“I shall pass your compliments along to her. I am certain she will appreciate hearing it.”
“You are very kind,” Olivia stated. “Have my niece and nephew come downstairs yet?”
“No, ma’am, they have not; however, Mr. Darcy left word last night that he wanted breakfast trays sent to their sitting room this morning, though not before ten o’clock.”
Olivia cut her eyes to Joseph, smiling knowingly. “Well, after being up so late for the ball, I can imagine that they must be exhausted.”
“And they did not return until long after midnight,” Mrs. Reynolds declared knowingly. “Did you wish to speak to them?”
“No, no. It can wait. I can always talk to Elizabeth later. Please do not disturb their privacy.”
With that, she and Joseph walked past the housekeeper, taking the hall on the other side of the grand staircase that led to the back entrance. When they were out of hearing range, Joseph leaned close to whisper his observation.
“I shall wager that we will see very little of them for days! If you ask me, they shall be pleasantly occupied for quite some time.”
Olivia restrained a chuckle. “Joseph Fitzwilliam, how you do love a good ribbing! I can only imagine what you will say to our nephew when you see him next.”
“Now, Livy, what is this you accuse me of? I only meant to suggest that they will be so tired after attending the ball that they will sleep for days.”
“That is not what you meant and you know it.”
He chuckled. “If I am correct, they will be making up for all the time wasted being upset with one another.”
“And I hope they take all the time they want. They deserve to be happy.”
“Everyone should be as happy as we are, my love.” Joseph turned and embraced her, kissing her tenderly. Then he pulled back to smile at her. “Do you still feel like strolling about the gardens?”
“Happiness gives me strength. I feel as though I could walk the entire estate.”
“Then let us begin, for I think that shall take a long time.”
He held out his arm, and they went out the door and took the gravel path to the rose garden.
WHEN THE FITZWILLIAMS stopped to talk at the back door, their lively conversation was overheard by the two maids working in the nearby billiards room with the door open. Though Clara and Polly could not make out all that was said, they still stopped to smile at one another when the sounds of laughter reached their ears.
“Have you ever seen a more amiable couple than the Fitzwilliams?” Clara asked as quietly as possible. “I swear it makes a body feel good just watching them make eyes at one another.”
“When they are not kissing, you mean,” the younger maid added cheerily. “I am sure I have caught them in a kiss at least once a day since they came to Pemberley. Not that I mind. It warms my heart to see such felicity in a married couple. In my last position, the master and mistress hated one another, and the master was always making vulgar remarks to me and the other maids.”
“That happened to me a lot when I was younger. Fortunately, you will never have to worry about that kind of behaviour here. Mr. Darcy is a gentleman and expects gentlemanly conduct from everyone else,” Clara replied.
“That is the reason I sought work here.” Then Polly suddenly stopped dusting. “May I tell you something? And, if I do, will you promise not to tell?”
“I cannot promise if I have no idea what you are talking about.”
“It involves Florence, the maid who just returned from London with Miss Darcy. I overheard her tell the master’s sister something that raised a question in my mind.”
“You know the rules about gossiping,” Clara chided. “You can be fired for passing along things, even if they may be true.”
“But I am not passing anything along. I just want your opinion. I thought maybe I should tell Mrs. Reynolds what I overheard.”
“Tell me what you heard, and I will give you my opinion as to whether you should tell her. And I promise not to tell anyone, unless I feel it will harm the Darcys.”
“That was my concern.” Polly heaved a sigh and then began. “I was clearing the dishes from Miss Darcy’s sitting room this morning when I heard Florence talking. She was in Miss Darcy’s bedroom, and the door was ajar. I was not trying to hear, mind you, but she was not speaking softly.”
Clara nodded, motioning with her hand for her to continue.
“I heard Florence say that she knew for certain that the master and mistress are sharing Mrs. Darcy’s bed, and she thought Miss Darcy would want to know.”
“What an odd thing to say. How would she know where the master and mistress sleep, and why would she think it important enough to tell her mistress?”
“My thoughts exactly.”
“What did Miss Darcy reply?”
“Her precise words were, ‘I was afraid of that! Until the storm, they were sleeping in separate bedrooms. Thank you for telling me.’ Then a cup accidentally fell from the tray I was carrying and they went silent.”
Completely forgetting her admonition against gossip, Clara retorted, “Humph! Miss Darcy has had a bee in her bonnet since the master tossed their cousin, Andrew, from Pemberley several years ago. Andrew was her favourite, and she has no qualms telling anyone who will listen that her brother is simply cruel.”
“But why would she be unkind to the new mistress? Mrs. Darcy seems so nice.”
“I imagine it is to pay her brother back for the perceived cruelty. Miss Darcy was raging about Mrs. Darcy bringing bad luck the night she and the master were caught in the rain, so I am not surprised at her. However, I am most troubled at Florence’s claim.”
“That is my point. After all, how would Florence know that the Darcys are sharing a bed? For the present, Mrs. O’Reilly and Mr. Adams are off duty, only going upstairs when summoned, and no one else is allowed in the Darcys’ suite save Mrs. Reynolds. We both know that she will not breathe a word about them.”
“This is true.”
“So, do you think I should I inform her?”
“You could, but Florence would deny she said it, and Miss Darcy would likely back her up, especially if she does not want her brother to learn of it.”
“I had not thought of that.”
“However, I believe you and I should look for more evidence.”
“You are going to help me?”
“I am. You and I can keep an eye on Florence. If we can catch her lurking in the servants’ hallway outside Mrs. Darcy’s bedroom, then we will have stronger proof.”
“So you think she is spying on them from the hallway?”
“How else would she know if they shared the bedroom? And she has no business being in that hall, not with Miss Darcy’s rooms clear on the other side of the house. Likely, she sneaks around early in the morning or late at night.”
“My room is across from Florence’s and the hall floor squeaks whenever anyone passes. I shall have to pay more attention to the squeaks and see who it is,” Polly stated.
Clara laughed. “Well, I have a better situation than you. My bedroom adjoins hers and there is a door between us. The door itself is a little crooked, leaving a gap on one side. If I am awake, I can see when there is a light in her room. If she were to light a candle at night, I will know.”
“If she is spying on the Darcys, let us hope we discover her soon. It will be hard to work and keep watch over her.”
“No doubt. But we must do what it takes to protect the Darcys’ privacy.”
Polly sighed. “Yes, we must.”
ELIZABETH’S BEDROOM
An itchy nose awoke Elizabeth. She did not bother to open her eyes but instinctively brushed her hand back and forth across it and, satisfied, she tried to go back to sleep. The mysterious sensation began again and this time Elizabeth opened her eyes to find a long feather being held just over her eyes. Recalling that she was now sharing her bed with William, she giggled and rolled over to face him. Tossing the feather, he used his ha
nd for a more important task—snaking it around her waist and pulling her bare body against his.
“Will!” Elizabeth exclaimed gleefully as she was rapidly swept across the silk sheet. “You are incorrigible! Last night you promised to let me sleep as late as I wished today.”
“I shall let you go back to sleep then,” he proclaimed, his mien dejected, “if that is your wish.”
As the arm that held her tightly was slowly removed, she grabbed hold of it, staying its progress. Instantly, his frown turned into a smirk and she playfully pushed at his chest.
“You knew that I was teasing.”
Admiring the dark shadow of a beard that now covered his chiselled chin, her eyes travelled to his well-shaped mouth that called out to be kissed, so she obliged. Soon, what began as a tender kiss became a raging fire as his tongue began to work its magic. She moaned when he suddenly rolled over, trapping her beneath him. Still, he continued the kiss as her arms snaked around his waist and her nails sunk into his back. Soon they were joined once more and lost in the enchantment of making love. The feelings inside Elizabeth built until she felt herself falling off a cliff into a deep abyss, while wave after wave of bliss washed over her.
Still lost in desire, William kept going until he reached the same pinnacle. Then with a loud groan, he collapsed atop her, breathing as though he had run a race. Lying perfectly still until his breath slowed, he rose up on his elbows to study his wife.
“I love you, my darling Elizabeth.”
“I love you, too, my darling Will.”
He rolled over, taking her with him so that she lay on his stomach. As he ran his fingers lazily up and down the supple skin of her back, he asked, “What do you wish to do today, love?”
She lifted her head and crossed her arms to prop herself on his chest. As she studied him, she said, “What I wish for is to stay here with you.”
William tried not to smile too widely. “If we wish to occupy this room for the next month, it is our prerogative.”
Elizabeth chuckled. “I can just see the faces of our servants, scandalised because the master and mistress have not left their bedroom for weeks—not to mention your aunt and uncle.”
“I do not imagine my aunt and uncle would be at all surprised. The way they act toward one another, I am certain that they still have a healthy physical relationship.”
Elizabeth gasped. “Will! What a thing to say!”
“Relations between a man and his wife are a normal part of life, Elizabeth. It is only natural to speak of it. Of course, I would never speak about it to anyone but you; however, to be truthful, I admire that aspect of their marriage. I pray that we shall follow their example, for I intend to occupy your bed until the day I die.”
Elizabeth’s smile vanished. “Please do not speak of dying, Will. I cannot bear the thought of living without you. Promise me that you will never leave me.”
“I cannot promise that I will be here for the rest of your life, Elizabeth, but I can promise that I will love you for the rest of mine.”
“Oh, Will,” was all she managed to say before their lips met.
William ended the kiss, whispering, “I need to retrieve something from my bedroom. Do not move.”
“I do not think I shall be going anywhere, the way I am dressed,” Elizabeth teased, holding the sheet back.
By then William was donning his robe and glanced to her display. Sucking in his breath, he said, “If you keep that up, I shall never leave this room again.”
Despite what he said, he did hurry from the room and in only seconds returned with a mysterious smile on his face and a hand hidden behind his back.
Elizabeth smiled mischievously. “Just what are you hiding, Mr. Darcy?”
“Close your eyes and you will learn soon enough.” She did as asked and felt the bed settle as he sat back down on it. “Now you may open them.”
Elizabeth sat speechless, blinking steadily at an exquisite, gold wedding band. It was wide enough that words had been engraved on it and a diamond had been sunk into the space between each word.
He chuckled. “Have you nothing to say?”
“I... it is so beautiful that words fail me.”
“Read the inscription.” As she took the ring from the box, a small paper fell to the bed. “That is just my order for the ring,” William assured her as he scooped up the paper and laid it on the bedside table.
As she read the words aloud, her eyes filled with tears and her voice choked. “First... Last... Only... Always.”
“I wanted my feelings toward you inscribed on your ring for the entire world to see. You are my one and only love, now and forever.”
“As you are mine,” she said raggedly, leaning towards him until their mouths met again in a tender kiss.
“It also has our wedding date inscribed inside. I hope you do not mind trading my mother’s band for this one, for I wanted to give you a wedding ring that was truly yours alone.”
“It is the most beautiful ring I have ever seen and the sentiments simply melt my heart. I shall cherish it forever, Will. And, if you do not object, I shall wear your mother’s ring on my other hand, since it was my first ring from you.”
“I think Mother would have liked that very much.”
“I cannot imagine when you ordered it, though. I was so unkind to you once we arrived in London that I wonder at your having any feelings left for me,” she looked down at the inscription, teary eyed. “Much less ones that are so dear.”
“Hush, my darling. No dwelling on the past. As for this ring, I ordered it when I went to London for the special license, but it was not finished until a week later.”
She hugged him fiercely, murmuring hoarsely in his ear. “No one else will ever know the strength of my love for you, Will Darcy. For you alone have seen my heart from the inside, for you reside there.”
“My precious Elizabeth,” he whispered, pushing her back on the bed and kissing her soundly.
Only a knock on the door an hour later and a voice announcing that their meals were waiting in the sitting room, could have lured them from their pleasant endeavours.
MERYTON
Longbourn
Two Days later
At another soirée given by Mrs. Phillips in honour of their engagement, Charles Bingley and Jane Bennet were presented, yet again, as living trophies to Mrs. Bennet’s cleverness in finding husbands for her daughters. Agnes Phillips had already held a small party in honour of Jane’s engagement, but Fanny Bennet insisted that she have a larger, more formal dinner party; thus, to keep peace with her sister, she had acquiesced. So here the lucky couple stood once again greeting their friends and neighbours and receiving their wishes of joy.
As the crush of people began to thin, Jane leaned close so only Bingley could hear and whispered, “I apologise again for Mama’s officiousness. I had no idea that she would make Aunt Phillips host another party for us.”
Ever the conciliator, Bingley whispered in return, “Do not fret, love. It is nothing to me if we attend a hundred dinner parties. As long as you are with me, I shall be glad to attend them all.”
Jane blushed as she examined her handsome fiancé. His blue suit looked so smart with his ginger hair and blue eyes, and when he smiled at her, her heart soared with happiness. “Oh, Charles, you are so good to me!”
“I intend to do everything within my power to please you, now and after we are married.”
“Speaking of pleasing me, you no longer need to travel to Pemberley. I received an express post from Lizzy just before we left Longbourn for here.”
“An express? What news was so important that it necessitated an express? From your smile, I can only assume that all is well.”
“All is more than well. It is wonderful! And as for the express, Lizzy must have taken my last letter quite seriously.”
“Whatever do you mean?”
“I threatened to come to Pemberley to see her. Unlike the few letters I have received since her marriage, this one
convinced me that she is truly happy.” For a moment, Jane seemed lost in thought as a contented smile settled across her face.
“I am glad for that. I would not have you worry needlessly.”
“Have you gotten a reply to your letter to Mr. Darcy?”
“Not as yet. I should hear from him any day, though.” Charles looked around until he located his future mother across the room, too far away to hear. “Do not expect to glean too much information from any letter from Darcy, though. He is notoriously tight-lipped about his personal life.”
“I understand. But if he is as happy as my sister, perhaps he cannot resist telling you. As Lizzy wished, I shared the letter I got with Papa and Mama.”
“Is your mother content then?”
“Of course not,” Jane replied with a sigh. “She insists that Lizzy would never tell us if Mr. Darcy was unhappy with her. That is why I am curious as to what he may say. Perhaps he will write something that might persuade Mama that all is well.”
Bingley smiled sheepishly. “I do not think Darcy would care if I told you what he wrote; after all, we are engaged, but if you shared his thoughts with your mother, he might feel that I betrayed his trust.”
“Oh dear, I did not think of that.”
“I do believe your mother took Lizzy’s trip to Pemberley alone the wrong way,” Bingley said, patting her hand consolingly. “I know Darcy well enough to say without hesitation that he is besotted with your sister. And he is simply not the kind to toss her aside. After all, he waited years to meet someone that he wished to marry.”
“Still, I must agree with Mama on one thing—there was something amiss between them. My sister has never been able to fool me, even in a letter, and until I got the one today, I was convinced of her unhappiness.”
“And now that you think otherwise, a trip is unnecessary.”
Jane smiled lovingly, taking his hand to give it a squeeze. “Yes, for now I am satisfied. So, unless you wish to see your friend, you do not have to travel there for my sake.”
“Excellent! To be truthful, I had rather stay here. I think Darcy will be too occupied with your sister to relish a visit from me.”
Darcy and Elizabeth--A Most Unlikely Couple Page 51