Arranged to Darcy
Page 16
“I do enjoy hearing you speak of life’s experiences as adventures. I have always thought of them as lessons. But I like your wording more than mine.”
“Thank you, my dear. Will you help me into my dress?”
“You know I will.” Darcy jumped up from the chair and they met in front of the bed. He caught her up in his arms and pulled her to him. She looked up at him with love in her eyes, and his gaze made her feel warm and welcome. “I’m a privileged man, Lizzie. Very privileged. Your father is a very smart man. I will remind him tonight how grateful I am that he agreed to this marriage arrangement.”
“I’ve thanked him several times myself,” Elizabeth admitted. Darcy looked astonished.
“You have?”
“Yes.”
“When was the first time you thanked him? It must have been quite recently.”
Elizabeth shrugged, looking at his chest and fiddling with the lapel on his jacket, straightening it when it didn’t need to be straightened. “It may have been a few months ago.”
“Truly?”
She looked up at him again. “I wouldn’t lie to you, my dear.”
“That makes me feel wonderful, Lizzie. I’m so pleased to hear it.”
“You’ve tried so hard for me, Darcy. Don’t think I haven’t noticed. The effort you’ve put into making this work with me has fueled my desire to make it work with you.”
Darcy pulled her close to him in a tight hug. When he pulled back from her he kissed her gently on the lips, on both cheeks and on her forehead.
“We’ll be wonderful parents, won’t we?”
Elizabeth laughed. “I suppose I’ve started us on a new path.”
“Yes, I believe you have.”
He finally let her go so she could move to take her dress from the closet and lay it on the bed. As soon as his arms were no longer around her, she got a chill and wanted to be close to him again.
He helped her into the dress and even buttoned up her boots for her. When she sat back at the dressing table and began to remove the pins from her hair, he stood directly behind her and watched.
“You’re a beautiful woman, Lizzie.”
“Thank you.” She blushed.
“I’m proud to be your husband.”
“And I’m proud to be your wife.”
He came around the chair and knelt next to her, gazing up into her eyes.
“I love you, Lizzie. I hope you know that.”
Elizabeth felt a chill run through her. Finally, she would be able to say the words she had been longing to say for months. And now, she would continue to repeat them as often as she wanted.
“I love you, too, Darcy. I always will.”
About Rebecca Preston
Rebecca lives in New York City with her dog. She loves sweet love stories with great characters. She loves traveling the world and experiencing new cities and cultures. Jane Austen is her favorite author.
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Also by Rebecca Preston
Arranged To Darcy