A Covenant of Marriage

by C. P. Odom

  Darcy eased the strap of her nightgown off her shoulder so he could nuzzle her bare breast in a way that made her shiver and awoke desires within her that could not be denied.

  ***

  When Elizabeth awoke, the sun was just sliding below the buildings of London, and the bedroom was dim. She could feel Darcy’s warm breath on her neck as he held her nestled against him, her back against his chest. Her head rested on one arm while the other was curled around her, his palm cradling her breast. She could tell he was still asleep from his deep breathing, and she felt the lethargy resulting from their exertions during the afternoon hours and her discovery of unexpected passion she had never imagined could lurk within her. Her mother would assuredly be scandalised if she knew Darcy would wish to make love to her so many times in just a few hours.

  The physical intimacies of marriage were a most pleasant surprise, especially since her outrage with her husband was only beginning to abate away from Darcy’s chambers. But inside his room, in his bed, Elizabeth could not consider pushing him away or claiming a headache as her mother had advised. She wished to make love with this most complicated and perplexing man perhaps even more often than he did since it seemed every instance of intimacy chipped away at her anger.

  She had already learned that it was necessary to give her husband at least some time to recover after making love, and it was quite comforting to nestle against him. But now Elizabeth’s playful nature arose as she remembered the way his light touch had aroused her until she eagerly urged him to love her again.

  She carefully slid out of his grasp until she was able to kneel beside him. He was lying on his side and was as bereft of clothing as she was since she had encouraged him to shed his sleeping trousers to savour the feel of his bare body. Now, she carefully and lightly nudged him to roll onto his back before inspecting him with interest, and she was certain her fingers could be as light as his. It took little time to achieve the desired result.

  “And what, Mrs. Darcy, are you about?”

  Elizabeth jumped at Darcy’s voice, and she looked up to see his dark eyes on hers.

  “Good morning, sir—or rather, good evening would be correct, I suppose.”

  “Do not try to evade my question, Mrs. Darcy. You are up to some mischief. I can tell.”

  “I am aghast you would feel that way, sir,” she said impishly, throwing a leg over his thighs and sitting astride him.

  “Elizabeth!”

  “I am experimenting to add to my knowledge,” she said, giving him a playful smile, “I decided I could ravish you as easily as you could ravish me, but somehow this is not working quite as I hoped.”

  “I see,” Darcy said with a wicked smile. “Still, though it is dim, it appears you are enjoying yourself. I suppose I could allow you to continue, but I have already admitted I am a selfish creature.”

  So saying, he pulled her down to his chest and swiftly rolled her over until he lay on top of her. He lowered his head to capture Elizabeth’s lips, and she kissed him back, passionately this time, urging him on.

  Chapter 15

  A blessed thing it is for any man or woman to have a friend, one human soul whom we can trust utterly, who knows the best and worst of us, and who loves us in spite of all our faults.

  — Charles Kingsley (1819–1875), British cleric, university professor, social reformer, historian, and novelist.

  Friday, October 19, 1816

  Darcy Town House, London

  Though she had become mistress of Darcy House only recently, Elizabeth had grown accustomed to seeing Jennie enter her dressing room carrying a tray with washbowl and wash cloths as well as Darcy’s regards and his usual invitation to breakfast.

  She stretched and yawned, trying to drive sleep away as she considered his request. She had so far declined Darcy’s breakfast invitations though she usually dined with him on other occasions, either downstairs or in his chambers. But since she was not at her best in the early morning, it was definitely more prudent to decline his invitations when her emotions were high. She always felt more cheerful after breakfast and could then descend the stairs with her disposition under better regulation.

  Even so, at times she was reminded of those points that remained in dispute between them, but she firmly put a clamp on her tongue and returned to her room on such occasions. Darcy had not seemed provoked at being abandoned, and she knew he was allowing her to deal with her ire in her own way.

  This morning, however, she decided she would join her husband for breakfast. Her anger at being forced into marriage had been declining with each day. One reason for that decline was the manner in which she and Darcy had been spending their nights. It was difficult to maintain a proper level of antagonism after having engaged in the most intimate act possible between a man and a woman. Especially when my husband has made every effort to make it as pleasurable for me as it is for him.

  “Breakfast sounds marvellous,” she said in sudden decision, throwing back the blanket and sheet. “What is the time?”

  “It is half past eight, ma’am.”

  “Please inform my husband I shall join him in a quarter hour and then return to help me dress.”

  From the slightly scandalised expression on her maid’s face as she withdrew, she unquestionably thought a quarter hour was far too short a time for a lady to properly dress for breakfast with her husband.

  That is a pity, Elizabeth thought cheerfully as she walked to her dressing area, removing her nightgown as she walked. I am only a simple country lass, after all, and I am too hungry to primp and preen like Caroline Bingley, and all concerned, including my husband, had best become accustomed to it.

  She quickly washed herself and inspected the gowns in her wardrobe, which did not even fill a tenth of the space available. By the time Jennie returned, Elizabeth had chosen her attire. With the maid’s assistance, she was dressed and her hair had been pinned in place in time to make good her estimate. In search of her husband, Elizabeth found the room in which she and Darcy had eaten their other meals to be empty and had to explore a bit before she found a cosy room just off the kitchen where Darcy waited for her, drinking coffee.

  “Good morning, Elizabeth,” he said, rising and pulling out a chair for her. After she was seated, he pulled a cord to summon a servant. “What would you like to eat this morning?”

  “I must admit to being truly famished.”

  “Then bring us both what I usually eat, Sally,” he said to the maid who had almost instantly responded to his call. “If Mrs. Darcy is still hungry afterwards, we may have to resort to emergency measures.”

  “Yes, Mr. Darcy,” the maid said, smiling and bobbing a curtsey before departing.

  Darcy cleared his throat. “I hope you slept well.”

  “I did,” she said, looking him in the eye, “after I somehow arrived back in my bed, clothed in a nightgown I definitely remember being removed. That is—what?—the third—no, the fourth time you have done that, sir. Now, while I have had ample demonstration that you have no difficulty carrying me wherever you please, I really do wonder how you manage it.”

  “Well, I work slowly and carefully, of course,” Darcy said conspiratorially and smiling a trifle smugly. “But you really are a very sound sleeper.”

  “More so than I would have believed, obviously. In any case, despite your demonstrated dexterity, I think it would be best, in the future, if I woke up in the same bed in which I went to sleep.”

  “Of course. I should not dream of disagreeing with you, Mrs. Darcy.”

  She cocked an eyebrow at him sternly. “It is just too disorienting, you know, and you have already disoriented me enough, have you not?”

  “I cannot argue with you, but I am pleased you appear to be coping with the changes in your life.”

  “It was not as though I had a choice,” Elizabeth
said dryly, “but it would be nice to see more…ah, constancy from this point forward.”

  “I shall be constantly attentive, my love,” Darcy said softly, taking her hand and raising it to his lips so he could brush his lips over her fingers, reminding Elizabeth how difficult it was to stay angry with this man.

  As the door to the kitchen opened and two servants came in with their breakfast, Darcy released her hand, but Elizabeth knew both of the maids had seen them, and soon all the staff would be aware that the master and mistress were holding hands at their first breakfast together.

  ***

  “You were hungry,” Darcy said as Elizabeth finally set down her fork.

  “I have always had a good appetite. Of course, at Longbourn, I would have gone for a long ramble through the neighbourhood after eating this well. Here in town, that will be difficult, and unless I am careful, I could soon be too plump to fit in my gowns.”

  “The solution is simple, my dear. I suggest we travel to Pemberley soon where I am sure the grounds and the woods will delight you. It is something on the order of ten miles to circumvent the park, and there are so many branches and forks that you will find it quite a challenge to explore everything. I am confident it will provide more than enough exercise so you would not need to replace your wardrobe just yet.”

  Elizabeth listened attentively and had become quite curious to see the estate. Darcy House was decorated with a taste far more to her liking than was his aunt’s estate at Rosings. If Pemberley was anything similar to this house, then she was quite interested in seeing it.

  “Speaking of your wardrobe,” Darcy continued, “you will need to make substantial additions to it. My friends and family have been affording us a time of privacy, but I had planned to put the knocker back on the door on Tuesday. After that, I am afraid they will descend on us in force, all anxious to meet the new Mrs. Darcy. You will shortly find yourself needing a much more extensive wardrobe, and you should start placing orders as soon as may be.”

  “I do not wish to have you spend a fortune on a multitude of gowns I shall never wear, sir,” Elizabeth said stiffly, thinking of Caroline Bingley, who had never in her experience worn the same gown twice. Elizabeth had no inclination whatever to imitate her.

  Darcy was quite serious as he looked into her eyes, reclaiming her hands and holding them in his. “Elizabeth, it is the custom for a bride to go to her husband with new wedding clothes provided by her family. We were married far too quickly for your father to do that, and there was an unspoken agreement between the two of us that I would assume all unmet responsibilities resulting from my request for a swift marriage.

  “You will need a significantly larger wardrobe than you think at this time. We shall be expected to attend gatherings I could have previously avoided when I was unmarried, and you will need much warmer clothing when we are at Pemberley. The snow falls early and melts late, and you must have clothing appropriate to the climate.”

  “Perhaps your advice about needing warmer clothing is reasonable,” Elizabeth admitted uncomfortably. “But I could never fill my closet.”

  “My mother did not fill it all when she was alive,” Darcy said, smiling in remembrance, “but she did fill much of it. In any case, I am not suggesting you should fill your closet immediately, but you do need to start supplementing your apparel. My sister has not yet responded to the note I sent her, telling her of my marriage and asking for her help in this matter. Georgiana is likely far more familiar with the shops and warehouses here in London than you are, and she has always been quite economical with the clothing allowance I gave her before she was married.”

  Elizabeth felt a stab of resentment at this comment, for it resurrected all her anger at the way Darcy had interfered between Jane and Bingley. Now, his sister was married to Mr. Bingley just as Caroline had stated in her horrible letters to Jane.

  “Very well,” she said, unable to keep the bitterness from her voice.

  From Darcy’s expression, Elizabeth could judge that he had noticed, but he said nothing further, merely nodding. He allowed her to pull her hand from his and masked his obvious discomfort by pouring himself another cup of coffee while Elizabeth firmly reined in her emotions.

  “After breakfast, I thought we might do some exploring about town. If you bring your parasol, we could let down the top of the carriage for a better view. And, if you are so disposed, we might even stop to see your aunt and uncle.”

  Such a scheme sounded quite attractive to Elizabeth, but she could not keep herself from saying, “I thought newly married couples were supposed to spend the first week in their home.”

  “New husbands are believed to be unwilling to let their wives leave their chambers, but my own experience with newly married friends indicates considerably more variability of thought. Some couples remain at home exclusively, and some do not. We could assuredly stay at home if you so desire, and I could even keep possession of your clothing”—Elizabeth cocked an eyebrow at this comment, and Darcy continued with feigned innocence—“but I imagined you might enjoy an excursion rather than being ravished once again by your lustful husband.”

  “I have very much enjoyed making love with my husband,” Elizabeth interrupted suddenly to remove any possibility of Darcy thinking her reactions to their intimacies had been anything other than honest and willing.

  Her voice was soft though her eyes were downcast as she continued. “I admit I had not expected pleasure when I came to you that first night, but I soon found the experience of making love quite…delightful.”

  Darcy looked stunned by the forthrightness of this comment. After a moment’s thought, he said, “While I am pleased at such testimony, my dear, I still suspect you might enjoy viewing more of London. Especially since, if we did remain indoors, I could not guarantee to exercise restraint.”

  “I take your point, sir. Perhaps it would be best if I returned to my room to get my bonnet and parasol before you change your mind.”

  The bitterness she felt about the separation of Mr. Bingley and Jane did not have the hold on her emotions that it once had, and if she and Darcy must talk about it at some time, today was not the day.

  “If you are sure such is your desire,” Darcy said with such a look of obvious disappointment she had to laugh.

  “Do not worry, Mr. Darcy,” she said consolingly. “I shall undoubtedly allow you to have your way with me before the day is over, but I do hope we might wait until evening.”

  ***

  When the maid at the Gardiner household opened the door to the front parlour to announce them, her aunt was already waiting for them.

  “Oh, Lizzy!” she exclaimed, as she embraced her niece warmly and kissed her cheeks. “It is so good to see you! To see both of you, of course. I did not forget you, Mr. Darcy.”

  “Think nothing of it,” Darcy said as he bowed over Mrs. Gardiner’s hand.

  Mr. Gardiner embraced Elizabeth. “Since you have not snarled at each other in the half-minute since you entered the room, dare I hope there has been a certain amount of accommodation to the tribulations of married life?”

  Darcy and Elizabeth glanced at each other momentarily before Elizabeth said, “It has been much different than I had anticipated, Uncle.”

  “It often is, even when the experience is calm and orderly,” Mr. Gardiner said soberly. “Given how tumultuous the event was for both of you, we are just happy you show signs of being able to tolerate each other in such a short time—and that you came to visit us, of course.”

  “Especially the latter,” Mrs. Gardiner said. “I was very much afraid it would be months before you relented, Lizzy.”

  Elizabeth was embarrassed at hearing this because it was an accurate estimate of the intensity of her anger on the day of her marriage.

  “I do apologise, Aunt,” she said miserably, remembering how coldly she ha
d responded when her aunt and uncle offered their congratulations after the marriage ceremony had been completed. “I was not thinking very sensibly at the time, and I am afraid I said more than I should have said.”

  “You were as furious as we had expected you to be,” Mr. Gardiner said. “But your manner and this visit appear to confirm that your cheerful nature has returned. Come, have a seat, and I shall order refreshments. Would you prefer tea or coffee, Mr. Darcy?”

  “Coffee, I think, but I believe Elizabeth would prefer tea,” Darcy said, escorting Elizabeth to a sofa as Mrs. Gardiner rang for a servant. The conversation at first dwelt on inconsequential topics, but later Elizabeth was assured of the health and well-being of all her family back at Longbourn.

  “You were hardly out of the drive before your mother called for the carriage and set out to inform everyone in the neighbourhood of the Bennet family’s good fortune at such an advantageous marriage,” Mr. Gardiner said with a tolerant smile.

  “I can well imagine,” Elizabeth said with a sideways look at Darcy. She was pleased that he showed no signs of distaste though she could not have blamed him if he had. Sometimes, her mother’s lack of sense and propriety was too much to bear, especially for her two eldest daughters.

  “I think Kitty was the most enthusiastic of your sisters,” Mrs. Gardiner said. “She sees your marriage as a chance to be able to attend balls and enjoy society again.”

  “Except your mother tells me Kitty does not mention officers any longer,” Mr. Gardiner said dryly. “I believe my brother expressed his displeasure on the subject with rather more passion than is his usual wont. Whether it is due to that reason or some aversion on her part, Kitty does not appear to find a scarlet coat quite as appealing as she did four years ago.”

  “That was true even before my wedding, Uncle, and yes, my father has waxed rather eloquent on the subject on more than one occasion. But tell me, what did Jane say after we left?”