Pride, Prejudice & Secrets (23 page)

Elizabeth again raised herself on her toes as his head lowered to hers, and she hugged him fiercely as their lips met and moulded to each other. A shiver went down her back as his tongue softly touched her lips, a sensation strange and never even imagined before. Their embrace lasted for a minute, two, three, before they finally broke apart.

“I will speak with my father after we return,” she said shakily, looking up at Darcy with bright and flashing eyes. “I cannot believe I am so…that I could be…so forward, but I will say it anyway. I greatly desire to be married to you, Fitzwilliam Darcy. And to have you take me to your bed. I wish it as soon as it can be arranged.”

“You should not say such things, dearest, not until we are safely married,” Darcy replied, with a strain in his voice. “I…I am not the most trustworthy man on this subject.”

“No,” she said, shaking her head firmly. “You are the most honourable man I have known, and I should not have tempted you. That is my fault, and I apologize. But rest assured that, when the time comes, I will freely be yours, both heart and body.”

Darcy could make no response to her last statement, but none was needed as she nestled into his chest while he held her for long minutes before they reluctantly started their return to Longbourn.

In future years, Darcy was occasionally moved to muse about the view from Oakham Mount, for he never saw it. But he also never forgot that interlude in the nameless grove in the springtime of his life with Elizabeth.

Mr. Bennet was just pouring himself a glass of port when a firm knock sounded at his door. He scowled at the sound, for he knew it had to be Darcy. It would not be one of his family since they always knocked softly. But he had been expecting Darcy for several days since he knew the man would not wait forever to set a wedding date while his wife continued in her dream state of perpetual planning and preparation.

So he was rather taken aback when Elizabeth entered and firmly closed the door behind her before marching over to his desk. His concern was even more heightened as she did not seat herself in her favourite chair and tuck her legs underneath her.

“Ah, ummph!” he said, clearing his throat. “You wanted to see me, Lizzy?” He chastised himself internally because he knew he had not been able to keep the apprehension out of his voice.

“Yes, Papa,” she said, her voice as firm as her stride. “I wish to discuss the date for my marriage to Mr. Darcy.”

Mr. Bennet was unable to stop himself from reflexively closing his eyes in pain, for the last thing he wished was to see the day when his favourite left his home and moved away. Not even the man’s fortune and his obvious affection for her, as well as the security the wedding would bring to his family, were enough to compensate for what he was going to lose.

“But Lizzy,” her father finally said, opening his eyes, “your mother has not yet determined how much time is needed to prepare your wedding clothes and make other arrangements — ”

“Papa!” she said, interrupting him with a most unprecedented abruptness. “You know that Mama’s devotion to wedding clothes is just an affectation. You are as aware as I that most brides are simply married in their Sunday best as Charlotte was. The fact that Mama keeps repeating that it will not be a wedding without clothes is just not true. Mr. Darcy is more than ready to provide any necessary increases in my wardrobe, so that reason is simply irrelevant.”

“But Mr. Darcy…”

“…wants to be married before it is high summer. You and Mama have not even settled on which month, and just yesterday, she was lamenting whether all could be completed by June or whether it would have to wait until July. Mr. Darcy does not want to wait that long.”

“Prospective husbands seldom do,” her father said with a smile.

“Nor do I want to wait that long,” snapped Elizabeth, and Mr. Bennet sighed.

Lizzy may be my favourite daughter,
he thought glumly,
but no one could ever accuse her of being afraid to speak her mind.

“Young ladies, even engaged young ladies,” he said carefully, “do not usually express such thoughts, Lizzy. It is just not…not…”

“…just not proper, is that what you are trying to say, Papa?” Her voice was so sharp that, if her father had not been listening to his beloved Lizzy, he would have thought she snarled.

“I care nothing for what other unnamed people might think of my opinion,” she said, her tone only slightly moderated. “I want what Mr. Darcy wants, and he wants to be married to me as soon as it can be accomplished. How long did you and my mother wait until you were married?”

“That may not be the best recommendation for haste, Lizzy.”

“But how long was it, Papa?”

“Perhaps some weeks,” he said vaguely, waving a hand. “I really cannot remember.”

“Or was it closer to a fortnight than ‘some weeks’? In fact, I believe I remember Mama once laughed that it was barely a week and a half.”

“Perhaps,” he said indistinctly, his discomfort now reaching the level of acute pain. “After all, it was more than twenty years ago, and — ”

“I want to be married immediately, Papa.”

“That is impossible, my dear girl,” he said desperately.

“Today is Wednesday, and we clearly cannot be married today or even tomorrow. But I see no reason the ceremony could not be accomplished on Friday or Saturday. In fact, I think Saturday would do nicely.”

“Saturday! That is impossible, child! Impossible!”

“Papa, if you say it will be Saturday, it will be Saturday. You have given your consent, signed the wedding agreements, and Mr. Darcy arranged for a license and has it in hand. We may be married in our chapel on any day we please.”

By this time, Mr. Bennet’s desperation was reaching a peak, especially when he considered what he would have to endure if he agreed to what Elizabeth suggested and was then forced to inform his wife, thwarting all her plans.

“Well, perhaps I could suggest a month; I believe I could convince Mrs. Bennet that it could be accomplished before the end of May,” he said frantically.

“Saturday, Papa,” she said firmly, “else I shall suggest Mr. Darcy procure a special license and take me to his church at Pemberley. Or even Gretna Green as Mr. Wickham did with Miss King.”

“Lizzy, you cannot!” her father exclaimed. “Either alternative is simply out of the question! The first would be mortifying, that you would not be married from Longbourn. And Gretna Green? Scandalous!”

“Why should I care?” she said, unwilling to give either of her parents room to manoeuvre. “I know William would not care; his cousin and Mr. Bingley may be the only others to attend, and they can easily come to Pemberley. And he would be equally amenable to a longer journey to Scotland. Please trust me when I say the results of not agreeing to my request would not be to the liking of either you or my mother. As much as I love you both, I am absolutely resolute on this.”

Mr. Bennet was horrified, especially at the thought of his wife’s lamentations and complaints, but he saw no way out of the ultimatum his daughter had issued. He had never seen her so wilful, and he squirmed under her calm but icy gaze as his mind darted about, trying to find an argument that might work to moderate her opinion. But as he looked at her unyielding expression, he sighed.

I have no choice,
he thought in resignation.
I will simply have to endure my wife’s complaints as best I can.

“Very well, Elizabeth,” he said tiredly. “Your mother will be unhappy, but I know she would much prefer to see you married at our chapel than to have you run off to Derbyshire or Scotland. I will speak to Reverend Thompson immediately, and unless there is some impediment, it shall be Saturday morning.”

For the first time, Elizabeth’s expression altered back to her usual demeanour.

“Thank you, Papa,” she said softly, crossing behind his desk and kissing his forehead before departing far more quietly than she arrived. Her father watched her go, then picked up his untouched port and drained it, wishing it were brandy. Only then did he pull the rope behind his desk to summon a servant. Mrs. Hill answered his ring just as he poured himself a brandy.

“Please ask Mrs. Bennet to see me immediately,” he said, sitting down at his desk and scratching out a quick note. “And send this to Reverend Thompson as soon as possible.”

“At once, sir,” his long-time housekeeper said and bustled back through the door. He only waited until the door closed before picking up his glass, for he dreaded both of his coming interviews. Then his puckish sense of humour returned to him, and raising his glass in the direction of the parlour where he supposed Lizzy had fled to sit with her beloved Darcy after achieving complete victory on the field of battle, he gave her the salute given by Roman gladiators before they engaged their opponents:

“We, who are about to die, salute you,” he intoned dolefully in respectful tribute to his daughter’s fortitude.

However, Elizabeth had not returned to the parlour as her father expected. Instead, she had retrieved Darcy and taken him to the garden, finally pulling him down onto a bench surrounded by thick bushes on three sides. Darcy immediately took her hand and asked, “Well?”

“Saturday,” she said, and leaned her head against his shoulder, drawing comfort from the contact.

“Saturday next?” he asked in surprise, and she nodded wordlessly. “That is rather remarkable.”

“It is not as remarkable as your cousin,” she replied, looking up at him with a happy smile. “But you do not have the Admiralty to send you orders. I possibly could have demanded Friday, but I believe I can tolerate Saturday.”

“And your mother?”

“I would not be surprised to hear her scream of outrage at any time,” she said. “I wish for some peace and relief from strain. I have four new dresses completed and others to follow, and that is enough for now.”

“How difficult was your father?”

“Tolerable. He would prefer to avoid conflict with my mother, but his heart was not in his argument. I assured him we would not wait as long as my mother desired.”

Darcy nodded in agreement, for an engagement stretching into the summer was longer than most. A month was more the rule than the exception.

“I am pleased, naturally,” he said, picking his words carefully. “I too desire to be well settled, and I am very happy your argument was not too acrimonious.”

“I did not give him an opportunity to marshal his reasons against my request,” she said, suddenly cheerful at the success of her task. “He tried to say he might be able to talk my mother into setting a date at the end of May, but I would not hear of it. I pressed him hard, not allowing him more than the briefest of objections before saying he had to advance the date to Saturday. If he did not agree, I told him I would ask you to immediately take me to Scotland.

“You really told him that? Saturday or Gretna Green?”

“I did. He seemed to think it was an unfair argument, but I would not relent.”

“By the stars! As my aunt said, you certainly express your opinions most boldly.”

“I did so for Lady Catherine because it amused me to make suggestions she was not used to hearing. But do not worry, William; I shall not attempt to outrage society after we are married,” she said softly.

“It never even crossed my mind, Elizabeth.”

“It is just like I told you earlier: I simply cannot bear to wait any longer. Of course, I am sure he must have informed my mother by now. But she may have taken herself off to her room and her smelling salts rather than expressing her outrage. But I care not; she was going to drive me to distraction if I did not act.”

“Saturday! Well, it is much to my liking. I need to send off several expresses right away. To Bingley and Richard, as well as to my Aunt and Uncle Matlock. And I have to bring Georgiana to Netherfield.”

“I will be very pleased to see your sister again,” Elizabeth said. “I had another letter from her, and she is anxious to join you.” Darcy nodded but said nothing about his reasons for the delay. Instead, he changed to another subject.

“There is a topic we have not addressed, my dear, and that is where we should go after we leave Longbourn. We can go either to Pemberley or to London. It would possibly be easier to go to London since Georgiana could stay with my aunt and uncle for a week or so…”

“While you lock me in your room?” Elizabeth asked demurely, her eyes downcast but dancing with merriment.

“Perhaps,” he agreed, failing to conceal his smile.

“And what would you have me do there, sir?” she asked, looking at him through her lashes.

“Oh, I believe I can think of something,” Darcy said with such placid assurance that she felt like smiling and blushing at the same time.

“Then perhaps, with a firm date set, we might attempt another kiss?” she said demurely.

“Assuming I can be trusted.”

“I believe you have proved your trustworthiness most admirably, sir,” she said intently, raising her eyes to his own.

“As you wish,” Darcy said with equal intentness, and she closed her eyes as his lips claimed hers again. She twisted to press herself against his chest, holding him tightly as his hand moved over the fine line of her slender back. She shivered at the delightful touch, never having experienced anything like it before, and it almost seemed as if the material of her dress was not present, as if his hand slid over her bare skin. Finally, they broke apart, both breathing rapidly.

Finally, Elizabeth said softly, “It appears you can be trusted, William.”

“Barely. I should not have — ”

He stopped as Elizabeth put her fingers to his lips. “I never imagined how pleasing it is to be desired by the man one is to marry. I think we should repeat the experiment, and though it be forward of me to say so, I loved having you touch me.”

Darcy’s eyes blazed brightly this time as he lowered his head to hers, and she murmured deep in her throat as his hand again explored her back. She felt him almost tremble as his hand moved to her side, then she twisted aside slightly to allow his hand to move to her breast…

It was long minutes before they drew back, and they instantly fell back together, holding each other tightly.

“Oh, my, oh, my, oh, my.” Elizabeth laughed a little at these new sensations. “My heart is absolutely racing. And do not even attempt to apologize.”

“As you command,” he said, his voice muffled as he inhaled the fresh sweetness of her hair.

“The only thing I feel sorry about is that Saturday is three days away,” she said. “I have so much to learn.”

“I also,” he agreed then smiled down at her as she raised her eyes. “I do not have an excess of experience, you know. My father warned me to avoid risky dalliances unless I was prepared to assume the responsibilities of my actions, and after becoming aware of the allurements of certain young ladies and their scheming mothers, I found his advice quite compelling.”

“Then we shall have to explore together,” she said contentedly. “It should be an interesting week.”

“Or a month.”

“A month, if you so wish. But it still seems forever until Saturday. How I will make it, I do not know. I keep having these most unusual thoughts, and words I have never imagined keep escaping my mouth.”

“I would not wish it otherwise,” he said, reluctantly releasing her. “But now I must let you go. It is not even so much that I want to protect your reputation, for I do, but I repeat that I cannot trust myself. And I hope you were not offended at — ”

Again his words were stopped by her fingers, and she smiled warmly. “You did nothing I did not wish you to do. It is most complimentary and also gratifying that I could evoke such reactions from a man who is much more reserved and proper than the untutored creature you have foolishly agreed to marry.”

He cocked his eyebrow at her and then said with mock sternness, “I must warn you, Elizabeth, that you shall pay for calling me reserved and proper.”

“Oh?” she teased.

“Think of the possibilities with my new wife locked in my room.”

“You are too masterful for me, sir,” she said demurely. “I can only accede to your wishes.”

“Good,” he said, smiling merrily. “Then may I suggest that we return to the topic under discussion before I was so…ah, pleasantly…diverted. That is, shall we journey to London or Pemberley after the wedding? If we go to Pemberley, then I fear we must take Georgiana and Mrs. Annesley with us. However, I think it would be better to spend the summer at Pemberley and not return until autumn, and it would be a several day trip to return to London for Georgiana.”

“Why should it be a problem to take them with us?” Elizabeth asked, her spirits still inclined to playfulness. “Unless you were thinking of taking liberties during the journey…”

“You will get yourself into trouble, Elizabeth!” He strove mightily to appear threatening, but she only laughed and patted him on the arm as he said, “No, I was not thinking of taking liberties…or, at least I had not! Now, it begins to sound like a most invigorating endeavour!”

“Is the journey to London long enough? Alas, I am only a simple country girl and know not what you mean.”

“Whatever you are, you are
not
simple. An imp, certainly. A scamp, clearly. But not simple — oh, my, not ever simple.”

“Why, thank you, sir,” she said, her smile dimpling her cheeks prettily. “I shall try to live down to your expectations.”

Darcy closed his eyes in mock pain. “I should know better than to joust with you — at least, not until we are safely married and I can keep you to my rooms.”

“It should be an eventful few days, then,” she said.

“An eventful month, Elizabeth.” He lowered his lips to nuzzle the soft skin of her neck.

“We shall see, Mr. Darcy…oh, my, that is nice.” She leaned her head aside to allow his lips to move to her ear.

Finally, Darcy raised his head and smiled down at her. “That is a sample of what I will do to you, my dear.”

“We shall see. Now, about Pemberley. I have heard much about it, and I long to see it in person. So my own thought would be to take your sister with us.”