by Pamela Lynne
“He will not come.” He once again looked at Mr. Bennet. “Mr. Gardiner will want to judge the situation first.”
“Mr. Bennet is ill. He would not deny him medical attention.”
“The man struck his sister. He will be fortunate to make it through this night.” As they talked, Remy stitched Darcy’s wound. He could not help but wince as the needle pierced his skin.
“He is Miss Elizabeth’s father. He is mad, but she would not want to see him harmed. When we are married, he will be my father as well. Would you allow someone to cause pain to your relations, regardless of their past behavior?”
Remy’s eyes became cold as he took in Darcy’s question. He looked as if he had something to say but instead returned to his task. He was nearly finished when they heard Mr. Gardiner enter the room.
“Bloody hell.”
Mr. Gardiner took in the scene around him then stepped over Mr. Bennet to reach Darcy. “Were you shot?”
“Just scratched. Remy managed to prevent any real damage.”
“Thank heavens for that.” Mr. Gardiner patted Remy’s shoulder then walked back to his brother-in-law, who was still lying prone on the floor. He kneeled down beside him and rocked on his heels.
“He still breathes.” Remy was right, he was not pleased.
Darcy knew he should intervene before the man felt a boot on his throat. “Uncle, before he awakes, I would like to get him on the road back to Longbourn. I should like to get him settled with a guard and a nurse and visit with Mrs. Bennet before I travel to the inn. Elizabeth would like to hear about them, I believe.”
“I am not sure about that, Darcy.”
“I am sure it would not be in anybody’s best interest for Collins to inherit Longbourn at present. Mrs. Bennet and her daughters should have some time to prepare, though it seems that time will be short.”
Mr. Gardiner rubbed his hand over his chin. “Will you still go to Scotland?”
“If it is Elizabeth’s wish.”
Mr. Gardiner nodded. “Very well. We will go with you then. I feel I also need to see Fanny and beg her forgiveness for how I have failed her.”
Mr. Bennet was settled at Longbourn, and after he made a brief call at Netherfield, Darcy saddled one of Bingley’s horses and rode to the inn. After a hard ride through the cold night, he was pleased by his man’s answer to his query regarding the location of Elizabeth’s room. It seemed Sebastian was good for something after all.
********
“Fitzwilliam?” Elizabeth entered the room and looked around but did not see Darcy. Her visit with Georgiana had been brief, so she changed into her nightgown and braided her hair in an effort to give him enough time to complete his bath. She wondered if he had gone out again but then noticed the tub behind a screen and heard a gentle snore.
She smiled. The poor man was so exhausted that he fell asleep in his bath. “Fitzwilliam,” she spoke louder this time, but he still did not respond. She would have to move closer. She knew it was inappropriate to do so, but if she did not wake him, he would become further chilled.
She moved closer and tried once more. When she still received no response, she peeked behind the screen. The image before her made her gasp and blush red from head to toe. Darcy was reclined in the tub, with his head resting on a towel. Both hands were hanging to the side; one held a snifter of brandy about to crash on the floor. Without thinking, she moved forward to catch the glass. She sat it to the side and continued to examine the man lying in the now tepid water.
Her eyes roamed over his exposed upper body. His shoulders and chest were chiseled like statues she had seen in museums, and she wondered if they felt hard like marble or soft like her own. She kneeled beside him. A moist heat gathered between her thighs, and her breasts became heavy. It always happened this way when she was close to him, but this time, it was different. This time, her body not only responded, but it screamed for her to touch him, and seemingly on their own, her fingers began to trace the lines of his chest. So engrossed in the study of his frame, she did not notice his eyes had opened.
Darcy was somewhere in between dreaming and consciousness when she called for him. Assuming it was a dream, he remained still, waiting for his fantasy to materialize behind his eyes. He completely awakened when her fingers brushed his as she caught the glass slipping from his hand. Through hooded eyes, he took in her curious gaze, and now he lay there holding his breath, waiting to see how far her curiosity would take her.
Her fingers began their exploration at the tuft of hair on his upper chest and worked their way down to the trail of hair on his abdomen. She was pleased to learn that though his frame was hard, his skin was velvety soft. Her fingers continued to trace down until they lightly grazed the water covering his lower half in shadows. She bit her lip as she asked herself if she should continue on the path or make her way back up.
Seeing her take her bottom lip between her teeth in that enticingly innocent way that she had was the final test of his restraint. His hand moved to caress her bottom as he pleaded, “Go on.”
She looked up at him, only slightly embarrassed to have been caught. Other feelings were winning out over any maidenly shame she was sure she should have felt. Still, she hesitated.
“Please,” his husky voice continued to plead as he made slow circles on her posterior. She looked down to her hand and allowed it to move into the water. When her fingers first touched the tip of his manhood, they both gasped, and Darcy let out a low moan as her fingers and then her palm glided over his thick shaft.
Elizabeth was pleased to find the contrasting hard and soft of his upper body was also found in the part she now held in her hand. It throbbed against her palm, and in return, she gave it a gentle squeeze. Darcy groaned and quickly moved to his knees. He pulled her to him and covered her mouth with his, tasting and nipping as his hands roamed over her body. She returned his caresses with equal fervor, exploring the hard lines of his back and the softness of his hair. When her hands reached his wounded arm, she leaned back and looked at him with worry.
He shook his head. “Not now.”
He unfastened her robe and slipped it off as he trailed kisses down her neck. Elizabeth’s heart was pounding against her chest. Never in her life had she felt so out of control, yet entirely safe. Darcy’s hands ignited a fire in her, and her only desire was to burn slowly in his arms.
One of those hands made its way to her breast and teased her nipple to an almost painful peak. He placed his hands on her waist and guided her to stand. From this position, he only had to bend slightly to take the hardened peak in his mouth. Even with the material of her gown between them, the pleasure was bewildering. She was so lost in the sensation that she failed to notice his hand had traveled under her hem until it was resting on her inner thigh.
Again, she pulled back to look at him. She began all of this when she entered his room, and she did not want him to stop, but she was frightened of what would happen if he did not. Her virtue was all she had to give him, and she wanted to do so as his wife.
He saw her hesitation and wanted to reassure her.
“Elizabeth,” he breathed as his hands continued to stroke her. “I will not take your virtue tonight, my love. You will be my wife before I make you mine. But please, Elizabeth, let us give each other pleasure. Let us satisfy this ache before it utterly claims us.” He kissed her again then whispered in her ear, “Lizzy. My beautiful Lizzy, let me touch you.”
She took his face in her hands and kissed him. While his tongue skated over hers, she parted her legs and let him in. His touch against her delicate flesh was exquisite, and when his fingers began to stroke her moist folds, her knees gave, and she fell into him.
His arm wrapped around her waist. “Steady, love.”
She was panting, confused yet elated with how her body was reacting. “Will,” she whispered as a new sensation began to rise low in her belly. He pulled her into a deep kiss as one long finger entered her. She gasped into his mouth but did
not pull away. His strokes were heavenly, and when his thumb gently pressed against some magical place she never before knew existed, pleasure tore through her body, causing her to stiffen and then shiver as she collapsed further into him.
He eased her back to her knees and held her while she recovered. She looked at him as if to question what happened, but before she found her voice, he leaned back into the tub, bringing one delicate hand to lie over his erection. He guided her hand with his own, showing her how to stroke him. When they found the right rhythm, he let her go and allowed her to take him over the edge in ecstasy. His body twitched as he sank into the water.
“Elizabeth.” He brought her in close for a kiss.
“I love you, Will,” she said against hip lips.
“My Lizzy, I love you more than anything in the world.” He looked down and noticed how wet her gown had become. “Let us dry, dearest, before we catch our deaths. That is, if I can walk. You have left me weak in the knees.”
“It is well, sir.” She was still a bit breathless. “You have me in that state every time you kiss me.”
He laughed as he stepped out of the tub and reached for his robe. He held his hand out for her and helped her rise. “Come, and sit with me in front of the fire. I wish to hold you.”
He guided her to sit on a rug in front of the fireplace while he gathered the counterpane and pillows from the bed. He sat behind her, placed the counterpane over them, and pulled her back into his chest. He wrapped his arms tightly around her and nuzzled her cheek with his.
“Are you well, love?” His voice was soft and full of concern for any regrets she might have.
“I am very well, sir. That was lovely. Is that how it feels to love each other?”
Darcy smiled and kissed her neck. “That is part of it. We will be able to explore each other better when we are married and I can truly claim you.” His thoughts briefly drifted to the time in the near future when he could taste her and take her and make her his in every way. He let out a long sigh of anticipation.
She brought her hand to his cheek and turned to kiss him. “I shall look forward to it then.”
Darcy returned her kiss and moved his hands up to cup her breasts. “My brave girl, does nothing frighten you?”
“I am fairly frightened by that wound on your arm. Will you tell me what happened?”
He nodded then relayed all the events that occurred after he left her that morning. Elizabeth buried her face in his neck and wept. She was torn between horror over her father’s actions and grief over his illness. Darcy asked her if she would rather turn back and go to Longbourn.
She shook her head. “No. I cannot explain why, but I feel the need to be Mrs. Darcy before I go back there.”
“In a few days, you shall be, love. Then we will return and face it all together.”
He put the pillows on the floor and lowered her down to them. He kissed her deeply then placed her head on his shoulder. He kissed her head, and she sighed contentedly as they drifted off to a peaceful sleep.
********
In a room down the hall, Jane Bennet was not sleeping so peacefully. Like her sister, her emotions were torn into two parts: nagging guilt and increasing resentment. She felt guilty for how she treated Elizabeth. She had for weeks, which was why she wrote the letter that had somehow been lost. It would have been so much easier had she received it. Then Jane would not have to make her confessions in person. It seemed she would have to humble herself before not only Elizabeth but also whichever member of Darcy’s family would be guarding her at the time.
The thought of Darcy’s family made her resentment rise to the forefront. How was it her sister managed to become a member of one of the most illustrious families in the country? Elizabeth did not even believe that Mr. Darcy admired her when they were all together in Hertfordshire. She hated him or at least claimed to. She treated him horribly while Jane poured every good part of her into her friendship with Bingley. Now, Elizabeth was facing a lifetime of bliss while her own future looked so uncertain.
She sat up and rubbed her eyes in frustration. She had to speak to Lizzy. She had to apologize. Perhaps if her guilt were released, then the resentment would follow. She looked out the window and saw the sun peeking over the horizon. Lizzy had always been an early riser; maybe she would already be awake. She dressed quickly and walked quietly to her sister’s room.
********
So that is how she managed it, Jane thought as she looked upon the two lovers sleeping on the floor. She had entered Elizabeth’s room after her knock went unanswered. She did not see her but did notice the opened door on the other side of the room. She assumed it was a sitting room and so entered in search of her sister. When she saw them, she covered her mouth in order to keep her astonished gasp from escaping. Once she recovered from her shock, she quickly made her way back through Lizzy’s room and into the hall, where a strong hand clasped onto her arm and prevented her from retreating further.
Sebastian rose early that morning to ensure everything was prepared for their travels to commence a few hours later. He was returning from the stables when he saw Jane rush from Elizabeth’s room. His suspicions were raised, and he caught her by the arm to inquire after her need for haste.
“What has you rushing about so early this morning, Miss Bennet?”
“Please unhand me, sir. I must send an express to my uncle.” Jane was annoyed. Yet again, a Darcy relation was in her way.
“Perhaps I can be of service, Miss Bennet. What has you so distressed?” Sebastian could guess the answer, given her flushed cheeks and location outside of Elizabeth’s door. “Surely nothing you found in your sister’s private chamber concerns you, madam.”
Jane understood his implication and became angry. “My sister’s virtue has been compromised, sir. I must inform my uncle.”
“To what end?” Sebastian’s tone matched her own. “The altar? I believe that is the purpose of our travels, is it not? What is your purpose, Miss Bennet?”
Jane yanked her arm away. “I do not wish to harm my sister!”
“Keep your voice down. If you wish her no harm, why are you so quick to impugn her honor and that of my cousin?”
“I am not the one lying with him in his room,” Jane hissed. In saying those words, Jane realized that was the material point. She had been groomed to attract the eye of a rich man, but the only ones she had met so far had abandoned her or had been indifferent to her. Lizzy had been raised to accept Mr. Collins but instead won Mr. Darcy. Finally understanding her jealousy made her feel insignificant and surprisingly defiant. She straightened her back and attempted to move away in order to complete her objective.
Sebastian had learned much about his family in the last few days, the most surprising being that they seemed to have a dormant protective nature when it came to each other, and his was just awakened. He stepped toward Jane, causing her to step back into the wall.
“No, Miss Bennet, you are not. However, you are walking the halls of an inn in the wee hours of the morning with a notorious rake, one who cares nothing for your reputation and will never marry you. How would you explain that to your uncle?”
Her eyes grew wide. She heard a noise at the end of the hall, and she turned toward it, but Sebastian kept his eyes on her. She tried again to move away, but he stopped her.
“The inn is awakening, Miss Bennet. Do I have your word that you will say nothing about this, or shall both your reputations be ruined?”
She heard another noise and began to panic. “Alright, I will say nothing. Now, let me pass.”
Sebastian stepped away from her and watched her walk down the hall. After he saw her enter her own room, he stepped into Elizabeth’s and looked for her key. He found it lying on a table and left, locked up behind him, and slid the key under the door. He started to make his way to his own room but paused briefly outside Jane and Mary’s, wondering how three women from the same parents could be so very different.
Chapter Twenty
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Mary looked upon the weeping mass that lay in the bed and began to slightly panic. All her attempts to comfort had failed, and Jane was now curled into a fetal position, sobbing almost violently. Several minutes before, Mary awoke to the sounds of Jane entering the room. She said nothing, just collapsed on the bed and wept. Mary rose to dress as she wondered what occurred to upset her sister and prompt such an extreme display of emotion. Seeing that her presence was not helping, she poured a glass of water from the pitcher next to the washbasin, placed it on the table by the bed, and turned toward the door. She opened it to find Elizabeth and Darcy on the other side.
Hearing the sobs, Elizabeth looked toward the bed and then to Mary in confusion. Mary shrugged her shoulders. Elizabeth turned back to Darcy.
“Will you ask that a breakfast tray be brought up? It appears my sister is unwell.”
Darcy hesitated, not wanting to give Jane the chance to hurt her again. “Are you sure?”
“Yes, I will be fine.”
Darcy nodded. “Miss Mary, may I escort you to the dining room?”
“Of course, Mr. Darcy. Perhaps you can tell me what happened after you left us yesterday?”
As they began to move away, Elizabeth caught Mary’s arm.
“Thank you, Mary, for coming to warn me about our father. This could be a very different journey for me if you had not.”
Uncomfortable with the look in Lizzy’s eyes as well as the emotion that was welling up inside her, Mary merely nodded before she turned back to Darcy.
Elizabeth took a deep breath, walked into the room, and closed the door.
Jane seemed oblivious to her presence as she sat down on the bed next to her. In spite of her anger and pain, she could not help but feel concern, so she reached out to stroke Jane’s hair, which had become wild beneath its pins.
Jane looked up, and the anguish in her face made Elizabeth catch her breath. In a sudden movement, Jane wrapped her arms around her sister and said in a painful whisper, “Lizzy, I am so lost.”