Page 44 of Love Drunk for Mr Darcy

Furniture polish. Elizabeth lowered the glass very slowly and turned her eyes to her husband who was watching her expectantly.

"Does it bring back memories, my love?"

Her eyes narrowed. "William."

That was enough to draw Fitzwilliam's attention. He looked from Elizabeth to the bottle in Darcy's hand and then began to laugh. "You finally served it."

Darcy's mouth twitched. "I thought it appropriate."

"The cellar wine?" Fitzwilliam asked, already laughing harder.

"One of them."

Elizabeth took the bottle from Darcy and examined the label, though there was really no need. Her tongue had recognised the dreadful stuff immediately. "You brought a bottle of Lady Catherine's wine home with you."

"I thought we might want it one day."

"For what possible reason?"

"Our first anniversary seemed a suitable occasion."

She looked at him over the bottle. "Fitzwilliam Darcy. You stole from your aunt."

"I did no such thing. The good colonel acquired it for me."

Elizabeth turned towards the colonel. Fitzwilliam lifted both hands. "I was following orders."

Georgiana looked between them, confused. "What about a cellar?"

For one brief second, there was silence around the table. Then Fitzwilliam made a strangled sound into his wine, Anne bent over laughing and Bingley nearly dropped his fork. Even Jane, who had been attempting to maintain some degree of decorum, gave up entirely as the table descended once again into noisy, helpless laughter.

Georgiana's eyes widened. "What?"

"Nothing you need concern yourself with," Darcy said, too quickly.

That only made everyone laugh harder.

Georgiana looked more confused by the second. "I do not understand what is funny."

"Your brother and I were once accidentally locked in a wine cellar overnight," Elizabeth explained, still smiling.

Georgiana's eyes widened. "And that was what it took for you to fall in love with my brother?" she asked wonderingly.

"That and many, many other things," Elizabeth said happily.

"I believe she did not truly fall in love with him until she saw the size of his grounds at Pemberley," Bingley said with a wink.

"Hear, hear!" cried Fitzwilliam, raising his glass.

The teasing might have continued indefinitely if Darcy had not reached for Elizabeth’s wine as she lifted it again. He caught her wrist lightly and gave the glass a suspicious look. "Perhaps not too much of that."

Elizabeth raised her brows. "I beg your pardon?"

"I speak from experience, madam." He favoured her with a sly smile.

That was enough to start another round of laughter, and when Elizabeth accused him of having drunk every bit as much as she had, Darcy made the mistake of insisting that he had at least retained his memory of the evening. She retaliated at once by announcing to the table that he had sung, at length and with great enthusiasm.

"You sang?" Bingley asked through a snort of laughter. "Please tell me it was a ballad. I will die happy if Fitzwilliam Darcy was heard singing a romantic ballad."