Elizabeth shrugged her shoulders as if to say it was nothing at all. She also knew Darcy’s propensity for self-reproach so she made an effort to tease him out of his bad humor. “I believe,” she said looking around the room, “the last time we were together in this room, you showed me very little attention.William the Conqueror was more to your taste.”
“That is where you are sadly mistaken.You have no idea what effect you have on me, Elizabeth.”
Elizabeth allowed herself a long look at Darcy’s lean frame. “Then why did you not talk to me?”
“You, my Dear, berated me the previous evening for judging others. By that time, although I did not acknowledge it to myself, I was ardently in love with you, but you showed me no encouragement. I swore to remove you from my thoughts. I went for a long ride on Cerberus, wrote letters of business and pleasure, and avoided your presence. I was determined to rid myself of the control you had over me.” By this time, Darcy was on his knee in front of her, holding her hand.“I came into the library to hide untilyou and your sister quit the house. Because of you, I had so little sleep the night before and rode Cerberus so hard, I was exhausted and fell asleep in the chair in which you now sit.”
The realization of what Darcy confessed played across her face, and Elizabeth’s enigmatic smile returned. “If you were asleep, then how call you out my name, Sir?”
“Must I say it, Elizabeth?”
“Say what, Fitzwilliam?” Her smile now spread freely.“I am but a woman; what would I know of anything?”
Darcy dropped his eyes momentarily, understanding she would demand he tell her what she already knew.“Why is it, Elizabeth, you force a man who prefers silence to entertain you with conversation?”
“You avoid the question, Fitzwilliam.”
“I dreamed of you, Elizabeth. There! I said what you already knew.”
“Oh, Fitzwilliam, please do not be terse with me. I am still in awe of your loving me so dearly. It fascinates me.” She cupped his face in her hands and warmly kissed his mouth. His response to such an innocent act of romance she recognized as his passion, but it still took her by surprise each time it happened. Elizabeth moved back from his kiss slowly, knowing they must wait but not wishing to do so. He, too, aware of their eagerness, rose slowly to return to his chair.
“Elizabeth, we should rejoin the others,” he warned.
“Must we, Fitzwilliam? There are so many demands on our time; I could stay in here with you forever and never be wanting. Please may we remain for a few more minutes?”They sat quietly in each other’s presence, each contented with being with the other.
Quitting the room at last, they held a new resolve to meet the requirements of a recently engaged couple. Darcy’s arm slid around her waist as they entered the main hallway. “Did you, Elizabeth, realize how beautiful you looked standing at the top of those stairs the Sunday morning we went to services together? You took my breath away.”As he said so, he pulled her toward him.
“That was an uncharacteristic act of impropriety. What madeyou agree with Mr. Bingley?” Elizabeth loved to tease him about his earliest attempts at winning her.
“In reality, my emotions were still so disheveled from seeing you in the library the day before, I could think of nothing else but to putdistancebetween us.”
“So, your way of putting distance between us was to greet me on the staircase and lead me to a private coach? That is an interesting approach, do you not think?”
“In retrospect, the plan was not foolproof.” His smile was enormous.
“I do so love you, Fitzwilliam.” She looked him straight in the eye.“We have only a week before the wedding; we waited this long to be together; we have a lifetime to love one another. Let us join the others for now.” He tapped her chin with his index finger. In more of a question than a statement, she added, “I saw you make the same gesture with Georgiana.”
“I did so since she was a babe; it is an endearment between us two.”
“I like it; you have my permission to do so as often as you like.” She took his hand as they entered the drawing room, promises of love and life exchanged with a simple caress.
The dinner at Longbourn went better than either Darcy or Elizabeth expected. Mrs. Bennet, nearly in as much awe of Georgiana Darcy as she was of her brother, refrained from her usual familiarity although she did ask Miss Darcy several questions on the number of rooms at Pemberley and how many servants there were, but Darcy and Elizabeth deflected the majority of those questions. Georgiana consented to a duet with Mary Bennet, earning Mary’s loyalty for the favor of the attention. Miss Darcy also shared the pianoforte with Elizabeth. Georgiana played the harder sections, but Darcy enjoyed the blessing of hearing Elizabeth sing. Mr. Bennet took the time to discuss several books with Georgiana before retiring to his study for the evening. Kitty cornered Miss Darcy to discuss fashion and balls.They seemed toenjoy each other’s company although Elizabeth noted how often Georgiana blushed.
“Lizzy,” Kitty came to sit with her sister, “Miss Darcy says you want me to come to stay at Pemberley. Is that true?” The girl was bubbling with anticipation.
Elizabeth took her younger sister’s hand into hers. “Kitty, it would give me great pleasure for you to come to Pemberley. I would like some time to settle in with my new husband, but I was thinking some time after the first of the year. In fact, I want to ask Fitzwilliam about helping find someone to advance your studies. Jane and I decided you should spend most of your time with us if that would suit you.”
“Lizzy, I can think of nothing better.Will there be balls?”
“Kitty, first you will need some lessons before presentations at balls, but I am sure some parties can be arranged.”
“Thank you, Lizzy,” Kitty hugged her. “I cannot wait to tell Maria Lucas tomorrow.”
As expected, Lydia Wickham came to Longbourn for the wedding rather than to send her congratulations.Thankfully, Mr.Wickham’s duties, as well as his recent debts in the area, kept him from joining his wife. Lydia flaunted her tales of military balls to Kitty, but Kitty had her own news of being invited to Pemberley, causing Lydia to sulk for a good portion of the evening. Darcy and Elizabeth kept her from giving Georgiana too much notice. Truthfully, Miss Darcy’s reserve reminded Lydia too much of her brother to interest Mrs.Wickham’s frivolous nature.
As the party drew near its close, Lydia cornered Darcy in the drawing room. “Mr. Darcy, you are a devious man.” Used to being the center of attention, she tried to flirt with him.
“I am afraid, Mrs. Wickham, I do not understand your implication.” He ignored her advances with his usual haughty manner.
