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

by Wells, Linda

  “Does he need to work? Is the estate not enough income?”

  “Not to be in your circle.” Bingley smiled when Darcy rolled his eyes. “Forgive me. He is comfortable where he is but he is ambitious, and ambition requires the income from both the trade and the land.”

  “And Mrs. Robinson? She truly wishes to leave her child and travel?”

  “Wallace was an obligation fulfilled to her, not a gift from heaven.” Seeing Darcy’s eyes narrow, he continued. “I am glad that they go for the boy’s sake, Louisa will love him. Caroline barely acknowledges him.”

  “Yes, Elizabeth told me her conversation with Mrs. Robinson today. How can a woman be so cold?” Darcy said softly and looked at Elizabeth’s small portrait on his desk. “I cannot fathom carrying a child for nine months and then forgetting him.”

  “Perhaps this trip is not so much for the oranges as it is to separate the boy from his mother?” Lucas offered as the men stared at him. “Just a thought.”

  “Ramsgate would do for that.” Darcy disagreed. “He could even send her off to the estate if he was that concerned about her behaviour. No, I imagine that his business concerns are quite legitimate, then again perhaps … Now this is an enormous speculation on my part, but perhaps he sees your sister’s neglect andwants to place the baby with the Hursts?”

  “What an idea!” Bingley cried.

  “If he grew up that way, he might have hoped for better with his children.”

  “And was disappointed when no motherly instinct appeared in his wife.” Lucas mused. “Rather like Mrs. Bennet.” Darcy startled and looked at Lucas, then nodded.

  “Rather like my mother.” Bingley said quietly. “I had not considered it.”

  “Why not just ask his reasoning?” Darcy offered. “He will likely not wish to admit his concern for his son, but at least some compassionate staff might be hired and told to report to him and no other. If our conjectures are correct, surely he can take charge of his household; tell his wife what he expects.”

  “Unlike Mr. Bennet.” Lucas murmured.

  “You are drawing some frightening parallels, Lucas.” Darcy said uncomfortably. “I certainly know what neglect has done to that family.”

  Bingley nodded slowly. “I will speak to Hurst and see what he thinks before approaching Robinson.”

  Darcy refocused his attention. “In the meantime, there is still his request to consider.”

  “I want to help, but I also want to continue my plans for Netherfield.” Bingley glanced at Lucas. “You see I want that experience and I … should like to know the neighbourhood.”

  “Ah.” Darcy smiled. “The neighbours of the neighbourhood.”

  “Who?” Lucas asked.

  “What did Elizabeth say to you?” Bingley demanded.

  “About what?” Lucas looked between them.

  “She said that you were very kind and mentioned that you danced with another.”

  “WHO?” Lucas bellowed.

  “Miss Martin.”

  “Miss Simkins.”

  “Miss Simkins?” Bingley’s brow creased. “Did I mention her name?”

  “Obviously Elizabeth thought that you at least referenced her, as did Miss Martin.” Darcy chuckled. “Were they incorrect? Is Miss Martin the girl for you? Your plans seem to be taking into account her presence in the neighbourhood.”

  “I do not know, but I cannot very well find out if I am caring for Robinson’s estate can I?” He got up to pace. “He has a perfectly good steward!”

  “Then why not just visit the estate, meet this steward, and if something arises that requires a decision, then he can easily contact you.”

  “So this estate is near Pemberley?” Lucas asked quickly. “It is just in need of occupation?”

  “Not this summer, it is leased out.” Bingley said as he passed by. “It will be empty this autumn though, especially if I am at Netherfield.” He stopped. “Why?”

  “Oh, a foolish idea of offering to look after it for you.” Lucas smiled. “I am spoiled in this house of freedom and crave more of it.”

  “Lucas Lodge will be less two nosy boys very soon.” Darcy reminded him.

  “I know.” He sighed. “And we will have been away long enough, I shudder to think what Father has done in my absence.”

  “Well then, forget that idea. I like yours though, Darcy.” Bingley sighed and finally sat down. “And whatever the reasoning is for Robinson taking this journey, his son will be safe, and I will assure that his future home is as well. How extraordinary if this all comes down to parenting.”

  “TWENTY MAY, 1811.” Darcy read out loud. “I once said that I can think of no better occupation than kissing Fitzwilliam Darcy.” Elizabeth blushed and walked from the sitting room into the master’s chamber. She climbed up onto the bed and he followed her, journal in one hand as he gestured with the other. “And I have come to the conclusion that I was absolutely brilliant when I made that statement.” He looked up with a grin and came to sit on the edge of the bed. “After spending the day making up a list of my duties for Mary to follow when she becomes mistress of Rosings, by far the most important item, the one at the very top of the list, was loving my dear husband. And that duty includes kissing him, soundly and often.” Darcy beamed at her and scooted over to sit cross legged beside her, kissed her firmly, then continued. “Does that make me a terrible mother? My child is not first? I do not think so, since what is my child without her happy parents? And we are happy, very protective of each other, and very happy. Where is my dear husband? I think that I have been neglecting my duties today!” Closing the journal, he set it down on the bedside table.

  “Oh dear.” Elizabeth held her burning cheeks in her hands. “I am so embarrassed.”

  “Why?” Darcy pulled off his nightshirt and flopped down beside her, and hugging her, nuzzled her neck while tugging off her gown. “I loved it.”

  “You did?” She turned to him and kissed his smile. “I am not a horrible mother for thinking of you first?”

  “No.” Darcy said seriously as he caressed the curls from her face. “If you only dwelled on Rosalie first, we would never have been able to recover from the loss. I could not have done it without you.”

  “Three weeks.” Elizabeth said softly and looked down.

  “Three challenging weeks.” He rolled over and Elizabeth settled against him, resting her head on his shoulder. “It occurs to me that we have had many lessons in parenting over the course of this time.”

  “Oh?”

  “Mmm. Mary and Mrs. de Bourgh have slowly established a friendship and de Bourgh can be angry with his mother now for taking Mary’s time instead of us.” Elizabeth laughed. “De Bourgh has been thoroughly embarrassed by not only Uncle Henry, but now Mr. Gardiner.”

  “And I am sure that the rest of the men will do so at some point.”

  “Most likely.” He kissed her forehead.

  “Those were the good examples.”

  “Almost all. Mrs. Robinson is certainly a bad one, and the jury is out on her husband.”

  “Any word from Mr. Bingley on their decision yet?”

  “No love. Not yet, not a hint of his reasoning either, but he has been at home more often than not.”

  “That is interesting.” Elizabeth looked up at him and he shrugged. “And my mother.”

  “Your mother who has sent Mary a letter every day with advice and requests to send a carriage to bring her here and shop for her gowns.”

  “Perhaps she is trying to make amends.” Elizabeth said hopefully.

  “Do you believe that?” Darcy smiled.

  “Not really, but without hope, we have nothing.”

  “Which brings me back to the good parents.”

  “Who have we forgotten?”

  “Us.” He kissed her cheek, then her ear, and moved around to her lips. “Just as you said in your journal. We have a happy, well-loved baby, because she has happy, well-loved parents.”

  “Who have not had time
to do any loving in far too long.” Elizabeth began playing with the dark curls of hair on his chest. Darcy’s eyes crinkled as he watched her fingers.

  “I am not a puppy.”

  “No, you are fully grown.” She smiled up at him and received a kiss. Her hand traced down his stomach, following the trail of hair to caress the curls between his legs. Darcy groaned and spread his thighs a little wider. She laughed and stroked all over him while she thought about the evening. “What do you think of your cousins as parents?”

  “They are all fine, but not as good as we.”

  “Of course not.” Absentmindedly her fingers curled around him and he sighed happily. “You like this.”

  “I would be the greatest fool alive to say no.” He murmured into her hair, and lowered his hands to run over her skin. “Please do not stop.” She suckled his nipple and he immediately laid his head back and moaned. “More, Lizzy.”

  She crawled up onto his chest and her dark curtain of hair surrounded them as she looked down and smiled. Darcy lifted his hands to hold her face and drew it down to kiss. “What do you wish for?”

  “Everything, anything.” He begged and laughed when her eyes lit up. “Surprise me.” Elizabeth’s brow rose and his hands caressed her smiling cheeks as she waited to hear his desire. At last he admitted what he wanted. “Kiss me, love.” As her face disappeared and he felt her tongue slowly torturing his skin, he held his breath until … “ohhh, heaven.” Darcy groaned.

  Elizabeth started laughing and sat up to smile at him. “Mr. Darcy.”

  “mmmmmmm.” He said contentedly, with his eyes closed. “More.”

  Looking over his relaxed form, Elizabeth ran her hands up his thighs, over his belly to his chest, and back down. Darcy opened one eye. “Do you know how big you are?” He closed his eye again and sighed. “Just look at you.” Again her hands travelled up and down. “Soooo much to touch.”

  “I know what I want you to touch.” He took his pride in hand and waggled it at her. “Lizzy, please …”

  She bent and kissed it then went back to her massage. Darcy threw his head back and groaned louder than before. “What are you doing to me!”

  “Loving you.” She lifted her chin and kept on with her touching; now her finger tips walked over his chest, and with a sudden glint she dove on top of him and began tickling. Darcy yelped and curled into a ball, trying to escape her relentless attack. “Give!”

  “Never!” He gasped, laughing and swearing while trying to fight off her thousand fingers. “Lizzy!”

  “Give!” She cried and squealed when she was suddenly rolled over and now Darcy began to return the attack. “Will!”

  “Now you know how it feels, laughing girl!” He growled and letting go, kissed her hard before laying down on top of her, completely trapping her body, and crushing her into the feather mattress. They panted at each other, swallowing and grinning. Brushing hair from her eyes, Darcy’s searched her expression. Wordlessly he bent down, caressing her jaw with his thumb and curling his hand beneath her neck, lifted her head so that he could begin a thorough exploration of her mouth. Finally drawing away, he smiled to see her half-closed eyes, and sighed to see her tongue just peek between her lips. He leaned back in to touch his tongue to that teasing pink tip, and once again they were lost in their kisses. Darcy’s hands held her head still as her hands travelled down his shoulders and over his bottom. He let go, only long enough to adjust his position, and with her hand immediately there, they quickly guided his pride home. “Ohhhhh, Lizzy.” He breathed and swivelled his hips to find the deepest position before lying back down while she curled her body around his. “Sweet, so sweet.” He rocked slowly and they stared into each other’s eyes as they moved together.

  “Come here.” Elizabeth drew his face forward and they kissed while their hips continued the slow grind. Her back began to arch and she clutched his shoulders. “Oh love, that is … oh, that is the sweet spot … oh.”

  “You … oh love you are the sweet …” He closed his eyes when he felt her body begin to pulse and throb around him. “Squeeze me love, harder.” He urged and began thrusting faster as she moaned and shook; the wet sound of their bodies meeting and parting drove him to move just as her soft cries filled him with feelings of power and pride. The smell of sex was heavy around him and with all of his senses engaged, he let out a tremendous roar when Elizabeth’s hand caressed his ever-tightening balls, and he at last felt the excruciating pleasure of release. Weightless, Darcy nuzzled his face against her shoulder as slowly, slowly; he drifted back down to earth. “ahhhhh.” He sighed and held on without opening his eyes.

  Smiling at him, Elizabeth kissed his forehead, and let down her legs. Immediately, he stretched out and held her tighter. “Will?”

  “mmmm.” Darcy lifted his head and blinked at her sleepily.

  Elizabeth kissed his nose. “Contented as a satisfied kitten.”

  “Satisfied for certain.” He kissed her and looked down at her breasts. “Ohhh, I forgot about these.”

  “Oh my!” She laughed as he ran his hands over the mounds, then plumped them up to make himself a pillow. “Better now?”

  “Much.” He turned his head to blow and kissed them before looking up at her. “We should do this more often.”

  “Some would say that we do it far too often.”

  “It is not every night”

  “No, if we were not so busy …”

  “We will be home soon.” Darcy finally rolled off of her and they turned, curling together. He ran his hand over her belly and then kissed the bite he had left on her shoulder. “And I know just where we will go first.”

  “To visit my tree?”

  “And to make sure that your dream is fulfilled.” He clasped his hands over her. “Our dreams.”

  Elizabeth closed her eyes and said softly as she drifted off to sleep. “I can think of no better occupation …”

  Chapter 11

  “Hold up there.” Darcy and Lucas turned in their saddles and looked back to see Bingley trotting up. “Good morning!”

  “Good morning.” After a bit of jostling, the three were riding abreast through the park. Darcy leaned forward and looked across Lucas. “I am surprised to see you up so early.”

  “Oh.” Bingley’s eyes rolled. “I could not stand to stay a moment longer, it was a crush. I was abed at a reasonable hour.”

  “I thought that you liked that atmosphere.”

  “I do, but even I have my limits!” He laughed and Lucas smirked. “No, I suppose that I just found little to hold my attention. Here it is only June and I am dissatisfied with Season already.” He glanced at Darcy and looked down.

  Darcy studied his friend. “Well then, come with us tonight, that should be a whole new crowd for you.”

  “Ah, your crowd. It is a thought. I can look at the peers and sob in my punch at how very low I am.”

  “Fine, stay home, then. Elizabeth will miss you. I will not.”

  “That was cruel, Darcy.” Bingley was glad to see his concern.

  “I am glad to be staying behind with Jane.” Lucas grinned.

  “You just want the house to yourself.” Darcy prodded. “Elizabeth will laugh at the theatre goers behind her fan, but in the nicest way.”

  “Naturally.” Bingley licked his lips and glanced at them, and then stared ahead. “I saw Miss Simkins last night.”

  “Oh?” Lucas looked at Darcy. “How does she fare?”

  “Quite well, seems to be over her heartache, seems the suitor has taken up with a new lady and Miss Simkins has decided she is better for it.”

  “She told you this herself?” Darcy said incredulously. “I would think that she was humiliated.”

  “It …it was scuttlebutt from Louisa and the ladies. Perhaps they are just trying to rebuild her confidence.” Chewing his lip again, he went on. “The girl, Miss Jessica is well. Looking after her nephews. She is blending into the neighbourhood, nobody knows of her past.”

  “S
he is fortunate to be there, then.”

  “Perhaps she has a chance, she is very fortunate that she is not with child.” Lucas said thoughtfully.

  “She is fortunate that she is not diseased.” Darcy added grimly.

  Bingley nodded and then cleared his throat. “In any case, I had a delightful conversation with Miss Simkins, you know, talk of town, favourite activities, whatnot.” He paused and Darcy waved him to continue his obviously belaboured story. “Yes, well the point of it is that she likes everything that a lady is supposed to like and that she is no different from any other educated woman in society.”

  “And that is disappointing?” Lucas asked.

  “Well that is the confusing part, I told her that she was adept at answering a gentleman’s questions correctly, and that she knew all the proper skills for discourse. She took a little offense at that.”

  “I am not surprised; you implied that she was playing a game.”

  “Isn’t she?” Lucas asked Darcy. “They are taught every move in order to secure a husband, everything about them, dress, deportment, conversation, skill, is all designed to woo us, and those who do not follow those rules are frowned upon.”

  “But some of us do not prescribe to that idea of perfection.”

  “Precisely!” Bingley interrupted and both turned their heads to him. “I apologized for my poor response, but then admitted my curiosity and said that I have met many young ladies, and some are significantly different from the others.”

  “I assume that there are fewer of them and more of the other.” Darcy smiled.

  “Yes.” Bingley laughed. “As you know. And she responded oddly. She said that I need to determine if I wish to know one who is unique or one who is properly formed.”

  “Ohhh, I can hear Elizabeth responding to that.” He imitated her voice, Because one does not conform to strictures, it does not make them improper or less worthy. “Her hackles would decidedly be raised.”