Imperative: Volume 2, A Tale of Pride and Prejudice

by Wells, Linda

  She felt a handkerchief being pressed into her palm and looked up to see Darcy smile and return to his desk chair. “Was I crying?”

  “It is only a matter of time.” He murmured and picking up his pen, laughed when he noticed her eyes fixed upon him. “Do you disagree?”

  “I am not so bad.”

  “Of course not.”

  “Do not placate me!”

  “I would not dream of it.” Their eyes held and his lips twitched. “Who is your letter from?”

  “Aunt Gardiner.”

  “Ah.” His lips twitched again.

  “Oh, hush!”

  Chuckling, he picked up his response and settled back to read what he had composed. Elizabeth watched him for a few moments and then did the same. “Oh!”

  Darcy looked up to see her working through the pile of letters until she found a particular one and hurriedly opened it. Her hand was to her mouth as she read.

  “What is wrong?”

  “Nothing … Mary is with child. She … she felt the baby move while Aunt and Uncle were there to retrieve the children. Mary is overjoyed and Mama is unstoppable in her effusions for them. Mary says that she has never received such attention from her before and is already worried what Mama will do if the baby is not a boy. She is expecting the child …” Elizabeth blinked back her tears, “… sometime around Christmas.” Turning the page over, she read on. “Mr. Collins calls the baby his little olive branch and hopes that he will repair any feelings of ill-will that exist between the Collins’ and the Bennets. He is … very proud.”

  “As he should be, this will be the beginning of the Collins family at Longbourn.” Darcy said softly. Elizabeth said nothing and kept reading Mary’s letter. At last she set it down and closed her eyes. Darcy went to sit beside her and took the handkerchief she held so tightly. “What is upsetting you? I know that you do not begrudge Mary her baby, do you?”

  “Of course not.”

  “Then these are not tears of jealousy?”

  “No, I am happy for her, I am. Of course Mama had to note that I am yet to give you an heir.” Darcy caressed her hair and watched her holding back her tears, “I … I … I want to believe that I am with child so much, but I dare not …” She looked at him and touched his face. “I know that you wish to believe it, too. Your teases are all because I am behaving so oddly. And I know that it delights you. But what if it is not true? What if it is and I miscarry? I cannot bear to think of your disappointment, Will. I cannot bear to see you so giddy with anticipation and then … After all that we have been through these past months, I …” She looked at the letter. “I fear that the moment where we are the ones announcing that our little one has made his presence known may never arrive. I … I talked with Aunt Susan and Aunt Gardiner about what to expect and … although they both knew that I was asking because I felt differently, even they would not say out loud that I was … even they would not confirm … it was as if to speak of it was to tempt fate. We have wanted this so much … And it is not so long ago that we thought that I was … and then I was not … and when you were hurt and I wanted it so much …” Darcy’s arms came around her and she spoke into his shoulder. “Oh Will, what is wrong with me? I am never like this! I always try to be confident … Why am I this way?”

  “I think that I know but it seems I dare not say anything.” Drawing back, he rested his forehead to hers. “I received an effusive letter from Mr. Collins, would you care to read it?”

  “Why? So I might wallow in doubt some more?”

  “No, I do not think that is the reaction you will feel.” He went to his desk. When he returned, he handed her the letter and tapped a spot. “This paragraph.”

  Elizabeth wiped her eyes and unable to read his expression, looked down at the page. “What is this!” She stared. “He calls me … does he think that I refuse to … Contrary! My goodness, Fitzwilliam!” She stared at him as he tugged the letter from her grasp and tossed it back on his desk. “That little … ninny!”

  “I can think of better terms, but that will suffice.” His lips lifted as he watched her spirits rise.

  “That presumptuous, arrogant, self-important, short … smelly … Oh my, I know that Mary loves him, but … oh! I cannot imagine him … sweating over me! And you know he would sweat! And fumble! He would not know where to …” She sputtered and then spoke with a decided nod, “I bet that he never removes his nightshirt, either!”

  Darcy cocked his head and looked at her curiously, “Is that something you would care to imagine?”

  “No!”

  “Then please do not colour it for my vision, either!”

  Elizabeth blushed, “How does he insult and praise all at once?”

  “Perhaps he learned it from Aunt Catherine. She has a vast talent for it, does she not?” Darcy held out his hands and pulled her up and into his arms. “Thank you for your reaction. Before you woke I was pacing the room, ready to mount an expedition to Longbourn to strangle Mr. Collins.”

  “I would be glad to accompany you.” Elizabeth muttered against his chest. “But sadly that would leave Longbourn without an heir once again.”

  Darcy laughed and kissed her hair. “While I will never be close to this man I must call Brother, I can … tolerate,” Elizabeth looked up, “the mindless joy he expresses for his pending fatherhood, if not his insult to you. I suppose it is no different from the one your mother expresses.”

  “He is not joyful for the child; he is joyful at the accomplishment of impregnating Mary, before you succeeded with me.”

  “Did I succeed with you?” He asked quietly.

  She closed her eyes. “shhhhh.”

  “I would never have permitted that man to sweat over you.”

  “Oh Will, please …”

  “Tit for tat.” He squeezed her tightly when she squeezed his bottom, and settling back on the desk, pulled her to stand between his legs. “Why do you worry so? Even if these symptoms you display are merely toying with us, and … I know we both want it so badly …” Darcy waited but she was not forthcoming. “I will not be offended, or hurt, or … anything that you think I will feel, so please, tell me. What frightens you so that even the barest whisper of speculation sends you burying your face in my chest?” He felt her arms tighten and finally he heard her voice.

  “I walk past your mother’s portrait every day, and she looks at me sadly. She lost so many, Will. Nearly every one of her babies.” She paused and placed her ear over his heart. “She nearly lost you.”

  “How …?”

  “Aunt Susan told me. When we were talking of childbirth and … I asked about miscarriages and mentioned your mother’s losses and … she regretted it as soon as it came from her mouth, but …”

  “But I was born. And Georgiana clearly had no trouble, and neither did your mother, or your aunt, or …” Darcy raised her chin. “Here I am, love.” She nodded and he kissed her. “Now you are not the only one who has spoken to a relative about this. Uncle Gardiner was very kind to impart many of his experiences to me.” He smiled. “Perhaps it has given me the confidence to laugh with your symptoms, rather than pace the room, terrified of what is wrong.”

  “We just went through all of this with Georgiana.”

  “We did not experience the beginning. And after speaking to her, I doubt very much that she understood what was happening. She was in such denial, and of course she was still with Wickham then.”

  “That is another thing that worries me. Would it be unkind to display our hopes or anticipation …”

  “Now stop right there, Mrs. Darcy. I will not, NOT, hide my feelings for you or any potential child we may have simply to protect my sister. No. This is our marriage. Our feelings for our happiness are just, and I will not apologize for them. If she does not like them, or feels slighted, well, she will simply have to live with it. I refuse to spend the remainder of my days treading lightly around her. She made her bed, and she will lie in it. I love my sister, but …” He closed his ey
es.

  “You are correct.”

  “No argument?”

  “No.”

  Darcy nodded and searched her eyes, “Are you better for telling me? Is it not better to have this weight lifted from your breast?”

  “Yes.” She reached up and caressed his hair. “Now, tell me when will you lift the weight from yours?” The crease appeared in his brow and she smiled. “You are not so different from me, Will.”

  They held each other’s eyes and he read the love in hers. “No, we are very much alike.” Leaning down, he kissed her. “I will not press you again, but I will continue to enjoy all of the symptoms of what I hope very much will come.”

  She smiled and traced over the scar on his cheek. “And not feel guilty about keeping your thoughts to yourself on whatever this mysterious subject is that troubles you so.”

  “Yes.”

  “You will be the death of me Fitzwilliam Darcy.”

  “I certainly hope not!” He hugged her. “It is a puzzle, dear. Nothing for you to worry over, and I should not be surprised that you noticed my occasional occupation. It is something that nags at me, but affects nobody in the end, and eventually, I will listen to my inner voice and let it go. Will you accept that?”

  “I suppose that I must. But it is my instinct to tell you to listen to that inner voice of yours now. If I am not to worry over it, why must you? If it is so intangible, why waste a precious moment on it?”

  “This is my reward for marrying a woman who is a keen observer of character.” Darcy kissed her brow and drew back a little. “Speaking of characters worthy of observation, Richard should be leaving Sommerwald today if he continues the plans described in his letter.”

  Elizabeth dabbed at the corner of her eyes with his offered handkerchief and followed his unspoken plea to move on, “Did he say anything of his time with the Kellys?”

  “Yes, he cursed the four brothers he is about to gain. They spared him not a moment with Miss Kelly. He said that a kiss on her hand was the best he ever achieved. The man is suffering greatly from disappointed hopes and continually found himself eyeing the blacksmith shop in Castle Douglass as an ideal place to perform a ceremony, if only he could somehow snatch his bride from her brothers long enough to accomplish the task. Ten minutes and the deed would be done.” Darcy laughed when Elizabeth raised her head and smiled. “What is this look, dear? Triumph?”

  “I like the thought of Richard’s urges not being met.”

  “What of Miss Kelly’s? Do you think that she is complacent?”

  “No, if she is anything like me, she …” Elizabeth blushed and rested her head back on his chest.

  “No, no. Not so easy, love. Did you have feelings of desire for me that were unfulfilled? You said that you did not understand them when we first met.”

  “But that was when we first met.”

  “I did my best after we married until we finally gave in.” He tried to see her face. “You saw me once, relieving my ache. Tell me … have you ever?” She nodded. “How?”

  “Shhh. Just speaking of it makes me blush.”

  Darcy’s hands drifted down to trace over her hips. Elizabeth looked up and he murmured against her lips. “Shall I lock the door, my contrary wife?”

  Elizabeth’s hands pressed against his chest as he drew her close and they kissed. His mouth felt so wonderfully soft and warm. Gradually the gentle caresses gave way to deeper explorations as their bodies moulded to each other. The rhythmic movement of their kisses, the warmth, the delicious scent and taste of their lover and the feel of their bodies beneath their sliding palms removed any sense of time and place.

  Darcy drew back, only to have Elizabeth follow him, not allowing his mouth to escape her touch even for a moment. “Oh Lord …” He groaned and forgetting the open door, clutched her gown in his fists and began raising the skirt. His hands slid over her bare bottom, caressing down the back of her thighs, and then slipping one hand between, his fingers unerringly sought the ache he knew she felt. Elizabeth moaned. “Like this, dearest?” He whispered, briefly nipping her ear before she turned his face and reclaimed his mouth. Darcy smiled against the increasing hunger of her kiss and moaned when she stroked her palms down his chest to his breeches. The look of raw desire in her eyes nearly sent him to his knees. “Lizzy …”

  “I want you.”

  Elizabeth demanding of him was both exciting and overwhelming. Darcy dropped her skirt. “Where?”

  “Lie back and I will take care of the rest.” She laughed at the incredulous joy that crossed his face. “Oh my, to see you …”

  “Stop looking at me and … well you cannot plunder my depths …”

  “No, but I can ride you to oblivion …”

  Darcy groaned and responding to her push, lay back. The inkwell caught his shoulder and sitting up, he looked at her apologetically, “Perhaps the floor would be best, or the sofa?”

  “As you wish.” She said into his eyes.

  “I wish so many things …” Darcy stood and crushed her back into his arms to kiss again.

  “Oh!”

  Their kiss stopped. Darcy looked at Elizabeth and both of them closed their eyes.

  “I am so sorry … the door was open, and … I will go …” Georgiana whispered.

  “No, no, it is fine.” Darcy said roughly.

  “No. It is not.” Elizabeth said under her breath.

  “shh.” Turning Elizabeth so that she stood before him, he tightly gripped her shoulders. “Is there …” He cleared his throat and shifted uncomfortably, “Is there anything we can do for you, Georgiana?”

  She looked between them, and knew full well what she had interrupted. Carefully keeping her gaze on Elizabeth’s left shoulder where her hand clasped Darcy’s, she stuttered, “I … There is a very large wagon coming down the drive. Did you order some furniture, Fitzwilliam?”

  “No.” He looked down to Elizabeth and his brow creased. “I … Oh, the pianoforte!”

  “You ordered a new one?” She asked curiously.

  “No, you thought it would be a waste of a beautiful instrument, I ordered a new interior to be built …” He smiled to see her surprise. “You should not have to go to the ballroom to play, what is a music room without a functional instrument?”

  “You clever man.” She caressed his cheek.

  “It was your idea.” He kissed her hand and held it to his face.

  “Well, I … I will go, then.” Georgiana said quietly and edged for the door. “I look forward to trying your new instrument.”

  Elizabeth returned her attention to her sister, “It is for all of us, Georgiana. You may stay. We were just reading letters.”

  “No, I … I think that you … I will just go and see that the furniture in the music room is moved aside so that the workers can perform the repairs.”

  “Thank you, dear.” Darcy smiled. “Oh, and you may wish to tell Mrs. Annesley that we will be leaving for Matlock in three days. Uncle’s party arrived two days ago, and Richard should be arriving with the Kellys on Saturday.”

  She nodded and bit her lip, “This will be my greatest test, to see if Aunt Catherine or Aunt Grace see anything amiss with me.”

  “Yes.” Elizabeth let go of Darcy’s hand and nodded confidently, “I am certain that you have nothing to fear, Georgiana. It has been over two months, your figure is lovely. If anything, I believe that they will remark on how much you have grown into a lady since they last saw you. Aunt Catherine has not seen you for over a year?”

  “Closer to two.” Darcy nodded. “Elizabeth is quite correct, you have nothing to fear, just be yourself.”

  “I imagine you may be called upon to play.” Elizabeth warned.

  “Oh no …”

  “I will sing if that happens, you do not need to face them alone.”

  “Thank you, Elizabeth.” She looked between them and smiled teasingly, “I will just leave you to … carry on.” Quickly she turned and shut the door firmly behind her.

>   Elizabeth turned to Darcy. They were both blushing but he wasted no time drawing her back into his embrace. “Wait!” Elizabeth wriggled free and ran to lock the door and returned to her laughing husband’s open arms. Her eyes danced and she stood on her toes to kiss his chin. “Now … where were we?”

  “I HAVE NO OBJECTION at all to protecting her, believe me. The protection of a sister’s honour is one of the greatest duties of a brother, no matter how foolish the girl is, but … I am marrying the woman! Must you protect her from me?” Richard looked around at the table of Kelly men gathered in the inn’s tavern. “I had better opportunities to take advantage of her before we were engaged!”

  “But you did not.” Robert pointed out.

  “Well, of course not, she was … we were not engaged then.” He looked between their grinning faces and nodding his head, sat back in his chair. “So this is the way of it then, all together you conspired to drive me insane. What a welcome to the family.”

  “You must realize, Colonel, in a few days, Sophie will be lost to us. You are gaining a wife, but we are returning to a far different home. It will not be nearly the same without her there, in fact,” Robert looked at his father, “I fear that it will be a very difficult time for us as we adjust.”

  “Very difficult.” Mr. Kelly murmured and then lifted his tankard, “To Sophie, long may she remain in our hearts.”

  “To Sophie!” They cried and drank, all slamming down their tankards.

  Richard looked between them and laughed. “If I did not know better, I would say I was attending a wake, not a wedding. The woman is not dead to you; she is merely changing her address. You are all welcome in our home … well, after we honeymoon a bit,” The men all fixed him with glares that he ignored. “She is going to be well-housed, fed, and fussed over. Why you are not celebrating that fact boggles my mind. Would you prefer her to remain unmarried? You do realize that your teasing on the subject was a very sore point for her?” Stephen and Robert exchanged glances as he continued, “And I say that not as some avenging angel, I am guilty of the same thing with my sadly unmarried sister.”