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

by Wells, Linda

  Bingley looked at Abbey’s hand on his arm. “What do you think?”

  “Oh, it is breathtaking.” She smiled and looked back at the house.

  “Not Pemberley.”

  “No, but would you want it to be? Why would you want to imitate your friend? This is quite enough house for anyone.” She noticed Bingley’s smile and tilted her head. “What?”

  “My sister Caroline wanted me to buy an estate on par with Pemberley. She would have called this far too small.”

  “Did she ever see Pemberley? If not, she was only desirous of the status, and never appreciated the beauty. This place is enormous enough to satisfy any woman.”

  “Is it too much?” He looked at her worriedly and seeing her confusion he sighed. “I once knew a lovely lady who felt very uncomfortable in such an elegant atmosphere; it was too much for her. She preferred a simpler existence. Although, now that she is married to the right man, perhaps she would manage such a place very well.” He shrugged. “Well, idle speculation never got me anywhere. I just was wondering.”

  Abbey bristled. “Because I surely did not grow up with anything remotely like this.”

  “Neither did I, so do not feel insulted by my question.” He grinned and her raised hackles lowered. “Ah, see, I knew you were choosing to be insulted.”

  “I was not.”

  “Liar.” He laughed and squeezed her hand slightly. “Miss Martin, we both have grown up with cotton lint floating around our homes, and we have both benefitted by our fathers’ businesses. I guess that the question is; how far away from those businesses do you want to be?”

  “You mean; the society that you enjoy now?” She glanced over at Darcy and Elizabeth walking slowly and talking quietly. “Would I fit in there?”

  “Or with the Hursts?” He watched her. “I can be anywhere, I think. I have benefitted enormously by my friendship with Darcy and his family, and I am accepted as part of them. Where they are, I am welcome, and I look at Darcy as my brother.”

  “I am not prepared for where they are.”

  “Do you think that you would be capable or desirous of learning the ropes? Mrs. Darcy was no expert when I first met her, she was an overwhelmed young girl.” They looked again to see the powerful couple walking together, now silent and clearly lost in thought as they stared ahead at the path.

  “I cannot imagine her being anything but formidable from birth.”

  “She would like to know that.” Bingley sighed and looked down at his boots. “Miss Martin. Please tell me your feelings for Mr. Robinson.”

  “Feelings?” She searched his face. “What do you mean?”

  “Should I … should I step away and let your friendship develop? I know that you care for Wallace, and I want Robinson to be happy, especially after the loss of my sister.” He looked up at her. “I cannot court you for two more weeks, not the way that I want to. You have time to consider your feelings, and if he comes here, you may …”

  “Mr. Bingley, your care and concern are heart warming, both for me and your brother, but he has never expressed any sort of opinion. I feel his warmth and admiration, but I truly believe it is because I showed concern for his son.”

  “Not him?” Bingley asked softly.

  “I like him.”

  “oh.”

  Abbey groaned. “Like, sir. You seem determined to be lost. You forget that I could actually be married by now if I had encouraged my suitors. Does that mean anything?”

  “Of course it does!”

  “It does not seem to.” She looked away and blinked away the blur in her eyes. “I do not know what else I can do. For every step forward you take, you move away again. I … I cannot say if I will be like Mrs. Darcy and … blend into that society. I … I think that I will be very comfortable in the Hursts’ society. I do not know what you want me to say.”

  “Will you give me your first set at the assembly?” He said gently. She turned to look at him. “And your second, and third …”

  “Oh.”

  Bingley smiled. “I am a very simple man, Miss Martin. You have to knock me over the head with a rock sometimes to wring some sense into me. Speak plainly, do not worry about propriety, believe me, the examples I have before me have done very well with flouting the rules.” He glanced at the Darcys, Elizabeth was leaning on his shoulder and his arm was around her waist as they walked. They watched as he brushed his lips over her hair and offered her a handkerchief. Bingley looked back at Abbey. “When I am free of this mourning, will you accept my courtship?”

  She smiled and sniffed. “Truly? No more guessing your intent?”

  “No more.”

  “And … if some more suitable girl comes along?”

  “I have not met one yet.” He produced his handkerchief and she took it to dab at her eyes. “Have I an answer?”

  Abbey looked at the handkerchief and deliberately placed it within her reticule. “So much better than a calling card.”

  Bingley laughed. “I hope I might improve on a square of linen, one day.”

  “I do, too.” They smiled at each other.

  “So that is a yes?”

  “I suppose.” She looked up at the sky. “If I must. You will require a great deal of work, though.”

  “No doubt.” Bingley chuckled. They both released long sighs of relief and looked at each and laughed. “Now what?”

  “Who is that?” She pointed.

  “Lucas.” He grinned. “And he is after Darcy.”

  “You have to see it!” Lucas grinned. “It is only three years old, the man who is selling just married and his wife insisted on a new carriage! I bought it for practically nothing! Which is a good thing since it is all I can afford!”

  Darcy smiled at his enthusiasm. “Is it outside?”

  “By the stables!” He looked around. “Let me fetch Jane and you can see!”

  “New gentleman’s toy.” Elizabeth sighed and leaned on Darcy. “You will of course tell him how brilliant his purchase is.”

  “Of course, no matter how impractical.” He kissed her. “His first carriage, I think that Jane will look at him doubtfully for choosing a curricle.”

  “I think that she will smile at him and roll her eyes at me.”

  “Mrs. Hurst?” A footman appeared. “There are several carriages in front of the house with ladies disembarking. Are they expected? Mrs. Nicholls was not sure how to respond to them.”

  “No.” Louisa joined Elizabeth and they peeked at the drive through the trees. They watched the women talking and gesturing at the house. “Oh no. I am not feeling up to this.” She unconsciously touched her baby and looked at Elizabeth.

  Darcy turned to Bingley as the rest of their party joined them. “Prepare yourself.”

  “For what?” He stood along with his friend and looked at the drive.

  “The ladies will claim a desire to visit your sister, but they are here to see you.”

  “Why me?” Everyone turned to stare at him expressively. “Oh, I am in want of a wife.” Blushing, he glanced at Abbey whose face turned just as red.

  “Please have some refreshments prepared, some more tea, whatever is on hand.” Louisa ordered the waiting servant then turned to Elizabeth. “Please help me.”

  “I am glad to, and the first thing you will do is tell your staff that you are not available. You did not invite these people; you do not have to entertain them. I suspect that they overheard at church that Miss Martin and Mrs. Long were invited today and thought that they should try to stake their claim to your favour. Those brief introductions after services gave them supposed license to visit.”

  “But I should greet them?”

  “Do you truly want to? You are hosting a great number of guests already, invited ones.” Elizabeth raised her brow. “Make a statement, Mrs. Hurst. If you wish to greet them, limit it to a half-hour and be called by your staff to attend other business. I will come with you if that is the case.”

  “I will go with you, Elizabeth.” Dar
cy bent to her ear. “I can see that you are tired. I would prefer that you refrain.”

  “No dear, they do not need to gawk at you, and if you appear so must Mr. Bingley.” She caressed his cheek.

  He sighed. “I have travelled this road; it makes one grateful for reaching the end at last.” Looking down to see her smile, he laughed softly. “The road that brought me home.” He kissed and embraced her. “All or nobody.”

  “Louisa, you are too tired. Send them away.” Hurst declared and turned to the footman. “Inform Mrs. Nicholls that we are not at home to visitors, but we expect to issue an invitation another time. Take their names and see them out.”

  “Yes, sir.” The footman turned towards the house.

  “No, stop.” Louisa looked to Elizabeth. “You receive strangers into Pemberley and invite them to tea, and look how important that has been to our family.” She looked at Abbey. “And it impressed so many.”

  “It is not the same situation, Mrs. Hurst; you know full well why these women come.” Elizabeth reminded her. She shook her head. “Very well.” She sighed. “Come on.”

  “Thank you.” Louisa sighed. “I am too afraid of disappointing people.”

  “They want to take advantage of you, just show that you are in charge.” She lifted her chin and smiled at Louisa. “All right, mistress of Netherfield, lead on. We are with you.”

  7 OCTOBER 1811

  Poor dear Mr. Bingley. At last he and Miss Martin are in the same heavily supervised company, he is permitted to speak to her and further explore their mutual attraction, when half the ladies of Meryton invite themselves to his door. Of course it was to greet Mrs. Hurst, they claimed. If I believed that, I would also believe that pigs fly through the air with their tails facing forward! It was awful, but oh, so very polite. I truly got a sense of what my dear Fitzwilliam has mentioned in passing but never really could explain clearly. It is one thing for a young lady to be thrust into the marriage mart, full of her charms and accomplishments, hopefully attracting a gentleman’s attention, but for the gentleman, to be surrounded by eager mothers pushing one increasingly desperate child at him after another, it has to be mortifying! Unless of course you are the type of gentleman whose ego enjoys such stroking, and certainly I have met enough of those sorts, even before I met my dear husband. My Aunt Philips was present and I was surprised that Mama did not appear with Kitty in tow!

  Besides the local young ladies coming forward there were two others of note, the Simkins sisters, along with their mother. How they knew that Mr. Bingley was in residence or that Mrs. Hurst was receiving guests today is a mystery. I suppose that their estate’s distance from Meryton is not so great that such news would easily be spread. I understand it was Mrs. King overhearing our conversation at church about Miss Martin visiting that got the word out around Meryton. In any case, into Netherfield walked the Simkins sisters; and poor Miss Martin, already relegated to a corner while the others pressed around Mrs. Hurst and Mr. Bingley, had to witness Miss Simkins, a stunningly beautiful woman, enter the room and stop all conversation. She was radiant in her beauty and quite frankly, her behaviour, conversation, manners, everything, were absolutely spot on perfect. She was the answer to every mother of the ton’s wish for her son’s wife, if her pedigree and sister’s past were not considered. Poised, perfect, educated. She made the girls of Meryton look like servants, and Abbey shrank in her glow. Mr. Bingley was momentarily dumbstruck, I cannot blame him, as he told Fitzwilliam later, he had never seen Miss Simkins actually be herself before. I suppose that being at home and away from having to play the game of town was behind it. Miss Martin could hardly compete in such a melee, and Miss Simkins cannot help that she was essentially the town version of Jane. Mrs. Simkins was clearly assessing the competition, and I am not sure that I liked her sharp eye landing on Abbey. Fitzwilliam was playing time keeper and when the half hour was up, bent to my ear and told me that I was the only woman in that room who could command control since Mrs. Hurst was lost. I called out to her that we really had to return to our interrupted plans. I was proud to see Mr. Bingley snap to the call and he bowed to the ladies, and pointedly offered his arms to Miss Martin and Mrs. Long, and led them from the room. Jane and Robert immediately followed, Fitzwilliam’s eyes were twinkling when he took my arm, and Mr. Hurst took Mrs. Hurst’s arm and announced that he will be happy to show the ladies the way to the door. It happened so quickly that they had no time to react. I am sure though that tongues wagged busily all afternoon!

  Elizabeth laughed softly and chewed on the end of her pen. “Command control.”

  Fitzwilliam is preoccupied with something. I tried to convince him to talk about it this afternoon in the garden

  “What amuses you, love?” Darcy blew out the candle in the dressing room and joined her in a chair next to the writing desk, and read her entry. When he reached the end their gazes met, and deliberately, he closed the book. “I love it when you become the mistress of Pemberley.” He ran his foot up beneath her dressing gown and along her bare leg. “Very, very inspiring.”

  Elizabeth accepted his wish to delay the conversation and smiled, capturing his foot in her hands. “You did not dare become inspired in that company.”

  “No, but I surely wanted to carry you off to bed.” Rising to his feet, he bent down and scooped her up.

  “Will!” She squealed.

  “No, my love, you have had a long and difficult day. Yesterday was worse. Our daughter seems comfortable, despite her desire to hear the same story ten times …”

  “Fifteen.”

  “Fifteen.” He laughed. “Mother Goose is driving Robert Burns from my mind.”

  “It is both poetry, of a sort.” Elizabeth pursed her lips when he snorted. “Do you feel your brain shrinking?”

  “Only my brain.” He whispered huskily and laying her down onto the enormous bed, kissed her lingeringly. Stepping to the fireplace to add some logs and a few lumps of coal, he turned and smiled. “That should hold us for a while. No wind in here.”

  “No.” Elizabeth’s hands went to her mouth when he whipped off his nightshirt and stood before her, naked and very aroused. “Ohhh.”

  “I told you I was not shrinking, love.” Climbing onto the bed, he crawled over to her and smiled, tugging at the night dress. “Off.”

  “You were so concerned with my lack of sleep!” She clutched the gown protectively, but failed at suppressing her laughter. Darcy hovered above and licked her lips. “ohhhh.”

  “Off.” He tugged again. “I have been in a state of unrelieved arousal since we left Oakham Mount, Miss Bennet. That is three days too long.”

  “You plan to compromise me, sir?” She gasped.

  “Oh yes.” He whispered against her ear. “You see, I have determined that Miss Elizabeth Bennet paid a call on Netherfield, much as the ladies today did.”

  “And who was she seeking? Mr. Bingley?”

  “Noooo, there were two unmarried men here, were there not?” Darcy’s tongue traced down her neck and then back up to suckle below her ear. Elizabeth’s back arched. “Your sister Jane accompanied you.”

  “And?” She moaned when he nipped her and licked over the tender spot.

  “She saw no person of interest. But you, you Miss Elizabeth, were attracted to the proud man standing alone in the corner.”

  “I was? Why would I want a … ohhhhhhhhhh, Will!” Darcy had slipped his hands up her gown to caress her thighs while his mouth found her lips and kissed her deeply.

  “What do you want?” He demanded.

  “A proud …”

  “You liked to argue with him.”

  “Of course.”

  “You wanted to see why he was so unfriendly.”

  “I could not make him out.” Elizabeth reached her hands up to drag his face down to hers and kissed him hungrily. “I so wanted to know him.”

  “And he wanted you.”

  “Why?” She looked up to his darkened eyes and caressed his hair. “Why?” />
  “He was lonely and she made his heart light.” Darcy smiled down at her and she kissed his nose. “He wanted to hold onto that joy he had never known, so he hatched a plan.”

  “Oh?” Elizabeth laughed and stretched to grasp his bobbing shaft. Darcy shook his head and moved his hips out of reach.

  “Not yet.” He kissed her and mouthed her breasts through the fabric of her gown. “He noticed that Miss Jane Bennet had a cold.”

  “She had been riding in the rain, I believe.”

  “Foolish thing to do, but …”

  “Her mother ordered it.” Elizabeth sighed. “We both had ridden to Netherfield in the rain.”

  “But she became feverish, and the proud man …”

  “You.”

  Darcy looked up from where he had raised her gown to her naval. “Me.” He kissed the baby. “Suggested that she stay the night.”

  “And I would remain as well?” Elizabeth gasped when his lips and tongue wandered down to her thighs, and nudging them apart, he suckled her pearl until she cried out with the pleasure. Darcy looked back up at her, smiling and licking his lips, then crawled back up her body, lifting the gown off as he did and tossed it away. They watched it float down to a chair and looked back at each other. Darcy moved so that he could trace the tip of his erection over her lips, and closed his eyes when they parted and he sank into her warm, welcoming mouth.

  “Ohhhhh, Lizzy.” He groaned and slowly thrust, and revelled in the feel of her tongue swirling over him as her hands did the same over his bottom. Desperately trying to hold back, he looked down at her as he moved. “I love your kiss, Lizzy, I love it.” Finally, he pulled away and fell upon her, drawing her tightly to his body, moulding her soft form to his and kissing that beautiful mouth. “I … I would come to your room.”

  “And …”

  “I would ravish you.” Darcy bit her neck, then suckled it hard, not caring about the mark he surely would leave, then down to her breasts, sucking, licking, teething her nipples and running his enormous hands all over her warm skin. His breathing was erratic, and when he lifted his head to return to her mouth, groaned in pleasure when she rolled him over and lay on top, now covering his chest with kisses, nibbling his dark, puckered nipples, teasing her hands down through the wiry hair of his chest and to caress and weigh his stones. “You want to ravish me, Miss Bennet?” He gasped.