“Charles,” Jane began to argue, turning pink again, and he fisted his hand in the hair at the nape of her neck and kissed her harder.
“And tell her to leave your hair down.” He grinned at her outraged expression. “I like to feel it all over me.”
“You are shocking,” she said with a small smile, “but it is a wife’s duty to be obedient to her husband, and so I will do as you wish.”
Charles laughed and headed back to his own room, where his valet already awaited him, alerted by the bell Jane had rung for Helena.
Jane stayed in bed, pulling her gown and robe as straight as she could, unable to suppress her blush as she thought that everyone in the house knew exactly what she and Charles had been up to. And then a moment later Helena came in from the dressing room at the head of a small army of maids. Footmen behind her were already draining last night’s bath and pouring fresh hot water for a new one.
In short order Jane was bathed while her bed was changed, the bloodied sheets whisked away, though she knew they would surely be displayed and discussed downstairs. Helena held up a day gown for Jane to consider while she sat in the bath, but Jane, blushing, shook her head.
“No, Helena. Mr Bingley has decreed that we will not go into company today.”
“Very good, ma’am,” utterly discreet and guessing well at the direction of the master’s thoughts, Helena produced a fresh nightgown and wrapper. She did not raise an eyebrow when Jane blushed and asked that her hair be left down after brushing, too. The maid only bowed her head and departed quietly when Jane murmured, “Thank you, Helena, that will be all.”
Jane took a deep breath and opened the door to her parlour. Charles looked up at her and smiled. Wearing again his silk trousers and robe, he looked so handsome to her, relaxed on the couch with a cup of tea in hand.
“Tea, my dearest?” he offered.
“I should love some,” Jane sat down beside him and accepted the cup he poured for her, adding a dribble of honey just as she liked it. She ran her eyes over the feast arrayed on the small table before them and smiled. “Your cook has done us proud, Charles.”
“I think she suspected that perhaps I had worked up an appetite,” he said mischievously, and laughed as Jane blushed yet again. “You are so pretty when you blush.”
“It is fortunate that is your opinion, because you seem to delight in provoking me!” she retorted. “I did not think that you were such a tease, Mr Bingley!”
“Only with my lovely bride,” he said deeply, smiling at her. “Come, my love. Taste this pastry, it is quite delicious.”
Charles insisted on feeding Jane delicious morsels of food with his own hands, until she declared herself quite full. And then he scooped her up in his arms, despite her protesting squeal, and carried her to his bed this time.
“Are you sore?” he asked quietly as he laid her down.
Jane hesitated. “Not really?”
He sat back on his heels, looked at her thoughtfully. “Now why do I not quite believe you?”
“I’m not!” Jane insisted. “A little stiff, perhaps, through my… hips.” It wasn’t an easy word to say aloud, even to one’s husband, she discovered. He nodded understandingly, though.
“Unaccustomed exercise,” Charles said with a small grin, “can do that to one. Like spending a long day on horseback when one has not ridden for a while.”
Jane nodded, grateful for the innocuous comparison. She seemed to have spent almost every minute since her marriage in a permanent state of blush, wondered if she would ever become inured to the events and words which caused her embarrassment. Quite possibly not, she suspected, as her husband gently removed her robe and nightgown to leave her quite bare to his hungry gaze.
“I’ll try not to make your hips ache any more,” Charles said, a teasing little smile playing about his lips.
“How…?” Jane began, and then realised she really shouldn’t have asked as his eyebrows rose.
“I believe I’d rather show than tell,” Charles told her with a wicked grin, sliding down the bed, parting her legs and lying down between them. Jane watched wide-eyed as he began to press gentle kisses against her inner thighs, his freshly-shaven jaw smooth against her skin.
“What are you — Charles!” It was a squeak of shock as he pressed an open-mouthed kiss against her most intimate spot. “Oh, my… oh, my goodness!” His blue eyes glinted at her as his tongue flicked, and Jane found that she could not look at him. Grabbing a pillow, she dragged it over her face and shrieked her pleasure into it as Charles continued his work.
When Charles gently pulled the pillow away, a scarlet-faced Jane could not meet his eyes. She turned over, pressed her face into the mattress; squeaked with shock as his hand caressed down the small of her back to lightly pat at her bottom.
“I am sure that is very wicked,” she said in a small voice.
“Are you?” He pressed slow kisses along her spine, working his way up from the small of her back, gathering her thick golden hair in his hands to pull it to the side, out of his way. “Why are you so sure?”
She couldn’t put words to it. “Something that feels so good must surely be sinful,” she said into the bedding at last, feeling goosebumps rise up as he reached the nape of her neck.
“There are quite a number of acts considered sinful when conducted out of wedlock, that are perfectly sanctioned when they occur between husband and wife,” Charles said, amused. “In the privacy of our bedroom, my Jane, I want no talk of sin from you.” Gently, he put his arm around her slender waist, pulled her back and onto her side to spoon within the curve of his larger body. “Here, there is only love; the intense love I have for you, my wish that you should find only joy in our bed.”
“I do,” Jane whispered. “I love you too, Charles…”
“Then please, my darling, please trust me. Lovemaking is natural and beautiful; God would not have made your body capable of such pleasures if it were not in His grand design, would He?”
“I suppose not,” she conceded, daring a glance back at him as he kissed gently along her shoulder. “Do you — does it feel that way for you too, Charles?”
“Men and women are not the same, so I cannot exactly answer your question, my love. But yes, I think that it does feel very much the same — if it feels like a little glimpse of heaven on earth to you too, that is.”
Jane gasped as his hand moved upwards and his fingers began to caress her breasts again, very gently. She could feel the hard bar of his manhood pressing against the small of her back, bit at her lips as that unfamiliar excitement began to well up inside her. “Yes,” she said, trying hard to keep her voice steady. “It feels just like heaven, but Charles… I feel so wanton.”
He chuckled against her shoulder, leaning further forward to kiss her cheek as his fingers teased and tantalised. “So long as you only feel this way for your husband, my angel, there is no sin.”
“Oh, I could not ever consider feeling so with anyone else!” Jane exclaimed, quite shocked.
“Good.” His knee edged between hers, nudging her thighs apart as he shifted behind her.
“Even this — this is not sinful?” Jane could not suppress a moan as Charles’ hand left her breast, slipping down between her legs, even as he pressed against her from behind.
“Not in the least,” Charles reassured breathlessly. “You can relax and enjoy it with a clear conscience.”
“Oh, g-good,” Jane panted, unable to keep from arching back against him as his manhood pushed slowly back inside her again, “else I should never be able to set foot inside church again!”
Afterwards Jane lay curled up to Charles’ side, her slender fingers tracing lightly over the defined muscles of his chest. He smiled blissfully at the ceiling, thinking that he was going to enjoy being married far more than he had ever imagined. One hand traced gently along the sweep of Jane’s long golden hair, falling like tumbled silk threads behind her.
“Your hair is so soft,” he murmured, feelin
g almost drunken with pleasure. “I am surely the luckiest man in England right now.”
Jane smiled against his skin. “I am surely the luckiest woman,” she replied softly.
Turning to his side, meeting her eyes, Charles told her sincerely; “I told you when I came back to you, but I want to say it again. I was a great fool to leave here last November, and I thank God that Elizabeth chanced to come to Derbyshire with your aunt and uncle. The moment I laid eyes on her, I realised that what I had been trying to do was an impossibility; that I could never forget you because you had taken up residence in my heart.”
“Oh, Charles.” Jane had to blink back threatening tears. “When Lizzy told me that she had seen you, that you had asked so particularly after me — I was afraid to hope.”
“I am so sorry for what I did to you, my angel.” Gently, he caressed the pure line of her jaw, leaned in to press a kiss to her forehead. “Never again will I allow anything to come between us, I promise you.”
Jane smiled as he put his arms around her, tugging her close. “Even clothes, apparently,” she said slyly, making Charles burst out laughing.
“Especially not clothes!”
Caroline Makes Mischief
Darcy and Elizabeth, having spent a very blissful night of their own, felt it incumbent on them as guests at Netherfield to rejoin the company at breakfast time. Directly after breakfast, when Darcy excused himself for a short ride – he needed to work off some energy lest he behave disgracefully and carry Elizabeth off to bed again – Caroline Bingley lost no time making several unsubtle digs at Elizabeth about the ill-bred behaviour of her younger sisters the day before.
Kitty had carried on like an absolute idiot on meeting Colonel Fitzwilliam, Elizabeth knew, but it was still appallingly rude of Caroline to point it out, particularly since she was now related to Kitty by marriage. Elizabeth considered suggesting that Caroline take Kitty under her wing to teach her to conduct herself in a manner more befitting a lady, but really, Kitty hadn’t done anything bad enough to deserve having Caroline inflicted on her. She bit her tongue.
“One could expect no better, I suppose,” Caroline sneered, “considering that you yourself, Eliza, displayed a remarkable ignorance in departing before the general company had dispersed yesterday evening!”
Elizabeth blinked in astonishment. “Mr Darcy and I were not the hosts of the gathering, Miss Bingley,” she observed coolly.
Miss Darcy happened to be in range to overhear their conversation. “Indeed,” she interjected, surprising Elizabeth who hadn’t thought the shy girl likely to speak up in her defence, “I observed that it was my brother’s choice to depart early, Miss Bingley.”
At which remark, Caroline’s disappointed hopes peaked in a fit of rage. “Well, we all know that men are unable to control their baser instincts,” she said icily, “but I should have thought that Eliza should know it does not do to display too much affection for one’s husband in public. Or indeed in private. It is considered most ill-bred.”
“Where is your brother this morning, Miss Bingley?” Elizabeth enquired, knowing full well where Charles was. “I should like to see my sister.”
Caroline’s expression was puce with rage. “Kept from his duties to his guests by the arts and allurements of a wanton woman!” she hissed.
“Are you implying that my sister came to her marriage in a less than chaste condition?” Elizabeth lost her temper. “I warn you, Miss Bingley, if such slander ever reaches Jane’s ears, I will... I will...”
“You will what?” Caroline sneered contemptuously.
“I will tell my brother, and you may be very sure that you would never be received by any respectable connection of the Darcy family ever again!” It was Georgiana who spoke, utterly horrified by what she was witnessing. “You cannot possibly be implying such a thing about Miss Bennet – Mrs Bingley, now! I have known her only a few days, and she is the sweetest, kindest lady – you should pray to God for forgiveness for saying such dreadful things about her!”
“It’s all right, Georgiana,” Elizabeth reached for her new sister’s hand and squeezed it gently, though her eyes never left Caroline’s furiously red face. “It appears that disappointment has caused Miss Bingley to forget her veneer of civility. Obviously, you can take the girl away from the docks, but the docks will remain within her.”
Caroline sputtered with rage, but Elizabeth was not finished. “And while I would not expect a young unmarried lady like Miss Darcy to understand the meeting of minds that occur between a husband and wife truly in love with one another, you, Miss Bingley, are somewhat older and have witnessed not only your sister’s marriage but surely many of your friends, as well. If you have never seen a married couple who are genuinely fond of each other before, I can only pity your sister and your friends; but you should thank me, and Jane too, for showing you what a marriage can be like when you love and are loved in return. I urge you, Miss Bingley, to settle for nothing less.”
There were so many subtle digs in Elizabeth’s little speech that Caroline quite simply could not process them all. She stood, open-mouthed, as the new Mrs Darcy tugged lightly on Miss Darcy’s hand and led her away.
“Get out!” finding her voice, Caroline shouted the words after the pair. All conversation in the drawing-room was instantly silenced; the Countess of Matlock broke off in the middle of speaking to Mrs Hurst, casting a disbelieving stare at Caroline.
“I beg your pardon, Miss Bingley?” Elizabeth turned around, unable to believe what Caroline had just said.
“I said, get out,” Caroline hissed at her. “You disgusting, worthless hussy!”
“Caroline!” Louisa Hurst shot to her feet, faster than Elizabeth had ever seen the indolent woman move, and hurried to her sister’s side. “You are overwrought, my dear, you don’t know what you are saying. It’s been a very busy few days,” she tried to excuse Caroline’s behaviour, but the shocked expressions of every lady present told her clearly that she was fighting a losing battle.
Caroline shook free of Louisa’s restraining arm, stepped forward to face Elizabeth. “I know exactly what I am saying,” she pronounced coldly, “and you will get out of my house now or I will have you thrown from it, Eliza Bennet!”
“She has run mad,” Georgiana whispered, beginning to shake with terror as she backed away from the confrontation. Her aunt the countess rose to come to her side, placing herself between Georgiana and Miss Bingley.
“I think you have forgot yourself, Miss Bingley,” overcoming her own shock, Elizabeth rose to the challenge. “For not only did I give up the name Bennet to become Mrs Darcy yesterday, but my sister became mistress of Netherfield when she married your brother. I do not believe that you have the authority to order me from this house.” Her tone was absolutely steady as she faced off bravely against the taller woman.
Caroline let out a screech of pure rage, and her hand swung, far too quickly for Mrs Hurst to stop her. The crack of her palm connecting with Elizabeth’s cheek echoed like a gunshot in the silent room.
Caroline Bingley was not a small woman, and she had used the full force of her arm. Caught off guard, never thinking for a moment that the other woman would dare to use violence against her, Elizabeth stumbled and fell.
Georgiana screamed. Scarcely able to believe what had just happened, the Countess stepped forward instinctively, intercepted Caroline as the younger woman made to kick at Elizabeth’s fallen form.
“Miss Bingley!” she cried. “You forget yourself!”
“Caroline, you must not!” Louisa Hurst tugged at her sister’s arm, her face a picture of horror. “Come away, oh please, you must come away…”
“Lizzie!” Georgiana went to her knees, clutching desperately at Elizabeth. “Oh, please, please be all right…”
Elizabeth had fallen awkwardly, putting her arm out to catch herself. She rolled to her back now, cradling her wrist with the other hand, her face pale. “I heard a crack, and it hurts really quite dreadfully,” she sai
d through gritted teeth.
“Miss Bingley has gone mad,” Georgiana whispered in shock, watching as her aunt and Mrs Hurst hastily pushed a still red-faced but now mercifully silent Caroline from the room.
“I shall not argue, but it is not for us to judge.” Painfully, with Georgiana’s help, Elizabeth got to her feet, but at once collapsed to sit down on a couch. “Pray ring for a maid, Georgiana. I think we had best sent to Meryton for the doctor.” She bit down on her lower lip to try and suppress the tears of pain that sprang to her eyes, not wanting to upset an already distressed Georgiana further.
Georgiana surprised Elizabeth, though, firming her spine and crossing the room to pull the bell. “My brother will see that Miss Bingley is punished for this,” she promised, suddenly sounding very much like a Darcy of Pemberley to Elizabeth’s ears. “Do not fear, Lizzie, I am quite sure that we will never lay eyes on her again.”
“I sincerely hope not,” Elizabeth said faintly. Her wrist hurt quite abominably; there was a ringing in her ears. Determined not to swoon, she lay back on the couch, resting her head on its cushioned back. It was abominably uncomfortable, and she silently wished down a few more curses on Caroline Bingley’s head. Could she not at least have had a weakness for comfortable furniture? Despite her determination, the pain overcame her and she slipped into unconsciousness just as Netherfield’s housekeeper and two maids entered the room, alerted that something significant was happening by the spectacle of a screeching Miss Bingley being hustled up the stairs by Mrs Hurst and the Countess.
“Miss Darcy… Mrs Darcy!” the housekeeper gasped as Elizabeth slid from the couch to the floor in a dead faint. “Oh, the good Lord preserve us, what has happened here?”
“I pray you remain calm, Mrs Hughes,” Georgiana said, her hands shaking but her voice admirably steady. “Mrs Darcy has hurt her arm. Send immediately to Meryton for the doctor, and please send someone to find my brother also.”
Mr Bingley's Bride (Sensual Historical Romance) Page 4
