by Linda Wells
She sniffed and kept her face buried in Elizabeth’s shoulder. “I do still think of him as Papa. It was just when I learned this terrible news last month; it seemed that I finally knew why this had all happened to me. I am not a Darcy. I do not deserve the name because it is not mine. I deserve to be shunned and driven away. William should never have suffered with my behaviour because Papa should have rejected me at the beginning. He should have sent me away …”
Elizabeth kissed her hair and tried to find the words to help the anguished girl. “Do not be ridiculous Georgiana. I know that you are a source of joy for William. He would have been so terribly lonely without you.” She searched for the right thing to say. “William told you that you are as much a Darcy as he is, correct?” Georgiana nodded. “And you definitely share the same mother, so you are agreed that you are definitely his sister by blood?” She nodded again. “Well, my dear, if my brother did not protect me when I behaved foolishly, I would be devastated. But your brother is the best of men, and has stood by you and defended you as well as he can. You are not living on some Scottish moor now are you?”
Georgiana lifted her face from Elizabeth’s shoulder and looked at her. “No.” She whispered.
“Then I suggest that you stop belittling yourself and thinking that you are undeserving. You are only undeserving if you listen to the nonsense that anyone who shuns you says. You are a good and beautiful girl who made a terrible mistake. William and I will do our best to be sure that you have a happy life, whatever it may be, but we can only do so much without your assistance. You have to decide that you are worthy.”
Georgiana hugged her and whispered. “Thank you for caring about me.”
“I will always care about you.” She kissed her forehead and smiled. “There, we had our first sisterly talk. What do you think? Can you bear to have a lifetime more?”
She sat up and smiled, dabbing at her eyes with her own handkerchief. “Yes, I believe I can.”
Elizabeth laughed and looking across the garden she spotted a tall solitary figure approaching them. “What brings William here?”
Seeing the look in Elizabeth’s eyes, Georgiana stood. “I will just return to the house.” They exchanged smiles and Elizabeth patted her arm, and then walked to meet him.
Before he could say a word she spotted the hole in his hat. “William!”
He sighed. “I was hoping you would not see that.” He placed her hand on his arm and led her away from the house, and behind a garden wall. She began to ask a question and he muffled it by pulling her deep into his embrace and kissing her. He carefully removed her bonnet and whispered, “Just hold me, my love.”
Even with their brief time in each other’s company, it was clear that something was wrong, and how very much he needed her comfort. She laid her head against his chest and squeezed him tight as he rested his cheek on her hair. They stood in silence for several minutes until she heard him draw a shaking breath. She squeezed him again. “This would be so much easier without this heavy coat of yours.”
A soft chuckle moved his chest. “I can think that it would be far more enjoyable as well.” He drew back and smiled down at her with shining eyes. “I missed you.”
Elizabeth reached up to brush the hair from his forehead and felt it stick. She pulled and he winced slightly. She looked at her fingers, now stained with his blood. “William, what happened?”
Darcy looked into her eyes and saw love and concern and ire. His heart was nearly bursting with the joy of receiving her affection. He could not possibly hold back and drew her against his body and reclaimed her lips. “Do you know how much I love you?”
Not to be distracted Elizabeth drew away. “William, please tell me, why are you bleeding? What happened to you? Are you in pain? Let me see, we must clean your wound.”
He smiled at her demands. An inch lower and he would be lying dead in that meadow, instead he was standing safe in her arms. “Shh.”
Elizabeth saw the emotion in his eyes. “William?”
Darcy kissed her, and she realized that what he needed was for her to love him. Explanations could wait. Elizabeth pulled his face forward and ran her tongue over his mouth, then began suckling his upper lip. “Oh, Eliz…” She covered his mouth and began stroking his tongue with her own. She could feel his body trembling and it only made her want to love him more. He eagerly accepted her kisses, stroking her back and holding her tight, while their mouths hovered and slid and embraced. Darcy felt his control slipping, his hands were moving of their own volition, trying to open her coat and expose her warm flesh. She was not helping at all; the sensuous kisses were driving him wild in a way he had never before experienced. He managed to unbutton the spencer and his lips moved hungrily down her neck and found her shoulder. His hands moved around her body to stroke over her breasts, and he felt the nipples hardening into tight buds, waiting for his tongue to warm and soften them again.
“Will …” She moaned. He looked up and into her eyes, dark with the same passion he was feeling, and pulled her roughly back against him, reclaiming her lips as his own.
“Lizzy!” Jane called her sister’s name for the fifth time and looked worriedly at the house. She stood just beyond where the couple was embraced. She was about to close her eyes and try to pry them apart when she heard her sister’s weak voice respond.
“Jane?”
She closed her eyes in relief. “Yes. Papa asked Miss Darcy where you were and she told him that Mr. Darcy had arrived and you were talking to him. He was about to come out when I said that I would go and fetch you.”
She was met by silence. “Lizzy?” She heard a low rumble of laughter, followed by Elizabeth’s giggle. Several minutes later Elizabeth came around the corner, holding Darcy’s hand.
Jane looked from one to the other and shook her head. “You look worse than last time!” Darcy’s smile lit up his face and both girls gasped.
“You must do that more often, sir! It is quite irresistible!”
He laughed and kissed her hand. “I think that would not be wise, dearest, your father is not at all pleased with my charm.” She reached up and lovingly rearranged his hair and he smiled at her warmly.
“Come on you two, before Papa does appear.” Jane turned and walked into the house.
Darcy offered his arm and bent down. “Miss Elizabeth, I must ask a question before we face your father.” She stopped retying her bonnet ribbons and smiled up at him. “Have you ever kissed a man before me?”
Her expression changed to one of concern. “You are the only man I have … Why do you ask? Am I doing something wrong? I am sorry …”
He pressed a finger to her lips and shook his head. “I only ask because my love, your kiss takes my breath away, I can only imagine what it will be after you have had some more practice.”
Elizabeth blushed and looked down. “Really?” She peeked up to see his rapidly bobbing head and laughed. “Well, we all have our accomplishments, I suppose!” Darcy kissed her hand, and they entered the house.
Mr. Bennet stood in the entrance, arms folded, looking most unhappy with them both. “Mr. Darcy, if I may have a word?” Darcy sighed and began to let go of Elizabeth’s arm when she interrupted.
“Could you speak to him later, Papa? He has been injured and it should be tended.”
“Injured?” He saw Darcy’s hat. “Sir, were you shot?” His eyes went from the hat to the trace of dried blood on his face. Elizabeth gasped and suddenly understood what he had tried to distract her from seeing. She not once considered a bullet as the cause of his injury.
Darcy removed the hat and leaned his gun against the wall, then ran his hand through his hair. “Grazed, sir. Mr. Lucas said his hound nudged him and he misfired.”
Their eyes met. “Is that so?” Mr. Bennet’s expressed his doubt. “You do not think it was deliberate, do you?”
Darcy said nothing for a moment. “Of course not.” His expression was unreadable.
Elizabeth grabbed the hat and look
ed at it carefully, then up to his forehead. Tears sprang into her eyes and her hand covered her mouth. “I almost lost you today.”
“Elizabeth …” Darcy took her hand as she began to shake, whether in fear or anger he could not tell.
She searched his face then looked to her father and spoke in a steady, determined voice. “I will see to William’s injuries, Papa.” She boldly took his hand and led him to the kitchen. Mr. Bennet looked after them and wondered about the incident. He also recognized that Elizabeth had drawn a line in the sand.
“Sit down, Mr. Darcy.” He looked around the busy room. He rarely entered his kitchens. The servants normally were gossiping and laughing as they worked, but with Darcy’s presence, they were silent. Elizabeth spoke to Mrs. Hill, who returned with a bowl of water, several cloths, and some brandy. Elizabeth dipped the towel in the water and began gently cleaning his forehead.
Darcy’s gaze was on her face. “You know, you should not be doing this.”
Her eyes flicked down to his and back to her task. “And who do you suggest care for you, sir?”
“My valet would …”
Elizabeth interrupted. “If you have failed to notice, he is not here.”
He smiled at the flashing eyes and pursed lips. “I could wait.”
She glared at him. “I can not.” His smile grew.
“Thank you.” He said softly.
Elizabeth glanced down at him and huffed. “Men.” She started working through his hair.
Darcy closed his eyes and attempted to ignore the gentle touch. “What does that mean?”
“Silly fools going about and shooting at each other.” She pronounced.
He looked back up at her. “We were not at war. We were hunting.” Their eyes met, and Elizabeth’s filled with tears. She blinked them away and scrubbed a little harder. Darcy reached up and to take her hand and squeezed. They both drew deep breaths. He let go and she examined the wound.
“You do not appear to need stitches. It should heal nicely.” She applied the alcohol and he flinched. Elizabeth bent near his ear. “Big, strong, man.” She smirked, then straightened and smiled.
Darcy mouthed, “I love you.” She gathered up the supplies and Mrs. Hill bustled over to take them away.
Elizabeth turned back to him, and on the pretence of checking his wound once again bent near his ear. “As I love you.” He wished to kiss her then, but out of the corner of his eye noticed Mr. Bennet had been standing and watching the exchange in the doorway. When Darcy turned his head, he saw that he was gone. Elizabeth wiped her hands, and held one out to him. “Shall we join your sister and the rest of my family?”
“Of course.” He stood and tucked her hand on his arm.
“Georgiana and I had a talk today.” She looked at him steadily.
They walked into the hallway and he studied her. “Wickham?”
She nodded, “and her father.”
He drew a sharp breath. “How was she?”
Elizabeth closed her eyes for a moment. “She cried; she worries of losing you. I tried to reassure her, it was hard to know what to say, but I think my holding her helped.”
Darcy looked down at the floor, his face was so sad. “I should have told you more. I should have prepared you for this.” He looked up and away from her. “It has been quite a day.”
Elizabeth touched his cheek and he turned back to her. “Whenever you wish to tell me of your parents … I gather from Georgiana that it was not a happy home.”
He laughed shortly and kissed her hand. “No, it was many things, but happy was not one of them.” He paused. “Thank you.”
They had almost reached the parlour and could hear the sound of the pianoforte. “Oh, William, I am sorry but in the midst of our conversation I told Georgiana that we would marry. I did not realize you had not told her …”
He shook his head. “No, no, it is fine. I am not sure why I did not tell her, I guess that I enjoyed keeping it as my own precious secret.” He looked at her lovingly. “I can not wait to bring you home.”
Elizabeth pushed open the door and they were greeted with a blast of noise from the sister’s arguing, Mrs. Bennet’s screeching, and Mary’s music. She raised her voice and grinning declared, “I can not wait either!”
MONDAY MORNING Darcy looked out of the window in the Netherfield Library at the sodden view. It was too wet to ride and the roads too muddy for a coach. He would have to remain in the house that day. He looked up at the poorly filled library shelves and thought that his housewarming gift would be more reading material, but then he smiled and realized that he would likely be the only one to ever open the volumes. His mind drifted back over the fields to Longbourn and to its home. He thought of Elizabeth constantly. The months of communication had opened their hearts and minds to each other, and inspired what he thought was love. But now knowing her physical presence, and hearing her voice and thoughts, she had been transformed into someone who was utterly indispensable. After only a few days, a few dances, a few long, precious walks with her, he could no longer conceive his life continuing without her by his side. He only wished that he could express it to her somehow. He wondered if she understood the depth of his feelings.
A knock brought his attention to the door and he was surprised by Danny’s entrance. “Here you are, sir, the letters pile up when you are away.” Danny drew out a tall stack of letters from his pouch as Darcy seated himself at a table.
“Thank you, Danny.” He examined the missives and knew he would be all day answering them, but at least it would keep him away from Miss Bingley. He looked out at the rain. “Why did you keep pushing in this weather? You know it is dangerous.”
“Ah it wasn’t so bad. I was too close to stop, so I just kept on.” He grinned and winked. “Besides, I wanted to stop at Longbourn.
“Longbourn?” Darcy sat back and looked at him quizzically. “What would take you there? Both Miss Darcy and I are only three miles away, there are no letters to deliver or retrieve.”
Danny shuffled and coughed then looked up at his master sheepishly. “Ah, you might say I was stopping for personal reasons, sir.”
A small smile appeared on Darcy’s lips, and he raised his brow. “Really? Who is she?”
Danny lifted his chin. “Miss Susie Prewett, sir, the maid that takes care of the young ladies. I kind of got to know her when waiting on Miss Elizabeth’s letters.”
“You get on well, do you?”
Danny stood up straight. “Well enough, sir.” Darcy laughed.
He glanced through the stack before him, “Well it seems that I will have several letters for London. I will make arrangements for you to stay here overnight and I will have them ready for you in the morning. At least it will keep you out of the rain, unless you go calling somewhere.” Looking up at his loyal messenger for a moment, he took a piece of paper and quickly wrote a note, and sealed it. He handed it to Danny. “Now you have an excuse to pay your call.”
Danny’s grin grew. “Yes, sir!”
Darcy looked at him and was struck by a sudden idea. “While you are in town, you will stop at the house and pick up anything that has arrived there in my absence. I also will give you a note to ask Mr. Hendricks to retrieve something for me. I will tell you now that it is very important and should be guarded carefully.”
The young man became very serious. “Yes, sir, that I will, sir.”
Darcy nodded, dismissing him, but as the boy reached for the door he called out. “Oh and Danny, the item is Miss Elizabeth’s engagement present.”
His face broke out in a glowing smile. “I knew it! I knew she would be our mistress!”
Laughing, Darcy said, “I imagine that you knew long before we did. It is not official yet so say nothing to the staff, only Roberts knows.”
“Yes sir!” He left the room and after Darcy called the housekeeper about finding him a place in the servant’s quarters, he sat back and thought about the jewels that were kept in London. The majority of the Darcy he
irlooms were at Pemberley. Most of the items in London were purchased by his mother. His father refused to spend any of his funds on her once their marriage effectively ended with his birth. Darcy was glad of it. He did not want Elizabeth to wear any of his mother’s jewels. They would go to Georgiana when she was presented or came of age, depending on what happened in the future. Elizabeth would wear the jewels of his grandmothers. He closed his eyes, going over the inventory in his mind, then nodding, he wrote out a note to his butler and sealed it. He had found a way to express his feelings for her.
Chapter 17
“Danny, what brings you here?” The young man stood on the front step, dripping wet and grinning at Elizabeth.
“I had some post for the master, mistress, and I mentioned that I was going to come over here to visit …” His eyes grew wide and he blushed deep red.
Elizabeth stepped outside quickly and pulled the door shut. “Danny, please, you must watch yourself!”
“I’m sorry, mistress, I just wanted to see Susie while I am here.” He shuffled his feet and looked up at her.
She stared at him in confusion. “Susie? Our lady’s maid?” He nodded. Elizabeth blinked and then shook her head. “Danny, that is not what I meant, twice you called me mistress.”
His eyes grew wide. “Oh… . Oh I am sorry, the master just told me the news, and …” He sighed. “I guess that I have thought of you as the mistress for so long now, it just seemed right.”
Elizabeth could not help but smile. “So you knew before we did?”
He grinned. “That’s what the master said!”
She laughed. “Very well Danny, just see that you do not do it again, not for a while.”
He nodded, then remembering his purpose he drew out the note Darcy had given him. “This is from the master, Miss. Should I wait for a reply?”
Elizabeth took the note and her heart leapt. “Oh yes, why not go around to the kitchen, I think that Susie is there.”
