Imperative: Volume 2, A Tale of Pride and Prejudice (111 page)

There on the doorstep, Hurst stood very seriously with his hat tucked in his arm.  “Good day, madam.”

“Oh, no.”  Louisa whispered.

“I.”  He paused.  “I seek Miss Juliet.  There is a reward for her, you see.”  He turned to Darcy.  “Juliet, that is the name?”

“Lizzzzzy.”  He growled when he spotted his wife.

“Make up your mind, man!”  Lord Matlock cried.  “What, what woman do you want?” 

“That one.”  Darcy pointed and reaching forward grabbed Elizabeth’s hand.  “Mine.” 

“Fitzwilliam!”  She gasped and squealed when he wrapped her up in his arms.  “You are soaking!  What have you been doing besides . . .” She sniffed his breath.  “Sampling the ale at the brewery?” 

“Bathing in it, I think is the more appropriate word.”  Susan sighed and walked out to where Harding and Gladney, both essentially sober, stood and watched their compatriots make fools of themselves. 

Anne slipped past them and reaching her husband, took his arm.  “You are not drunk.”

“I cannot afford to be, my dear.”  He smiled and looked to Harding.  “And I had someone to keep me on the straight and narrow.” 

“Let us say we supported each other.”  Harding smiled and kissed Susan’s cheek. 

“And yet you are wet.”  Susan looked him up and down.  “Why?”

“Bingley wished to celebrate the purchase of his estate, and Richard thought that he should have a look at the benefits of having one’s own endless supply of ale at the ready.”  He nodded at Hurst.  “That one is an expert at scavenging vessels to hold drink.  And we had a fine toast to the newly minted landowner.” 

“Why are you wet, Harding?”  Susan sighed.

“Why
are
you wet?”  Elizabeth demanded of her amorous husband. 

“We went swimming.”  He beamed.

“We were dusty from the road.”  Richard told Sophie seriously.  “It was done out of appreciation for your sensibilities, my dear.  I know that you do not like the smell of horse.” 

“Neither do I like the smell of stale ale on your breath.” 

“It is not stale, I assure you.  The very, very best Pemberley has to offer.”  Holding up a jug, he offered it to her.  “Care to imbibe?” 

“Come along, Colonel.”  She took the jug from his hand.  “Upstairs with you.”

“Oooh, that sounds promising!”  He grinned.  “Darcy!  I caught myself a lassie!” 

“Excellent!”   Darcy grinned and holding Elizabeth tightly, he rested his forehead on hers and spoke softly.  “So did I.” 

“I have been worried sick about you.  And here you have been playing around the estate for hours.”  She sighed and brushed back his sodden hair.  “Am I supposed to just . . . smile and tolerate this drunken display?”

He kissed her ear and whispered, “I am not drunk.” 

“I beg to differ, Mr. Darcy.”

“Sweetheart, what do you feel pressed against your beautiful ripening belly?”  His eyes were twinkling and she blushed.  “I know that you feel it very well.”

“Hush!”  She glanced around at the crowd. 

Darcy only pressed harder.  “If I was drunk, I could not possibly achieve such an impressive display of length or girth for the woman I love.” 

“Fitzwilliam!” 

“I am excused by my supposed inebriation.  See Aunt Catherine hanging from the window?  She rolls her eyes in disgust, but she also peeks with keen curiosity.  Remember, she told everyone in her letter of our passion for each other.”

“That does not mean that she wishes to see it displayed!” 

“Cathy does, look at her blatant stare, and Miss Bingley . . .”  Elizabeth’s eyes closed.  “Ahhhh, things came to a head today . . .”

“Will.”

“Good, I missed it.”  He chuckled when her eyes opened.  “I would have thrown her out.  You are far too kind.”

“You are not drunk?”  She peered up at him.

“No, love.  I am happy.”  He nodded to Bingley.  “Now
he
is drunk.  As is his brother, although he handles it quite stoically.  Richard has the tolerance of a bull and Uncle is . . . well, he is sleepy.” 

“Why are you so happy?”  Elizabeth searched his twinkling eyes. 

“My very good friend changed the course of his family’s history today.  It was an honour to aid him and an honour to witness.”  They watched Jane biting her lip and trying to speak some sense to her deliriously happy and sotted husband. 

“Oh dear.”  Elizabeth whispered. 

“Do you know why else I am happy?”  She looked back to him.  “You are wearing a white dress.  And I am soaking wet.”  Her eyes widened.  “Whatever shall we do, Mrs. Darcy?” 

“You planned this!”  She gasped.

“I did not dress you!”  He chuckled.

“You saw me at the window!” 

“My Juliet.” He kissed her.

“You . . . you thought to hug me, and . . .” 

“Ravish you.”  Darcy growled.

“You achieved that already today.”

“And, have you no desire for more of me?”  He pressed against her again.  “I know you do.  Are your cravings as strong as mine?”

“Your confidence is . . . Fitzwilliam Darcy!”  Separating herself from him, she peeked at her gown.  “Oh no.” 

“Beautiful.”  He looked her over approvingly.

“Will!”    

“Too bad you wear stays, though.  I like it better when I can see your buds puckered and begging to be soothed.”  His mouth pressed to her ear.  “Like this morning . . .  I have thought on the sight of loving my Elizabeth Rose all day long.  I want to love her again.  Velvet pink petals glistening with dew.”

“Will Darcy!  What has come over you?  Where is my reticent husband?”  She blushed furiously.  “Hush!”

“If you make me your puppet, why cannot you be my flower?”  His eyes were twinkling at her helpless disbelief.  “Well . . . maybe I am a
little
drunk.” 

“Are you well, Charles?” Jane asked tentatively of her beaming husband.

“Janie, Janie . . . we have a home.”  He grinned.  “A beautiful home.  I cannot wait to show it to you.  I hope that you like it.”

“I know that I will.”  She gasped when he hugged her tightly.  “Your Father would be so proud of you.”

Bingley drew away and his smile was gone.  “Do you think so?  I am so unsure of this.”

“We will be fine.”  Jane nodded and held his hand.  “We will.” 

“You will stay by my side?”  He asked earnestly.

Jane’s eyes filled with tears, “Where else would I go?” 

“I do not know, Jane.  I only want you to be happy with me.”  He took her hand and kissed it.  “Are you?  Are you happy with me?” 

“Oh Charles, of course I am.  And I promise to show you from now on.”  She kissed him and his eyes lit up again.  “I want you to be happy with me, too.” 

“Of course!”  He laughed and taking her hand, he called up to Caroline.  “I did it Sister!  The Bingleys have an estate!  It is not Pemberley, but . . .”  He looked at the manor and shrugged, “What is?”   

Caroline nodded and managed a smile.  “I am happy for you, Charles.” 

“Are you?”  Cathy looked at her with a smirk.  “If you want to be welcome there, you had better be.  Either that or find a home of your own.” 

“You are one to talk.”  Caroline said in a low voice.

“I bet that I find someone at this ball before you do.”  Cathy raised her brow. 

“I do not gamble!”  Caroline gasped.

Cathy laughed and seeing Lady Catherine returning to her seat turned to join her.  “Coward.” 

“Darcy!”  Richard called.  “I have been found out!”

“Oh?” He straightened and hugged Elizabeth to him again.  “How so?”

“My wife has discovered my sobriety.  Crafty woman!”  He grinned.  “What will you do with me now?” 

“Take off your boots, Mr. Fitzwilliam.”  Sophie stood with her arms crossed and her toe tapping.

“This is promising!” 

“You will not walk with those muddy boots all over Mrs. Darcy’s clean floors.  Did you swim with them on?”

Looking down, he examined his footwear curiously, “No, but we stomped around in the weeds before we jumped in.”  Dropping to a bench, he tugged them off.  “Well gentlemen, I am not alone in my filth.  You heard the sergeant.”

“Only a sergeant, Colonel?”

“Hmmm, my dear, you should know that a sergeant wields a great deal of power over the men.”  He winked and grabbed her around the waist.  “We need a good jig.  What say we practice our dancing?” 

“What say you change your clothes?”

“Once they are off, they will not be back on for the night.”  Richard grinned.  “Nor will yours, Mrs. Fitzwilliam.”

“There is more than one bedchamber in this house.  And I will have you know that unlike our home, they actually contain beds.”  She raised her brow as he wagged his head and drew her onto his lap.  “Richard.  I am not a tavern maid.”

“No, my dear girl, you are most definitely not.”  He smiled into her eyes.  “You are blushing.”

“You are becoming tender.”

“I am always tender with you.”  He kissed her gently. 

“I should take off my boots, too.”  Darcy smiled.  “But that means you must let go of me.”  Chuckling at her expression, he looked down.  “Sweetheart, you have so many layers on beneath that dress, you are in no danger of exposing your modesty.  I promise.” 

“Are you certain?”  Elizabeth whispered.

“Would I want any man to see you?”  Darcy kissed her and letting go, sat down beside Richard to remove his boots.  A footman had appeared to take possession of them and when finished, Darcy sat smiling up at his damp wife and took her hands.  “Was I late?”

“Yes.”

“Were you worried?” 

“Yes.”  She looked down to their hands. 

“I am sorry, dear.  You did not see the message I sent, telling you that we were on the grounds?” 

Elizabeth’s head lifted.  “What message?” 

He stood and taking her hand, pointed to Bruin grazing on the lawn.  She sighed and closed her eyes while he hugged her.   “Hmm.  Next time I will think of something a little more obvious.”  Darcy kissed her temple and jumped when he felt her sharp pinch.  “Very well, a great deal more obvious.” 

Chapter 40

E
lizabeth touched the three spots of blood on her nightdress and sought desperately for reasons for them to be there.  Theories and solutions flashed through her mind and were discarded just as quickly until she was left with one and only one conclusion.  Her hand pressed on her belly, willing the child inside to make itself known.  But there was nothing.  Just the swelling.  She drew a shaking breath and tried to hold back the tears that demanded to be shed.  
Everything is fine, Lizzy.   Surely if he had died, there would be more than these spots
. 
This is nothing to your courses.  This is nothing to last time.
  Determinedly, she looked into the mirror.  “If it is over we will . . . try again.” 

“Pardon me, Mrs. Darcy?  Did you say something?”  Judy bustled through from the bedchamber.  “Oh, there is your nightdress!  I looked for it under your pillow.”  Taking it from her, she frowned when she spotted the stains.  “Is this blood, madam?”

Elizabeth started, “Oh, yes, I scraped my finger; I must have touched the fabric.  Will it be difficult to remove?” 

Judy examined it.  “No, it should pose no trouble.  I will just put it in with the men’s swimming clothes, best to get it while still fresh.”  Smiling, she bundled the dress up in her arms.  “I will be going downstairs, is there anything else?”

“No, Judy.”  Elizabeth picked up her watch and focussed on the dial.  “My, where has the day gone?”

“It is not so late, the ladies are all at breakfast, but I daresay the gentlemen will be late risers.”  She laughed.  “Except for the master, of course.”

“Of course.”  Hearing the door to the servants’ stairs closing, Elizabeth studied the rose made of rubies and put her hand to her mouth as she heard her husband’s voice from the night before,
 I have thought on the sight of loving my Elizabeth Rose all day long
.  She felt her cheeks redden.  “Fitzwilliam Darcy!  I will be suspicious of every gift of roses for the rest of our marriage!”  Pinning the watch to her gown she closed her eyes and held her belly. 
Everything is fine.
  Looking back at the pale face in the mirror she said to the woman who stared back at her. “This is just another Darcy male trying to frighten me.”

“TRY SOME VINEGAR ON THAT.”  Parker said as he watched the laundress critically. 

Looking back at the man leaning over her shoulder, she glared.  “I know my business, Mr. Parker, you just keep to yours!”

“Watch your tongue, Missy.”  Judy snapped as she added Elizabeth’s gown to her basket. “It is not Mr. Parker’s fault that the men of the house chose to leap into the lake and give you a pile of clothes to repair.”

“I wish that they would strip down if they are going to be foolish.”  She muttered and scrubbed at the stain left by some slimy weed on Bingley’s formerly pristine shirt. 

Seeing Parker crooking his finger, Judy glanced at the clothes and followed him out.  “Could you speak to the master about his swimming habits?  That shirt she is scrubbing would pay her salary for a quarter year! This is no pair of poorly made breeches or an old shirt that must be cleaned!  We do have enough to tend to with more guests and their servants arriving today. ”

“If this had not been a spur of the moment celebration, I imagine that the gentlemen would have swum nude as is the custom.”  Judy’s cheeks pinked.  Parker nodded towards the frustrated woman scrubbing over a tub.  “I think that the master will limit his clothed swimming to dips with his wife from now on.  He is suffering this morning if that makes you feel any better.”

“Suffering?  Well we all know
that
it is the colonel’s fault.  Every time he gets Mr. Darcy to drink too much he does something foolish.” 

Parker leaned his head and whispered, “He is mortified about his display to the mistress before everyone.”

“From what I understand, he was very affectionate, not boorish like some men get when in their cups.”  They moved against the wall so that a stream of servants could pass.  “Mrs. Darcy asked if anyone has commented on him.”  She waited for another maid to go by then leaned to him again.  “I told her that the ladies were all too concerned about their own husbands to pay much attention to hers.”