Deception

by Ola Wegner

  “My Lizzy,” he croaked. He pulled her onto him. His hand smoothed her hair and he kissed the top of her head repeatedly.

  “Yours,” she whispered, “Only yours.”

  ***

  William woke up the next morning and jerked up instantly when he realized that the bed was empty.

  “Elizabeth?” he cried. “Elizabeth! Where are you?”

  He thought there were sounds coming from his dressing room. He pulled on his breeches and stormed into the small room.

  Elizabeth was in the bathtub with soap in her hair. Her maid was in the process of pouring hot water over her head. It was enough for him to look at the servant, and the woman left instantly.

  He kneeled down by the edge of the tub.

  “How are you?” he cupped her face.

  She smiled a big, bright smile. “I am very well, thank you.”

  His serious eyes searched hers. “Are you?”

  She placed a peck on his cheek. “Yes, I am.”

  He smiled, but still unsurely. “Have you finished your bath?”

  She shook her head. “Not exactly. You saw the maid was about to rinse my hair when you scared her away.”

  “I will help you with that,” he offered,

  “But first I need to…” he walked behind the partition in the corner of the room.

  Elizabeth blushed to the roots of her hair. She cleared her throat, “You want to assist in washing my hair?” she asked loudly, hoping to deafen the sounds he was making.

  “Why not?” he came back, carelessly buttoning the lap of his breeches.

  He reached for the bucket. “Lean forward.” he said, and when she did, he started pouring water over her head.

  “Thank you.” she began to wring the rest of the water from her long, thick hair and she did not notice him removing his breeches.

  “William!” she let a small squeak when he climbed into the tub behind her.

  He ignored her protest and pulled her to him, with her back to his chest.

  “Comfortable?” he asked, wrapping his arms around her.

  “Yes,” she sighed, as she closed her eyes and let herself relax against his strong frame. Darcy reached for the washcloth, lathered it and started to wash her arms and chest.

  They were silent for a while. When he reached below the surface of the water to wash her belly, she sighed and turned around to face him. She took the washcloth from him and started to rub his chest with it.

  His eyes focused on her delicate breasts. He touched them gently.

  “I still feel terrible about our quarrel the day my father visited,” she said quietly as she wetted his hair with the washcloth and started to soap it, “It was not my intention to mention what happened to Georgiana.”

  “I know.” He kissed her mouth, and at the same time he stroked her breasts repeatedly. “And I know as well how important your father is to you.”

  “I cannot bear when he is so displeased with me,” she whispered

  “William,” she tried to remove his hands from her chest, “Do not… tease me,” she pleaded, “You do not know what happens to me when you touch me like that.” He dove into the water to wash the soap off his hair. When he re-emerged, he climbed out of the tub and helped her out as well.

  “Are you cold?” he asked as he enveloped her into a large sheet.

  She shook her head.

  Darcy handed her the dressing gown which the maid had prepared for her earlier and started drying himself. He did not care to dress and was still naked when he picked her up into his arms.

  Elizabeth let out a soft gasp. “Are we returning to bed?”

  “Have you got anything against it?”

  “No…,” she hesitated, “But I think that we should rather get dressed and go downstairs to have breakfast.”

  He put her on the bed. “We can eat breakfast here this one time. Once we arrive at Pemberley, I will need to get up very early. There will be no opportunity for such luxuries as lounging in the morning together. It is our honeymoon, after all.”

  He joined her on the bed and brought her to him. “You mentioned earlier that we need to practice.”

  Elizabeth raised her eyebrow. “You want to practice now?”

  “Mhhh,” he murmured, his hand moving to the ties on her dressing gown, “God, Lizzy I always want you,” he groaned into her throat.

  He took an endless amount of time to prepare her as she pressed herself to him in abandon.

  “Come,” he shifted on his back and pulled her on top of him.

  Her eyes widened, “Like that?”

  “You may like it better,” he said as he helped her to settle in, “Let us try it this way. You shall be the one in control.”

  Elizabeth leaned forward and started a long kiss. Darcy concentrated on stroking her back and her bottom, from time to time reaching to palm her small breasts, pulling gently at the wide nipples with his fingers.

  Elizabeth closed her eyes, rubbing herself against him. She enjoyed the feeling of the thick hair at his groin tickling her, giving her pleasant shivers.

  “Elizabeth, please…” Darcy croaked as he lifted his pelvis up in silent plea.

  She threw her hair over her back and took his manhood carefully into her right hand. It took her a moment to put the tip inside her. She lowered herself very slowly onto the throbbing member, which action elicited a throaty groan from its owner.

  “Are you well?” she asked him with concern.

  He gave a short laugh, “Yes.” He placed his hands on her hips, but gently, not trying to control her in any way.

  Elizabeth started to move up and down. She did not take him fully into herself yet, but with each movement she felt he reached deeper into her. As she leaned forward, she felt the shot of pressure running from between her legs to her breasts. In this position she found a new pressure on that certain spot he had caressed so devotedly every time when loving her. She moaned quietly, which brought Darcy’s immediate attention.

  “Is it good?” he asked, his hand reached to cup her face.

  “Mhm…,” she moaned again in a low voice. She closed her eyes and bit her lower lip.

  “Thank you, God.” he grunted. In one swift movement, he shifted and pinned her to the bed, covering her with his body.

  “Aghr…William!” she squeaked, “I was to be the one in control,” she slapped him on the chest.

  “Sweetheart, please,” he murmured, spreading kisses her all over her face, “Do you want to be the end of me?” he panted as he surged deeper into her.

  She sighed in resignation and wrapped her arms and legs around him. He chose a steady rhythm, which made the pleasure build gradually between her thighs. He began groaning harshly, and she guessed that he was on the edge of surrendering to his own fulfilment when his back turned all sweaty.

  She closed her eyes and relaxed, focusing on the tension building in her.

  “Ahh…,” she started panting soon, the pleasure overflowing her. Her nails dug into his arms, and a loud moan escaped through her tightly clenched teeth.

  It had to be a signal for him because after a few decisive pushes, he groaned harshly and dropped onto her.

  “William,” she nudged him after a long moment.

  “So sorry, darling,” he rolled off her and at the same time pulled her with him.

  She yawned, closed her eyes and snuggled even closer to his side.

  “I think we need another bath,” she murmured, “But perhaps a separate one this time, since we shall want to eventually leave this room today.”

  His hand lazily stroked her delicate back. “All day in bed… It sounds very promising.”

  “You know we cannot,” she reasoned, “What would Georgiana think?”

  He sighed, “Just give me a few minutes to recover,” he said. “You exhausted me.”

  She puffed. “Me?”

  “Yes, who would have thought that?” he ran his hand over her bottom, “Such a little nothing as you.”

 
She still pouted, but he ignored her, saying. “How could I ever have even considered living my life without you?” he squeezed her to him so firmly it almost hurt her. “I will never let you go.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  A young, elegant woman knocked at the door of one the newer built houses in the residential part of London. Several moments passed and a tall, handsome butler opened the door.

  “Yes, Madam.” he asked with a bow. “Can I help you?”

  “Good afternoon, John.” the woman smiled at him, showing dimples in her creamy cheeks.

  The butler frowned and stared down at the woman. Then his eyes widened in recognition.

  “Becky?” he whispered.

  “You did not recognize me, did you?” she asked as she turned her head to the side.

  “No…,” the servant shook his head. “What are you doing here dressed like that?” his frown deepened. “That gown… you look like a lady.”

  The smile gradually vanished from her face. “I came here to see Master.”

  “He is not at home,” he answered automatically.

  “Please, John, I know that he is here,” she insisted. “I need to see him.”

  “I have strict orders not to allow anyone…”

  “He will see me,” she interrupted him. “Tell him that his mistress came to talk to him.” she looked straight into his face.

  John stared at her for long moment, a whole range of emotions crossed his face.

  He bowed his head, moved aside and silently let her in.

  “I often wondered what became with you,” he said when they reached one of the rooms at the back of the house. “You disappeared so suddenly. I was worried that something happened to you.”

  She looked up at him. “You are disappointed.”

  “I would never have thought that you….” He shook his head. “I thought you were a decent girl.”

  “I had my reasons.”

  He gave a pointed look at her expensive outfit. “Certainly.”

  “You know nothing about me and why I did that.”

  He shrugged, “You sold yourself,” he said flatly.

  “Yes, I did,” she acknowledged, her voice calm, “And for a very good price, I assure you.”

  John knocked at the study’s door, bowed his head and walked away from her.

  She followed him with her eyes. Then she put her hand on the doorknob and entered.

  “I said that no one is to interrupt me,” came the voice from the back of the room.

  “It is me/I,” she said as she walked into the darkened room.

  Brooke lounged in the comfortable chair.

  “You?” he looked up at her with a heavy frown, “What are you doing here?”

  “How can you sit like that all day long?” she asked and walked to the window. “It’s so gloomy here.” She opened the drapes and then the window.

  Brooke was silent.

  She sat on the sofa next to him and gave him a searching look.

  “I have not invited you,” he said as he straightened in his seat. “I thought our matters were finished,” he muttered.

  “Yes, they are,” she agreed quietly. “I decided to sell the house I got from you. I came to ask you to buy it from me. It would make everything much easier for me.”

  “You plan to leave London?” he asked.

  She nodded. “Yes. I want to buy a nice cottage and perhaps some land in the country so I could live there with my siblings.”

  “Ah, yes, your brother and sister.” He stood up and walked to the window. “How are they?”

  She followed him with her eyes. “Sally was sick, but she is well now. I saw her last week.”

  “Really?” He stared down at her. “How old is she now?”

  “Almost five years old.” she answered.

  “And your brother… I remember him to be a bit older?”

  “Yes, Henry is twelve now. He learns how to be a carpenter.”

  “A carpenter?” He frowned. “I thought you wanted to send him to school. You said he was very smart. I thought you wanted him to be a lawyer... to learn some profession.”

  Becky shook her head. “I am not sure I can afford that. My capital is sizeable, but it must last for many years to support all three of us. I must be very careful with it.”

  He moved closer and sat next to her. For a long moment, he stared at her pretty profile.

  “Sending your brother to school is still possible… who knows, perhaps even to university.” he murmured, his hand reached to stroke her face.

  She glanced at him sharply.

  Brooke covered her hand with his. “I am willing to resume our arrangement.”

  She averted her face and snatched her hand away. “No. I have enough money.”

  There was a long moment of silence before Broke spoke again. “I could not understand why you never brought your siblings to live with you in your home and kept them in the country the entire time.”

  “I did not want them to witness their sister whoring herself,” she said very quietly.

  “For their sake,” he pointed out.

  She let out a sigh and looked up at him. “Could you buy the house from me?”

  “I can do that.”

  She lifted herself. “Thank you.” She looked at his face. “Who did that to you?” Her hand reached to touch his bruised cheek.

  “My… fiancée’s lover.”

  “You mean to say her husband,” she said tentatively and seeing his surprised expression, she explained. “I do read the newspapers. There was an announcement that in a quiet ceremony Miss Elizabeth Bennet of Longbourn was married to Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy of Pemberley, Derbyshire.”

  He frowned. “How do you know who she was?”

  Becky shook her head. “You really know little of me. My sister stays with my aunt, who is a servant at Mrs. Phillips’ house in Meryton.”’

  “You knew from the very beginning.”

  “Yes. You may not believe me, but I am sorry about what happened to you. You always treated me with honesty. You always paid and never deceived me.”

  “Yes, I paid you…,” he replied as he walked to the window. “This time I wanted… I wanted her to really like me… to care for me… I courted her, and I respected her, treated her like a lady… I was ready to give her everything, but she left me. It was enough for that spoilt boy to nod at her, and she ran to him, forgot about me.”

  Becky walked to him and put a hand on his arm. “I am sorry. I do believe that your intentions towards her were honourable.”

  Brooke shook his head and turned with his back to her. “I will die alone, without a wife and children, without anyone.”

  “You cannot say that. You are still young,” she reasoned. “I am sure that you will find a woman who…”

  He turned abruptly to her. “You?”

  She gaped at him. “What?”

  “Will you marry me?”

  Becky shook her head. “You cannot be serious.”

  He placed his hands on her shoulders. “I am serious.”

  “I was your mistress, You paid me to be with you.”

  He shrugged. “I do not see the difference between this and a woman who would marry me only for my money.”

  “You want to marry a lady, not a maid who became a whore.”

  “Do not say that about yourself. I know very well that I was the only man in your life. And you did it for your brother and sister.” He took her hands and brought them together on his chest. “I will sell Purvis Lodge. We can move somewhere in the country as you always wanted, somewhere where no one will know us. I can send your brother to school, and your sister will be healthier living in the country.”

  Her eyes searched his face. “You are serious.”

  “Was I ever not?” he whispered, “I will take care of you…”

  She freed herself from his embrace and walked away a few steps. “I do not know.”

  “Why? No decent man would take you now.”

  She
lowered her head. “I know that.”

  “Do you not want to have children on your own?”

  “Yes… but… I compromised myself with the thought that I would never have a husband and my own children when I agreed to our arrangement.”

  Brooke walked to her, took her hand and pulled her to the sofa.

  “When we were together, I always was careful so there would not be a child,” he explained when they sat together, “I wanted to have children only with my lawfully wedded wife. But now all will change. You will have your own home, children…. I promise that you will lack nothing. You will be respectable. If you want to, we can even leave England…. I bought a lot of land in America...”

  She bit her lip as she listened to him.

  “It is not so easy as you think,” she said at last. “Part of me resents you because of what happened between us and what you did to me,” she admitted. “I am not sure whether I would ever be able to overcome these feelings and learn be a good wife for you.”

  “Think about it. Consider it very well.” He lifted her hand to his lips. “I will not leave home until I heal completely. May I pay you a visit next week?”

  There was a moment of hesitation before she answered. “Yes, you may.”

  ***

  Elizabeth looked apprehensively out of window as the carriage was approaching the village of Longbourn. She did not know what to expect. She was more worried for William and Georgiana’s sake than for her own. She believed that her father would be polite enough, if not overly enthusiastic, but she could not perceive her mother’s reaction.

  Georgiana had been so eager to go with them that William eventually allowed it. They had heard that the regiment had left Meryton a few days ago. William had, of course, been forced to tell his sister that Wickham had been in Hertfordshire for the entire winter. They thought it was better for Georgiana to know in advance about it, rather than to hear the man’s name unexpectedly during conversation. Despite the news about Wickham, Georgiana could not wait to meet her new sisters.

  When they drove into the lane leading directly to the manor, Elizabeth moved closer to window. She saw Kitty running out of the house. Soon all her family walked outside, her father, too, but he was the very last.