Imperative: Volume 1, A Tale of Pride and Prejudice, page 53
“Hmm, in spots quite deep, that was a ravine that was flooded when a stream was dammed a century ago. It is clean, and provides the water for the house.” He pointed. “If you look carefully across the lawn, you can see a bit of a depression in the snow? It is not visible when the grass is growing, but there are pipes beneath the ground, leading to a cistern near the kitchen.” He saw her surprise and warmed to his subject, speaking proudly. “We are one of the few, and certainly amongst the first, to experiment with water being available throughout the house. Well, at least on the ground floor. If only we could find a way to lift it higher.” Becoming lost in thought, his eyes swept over his home. Elizabeth studied him, it was the first time she had seen this side of her husband. It was a new facet and instinctively she knew that this one, the master of the estate, was one he would love to share with her.
“I would appreciate you teaching me all about these things, what makes the estate run and your plans for it.”
Surprised, he looked back to her. Pleasure and admiration filled his eyes. “You would?”
“Yes, I was not just making conversation when I asked of Pemberley before. If you do not mind speaking to me about it … I know that my concern should be the household and the family, and you have your house steward …”
“No, no, I … I had no idea that you would even care to know such details.” His smile lit up his eyes. “Why am I suddenly not surprised that you would?”
“I am not the woman you expected to marry.” She looked down to where his hands clasped over hers.
“No, you are not.” He spoke softly. “Not at all.” They looked at each other and the carriage passed through a gate into a courtyard, at last coming to a full stop. Darcy started when the door was suddenly opened and Elizabeth blushed, jumping up from his lap and hurriedly fixing her coat and hat. Sending her a fleeting smile, he stepped down and nodded to the footman then turned back to the door.
Elizabeth closed her eyes but before she could so much as begin to think of a prayer, her hand was tugged and she found herself pulled forward and taking her first step onto Pemberley soil. She looked up to the remarkable edifice. Darcy tucked her hand onto his arm and she turned to see him watching her carefully. “It is … not Darcy House.”
“No.” His lips twitched. “It is not Netherfield, either.”
“No.” She whispered and they started walking towards a sheltered side entrance. They moved across the gravel to a stone courtyard, swept clear of the light snow that covered the path. A fountain that probably filled the area with life in warmer days sat empty and forlorn. Stone urns, likely bursting with colourful flowers in spring, were equally stark and covered for winter. The heels of their boots echoed as they crossed, and brought no comfort as she became increasingly nervous about what she was about to see inside. The great wooden door opened and warmth touched their faces. Darcy paused, and without warning bent and scooped her up into his arms. Elizabeth gasped.
“You did not think I would take a chance of you tripping over the threshold did you, love? I want us to be blessed with good luck in this home, too.” He laughed and beaming, carried her into the house and down a dark panelled hallway towards a bright light at the end.
Elizabeth, whatever she had been thinking the interior would be, was wholly unprepared for the sight that greeted her. To one side of the suddenly spectacularly open space there was a line of servants, the men in livery, the women and girls in matching gowns and caps. Before them stood two more women, well dressed, one smiling widely, and the other, a young girl, staring in astonishment. Darcy paid none of them any heed but strode into the middle of the great foyer, and Elizabeth suddenly found herself being spun around as a swirl of impressions filled her mind. The magnificent marble floors, the enormous staircase, walls painted floor to ceiling with masterful murals, two enormous chandeliers, furniture, artwork, tapestries, colours and beauty that she could never have dreamed existed outside of a palace overwhelmed her senses. Open mouthed, she held onto Darcy and at last looked to her anchor, who was watching her reaction and smiling.
“Welcome home, Mrs. Darcy.”
“Oh, Will.”
She closed her eyes when he came to a stop and brushed his mouth to hers, then kissed her gently, murmuring against her lips. “And how do you find Pemberley, my dear Elizabeth?”
“It is beautiful.” She smiled and began to laugh. “I do not know what to say.”
“That is a first, I think.” He pursed his lips, but he was clearly bursting with pride, and at last, set her down.
“Are you provoking me already, sir?”
“We are home, love. I will provoke you to the end of my days.” His eyes were alive with sheer joy and taking her hand firmly in his grasp, led her to the two women.
“Welcome home, Fitzwilliam.” Susan beamed.
“Thank you, Aunt.” He smiled and looked to Georgiana, who was staring at Elizabeth. His smile faltered, but he turned to his wife. “Dearest, may I introduce you to the two other women in my life?” Elizabeth smiled and nodded. “Mrs. Harding Darcy, my Aunt Susan, and my sister, Georgiana. This is my wife, my Elizabeth.” Raising her hand to his lips, he kissed it. “I cannot express how happy I am to bring her home.”
“My husband is particularly silly today.” Elizabeth blushed with his praise. “Has he always been so glib?”
“If he has, I have never heard it.” Susan smiled warmly at her nephew and when he opened his mouth to protest, closed it when Elizabeth squeezed his fingers.
“Mrs. Darcy, my husband has … well his praise for you is as limitless as his good heart is warm. I am truly honoured to meet you at last.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Darcy, I feel the same honour.” Reaching forward, Susan took her hand and spoke sincerely, “I have hoped for my nephew to find joy in his marriage, and if this remarkable smile is any indication, I believe he has succeeded, or rather you have, my dear. I would say I have not seen this young man for twenty years.”
“Not quite that long, Aunt.” He retrieved Elizabeth’s hand. “But I agree with the reason for my joy.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Darcy, I …” She felt his hand close over hers again. “I had no idea he was singing my praises.”
“Neither did I.” He bit his lip.
“So your aunt attempts to improve you in my eyes? Oh dear! What am I to learn now that you have me in your remote castle?” She laughed and turned to Georgiana. “Miss Darcy, I am very happy to know you, I have heard so much of your accomplishments and I hope that you will condescend to share your knowledge with me. I have four sisters and they are all unique. I look forward to knowing my newest sister very well.” Stealing a look to Darcy she winked conspiratorially, “Perhaps you might share the secrets of improving your brother’s disposition.”
“My disposition? I am perfectly amiable.” He sniffed.
“Yes, yes he is!” She cried.
“Georgiana, she is teasing. As am I.” Darcy’s brow creased and holding open his arms, she fell into them. He kissed her forehead and resting his cheek against it, looked to Elizabeth worriedly. She smiled, holding her hand up to tell him all was well, and felt Susan touch her arm.
“I would like to speak with you when you are settled.” She said softly.
“Of course, Mrs. Darcy.”
“Susan, please.”
“Elizabeth.” She looked to the embraced and quietly talking siblings and back to Susan. “My husband is occupied, could you introduce me to the staff?”
“Of course.” Looking to Mrs. Reynolds, she nodded, and suddenly maids were at work removing her coat, hat and gloves. “Mrs. Reynolds, this is your new mistress, Mrs. Darcy.”
“Mrs. Darcy, we are delighted to meet you at last. Now Mrs. Gaston has written to me, and we already know your favourites for meals and preferences for the household, and I know that you are determined to learn about your duties, so I will be glad to guide you along. The family will be arriving for Christmas, I do not have a firm date yet, but we have prepared enough rooms for everyone, and Mrs. Darcy, Mrs. Harding Darcy, has suggested a menu for their stay, but of course we will go over it all with you. Mr. Darcy has not hosted them for years, so it will be wonderful to see the house filled with family once again! Oh it is such good news to have you here, Mrs. Darcy!” She beamed and caught her breath.
“Thank you!” Elizabeth smiled and put her hand to her chest, trying to hold back her laugh. She caught Susan pursing her lips and realized that this housekeeper was going to be no problem at all to know. “And the rest of these people?” She nodded to the deeply interested staff. Mrs. Reynolds went down the line, introducing maids and footmen, making note of their rank and years of service, and explaining that some were busy working in other parts of the home. “Our steward, Mr. Barnes, is sure to be back soon, madam, he is collecting rents today.”
“I see.” She looked back to Darcy who seemed to be finishing his conversation with Georgiana and returned to them as Mrs. Reynolds quickly dismissed the servants to their duties. “Perhaps we should settle in, dear.”
“Yes.” He spoke softly; all signs of his earlier joy had evaporated. Letting go of Georgiana, he started to unbutton his coat. Immediately two maids took over and disappeared with his things, leaving the four Darcys alone. “Georgiana.” He looked at her expectantly.
“Welcome to Pemberley, Elizabeth.” She spoke to her hands.
Elizabeth took in her downcast eyes, her slumped shoulders, her pale features, and decided to moderate her approach to the girl. “Thank you, Georgiana. I am honoured to be a member of your family.”
“Our family, dear.” Darcy took her hand and then reached for Georgiana’s. “All of us together.”
“Yes, Brother.” She whispered. “May I be excused?”
“Certainly.” The familiar crease in his brow reappeared as she turned and quickly ran up the stairs. He sighed as he watched her go. “Nothing has improved.”
“She did speak to you, if you recall she was mute when you left.”
“Not when she demanded I go, she was not.” His shoulders sagged and Elizabeth recognized his sister’s defeated posture in his. At least he she could help.
“Fitzwilliam, do not be disappointed that she did not greet me with roses and affection. I imagine that she has been fretting over this first moment together for some time.” He looked to her and she saw the man who had proposed to her. He had returned in a moment to the desperate burdened man who begged her to save his life. “And remember that you left before she learned of her condition. She has not faced you, her father figure, to hear your reaction.”
“And she expects you to return her to her husband.” Susan whispered.
Glancing around and relieved to see the foyer still empty, Darcy quickly ushered the women into his study and closed the door. He looked at his aunt. “We do not believe she ever was married.”
“Thank the Lord!” She cried with her hand to her heart. “Harding was not sure, he was so angry, I could not tell if it was wishful thinking or not. Did you find … him?”
Darcy’s head shook. “The staff does not know of her situation?”
“No, Mrs. Reynolds worries over her, but she is barely showing, and the way that our dresses are cut, she could be six months along before anyone could see for sure. She will not tell me if she has felt the quickening.” Darcy’s eyes closed and he started twisting his ring furiously. Elizabeth placed her hand over his fingers, stilling the movement that had disappeared in the last days. “The news that she is not married will come as a deep blow to her.” Susan said softly.
Darcy studied her eyes. “She will not be glad to be completely free of her seducer?”
“She cared for him, Fitzwilliam, or she would not have been seduced, would she? She was happy playing at his wife,” She looked to Elizabeth, “until the money ran out.”
“And he became mean.” Elizabeth whispered. “And took it out on her.”
“He did not harm her physically …”
“Yes he did.” Darcy said without emotion, but the grip of his hand on Elizabeth’s was unbelievably strong.
“We must tell her our plans for the baby … before we tell her that she is not married.”
“Why?” He looked to her.
“Because I am afraid that she will not hear us when the shame of what she has done strikes her.” Elizabeth saw Susan nodding. “You agree?”
“Yes, I think that your plans, whatever they are, should be explained first.”
“Well.” Darcy began and then stopped.
“It does not have to be this moment, dear.” Elizabeth smiled softly up to his pained eyes. “Let us go and settle in.” He nodded and she turned to Susan. “I am so glad that you are here for Georgiana, I am just a stranger.”
“I am glad that you are here for Fitzwilliam.” Susan saw that he was lost in thought. “I will see you in a few hours; why not take a good long rest?”
Elizabeth read the face of a long-married woman and looked back to her husband. “I think that is an excellent idea.” Tugging his hand, he awoke from his thoughts. “Show me our rooms, Will.” She opened the door and she looked at him expectantly.
“Oh. Forgive me.”
Entwining their fingers, he walked up the stairs as a man to the gallows. Silent, lost in his worry. Elizabeth took in the decoration and attempted to remember the path they followed. Eventually they arrived at a door and mutely, he opened it to reveal a deeply masculine room. Parker appeared expectantly and spotting Elizabeth, he immediately turned around and shut the dressing room door. Running footsteps down the hall preceded the mysterious closing of the door to their sitting room. Darcy had gone to stand by the window, and sank against it, staring silently over his cold estate. He heard Elizabeth moving around, but paid no heed, lost in thought about his sister and the reunion that had so forcefully moved him from the happy homecoming with his wife, to the hard reality of why he married in the first place. Barely noticing her hands moving around his waist, the buttons on his coat and waistcoat were released, and in turn, the garments were slipped from his shoulders. It was not until the same warm hands slipped inside his shirt and touched his stomach that he jumped.
He turned and his mouth dropped open. “Elizabeth!”
Standing before him dressed only in her chemise, her unbound hair falling over her shoulders, she held out her hand, “Come …”
“Lizzy, I … I do not know if I can …” He looked down.
“I am not asking you to do a thing.” She stepped closer and began untying his neck cloth, then pulling it from his throat; laid it over a nearby chair. Darcy watched as his shirt was eased open, and closed his eyes when she pulled it free of his breeches, and lifting his arms helped her to remove it from his body.
“You are cold.” He whispered, touching gently the tight peaks of her contracting nipples.
“Warm me.” Their eyes met, and suddenly he pulled her hard to his chest, and crushed her mouth with his kiss. Breathing hard, he sat down on the bed, bringing her with him as he fell backwards. Her arms embraced his shoulders and her hair sheltered their faces as they kissed; their tongues and mouths battling each other to claim dominance. Darcy groaned when her teeth found his neck and muttering something under his breath, reached to his open breeches, then grasping her hips, drove into her. Elizabeth gasped and lifting her head she saw his eyes close, and could almost feel the relief spreading over his body.
“Oh Lizzy …” He moaned.
Thrilled with the blissful expression on his face, she whispered, “What should I do now?”
Darcy opened his eyes; and seeing her determined expression, chuckled and brushed back her hair. “Use your imagination.”
“I am afraid that I will need a little more experience before I can truly imagine …” He thrust his hips upwards and she gasped again. “Oh my!” Laughing, Darcy wrapped his arms around her and drawing her down to his chest, held her close.
“Relax.” He whispered against her ear. “We can spend all night exercising our imaginations; let us just lie together now.”
“That sounds wonderful.” Elizabeth sighed and settled on his chest as his hands moved slowly up and down her body. Thinking of his direction to imagine, she wiggled her hips. Darcy’s chuckle rumbled in his chest. “Is this where I learn how to bounce?” Now laughing, he held her hips and rocked her steadily with a riding motion. “ohhhhhh.”
“Do you see, love?”
“Mmmhmmmm. I feel, too.” Elizabeth lifted her head and found his twinkling eyes smiling up at her. She laughed and tenderly kissing him; nipped his chest and laid her head back on his shoulder. Darcy’s arms tightened around her.
“How did you know that I needed you?”
Turning her face to see his, she spoke softly, “You needed me when you proposed.” He nodded. “You needed me when you came racing to Longbourn, and when we married, and when you came to Gracechurch Street …” He gladly opened his mouth to feel the caress of her tongue before she moved to whisper in his ear, “The difference, my sweet Fitzwilliam, is that now I may provide comfort.” Letting go of a slow breath, he smiled. “Now … as intriguing as this is …” She sat up and he groaned at the sight of her, automatically reaching up to caress over her breasts. “It is cold!”
“Boots off?”
“If you please? And the rest of your clothes as well, we have some lovemaking to accomplish. I have no desire to wait until we retire for the night.” She arched one brow.
“This time.” He advised her and laughed softly to see her astonishment as he pulled her back down into his embrace and rolled them over. “But not always, my dear wife. I have plans for us.” Looking down into her sparkling eyes, he kissed her before rising. “So many plans.”
Chapter 22
Darcy lay awake on his back, his head and shoulders propped up by pillows; and Elizabeth lay curled along his side with a leg hooked over his, one arm draped around his waist and her head nestled over his heart. He hugged her to him and watched the maid rebuilding the fire, her shovel noisily digging into the brass bucket on the hearth as she added coals to the grate. She took up the bellows and puffed air over the glowing mass. New flames grew, and the dark room filled with dancing light. The young girl stole a glance at the bed and seeing Darcy’s eyes upon her and Elizabeth in his arms; gasped and quickly gathering her things, disappeared. He smiled and closed his eyes, kissing Elizabeth’s head.
