by Ola Wegner
***
Half an hour later, Elizabeth dropped heavily into her husband’s arms, her heart still thudding wildly against her ribcage. She felt him pulling her even closer, tucking the bed sheets around her carefully.
Elizabeth knew, as an experienced wife of over a month, what would happen next. He would give her a bear hug, stroke her hair, kiss her forehead, and patting her bottom, he would murmur - Thank you, sweetheart.
After which he would fall asleep quite soundly in a matter of a minute or two, while she would lie wide awake for a long time yet, aware of his heavy arm draped over her waist and his light snoring next to her ear, unable to calm and compose herself enough to close her eyes and rest after a long day.
But today, Darcy, after the usual cuddling and thanking her, yawned wildly and spoke. “How is Julia? Will she not catch a cold? It is almost autumn, after all.”
Elizabeth stroked his shoulder. “No, I do not think so. She rarely gets ill, unlike Emily, who is much more prone to colds, sometimes with such bad coughing. Moreover, I ordered Julia a hot bath and got her out of that wet dress immediately.”
Darcy reached his hand, smoothing her unruly curls. “You know, you always pronounce Julia to be Jane’s mirror, but since today, I think she is very much like you under that angelic exterior.”
Elizabeth gave him a quizzical look. “Like me? Why?”
“Because you did not want to play with me...“
“What?” Elizabeth laughed.
“You ignored me.”
“You cannot be earnest. How can you compare those two situations?”
“Oh, but I can. I can only sympathize with poor Master Henry,” Darcy said, his hands folded comfortably behind his head. “Here is a pretty little girl you fancy from the first moment you rest your eyes on her, and she just pretends you are not there. You try to make an impression on her, and she ignores you. He must feel terribly humiliated.”
Elizabeth sat up, hugging her knees to her sheet covered chest. “You have never pushed me into the water.”
“No, because I am a gentleman, and Master Henry is still learning how to be one. Moreover, I truly do not envy your uncle. Julia is only ten, and she already turns the heads of all the boys around her. Have you noticed Ben lately? He stares after her like a lovesick puppy. He jumped into the pond to help her. I understand that there was some misunderstanding between him and Master Henry as to which of them should rescue her. He was waiting in the kitchen, by the hearth, completely drawn, to enquire whether she was all right.”
Elizabeth supported her chin on her knees. “Poor Ben. He is a such a decent boy.”
Darcy stroked the uncovered skin of her smooth, graceful back with his finger. “He is very smart, sensible, and loyal. He perhaps knows more about me, about us, than any other servant. He has been always with me since his entire family died in that terrible fire.”
“William, you say he is smart. I saw him reading a few times. Perhaps it is would be a good idea to send him to school?”
Darcy’s expression clouded. “I am not certain of that, Elizabeth. I have bad memories with educating servants’ sons. I plan to lease him a farm when he becomes of age, plus give him some capital for the start.”
“That is a very generous of you, that you are thinking to give him land in the future, but the education could only help him become a better farmer. I do not say Eton or Oxford, but some good boarding school, why not? I think that Ben has already proved to you that he can be trusted. What I have observed of his behaviour is always respectable and honourable. I do not think it is fair that you should not allow him an education because of past experiences with,” she paused, not wishing to say the name of Wickham aloud, “we know who. All I ask is that you think more about this. Will you?”
Darcy kissed the back of her round shoulder, supporting his chin on it. “Perhaps I will need some small encouragement.”
Elizabeth turned her head, facing him. Darcy hooked his forefinger behind the sheet which still covered the front of her body, pulling it down.
Elizabeth shook her head. “You will not be able to…again.”
“To what…?” Darcy leaned forward to kiss her neck.
“You know, … to perform.”
“Let us see, shall we?”
Chapter Sixteen
Elizabeth stumbled into the adjacent room, which had once been Darcy’s bedroom, but since his marriage had served only as his dressing room.
“William,” she murmured, rubbing her sleepy eyes.
She gasped softly, noticing her husband’s valet to be in the room. Aware of her highly dishevelled state, she began to back away from the room hastily on her tiptoes.
“Stay.” She heard Darcy’s deep voice. He instructed the servant to leave them alone. Only when the door closed after Peters, did she lift her eyes from the floor.
“Good morning, sleepy head,” Darcy spoke good humorously, as he was tying his neck cloth, his warm eyes never leaving her form.
Elizabeth stepped to him, supporting her forehead on his arm, her eyes half closed. “I feel so tired this week. I usually wake on my own shortly after dawn.”
Darcy finished with his neck cloth and enveloped her into his arms. “I have noticed. Last night, when I came to bed you were already fast asleep. It was not even ten o’clock.”
“I do not even remember your coming to bed,” she murmured into his chest, rubbing her nose against his crisp white shirt.
Darcy smoothed her tangled curls, kissing the top of her head. “I did not want to wake you. You were sleeping so soundly, and it was not my intention to disturb your rest. I just snuggled next to you.” He squeezed her rosy cheek. “You know how much I enjoy having you so close beside me at night,” he whispered into her ear, hugging her to him to emphasize his words. “Not to mention, I felt very pleased that I did not have to share you at night with Miss Emily Gardiner.”
Elizabeth looked up at him guiltily. “What else could I have done? She was having nightmares, calling her mama and crying all night long.”
“Ah, yes, but the moment you put her into the bed with us, she fell asleep immediately.”
“Because she needed to be reassured that she was not alone.”
“Did she really need to be reassured for over a week, till her parents returned?” Darcy stepped from her, walking to the nearby chair to get his coat. “I am afraid your aunt will have a problem with her now. You have spoilt her.”
“Oh, William, I could not bear her crying at night.” She smoothed the lapels of his coat and adjusted his cufflinks. “I felt it was the right thing to let her sleep with us. Can you not understand this?”
“What I do understand is that you have tender heart, my dear, but children need to know the boundaries, as do we all.” Darcy sighed, his forehead stressing his frown. “What I am truly worried about is your tiredness of late. I have also noticed that you barely touch your meals. It is not like you at all.”
Elizabeth’s eyes narrowed, and she huffed at him, pretending the offence. “Do you imply, sir, that I eat too much?”
Darcy pulled her to him more closely. “Elizabeth, I am serious about this. Are you well?”
“Yes, I am well. I am only sleepy, during the day as well. And I lack the appetite for certain foods these days, that is all.” She rubbed her middle. “They upset my stomach.”
Darcy frowned and cupped her small face into his hands, appraising her carefully. “Elizabeth perhaps a doctor should see you.”
Elizabeth rolled her eyes. “William, be reasonable, you want to call doctor just because your wife overslept?”
“Go back to bed.” He patted her backside. “Rest today if you are tired.”
“William, I cannot. I must make myself ready soon. I am visiting tenants today with Georgiana.”
“Today as well?”
She shrugged her shoulders with a smile. “It is not our fault you have so many tenants, you know.”
Darcy looked into her face searchingly
once again, as if wanting to reassure himself that she was indeed well. Elizabeth smiled at him brightly, her eyes sparkling as if to convince him that she was truly all right.
“I must go to Lambton now,” he told her. “But I will be back early in the afternoon. Can you come to my study around three o’clock?”
“Yes, I can. We should be back by that time. Georgiana will certainly want to attach herself to the pianoforte as soon as we return.”
“Good. Come to my study. There is a certain matter I wish to discuss with you.”
Elizabeth let a puff of air. “Oh, William, another lecture about sheep breeding?” She folded her arms under her breasts. “I do understand how important sheep breeding is for Pemberley but I really do not think it necessary for me to learn it in such a great detail.”
Darcy smiled at her reaction. “No, that is something entirely different from what I wish to discuss with you.”
He walked to her and turned her around so she stood with her back to his front. Elizabeth looked up at him in surprise, but he only drew her more tightly to his tall frame. One of his hands went under the neckline of her nightgown, cupping her breast, squeezing it gently and rubbing the nipple. The other warm hand stopped low on her stomach, pressing her bottom against his body.
“Come to the study in the afternoon,” he rasped into her ear, rubbing himself against her soft behind. His hand lowered even more, reaching between her legs, rubbing her there gently.
“Do not wear your pantaloons today, sweetheart,” he added, lightly and squeezing her bottom.
The next thing Elizabeth heard was the sound of the door closing. She stood in the middle of the room, feeling dizzy and dazed as if she was about to collapse any moment. She walked slowly to the window, her knees weak, uncomfortable wetness pooling between her thighs. She supported herself against the thick velvet curtain, her heart beating wildly in her chest. Soon she saw her husband walking out of the house, the servant already waiting with his horse. He mounted it in one swift movement and looked up, meeting her eyes, and smiled at her. She waved at him and smiled back. She stared after him until he disappeared from her sight.
***
Elizabeth lay on her bed, staring at the canopy and smiling to herself. It had to be this, it simply had to!
After what had happened today when they had been visiting the tenants, she was almost certain. She had made Georgiana and Ben swear that they would not tell anything to Darcy for the time being. She needed some time to think on this, and she knew very well how her husband would have reacted if he had been told that she had fainted earlier today.
She well remembered when she had been seventeen, and Aunt Gardiner had spent the summer with them at Longbourn. Her dear Aunt had lacked appetite, and she had been dizzy and constantly tired. One afternoon, when the three of them had been walking, Aunt had fainted, giving her and Jane quite a fright.
And the next winter, Emily was born!
Elizabeth turned on her side and grinned, looking down at her stomach, wrapping her arms around her middle. She had noticed her body changing too.
Earlier, in the study, when William had been making love to her and had kneaded her breasts, it had almost hurt as they were more tender. She had felt so exhausted afterwards, when she collapsed in his arms, spent, her heart racing so fast. She had barely enough strength to return to her room. Moreover, she had missed her courses for the second time; they should have come almost two weeks before. Mama had said once the courses would always come, otherwise the woman was with child.
There was a soft knock, and the door opened quietly. William walked to the bed and sat beside her.
“You are not sleeping?” he asked worriedly.
His expression was distressed when he put his hand on her forehead and then on her cheek.
“I cannot sleep.”
Darcy leaned over her and kissed her temple. “I am sorry, sweetheart, for what happened in the study. I was carried away.”
Elizabeth sat up, placing her head on his shoulder. “I was a little taken aback when you turned me around,” she murmured into his neck, unable to meet his eyes. “Before, I could always see your face when we were together.”
Darcy cradled her face, making her look at him. “Lizzy, sweetheart, if you were not comfortable, it is all right to say so. There is no satisfaction for me if you are unhappy with what we do.”
“No, William, I did enjoy it,” she assured him shyly.
Darcy did not seem to be convinced with her words. “You do not have to say that because you want to please me.”
“William, I truly enjoyed it. Perhaps I cannot speak so enthusiastically about it because it is still difficult for me to talk about these matters openly.” She was blushing brightly, still not meeting his eyes. “Ladies should scorn such delights; I heard that from the earliest years. You see, it is hard to discuss it like this…” she paused as if looking for the right words. “But I want you to know that I do like to be with you, and I do enjoy what we do, the same as you. I am very pleased that you are so diligent in your marital duties and that you are... inventive.”
Darcy tilted her cheek, smiling. “Well, that was very ladylike speech, indeed.”
She punched him playfully on the arm. “What did you expect me to say? Perhaps 'Dear husband, you can bend me over the armchair in your study whenever you wish?'”
Darcy put his hands on her shoulders. “I quite like the sound of that, but I want to be certain you are truly fine with what I did earlier.”
“More than fine. I am adventurous, too, you know. I like when you go so… so unrestrained, and loosen up your reserved nature and…” Her eyes widened and she smiled cheekily. “go wild with me.”
“But you were… I do not know...,” Darcy frowned. “… somehow different.”
Elizabeth stayed silent for a long moment before speaking hesitantly.“There is something on my mind which concerns me greatly.”
Darcy frowned. “Someone has upset you.”
She shook her head. “No, it is something very good. I want so much to tell you about this, but I am not sure whether it is really what I think that it is.”
Darcy gave her puzzled look. “You are making me worried.”
“I did not suspect till this morning, when we were visiting tenants with Georgiana.” Elizabeth paused a little, being perfectly aware of the effect that what she was going to say would have on her husband. “I fainted.”
“You what?!” He stood up abruptly, the scowl on his face. “And I hear about this only now?”
“I made Georgiana promise she would not tell you anything for the time being.”
Darcy’s hand raked through his curls. “Elizabeth, you should not have hidden this from me. I have right to know when something wrong happens with you.”
Elizabeth caught his hand and pulled him to sit back on the bed next to her. “William, do not be angry…, I had my reasons. I was not sure, and I am still not, but…”
She knelt on the bed in front of him, taking both of his hands into hers. “I have fainted!” She grinned, looking into his eyes, wanting him to understand. “I am fatigued and sick to my stomach, when usually I am never tired, and I usually can eat everything. We have been together almost every night since our wedding. Every night without interruption.” She brought his hands to her breast. “Did you not notice earlier today when you touched me?”
Darcy palmed her breasts, his expression still puzzled. “Yes, they are fuller…” A deep crease appeared between his eyebrows. “You cannot possibly say that you are…”
Elizabeth nodded her head eagerly. “I cannot imagine that this could be anything different.”
Darcy shook his head, frowning. “Elizabeth how can this be? It is too soon. We have been married for only two months. That cannot be.”
“It would be not the first time that a child is born nine months after the wedding,” she reasoned.
Darcy rose from the bed and walked to the window. “I shall send a man to Lambto
n to bring the doctor.”
“William, it is nearly five o’clock. It is too late.”
“No, Elizabeth, we must confirm this.” His voice was firm; for Elizabeth even harsh. “And that this is not something else, and you are really ill.” He sat beside her once again, stroking her cheek, worried.
Elizabeth stopped his hand on her face. “William, I have never been ill in my life, at least not that I remember.”
“But you have never been with child either, so you cannot be sure of that,” Darcy cried exasperatedly.
“William!”
He gave her a peck on the cheek. “I shall go to Lambton myself to bring Doctor Johnson. He has been our family doctor since I remember.”
Elizabeth stared for a long time at the door which closed after him. She curled into a ball on her side. She pulled the blanket over herself because she felt suddenly somehow chilly. She was confused; no, she was more than that. She was stunned and not a little hurt with his bizarre reaction to her news. She had been most certain he would be as elated as she was. Perhaps he was just surprised. Yes, that had to be it; he simply did not expect this. Moreover, the idea of bringing the doctor was not so bad. She felt her heart flutter in anticipation; perhaps before the evening she would have confirmation that she was indeed with child.
***
Darcy sat on the chair in the Master bedroom and stared at the closed door leading to Elizabeth’s room. This day had started in such a perfect way. He woke up early with the burden of her sweet smelling warm soft form in his arms.
Then, when she appeared in this very door, all sleepy and tousled, straight out of bed, bare footed, yawning like a little kitten, her cheeks flushed, her lips puffed, her locks like corkscrews sticking out in all directions,…she looked absolutely adorable.
In the afternoon when she came into his study, he was all over her the moment she closed the door. He did not let her say a word. In a matter of minutes they were making love, she bent over the leather armchair, which remembered the times of his grandparents, at least, practically lifted from the floor by him to adjust to his height. She had laid listlessly in his arms later, her heart thudding wildly.
