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Elizabeth was silent for a moment as she contemplated the unpleasant task before her.
“Fitzwilliam, I do not like to bring this topic up, but Aunt says I should.”
“Go on. I am listening.”
“Lady Wingham....”
Elizabeth stopped when she heard Darcy suck his breath in through his teeth and saw him swallow. She had hoped he might make this easier for her by continuing, but when it was clear he was not going to do so, Elizabeth plucked up her courage.
“Georgie says the duchess is an old family friend, but it seemed to me that you and Lady Wingham are more than friends...”
Still Darcy was silent. He seemed not even to be breathing.
“My aunt says that it is not unusual for men of the Ton to have mistresses, but I do not think I could bear to share you with anyone else.”
Darcy brought his other hand up to enclose Elizabeth’s hand completely in his long fingers. “I am terribly sorry that you were subjected to the indignity of having my former connection revealed in such a way. I have always been discreet about my relationship with Almeria, which was one of mutual convenience rather than of passion. Even Georgie does not suspect. Please know that I consider the marriage bed sacred. While a relationship between unattached individuals is not adultery, any continuance of such a relationship after marrying would be. I love you, Elizabeth, and I will be faithful to you.”
Elizabeth kissed the knuckles of Darcy’s top hand, but still she was uneasy and bringing her other hand up, she clasped each of his hands in her own in what she hoped was an affectionate but more equal relationship.
“Thank you, Fitzwilliam, that is reassuring, but I do worry about the duchess’s continuing influence on you. I did hear her trying to arrange your marriage to Lady Sophia. I fear that the duchess may not give you up so easily, whatever your good intentions.”
Darcy sighed. “Elizabeth, know that the duchess and I had discontinued our relationship before I ever went to Hertfordshire. Yes, she does like to manage things. It was she who determined the timing of our parting, partly because her daughter fell ill, but also because she thought I needed to marry. I do not expect she will interfere in our marriage, but she is a friend of the family, an old friend of my mother’s, so I do not wish to totally exclude her from my life or from Georgie’s.”
“For a friend, she likes to touch you rather a lot.”
Darcy had the grace to blush. “Know that her visit the other day was extraordinary and due to my illness. She has never been in my bedchamber before. We met elsewhere. I expect she will visit the townhouse in future but only in rooms where a visitor might normally be admitted. As to her influence, I think I am my own man, but should you ever find her encroaching, my dear, let me know.
“With regard to Lady Sophia, she is a nice lady, but I am not in love with her, and I would rather not be burdened with her disreputable brothers. I shall write to Almeria to tell her that I am betrothed to a beautiful squire’s daughter from Hertfordshire. When I tell her you are a bluestocking, she will understand. When next you meet Almeria, she will be more respectful.”
“But she will recognise me as your lectrice!” said Lizzy, blushing at the compliments.
“I will say that we were secretly betrothed, and I could think of no other way of smuggling you into my bedchamber,” he grinned.
“Fitzwilliam! Do not! She will think that we have done things we have not!”
“Well, now that we are really betrothed, we have some catching up to do,” he said, pulling her towards him.
“Oh, no!” said Elizabeth, straining to get away. “My aunt has given me a talk, and nothing is happening until you say, ‘I do’!”
“What a spoilsport your aunt is!” said Darcy, loosening his grasp.
Thinking she had deflected his attack, Lizzy was taken off guard when he quickly jerked her into his lap. Suddenly Darcy’s arms were around her and Elizabeth found the feeling quite intoxicating.
“What a dirty trick!” she murmured, watching mesmerised as his lips approached.
In truth, Darcy was not trying to beguile her; he was just following her breath to her lips. Elizabeth was unable to manage another word, for her lips were stoppered by Darcy’s own. Their third kiss was different again, neither rough like the first, nor gentle like the second, but a heady combination of the two. Caught up in its vortex, it was not until their lips disengaged that Lizzy suddenly discovered she was sitting on something that seemed partway between a curling iron and a blood pudding.
“Oh!” she said as she realised the effect she was having on him. “After my aunt’s talk, I do not think I should sit on your lap, else I might find myself with a five-month babe!”
“A little more is required I assure you,” said Darcy. “But if you wish to be chaste, I will not bother you, provided you agree to visit me every day.”
“I have permission to visit, provided I am adequately chaperoned, which does not appear to be the case at the moment.”
Darcy prevented Elizabeth from getting up immediately, resting his head on her shoulder. After a moment enjoying the smell and warmth of her, he gave her a hug and released her.
“I suppose we had better return to the others. Would you mind steering me back into the saloon?”
Returning to the saloon to enjoy each other’s company for a while longer, they found Georgie alone at the pianoforte and assumed the princess had gone to use the convenience. When Brunhilda had not reappeared at the end of Georgie’s piece, Darcy enquired if she had departed.
