Love Calls Again

by Lucianne Elsworth

  Little did he imagine the sort of beasts he was about to face.

  Fortunately, the old man's eyes took some time to adjust themselves to the dimness of the room, hence barely distinguished the presence of the couple, but for the noises they were making. To his dismay, he was scared to death by the commanding voice of Mr Darcy. Coming out of the blue, he well nigh scared the poor man's soul out of him.

  "Leave us!"

  The gardener instantly wheeled around and exited the place as fast as he could. Had he seen a real phantom he could not have disappeared more promptly.

  Unfortunately for the lovers, the untimely intruder had chosen to make his entrance in the most sacred moment. If Darcy had been a little less passionately engaged he would have heard the man before he made his sudden interference. After that, his lover was in such a sad state of commotion that little did she perceive what was going on in her nether regions. She got hysterical and Darcy had to use all the patience that he could spare to calm her.

  The sad culmination of their lovemaking did not bring about much inconvenience, other than the obliged interrupted passion - with all the pain it entailed - to which Darcy was tragically compelled. Truth be told, the sudden apparition of the old man upon their love nest had been scary enough to cool Mr Darcy's breeches for future romantic endeavours other than his wedding night. Notwithstanding the embarrassment both of them had had to endure, the lesson had been learnt. Amorous exertions were better accomplished in the shelter of the night, and in one's bedchamber.

  Still the deflowering had been called off.

  Frustration notwithstanding, even more embarrassing was the aftermath. Humiliation was the hardest pill to swallow, and Mr Darcy was not used to it. After Elizabeth had recovered, she was full of questions, and Darcy promised he would answer them all upon their wedding night. But from then on, there would be no more secluded meetings or passionate kisses.

  Far was it from Elizabeth to leave the matter like that. Something had happened. She had felt it within her. She had been a bit nervous at first, but then as he continued with his caresses, warmth had enveloped her and she had felt wet between her legs. Was this preparation for more to come? What exactly was to come? The bliss which had taken possession of her the moment before the interruption had prevented any intelligence of what was going on. Still, she was sure her maidenhood persevered.

  That evening she went to bed early, and so did Mr Darcy. The following day they were to travel to London to make the last arrangements for her wedding dress. Jane was also going with them as a chaperone. Still, Elizabeth had made up her mind to ask her sister about the secrets of the wedding night. But when?

  She was just about to conceal sleep, when a light rap at her door alerted her. Perchance Jane wished to talk to her after all. Quick as a fish, she abandoned the bed and ran towards the door. She opened it ajar to find no other than Mr Darcy, an embarrassed look on his face.

  He hurriedly got into her bedchamber and shut the door behind him.

  "I thought you said no more secluded meetings," she protested, taking a good distance from him.

  "Indeed. I am afraid it could not be helped."

  Elizabeth arched her eyebrow and smirked.

  "And pray. Would you explain me to what I owe the honour of your visit at this late hour?"

  "I wish to apologise."

  "Aye, sir. I am well aware of what your apologies entail. Thank you very much, but no. This is hardly an excuse to come to my bedchamber. Sir, you must restrain yourself." Seeing that he was deeply embarrassed by her scolding, she immediately regretted being so hard on him. "Could you not have waited until dawn?"

  "Indeed I could not. I was tossing and turning in bed. Do not feel concerned, dearest. I am not here with any other purpose than to soothe my mind. I was afraid you would be angry with me."

  "I am. Very angry, indeed."

  "I am sorry, Elizabeth. I know not what came over me. I simply cannot repress my feelings. Every time I am alone with you, I cannot hold myself."

  "And you have come over to my bedchamber, in the middle of the night to confess thus?"

  He looked at her a bit puzzled.

  "I suppose I have."

  "Well, sir?"

  "Shall I leave?"

  She sent him a quizzical look.

  "Have you not come to seduce me again?"

  "Only if you wish me to."

  "Sir, you are incorrigible."

  "Ma'am, I just cannot help it. You have been in my mind, in my dreams for so long!" He stepped forward a little, his arms stretched out to hold her. She ran quickly to the other side of the bedchamber and hid behind the four-posted bed.

  "Nay sir. Not this time. He who fools me once shame falls on him, he who fools me twice…"

  "Shame will always fall on me, Elizabeth. I am famished, insatiable for you. I can hardly wait for us to part with all this company to our home in Pemberley."

  "In that case, you had better go back to your bedchamber at once. My sister Jane may come any time now. She and I usually talk quite for some time at night when I am visiting her."

  "Well, in that case I suppose I must go."

  One would have expected him to act accordingly, yet he lingered around looking very much distressed.

  "Sir, you know our passionate nature. I do not wish to put ourselves in a difficult situation yet again. I assure you, you have my deepest regard. I accept your apologies but now you must return to your bedchamber." She waved her hand in the direction of the door.

  She had not realised she was being inspected by her besotted fiancé, his dark eyes roaming her figure with such a hunger. She was in her nightshift, her hair in a dark cascade falling on her shoulders, barefooted, looking so very fetching from behind the bed for a gentleman's eyes. At least for that gentleman's eyes.

  "Fitzilliam. Pray do not stare at me so. You scare me."

  "Goodness, Elizabeth. You know not what you do to me. My love, I just cannot help it."

  "Sir, you must go. Go now." With a hurried movement, she went up to the door and placed her hand on the doorknob. "Pray, leave me."

  "You are right. I must go now. Good night, my love."

  "Good night, sir."

  He went up to her and kissed her on a cheek, lingering his lips close to hers. At the teasing contact of his skin she shivered involuntarily, which told him he was, as usual, causing a reaction on her. He proceeded to kiss her again, while eyeing her seriously, this time on the other cheek. He cupped her chin with one hand and wound her waist with the other. Her knees began to falter, and she would have died to lay with him that very night.

  "Sleep tight," he finally said, and opening the door, released her and went to his bedchamber, leaving a jelly of a woman behind.

  ~•~

  The next morning, the party of three left for London. The wedding was to take place in five days and Mr Darcy wanted to have a last talk with his relatives in town so that they would stand by him in this important moment of his life. Elizabeth and Jane were to meet Georgiana in town, too, and the three of them would spend a whole day shopping and preparing the last details of their gowns. Colonel Fitzwilliam would join his cousin and accompany him in the task of visiting the most difficult members of the family. Netherfield Park was ready to accommodate any member of the Fitzwilliams that should wish to attend to the wedding breakfast.

  Thus, after an exhausting journey on the road, a very proud Mr Darcy introduced his fiancée to the staff of his London house. The servants were delighted to be the first ones to accommodate their future mistress sooner than the Pemberley staff. They very much approved of the new mistress. Though she was not as young as they would have wished her to be, she looked quite healthy and surely would be able to erase the burden of a childless house from Mr Darcy's shoulders. Some of the servants even recollected her presence in the house in the past, and remembered her to be a remarkably attentive sort of person, very fond of walks in the park and extremely affectionate with her sister.

&n
bsp; She was definitely prettier than the previous mistress, and livelier and more amiable, too. Truth be told, they had hardly caught but a short glimpse of the late Mrs Darcy for she had remained secluded at her own estate in Kent most of the duration of the marriage. Mr Darcy himself had been a shadow of the man he used to be during the time he had been married to her. But now, he was smiling again. Life had returned to his eyes. The lady seemed very much in love with him, never leaving his side, her eyes stuck to his figure.

  Elizabeth, terribly nervous as she was, dreaded being left alone with the servants, so many they were that she found it impossible to remember even the housekeeper's name. Hence, all her wild spirit remained bottled up, and nothing but a few isolated words could she manage in front of the staff, barely repeating their names or silently nodding after Mr Darcy introduced her to them. But to the eye of the observant she looked the obedient, shy, yet happy bride she ought to be. Yes, Mr Darcy would find great domestic felicity with such a woman by his side.

  Hardly had the party been accommodated when Colonel Fitzwilliam followed them at the London Townhouse. Miss Darcy was exceedingly happy to have them all together. She loved both her brother and cousin exceedingly well, and now that Elizabeth would be part of their family she was glowing with contentment. Mrs Bingley and Miss Darcy exchanged warm greetings, since from now on they would be sisters. But when Miss Bennet and Miss Darcy met, however, they flung themselves into each other arms and tears would not be scarce. Even Mr Darcy had had to struggle for composure seeing his sister's reaction to his choice of bride.

  After the first moment had passed, the two ladies got engaged in a long conversation which left the rest of the guests much on their own. Darcy's attention was soon caught by Mr Falstaff, his butler in London, regarding the sleeping accommodations and several other details entailing their residence in the house.

  So, Elizabeth and Miss Darcy were sitting in the drawing room, Darcy was in his study, which left Colonel Fitzwilliam and Mrs Bingley to entertain themselves.

  Jane was happily surprised to find that Colonel Fitzwilliam was part of the party, too. The moment she saw him, a broad smile drew on her face, and her heart leapt in excitement. He was not wearing his regimentals now, nonetheless he looked devastatingly handsome.

  "Miss Bingley. I suppose you do not fancy a turn in the garden?" Richard's voice teased her.

  "Indeed, Colonel. Why is it you suppose I would not?"

  "The last time I saw you, you had had quite an unpleasant experience while walking outdoors."

  "Aye, Colonel. But to a keen walker a mere fall is nothing at all. And I should say I was lucky enough to find a rescuer."

  "My luck, you mean. Had it not been for your weak ankle I would have never known the pleasure of your company.

  If ever Jane was crimsoned, let that be this time. The gentleman's easy manners and flattering flirtatious demeanour were having a devastating effect on Jane's emotions. She simply found him enchanting, irresistible.

  And it showed in the way she looked at him. Regrettably, Jane's peal of laughter attracted the attention of Miss Darcy.

  Colonel Fitzwilliam needed no more clues to be aware of the ladies' feelings. His, he was well aware of, too. He could not deny himself a little distraction from his growing jealousy towards Darcy. So, on he talked to her about unimportant matters. After a little more debate on whose luck had their first meeting in Hertfordshire been, they did take a turn in the garden. And quite enjoyed it. Soon, they were on first name basis, and more than a brush of hands took place during their walk. The Colonel told her of his many adventures abroad, of Wellington, of the time he was on service in India, and they spent a wonderful time together.

  "Mrs Bingley seems very much entertained with my cousin. I wonder what they are talking about," said Georgiana to Elizabeth on seeing the twosome disappear on the path of the garden.

  "I am not surprised. Richard always has some hilarious anecdote to relate, has he not?"

  "Indeed. I am surprised you know him so well."

  "Oh, the Colonel and I have been long acquainted. I met him about five years ago at Rosings while I was visiting my cousin's parsonage in Kent."

  "Aye. I remember the story quite well. My brother and cousin wrote me several letters on that occasion and yours was a much repeated name."

  "Was it? Gracious Lord, and you say Darcy often mentioned my name? Had I known that then, none of this would have happened." "Why do you say that?"

  " 'Tis only that your brother… he made me an offer of marriage then. Only that I had but the worst opinion of him. You would not believe it. The first time I saw him was at a ball, in Meryton. He slighted me, and flatly refused to stand up with me. I can still hear his words for I overheard him talking to Mr Bingley. "She is tolerable, I suppose, but not handsome enough to tempt 'me'."

  "My brother pronounced those words! How strange. Did he say them in jest? Still, 'twas very wrong of him to speak so."

  "Indeed it was! Capital offence! But that would not be all. On further acquaintance he would stare at me so intently, I thought he only saw blemish in me. Indeed, 'twas not his meaning. Quite the opposite. In the end it turned out he liked me. Unfortunately I failed to comprehend his meaning and ended up hating him. But the worst was yet to come. Colonel Fitzwilliam…"

  And she stopped. All of a sudden it dawned on her everything had been Richard's doing. He was the one who had told her about Darcy's schemes to separate Bingley from Jane. Had he done it on purpose?

  "You were saying?"

  She recollected herself and endeavoured to find a suitable story for her failing to accept Darcy's suit on that occasion.

  "His choice of words failed to recommend his suit. He said that in declaring himself in love with me he was aware that he would be going against the wishes of his family, his friends, and his own better judgement. That the relative situation of our families made any alliance between us a reprehensible connection."

  "Goodness, Elizabeth. And yet he was offering you his hand in marriage? I wonder why you did not dismiss him immediately. I can hardly believe 'tis my brother you are speaking of."

  "I told him he would be the last man in the world I would ever be prevailed upon to marry. Fortunately, it seems so long ago now that none of those feelings have prevailed. Quite the opposite, I assure you."

  "Yet how sad you did not solve the misunderstanding before. You cannot imagine what my brother has suffered. Once, after my ball in London I was much concerned for his life. But then it was Richard who came to his aid."

  "Richard?"

  And in such a manner Miss Darcy acquainted her new sister with Darcy's terrible days alone at Pemberley. Their conversation turned so earnest that to them quite a short time was spent in it. As a matter of fact, a good two hours they had spent thus when Mr Darcy approached them.

  "Ready for a tour of the house?" said he.

  "Aye. That would be very agreeable! Shall we call the others?"

  They glanced outside for Jane and the Colonel but they were nowhere to be seen. Therefore, a servant was sent to fetch them. Georgiana expressed her wish to wait for the Colonel, so Darcy and Elizabeth started the tour on their own.

  It was not the first time Elizabeth had been a guest in Darcy's town house. The moment they passed in front of the guest bedchamber she had occupied about three years ago, she could not refrain from giggling at the memory of what had happened there.

  "So, now you laugh at me?" he teased her.

  "Pray sir. Why would you think ill of me? I was not laughing at you. I was merely embarrassed to revisit the room."

  "I see. So, you cry when you are happy, and giggle when embarrassed?"

  "I believe you are getting the picture, sir."

  "Well, then. I suppose I must be prepare for another round of wiggles, for I am about to introduce you to the Master's bedchamber."

  "Is your bedchamber a reason to be embarrassed?"

  "'Tis where we shall spend our wedding night."

>   "Oh."

  She giggled not, but became quite serious indeed.

  Thirty-One

  —

  Thou Shall Not Covet Thy Neighbour's Wife

  When the Colonel glanced at his pocket watch, he realised, he and Mrs Bingley had been talking for scarcely less than two hours, their turn having taken them to a rather solitary path in the garden.

  "I have not realised we have been talking for so long. They must be missing us."

  "Indeed, Colonel. Neither have I. How long have we been so?"

  "Two hours, my dear Jane."

  "This is all your fault, Richard. You entertained me too much with that story of the elephant in Piccadilly Circus."

  "I am glad you have enjoyed my tale. You certainly are a keen audience. 'Tis one of those times in which I simply was enjoying myself too much to notice that time has passed by! Surely you must know it is because of you."

  Jane was looking up at him. She perceived his penetrating gaze upon hers, and fixing her eyes on him as he spoke, gently approached him further.

  "Nonsense, Colonel." she said in a whisper. "Why do you put such things in my head? Your stories are simply freewheeling. My spirit feels so free and independent when I listen to you!"

  "I wish your heart were independent, dear ma'am. That would be enough for me."

  "My heart, indeed! What can you have to do with hearts? You men have none of you any hearts."

  "If we have no heart, we have eyes; and they give us torment enough."

  "Do they? I am sorry for it. I am sorry they find anything so disagreeable in me so as to torment you. I will look another way. I hope this pleases you."

  Thereupon she halted and turned her back on him.

  "Never more so, for the edge of a blooming cheek is still in view – at once too much and too little."