Mr. Gardiner spent another fortnight in negotiations with the local mill while his companions fell into a daily routine of sorts. Elizabeth had always enjoyed walking in the morning at home but found that Mrs. Gardiner did not feel equal to joining her so early. Although Elizabeth felt some guilt at abandoning the woman for whose amusement she had been brought to Scotland, she could do no good remaining at the inn, and so struck out on her own. It became her habit to ramble about the countryside before joining her aunt for the midday meal and spending the afternoon together. She almost always managed to meet Mr. Darcy on her morning perambulation and the young pair happily spent hours in each other's company.
They conversed on all manner of topics. Darcy was amazed to find that a seventeen year-old girl who had never received any formal schooling could keep pace with him on discussions of literature, philosophy, and history.
"Next you will tell me that you play chess and fence!" He exclaimed on the third day of their walks after she corrected a Shakespearean verse he had misquoted.
"I do the former rather poorly and the latter not at all, but I am always ready to learn if anyone would care to teach me."
"In which activity do you request instruction, Madam?"
"Either, I suppose, or perhaps both." She smiled enigmatically and skipped ahead down the path, leaving him unsure how to respond..
A playfulness that Darcy only felt in her presence took over him and he veered off into the wood, where he selected two thin branches of similar length. "En garde!" He called loudly enough to get Elizabeth's attention. When she turned toward him, he tossed her one of the branches, fearing immediately after it left his hand that he had miscalculated and she would be offended, hit by the makeshift sword, or even a combination of the two.
He need not have worried, his companion's reflexes were sufficient to snatch the branch out of the air, but she was clearly unsure what to do next. Darcy had returned to the path and fallen into an en garde stance with his foil of sorts at the ready. She stared at him for a moment long enough to make him begin to feel self conscious before imitating his stance, lifting her own branch in the same manner, acting as though she had a real epée as well.
"Now what?" She challenged playfully.
Darcy had not thought this far ahead and had to take a few minutes to formulate a plan. He slowly lunged and explained to Elizabeth how to parry his thrust. She giggled at the impropriety of it all but tried a few times before successfully deflecting her opponent's branch as she ought. Darcy praised her achievement and began anew with the next lesson. Their fencing session did not last long but by the time it was over, Elizabeth's appetite had been thoroughly whetted for more.
They returned to the inn, laughing and planning future lessons. Upon their approach, they saw Mrs. Gardiner bidding farewell to a man who was mounting a horse. The man looked vaguely familiar, but Elizabeth could not place him. She asked her companion if he recognized the stranger.
"I do recall seeing him a few days ago . . ." Darcy paused and thought for a moment. "I believe he was here to see to Mr. MacArthur's leg." The innkeeper had been kicked by a horse earlier in the week.
"Oh my, you are right, he is the local surgeon. I do hope my aunt is not truly ill!" Elizabeth was alarmed at the realization that this might be the case as it would explain Mrs. Gardiner's lack of energy of late.
"I am sure she is fine, did you see how she was smiling as she waved him off?"
"She is such a pleasant woman, I am afraid she might smile out of politeness. I knew something was wrong, I ought never to have left her alone."
"Does she ask for you to stay with her in the mornings?"
"No, but she was so healthy and strong before. These past weeks, however, she has been so very tired and especially pale. You must remember how she fainted that morning after we met."
"I believe since that we had not previously been properly introduced, Madam, that was in fact the morning on which we met ."
"Mr. Darcy!" Elizabeth slapped his arm lightly in an irritated fashion. "You are trying to distract me."
"It appears to be working, Miss Bennet. You now seem more angry with me than concerned about your ailing aunt." At her huff of annoyance, he encouraged her to go check on Mrs. Gardiner and promised to see her at dawn the next day for their usual walk.
As they parted, Darcy thought to himself that they had never actually spoken of plans to meet before. Suddenly, he felt like he had an illicit assignation and a shudder of something ran down his spine. If he was a gentleman more prone to such behavior, he might have recognized it as the thrill of the forbidden.
By the time Elizabeth reached the inn, her aunt was no longer visible. Fortunately, Mrs. Gardiner had only retired to her chambers and was rather easy to find.
"Aunt Gardiner, did I see the surgeon leaving here?"
"I cannot be sure of what you saw, but I know that he was here. How was your walk, Lizzy?"
"It was lovely until I noticed you with the surgeon. Are you feeling quite well?"
"I have never been better."
"You have been so ill, did the doctor give you a curative, then?"
"Only words, but they have worked wonders."
"What did he tell you? You will be alright, will you not?"
"I will be, Lizzy, it will only take some time."
"So you are not cured? Please, Aunt, have pity on me and tell me what ails you."
Mrs. Gardiner took her petulant niece by the hands and sat with her on the sofa. "I shall, my dear, but you must promise not to tell a soul my news;" at Elizabeth's nod, she continued, "especially your uncle, for I wish to share this with him myself this evening."
"Of course, Aunt, it will be as you wish." Elizabeth was fairly bursting with anticipation.
"Although we cannot be certain of anything quite yet, I do believe that I am with child."
"Oh!" The excited proclamation hung in the air for a moment before Elizabeth hugged her aunt enthusiastically.
Thereafter, Elizabeth was less concerned for her aunt's well-being and could think only with delight, instead of guilt, about her daily walks with Darcy.
The next morning began a tradition of fencing lessons that continued on for the rest of their stay in the area. The day before The Gardiners were to depart, Darcy suggested that they try a bit of sparring. Eager to put to use that which she had learned, Elizabeth agreed and alone in their meadow, the pair had at each other with their sticks.
Darcy had decided to go easy on his pupil, and allowed her to gain a bit of ground before forcing her back toward the trees. They went back and forth in this manner for several minutes until, unused to the exertion, Elizabeth was panting with the effort. Suddenly, Darcy found that he had a problem he had never before encountered while on a piste, he was aroused. Elizabeth's deep and increasingly frequent breaths displayed her rounded bosom to a distinct advantage which was increased further by a thin sheen of perspiration caused by the exercise on such a hot summer day. His own breath catching in his throat, Darcy was thrown off guard long enough to be disarmed by his comely opponent who, although shocked at her success, wasted no time in stepping forward and laying her ersatz blade against his throat.
Darcy looked disbelievingly at his companion, who beamed up at him with pride, and almost without knowing what he did, he grabbed her about the waist, pulling her forward the short distance until she made contact with his body. Dropping her faux foil in surprise, Elizabeth blinked at him in confusion but made no effort to escape. Darcy held her gaze for only a moment before capturing her lips with his own. She stiffened in his arms for just a moment before relaxing, allowing him to kiss her as her own arms wrapped themselves about his neck.
Elizabeth hardly knew what was happening. One moment, she was having a friendly, if inappropriate, fencing match with her superior in the sport, the next thing she knew, she had won and was fairly certain, given the surprised look on his face, that he had not purposely allowed such an outcome. Before she had time to revel in her success however, she found herself in an even more unprecedented situation, being kissed by a man. She certainly thought Darcy handsome enough, she had even entertained the thought of being courted by him, despite knowing the disparity in their circumstances would not allow for it. She was slightly frightened at the prospect of doing something so unknown and forbidden, but was determined not to pull away in fear. After all, she was enjoying herself or knew she would be if only the shock would pass.
Indeed, after a few seconds of kissing, fear was the last thing on her mind. Elizabeth felt the gentle pressure of the gentleman's lips against her own and all thoughts flew out of her head except for the curious pleasure it gave her. She perceived a pleasant tingling sensation in her stomach that only intensified as the kiss continued. When Darcy pulled back infinitesimally to take a breath, she did as well and was again startled by the immediate reapplication of his lips to hers. His tongue fleetingly darted between her open lips as he pulled her more tightly against his body. Elizabeth felt an unfamiliar shape pressing into her belly and let out an unconscious moan when his hand drifted down to cup her bottom.
All at once he let go of her and she felt completely bereft, her lips still slightly puckered against the air. He stammered an apology and hurried away, leaving Elizabeth standing, confused, in the meadow.
When Darcy arrived at the inn, he came upon Fitzwilliam, who was breaking his fast alone.
"Richard, I think it is time to leave." The flustered man said to his cousin.
"Finally, Darcy. I have been saying that for over a week now. What has finally brought you around?"
"It matters not. I only know that I am finished with this place."
"We can leave at first light on the morrow."
"No, today. I wish to leave today."
"Very well, shall you take a meal first?"
"I will speak to the innkeeper about sending along some food. Prepare to leave, I shall settle our accounts."
Perplexed, but grateful to be going at last, Richard Fitzwilliam headed up the stairs. He had been growing quite bored and had no idea why his cousin had insisted on remaining so long at this particular inn. Well, he had some inkling, seeing the way that Darcy looked at the lovely Miss Bennet when they were occasionally in company together although he had not noticed any particular interaction between the pair that would suggest a much more intimate relationship than he had with the young lady himself, nothing beyond some harmless flirting on occasion. Of course, flirting of any kind was quite unusual for Darcy but still, Fitzwilliam knew that a marriage between the two would be highly unlikely, as his cousin had been raised with loftier expectations than that of a poor gentleman's daughter with relatives in trade and Darcy was far too honourable to trifle with the girl.
Realizing he could not solve the mystery himself, Fitzwilliam decided to acquiesce to his cousin's demand that they leave immediately before he changed his mind and insisted that they stay in this boring Scottish hamlet even longer than he had already.
The conversation Darcy started once they had ridden some distance from the inn was both interesting and baffling to the already confused Fitzwilliam.
"You have, ah, been with a woman, have you not?"
It took all of Fitzwilliam's self control not to react so strongly to the query as to discourage further discourse. "Of course, what of it?"
"What is it . . . like?"
"I knew it! Spencer owes me twenty pounds." He could not contain his triumph at the tacit admission.
"Pardon me?" The dark haired man flushed with embarrassment.
"I knew you were an innocent. My brother was sure you must have lain with some trollop or other by now, but I told him you were too saintly for such a thing. Why even Wickham suggested -"
"Thank you," Darcy interrupted his amused cousin, "I am so gratified to know that there is nothing more entertaining for you than to wager on my morality."
"Now, now, Darcy, do not be so outraged. You asked me that question for a reason and I do not intend to disappoint you. Have you decided that it is time to become a man after all? I am sure that we can find some tasty little demimonde in the next town to introduce you to the ways of the world."
"Do not be crass, Richard, I meant no such thing." Darcy shifted uncomfortably in his saddle and paused a long time before continuing. "Have you ever lain with a maiden?"
"Of course not. What do you take me for? I am a man with healthy desires to be sure and while I admit I am no monk, neither am I a rake. I have neither ruined a woman nor dishonoured a marriage, although I admit, there has been more than adequate temptation to do the latter." His eyes glazed over a bit as he recollected some seductive wife or other.
There was another long pause before Darcy continued with his line of inquiry. "I have heard that relations can be unpleasant, even painful for a young lady. Do you know if that is true?"
"Why are you suddenly showing interest in such a subject, Cousin?"
"Perhaps I only wish to further my education. I had assumed you might be a discreet source of information. Forgive my misapprehension." Darcy huffed in annoyance and urged his mount faster.
"I am sorry, Darcy." Fitzwilliam hurried to catch up, aware that his cousin's ire was likely meant to mask his embarrassment. "I shall edify you to the best of my ability. In response to your query, I can tell you for certain that the act can be quite pleasant for both parties involved if you do it correctly. It is my understanding, however, that it can be a bit painful for lady on her first time. My own lack of personal experience with such things aside, that seems to be a generally accepted fact although one must wonder at the things young women are told about the process - they must be kept pure, after all."
"How does one go about engaging in – I mean, I understand the basic mechanics as far as parts . . . well, I believe I do. Regarding, ah, coupling though, how would one start? Theoretically, of course."
"Well, you must prepare her first for -" at his cousin's uncomfortable look, Fitzwilliam continued in more general terms. "One must remember that when in such an intimate situation, there is no part of a lady's body that he ought not to kiss or touch."
"Not even her . . ." Darcy's eyes grew wide in amazement and though he named no specific body part, Fitzwilliam took his meaning.
"Especially not that." He told his eager and mortified pupil. The hours of their ride were filled with a mixture of scientific information and ribald tales, leaving one party wiser as to carnal relations and the other increasingly suspicious of his companion's motives.