“Please, please, I want to do this on my wedding night!”
To her huge surprise, he stood up, took his clothes from the floor, kissed her on the hair, and he was gone. Only then did she realise that one of the doors opened directly to his room. She lay in the bed half-naked still feeling his lips on her breast, wishing with all her heart she had not chased him away.
The places where he had kissed her were burning and all her body felt a pain she had never known. She put on her nightgown alone - as she had done all her life - incapable of facing anybody. The aches in her body persisted no matter what she did. She drank water and washed her face but in vain. She tried to sleep but dreamland was more distant than ever. All she could feel was his naked body next to her, the blissful sensation she had when he approached her for the first time, the unknown thrill that came over her when he touched her. Barefoot, she went to the door to his room, but could hear no sounds. It was more than an hour since he had left her, and he was probably sleeping so she dared to open the door. It was dark − the only light came from her room. She tiptoed to his bed, watching him sleep. She wanted to go back but could not leave that place. Then, to her surprise, he opened his eyes and invited her into his bed; forgetting everything, she lay down near him.
“Are you sure, Elizabeth?” he whispered into her ear.
“Yes!” she said.
‘All my body is aching without you,’ she wanted to say but it was too soon for her to use such words.
He placed his hand on her belly caressing her over her nightgown, but it was no longer enough for him. She wanted again to resist, and he whispered back, “Do you trust me, Elizabeth?”
She did.
“Then stretch your hands and let me show you secrets about you, you do not know, then I will teach you my body and if you are still willing to go on this evening, we will…”
He lowered his voice so much she had to really strain to hear what he was saying.
She was so afraid that she could hardly breathe, but at the same time her body was searching his and she finally let him take off her nightgown.
“Do you know anything about love?”
“No!” she whispered. She did not know what would come, so he put his lips to her ear and whispered only for them everything that was going to happen and then at each step he gently guided her or let her wonder or be ashamed but finally at the end of the night she came with a sigh that made him smile. That first night was hers, but Darcy knew that all the nights to come would be his… forever.
Epilogue
Twenty years later in the Darcys’ home in London, a very tense discussion threatened to destroy the tranquility that usually reigned in the house.
Darcy was on the verge of a crisis that Elizabeth, in vain, attempted to master. She wanted to laugh, but she did not dare; for the first time in their marriage she knew the usual irony was not a proper tool to settle a conflict.
“She is too young to marry!” Darcy shouted in despair.
Elizabeth could not but conceal her smile in the table napkin. She recomposed her face to a seriousness she did not feel and answered trying to hold her husband’s hand.
“She is nineteen, my love!”
Darcy did not look at her, and with an unusual gesture removed his hand.
“He is after her money!”
“No, my love, he is not! He is the only son of Cloyd of St. Maur, the 9th Earl of St. Maur.”
He nodded; he knew too well it was one of the wealthiest families in England.
“Then… why her?” he asked so sad that Elizabeth got up from her chair and embraced her husband with all her love.
“Because he loves her! George St. Maur loves our daughter and Anne Darcy loves him back!”
“Maybe Cloyd will oppose their marriage!”
Elizabeth glanced at her husband astonished, “Are you telling me you would want our daughter to have the same difficulties we had?”
Darcy did not look at her when he answered, “Anything, just not to lose her!”
She took him again in her arms; she loved him more than she did 20 years ago − at their marriage − but sometimes it was difficult to live with him. Especially when it was about his only daughter Anne.
“I am sorry for you! Cloyd is happy to marry George with your daughter; he is one of our best friends.”
The sigh she heard was so dramatic that she smiled again, “We are not going to lose her, my dear!”
“Lies! How many times did you meet with your father in the last 20 years?”
“At least two times a year, my love!”
“It is not enough!”
“I know, I feel the same, but it is how life is!”
“They will come to live at Pemberley!”
“George has his own domain in Kent, from his maternal grandfather!”
“In Kent? I hate Kent!”
“So do I,” Elizabeth finally smiled. “But now you will put a smile on your face and welcome all our guests and when young St. Maur comes, you will graciously give him our daughter’s hand.”
END
By Florence Gold
A Struggle for Love
A Pride and Prejudice Variation
Kindle Edition
Fragment
At the end of their meal Mr Bennet forced himself to ask a question he profoundly disliked, but knew it was necessary to find an answer. “Dear Georgiana, please forgive me, but I have to ask you a question.” The girl looked at the man in front of her in total confidence; she understood that there might be many doubts regarding her brother's disappearance. With a frank look, she invited him to continue.
“Is it possible that Darcy simply wanted to escape his future marriage and just went abroad or far away in the country?” Mr Bennet was flushed from the effort he made, while Elizabeth looked absolutely devastated. For a moment Georgiana hid her eyes in the cup in front of her not sure she was capable of answering. It was at that very moment that Parker made a step towards the table, addressing only Mr Bennet, “If you may permit me, Mr Bennet, sir, to speak.”
The butler's words miraculously eased the atmosphere, as someone else was to carry the burden of an answer. They all looked at Parker, waiting for his words, confident that his butler was the man to give them an honest answer.
“Please, Mr Parker, continue!” said Elizabeth in her father's place. “My master is a gentleman, a genuine one, not just in name but in spirit and mind; if he had decided not to marry, I assure you that he would have found a way not to hurt Miss Bennet’s reputation. Absolutely not, neither would he leave Miss Georgiana with no notice from him. He is the most attentive and responsible brother; he is even attentive to me. He tells me when to go to sleep and not wait for him, for all years I have been in his service. No, I am sorry to say this, but something had happened to him.”
Mr Darcy’s Legacy
A Pride and Prejudice Variation
Kindle Edition
Paperback Edition
Fragment
Darcy smiled for the first time that morning, and kissing Elizabeth’s hand, he looked around the table. In the past he harboured a secret displeasure thinking he would be associated with Wickham as brother-in-law, but Mr Bennet dispelled his worries by his unconditional and unselfish support.
The breakfast continued in a more serene atmosphere; the ladies engaged in quiet talk about the dresses and weddings while the gentlemen discussed horses and hunting when Darcy’s butler made an entrance with the silver tray for correspondence and whispered some words in his master’s ear. It was obviously something important, Georgiana knew instantly. Parker had perfect manners and he never would disturb her brother in the middle of a meal unless…
Darcy coloured and took the letter in an evident state of emotion.
“I beg your pardon!” he said. “I have to read this letter; the coach is waiting for my answer.”
He hesitated a moment with the letter in his hand, unsure of sharing the identity of the sender with the whole part
y, but then he said rather determinedly, “The letter is from the Duke of Blandford!”
An exclamation of astonishment circled the table; Charles and Georgiana were astounded, the others just curious but Darcy understood it was too late to conceal the contents from them, so he read in a somewhat uncertain voice:
Mr Darcy,
It was such a pleasure to meet you at the Opera and get acquainted with your lovely lady. Please oblige me by joining me on Wednesday at the Club to discuss important matters. I will be present at early hours, till 1 o’clock. Please attend me in that period.
FitzRoy William, Duke of Blandford
Soon to be published
From Pemberley to Paradise
Wedding at Pemberley Page 16
