Memory: Volume 3, How Far We Have Come, A Tale of Pride and Prejudice (Memory: A Tale of Pride and Prejudice) (45 page)

“oooooh.”

Darcy chuckled.  “It is rather good.”  He took a sip and watched her swallow more and nearly purr with the pleasure.  “Slow down, dear.  I have more.”

“Mmmmm, good.”  Taking the cup away, he set it aside along with his, and leaning against the trunk of the tree, he opened his arms to her.  Elizabeth scooted over and curled against his chest, and closed her eyes.  “What shall we talk about?” 

Kissing the top of her head, he hugged her, and slowly caressed her hip.  Looking around the glade with new and appreciative eyes, he said softly, “Home.” 

She opened her eyes to smile at him.  “That could be anything.”

“That it could.”  Reaching below his shirt to caress his thigh she snuggled back into him.  “I suggest that we begin with a thorough count of the windows.  Now the glazing alone . . .” She squealed and curled into a ball when he began to tickle her.  “Stop!” 

“Give?”  He demanded and kissed her.

“Give, Will, I give!”  She panted while he laughed and hovered above her.  “What do you suggest?”

Darcy put her hand over his growing arousal and smiled.  “I suggest we talk about populating our home.”

“Ahhhh.”  Elizabeth laughed.  “Now
that
is an excellent suggestion!”

Chapter 14

“J
ane, are you well?”  Lucas cried when she dashed away from him and went to crouch behind a tree.  He listened to her coughing.  “You should be in bed!  Not walking around the fields with me!  Come, let us go home!”

“Robert.”  Jane sighed and carefully wiped her face, then took a sip from the flask he held out to her.  “You are not going to be a hysterical fool are you?”

“I do not know.”  He looked her over carefully.  “Give me a reason not to be.”

She held his hands and looked him square in the eye.  “You are going to be a father.”

“
What
?” 

“Father.”  She smiled when his eyes widened.  “Yes.”

“Really?”  His incredulous gaze centred over her belly, and his hand reached to touch it gingerly.  “Are you sure? I was . . . My goodness,
really
?” 

“Is it really so impossible to imagine?  We certainly had plenty of practice these past weeks in London.”  She laughed when he picked her up and twirled her around.  “Oh, this is dangerous!  I am already dizzy!”

“Oh forgive me, dear.”  He stopped and dropped her back to the ground and kissed her soundly.  “You are truly sure?  How far are you?  Do you feel anything? Is it a boy or a girl?”

“Robert!”  Jane held his cheeks.  “Calm yourself!”

“Impossible.”  He laughed and picked her up again to her vehement protests and kissed her.  “How do you feel?”

“Nauseous.”  She declared. 

“I am sorry.” Rubbing his hands over her hips he looked into her eyes.  “And here I thought that we needed to build a cabin for privacy and keep trying.”

“I would not object to such a thing.” She said honestly.

“No, neither would I.  I am already wistful for the memory of that wonderfully private room and the exceptionally thick walls of Darcy House.”  Lucas’ eyes danced and he pulled her close for a long and thorough kiss. “A baby.”  He sighed.  “Thank you.”

Laughing, she kissed him.  “There is a long wait ahead of you.”  He just grinned and she laughed again.  “You had an important part in it.”

“I certainly did.”  He pressed a very healthy erection against her.  “And I think that we should revisit that particular place with this particular part.”

Jane gasped.  “That is not what I meant!”

“I know, but it is what I want.   What better way to celebrate?”  Glancing around, he pulled her hand so that they ducked behind some trees and came to a small clearing covered with long grass.  “Here.”

She looked around helplessly.  “Here?”

“Yes.”  He laughed and pulled her down to the ground.  “I love you.”

“I love you, too.”  She giggled when her face was covered in kisses.  “Robert!” 

“What?” 

Holding his cheeks she looked up at him and smiled.  “I am so happy.”

“Oh Jane.”  Robert sighed and hugged her tightly.  “I am, too.”

“THERE MARY, DO YOU SEE?  That was my ship, my command.  The Achille.” Peter’s voice resonated with pride as they looked over the Navy yard in Portsmouth.  “Look at her, she is beautiful.”  Mary looked up to see his chin raised, his eyes scanning the vessel, taking in every detail.  “It was a shocking appointment, and it only happened because we were at sea, and the captain was ill.  Seventy-four guns, ready for battle.” 

“Did you ever command that they be fired?”  She asked hesitantly.

“Yes.”

“How long were you Captain?  You are so young; it could not have been very long.”

“No.”  He at last dragged his eyes from the sight of his first love and back to his bride.  “No, not long at all, perhaps six months before we came back to port here and I fully expected to be sent down to a significantly smaller ship when we docked, but then I received the letter from Lord Matlock at my mother’s house.”  He looked back to the ship.  “I took over for Captain King, Sir King.”  Mary giggled and he tilted his head.

“I am sorry, it just sounds silly, Captain King.  That is like calling a priest Reverend Bishop.” 

De Bourgh smiled and shook his head.  “You are silly.”

“Were you a beloved captain?” 

He paused to drink in her smile and shrugged. “I do not know, I took care of my crew, I treated them how I wished to be treated, just like I do with our tenants now.”  Looking back to the ship, he watched the men scurrying about.  “They are making ready to depart, see how supplies are being loaded?  All they need is the right wind.”  He looked at the still flags and the wrapped sails on the masts and sighed.  “Not today, I think.” 

She studied his wistful expression.  “Would you like to go visit?  Perhaps there are friends you would like to greet?  I can busy myself at the inn and prepare to meet your sisters.  I do not mind.”

“Why would I leave you behind?”

“Well, surely you have things to discuss that . . . well . . .” Mary blushed, “Navy things.”  He started chuckling and she pushed him a little.  “You know what I mean.”

“I certainly do not.”  Crossing his arms he raised his brow.  “Explain, Mrs. de Bourgh.”

“No.” 

“Dear Mary, how long have we been married?”

“One month.  Have you forgotten?  Have you been struck on the head like our brother?”  She smiled.

“Do not distract me.  After a month of marriage, after a month of love making . . .”

“Peter, hush!”   Mary whispered and looked around worriedly as he laughed. 

“I am not afraid to share my past with you.”

“I do not want to hear of it all.”  She looked down.  “Not after a month of love making.”

De Bourgh placed two fingers beneath her chin and raised her face up to his.  “I love you, too.”  He took her hand to place on his arm, and started walking.  “Come, let us meet the crew and see if there are any familiar faces.”  They walked down towards the docks.  Seamen and midshipmen busy with their duties cast quizzical eyes at the well-dressed gentleman and his lady but said nothing until a lieutenant, observing their approach, broke into a wide grin. 

“Bless my soul!  Captain de Bourgh!”  He came down the dock while all around them, men stopped working to look.  The smiling man came forward and took de Bourgh’s hand.  “This is a great surprise!  I never thought that I would see you again!”  He bowed to Mary.  “Madam.”

“Lieutenant Newman, this is my wife, Mary.”

“Wife!”  He laughed.  “Well this is truly a day of wonders.  Captain Peter de Bourgh, married man.  Excuse me,
Gentleman
.”

“I was a gentleman before.”

“Not like this.”  He touched the fine coat and shook his head. “Look at you.  Clearly your income has increased significantly.”

“It is not so bad.”

“No sword.”  He observed and patted his own.

“No, but I doubt that I need one now.”  He smiled at Mary who was watching him and noting how different he was.  “I have not angered my wife yet.”

“Give him time madam, he will find a way.”  Newman studied Mary. “When was this wedding, and why was I not invited?”

“A month ago, and it was very private.” 

“No rabble from your past.”

“I would have been glad to know Captain de Bourgh’s friends, sir.  We just had the closest of family, that is all.”  Mary said softly.

“I only mean to tweak his nose, Mrs. de Bourgh.”  He looked up on deck and saw some other men heading down the gangplank.  “Ah, word spreads fast, most of the old crew is still together here, a few men have moved on to bigger and better things.”

“Where are you headed?”

“Hmm, Toulon.  Blockading the port.”  He shrugged.  “Seems that is all we do anymore.  I am itchy for a good battle.”

“Why?”  Mary gasped and blushed.

De Bourgh smiled at her fondly.  “My wife fears for your lives, I think.”

“I am thinking of how you once risked yours, and how your mother worried over your safe return.”

“Ah, a young marriage indeed.  Will you be so protective after a year with this man?”  Newman grinned.

She raised her chin.  “I hope to be far more protective as time goes on.” 

“That’s the way, my dear.  A good wife, on land or sea.”  He kissed her hand and looking at her proudly, he lifted his chin to the smiling men approaching down the dock.  “Now then, come and meet my past, with some of these scurvy-ridden mates.”

“I will be glad to.”  Mary stood up straight and held his arm tightly.  “I am sure that they are all gentlemen.”

Newman exchanged glances with de Bourgh, who was laughing silently and biting his lip.  “Yes, of course, madam.  Gentlemen.  Exactly.” 

“Quiet Newman, let her believe as she wishes.”

Soon they were surrounded by all manner of men. Mary let go of his arm, and gradually slipped away to go stand off to the side and watch.  He melded easily into the throng, laughing, exchanging stories and news of friends and family.  When she left, he had kept his eye on her until she turned and smiled, and waved him on.  He spoke to a midshipman who then appeared at her side with a crate, wiped it off with great ceremony, spread a cloth, and offered her a seat.  Mary smiled and curtseyed to the young man, and Peter smiled at her from the middle of the crowd.   Seeing that she was well, he returned to his friends.  Inevitably the Captain noticed that half of his crew was not at work and came down to investigate.  Peter was invited onboard to take a drink with his successor, and indicating his patient wife, invited her to join them.

“Are you sure?” She looked nervously up at the enormous ship.  “I have never been on a boat.”

“Not even a row boat?” 

“No.”  She shook her head.  “Never.”

“Well, my dear, you might as well start off with the best.”  He grinned and introduced her to the captain and walking behind her, held her steady as she carefully climbed the gangplank.  “There you go.”  He whispered in her ear as she stepped onto the deck.  “Now you may understand my past.”  Mary looked behind her to see the gentle man she had married replacing the boisterous sailor she had observed with his friends.  “I have met your family and seen your childhood home.  This is truly mine.” 

“I am glad that we came here today.”  Mary took his arm and he squeezed her hand.  The captain called them forward and de Bourgh’s expression returned to that of a seasoned commander.    “I am so glad.”

11 JULY 1811

I have received several letters today, the first was from Mary.  She has met her new sisters and finds them to be pleasant ladies, almost twins, finishing each other’s sentences and giggling constantly, as unlike their mother and brothers as they could possibly be.  Each is very great with child, and each has a little over a month to go.  Mrs. de Bourgh arrived from Rosings while they were visiting and a very happy reunion ensued.  Mary was shown the home where Peter’s life began and where he visited on his rare returns to England, but Mary said that she had a much better view of his life after touring the ship.  He took her through the different quarters, seeing where he would have lived as a boy, and as he rose in rank, how his accommodations changed until she saw his last bed as the captain.  It was a revelation to her.  They plan to return to Rosings via London and at last begin their married life together.  She is scared out of her mind, but there is good staff around her, and she is grateful for the training I was able to provide for her here.

My second letter was from Jane, and yes, she is at last pregnant!  Robert is ridiculous with his joy.  I can hear his laughter in her description of his silly antics.  I can see his smiles in the memory of Fitzwilliam’s happiness when we knew Rosa was coming.  She has yet to tell Mama and Papa, although Papa looks at her quizzically.  She and Lydia are conspiring on the best way to break the news to both sets of grandparents, and Jane is wondering if she can possibly hide her condition until the due date.  Poor girl!  Her joy radiates from the pages and I am so happy to share her happiness.

Setting down her pen, Elizabeth yawned.  “Why am I so sleepy?”  Shaking her head determinedly, she stood and walked over to the open window and tried to let the fresh air revive her.  She could see Kitty sitting in the rose garden, her sketch book and crayons around her.  From below she could hear the sound of Georgiana practicing the pianoforte.  The girls had separated somewhat since coming to Pemberley.  Feeling a little more awake, she returned to her desk to finish her journal entry, but was distracted by the ribbon hanging from her husband’s book. 

11 July 1811

What are you about, Mrs. Darcy?

Elizabeth’s eyes widened and she gasped.

Do you really think that I do not know when you go off by yourself in the phaeton?  Do you really think that I do not have you followed?  Do you really think that young Jim just happened along when the wheel got stuck in the mud and was able to free it and return you home, and further, do you really think that he would keep your secret that you nearly overturned the carriage in the process?