by Wells, Linda
Suddenly Darcy advanced and with a fluid movement, disarmed De Bourgh; the steel flew through the air and landed with a clang at Elizabeth’s feet. The roar was spectacular; Darcy bowed gracefully and started to rise when the noise of the gentlemen stopped. Straightening, he turned.
“Elizabeth.” Their eyes met and he saw the desire that shone from hers. “No, love, please …” He whispered, but still enjoying every second of her approving gaze as it travelled his body and … Oh please, do not stop there! …centred over his thighs and groin. Her lip caught in her teeth and involuntarily, he groaned. When the tip of her tongue just appeared, he dropped his foil and strode straight for her.
“Darcy!” Lord Matlock commanded uselessly while the rest of them scrambled to find their shirts.
In seconds, Darcy had crossed the room and stood over Elizabeth, blocking her view of the other men. “Do you see something you like, love?”
“Oh yes.” He glanced at the door, and noticed that she had her foot against the bottom, preventing it from opening. He could hear the women behind it. A tiny smile graced his lips and he looked back down at her, and watched as she drew her finger down his glistening chest, and tasted it. “Mmm, salty.”
Darcy bent to kiss her. “Sweet.” Her eyes dropped and he let a shaking breath escape as she gazed upon him. “You cannot keep them out.”
“But I can stand in front of you so they do not see what is mine.” Elizabeth touched his breeches, then moving aside; let the door open at last. Darcy quickly snatched up his shirt when de Bourgh tossed it to him, and donned it as the flurry of women entered the room. Elizabeth stood before him and he rested his hands upon her shoulders while pressing his arousal against her back.
“Henry!”
“Stephen!”
“Robert!”
“Richard!”
“Peter …”
“Mr. Bingley.” Sighed Georgiana and Kitty.
“OUT!” Elizabeth grabbed the girls and turned them around, then pushed Mary. She looked back at Darcy and he started laughing, then glancing at the men being interviewed by their women, followed Elizabeth, and ducked up the back stairs to their bedchambers. Before long, Elizabeth appeared.
Darcy was washing up in the ewer, stripped down to nothing. Lifting his dripping face, he turned to her with a smile. “The ladies are all sorted out?”
“Hmm.” She leaned on the doorframe and just looked at him.
“Elizabeth.” He dried off his face and chest, smiling at her, then dropped the towel, walking forward as she again let her gaze wander. “Do you know how exceptionally arousing it is to have you look at me with such hunger?”
Taking him into her hands, she stroked over his very prominent pride. “No. Tell me.” Darcy’s hands slipped around her waist as his mouth crushed hers. “Oh.” She gasped when he let go for a breath, only to take possession again. Bending, he lifted her, supporting her bottom as her legs wrapped around his waist and her arms around his neck.
“Now.” He gasped. “Now Lizzy. We will go slowly later, but I need you now.
“Do you hear me protesting?” She laughed as he carried her to the bed and lay her down.
Darcy leaned to kiss her gently. “No love, I hear you calling for me. Let us begin again.”
Chapter 10
Mary looked up and down the street. “Where is this warehouse?”
“Not far.” Elizabeth laughed and hooked her hand on Mary’s arm. “Mrs. de Bourgh was determined that you see this place!”
“We should have collected her.”
“She insisted that she come on her own … Oh look.” Elizabeth nudged her. “Look who is waiting outside of the door.”
“Peter!” Mary cried and letting go of Elizabeth, started to run before she heard her sister’s admonishment. De Bourgh stood smiling by his carriage and laughed, watching Mary try to hurry in the most ladylike way. “What are you doing here?”
“Oh I surely would not miss this opportunity to see you, my dear.” He took her hand and immediately tucked it onto his arm. “You are beautiful.” Mary’s eyes cast down and he smiled at the blush. “If we were not in the street, I would convince you of that.”
“Maybe later.” She whispered and he squeezed her hand.
“Good morning, Peter.” Elizabeth arrived with a smile. “How are you feeling?”
“Quite well, why … Ah, how is your dear husband feeling?”
“Excellent.” She laughed to see his disappointment. “Were you hoping that he was nursing some tired muscles?”
“I would not admit to something so ungentlemanly.”
“But you would think it.” Her eyes danced and he shrugged. “Where is your mother?”
“Inside.” He pointed to the door. “She loves this place, whenever she could come to town; this is where she would go, to look if nothing else.” De Bourgh smiled at Mary. “She is so happy to be shopping with you today.”
“I cannot imagine anything that has not been ordered already, but it is kind of her to want to spend time with me.”
“I cannot wait to see you wearing all of your new things.” The pair grew lost in their mutual admiration and Elizabeth cleared her throat.
“Oh …we should go inside. Will you join us?” Mary asked him hopefully. Looking up at the shop window, he started to chuckle. “I guess not.”
“I think that a milliner’s shop is not somewhere for me. Besides, I have been commanded to visit Matlock House.”
“What have you done?” Mary demanded.
Laughing, he kissed her hand. “Nothing that I am aware of, but Lord Matlock was adamant about it. What do you know of this, Mrs. Darcy? You are rather animated in your amusement.”
“I am merely wondering how Lord Matlock fares.” She said innocently.
“Now that should be a man in pain.” De Bourgh noted. Seeing his mother waving from inside of the shop, he reluctantly let go. “I should be on my way. You will see Mother home?”
“Of course.” Mary said softly. “Goodbye.”
“Goodbye, dear.” He leaned forward and stopped himself in time to just kiss her hand, then giving a wave, climbed into the coach.
They watched him depart and finally entered the shop. “I thought he would never leave!” Mrs. de Bourgh declared. “Well my dears, I just had to show you this shop. It is not a place that you would frequent, Mrs. Darcy, I am sure, but certainly one that I have for years. A greater fortune has not changed my shopping habits.”
“I am not unfamiliar with it; my aunt has brought me and Jane here a few times. It is not far from my uncle’s business.”
“Oh, and I thought I was going to surprise you. Ah well.” She shrugged. “I wanted to buy you a wedding gift, Mary.”
“That is not necessary, really!”
“Of course it is.” She sniffed. “My son is giving you everything else, so I will buy you a hat. Every lady needs a new hat.”
“That seems perfectly reasonable to me.” Elizabeth smiled. “I will just leave you two to your shopping and I will look over here.” Moving away, she was approached by a young saleswoman and they were soon engrossed in conversation.
“It is kind of her to leave us alone.” Mrs. de Bourgh smiled. “I thought that you and I should spend some time together, outside of a parlour. I want you to be comfortable with me.”
“I am.” Mary looked down and bit her lip.
Picking up a bonnet and holding it up for inspection, she fussed over the ribbons. “I saw your relationship with your mother. I want you to know that I hope to be your friend.” She noticed Mary’s eyes widen and continued her fussing. “I knew absolutely nothing of being mistress to an estate when we moved to Rosings, and I assure you, Lady Catherine was not in the least interested in imparting her knowledge to me. But I think that worked out for the best. I was occupied with Anne and my own daughters, and we just concentrated on living through each day. Little by little, we learned together.” She put down the hat and smiled. “That is all you have to
do.”
“Lizzy has taught me so much at Pemberley, but every time I turn around, I hear something new that she and Lady Matlock say without even blinking, like it just is a matter of course the duties that I will have. I swear, I never even noticed Lizzy doing half of them, but I am sure that she does. And I am sure that she spoke of them but it just passed over my head. I … I am so frightened of not doing well.”
“Do not be. Peter takes his duties very seriously but he is the first to admit that he has no experience. I have no doubt that you will do well. You are not some flighty heiress. I thank heaven that he found a good sensible girl to love.” She nodded at Mary approvingly. “You are exactly who he needed.”
“Thank you.” Mary said gratefully.
“You remind me of my daughters a little.”
“Will I meet them soon?”
“Hmm, likely not. They are both in Portsmouth, that is where we lived before Peter received the news of Rosings. Not that he actually lived there.” She said sadly.
“But they will come for the wedding?” Mary asked worriedly. “Surely? If I am to have two new sisters, I should meet them.”
“No, my dear. They are both with child, and both have husbands somewhere on the ocean. They will not travel without them. I will be leaving Rosings to stay with them until the children are born at the end of the summer. So you and Peter will have the run of the place with no pesky mother to disturb your peace.” She laughed and saw Mary’s smile. “Ah, my dear, Peter was beaming when I told him!”
“He is a little impatient with our chaperones.” She said quietly
“Your chaperones will be glad to see you married.” Elizabeth said from behind her. “Do you see anything that you like?”
Mary sighed. “I cannot remember the colours of the dresses I tried on, let alone which bonnet would match. I am sorry, Mrs. de Bourgh.”
“That is quite all right, dear.” She picked up the bonnet. “Although, I think that this would suit just about anything.”
Mary glanced at Elizabeth who nodded. “Oh, yes, I do like that one very much! I guess that I did not look at it closely while you were examining it.”
“I will just buy it, then.” Mrs. de Bourgh smiled and handed it to a clerk.
“It is a nice bonnet.” Elizabeth said softly. “And it makes her happy.”
“I do not need it.”
“That is not the point.”
“I know.” Mary looked back as the bonnet was packed away in a box. “She is very kind.”
“You are very fortunate,” Elizabeth reminded her, “and she is trying very hard to know you. Do not be afraid to open up to her, you will be sharing a house.” She saw Mary’s worry and took her hand. “She is not Mama; she truly wants you to be happy and cares about you.”
“It is just so hard to trust.” Mary said softly. “You understand. It does not come to me easily.”
“I know. It took me a long time, too.” Mrs. de Bourgh approached and they left the shop, walking towards the Gardiner warehouse where they had left the carriage. Elizabeth handed the hat box off to a waiting footman. “Well ladies, where shall we go next?” She saw the entrance to August Martin and smiled. “Some fabric perhaps?” Leading the way, she opened the shop door.
“Ladies.” The young clerk bustled forward. “May I help you?”
“I was just looking for Miss Martin, is she visiting today?”
“I am sorry madam, but she is out at the moment. She is just across the street in the tea room.” He pointed and they all turned.
“Thank you.” Elizabeth smiled and looked around the room at the bolts. “We will return some other time.”
“Yes, madam.”
“Surely there is something that catches your eye, ladies!” Mr. Martin came bustling out from the back. “We have some beautiful …why Mrs. Darcy! How good to see you! And Miss Bennet! Lovely, lovely! You came by to see my Abbey?”
“We were shopping in the area and thought we would ask if she was well.” Elizabeth smiled.
“Of course she is!” He beamed. “Why, she is just across the street, Mrs. Hurst came by for her … Oh, of course you would know, you ladies, scheming together to take a poor man’s livelihood away.”
“Taking scraps of cloth is not taking a livelihood sir, and it is for the poor.”
“Yes, yes.” Mr. Martin waved the compliment away. “Robbing me blind, Mrs. Darcy.”
“But think of the favour it buys you in heaven, sir.” Elizabeth laughed as he rubbed his jaw thoughtfully. “We will just stop and greet the ladies. Thank you for your generosity.”
“I hope that you go after Mr. Bingley, as well.” He said meaningfully.
“I promise you sir, I did long ago.” They waved and left the shop, watching the busy traffic and crossing the street after paying a boy to sweep the path clear for them.
“What is that about?” Mary asked, looking back. “You are robbing him?”
“No.” Elizabeth laughed. “He is giving me leftover fabric to be made into children’s clothes.”
“Good works.” Mary sighed. “That is all the sewing you do when you are sitting together in the library. I did not think that you made Fitzwilliam’s clothes. You hate sewing!”
“I do, but I love talking with him, and listening to him. He reads, and I sew.” She saw Mrs. de Bourgh studying her and smiling, and opening the shop door, they found the table occupied by Louisa and Abbey. “What a surprise to find you here!”
“I suspect that you were sent.” Abbey looked out of the window to see her father craning his neck. “He is incorrigible.”
“I like him.” Elizabeth smiled at Louisa. “Shopping?”
“Yes. Caroline is putting together some travel clothes and I thought this would be a good opportunity to visit with Miss Martin. Charles is visiting your uncle and we are all to meet here.”
“My uncle?” She tilted her head. “That is interesting, he sees him more than I do.”
The shop door opened and Bingley strode in. “Louisa, I am going to hail a cab and go off to …why look at this! This is a pleasant surprise! Mrs. Darcy, I was just going to your home!”
“Mr. Darcy is expecting you, but I see that my uncle has your interest first?”
“Oh, I just thought I would pop in when Louisa and Caroline decided to go shopping.” He turned to Abbey and smiled widely. “I am very glad to see you.”
“I am very glad to see you, as well, sir.” Abbey had risen and curtseyed to him.
“Have you met Mrs. de Bourgh?” Elizabeth asked.
“Ah, the captain’s mother!” Bingley bowed. “He is a master with the foil madam. He would not happen to be crumpled and sore this morning?”
“I am afraid not, Mr. Bingley.” Mrs. de Bourgh laughed.
“Ah well, I tried, but I am afraid all I succeeded in doing was making the poor man bleed.” He shook his head and seeing Mary’s eyes widen, added quickly, “Nothing vital, Miss Mary! Well …please, please sit.” He waved his hand and beaming at Abbey, watched as she sank back down on the chair. “Was this planned? I wish that you had told me, Louisa.” Bingley shot her a look and she pursed her lips. The other ladies sent confused glances around the table. “I mean, if I had known I … I would not have made the … I would …” Abbey’s hand went to her mouth and she started to laugh. “I generally do not come across as a fool.”
“Generally.” She agreed.
“I asked Miss Martin to meet me here.” Louisa explained and blushed as the other ladies smiled at her matchmaking. “The orphanage that Mrs. Darcy supports is in need of fresh clothing for the children. She enlisted my aid in sewing and Miss Martin has talked her father into donating useable scraps of fabric from his shop.”
“Oh.” Mary smiled at Elizabeth.
“Have you?” Bingley smiled. “That must have been some talk; your father would not be enthusiastic about giving anything away.”
“That is true enough, there is always some outlet for even the smallest bit, but
…” She shrugged. “Where there is a daughter, there is a way.”
Chuckling, Bingley leaned back and grinned. “Wrapped around your little finger?”
“I think that my sister might claim half of him.” Abbey smiled. “I understand that Mrs. Darcy approached you to donate fabric from your mills?”
“Yes.” His eyes rolled and he received a little nudge from Elizabeth. Smiling warmly he lifted his chin to her. “She cornered me quite some time ago when we were at Pemberley. And she was not the least subtle about it. She has even put tenant women to work on the estate producing garments, for every two that they make for the orphanage, they are permitted to keep one for their own family.”
“Really? And you trust them to report the count?” Mrs. de Bourgh asked. Before Elizabeth could answer, Bingley happily talked on, focussing on Abbey.
“I honestly do not think that Mrs. Darcy would begrudge some of those families taking a little charity, in fact, in some ways this is her gentle way of helping the prouder amongst them out.” He winked and Abbey nodded. “She only offers the duty to the poorer tenants, who despite Darcy’s care can never seem to keep up.”
“Thank you for singing my praises so nicely, Mr. Bingley.” Elizabeth laughed.
“It is my pleasure, as always, Mrs. Darcy. It makes me proud to assist your good people in such a concrete way.”
“Poor people, they have an excellent master, but they suffer with too many children.” Louisa said softly.
“Louisa.” Bingley immediately took her hand. “Your day will come.”
Abbey looked between brother and sister and saw the same care that Bingley had displayed to Elizabeth; it was exactly the same love, expressed as compassion this time instead of laughter, but brotherly nonetheless. She closed her eyes and internally shook her head, how could she ever have thought that there was anything more between him and Elizabeth? Silly fool!
“Louisa, Charles!” The group startled when Caroline called from the door. “Come and …” At last she noticed just who was at the table and stopped. “Why, Mrs. Darcy.”
“Mrs. Robinson.” Elizabeth inclined her head slightly and lifted her hand across the table. “Do you know my sister, Miss Bennet? And this is her betrothed’s mother, Mrs. de Bourgh.”