Imperative: Volume 1, A Tale of Pride and Prejudice (29 page)

A slow smile crept across his face.  “Miss Elizabeth, you put me to shame.”

“I tell you this for one reason.”

“And that is?”  He waited and watched her as the dance ended and they resumed their places.  He bowed and she curtseyed.  “Miss Elizabeth?”

She smiled when Darcy handed Caroline off to Hurst and started walking towards her, and looked back to Richard.  “I have
never
had to explain this to Fitzwilliam.” 

Darcy refrained from embracing her with difficulty when he saw the distress that remained in her eyes.  “I apologize for him.”  He glared at Richard.   “A word, Cousin.” 

Richard’s smile belied his caution.  “Plead my case, Miss Elizabeth.” 

“No, come with me.  Now.”  He kissed Elizabeth’s hand.  “I will only be a moment, dear.”

“Fitzwilliam . . .” Seeing an expression that she surely did not know, she stopped.  Darcy turned and started walking.  Richard followed.

“There is no place of privacy, Darcy.  You do not wish to draw any more attention than you already are.  I agree that I have infuriated you and stepped far over the bounds of acceptable behaviour, but can you understand that I had to talk to her?”

“No, I cannot.  When has my word ever been not enough?”  Darcy stopped and his cold gaze travelled over his cousin.  “After you . . .” They had arrived at the dark and empty library.   Richard entered and Darcy closed the door after him.  “Now, what did you say to her?  Why was she on the point of tears?  Why was she forced to defend herself while dancing, for God’s sake?”  His voice was low, but there was no doubt of his anger.

Richard looked out at the dark night and gathered his thoughts, “As much as I wanted to accept your assessment and decision, I am fully aware of the incredible pressure you have put upon yourself.  You have rejected options that any other family would latch onto instantly.  Yes, yes, I understand your reasoning for them, but I could not understand the woman you had chosen to fulfil this plan.”  He returned his gaze to Darcy.  “I had to know and be satisfied.”

“Satisfied that I was not marrying a simpleminded maid who was too foolish to understand what I am asking?   Or did you have some other opinion in mind?   I do not appreciate your implication of Elizabeth being anyone other than a gentlewoman.  Your questions were clearly progressively more intrusive if my read of her agitated expression means anything, and trust me, Cousin; I have made a very intensive study of Elizabeth’s expressions.  I may not know them well, but I do recognize them.  Tell me, was her response becoming increasingly sharp?  Was she hitting her mark with exceptional accuracy?”  Darcy saw him nodding and walking to a table, rested his palms on it while staring down at the wood.  “She was frightened.”  Spinning around, Darcy growled in his face.  “How
dare
you frighten her!  What is the source of your information, a rejected woman and a bitter aunt?  A suspicious uncle?  Elizabeth is worthy, a gentleman’s daughter; we are not so different.”

“Even blinded by, well admiration let us say, you know the foolishness of that statement.  Besides, plenty of gentlewomen would love to be in her position, as I am certain you are more than aware.”  Richard stepped back.  “I admit; I aimed to frighten her.”  His hand came up to block just as Darcy’s fist tried to land on his face.  Darcy cursed and dropped his arm. Richard spoke quickly, “But her response . . . Darcy, are you truly aware of the woman you have chosen?” 

“What do you take me for?  Of course I know.”  Darcy turned and stood at the window, and Richard relaxed his stance.   “She knows everything of my plans, and she is devastated.  She demands that we find a better solution.  She is not appeased by the life I offer her in exchange for the deception.  She has considered her, my, Georgiana’s, and the baby’s feelings.”  He looked up to him.  “She has considered more than I ever did.”

“She cares for you, Darcy.” 

“I know that.” 

“I told her that I believe you care for her.”  Darcy stared.  “Am I incorrect?”

“No, but it is not your business to be telling her my feelings.  You cannot possibly comprehend them.”  They both started when there was a knock on the door.  Slowly it opened and Elizabeth cautiously looked in.  Darcy straightened immediately.  “We have not killed each other.”

“Well thank heaven for that.”  She smiled but relief was apparent.  “I heard that a reel will be coming in a half hour or so, I did not wish us to miss it.” 

“A reel?”  Richard smiled and moved rapidly towards the door.  “Well, I had better find a lady to entertain.”

Darcy followed but stopped at Elizabeth’s side.  “We will speak on this again, but your inquiry is at an end.  Permanently.” 

“Keep him from calling me out, Elizabeth.”  He bowed to her before closing the door and leaving them alone.

Elizabeth grasped Darcy’s wrist, “Please let this go for tonight.  I am unsure of his motives, but I hope that they were spurred by affection for you, despite their affect on me.”

“Please tell me what he said.  I am so sorry for his purposeful baiting.  I do not know what to say, I have never seen him behave so . . . rudely, unkindly . . . I hardly know how to label this . . . I am . . .”  He closed his eyes when she touched his cheek, then taking her hands in his, he kissed them.  “I will not make an excuse for him.  Are you well?”

“I am fine, Fitzwilliam, his intent, I believe, was kindly meant.  Somehow.  I have not quite worked out the particulars on that.  I just know that I do not wish to speak about it anymore this
evening.”  She looked down at their entwined fingers.  “I fear this will be a very long night.” 

“Who is your next?”  

“I have none until you.”  She smiled to see his unhidden delight change to surprise.  “If you recall the Assembly, I danced more often with my sisters than gentlemen, and now that I am engaged, why would the unattached men wish to waste their time with me?”

“I am unsure if I should be offended or pleased.”  Darcy spoke softly and felt her shiver.  “Are you cold?”   He stood directly in front of her, their clothes were close enough to brush together, and in the unheated room, they naturally leaned into the warmth of each other’s bodies.  Resting his cheek upon her hair he hugged her to him.  “We must not stay long, too many people saw me react to Richard, and undoubtedly saw you come after us.  I am sorry to have added fuel to the fire.”

“My mother has likely done more damage than any other.  The escape of an engaged couple for a few moments of privacy is hardly worthy of notice.”  She heard a sigh and hugged his waist.  Looking out across the lawn, they watched the moonlight reflecting from the glass of the conservatory. 

“That is where I should have argued with him.”

“Amongst the plants?”  She smiled when she felt his head nod.  “I did not have the opportunity to visit, although I did peek in the windows when I was walking in the garden.”

“It is warm in there, and lush.  That is where I would go to avoid Miss Bingley when she discovered my fondness for the library, and where I would have thoughts of you.”  Hearing her soft gasp, he kissed her hair.  “There is a low wall in there, part of a planter; I would imagine you perched upon it and talking with me.  You belong in a garden, you belong outdoors.”  Looking back down into her smiling eyes, he whispered, “Dear Elizabeth, if you could have heard my heart beating when you walked into this house to tend your sister, I knew then, at that moment, you belonged at Pemberley.”  Nudging her gently with his nose, his mouth found hers, and he tenderly traced his tongue over her lips.  “So warm, and soooo sweet.”  Darcy’s hands glided over her shoulders, and he swore he could hear her heart pounding.  Smiling against her cheek, he kissed her ear.  “Are you still cold?”

“I am shivering, but I am not sure if it is from the chill of the room.”

“Let us find out.”  Darcy’s head tilted and he lifted his hand to brush her cheek.  “Dear Elizabeth . . .” Their mouths touched, and their eyes closed as they both moistened their lips and leaned forward again.  The whisper of their unsteady breaths caressed their faces as he tasted her mouth, stroking her lips again and again.  Darcy’s arms came around her body and drew her into his enveloping embrace.  Elizabeth clung to him, her arms around his neck, and she pressed against his muscled form.  Slowly he ran his hands down her back, cupping her bottom and lifting her up to feel his desire as it grew harder.  The ache that Elizabeth felt every time he touched her grew, and instinctively she sought relief, rubbing against him.  “Elizabeth!”  He groaned and pressed her back against the door.  Even through their clothes, he sensed the heat between her legs, and shakily, he grew aware of the intoxicating scent of his woman wanting him. 

Their kisses grew more passionate, she had learned now what he desired, and kissed him in the open, insistent, exploring way that he had displayed to her.  She could sense that he was holding back, but with each kiss he showed her a little more.  Elizabeth would imitate him and he would groan, and delve deeper into her mouth.  Their touches were the same, his hands explored her body just as she caressed him, so deeply entwined that they lost all awareness of anything else, all that mattered was the feel of their lover, the scent of their desire, the pounding of their pulses in their ears until reluctantly, Darcy forced himself away.  He stood breathing heavily and staring longingly at her mouth and into her bewildered eyes. 

“Dear Elizabeth . . .” He whispered and reaching to caress her face, leaned down again to kiss her once more, then pulled her back to his chest.  “Stop me.”

“I fear I am not the person to ask you to stop, Fitzwilliam.  I am afraid that I am quite of a mind to encourage you to continue indefinitely.”  Elizabeth attempted to catch her breath and pressed her ear against his chest.

“I did not mean to lose control, I only wanted to kiss you . . . I find that I am thinking of you far too much.”

“Too much?”  Elizabeth whispered.

“Too much for a man who may not complete what he desires most.”  Darcy kissed her hair.  “Do you understand?”

“Yes.”  Tears began to form.  “I do.”

Darcy heard her voice cracking and held her tighter.  “I am so sorry.  I am so sorry.  Dearest Elizabeth, it is . . .”

“Shhh.”  She whispered.  “We will find a way.” 

“How?”  The desperation in his voice was so clear to her.

“I do not know.”  Looking up to him at last, Elizabeth blushed and looked back down; the unfulfilled hunger was very clear in his eyes.  “But this was . . .”

“Not nearly enough.”  He breathed, and moved forward to kiss her again.  “Forgive me for . . .”

“For what, Fitzwilliam?”  She caressed his face.  “For desiring me?”

“No.  I could never regret that.” He took a deep breath and tried to fight the painful ache in his groin.  “I do not know, for exposing myself to you before we are married, for making you . . . hopefully making you feel . . . something for me.”

“I do. And do not apologize.”

“What do you feel?”  He took her hands and asked sincerely, then blushing he shook his head.  “That was not a proper question.”

“Is it any more proper than the position we are in right now?  Alone in this room?”  She laughed when he looked back to her.  “Do you realize that I have spent this evening in varying stages of fear until you lured me here?”  Darcy smiled and she laughed at the face he made.  “You look like a particularly pleased and very plump cat.”

“That is no compliment.”  His hand lifted to touch her hair, and he bent to taste her lips once more.

“Yes it is.”  Elizabeth’s eyes sparkled and gradually his pain returned to the dull ache that always seemed to be present when she was near.  “How do you feel?”

“Impatient.”

“Me as well.”   The door handle rattled and they both jumped back into each other’s arms.  Elizabeth hid her face and giggled.  “
You
locked it this time!”

“shhhh.”  He admonished, breathing in her perfume and closing his eyes.  They listened to the distant noise of the ball.

She sighed against his waistcoat.  “You smell so lovely.”

“Thank you.  So do you.”  He held her closer.  “We should go before any others come along.”

“What are we going to do, Fitzwilliam?”

“If I knew, I would hardly keep it secret.”  He caressed her cheek with the back of his fingers.  “We are going to be missed soon.” 

“It will just give them something more to talk about.” 

“shhhhh.”  Darcy kissed her lightly and let go.  “You leave first, and I will follow.”

“There is no need to be so cautious.  After all, you compromised me in this very room.”

“What an arrogant fool I was.”  He hung his head.  “And remain.”

“I think you have improved considerably in the past weeks.”  Elizabeth laughed as he shook his head and smiled.  “Come, we have a dance to perform.”  She reached for the key in the lock and turned it.   “Let us try to enjoy this evening, despite the company’s determination to stop us.”

“Well that is an excellent plan, I must say.”  Darcy opened the door and ushered her out.  Grateful to see that the hall was momentarily empty, they linked arms and assumed an air of nonchalance.  Darcy heard her laugh and looked down to see her eyes sparkling up at him.  “What are you thinking?’

She stopped walking and biting her lip, adjusted his neck cloth which had been decidedly crushed with their embrace.  Pressing his lips together; Darcy held back a smile as he adjusted her emeralds and smoothed back her hair.  When they finished they found each other’s eyes.   Reading the unspoken thoughts and holding hands, they returned to the ball.

Chapter 10

“O
h Aunt!”  Georgiana sobbed.  “I should not have sent the letter; I know it was a horrible mistake!  He is going to hate me even more!”

“No, shhh.”  Susan Darcy embraced her.  “Your brother does not hate you.”

“I will never forget watching his carriage disappear, and all I wanted was for him to come back.”  She sniffed.  “But he stayed away.”

“You told him to go, dear.”