Most Ardently

by Sheena Austin et al.

  Elinor jumped up and down. “We will have a blast. We will be staying at this cute little bed-and-breakfast.”

  Elizabeth plastered on a fake smile. “Oh, goody. I can hardly wait.”

  “I can see you can hardly contain your enthusiasm, or should I say sarcasm. Come on, Lizzy, you definitely need this. Now pack and I’ll take Darcy to your mother’s. Get plenty of rest because I’ll be here bright and early.”

  “How bright and early?”

  “Three a.m. sharp.”

  Elizabeth stared at her grandfather clock, which chimed eight o’clock. “At least I can get a decent amount of sleep before you drag me off across the world.”

  Elinor hugged her. “That’s the spirit, now off you go. Now, where is Darcy?”

  Elizabeth shrugged. “I have no idea, but if you get a bag of treats and shake them he’ll come running.”

  Elinor went into the kitchen and grabbed the bag of treats off the counter and began to shake them. The sound of nails clicked on the hardwood floor, Darcy skidded into the kitchen and collided into Elinor’s legs. She bent down and gave him some treats. “Good boy, you’re going to come with Auntie Elle.”

  Darcy looked up at her and whimpered indicating he wanted more treats. “You’ll get more later.” Elinor looked up at Elizabeth. “Where’s his carrier?”

  Elizabeth went into her bedroom and brought out Darcy’s carrier. Thankfully, it wasn’t a huge crate. Darcy was a tiny Yorkie and didn’t require much space.

  Elizabeth picked up Darcy and placed him in his carrier.

  Elinor grinned. “Fantastic, now I’m going to take Darcy to my mom’s place, and you go pack. I’ll be here to drag your butt out of bed at three a.m.”

  Elizabeth groaned. “Why such an early flight? Couldn’t we just take a later one?”

  “No, I believe the sooner we get there, the better. Also, hopefully, the happier I can make you. You are miserable here, Lizzy. You need a change of scenery. Now go to bed and I’ll see you in the morning.” Elinor blew a kiss and walked out with Darcy.

  Elizabeth threw some stuff in her suitcase reluctantly and crawled into bed. Sleep came faster than she’d expected.

  ELINOR ARRIVED AT THREE a.m. to wake up Lizzy as promised. Lizzy rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and barked at Elinor. “I’m revoking your key privileges and not talking to you ever again.”

  “You’ll get over it once you have the best time of your life on our trip.”

  “I highly doubt it,” Lizzy retorted.

  “Snap out of it, we’ve got a plane to catch.” Elinor dragged Lizzy out of bed and pushed her toward the bathroom. “Get ready so we can go.”

  “All right, all right, I’ll be ready in a moment.”

  Half an hour later they were at the airport. Elizabeth started to wake up and un-zombify. This might not be such a bad idea, she thought to herself, but she didn’t want Elinor to know since she’d probably wouldn’t let her live it down.

  Once inside the airport, Elizabeth heard the faint sound of Christmas music and people talking. She let out a tiny sigh. She didn’t have a family to say good-bye to. Tears began to burn her eyes and she let out another sigh, louder this time. A hand instantly was on her shoulder. “I’m sorry, Lizzy, I know this must be hard on you.”

  “It’s okay, I’ll be fine.”

  “I know what will cheer you up. I’ll be right back. You stay right here, Lizzy.” Elinor sat Elizabeth down next to a Christmas tree in the middle of the airport.

  Elizabeth began to protest, but Elinor was gone before she could say no. Oh my God, where is she off to?

  Several shops and throngs of people coming and going surrounded her. Elizabeth’s eyes darted around in search of her friend. Elizabeth jumped when she felt someone tapping on her shoulder. “You look like a lost puppy.”

  She spun around to see Elinor with two cups in her hands.

  “Thank God, please don’t leave me alone again. You know my anxiety is sky high before I travel.”

  “Relax, Lizzy. I come bearing hot chocolate for you. I know the way to your heart through your stomach.” Elinor winked.

  Elizabeth took the hot chocolate and took a long sip. It was the right temperature and thankfully she wouldn’t get a burnt tongue before boarding the plane.

  “Feeling better?” Elinor asked as she took a sip of her coffee.

  “Much. Thank you, I needed my chocolate fix.”

  “Now how about we go through security and board our plane?”

  Elizabeth nodded in agreement and walked toward security. Elizabeth relaxed as she saw that there wasn’t a line to go through security. Maybe this won’t be so bad after all, she thought.

  ELIZABETH TOOK A DEEP breath, after hearing the announcement to board the plane. Elinor took squeezed her hand to in attempts to comfort Elizabeth. “You’ll be fine, I promise.”

  “Do you know for sure?”

  “Honey, the odds of dying in a plane crash is one in eleven million, and you are more likely to die in a car crash because that is one in five thousand.”

  “That makes me feel better, so either I’ll die in a plane crash or a car accident.”

  “Would you rather die having sex?”

  “That sounds like more fun. But can we stop talking about dying, here? And did you bring the good stuff, so I’ll be out like a light, and won’t know what hit me if we do crash?”

  “Yeah, don’t worry. I got you some Valium.”

  Twenty minutes after popping the Valium, Elizabeth’s eyes fluttered. She tried to follow what the pilot was announcing but she couldn’t hold on to the words. They faded just as quickly as she slipped into a deep sleep.

  Turbulence jolted Elizabeth awake, the feeling of falling accelerated her heart. Fear shot through her., Oh My God, we’re crashing. She blinked to regain focus of her surroundings. Her heart beat wildly against her chest. She attempted to unbuckle herself, but she didn’t feel the buckle. She tried to scream but nothing would come out. Her eyes finally adjusted to the darkness. She was no longer on the plane, instead; she was standing in the middle of a well-lit ballroom. The ballroom was decorated with Christmas trees, holly, and crystal chandeliers. She rubbed her eyes and shook her head. “I’m dead, the plane crashed, and the impact hit me before I knew it.”

  A man laughed behind her. She spun around to see a hauntingly handsome figure approach her. “If this were Heaven, my dearest, then I would surely be escorted out for I am not worthy of such beauty and of this place.”

  Elizabeth took a step back and stumbled over the long gown she wore. Before she hit the floor, the mystery man scooped her up in his arms.

  “It would seem you would be a clumsy angel and here I thought all angels were graceful.” He winked.

  She stared into his chocolate brown eyes and her breath hitched as his lips grew closer. She closed her eyes anticipating a kiss but was sorely disappointed when he laid a gentle kiss on her cheek. She felt his fingers linger down her face and down her neckline. “Darling, you tease me with your gown. You could bring empires down with your beauty.”

  She opened her eyes and looked down to see what exactly he was talking about. She was wearing a white gown with a see-through bodice and a white bra underneath. She blushed and quickly surveyed to see anyone noticed her. She returned her gaze to him. He pulled her closer and whispered in her ear. “You act as if you are shy, my love. Do not be modest, I look forward to seeing that dress on the floor later.” She gasped at his forwardness and before she could say anything, he pressed his lips against hers. His tongue danced in her mouth and she found herself responding, almost against her will.

  Chills ran down her spine at the contact of his lips against hers. Words could not form nor could she speak. “Why?”

  The man looked at her quizzically. “I can only presume you are asking why I kissed you?”

  Elizabeth nodded and whispered. “Yes.”

  The man flashed a dazzling white smile. “You are adorning mistletoe.”r />
  Elizabeth’s hands flew up to her hair and felt a wreath of some sort in her hair. She pulled a piece and examined it. Why am I wearing a freaking wreath in my hair? “This is not mistletoe. It’s holly and ivy. How can you mistake this for mistletoe?”

  The man shrugged and laughed. “I was blinded by your beauty.”

  Elizabeth rolled her eyes. I’m surely dead. I mean this guy is making jokes, but I’ll let him slide because he’s super-hot.

  The jolt she felt earlier shot through her body again. The man disappeared along with the ballroom. She began free falling, her screams were mute, her eyes wide as she fell through vivid scenes of another’s life. She heard her name being called in the distance. It was distorted as if she were underwater. A jab to her ribs caused her eyes to fly open, and she stared into a pair of green eyes. Her thoughts were muddled and disoriented. She blinked and her vision refocused.

  “Elizabeth, you were snoring.”

  Elizabeth stared blankly and then it registered, it was her friend Elinor who assaulted her. “I don’t snore.” She retorted.

  “Yes, you do. I couldn’t stand it any longer and the old, grumpy gentleman in the back offered to smother you with his pillow. I was about to oblige. Then I decided to wake you up with bodily force because I’d hate to be alone on this trip.”

  Elizabeth’s eyes grew wide with shock then she smiled. “How kind of you, not to smother me.”

  “You’re very welcome. It wouldn’t be very friend like of me. Anyway, according to the captain, we are another four hours away.”

  “Are you telling me I’ve been asleep for two hours?”

  “You were out like a light and then you started snoring.”

  “I guess I can watch a movie, so I won’t get killed in my sleep.”

  “Good idea” Elinor reached into her purse and presented Elizabeth with a portable DVD player and earphones.

  “Anything good in this thing?”

  “Only the best, Pride and Prejudice, the Colin Firth version.”

  Elizabeth couldn’t stay focused on the movie; she dozed off at the part where Mr. Darcy bumped into Elizabeth after a dip in the lake.

  Her eyes fluttered, the man that kissed her reappeared. She was in the ballroom again; the man walked toward her. She frantically looked around and wanted to hide from him. She was in a room filled with masked people and not one of them paid attention to her silent plea or paid her any attention.

  Laughter filled the air and voices echoed in the corner of the ballroom. There stood an unmasked beautiful woman, surrounded by several masked suitors. Elizabeth as if being pulled by some magnetic force, moved toward the group. Her jaw dropped when she caught a glimpse of the woman. It was as if she were looking in a mirror and seeing her reflection. Elizabeth’s jaw dropped and her knees grew weak. “Impossible,” she whispered.

  The suitors and the woman turned in her direction. She whispered more loudly than she had thought. The woman pushed the men aside and glided toward Elizabeth. Elizabeth was now face to face with her reflection.

  Her reflection spoke in contempt. “Such a peculiar attire you wear, Caroline. No modesty whatsoever. Your undergarments are showing. Your latest fashions from France are appalling and lack modesty.”

  Elizabeth recoiled at the venom found in the woman’s voice. At first, she was confused to stand before a doppelganger. That quickly faded as the woman’s words sunk in. Elizabeth squared her shoulders back and stared her reflection down. “First off, I’m not Caroline and secondly nobody tells me where I belong and don’t belong. You are no better than me.”

  The woman gasped in shock. “How dare you speak to me in such a tone? If you are not Caroline, you are a party crasher and I shall have you escorted out.” She snapped her fingers, and the men surrounded Elizabeth.

  Elizabeth felt a tight grip on her forearm, and she spun around to see a masked man with piercing, twinkling, chocolate eyes. Elizabeth shuddered at his touch and closeness. He leaned in and whispered, “We must go before something terrible happens.”

  “Take her to the dungeon at once. I do not want to see the likes of her ever again.” The woman spat.

  The man nodded and Elizabeth began to struggle. The man only held onto her tighter, which caused her body to react in a totally different manner than what she was attempting.

  “Do not fight me, my dove. I will not be throwing you in the dungeon.”

  Chills ran down Elizabeth’s spine as she felt his hot breath on her neck. She tried not to lick her lips again as his cologne embedded its scent in her nose and every pore of her body. The man oozed authority and sex appeal. He wrapped his arms around her waist and dragged her through a hallway. He leaned her against the wall and with the other hand she couldn’t tell what he was doing. He was blocking her sight, however, she could tell that there was no sight of her doppelganger. “You’ll be safe with me. Just do not run away.”

  Elizabeth tried to extract herself from underneath him. “Let me go now and explain all of this.”

  He picked her up and tucked themselves away into a hidden passageway. He placed her against a wall and pinned her against the wall with his chiseled body. Her breath hitched and her pulse raced. He brushed his lips against her ear. “You are nothing but trouble. She’ll have your head, you know.”

  “Who is she and why would she have my head?”

  “That is my wife, and she detests strangers crashing her party.”

  “If she is your wife, why are you manhandling and flirting with me?”

  “We do not have the most harmonious of marriages. Well, not anymore.”

  “Great, I’m a home-wrecker, and without even trying to be one. Also, how can she harm me, anyway?”

  “She is most deadly with the bow and arrow.”

  Elizabeth laughed, and he placed his hand over her mouth. “Hush, she will find us.”

  She yanked his hand off her mouth. “I’m not worried, this is only a dream. She can’t harm me; all I have to do is wake up.”

  “Oh, then if this is just merely a dream, then I can do this—” He grazed his lips against her ears.

  She moaned anticipating his next move. She pushed him away. “Stop, this is madness.”

  “Is it? Then why does your face tell me otherwise? It would seem you are enjoying this very much.” He placed his hands around her waist.

  She moaned and pressed her body against his. “Damn it, I can’t do this, even if it’s just a dream. You have a wife, even though you are both unhappy, I won’t cheat in a dream.”

  He smiled and wrapped his arms around her waist. “You are an honorable woman, even if you are dreaming. I wish my wife, were the same.”

  Elizabeth’s eyes darted around, trying to get her mind off how badly she wanted to do more than just a kiss. “So, what’s your deal? I’d like to know your name. Also, what’s up with your marriage and your wife?”

  The man let go of Elizabeth and bowed before her. “Fitzwilliam Darcy, at your service and your name, my dove?”

  Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. “Oh, what the heck, I’m Elizabeth Bennet and this takes the cake. I need to lay off the Valium. Let me guess, your wife is the Elizabeth Bennet and I’m in a secret passageway at Pemberley?”

  Darcy took a step back and his face went white. “You and my wife share more than just a resemblance of features, but also your names are the same name. As for your other question, of course not, we’re at Longbourn. How do you know of my wife and of Pemberley? I have never seen you before in my life.”

  “Trust me, I know all about you, Mr. Darcy and your wife Elizabeth. You are literary icons and you aren’t very becoming of your character at all. You are practically cheating on your wife with me.”

  Darcy scoffed. “Well, it would seem you know much about me and I know very little about you.”

  “That’s on a need to know basis and you don’t need to know.” Elizabeth snickered.

  Darcy inched closer to Elizabeth. “I would very much love to know
you.”

  “No way, this is convoluted. I look like your wife out there, a spitting image. Is that why you’ve been hanging around me? Trying to make up for your crappy marriage by having a redo with me?”

  Darcy slammed his hand against the wall and pushed away from Elizabeth. “Your charms are fading, my dove. You are grating on my nerves. I am wondering what makes you no different from my wife?”

  Elizabeth winced at the infliction of anger in Darcy’s voice. “Well, you just killed the mood.” Elizabeth retorted.

  “My apologies. I must have imbibed too many spirits. Please forgive me for my actions. My wife and I no longer join as man and wife in the bedchamber.”

  “And that gives you an excuse to hook up with me?”

  “No, it does not. She has grown distant and cold in many other ways. She blames me for the miscarriage of our second child.” Sorrow filled Darcy’s voice.

  Elizabeth almost reached out to him to comfort him, but she stopped herself. This is legit soap opera material here.

  “I’m very sorry for your loss. I’m sure you can try to sweep her off her feet again and explain it wasn’t your fault. The Elizabeth and Darcy I know overcame their pride and prejudice and lived happily ever after.”

  “How do you know about our lives so much? If only real life were that simple.”

  “Well, seeing this is just a dream, I’ll educate you on the fine masterpiece written by Jane Austen, which is entitled Pride and Prejudice. With one handsome, Fitzwilliam Darcy and one Elizabeth Bennet, in which in the story you stated that she was not handsome enough to tempt you.”

  Elizabeth heard Darcy growl. “That’s ridiculous. I would never say such a thing.”

  “No, then what did you say when you met her?”

  “That as you said earlier is on a need to know basis and you shall not know.”

  “But was she tempting enough?”

  “Mayhap, but not as tempting as you are right now.”

  “Dude, seriously?”