by Lory Lilian
His arm encircled her shoulders. “Sleep well, my love.” She whispered something, while her hand continued to caress him. She was obviously very tired, and her breathing became more and more regular; however, her caresses seemed to increase too. Eventually, his hand stopped hers.
“Elizabeth, you should not continue to do that if you truly wish to sleep,” he whispered.
She opened her eyes to him. “What did I do?”
“Nothing, but that your touch gives me shivers, and sleep is the last thing on my mind.
Elizabeth stared at him in disbelief. “Surely you cannot mean…We just finished…and it was the second time today.” Her astonishment was a new reason for his amusement; he kissed her hand and embraced her more closely, trying to dissipate her worry.
“Do not be afraid, my love. I will never insist upon anything you do not want. And you may touch me as much as you like. I will gladly bear the torture of your caresses with the last remnants of my self-control,” he teased her. “Now let us sleep.”
“I am not afraid of anything you may do, William; I know you would never force me—with anything. And it is not that I do not want it. It is just I feel really exhausted now.”
“My love, I know you are exhausted,” he smiled and kissed her temple. “I also know you have not slept much lately; in fact, I wonder if you have slept enough a single night in the last couple of months.”
A few more moments of silence followed. “William, may I ask —? How is it that, except for our wedding night, it only happened once every evening, and then we would sleep? Yet today we already—you know—twice, and you still do not seem tired.”
Darcy embraced her tightly and removed a lock of hair from her ear. “I was not tired before either.” He smiled. “I only struggled to balance my desires with my concern. I could not stay away from you, but I tried to take into consideration your lack of experience, your fears, and your discomfort. As you said earlier, I mostly exercised the ‘kind and considerate’ side of my character.”
“I see,” she whispered, not knowing what to say.
“From now on, my dearest, loveliest wife, as you have proven that I no longer have reason to be concerned, I intend to fully exercise my loving, passionate side—as you described it.”
His deep, flirtatious voice and the gentle touch of his fingers near her ear sent shivers across her skin, and she tried hard to smile as she felt her face and neck burning.
“I see,” she repeated.
“That is why I would strongly advise you to stop any further conversation about this subject and try to sleep as soon as you can,” he concluded with another soft kiss upon her lips.
“Good night, husband,” she said, cuddling to his chest.
“Good night, my love,” he replied, certain he could not possibly fall asleep with her warm body pressed to his. However, as she said, he was not tired at all. He would allow her to rest as much as she needed while he watched her beautiful face smiling in her dreams.
She was truly happy—of that, he had no doubt.
Chapter 25
Elizabeth awoke to the sound of wind rattling the window; it was dark, but the room was softly lit by the fire. She sighed in contentment as she moved closer to her sleeping husband, cuddling as she listened to the storm outside. Darcy pulled her closer and whispered something; she smiled.
A month had passed since they had returned home to Pemberley—a month spent in blissful happiness—and Elizabeth had been granted everything she had hoped for, including snow!
Moreover, as happened in London, they barely separated for a couple of hours each day, and only when his duties required urgent attention. Elizabeth used these times to become accustomed to her role as mistress, and Mrs. Reynolds often congratulated her on her efficiency and quickness in learning her responsibilities. What Mrs. Reynolds did not know—and Elizabeth blushed at the thought—was that she struggled to learn everything as quickly as possible for a very selfish reason: she wanted as much time as possible to share with her husband.
Elizabeth turned so she could face him; he moaned and tightened his arms around her. Elizabeth chuckled at his insistence; he seemed unable to sleep if he did not feel her close to him. If she was afraid that her husband would stop joining her in bed once at Pemberley, her fears vanished the very first day of their arrival. Truth be told, he did not come to her bed every night; at times she slept in his room as had happened that night.
She gently brushed her fingers along his handsome face; he looked peaceful as his chest moved steadily in his sleep. He is tired, she thought. Indeed, he had every reason to be tired as he slept little at night and awoke early each morning to attend his most urgent business. Almost every day he would go downstairs when she was still asleep and return a couple of hours later to wake her.
It became a daily routine for her to enjoy late morning deep sleep until her husband’s caress came to rouse her body and her senses, just as it became an evening routine for her to go and fetch him when some business delayed him in his study longer than usual. She always respected his duties, and so at those times, she would simply enter his study and sit on a sofa nearby, waiting. He had placed an armchair by his desk so she might sit next to him. The first night of her sitting so close, he turned and kissed her unexpectedly once he finished his work, and before either could restrain their passion, they found themselves making love right there in the armchair. As embarrassing as the incident had been afterwards, it did not take long for them to repeat it another night.
Elizabeth never imagined that her husband would allow himself to be carried away by passion and desire so easily—and so often—but he did. To her surprise—and occasional mortification—the moments of shared love outside the privacy of their apartments were not rare. Darcy’s only concern was to assure their absolute privacy, so he always locked the door of his study or the library. Elizabeth remembered—with a frisson—that they had even made love once in the music room and in the billiard room. Though she always surrendered to his “loving initiative,” she still felt somehow awkward afterward, fearing someone would enter and discover them or, at the very least, that the locked door would betray their activities. However, day by day, she became less distressed by these worries, as Darcy seemed to organise his staff’s activities and his own appointments so efficiently that nobody ever disturbed them, not even with a knock on the door. He was always careful to attend to his duties, and the others were always careful not to interrupt him unexpectedly.
At least, that was how things had worked for the first five weeks of their marriage, but as Elizabeth anticipated—and feared—major changes began that same day. Her family’s Christmas visit was expected in the afternoon. The entire Bennet family together with Bingley and Jane, the Gardiners and their children, and Georgiana and Cassandra would be invading Pemberley in less than 12 hours, and there would certainly be no time for rest or tranquillity for the next four weeks.
Elizabeth was eager to see her relatives as well as her new sister and her friend, but Darcy looked positively distressed at the prospect.
“My darling husband,” she whispered. She cuddled closer to him and rested her head against his chest, feeling his heart racing. She could not restrain herself from placing a soft kiss over his heart. He immediately moaned, and though he was sleeping, his body tensed. Elizabeth smiled, wondering once more at the strong effect her mere touch had upon him. With a will of their own, her hands moved gently up his chest to his shoulders, down his arms and rested upon his waist. Slightly embarrassed, as though she were being caught doing something forbidden, she dared to watch him closely. For the first time, she saw his “arousal” while he was asleep and barely restrained a gasp. She had felt his size—she even touched him briefly during their lovemaking—but she had never been bold enough to look at it until now. She even put a little more distance between their bodies and continued to stare. That it looked somehow awkward was her first thought. Awkward and strangely large was her second thought. Then sh
e heard him sighing in his sleep, and her eyes turned to his face and admired his handsome features for a few minutes. When her eyes travelled down along his body again, she could see his arousal was larger as though he could feel the caress of her gaze. Only this time, it did not look either awkward or strange to Elizabeth. It was not a thing but a part of him—of her beloved husband—a part of the man whose love brought her so much happiness.
Elizabeth pulled the covers off him; for the first time, she knelt near Darcy and closely perused every inch of her husband’s body lit only by the fire’s dim light. Soon, watching was not enough, and her fingers daringly followed the path of her eyes, stroking his skin. He moaned again and whispered her name in his dream; she removed her nightgown and, naked, leaned near him—against him. Her lips tantalised his neck, resting on his throat for an instant, and then moved up to his chin, along the line of his jaw. Her hand was now upon his waist and moved down to his hips; his body shivered, and though he was not awake yet, his arms trapped her. Her kisses increased, and she climbed upon him to reach his face; her breasts brushed against his chest, and she could not restrain a moan as deep as his. Shy and slightly embarrassed, with tender curiosity, her fingers finally dared to touch his manhood. The feeling was nothing she expected, and for a moment, she tensed and remained still, not knowing what to do; then she heard her name in his pleading whispers and briefly wondered if her touch was at least half as pleasant for him as his caresses were for her.
“Oh God, Elizabeth, please,” he whispered again, and now she knew he was awake. She also understood that he was begging her to continue, so she did not hesitate any longer. With every moment, every stroke, and every moan coming from his dry lips, she realised that his body enjoyed and longed for exactly the same things as hers and that she could grant him the same pleasure he gave her.
Her hands and her mouth explored and tasted his skin for countless minutes, and as he begged her for more, her desire increased. She felt his body trembling violently, then he stopped her ministrations, rolled her over swiftly, and entered her before she realised what was happening. A few minutes later, his thrusts deepened inside her as he covered her face with his kisses. His hands were stroking her skin, and impulsively, she allowed her hand to slide between them until it reached the very point where their bodies were joined. Her fingers touched his manhood, and he cried her name while his thrusts increased for several long minutes until the pleasure overwhelmed and exhausted them both.
“Mrs. Darcy, what are you doing to me?” Darcy asked some time later, taking her hand in his.
“I am sorry for disturbing your rest, husband. I hope you are not upset with me.”
He cupped her face and looked into her eyes. “Do I look upset, my wife?”
“No, you do not look upset at all.” She chuckled. “I am very pleased to please you, husband.”
He laughed, kissing her hand. “It is not just the pleasure, you little minx, though I confess I am deeply amazed by the pleasure we share every time. What makes me so happy, my love, is that I feel each of your kisses, each of your caresses, each of your looks as proof of your love for me.”
“And that is how you should feel them, my dear husband. However, I really hope you will remember my deep love for you when you become annoyed by the liveliness of my family,” she teased him.
He removed a few locks of hair from her face. “Do not worry, my dearest; nothing will annoy me if I have your delightful company from time to time.”
“Well, you will surely have my company at least during the night.”
He sighed with resignation. “Yes, that is what I fear.”
“Do not worry, my love; four weeks will pass in no time.”
“No, they will not, unfortunately; four weeks is a long time. Thank heavens Pemberley is so large a house that one can easily find solitude in it.”
“I challenge you to escape my mother’s affectionate attention, Mr. Darcy.”
“I am sorry to discover you still doubt my ability to have my way when I truly want it, madam.”
“Indeed, you are mistaken, sir; I have long stopped doubting your abilities, husband.”
“That is comforting to know.” He covered them both with the sheet.
“It is very cold, and the wind sounds quite wild,” he said, suddenly serious. “I hope they will all arrive safely.”
“I am a little worried, too. However, I am trustful knowing they are all coming together from London, so even if there are some difficulties, my uncle, Papa and Mr. Bingley will take care of everyone in the party.”
“Mr. Gardiner and Bingley are reliable gentlemen, and Mr. Bennet can offer them proper advice if needed; let us try to sleep a little more as we have much to accomplish before their arrival.”
Elizabeth soon fell asleep, but Darcy remained awake, listening to the wind until the dawn arrived.
***
“Oh, my dear Mr. Bennet, what beauty!! I cannot believe my eyes! My dear Lizzy, she was so clever to catch Mr. Darcy! Such a tall, handsome man—and what an estate. Do you not think she was clever?”
In one of the carriages, Mr. Bennet was gathered together with his wife, Kitty and Jane, along with Mr. Bingley; Mary was invited to join Miss Darcy and Lady Cassandra. Mr. Bennet felt horribly tired and dangerously annoyed after such a long journey in such a small, crowded place, and his only consolation was that Bingley looked more miserable than he did.
“Yes, she was very clever. Thank God we will arrive in a couple of minutes,” he replied briefly.
“Oh Mama, I cannot wait to see my room,” said Kitty. “Do you think they will have guests other than the family? I would love to see new faces—and maybe they will have a ball.”
“Kitty dearest, I do not think they will have a ball,” explained Jane, gently. “Lizzy did not mention anything like that. You know Mr. Darcy is not fond of dancing and gatherings. He likes his privacy, and I believe they planned a peaceful Christmas with the family—not a large social event.”
Oh, I like my privacy too, only I am more stupid than Darcy, and I do not know to stand up for it, thought Bingley while staring outside the window.
“You cannot know that, Jane,” Mrs. Bennet intervened. “You know Lizzy has always liked balls, so we must try to persuade her to have one. As for Mr. Darcy—if Lizzy was smart and artful enough to make him marry her, I am sure she will easily convince him to approve of a ball.”
“Mama,” cried Jane. “Lizzy was not artful and she did not make Mr. Darcy do anything. They married for the deepest love!” she insisted.
“Of course he married for love, why else would a man like him marry a wild, disobedient girl like Lizzy?” Mrs. Bennet replied, rolling her eyes. “That was precisely Lizzy’s ‘art’—to make him fall in love with her. Oh, I cannot wait to see the house. I am so sorry Mrs. Long and Lady Lucas cannot see it. Kitty, pay attention girl, you have to be able to describe every detail of Pemberley when we return to Longbourn. Do you hear me?”
“Yes, Mama,” the girl answered obediently.
In the front of the house, Mr. and Mrs. Darcy waited for the guests to exit their carriage. They required several long minutes until everyone was satisfied with admiring the exterior of the house among hugs and kisses—and finally decided to enter.
Darcy followed them with hesitant steps, suddenly grateful that he had enough servants to take care of each guest instantly. He did greet them all with proper politeness; however, he breathed deeply when the din diminished as everybody finally decided to settle in their rooms, accompanied by Elizabeth—who seemed both happy to see them all and perfectly at ease with her duties. He had decided to retire to his library when he was surprised to discover Mr. Bennet and Bingley standing quietly a few steps away.
“Mr. Bennet, Bingley, I did not see you. I thought you joined the others in your rooms.”
“We can find the rooms later,” Mr. Bennet said and Bingley nodded in agreement.
“Of course, as you wish. In the mean time, may I
offer you something?”
“Your library and your brandy,” Mr. Bennet answered, and Bingley, again, agreed wholeheartedly. Darcy hurried to comply with the gentlemen’s wishes while expressing his hope that the journey had not been too trying for them. Neither guest answered, nor did Darcy inquire further.
One hour and three glasses of brandy later, Mr. Bennet finally declared himself tired, and a servant was summoned to show him to his room. Once he left, Bingley hurried and filled his glass once more.
“Bingley, easy with the brandy, my friend.” Bingley looked at Darcy and finally burst out, “They drove me out of my mind; I struggled not to jump from the carriage—can you believe that?”
Darcy patted his shoulder. “I am sorry to hear it, my friend. But why on earth did you and your wife not take a separate carriage? I dare say, that way the journey would have been quite enjoyable.”
“Damn, Darcy,” replied Bingley, with a furious glance. “Of course I wanted a separate carriage. I even bought this large, comfortable carriage to be sure my wife travelled in the best accommodation, but my mother-in-law liked the carriage so much that she insisted we would all fit in it, and it would be rather stupid to take a second one. And do not dare to laugh, Darcy!”
“Forgive me, Bingley; believe me that I truly understand your trouble.”
“No, you do not understand, Darcy! You cannot understand it, as you never have to face this kind of trouble. You have been here all this time in complete silence and peace—
“But why did you not come earlier? Did I not invite you to come as soon as possible?”
“I did not wish to disturb you, Darcy; no matter how generous your invitation was, it was not acceptable. Jane agreed with me that we could not bother you, and she was busy receiving guests, returning their calls, and rearranging the house. And, what is more, I am really worried for Caroline since she began her tour, I have received no news from her except a short note when she left the country. Louisa has received nothing either.”