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“Oh, it is cold!”

“Better than yesterday, but it could probably do with another couple of degrees to make it comfortable,” said Darcy from the other end of the pool.

He then sank completely beneath the water and Elizabeth saw his form moving towards her. Two hands grasped her ankles, and she was momentarily afraid he intended to overset her into the deeper water. But he contented himself with climbing up her legs with his hands until he pulled his head out of the water as he settled his hands on her hips.

“Ready?” he asked, taking a step backwards and holding out his hands.

Elizabeth grasped them and allowed herself to be tugged down the steps until she was neck deep. Her chemise had floated up around her armpits and now prevented her from seeing the steps beneath her feet.

“Oh, this chemise makes me feel like a bedlamite!”

“I told you it would be better off.”

Conceding, Elizabeth struggled to pull the sodden material over her head and threw it aside. A satisfied smile spread over Darcy’s lips as he heard the material hit the tiles with a wet slap. He put his hands out again to tug Elizabeth further into the pool. She took another step and promptly disappeared under the water before bounding up with a splash and a splutter to grasp his upper arm.

“Oh!” she said, climbing onto him to cling to his chest.

Darcy, very gratified to have her soft form pressed against him, rested his hand lightly at her waist. “I am sorry. Did I go too fast? But you can float, you know. You are mostly water.”

“How do you know?” she retorted, ridding her mouth of the last of the water. “Perhaps women’s bones are made of lead!”

Darcy snorted. “Climb on my back. I will take you for a tour.”

“Are you sure you are strong enough?” Elizabeth asked doubtfully.

“If I go under, I give you full permission to rescue me.”

Recognising her father’s ironic tone, Elizabeth shut her mouth and climbed gingerly onto his back. With a strong movement of his arms, she felt his body sink as he lifted his feet from the bottom of the pool and they moved forward. As they sank slightly in the water, Elizabeth fought the urge to climb further up his shoulders and was soon able to relax, confident in his ability to keep them both afloat.

“Not so bad?” he asked as they completed a circumnavigation of the pool and returned to the steps.

“Not so bad,” she conceded.

“Now, I am going to get you to float on your back. Face the steps. Lay back in the water. I shall keep my hands under your shoulder blades. Put your arms out to the sides and imagine you are lying flat on a mattress. Put you head right back and let the water come up over your ears. Let your feet float up.”

Darcy ran his right hand lightly over her body, checking she had positioned herself correctly as he supported her with his left hand. “Now, I am going to pull you backward through the water. Maintain your position.”

Elizabeth felt herself sliding through the water and ventured to open her eyes, which she had closed as the water lapped over her ears. Having reached the end of the short pool, Darcy pulled her back in the opposite direction. She began to enjoy the feeling of weightlessness. Soon he ventured to remove his hand from her back and Elizabeth discovered she could maintain her position by herself, provided she remembered to keep her legs up. Next Darcy taught her to hold herself upright without touching the bottom by dogpaddling. Finally, he instructed her on how to move forward. This was more intimidating because it required her to immerse her chin in the water, but Elizabeth soon conquered that fear and was imitating his frog kick.

Upon reaching the steps again, Darcy stroked her arm in encouragement and discovered his wife to have gooseflesh.

“You are cold. I am sorry. Your lips are probably blue.”

Elizabeth laughed. “Certainly, the bases of my fingernails are blue. Perhaps I should get out.”

“Stay!” said Darcy. “Come up the steps and I will warm you.”

And so saying, he pulled himself to the top step with his arms and encouraged Elizabeth to sit in his lap. She felt considerably less confronted by his nakedness after having cavorted in the pool with him for some time, although no water hid his body any longer. Elizabeth disposed herself into his lap and was immediately grateful when his warmth enveloped her as he held her in his arms. Darcy could not help one finger tentatively reaching out to stroke Elizabeth’s right nipple, still erect from the cold. In response, she fondled his bicep, which showed no evidence of infirmity and briefly contemplated poking it before restraining herself. In the silence that followed they both became aware they were breathing heavily.

As if by mutual agreement they suddenly fell to kissing. Darcy began to explore Lizzy’s body with his free hand. Her breasts were cupped and found to be as full as he remembered them from that amusing incident when he had accidentally partly unfastened her stays at the Netherfield ball. Her bottom was as firm as he had imagined it from all that walking. Elizabeth’s gooseflesh subsided and her pliant flesh began to feel more like oiled silk. Darcy became more adventurous and delved between her thighs.

“Oh,” Elizabeth moaned as she tore her mouth from his, “what are you doing?”

“Just relax and enjoy it,” Darcy murmured, reclaiming her lips before encouraging her to open her mouth so that he could thrust his tongue inside. He began to make similar movements with his left hand between her thighs.

“Oh,” gasped Elizabeth as she found her torso twisting and her hips thrusting in response. “Oh!”

“Sit up on the very top step,” he urged.