“This is indeed a surprise,” she said quietly, not wanting to be overheard by anyone passing by.
He came over to stand beside her bed. Looking down at her, he said, “I was taking advantage of the fine weather and walking the grounds, and as I returned, I saw the light in your window, and realized you must still be awake as well.”
Her pulses fluttering, she said, “And so I am.”
He smiled a little. “You need not worry, my love—I did not come to finish what we started this afternoon; I was merely lonely for your company.” He was making a distinct effort to look directly at her face, and not to let his eyes wander down to her nightdress.
She relaxed a little, though conscious there was a part of her that was oddly disappointed. It was uncomfortable having him tower over her, so she shifted to the side of the bed, taking care her bedclothes did not slip. With a warm look, he took her implied invitation and sat facing her, keeping a safe distance between them. She said, “I am always happy to see you.”
“Are you?” he asked, then, without allowing her the opportunity to answer, he added, “It has been an important day for us, and there are so many things I did not have the chance earlier to tell you—such as how very happy you have made me by agreeing to be my wife. It has been a long time since I have been able to imagine my life without you by my side, and it is a great relief to know that you will actually be there.”
“It has indeed been a day of great changes, and one change to which I will need to accustom myself is to allow myself to be free to say those things I have worked so hard not to say until now,” said Elizabeth softly. “But I am very happy that we are to be married; I have tried to deny my regard for you for so long, but I hope you know that there is no one I would rather be with than you.” A little embarrassed by her seriousness, she added teasingly, “There—are you feeling less lonely now?”
“Much less lonely,” he said, his eyes glittering in the darkness. “I am embarrassed to say I even went so far as to concoct an excuse as to why I needed to speak to you tonight, when the truth was that I was finding it hard to believe that you had actually accepted me, and wanted your reassurance you had not changed your mind.”
“I have not changed my mind,” she said with affectionate humour. “I will marry you, you may depend upon it—especially after having been so unwise as to let you into my bedroom at night!”
“I am not complaining,” he replied. Finding his self-control still intact despite the circumstances, he allowed himself to take her hand. “You can always tell me to leave.”
She raised an eyebrow. “What, and not hear the excuse you worked so hard to create?”
He laughed. “Very well; I am not averse to having a reason to stay. My excuse was that I realized we had not talked about how to announce our engagement, nor about wedding plans.”
“We did not talk much at all,” she said archly.
His smile was even more devastating than usual in the half shadows of her room. “Be careful, or I may think you are trying to tempt me.”
“You come to my room in the middle of the night in your shirtsleeves, and claim I am trying to tempt you?”
“Minx,” he said, rewarding her impudence with a slow kiss which made her question his stated intentions, as well as her ability to resist him. “Much better—I am very partial to the way you look when I have just kissed you.”
She gave him an eloquent look. “And how would you like to announce our engagement?” she asked pointedly.
He accepted her redirection graciously. “Whatever pleases you, my dearest—we could tell everyone here in the morning, if you like, and then your family when we go to Longbourn for dinner.”
“It would be wisest to mention it before we get in the door, given my mother’s likely reaction,” she said lightly. “Will your sister be surprised?”
“I have no idea,” he replied. “I cannot tell what she thinks anymore; I do not know if she has noticed my interest in you. I think she will be pleased, though.”
“I hope she will be. Well, we have concluded the announcement; what shall we do about the wedding?”
He smiled again, and placed a kiss in the palm of her hand. “I favour a short engagement.”
She laughed. “I had taken that as a given, my dear. Fortunately for you, I see no reason to wait; I have already left home, and I think a quiet wedding is most suitable under the circumstances in any case.”
“I will obtain a license, then we need not wait any longer than you require to make the preparations,” he said, looking at her seriously.
She looked at him with some amusement. “I can hardly argue with that,” she said.
“Would a week be long enough?” he asked. It cannot be soon enough for me! he thought, becoming increasingly aware of her state of undress.
“A week!” exclaimed Elizabeth. “That is a very short time. There are farewells I must say—perhaps not as many as there would have been a year ago, but still some—and I must prepare a little at least to leave home! Perhaps… a fortnight?” she offered tentatively, aware that even this represented a rather indecent haste.
Their eyes met for a long moment, then his began to drift downwards. Elizabeth coloured as she realized he was eyeing her nightdress. When he looked up again, only the slightest trace of guilt on his face, he said, “A fortnight. I suppose I can wait that long—if you insist.”
She cocked her head. “I thought you said you had not come here to take advantage of me,” she said mischievously.
“It is true,” he said with mock austerity, “although if you had suggested a six-months’ engagement, I might have rethought my position.” He had begun to relax his guard a little, now that he had demonstrated his ability to control himself in this most difficult of settings. The sudden increase in the tension between them thus took him by surprise, and he found himself all too aware of how little stood between them.
“You are very certain of yourself, sir,” she teased.
Now, he thought. Now is the time to leave. But her lovely eyes were shining in the light of the lamp, and she wore that impertinent look that always tempted him to kiss her until she forgot everything but him; and he did not leave. “Have I reason to be certain of myself?” he found himself asking.
“Would a gentleman ask such a question?” she responded instantly, her eyes daring him.
A provocative smile grew on his face. “Would a lady be wishing me to do this?” Holding her eyes with his, he reached over and ran his finger slowly under the neckline of her nightdress, then poised his hand on the tie of it. At that moment, he realized he had not come to her tonight to prove his self-control as he had thought, but to look for an excuse to let loose the tiger—and this understanding had come to him just a little too late.
Elizabeth’s heart was pounding under the influence of his daring actions and the desire in his eyes. She was not sure to what extent he might be teasing, since his hand had not moved again, and she was equally unsure of what she wanted him to do. Licking her dry lips to moisten them, she said lightly, “I am, of course, quite ignorant in these matters—I have no idea what a lady should wish for in such circumstances.”
His eyes flared, and his fingers moved. As the tie gave way, he slid his hand inside to discover the silken skin of her breast. Involuntarily, Elizabeth arched to meet him as his touch sent a rush of heat through her. “William,” she said, her voice just above a gasp.
“Just a taste, my love, of what awaits us,” he said unsteadily, his fingers finally caressing the flesh he had so often dreamed of.
She reached her hand up to stroke his neck, and tried to pull his head towards hers. He shook his head, not yet ready to satisfy her with his kisses. No, he wanted to leave her wanting more of him. “Not yet, my loveliest and most tempting Elizabeth; not yet.”
“Am I leading you into temptation?” she asked lightly, as if she w
ere not becoming increasingly desirous of more of his touch. The shocking feeling of his hand lightly stroking her breast was exquisite, but she felt a deep need for him to move inward to touch her as he had earlier through her dress. If he did not, if he stopped at this, she did not know how she would bear it.
She need not have worried; as Darcy saw the sultry look of desire take over her face, he bent his head to kiss her neck with tantalizing lightness, gradually moving his lips downward until he reached the edge of her nightdress. Gently he pushed it aside to reveal her breast to his hungry eyes, the touch of his mouth filling her with a surge of excitement deep within. Beyond the point of speech, she bit her lip to prevent a moan from emerging as his lips traced a circle on her breast, then finally came to rest as he ran his tongue along her nipple. She could no longer help herself; a whimper of combined pleasure and desire escaped her.
He looked up for a moment, and said softly, “Am I pleasing you, best beloved?” At her speechless nod of acknowledgement, he turned himself hungrily back to her breast. Savouring the moment he had imagined so often, he slowly drew her nipple into his mouth and began to suckle it, first gently, so as not to frighten her, then stimulating her more potently as he felt the tension of response build in her body.
She could not have imagined the exquisite pulses of pleasure she began to feel as he teased her with his tongue and his lips. She could not control it; she was riding the waves of desire now and ached for more. The fulfillment he was giving her only made her need his touch more elsewhere, wanting him in ways she did not understand.
Darcy knew he had her where he wanted her—moaning with pleasure and beginning to writhe in response to the touch of his mouth. Despite everything, there was still a part of him that was planning to stop before it was too late—but not until he knew he had as thoroughly roused her passion as she did his. The sensation of giving her pleasure was exhilarating beyond belief, and he allowed himself to feel every bit of the gratification of it.
When he was certain he had her in the power of his touch, he released her nipple, and raised his head to look at her face. The sight of the heat of uncontrolled desire in it only raised his own arousal.
As soon as he had stopped, Elizabeth felt a near desperation for him to touch her again. She caught his face and kissed him, not the gentle kisses of their earlier days, but needy, demanding kisses, which he returned with redoubled zeal. It did not remove the ache in her body, but it helped a little. When he stopped again, breathless, he looked into her eyes, his face showing just how much he wanted her. “So,” he whispered, “did you like your taste?”
She could see his satisfaction in having gained a response from her, and her lips curved mischievously as, instead of answering him in words, she took a cue from the desires of her body, and pulled her nightdress aside to bare her other breast. She looked at him steadily, knowing he would understand her wordless request.
His eyes grew darker, and a smile of approval grew on his face. “Elizabeth—there is no woman in the world like you,” he said as he lowered his head to her breast.
It seemed even more intense this time when he began to suck on her, and she did not know whether it was because she was anticipating it this time, or because he held her other breast in his hand, toying with the nipple. She only knew that she wanted more, and did not know how to get enough to satisfy her.
He took his time pleasing her, and when he finally looked up again, he replaced his mouth with his other hand, and rolled both nipples steadily. “Well, my beloved, what shall it be?” he said, his voice unsteady. “Do I stay, or do I go?”
She knew intuitively what he was asking, but she could not think for the sensation he was arousing in her. “It is not fair to ask… me that when you are doing… such things… to me,” she said as coherently as she could.
Regretfully, he ceased his actions and sat back, never taking his eyes from her for a moment. She looked at him, her mind still clouded by the pleasure he had given her, uncertain of what she wanted. If he had not stopped to ask her, she knew she would have willingly given way to anything he wanted of her; but he had stopped. An echo of his voice from earlier came back to her: I did not come to finish what we started this afternoon, and he had said it as if he meant it. No, if there was uncertainty, they should wait. She closed her eyes for a moment, trying to silence the clamoring of her body for his touch. Finally, she said, “I do not think we are ready yet, William; as you said, it is only two weeks.”
She saw the regret in his eyes, but also that he was not seriously disappointed. In fact, although the feral part of him wanted more, part of him was satisfied. He knew he could have had her, and that was enough for now. He acknowledged her with a nod of his head, then said, “Just let me hold you then for a moment, my own.”
He retied her nightdress before taking her in his arms. He could feel the racing of her heart, and knew his was not far behind, but he also felt a deep tenderness when she rested her head upon his shoulder as if exhausted. Finally he released her and kissed her lightly on the lips. “Until tomorrow, then,” he said.
She smiled. “Until tomorrow.”
He rose to leave, but a bit of him would not be silenced, and he turned to her one last time with an enticing look. “By the way, I very much enjoyed our taste.”
“Incorrigible,” retorted Elizabeth affectionately.
He wished he were not leaving, but at the same time took pleasure in knowing he had left Elizabeth in the throes of desire. He was so intoxicated with the gratification of having taught her new ways to want him that he was less careful than he might have been as he left her room. He was only a few steps beyond her door when he heard from behind him Georgiana’s voice saying in surprise, “William! What are you doing here!”
He spun around, his mind completely blank as he faced his sister. Had she seen him come from Elizabeth’s room? He cursed himself for his carelessness, and the recklessness which had led him there in the first place. “Georgiana,” he said, “are you having difficulty sleeping still?” He realized how weak this sounded.
“I was hungry, and went down to the kitchens for something to eat,” she said hesitantly, glancing from him to Elizabeth’s door and back. “You are awake late as well.”
“Yes, I was about to retire,” he said lamely.
There was a moment’s silence while Georgiana examined the floor around her feet. Darcy could see her distress in the frozen look on her face, and cursed silently. Apparently she had indeed seen him.
He decided in favour of taking the initiative. “Well, since you are still awake, there is something I would like to tell you,” he said, striving to sound calm. “My sitting room would be comfortable; shall we go there?”
She nodded silently and followed him, still not looking at him. When they reached his rooms, she sat with her hands folded, looking down, for all the world like a child waiting to be chastised.
“I was planning to tell you this in the morning, but since the opportunity has arisen, I wanted you to be the first to know that Miss Bennet has consented to be my wife,” he said, feeling distinctly awkward.
“Your wife?” She seemed hesitant to credit the idea, then, in a small voice, she added, “Congratulations. I hope you will be very happy.”
“Thank you. I hope she will be a sister to you as well, and that you will grow to care for her as I do.”
“I am sure I will—she is very amiable,” said Georgiana woodenly.
There was a pause, and he said, “I imagine you are aware that she has no fortune or connections as the world sees these matters, but her value to me is beyond any of that. This is a marriage of affection, not of practicality. I do not imagine our family will approve.”
“William,” she said, her voice revealing her distress as she spoke his name, but then her face seemed to close down, and all emotion vanished. “Thank you for telling me. Good night.” She bolted from the ro
om.
Chapter 9
Despite her late night, Elizabeth awoke early as was her habit. Her mouth curved as she thought of the previous night, and the memories of it made her body long for Darcy again. She could not wait to see him again; she was very happy about their engagement, and more secure in it than the previous day, and she wanted to share this with him.
She had already begun to dress herself by the time the maid arrived to assist her. Before anything else, the maid gave her a knowing smile, and said, “Mr. Darcy asked me to give you this, Miss.” She handed her a folded piece of paper.
Elizabeth raised an eyebrow, then smiled at her mischievously. She took the note, saying, “Thank you—and if you can keep a secret for a few hours until I have had a chance to tell my sister the news, you may be the first to congratulate me on my engagement.”
This was greeted with many happy exclamations and good wishes, as Elizabeth was well liked among the staff at Netherfield. After a minute of this, Elizabeth opened her note:
My best beloved,
I must speak to you alone this morning, before breakfast, about a matter that has arisen. Will you meet me in the library at your earliest convenience? I will be eagerly awaiting you, my love.
Yours, as ever,
FD
She smiled, suspecting that his “matter” was nothing more than a desire to be alone with her again, but she was hardly averse to the plan. She paid a little extra attention to her appearance, but did not want to delay; and had she realized the sparkle which happiness had added to her eyes and smile, she would have known there was no further improvement she could make.
Mr. Darcy's Undoing Page 17