19
Darcy regarded her with some concern as she leaned back and closed her eyes. She was very pale, he thought, and he wondered what he was supposed to do now.
He hesitated only a moment, he could not let things stay as they were. He sat opposite her and leaned forward.
“Elizabeth. Elizabeth.” He didn’t speak loudly, but she smiled slightly and opened her eyes.
“I’m sorry, sir. A momentary lapse.”
“Perfectly justified, Elizabeth. I just wanted to make sure that you were not labouring under a misapprehension that might disturb your rest.” He moved uncomfortably.
“I must repeat my heartfelt gratitude that you have agreed to become Mrs. Darcy, and that we are to make a life together,” he smiled slightly, rather anxious. “But I do not want you in any apprehension that I will demand my marital rights immediately. I know you have much to accept before I can expect anything from you. So, I wish you to understand that until you make it clear to me that you are ready to ...” he swallowed, “… ready to receive me, then I will not impose myself upon you.”
She smiled slightly. “I’m very grateful for your thoughtfulness, sir — I mean, William.”
Was he disappointed? He had to admit he might be, but he swallowed it and continued. “Having said that, would you like the housekeeper to show you to your chambers? You might appreciate the chance to rest before dinner.”
She brightened slightly. “Thank you. If you do not object, I would like that.”
He nodded and reached for the bell. “Tell Mrs. Porter to show Mrs. Darcy her bedchambers, please,” he said to the footman and rose when Elizabeth did.
He bowed over her hand. “I will see you at dinner.”
He sank into his own favourite chair in his library. He could rest here, and he admitted to himself that he was very tired, too. He looked over at the decanter. He should have poured himself a drink before he sat down. No, he wasn’t going to get up now. He rested his head back against the worn dark leather.
It was done. He was married, and safe from Miss Bingley and her machinations. If she made her allegations public now, everyone would believe it was the ravings of a bitter woman. He was safe. Georgiana was safe.
And Elizabeth was safe, too, from the poverty and distress of an uncertain future, as well as the responsibility of her family, a responsibility that no one in her position should have to shoulder. He found himself enormously pleased on her behalf.
How fortunate that it had been her, and not someone less suitable. He found his heart and desires were in accord with the decision of his head. He was pleased with her.
He grimaced at the fire. He was less pleased with his comments to her just now. Why had he said the decision on when to consummate their marriage was in her hands? He’d have given her a few days, of course, but he didn’t want to wait for long.
He remembered his anger when this had first happened, at the knowledge that he’d have to shackle himself with a wife, have to take her wishes and desires into whatever he did; and he laughed, unamused. He now wanted nothing more than to please her in everything.
He looked deep inside himself, finding himself already a fair way in love with her.
Might she soon reciprocate? How could he assist this to happen? He smiled, as he’d never have looked at her, never have considered her in ordinary circumstances, perhaps he should be grateful to Miss Bingley after all.
He was less happy the next day, as they sat over a late breakfast. Elizabeth looked fresh and rested, and he was delighting in her conversation as her lively wit began to pique him.
He frowned at the sound of a disturbance in the hall, then the sound of a strident voice made his heart sink and turn to stone.
He turned to her. “Elizabeth, I am sorry, but I believe that to be Miss Bingley. I do not want her to distress you. May I ask you to retire through the other doors to your bedchambers while I tell the staff to eject her?”
Elizabeth shook her head. “William, there is nothing she can say to me that will distress me. How can she? Yesterday you promised to stay with me for the rest of our lives. How can anything she says spoil that?”
He stared at her in consternation. “But, Elizabeth, I do not wish to give her the satisfaction of meeting you. Please, will you do as I ask? I will come to you straight away after she is removed from the house.”
Elizabeth stared up at him, and for a moment he thought she would refuse. He really didn’t want to remind her that she had promised she would obey him. To his relief she looked away.
“Very well.” She lifted her head, turned and was gone.
Darcy didn’t have time to wonder what she was thinking, but went to the door of the drawing room.
Miss Bingley was standing, dressed as a wedding guest. There were patches of high colour staining her cheeks as she harangued the staff. Then she saw him.
“Mr. Darcy! Oh, thank goodness I’ve found you! Tell me it isn’t true, tell me you are not yet wed. You are …”
He raised his hand. “You will not speak to me, Miss Bingley. You will never be welcome at any establishment of mine.” He turned away. “You will leave here now, or be ejected by my staff.”
As he began to walk away, he heard an angry shriek from her and turned to see what it was about. She was glaring up the grand staircase, and he just saw Elizabeth drawing back out of sight.
Miss Bingley began shouting at her and took a step towards the bottom of the stairs.
“Madam! You must control yourself!” Darcy leapt in front of her and a dozen of his footmen sprang beside him to prevent her access. But not one of them really wished to physically restrain her.
Darcy wondered at her fury. Was she quite sane? He had a moment to be irritated that Elizabeth had risked being seen, but then forgot about her with a huge rush of relief as Bingley hurried in.
“I’m sorry, Darcy. She gave me the slip!” He tugged at his sister’s arm.
“Caroline, if you do not calm down and come home you might end up being committed. You cannot risk it.”
Darcy watched quietly as Bingley tried to get his sister’s attention. Finally he decided his own presence was exacerbating the situation. He beckoned his butler.
“Miss Bingley does not get any further into this house. Every step back towards the doors is not regained. Once she is out of the house, then she never enters again.” He raised his voice.
“Bingley, if you wish my staff to call for the physician, then just ask. I will be better out of sight.”
Bingley turned to him, ignoring the shrieks of his sister. “Thank you, Darcy. I think the doctor is a good idea.”
Darcy nodded at the butler. “See to it at once.” Then he turned and ran lightly up the stairs. He strode along the corridor to the master’s suites, wondering what would be the outcome downstairs.
He stood outside the door to Elizabeth’s apartments, next to his. True to his word, he had not gone to her the previous night, although the knowledge of her nearness had resulted in a poor night’s rest.
He drew a deep breath and knocked on the door. It seemed strange to him that no one would be concerned at him entering the chambers of a lady — he supposed he still did not quite believe himself to be married.
The door opened, and his breath left him with a whoosh. Elizabeth was there, her slim body lovely in the same dusky rose gown she had been wearing when she made her way upstairs. And her hair was the same. But it felt different.
“William.” She opened the door slightly wider and he entered. Nothing much had changed in these rooms since his mother had died — he had rarely entered — and Elizabeth had not yet had the chance to change anything. But it was somehow already peculiarly her own.
She looked at him gravely. “Is she gone?”
He shook his head. “Bingley is trying to persuade her away and we have called for the physician. I judged it better if I was not in sight.”
She smiled very slightly. “I don’t know whether I feel sorrier for h
er, or for you,” she said thoughtfully, and Darcy felt his eyebrows shoot up.
She looked penitent. “I’m sorry, William. It’s just … I had not realised how desperately she must feel this. She must have been very certain that you would marry her, that she had dealt her very last card.”
Then she reached out her hand to his. “And now I realise how desperately disappointed you must have been when she made that outrageous claim, how you must have known that you had no other choice but to wed a stranger.”
It was the first time she had touched him without him reaching out first, and he felt a lump in his throat. But he had something to say first.
“Why did you appear in her sight, though, Elizabeth? After I had asked you to go to your chambers? In your vows, did you not promise to obey?” His voice was thicker and more emotional than he had wished it to be, but he kept his eyes on her expression, unsure what she’d think. So he saw the flash in her eyes. What did that mean?
20
Elizabeth could barely believe it. She had heard this woman haranguing him, had wanted to hear what was said so that she could comfort and reassure him. She had heard the sort of invective against herself that she had never imagined — and here he was, reprimanding her?
She must not retaliate quickly. She must be calm. She lowered her head, concentrated on keeping still, keeping her expression as blank as possible, and allowed herself to become calm.
It was too long, though. When she looked up, his expression had darkened, and she smiled slightly.
“I’m sorry, William. Sometimes I speak precipitately if I do not take time to become calm first.” She took another breath. “Yes, I promised to obey. I apologise that I did not. I didn’t think I’d be seen and I didn’t know how otherwise I could help you best.”
“Continue.” He still sounded cold, but she thought his expression softened, just a little.
She let herself smile, he really was exceedingly handsome, even when he was being forbidding. “I just want to say that if you wish to hold me to my vows, then I might feel I may hold you to yours.” She breathed the words “to love and to cherish” almost silently.
He drew a sudden breath. “Do you mean that?” he demanded harshly, and she recoiled.
“Well, I thought I did.” What had she said?
She steeled herself. He was part of her now. She had agreed to this, and she trusted him. It didn’t matter that she’d only known him a short while, she must do this.
She moved closer still. “I promised to obey, and you promised to honour. Was it honouring me to send me away when I wanted to stand proudly beside you as your wife?” She lifted her hand, touched his face.
“But the most important thing is that we each promised to love and cherish the other. Without that, we cannot work through our differences with love and respect.” She huffed a quiet laugh. “We may be married and have to get to know each other afterwards, but it will have to be done.” She lifted her face to his. “I want you to be happy with your choice, William. But I want happiness, too, and our lives are bound up in each other now.”
There was a different look in his eyes now, a desire she’d never seen there before, and his hand cupped her chin and lifted her face to his.
“Elizabeth.” His thumb traced the line of her lips. “Can I show you I intend to honour all my vows?”
He was so close to her, his musky scent thickening her senses and she closed her eyes, hoping her legs would still support her. His breath fanned her cheek as his lips sought hers and his arm curled supportively around her.
She trembled and his arm tightened. Pressed against his lean body, she was assailed by a multitude of sensations and she yielded to his demanding kiss.
Then he lifted his head and looked down at her face, his eyes hooded. “Dearest Elizabeth. How close I came to never meeting you. I would never have known what I had missed.”
She stood in the circle of his embrace. How close she had come to refusing him. How fortunate she was, he was everything she had dreamed of as a child, even if their meeting and marriage had not been conventional. As her lips curved at her thoughts, he smiled too.
“What is amusing you?” he asked indulgently.
“That I too, might never have known you,” she answered promptly.
His lips brushed her forehead. “Together,” he proclaimed. “Always together.” He reached for the bell. “I will find out if that woman has been removed, and then we will make plans to go on a tour. We could go to Scotland,” he looked hopeful, “and then we can go to Pemberley. I will send to my cousin, Richard, and he can bring Georgiana to join us next month.”
“I’ve never been to Scotland, William,” she hesitated, “but could we go to Pemberley first? I would like to get to know my new life there.”
“Whatever you wish, Elizabeth.” He glanced at the clock. “We will leave after lunch. Then we will arrive on Friday evening.” He hesitated.
“Is your younger sister still at home, Elizabeth? I would have wished to call on your mother as soon as possible, but of course I cannot go if your sister is openly ruined.”
Elizabeth felt her shoulders sag. “I understand,” she said softly. “Let’s go to Pemberley. I will write to Mama and explain why we could not call.”
She reached up and touched his face in wonder that this was really happening, and he captured her hand with his and brought it to his lips.
There was a knock at the door, and she stepped away from him before her maid entered.
“Emily, do you know if the visitor has been removed from the house yet?”
Emily curtsied, looking down. “Yes, Mrs. Darcy. I believe Mr. Bingley is going to return to apologise.”
Beside Elizabeth, William laughed. As the maid left the room, he turned to Elizabeth. “I am sorry for him. I think he wished to spend the morning calling upon a certain young lady in Cheapside who has recently arrived in London.”
Elizabeth turned away from him so he would not see her blush, but he chuckled.
“The back of your neck goes pink, too,” he pointed out helpfully, his finger tracing along the side of her throat and making her gasp.
“I thought we were going downstairs.” She must have succeeded in sounding prim, because he laughed.
“Dunstable,” William announced as the coach drew in to the post inn. He glanced at her. “Perhaps we might take a little stroll along by the pond while we are waiting for dinner.”
Elizabeth nodded. “I’d like that, thank you.”
He smiled understandingly. “I’m sorry we didn’t stop for very long on the way, but I wanted to get here for out first night stop,” he leaned forward. “The inn here is very comfortable for the first true night of our marriage.”
Her heart leapt into her throat, but she tried hard to keep her dignity, although she wasn’t sure how far she had succeeded, seeing the quiet amusement in his eyes.
As he assisted her down from the coach, she was surprised to see a second coach draw in behind them. William chuckled and offered her his arm. “There’s not room on our coach for your maid, my valet and manservant, and the steward as well as the coachman and grooms — and still give us the privacy I wish for.”
“Oh.” She thought for a moment. “Are you sure you can afford it all?”
His arm tightened on her hand. “Part of what I love about you, Elizabeth, is that you haven’t even asked the extent of my wealth. As long as your family would be secure, then you were satisfied.” They walked to the door. “Yes, Elizabeth. I have enough.”
21
Darcy watched his wife over dinner in the private parlour that night. She was most beautiful, and he was grateful again for his good fortune in this hasty marriage that his uncle had found Elizabeth for him, and not another.
He knew she was apprehensive about the coming night, and he kept up a gentle flow of tales of Pemberley.
“Eat a little more, Elizabeth. It will be another long day in the coach tomorrow.”
Her eyes flas
hed — he was getting to know what that meant. “I was not thinking about tomorrow, William.”
He knew his lips twitched. “Then let us retire.” He dipped his head in acknowledgement as she rose hastily, and he followed her up the stairs. At the door to her chamber, he stopped.
“I will leave you to prepare for the night, Elizabeth. I’ll join you soon.”
He moved on to the adjoining bedchamber, having arranged to take both rooms, and Mr. Maunder was laying out his nightshirt and pouring hot water into the basin.
Being an inn, of course, there was no interconnecting door, but in only a few more moments, Darcy was knocking softly on the next-door chamber.
As he slipped inside, his chest tightened. Elizabeth was standing by the window, outlined in silvery moonlight. A simple white linen nightshift showed her slender form beneath and Darcy’s senses stirred.
“Elizabeth,” he crossed the room and drew her hungrily into his arms. He could feel the rapid beating of her heart against his chest. “Don’t be afraid, Elizabeth. I will never hurt you.”
Her eyes were huge in her face as she looked up at him. “I don’t want to disappoint you.”
He tightened his embrace. “You could never disappoint me, Elizabeth. I have never desired anyone like this, I’m so glad I didn’t have to wait long to know you.” He buried his face in the space between her throat and her shoulder, her lavender scent drifting around him, and he kissed the soft skin of her neck and trailed his lips up around her ear and towards her lips.
She stiffened and he could hear her little gasps as his hands roamed her back. As he felt her tremble in his arms, he picked her up and carried her over to the bed and placed her carefully down.
He shrugged off his robe and climbed onto the bed beside her, drawing her face to his again.
“My beautiful Elizabeth.” He painstakingly undid the three tiny buttons at her throat, before he drew her face towards him, his fingers tangling in her hair. He groaned and drew her close, their bodies pressed together.
Forever, Darcy Page 9
