by Wells, Linda
The general tossed the letter aside. “Are you certain of this? I hate to lose you, Fitzwilliam. You are a rare breed.”
“Thank you, sir.” Richard’s face remained impassive and his posture stiff. “I shall have my resignation on your desk in the morning, sir.”
“You are so anxious to leave that you still will not wait for your father?”
“I have no desire to have you work on me until that time, sir.” At last Richard’s face broke into a smile and the general chuckled. “Your reputation precedes you, General.”
“Very well, then.” Standing, the elder man held out his hand. “Get used to people not saluting you anymore.” He smiled and Richard laughed. “One more night in the barracks for you. I hope that you are not bored in the civilian world?”
Richard thought of Sophie and smiled. “Somehow, I think that will be the least of my worries.” They shook hands and Richard saluted him smartly. “Thank you, sir.”
Watching him go, the general called out, “Good luck, Colonel.” He looked down at his desk at the letter and swore. “Damn!”
DARCY WATCHED ELIZABETH scoop up the dice and place them into the cup. “You wear quite a maniacal smile when you do that.”
“That is because I might finally have a chance at besting you at backgammon.” She laughed at his annoyance. “I knew there was something I could play …” Dumping out her dice, she nearly squealed, “Double sixes!”
Darcy groaned as he watched her checkers fly off the board. “Not fair!” He picked up her dice and examined them with a frown. “These are weighted somehow …”
“Tish-tosh! This is not my game; it was here in the house.” Snatching the dice out of his palm, she dropped them back into the cup. “Another?”
“No.” He stood and went to the sideboard, turning his back to her. Seeing her flushed with triumph was just as alluring as seeing her flushed with exercise, and it was taking a great deal of willpower to contain himself.
Elizabeth tilted her head and watched him curiously. “Sore loser?”
“Not at all. I am happy to see you finally win a competition with me.” He cleared his throat and turned back to face her with a smile. “What shall we play next?”
Georgiana came into the room and stopped when she spotted Elizabeth shooting daggers at her brother. “Oh, Elizabeth! Did he beat you again?”
Darcy’s chin fell to his chest and he started laughing. Elizabeth’s glare turned to her sister. “No, as a matter of fact, I won. Fair and square, and he,” she pointed at her husband, “cannot tolerate it!”
“He seems awfully merry to me.” Georgiana eased herself into a chair.
“There you are, dearest, I am delighted to have lost.”
“You were vexed not two minutes ago.”
“Me? Anything but amiable?” He sighed. “Do you not know me by now?” She watched him pour out two glasses of sweet wine. “Truce?”
“Were we fighting?”
“My mistake.” His eyes twinkled and taking a seat on the sofa, held out her glass. “Come, love.”
Joining him, she took a sip of the wine and looked at him. “I know this wine …”
“I will never forget the first time I tasted it.” He glanced at her mouth and licked his lips. A blush crept up Elizabeth’s face. “I will save the rest of the bottle for later.”
“What did you want to speak to me about?” Georgiana asked.
“Oh …” Elizabeth started from her study of Darcy’s darkened eyes. “Will?”
“Mrs. Annesley.” He said softly and taking her hand, gently rubbed his thumb over her palm.
Georgiana watched the two of them, and knowing full well what they were feeling, asked cheerfully, “Who is that?”
“Who is what?” Elizabeth blinked.
“Mrs. Annesley, Lizzy.” Darcy whispered while tugging the glass of wine from her hand. He smiled and hugged her. “You always become so relaxed when I …” He looked up to his smiling sister and cleared his throat. “Well … I shall tell you then. Mrs. Annesley is a widow living nearby and a friend of the Kelly family. She is hoping to find employment as a companion. Elizabeth interviewed her and after spending the afternoon in her company, she suggested that this might be the perfect new companion for you. Of course, one afternoon does not satisfy either of us, and we want to know her much better before we would speak of you to her, but she is a possibility.”
“Oh.” Georgiana’s smile faded and she started twisting her fingers.
“Jennifer is working out well for you during this time, dear, but she cannot teach you anything. When your confinement is over, you will need to return to preparing for your future, and after losing a year, you will need to work in earnest.”
“When will I meet her?”
“That is a good question.” Darcy looked down at Elizabeth. “To meet her now is to reveal you not only to Mrs. Annesley, but probably to the Kellys as well, and then …” He sighed. “Well, it makes bringing you to Scotland under an assumed name to be pointless.”
“And that is why we have decided that if she is the woman we choose for you, she will not meet you until we are home at Pemberley.” Elizabeth smiled at Georgiana. “She need never know that you had a baby. For all she knows, you left school, Fitzwilliam hired a companion who was found to be unsuitable, and it was decided to leave the search for a replacement for September when the hiring fairs were on. I know that you do not want anyone to know of your situation, so we can leave it to you. Perhaps one day you will trust her enough to tell her the truth.”
“I just … I do not want to see disdain in her every look.” Georgiana said softly.
“In that case, I think that we have our plan. She will not be told.” Darcy smiled. “I met her as well, Georgiana, and I liked her. She has never been a companion before, and I think that is to all of our benefit. She has years of real experience behind her. But as I said, I will be extremely cautious before hiring her or any woman to be with you. We have the advantage this time of actually seeing her conducting her life before hiring her. I think that is a distinct advantage over reading some references and meeting a stranger.”
“Of course, Fitzwilliam. I … I know that you and Elizabeth will make the best decision.” She pushed up on the arms of the chair and stood. “I am feeling sleepy. I think that I will retire.”
“Sleep well, Georgiana.” Elizabeth smiled.
“Good night, dear.” Darcy stood and kissed her cheek, and watched her go. “Well … that went over quietly.”
“I expected nothing less.” Elizabeth said thoughtfully.
“So I should not be worried?” He had remained standing and held out his hand to her.
“No.” Elizabeth laughed and he pulled her up. “No worrying for you. I will puzzle this out and report to you.”
“Are you a spy, love?” He smiled and reached for the wine bottle as she picked up the glasses. “Have you spent too much time around my wayward cousin?”
“I think that it is too much time around my wayward sisters.” Elizabeth looked back at him when he rubbed the wine bottle on her bottom. “What are you up to?”
“Does that feel good?” Darcy whispered in her ear as she walked up the stairs before him.
“I can think of something that would feel much, much better.” Hearing his soft groan, she laughed and hurried up to the landing.
“Careful, do not spill in your haste.” He admonished and he came to a stop when Elizabeth turned to face him.
Her eyes were sparkling. She leaned down to his upturned face and traced her tongue over his mouth before suckling his lower lip ever so gently. Darcy’s sharp intake of breath was all the assurance she needed. “Do not speak to me of haste and spilling, Husband.” She whispered as her lips wandered to his ear. “If anyone should take things slowly, it should be you …” Elizabeth nibbled his earlobe.
“Oh Lord …”
“And I hope that you spill in abundance tonight.” She returned to his lips and nipped them agai
n before turning and hurrying down the hallway to their bedchamber.
Darcy’s grip on the banister was like iron, and it took him several moments before he was able to move comfortably enough to chase after her. By the time he arrived, Elizabeth had put down the wine glasses and was at work unbuttoning her gown. He pushed the door shut and setting down the bottle, began tearing off his clothes. They fumbled, tripped, undoubtedly ripped his cuffs as they fought to pull his sleeves from his hands, until at last they stood naked and laughing in each other’s arms, kissing and caressing.
“What a mess we have made.” Darcy beamed at her and scooped her up and onto the bed. Elizabeth squealed as she bounced and moved aside just before he landed with a thud beside her. Propping his head up with his hand, he rubbed his palm over the fascinating softness of her breasts. “Now then love, what was this talk of moving slowly?” His palm moved down over her belly and between her legs. Elizabeth sighed and reached up to caress his face.
“Not too slowly …”
They kissed and Darcy sat up, slipped his hands beneath her hips, and in one fluid movement lifted her up over his lap and down onto his rigid pole. They both sighed. Darcy brushed her hair away from her face and smiled into her eyes. “Show me, love.” He kissed her and laughed, “Teach me how to ride.”
“Shall we leap a hedge?” Elizabeth giggled and circled her hips.
He hugged her tightly. “As long as you do not dismount to show me how it is done.” He pinched her bottom and she gasped and laughing, buried her face against his shoulder. Darcy rubbed her back and rocked his hips. “Teach me, Mrs. Darcy. I am all yours.”
Chapter 8
Richard woke and stared at the ceiling. “Where am I?” He moved and groaned; it seemed that every bit of his body ached. “Oh, to have some of Elizabeth’s evil tincture …” Six hard days of riding from Scotland, one night in the barracks followed by an entire day of interrogation, demands, and pleading by his superiors to stay on, he finally threw up his hands, climbed onto his weary and unhappy horse and took an unhurried ride to Kent. “Rosings. Good Lord, I am at Rosings at Easter.”
Closing his eyes, he lifted his arms behind his head and laughed softly. “Well, at last I am sticking to my normal schedule; I should have been here anyway with poor Darcy.”
He allowed that thought to swirl around in his mind. Would they have come? Most likely, Georgiana would have been recovered, she would still have been pregnant, but Richard doubted deeply that Darcy would have gone forward with his scheme to marry if Elizabeth had not been literally by his side when he thought of the idea.
“He would have come here, we would have kept Georgiana hidden at Pemberley or London, he would have stayed away from her to deflect attention from his homes … and he would have endured Aunt Catherine performing her annual mating ritual to persuade him to commit to Anne.”
There was a knock at the door and he watched as Gladney sauntered in. “I have to say, I can hardly believe that you are still in bed. You must be exhausted.” The sarcasm in his voice was clear and pulling up a chair, he sat down and crossed his arms. “I seem to recall a similar meeting between us at Christmas, what is it about the holidays that brings us together?”
“What time is it?”
“Approaching noon.” Gladney looked away from the clock on the mantle. “Who knew that you would find Rosings such a haven.”
Rolling his eyes, Richard sat up. “The travel has caught up with me. I do not know why I came; it was the spur of the moment. I should have just waited in London for your return.”
“Mmm, no, then you would have missed the wedding.” Richard stared. “After you retired last night Aunt Catherine made the suggestion that we simply get on with it. Easterly finished the settlement before we left for Rosings, and with your arrival, why not celebrate the nuptials here? It is most appropriate.” He imitated their Aunt’s shrill voice.
“Since this marriage is all about Rosings, of course it is appropriate.” He tilted his head and looked over his brother. “I doubt that I have ever seen you so easy here. Aunt must be doing cartwheels in the gallery.”
Gladney snorted, “Now that would be a sight to behold!”
“Are you happy with this, Bertie?”
“Does it matter?”
Richard got out of the bed and walked across the room, throwing open the curtains and staring out at the sunlit garden. “Of course it matters.”
Gladney watched his brother and said softly, “I appreciate that you still care about my well being.” Richard looked back at him and then to the window again. “Actually, I do not really mind. Anne and I have discovered some … affinity between us.” He shook his head. “Imagine that.”
“You love her?”
“No, no more than she loves me, but … I never expected to love my wife. We like each other, we know each other’s faults and … I imagine that we do care enough about each other …” Shrugging at Richard’s raised brow, he sighed. “Please do not ask me to inspect my heart, but I suspect … rather strongly … that she will get on better with me than she ever would have with Darcy.”
“I do not suspect that, I believe it to be entirely true.”
“How is our wayward cousin?”
“Very tired, but very happy.”
“Is it the happiness that exhausts him?” Gladney laughed.
“No.” Richard turned to look out of the window again.
“Do you care to talk about it?” When his brother said nothing, Gladney nodded and stood. “Well … I know that you are closer to him than I, understandably so. But believe it or not, I can keep a confidence.”
“Please do not press me. Darcy’s burdens make ours seem a pittance.” Richard turned and crossed his arms. “I gave notice of my desire to resign my commission, but until it is sold, I remain in the army.”
“Good thing as you seem to have no other wardrobe.” Gladney nodded to the uniform hanging on a clothes horse.
“I need to sell the commission so I can buy something new.” Richard looked over his blue coat. “The point I am getting at is, you look well.”
“Looks are deceiving, Brother. Not five minutes passes without me thinking of finding euphoria. The need is my constant companion.”
“But you look well.” Richard repeated.
“You wonder if I will stage a stunning recovery and renege on my promises?”
“Can I trust you?”
“Obviously not if you will not share Darcy’s troubles with me.” Gladney raised his brows and threw up his hands as Richard’s piercing gaze bore into him. “Very well. I have spent the last month going to parties and balls, staying sober and upright solely by Anne’s force of will and constant companionship.” One side of his mouth lifted when he noticed his surprise. “You see? She cares. In any case, it has proven fruitful. We have been noticed, the engagement announcement has taken the heat away from the money crisis, since everyone assumes that I marry for Rosings, and … it has done Cathy a bit of good, too.”
Richard stared, “Is she engaged?”
“I suspect it will come. At least she is no longer considering hiding away at Ramsgate for the summer to find a man.”
“Ramsgate.” Richard laughed humourlessly and rubbing his face, thought of Wickham. “Yes, there are plenty of suitors there.”
“I intend to live out my days here. Anne has already tired of the parties, I clearly cannot tolerate them.”
“Clearly.”
Gladney smiled. “With Anne and Aunt Catherine watching me, Rosings will remain intact. I will not be ruining another ancestral estate.”
“I blame Father as much as you.”
“Well, he certainly did nothing to stop me. Darcy was wise not to put his trust in Father, but rather to rely on the judge.” Richard said nothing and Gladney studied him. “Is Darcy well?”
“He has Elizabeth.” Richard said softly and then a smile lifted his lips.
“Hmm.” Gladney continued his inspection. “You have met someo
ne.” Richard’s eyes widened and his brother nodded. “That is why you keep asking about my decision. You are not Darcy with his all encompassing love of family and the estate. You stepped away from all of that when you chose the army over law or the clergy. Now … for you to walk away from your comfortable home, it must be for a greater reason than Matlock.” Shaking his finger, he smiled at his brother’s growing dismay. “You finally found a girl who you want to know beyond the crow of the cock.”
“You have such a way with words, Bertie.”
“Am I wrong? Is there a girl?”
“I hope so. I do not know; it is too soon to know.” Richard sighed and looked out the window at the garden. “I want to give her a home and a name that makes her proud that she married me. If she marries me …” He looked back at his brother. “She does not mind that I am a soldier.”
“I thought that you were proud of being a soldier.” Gladney lifted his brow.
“Just answer my question, Bertie. Do I have a home?”
“I thought that I had answered. Matlock and Gladney are yours. If father dies … obviously I am earl, but … I will not return there. I will have no children, so you and your progeny will inherit. I will put it in writing if you like?”
“If you don’t mind?”
“You are serious about this girl.” Gladney held up his hand against the glare he received. “Fine. So, will you stand up with me in a few days?”
Richard’s face softened and he held out his hand. “I would not miss it for the world.”
“POOR SOPHIE, she finally gets a man to look at her and then he runs as far away as possible.” Stephen nudged Robert and took a card off the pile.
“Leave her alone.” Robert glanced at her across the room.
“She’s been moping around here for weeks! If he comes back, it won’t be for a long time. I don’t know what she is hanging on for. He’s a soldier, he will probably be sent off to war and get shot.”
“What a horrible thing to say!” Mrs. Kelly cried.
“All right, all right, but still, there is no discounting that he’s a soldier and he is not free to come and go as he pleases. I just do not want her getting her hopes up.” Stephen watched Sophie sitting at the window. “I would much rather see her with a gentleman. A Scot.”