by Abbey North
That morning, she emerged from the shelter well past him, having overslept. He smiled at her as he presented a makeshift tray made from leaves adorned with bananas, coconut, and those orange fruits. “I have tried and failed my hand at fishing yet again, Lizzy, so it is incumbent upon you to save us once more.”
She giggled as she took the plate of fruit and sat down on a rock. They had spent some time improving their shelter, including find two flat rocks and another larger one that worked as a crude table. She placed her makeshift plate on it now and started eating. “I shall attempt to catch fish after breakfast then.”
“I shall be endeavoring to catch something else.”
She looked up at him, clearly intrigued. “To what do you refer, Will?”
“Just this morning, I saw a wild boar when I was retrieving the bananas. Pork sounds quite lovely, does it not?”
She nodded, licking her lips with anticipation. “That would be most splendid, but are you certain it is safe? You do not have a musket.”
His spine stiffened. “I beg your pardon, Miss Bennet, but I am certain I can handle taking on a boar with a spear.”
She seemed on the verge of giggling. “It is true boar might not be quite as fast as fish.”
“Impudent.” With those words, he rushed toward her, and she giggled as she got her feet and started running. Fitzwilliam caught up with her shortly, bringing her down to the sand. He tickled her until she was pink in the face and begging for him to stop. “Retract your insult, Miss Bennet,” he said in a stiff tone, though he was unable to stifle his amusement.
She squirmed underneath him. “Fine. I retract the truth.”
“You are an irredeemable chit.” He continued to tickle her, realizing abruptly the way she was rubbing against him felt good in an entirely different way than just the camaraderie between them. His cock was growing heavy with need, and he ached to slide inside her.
Abruptly, he sat back, trying to control those urges. He was not opposed to anticipating their wedding vows, but he did not wish to rush Lizzy or make her think he wanted something corrupt from her and nothing permanent. “I shall accept your weak apology.”
If she realized why he’d withdrawn abruptly, she gave no indication. She was grinning, appearing as carefree as ever. “I have every confidence you shall overtake the boar, Mr. Darcy.” She winked at him. “A gentleman like you could do no less.”
She got to her feet, brushing off the nightdress she wore. It was ragged around the edges now and had crept up to midthigh rather than knee-level. He knew she must take it off sometimes to wash in the water, and she’d been to swim in the freshwater a few times, as had he. They acted as lookouts for each other, ensuring no animals approached, and it took every ounce of strength he had not to turn around and peek at her as she bathed, but he had maintained gentlemanly behavior in that regard.
He set out shortly after, having spent a good part of the morning whittling a few new spears while waiting for Lizzy to awaken and present her with her the bounty of fruit and the news he was going hunting.
He had never hunted wild boar, but he didn’t expect it to be much different from deer, and he tracked it successfully until he had it penned in an area against the rocks jutting from the cliff face near the water. Up close, the boar was more fearsome than he’d expected, with wickedly sharp tusks, but he was determined to provide protein for himself and Lizzy. She had become good at spearing fish, but there were still far more meals of fruit than anything else, and he didn’t want her to weaken. He didn’t want to weaken either, since it was his duty to protect her.
He lunged forward with a spear, landing only a glancing blow on in the hind quarter of the boar. He pulled it back as the animal turned, screeching at him in rage. Fitzwilliam had another spear ready to go, but the boar pushed right through it, running at him with great speed he had not expected. He scrambled up a nearby tree, but the tusk of the creature dug a deep furrow into his leg as it took a chunk of him while running by.
He cursed, looking down at the wound and wincing. He wasn’t far from the waterhole, so he made it his way there slowly, limping as he immersed his leg in the fresh water.
He looked up the sound moving through the jungle, grasping the spear he still held. He was afraid it was the boar coming back, perhaps determined to finish him off, but instead, Lizzy emerged from the undergrowth a moment later. She smiled at him at first until she realized there was a problem. “What is wrong?”
He looked away, flushing from the heat of embarrassment. “I am afraid the boar got the best of me.”
She rushed toward him, uncaring he was submerged in the water. She leaned down, feeling his leg for herself, apparently not realizing she was perched on his thigh to do so. Having her heated flesh so close to his skin, with only the wool of his breeches he had cut off to above the knee and her nightdress separating them was enough to make him hard, and it temporarily took away the pain.
“You might need stitches.”
“We do not have such supplies.” He sighed. “I am sorry, Lizzy. I planned a different outcome.”
She shrugged. “Animals are unpredictable. Let me help you up and back to our camp.” She ignored his protest as she stood up, aiding him from of the water and having him lean on her.
Fitzwilliam did his best to support most of his weight, but it was helpful to have her assistance. When they returned to their shelter a short time later, he collapsed onto the sand. He just wanted to rest and allow the wound to heal for a bit. He thought it would be a minor inconvenience. His pride stung far worse than his leg.
8
He was burning with fever. A little more than a day later, Lizzy was terrified Darcy was going to succumb to the infection raging through him. She did her best to keep his brow bathed with the cool water, and she continuously cleaned the wound. She tried to keep him fed and hydrated, but she feared he was losing the battle.
She sat beside him that evening, holding his hand when he thrashed on his leaves, and she curled her hands around his. “You have to be okay, Will. I do not want to do this without you. I do not think I can. Please, fight for me.” The idea of losing him was devastating, and Lizzy realized she had done the unthinkable. She’d fallen in love with a man who was rude, condescending, and considered himself better than her.
Yet, he could also be tender, gallant, and full of passion and concern. He was a dichotomy, and she couldn’t regret having experienced the pleasure of getting to know the Will he kept private. The idea of losing him now devastated her, and she bent forward to press a kiss to his forehead. “Open your eyes. Wake up, Will.”
He continued to thrash, so she kissed him again, her mouth gradually moving down, stopping first to kiss his nose, and then shyly touching his mouth. She’d never kissed a man before, and even in the current situation, when he was practically insensate, it still sent sparks through her. For a moment, she wanted to deepen the kiss, but it struck her as wrong to do so without him aware and consenting to being kissed.
She pulled away with a sigh and laid down beside him, knowing she could do no more for him besides offer the comfort of her presence. She couldn’t bring herself to contemplate how bleak her existence would become if Fitzwilliam died, leaving her marooned alone on this island.
His fever broke the next morning, and he seemed far more alert than he had when she was so sure she would lose him. Lizzy remained at his side, still caring for him and refusing to leave him for more than a few minutes at a time. His appetite was still poor, but she was able to coax him to eat some of the orange fruit and a few bites of fish. His cheeks were still flushed, but she dared hope he was on the mend. “You are going to be fine, Will.”
He was still weak, but he said, “I had a strange dream. You were calling for me, begging for me to come to you. It helped me find my way.”
Her heart skipped a beat as she dared consider she had kept him from succumbing to the infection with her pleas the night before. “I did ask you to fight for me.” Ten
derly, she ran her fingers through his hair. “I am pleased you listened to me at least once, Will.”
His lips twitched, though he clearly had no strength to make a stronger reaction. “Perhaps one day, you shall reciprocate and do such an amazing thing as listen to me as well, Lizzy.”
Impulsively, she bent forward and kissed his cheek, though they both froze at the contact. His gaze locked with hers, and she hesitated for a moment, tempted to press her mouth to his again. Instead, she blinked and forced herself to pull back. “Let us not expect miracles, Mr. Darcy,” she said before sitting out. “I am going to try to catch more fish while you rest.”
9
Fitzwilliam was up to moving around within a few days, feeling much better. He could admit he liked the way Lizzy fussed over him, though it was getting a little annoying at times too. When she tried to prevent him from going to fetch water that morning, he gave her a stern look. “I am perfectly capable of doing so, Lizzy. Do step aside.”
With a sigh, she did so, and he plunged into the jungle. It didn’t take him long to realize she was following him, and while he appreciated her concern, she was starting to feel a bit like a mother hen.
He moved ahead of her quickly, darting behind a tree as he neared the edge of the water. When she emerged a moment later, he reached out and grabbed her, pulling her against him. “You do not need to follow me, madam. I am perfectly capable of getting water.”
She let out a startled screech, and he could feel her heart pounding against her chest where his arm crossed it. She jerked away from him, turning to glare at him. “That was most uncalled for. You gave me a fright, Mr. Darcy.”
His lips twitched. “I can always tell when you are quite annoyed with me, Lizzy. You call me Mr. Darcy.”
She harrumphed him. “If that were true, I would be calling you Mr. Darcy all the time, Mr. Darcy.” Shoulders back, she tossed in her head in the air and marched away from him.
Fitzwilliam chuckled as he set about fetching water, returning to her a short time later. As he did so, he saw she was occupied in the water, clearly trying to catch more fish. He set down the bark full of water near their shelter, and as he did so, he glanced inside.
Near the leaves she used for a bed, he saw the book her father had left her. The letter was sticking out of it, and he realized abruptly the envelope was unsealed. He moved closer, keeping an eye on her as he fished it from between the book pages. The seal had been broken at some point recently, and he was certain it had been intact just days ago. His heart raced as he realized what this might mean, and though he knew it was an unforgivable intrusion, he opened the letter and quickly read it.
My Dearest Lizzy,
It is with a heavy heart that I write this, for I fear I shall not be around to see you or your sisters happily married. First, I must apologize for leaving you in such a tenuous situation. I was never very good with managing funds, so I know you will suffer for my oversight. Perhaps I should have encouraged you to marry Mr. Collins when he offered, but I could not bring myself to do so. You would have been most unhappy, and having experienced a similar marriage, I would not wish that for you.
I leave instructions for you to only open this once you are in love, and that is because I hope and pray you will find love worthy of you, one that will make you delighted, and a man who will see to your happiness every day for the rest of your lives. He should be a kind and honorable man, and he must be an intellectual match for you, my dear, or you will grow bored. It is truly a special man who will capture your heart, and I regret I will not be around to meet him. Do not give up on the idea of finding such a love. I pray you will read this letter someday, when you have a man who takes care of you and loves you as much as I have, my dearest daughter.
Love, Papa.
Darcy blinked for a moment, overcome by the raw emotion of the letter and vowing he would be such a man. He would love Lizzy and treat her the way her father had desired. Gently, he folded the letter and returned it to the open envelope, sliding both into the book.
“What are you doing?” She sounded shrill.
He looked up, guilt most certainly visible on his face. “I was reading your letter.”
She glared at him. “You had no right, Mr. Darcy. That was a private correspondence from my father.”
“I know, but I suspected there was a reason you had opened it. After all, you are not to do so until you are in love.” He stepped forward, his heart hammering in his chest as she dropped a fish into the sand, not noticing it. “Are you in love, Lizzy?”
She licked her lips, but she didn’t answer. She didn’t flee, but she didn’t approach either.
Fitzwilliam stepped closer, reaching out for her and pulling her into his arms. She made no move to resist. “If you are in love, I feel I must tell you I am in love as well.”
Her eyes widened. “I should not wish to hear that just because certain a gentleman feels dutybound to repeat the words, Mr. Darcy.”
He laughed as he brushed his lips against her cheek. “And I would never say such a thing if I did not mean it. I love you, Elizabeth Bennet, and I want you to be my wife. If we are stuck here, we might never be able to legally formalize our union, but the instant the option is available to us, I fully intend to make you my wife. That is, if you love me and accept?” As he spoke, he kissed her neck, making her tremble. “Do you love me, Lizzy?” He practically whispered the words against her earlobe before nibbling gently.
She trembled as she surrendered, collapsing against him. “You must know I do, Will. When I thought I’d lost you…” She broke off, tears suddenly streaming from her eyes.
He kissed her, wanting to distract her from sadness. “I am convinced it was your voice that brought me back from the edge, Lizzy. I love you and want to be with you. I want every day of my life to be entwined with yours.”
Lizzy’s eyes gleamed, and she nodded as she lifted her head. He lowered his, and their lips met in a passionate kiss. He savored her taste on his lips before dipping his tongue into her mouth. She gasped at the intrusion before swaying closer, and he stroked his tongue slowly along hers, gliding carefully along the length of hers to enhance her pleasure as he tasted her. He imagined how his tongue could move in other parts of her and nearly spilled himself right then.
Before he completely lost control, he moved his mouth from hers to trail down her neck, pausing to nip the sensitive spot at the bend. She moaned and arched her neck, offering him freer access. He happily accepted, licking and sucking the spot for a long minute as she thrashed in his arms. She was so responsive to just a light touch that he couldn’t wait to see her burn completely with passion.
His hands moved quickly, grasping the hem of her nightdress and pulling it over her head. She blinked, looking dazed as she brought up an arm to cover her breasts. He intercepted it. “No. I want to see them.”
She blushed but lowered her arm to her side. He looked at the pert perfection before him. “Your eyes are not the only fine part of you, Lizzy.”
She giggled, though she still seemed self-conscious. That wouldn’t do. He had to ensure she was swept away with passion that precluded overthinking how she felt.
He bent his head, tasting one of her nipples and almost purring with satisfaction at the way she moaned. She was delicious, and he craved more. He deepened the kiss of his mouth against her breast, sucking in her nipple as she arched her back. She seemed mad with passion, and he was pleased to see her lost in the throes of pleasure he gave her.
Carefully, he eased her onto the leaves in their shelter, kneeling between her splayed legs. Fitzwilliam kissed her other breast and explored her stomach with his mouth before inhaling the spicy scent of her arousal. She clenched and trembled when his tongue darted inside her core seconds later, and he moaned his own pleasure at her flavor and how wet she was.
He was aching to be inside her, so he brought in a hand to assist his mouth. His fingers strummed over her pearl as she twitched and bucked against him while his tongu
e discovered all her secrets. When she came with a cry moments later, he almost released as well. Only knowing how much better it would be inside her helped him hold back.
He moved back long enough to strip off his breeches. He hadn’t bothered with the shirt this morning, so once he’d removed his boots, he was as bare as she was. He allowed her a moment to examine him with frank appraisal, realizing just how curious his Lizzy was. He fully intended to allow her full rein to explore that curiosity, but it would have to wait until the next time they made love. He needed to be inside her too badly to wait while she carefully and torturously investigated him.
She nibbled on her lip as he returned to her, cock in hand as he found her opening. “Will it hurt, Will?”
He frowned, straining to ease inside rather than thrust like an animal and rut her. “I hope it shall not, but I believe it might. I have never been with a virgin before, so I cannot say for certain.”
She bit harder on her lip. “Perhaps we should do something else instead.”
He managed a tight smile. “I promise you will enjoy this, even if it hurts at first.”
Lizzy appeared to be mustering her courage. “Very well. I am ready, Will.”
He grinned at her words, knowing she was girding herself for battle. He intended to ensure she enjoyed as much of the experience as possible.
Carefully, he surged inside her, moving slowly until he was fully seated to the hilt. She winced a couple of times, but she was blinking now. “Are you well?”
She had a hazy smile. “Very well, Will. It is most pleasurable. There was a tiny bit of pain, but it is already gone.”