by Wells, Linda
“I have asked her for a dance.” Stewart declared.
“I have asked her for a courtship.” Darcy growled.
“And the lady has said yes to both, I presume?” Lord Matlock looked between the two, the men continued to look at each other unhappily. “Darcy, allow him his dance.”
“Why?”
“So that I will forever see the mistake I made.” Stewart said softly. He looked back up to see Elizabeth’s bright smile as she listened to Fitzwilliam’s nonsense. “Have you met her family yet, Darcy? I mean the other sisters and her parents?”
“No.”
Stewart turned back to him. “You have a reputation of intolerance for those below you. If you continue with Miss Elizabeth, you should prepare her for your display of disdain. I have seen it growing over the past few years, you can be quite cruel.”
Darcy started. “I …I have changed.”
“Well if ever there was a test of that, meeting her family will do.” He sighed. “I was a fool.”
“So her connections would not dissuade you, why should they bother me?”
Stewart laughed. “I am not the master of Pemberley. I am a barrister who hopes for a government position or maybe a seat on the bench someday. I could have borne it. But someone as proud as you?” He shook his head. “I wonder. If you abandon her, I will beg her to take me back.”
“That will not be necessary.” Darcy strode away and stood watching as Elizabeth now danced with Layton. The cousins’ eyes met and Layton remained silent through the set, only bowing at the end and delivering her to Darcy before walking away.
“Your cousin seemed to be bursting with questions but never uttered a word.” Elizabeth watched him go. “It was strange.”
“Do not mind him; he is … not a favourite of mine.” He placed her arm on his. “Are you better now?
“I think that you and I need to speak.”
Stewart arrived and bowed. “Miss Elizabeth, this set is ours.”
She smiled softly and took his arm, looking back at Darcy as she left. Distress and jealousy were apparent in his eyes. He felt a movement by his side and he noticed Miss Gannon standing there. Inwardly he groaned, and turned his gaze forward, steadfastly ignoring her. The music began and Elizabeth and Stewart danced. He watched them talking, saw Stewart’s eyes glowing as he drank in her smile. Darcy’s heart clenched when she laughed and he did not miss Stewart’s appreciative smile when he watched her move away from him. That gown that had enticed Darcy was doing the same for Stewart. There was no question that his eyes were drawn to the pearl and its location over Elizabeth’s bosom. A soft growl and muttered curse fell from Darcy’s lips. Miss Gannon glanced up to see his set jaw and eyes clearly on Elizabeth. He did not notice when she sighed and slipped away from his side.
At last the supper set arrived and he had her back. The grip on her hand told her of his relief. “What did you talk about?” He asked insistently.
“Memories of our past.”
“I do not like that at all.”
“That I remember?”
“Yes.”
“But if I did not remember, I would not have continued to dream of you.” Elizabeth drifted past him and he reached out to take her hand back, then walked her from the dance floor. “Fitzwilliam?”
“Come.”
He took her arm, placed it safely on his and guided her out of the ballroom, nodding to Mrs. Gardiner as they exited. He led her past the crowded rooms, and took her down a back hallway then through a side door to a small walled garden. He closed the door and turned. Elizabeth stood with her hands clasped before her, and her eyes cast down. Darcy walked forward and lifted her chin gently. “I cannot pretend that I am courting you anymore, Elizabeth. I cannot do anything but say the truth. I love you. I fell in love with you the first time I saw you, I only had to wait for you to grow up and for me to become a man. I do not want to wait anymore. There is nothing more that I need to discover. You are the woman of my dreams and now of my reality. Please Elizabeth, be my wife, and never part from me again.”
“Oh.”
“Please.”
“I …I cannot say yes.”
“Why?” Darcy gripped her shoulders. “Why? What have I done to dissuade you?”
“No, it is I who am unworthy, not you!” Elizabeth cried and turned away from him. Darcy sighed and wrapped his arms around her waist, and leaned his head on hers.
“Dearest, I confess, I know about Stewart. I know that he loved you and left.”
“He loved me?” She whispered.
Darcy stiffened. “Yes, he confessed it to me when he spoke of his abandoning you. He told me this in December.”
“Because of my lack of fortune.”
“Yes.”
“But he did not tell you of my family. Mr. Darcy, I could not accept you without you knowing how unsuitable my family is, if your friend felt that he must reject me then you …”
“I do not care.”
“But you have not met them!”
“I know.” He turned her around and wiped the tears that flowed down her cheeks. “But twice tonight I was told what an intolerant man I have become, even without realizing it, I allowed my pride to rule my opinions of those lower than me. Then I witnessed a trusted friend confess that it was his intolerance that kept him from loving the most beautiful, kind, intelligent and fascinating woman he had ever known, and informed me that when I allow my prejudice to rule my decisions, that he would be waiting to beg you for your hand. I cannot bear the thought of any other man holding you as I am now. Whatever your family is, I will not let it stand in my way, our way. Please dearest Elizabeth. Say yes.”
“Are you sure?” Elizabeth searched his eyes and he smiled and nodded, then she watched as her fingers were raised to his lips.
“Please, I am so alone without you.”
“And if my family is intolerable?”
“We will live in Derbyshire, far away.” He smiled and she laughed.
“Thank heaven for that!”
Darcy laughed and tilted his head. “Well?”
Elizabeth sighed. “I love you, Fitzwilliam, I have from the moment you stopped and looked at me in the park. I have dreamed of you and written of you, and now it seems that I am to marry you. Yes, my love, yes.”
“My love.” He whispered and drawing her back into his embrace, lifted her chin and kissed her softly. Elizabeth sighed and before she was through, his mouth fell upon hers again, stroking slowly, tracing his tongue over her lips. Her embrace tightened and he could feel her heart pounding against his chest. “More, dearest?” He did not wait for her reply and instead resumed his kiss, stroking until her lips parted and his tongue searched for and found the sweet taste of hers. She began trembling in his arms, encouraging him to caress with increasing ardour. His hands moved, one wound into her hair, the other to her back, and drew her body securely to his. His kisses became more passionate and he felt the joy of her response, no longer passively receiving, but tentatively expressing her love. Their tongues touched, and slowly his withdrew, and he felt the extraordinary pleasure of hers following to enter his mouth, exploring his taste, and her lips savouring his. Elizabeth moaned, a soft satisfying sound, and he moved away to kiss her throat and breathe in her ear. “You will dearest Elizabeth; you promise you will marry me?”
“I do, I promise.”
“You will not leave me again? You will not fear that I will leave you?”
“Never again, Fitzwilliam.” Elizabeth moved from his overwhelming embrace to caress his face. “Neither of us will be lonely again.”
Chapter 13
“Richard, have you seen Darcy?” Lord Matlock asked quietly.“He was dancing with Miss Elizabeth.” He looked up and around. “Perhaps they went to the supper rooms early, you have to admit, they have much to talk about, and this is probably their only opportunity tonight. That aunt is watching like a hawk.” The men glanced over to Mrs. Gardiner who was standing near the door, alternating her ga
ze between Jane dancing with a young man, and down the hallway. “See, she must know where they are.”
Lord Matlock sighed and nodded. “Very well. If there ever was a man who followed the rules of propriety, it would be Darcy.”
“What are you trying to say, Father?” Fitzwilliam grinned as his father cleared his throat.
“Son, I wish I had your joie de vivre.”
“Oh come, you do, you simply have not had it challenged as I.” Fitzwilliam’s smile faded as his father’s eyes saddened. “I am here by your side, Father, not on a bloody battleground.”
“If you are ever to be sent back, I will stop you. Let me find you a living, or the law, something!”
“I am too old.” Fitzwilliam shook his head. “My course has long been set.”
“You are six and twenty, Son. You are not old.”
“I just feel that way.” He smiled slightly and looked back to the crowded ballroom. “What do you think of Miss Bennet?”
“She smiles a great deal.” Lord Matlock tilted his head. “You danced with her, what is your opinion? How does she compare to her sister?”
“She does not.” Fitzwilliam watched Jane dance perfectly, then cast her eyes down demurely when her partner escorted her from the dance floor and towards the supper rooms. “I know that girls are taught the rules of non-engagement,” he saw his father’s smile, “I peeked at the etiquette book that Audrey had once. No wonder men never have any idea if they are making headway in a courtship! No encouragement from the woman until she is convinced of his intentions? Well why should he make his feelings known if she acts indifferently? And then once you are engaged, no time alone, no touching, not even a little peck of a kiss!” He shook his head and laughed. “Sometimes I think that all of this overzealous protection of virtue creates nothing but lifeless marriages. Well, seeing how Darcy stares at Miss Elizabeth, he will have a difficult time limiting his attentions to a kiss on the hand. At least he knows by her looks that she cares for him.”
“So you see Miss Bennet as the model of virtue?”
“I wonder what she is thinking beneath that smile.” He mused. “She is certainly attracting a great deal of attention from the gentlemen. I think she has danced nearly every set. If she had a dowry I have no doubt that any one of them would be calling tomorrow. Just wait, by the end of the night someone will be approaching Mrs. Gardiner or even Darcy for information and then what will come of it? Threatening my brother not to spread his knowledge was amusing Father, but it is only effective until someone here decides to pursue her, then the truth will be out, and both she and Miss Elizabeth will be the objects of scorn.”
“I doubt that Darcy is prepared for this.” Lord Matlock observed. “I should have insisted that Miss Bennet stay away this night.” He shrugged and looked at his son. “What did you think of Miss Elizabeth?”
“She is witty, intelligent, and utterly charming, and so afraid of losing him. She is young, and I believe that she has no idea how bewitchingly lovely she is.” He noticed his father’s raised brow. “Yes Father, I danced with a woman who I would have seriously pursued. There is something about her that would attract men like Stewart and Darcy, is it not possible that I can be affected as well?”
“Son, this is going to be difficult enough, please do not make it worse by entering the fray.”
“No, no, I have been listening to Darcy pine for her for months, they have been together for merely a week, but truly, they have been connected for much longer. I welcome back the cousin I lost.” He turned to see his father’s thoughtful look. “Will you support him?” Lord Matlock did not answer.
IN THE QUIET OF THE GARDEN, the newly engaged couple listened to the muffled sounds of the ball permeating the walls. “Do you have any idea how many rules of propriety we have broken?” Elizabeth whispered from the safe cocoon of Darcy’s embrace. “My sister Mary would be waving her copy of Fordyce’s sermons and preaching loudly if she could see this.”
“I know this is wrong. Part of me is screaming to lead you immediately back to your aunt and step far away, never to touch or be alone with you until our wedding day, but …” Darcy lifted his cheek from where it rested in her hair. “The other part wants to stay rooted to this spot until the end of time.”
“What happens now?”
“We should return before we are missed, I doubt that it has been a quarter hour.” Reluctantly he let go and stepped back, but took her hands in his. “I do not think that we should announce our news, I need to speak to your uncle first.”
Elizabeth looked down to see how his hands enveloped hers. “I do not think your family will be happy.”
Darcy nodded and pursed his lips. “Will yours?”
She started to answer quickly then stopped and looked up to him. “I …I honestly do not know.” She saw his surprise and smiled. “Of course my aunt and uncle will be happy, and I am certain that once my mother believes it is true she will be ecstatic, but my father and my sisters, I do not know. I hope that they are pleased for me, and do not expect …”
He caressed her cheek and pushed a curl from her forehead. “What do you think they will want?”
“I do not know.” She paused and drew up her courage. “Truly Fitzwilliam, we have only courted for a week, even if we have felt linked in our hearts for years. Why did you propose tonight? Was it Mr. Stewart who drove you?”
“You think that I proposed without thinking?” He searched her eyes.
“This is a very serious step, if … if you have second thoughts …”
Darcy let go of her hands. “It seems that you are the one having those, did you not just promise never to leave me again?”
“Yes.” She looked down and stepped back.
“Then what is it?” He demanded.
Elizabeth lifted her gaze to his. “I want to be sure that your proposal is not to win a prize over your friend. I …I want to be sure that the man I marry is …the one I hope you are.”
Darcy closed his eyes, but felt hers boring into him. He knew then that the woman he was marrying may be young, but she was no fool, and not weak. She would challenge him just as strongly as she enticed and amused him. She was no mindless beauty to fill his bed. She was everything he hoped for and she was waiting for his honesty. He opened his eyes to see that she had not shrunk away from his silence, if anything, she looked stronger.
He nodded. “Very well, yes, Stewart’s presence drove me to propose tonight. I have imagined proposing to you countless times for years. I knew that there was a chance that some lucky man might find you before I did and I would never have that opportunity. Perhaps I am more confident in my feelings for you because through Stewart and Bingley, I am assured of who you are by two trusted friends. Because Stewart clearly has thoughts of winning you back, I could not take the risk of him succeeding, and no, I am not questioning your commitment to me by supposing that he could. This is my personal fear of losing the woman I love. Proposing to you tonight prevents that possibility. It is exceptionally soon, I know Elizabeth, but I swear; it was always intended. I am a good man. I know that over the past two years I have changed, and not for the better, but I hope that you will set me back to who I was. I already am beginning to return to myself; ask Georgiana if you do not believe me. If you wish for a long engagement to be sure of me, I will not object, but …I am already sure of you.”
Elizabeth listened to all that he said, then slipped her hands back into his. “Thank you for your honesty, thank you for listening to me and treating me with respect and not as a silly woman, and thank you for not laughing at my concerns. You have just proven to me that you are who I always knew you would be.”
Darcy lifted one hand to caress her jaw. “Do you torture all of your suitors this way?”
Elizabeth laughed. “I did not have an abundance of gentleman paying calls. Perhaps this engagement is too hasty, perhaps I should try a few more gentlemen?” She began to move away from him and he quickly pulled her into his arms.
&n
bsp; “Do not tease me, Elizabeth.” He said quietly. “I cannot bear it.”
She looked up to him and he bent to first softly caress her lips, and then to kiss her cheek, along her jaw, down her throat, and finally to kiss the bare shoulders that had begged for his touch all that long evening. Her silky skin was scented and sweet, and he brushed his lips down to gently nudge away the pearl and at last taste the suggestion of the soft valley that peeked from her bodice. Elizabeth’s moan and her hands in his hair brought his lips back to hers and again they melted into each other. A door opened somewhere and the clear sounds of the ball spilled out into the night. Darcy forced himself away and straightened. “Dearest Elizabeth, can you forgive me?”
“Forgive?” She whispered and her hand lifted to rest over her pounding heart.
Darcy smiled and shook his head, and again lifted his hand to gently caress her face. “We must return.”
“Yes.” Elizabeth said shakily and righted her dress, blushing when she noticed Darcy watching her fingers readjusting the placement of the pendant.
Offering his arm he smiled, appreciating the glow in her eyes and the lovely flush in her cheeks. “Do not worry, nothing is amiss.”
“There is nothing to be done if it were.” She smiled and he chuckled. “Fitzwilliam, I know that outwardly I appear very calm and relaxed, but inside my heart is racing and I am bursting with happiness. If we were able, I would be …”
“Like me and wishing to be proclaiming our news from the rooftops?”
“You feel the same excitement? You hide it so well.”
He flushed and looked down. “It is a habit.” Elizabeth took his hand and squeezed, and he lifted it up to his lips.
She stared at his mouth and visibly sighed; Darcy could not help but appreciate the effect his touch had on her. “I … I suppose that it would be prudent to be as formal as possible with each other when in public.”
“Very prudent.” He opened the door and glanced inside to make sure they would not be seen entering. They stepped in and just as they were about to emerge back into the swirling frenzy of the ball he leaned to whisper to her. “I love you, my Elizabeth.”
