“Must we?”
Her pleading look was almost his undoing, but in the nick of time, remembered that it should be enough that she wished to be with him. With that knowledge, perhaps he could restrain his baser impulses. “Your wish is my command, my love.”
He expected her to pull away from him then, but instead she leaned her head against his shoulder with a contented sigh. He tightened his arms around her, so that at least he could have the pleasure of feeling her body against his. He still could not believe that she had finally agreed to marry him. If he had his way, she would stay in his arms forever.
A feline yowl, followed by a loud hiss, interrupted his reverie, and he regretfully released Elizabeth.
“What in the world was that?”
Her bewitching smile was back. “If I am not mistaken, there is a green-eyed monster in the woods.” She crouched down and snapped her fingers. “Tully! All is well. He was not hurting me.”
A small nose appeared from under a bush, followed by the rest of a large ginger cat. He stalked over to Elizabeth and rubbed against her hand. She glanced up as she scratched under the cat’s ears, sending him into paroxysms of pleasure. “This is Tully, who has apparently appointed himself as my chaperone.”
“So this is the famous cat that Georgiana was so enchanted by?”
“Oh, yes, he took quite a shine to Georgiana. He loved sitting on her lap. He will be glad to see her again.”
She stroked the cat’s fur one last time and then rose to her feet. “Speaking of Georgiana, we have probably left her alone with my family for long enough.”
Darcy took her hand, entwining his fingers with hers. “Do you suppose your father would permit me to take you to Netherfield tomorrow? There is something I would very much like to show you there.”
***
Mr. Bennet’s permission having been duly sought and given, Darcy collected Elizabeth shortly after breakfast the following day. If it happened that Darcy’s sense of direction was such that the curricle took a remarkably indirect route back to Netherfield, Elizabeth made no complaints.
Georgiana met them on their eventual arrival at Netherfield. Elizabeth had hoped to find her back to her usual spirits after a night’s rest, but the girl remained quiet and withdrawn. Elizabeth wondered if she tended to be more restrained in her brother’s presence, or whether she might be less than pleased over their engagement.
Elizabeth attempted to draw her into conversation, but with limited success. Finally she turned to Darcy.
“Did you not tell me there was something you wished to show me here?”
He smiled. “Yes, but we will have to go outside for it. Georgiana, would you care to join us?”
The girl demurred, pleading a need to practice her music. Darcy seemed perfectly happy to have his intended to himself as they went outside.
Elizabeth seized the private moment to ask a question. “Is anything troubling Georgiana? She does not seem particularly glad to see me on this trip, but perhaps she is just tired from travelling yesterday.”
Darcy frowned. “In truth, I do not know. She seemed genuinely delighted when I told her of our engagement, and spoke with great enthusiasm of having you as her sister. But the next day, she became unusually quiet, almost withdrawn. I am concerned for her, but I do not think it has anything to do with you.
She had just gone out with one of her friends from school. Perhaps they quarreled.”
“I will try to find some time with her alone. Perhaps I can discover what is troubling her. I know your family must disapprove of the match, and it would be dreadful if she felt that way as well.”
“If you can convince her to talk to you, I would be very much in your debt. And here is our destination.”
“The stables?” Elizabeth hesitated just outside the door. “I should warn you that I am not particularly partial to horses.”
He raised a surprised eyebrow. “Indeed? Fortunately, it is not a horse which I wish to show you.”
A smile illuminated her face. “Then I will be happy to see it.”
The smell of hay and horses suffused the half-lit stable. Elizabeth followed him to one of the stalls where he squatted next to a pile of wiggling fur. A sharp bark identified it as a dog even before her eyes adjusted to the darkness. But it was not just a dog, but a springer spaniel and pile of sleeping puppies.
Darcy looked up at her with a smile. “I hope you do not dislike dogs.”
She shook her head, leaning closer. A tiny brown nose poked its way out from the pile of puppies. She reached out a finger, then laughed as it was promptly cleaned by a rough puppy tongue.
Darcy ruffled his fingers in the dog’s fur. “This is Lycisce. I raised her from a pup, and her sire before her.”
“Lycisce? Is that not the name of one of Actaeon’s hounds?”
“ ‘Lycisce with her brother Cyprius,’ yes. My own Cyprius is at Pemberley still, but Lycisce does not like to be far from me when she is whelping. She would rather travel in a carriage surrounded by whimpering puppies than be left behind.”
Seeing his obvious affection for the dog, Elizabeth wondered with amusement to what degree Darcy also disliked being separated from her. “My father used to tell us stories from Ovid. I remember the tale of the hounds well.”
Darcy extricated a small bundle of black and white fur from the pile. “Would you like to hold one? They are almost six weeks old.”
Elizabeth took it gingerly, then cradled the warm puppy against her chest, perching herself on a low bale of hay. The puppy stretched, then butted her hand with its nose. “Do they have names?”
“Not yet. I have not decided whether I will keep one.”
“I do not know how you could bear to give them up! What will happen to the others?”
“They will go to various families. The line is well-known for their hunting abilities. Georgiana had planned to take one, but decided on a cat instead after making friends with yours.”
“Tully? I am not surprised.”
“Tully is an odd name for a cat.”
Elizabeth blushed. “It is short for Catullus. Another classical reference, but for far less dignified reasons, as you can imagine.” She stroked the puppy’s soft fur. He seemed determined to explore; his tongue reached out to her cheek. A warm feeling spread through her as she held him close.
Darcy watched her in silence, transfixed by her softened expression. Elizabeth’s fine eyes had shown so many moods over the course of their acquaintance – teasing, lively, infuriated, restrained, contemptuous, tearful, and more recently full of desire – but he had never seen this look before. What would it be like to have that unguarded and adoring gaze turned on him, as if Elizabeth trusted him with her very soul? Someday it would happen, he hoped, when they had spent more time together and there was less uncertainty, perhaps when they had children of their own. The idea of Elizabeth, her body rounded with his child within her, was enough to set his blood racing with desire to make his vision into reality.
Lycisce gave a low growl. Darcy shushed her, then said, “I believe she has had enough company for now.
She is very protective of her pups.”
Elizabeth was oddly reluctant to give up the snuggling puppy. Impulsively she said, “Could I have this one when he is old enough?”
Darcy’s face lit up. “Of course. You may have anything your heart desires.”
She kissed the puppy’s head, then placed him carefully next to his mother, her hand lingering for a moment on his head. Then she took Darcy’s hands. “Thank you.”
“You need not thank me.”
“I meant for showing me the puppies. They are precious.”
“Not as precious as you, my love.” His lips brushed against hers. “My sweetest, loveliest Elizabeth.”
Without a thought she moved into his arms. It was risky enough being alone in the stable without adding an illicit embrace to her sins, but she longed for the comfort of him and the sense of his strength flowing around her and
into her.
He nuzzled her forehead until she raised her face to him, then he kissed her eyes and her cheeks before reaching his mouth. Enveloped by his scent of musk and leather, she felt the tip of his tongue tracing her lips, sending tingles of excitement plummeting through her. Her lips parted, allowing him to deepen the kiss and send her into a blissful world of sensation.
His hands stroked her back, so lightly that it caused a frisson of sensation, drawing all her attention to the points in her body where he touched her, creating a longing for more. He made a guttural sound as his hands slid down to the curves of her waist, then further down until he pulled her hips firmly against his thighs. Now it was her turn to gasp at the swell of desire from her private places as he rubbed against her. The sensation was almost too much, threatening to make her forget everything beyond this moment. If she did not stop now, she might not find the strength to do so later.
Reluctantly she pushed against his shoulders, first tentatively, as if she hoped he would disregard her scruples, then more firmly.
He released her immediately, though with a sigh. “My dearest Elizabeth, I hope at least you are in no doubt as to how ardently I adore you.”
She gave an arch smile which was only a bit shaky. “I am beginning to understand that, yes.”
“However, you may be certain that if visiting puppies always leads to such delightful diversions, there will be puppies all over Pemberley.”
She laughed, as he had intended, and they returned to the house without further incident.
CHAPTER 19
It was two days before Elizabeth found the opportunity to speak to Georgiana, who still seemed disinclined to talk. Finally, after having several conversational gambits meet with little more than polite silence, Elizabeth said, “I have long wanted to apologize to you for my unfortunate words at Pemberley. In addition to being under a misapprehension about Mr. Wickham’s character, I had no idea that a mention of his name would be hurtful to you, or I never would have said such a thing.”
Georgiana seemed unusually interested in the pattern on her teacup. “You need not apologize. It was nothing. I should not have reacted as I did.”
Elizabeth reached over and laced her hand with the girl’s. “Georgiana, I hope that when we are sisters, you will feel able to confide in me. I am used to having sisters to share my sensibilities and my secrets, and you will be as dear to me as any of them.”
Georgiana blinked hard. “I would like that, too. I will tell you the truth, then. I know that you are fond of Mr. Wickham. You need not worry about me. I will not make a fuss.”
Elizabeth frowned. “You are under a misapprehension, then. I was once fooled by Mr. Wickham’s charm, I admit, but I now know him to be a blackguard of the worst sort.”
It was clear that Georgiana did not believe her. “That is not what he told me a few days ago.”
“I beg your pardon?” Elizabeth was sure she must have misunderstood the girl.
“He said he is a great favourite of yours, and he has high hopes that once you and Fitzwilliam are married, you will be able to convince my brother to allow him to return to Pemberley.” Her voice trailed away to a whisper at the end.
Elizabeth hardly knew what to say. “Georgiana, Mr. Wickham is aboard a ship to Canada, if he has not arrived there already,” she said gently.
A tear dropped from the girl’s face. “I do not know who told you that, but he is in London. I saw him.”
“Are you certain?” Elizabeth’s first thought was that Darcy would be furious.
“Of course I am certain. I am hardly likely to make a mistake of that sort, am I?”
“Does your brother know?”
“I did not tell him. He has been so happy about your engagement, and I did not want to spoil that for him.
You need not worry. I can tolerate Mr. Wickham’s company.” The tears welling in her eyes belied her brave words.
“Well, I cannot! I do not understand how this has come to pass, but what he told you is not true. He may believe it himself, though I cannot imagine how. I have not seen him since before I first met you, and I have been very happy in thinking that our paths would never cross again. Even if your brother were to allow him to return, which I cannot imagine under any circumstances, I would not.”
Georgiana buried her face in her hands, her shoulders shaking silently. Wordlessly Elizabeth brought out her handkerchief and slipped it into the girl’s hand. At first she could do nothing but to wait and watch compassionately, but as Georgiana dabbed at her eyes and began to regain her composure, Elizabeth put her arm around her.
Georgiana said in a trembling voice, “Please forgive me, Elizabeth; I am so sorry to be behaving like a child. I never know who to believe, it seems.”
“You have done nothing wrong,” Elizabeth reassured her. “But your brother needs to know of this.”
“No!” cried Georgiana. “Please, do not tell him. He will be so angry!”
“He will be angry, yes,” Elizabeth said gently, “but not at you. He needs to be aware of this.”
“I cannot bear it when they fight!”
For a moment Elizabeth was unsure of her meaning, then she understood. “Your brother and Mr.
Wickham?”
The words began to tumble out of Georgiana’s mouth. “I do not understand why Fitzwilliam hates him so much, and cannot see his good features. And once they begin to quarrel, then George says the most outrageous things and it is as if he is a different person entirely. Why can’t they just talk to one another? They used to be best of friends.”
This was an unexpected complication. Elizabeth had assumed that Georgiana would share her poor opinion of Mr. Wickham. “I am of your brother’s mind on this,” she said very gently. “After all, he is the man who ruined my sister Lydia.”
Georgiana dashed tears from her eyes. “I know that, but I also know him. He was always very kind to me.
He would never have done such a thing had he not been driven to extremities of poverty. Oh, I understand why my brother could not allow me to marry a steward’s son, and that George was more interested in my dowry than in me.” Her voice shook, and she was silent for a moment. “But even poor men must have something to live on, you know. I cannot blame him for that.”
Elizabeth opened her mouth to contradict her, but then recalled saying something similar herself on hearing of Wickham’s engagement to Mary King. How easy it was to fall into a web of half-truths! And Georgiana was very young. “I cannot put as kind an interpretation on it, but regardless, he will not be welcome at Pemberley or anywhere else I might be. You may rest assured of that.”
Georgiana pressed the handkerchief over her eyes. “Thank you. I do not believe him a bad man, but when I see him, it brings back all the horrible mistakes I made and how foolish I was.”
“Of course,” Elizabeth said soothingly.
***
Darcy scowled at the newspaper in front of him, not seeing a word of it. It wasn’t that he begrudged the time Elizabeth was spending with Georgiana; he was grateful that she was taking on part of his burden of discovering what was lowering his sister’s spirits. He did not doubt that Elizabeth would like to see him as well, and he certainly was not jealous of his own sister. It was just that it was damned difficult to concentrate on anything knowing that Elizabeth was only a few rooms away from him and not with him - not, of course, that he would be concentrating on anything but Elizabeth if she were there.
He missed her with a longing that went beyond the purely physical, though it was indubitably physical as well. Her passionate response to his kisses was both a delight and a torment. Having finally won her consent, he wanted to be married to her now, or at the very least, to indulge in the greater permissivity a more sophisticated lady might permit during engagement. He had heard often enough of such things at his club, but Elizabeth had not been raised among the ton and was unlikely to share those sentiments, and he had no intention of asking her for more than she was willing t
o give. He was too grateful that she was giving him anything at all.
Still, when he thought of the months they had wasted and how they could have been married by now, he could not help wanting more of her. Even now that they were formally engaged, he still had moments of being uncertain of her regard and fearing that some other impediment might come between them. And it certainly did not help that she was with Georgiana instead of him, and thus denying him even the modest relief he could find in her kisses.
As if conjured by his thoughts, at that moment Elizabeth herself slipped inside the room. The latch clicked audibly as she shut the door behind her. Darcy spared no more than a second on hoping that his sister was not aware that they were alone together behind a closed door. Those sentiments were too rapidly overcome by his imagination flying to how best to enjoy these moments of privacy with Elizabeth.
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