst but it had not been terrible. Mr. Dalcy had taken her slowly and had been kinder than how Louisa had described it to her.

  “You may rest for a while and I will come back in an hour.” Mr. Dalcy stood and drank a glass of brandy. “After tonight, we will congress once daily to get you with child. I do not believe in hiring a courtesan when I have a wife so as long as you keep me happy, Caroline, I will take care of you. Keep me content and your allowances will reflect how pleased I am with you.” He donned his robe and left the room to wash himself and to read in his study.

  Caroline slowly rose from the bed and put her nightgown back on. After cleaning up, she lay back and determined that she would do her best to please her husband so she could be awarded. Although initially uncomfortable, she did enjoy the coupling and was eager to try again. She imagined Mr. Darcy’s delicious body over her during the consummation but her husband had been a good lover and she enjoyed having his hands and mouth on her body.

  When her husband returned with a bottle of wine and two glasses, they partook their drinks and spoke a little before resuming their previous activity. Caroline was impressed with her husband’s passion, as he lay over her twice more during the night.

  Caroline was pleased with herself, as her husband kissed her forehead in the morning before leaving for his work and told her that he was looking forward to joining her again that evening. She knew she could win him and would use her body as her advantage.

  Chapter 15

  Georgiana Darcy accompanied the Darcys to Hertfordshire and Elizabeth took the time to get to know her beloved’s sister better. She was extremely shy and it was obvious that Wickham’s treachery had wounded the little self-confidence she had.

  “I will share with you that Wickham has hurt me as well, Georgiana. He cheated me from my first kiss that I had wished to save for my husband, and although he did not leave me in ruin like he is proclaiming, he wounded me and caused me to think badly of your brother. He spread his lies to me and I thought William was dishonourable to hold the living against him. But I know now that everything he said were lies with a mixture of truth in them and we are going to make sure he is out of our lives, Georgie. You do not deserve what he had attempted to do but you will find someone worthy who loves you for yourself and not your dowry.” Elizabeth squeezed her sister’s hand.

  Georgiana leaned forward and hugged Elizabeth. “Thank you so much, Lizzy. I am afraid to face him but knowing that you and William will protect me, I will be strong while you get your revenge against that spiteful man. I am certain your sister Lydia is innocent as well and we will clear up your family’s reputation.”

  Mrs. Annesley, Georgiana’s companion, nodded and smiled proudly. She was glad to see Miss Darcy come out of her shell after her employer’s marriage to this spritely lady who had brought much joy to the family already.

  Darcy beamed and kissed Elizabeth’s hand. He wrapped his arm around her and she leaned affectionately, resting her head on his shoulder. After two hours of riding, Georgiana and the elderly Mrs. Annesley fell asleep and Darcy kissed his wife’s hair as she dozed off. He was exceedingly proud of his wife, and this small family was the most precious thing in his life now. No amount of wealth or prestige could surpass the love he felt for his wife and sister, and he vowed to correct his horrid manners the last time he was in Hertfordshire a
nd to avenge his cherished Ellie’s injury that Wickham had caused.

  ~*~

  “Welcome to Netherfield!” Bingley greeted his friends. He had arrived only two hours ago and as planned, the Darcys were to arrive and stay for the next five nights until the wedding.

  Darcy embraced his friend and bowed to Mrs. Nicholls, the housekeeper.

  “Mrs. Nicholls, you already know my wife, the former Miss Elizabeth Bennet. She will be assuming hostess duties this week but she needs a quick rest. I assume I will be staying in the same rooms as last time?” He saw the kind woman nod. “Please show my sister and her companion their rooms. I will deliver my wife to our rooms to rest.”

  Darcy quickly rushed Elizabeth up the stairs and entered his former rooms. Like a man starved, he immediately kissed her frantically as soon as the door was closed.

  “I have been dying to kiss you, Ellie. Four hours in the carriage with my sister was not a good idea. Next time, we are taking separate carriages!” He lifted her into his arms and carried her to the bed. “I need you, Ellie. It will take me five minutes.”

  He raised her skirts and slid himself into her. He joined with her for a several minutes and smiled broadly after completing.

  “Good lord, I have so many fantasies I wish to fulfil, now that we are back in Netherfield. I am going to make love to you in the library as soon as possible. Do you recall spending a half hour with me when Jane was ill? It was the greatest temptation of my life to not fall at your feet to ask you to be my wife while you sat to read your book. You were so tempting.”

  Elizabeth laughed, “I had no idea, William! I thought you so stern and whenever you looked at me, I believed you looking for faults.”

  “Oh, no, my love. I was always admiring your figure and your intelligence and your sparkling eyes. I even told Miss Bingley that I found your eyes very fine and that was when I believe she became intolerably jealous of you. I have never complimented a woman to anyone before and Miss Bingley constantly fluttered her lashes at me afterwards but I only thought of you and your beautiful face.” Darcy chuckled. “I wish to walk with you on my arms in the gardens, dance with you at Lucas Lodge, and kiss you senseless while the others play cards in the drawing room. I will show everyone in Meryton how much I adore you and I promise to be on my least annoying behaviour.”