Page 63

Elizabeth smiled as she looked on her family and received all their congratulations with genuine feeling, but her pleasure was not complete. Darcy noticed as much, and as soon as the younger ladies had departed and the rest of the family had begun to disperse through the house, he asked her what troubled her.

“Nothing troubles me, Darcy. How could I be troubled on such a day?” she answered him, genuinely wondering what he could mean.

“Come now, my dearest Elizabeth. I know there is something. Pray, relieve my mind by telling me what it is.”

Elizabeth hesitated, her lips curving in a small, rueful smile. “It is but a trifle, I assure you.”

Yet Darcy urged her again to tell him.

“You will think me very foolish, for it was I who asked that we delay until today, but I confess I wish my Jane and Mary might have been here for the announcement. I thought myself very clever in leaving it until today, but now they shall learn of our happiness through a letter. It is not the way a sister ought to find out such news.”

Darcy was quiet for a moment before speaking. “Let me send a note to Lucas Lodge and Netherfield, for it is possible they have not yet departed.” He crossed to the writing desk in the corner of the room and in but a moment, he had penned two notes, one for each of her sisters and their husbands. He called for a servant and ordered that the notes be delivered with the utmost haste.

“Surely, they will have already departed,” Elizabeth said once he returned to his seat.

“That may be,” Darcy agreed, “but perhaps not. We cannot know unless we seek to find out.”

“Thank you.”

Elizabeth glanced about the room and found they were now quite alone. A moment ago, Mr. Gardiner had been there, but he seemed to have removed himself without a word. She looked at Darcy as he sat beside her, his manner relaxed now that he was just in her company and felt a rush of tenderness towards him. Before her courage could falter, Elizabeth leaned in and dared to press a quick, gentle peck to his lips.

Darcy’s eyes widened in surprise, then a wide smile spread over his features. She remembered the first time she had noticed Darcy’s smile and now realised she had been lost to him even then. How strange it was that her heart had known so long before her mind. A blush rose in Elizabeth’s cheeks as Darcy leaned into return her kiss. She glanced at the door to the room, which the servant had closed, and found she could not care any more for propriety. As her lips met Darcy’s, she poured every feeling she had towards him over the last months into the kiss, as he did the same, his hands beginning to roam over her body as she melted into the settee beneath them. She moaned as his hands began to caress her breast, feeling something stirring inside her that she had not before known.

“F—Forgive me,” Darcy suddenly said, springing back away from her. “I should not have taken such liberties.”

Elizabeth’s cheeks flamed, but she could not let him rebuke himself. “You are quite forgiven, sir. I can hardly censure you, when I was the first to forget what is proper.”

Darcy’s dark eyes searched hers, looking for any sign of distress. Seeing none there, the tension in his bearing melted away.

“Your cravat is quite askew, sir,” she teased, reaching up to fix it for him. He internally groaned, wishing that he did not need to act the gentleman, for he would have given up much in that moment to already be wed to her.

“Thank you, Elizabeth.” His voice was still husky, but the rest of his body was slowly returning to its normal state. It helped when Elizabeth went to the looking glass to fix a few hairs that had escaped their pins. She then opened the door that led to the dining room, for although no one would be in that room at this hour, it lent them at least the appearance of propriety. She sat back beside him, now leaving a few inches between them, but offering him her hand as they spoke of Pemberley and the part of Derbyshire that would soon be her home.

Chapter 33

The quiet atmosphere of the drawing-room did not last, for minutes later, the crunch of carriage wheels on the drive drew their attention.

“It is your livery, Darcy,” Elizabeth observed, rather confused by the fact.

“I gave your brother the use of one of my carriages while they are on their bridal tour,” he explained smoothly. “Their journey is a long one, and I would not have them depend upon the post-chaise or public stage when I have two carriages ready and can only occupy one at a time.”

“That was very thoughtful of you.” Elizabeth looked up at her intended, wondering what she had done to deserve one such as him.

“Lizzy!” Mary exclaimed upon entering the room a moment later. “How sly you are!”

“Indeed!” her new husband agreed. “Sly, indeed! I declare, you have bested every one of us in secrecy—for not a hint did you reveal when we departed company yesterday. I knew it would happen, of course, for you were always together, but I could not have guessed the matter already settled!”

“We did not wish to draw attention from the wedding,” Mr. Darcy explained, holding out his hand to shake David’s.

“A fine sentiment,” David replied as he returned the gesture, “but we would not have begrudged you your happiness if you had announced it at the breakfast.”

“A fact I came to realise this morning when I regretted waiting, as my dear sisters could not be here to celebrate with me,” Elizabeth answered, embracing her sister.

“Then you may cast off your regret at once, Sister, for we are here,” Mary told her. “At first, when the messenger flagged down our carriage, I was quite certain someone had taken ill. Never have I been so glad to read of a betrothal in my life!”

“I am sorry to have caused you any distress, Mrs. Lucas,” Darcy said with a bow.

“You must call me Mary,” she offered. “You are to be my brother, after all.”