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The table was laid with four place settings. Darcy immediately noticed the china was quite delicate and the glassware was of the same calibre as his own. The surroundings and its contents were not typical of what a merchant would possess, and this made the man curious for more information as to Mr Gardiner's wealth, so enquired. "Since the turn of the century, I have invested most of my accumulated wealth in British trade," Mr Gardiner stated. "The West Indies was all well and good at the time, but I found forced labour more and more detestable as time went by. Before the end of the last century, I pulled all of my funds from that particular venture and started to invest in local commerce." To that, Mr Gardiner pointed to the plate in front of him. "The bone china on the table is from my porcelain factory in East London, which is located not far from the cattle markets in Bow." At this Darcy noticed Elizabeth from the corner of his eye, but had to fight back his mirth on seeing her expression turn to sheer horror. "Elizabeth, if I do not invest, then someone else will, and it is not as if the animals are still alive, unlike my previous dealings."

"But it is so abhorrent. It is all fascinating, but can we at least not talk about this while we are eating from such items? It will put me off of my food."

"Yes, my dear. I take your point," Mr Gardiner said whilst patting her hand. Darcy looked at their physical connection and wished it was his hand that was caressing hers, or even better his lips. "So, Mr Darcy, I have dealings in a venture that I am not permitted to discuss at this present moment, but I also have my fingers in tea," Mr Gardiner stated with a chuckle.

"Is the tea in a teapot made of bone china, by any chance?" Darcy asked. His eyes cast back to Elizabeth who was now pouting with furrowed brows; this reminded him of a particular incident when they were children. "I am sorry, Miss Bennet, but I could not resist," he laughed. "I think we should change the subject, Mr Gardiner."

"Indeed, or we will have a distraught young lady on our hands, and I do not think I could bear the rest of the evening in uncomfortable silence."

"For that little tease, I believe Mr Darcy should tell us about what he has been up to this past… fourteen years."

"Of course. Eton, Cambridge, then I travelled the continent, and on my return father passed away."

"Oh, I am sorry."

"No, it is all good. It was so long ago, and I am able to talk about it with ease. At the time I was in a haze for nearly a year. The task of becoming a new master is not an easy one, and I had not even had insight into what my father did as I was absent from Pemberley for long periods of time since the age of fifteen. School holidays were fleeting, and in those times father left most of his business to the steward while we spent our days together, enjoying life.

"For the past five years, I have invested highly into property. My maternal grandmother left me twenty thousand pounds in her Will when I was seventeen, but I was not allowed access to it until my majority. I started to buy up properties after my father died and it has grown substantially over the past five years, as I have reinvested the income that the leases have produced back into the business."

"So what are you worth?" Elizabeth asked.

"Elizabeth! You cannot go asking such questions!" Mrs Gardiner chastised.

"Why ever not? It is a fairly innocent question and not as if I am one of these matchmaking women only after Mr Darcy's money. I would do just as happy being a shop keeper's wife."

"Aye, and a bookseller at that, I would imagine," Mrs Gardiner chuckled.

"You like reading?" Elizabeth nodded. "You will enjoy my library at Darcy House or the more impressive one at Pemberley. It boasts of over three hundred years of accumulated tomes."

"Three hundred years! Are the early books still strong enough to be handled?"

"Maybe not those, but my grandfather started to replace some of the earlier ones, and both my father and I continued that duty. We still keep the old copies, but they are more for show than reading. I will enjoy showing you, at the very least, my collection at Darcy House." His eyes were saddened at the thought of the possibility that Elizabeth may yet refuse him and never see Pemberley. He knew that before he would take his leave, he would ask her if she was in favour of the union.

After dinner, the sexes parted but only for only a short while, then the men returned to the ladies in the music room. "So, will you play for us, niece?" Mrs Gardiner asked, "And maybe Mr Darcy can turn the pages," she added. As Mr Darcy took the seat next to Elizabeth on the shared piano stool, Mr Gardiner remembered he had forgotten his pipe in the dining room. Within two minutes, Mrs Gardiner had taken her leave to find her husband. The door was closed behind her.

"How obvious. I do believe my relations wish for us to be alone and unchaperoned again. What do you make of such impropriety?"

"I think it is rather an ingenious idea." Elizabeth felt his warm breath against her ear. Her countenance faltered as she was overwhelmed at the intoxicating spell that he was casting over her with his close proximity. I will not swoon, I will not swoon, she chanted to herself. She placed her ungloved hands upon the keys in order to start the piece, but Darcy's hand stopped her as he trailed the tips of his fingers up the length of her arm until he reached the edge of her short sleeve. "Elizabeth," he breathed; his voice almost pleading. Her head lolled against his, which gave him the opportunity to brush his lips against her cheeks. So tender was his touch. He noted a small whimper as his lips traced up to her ear. "Please say you are in agreement," he asked with a slight tremble in his own voice.

"To what?" she managed to ask between gasps of breath. Her heart was beating heavily once more, as it had done earlier in the parlour and she had to control her own breaths in fear she would faint.

"To our fathers' arrangement." She felt his whiskers against her neck as he kissed the bare skin upon her shoulder.

"I think so. But…"

"But what?" Now he was nipping at her ear, and all she could do was place a hand upon his shoulder to steady herself and not crumble. Darcy could sense her body weaken and placed his palm on the small of her back. This small movement begat a rather delicious reaction; Elizabeth arched her back as her head lolled and so exposing more of her flesh upon her throat. "Elizabeth, please."

"I am rather nervous."

"Right now?" Darcy continued to caress her throat and down to her collarbone. Although he wished for her lips, he knew that if he consumed her mouth, there was a significant danger he would not be able to stop himself, and it would not be gentlemanly to have her there in the music room, while her aunt and uncle were in the house.

"No. Marriage, the… the bed."

"Bed," he groaned at the thought of picking her up and carrying her up the stairs. Her reaction to him at that moment did not warrant a nervous maiden on her wedding night. "I will not push you in that aspect, we have all the time in the world to conquer our fears, but Elizabeth, I doubt you will be so concerned when the time comes."

"How so?"

"Your reaction to my closeness now is rather… alluring, enticing. I cannot imagine you being anything but passionate… Please say you are in agreement with our fathers' wishes."

"Yes, oh yes," she sighed as his hand came up to cup her face and bring her closer until each forehead touched the other. Neither pair of eyes were open, and they basked in the intimacy they had been allowed until they heard footsteps outside. As their surroundings emerged from their indulgent, hedonic state, they forced themselves apart and quickly regained composure before returning to the music.

When Darcy left that evening, he journeyed to Matlock House where his cousin, Richard, had just finished having dinner with his father. His mother had already retired for the evening, claiming fatigue.

Darcy requested to speak to Richard in private. The earl, knowing he was not to be privy to whatever his nephew had on his mind, grabbed a large tumbler full to the brim before leaving them in the dining room.

"So Darcy, what has you in such a tizzy? As soon as you stepped into the room, I knew that there was something up."

"Do you remember the terms of my father's Will? Regarding the betrothal to a Miss Elizabeth Bennet?" Darcy asked with an attempt to hold back his joy.

Richard smirked, "Who could forget? Your reaction was priceless."

"Well… I made her acquaintance today," Darcy said looking down into his brandy glass that Richard had just handed him. Richard stood there, watching his cousin swirl the amber liquor around in the tumbler, waiting for him to continue.

"Well, Man! Out with it! Are you going to enlighten me further, or did you just come here to tell me that?"

"She is remarkably pretty, magnificent in fact. The sweetest creature I have ever met," Darcy said with a hint of a smile.

"Well, well, well. That is a turn up for the books, old chap.You were lucky she did not have a face like a cow's arse or was it a Badger's arse?" Richard teased.

"Richard! That is no way to talk about a lady. Especially if she did have a face as such, it's not gentlemanly," Darcy infused.

"But she has not. So what happens now? Will you be seeing her while you are in London? I know you have to return to Pemberley soon."

Darcy looked up and grinned, "I hope we will be married before I leave and if it takes longer than expected, I will just remain until I can return with my bride."

With that, Richard stood and roared his congratulations to his cousin. With all the commotion going on, the earl returned to the room. "What is going on?"

"Father, Darcy here is getting hitched, to that girl from Hertfordshire."

"Well, well, well, nephew. I'm glad you came to your senses. I hope she's a pretty spirited little thing," he said with a nudge on the shoulder.

"God! It's like father like son," Darcy stated, "Yes she is very beautiful, uncle." And also alluring, passionate and she smells so sweet, he thought.

For the rest of the evening, the three gentlemen partook in finishing off two bottles of brandy. The butler managed to get Darcy into his carriage to take him home, as he was worse for the drink. Arriving back at his townhouse, Darcy made his way to his rooms without the grace of a gentleman. He staggered up the stairs, full of liquor, only to nearly collapse on the top step.

"Sir?" Roger enquired, as he made his way into the corridor. "Is everything well with you?"

"Aye! I'ma getting mwarried."

The valet comprehended the master was inebriated, so thought nothing of his drunken announcement. "Congratulations, sir. Do you wish to retire?"

"Aye!" he replied once more as he stumbled into his room.

Sleep came easily to the drunken master. As soon as he drifted off, his mind began to wonder what married life would now mean to him. He would be able to ease his urges as he lay with his wife. Her warm, soft body against his hardened muscular frame had him mentally acting out such delights.

"Ah, god damn it!" he cried out in frustration. He had woken up at such a crucial moment. Looking down, Darcy could not miss his arousal, for his prick had pitched the sheet. He knew that he would not get back to sleep with his present predicament, so pulled back the covers, spat liberally into his palm, and closed his eyes. Good lord! I have not done this in so long.

The bliss that now filled his body sent him back into a deep sleep, but it was only a matter of an hour before he found himself awake again, in much of the same state. Again‽

The following morning, Darcy woke up feeling dreadful. He was not used to drinking copious amounts of spirits, but when in the company of the earl and his cousin, it was difficult to say no. He then thought about his behaviour towards Elizabeth. He had not acted with gentlemanlike behaviour, but she had provoked an almost drunken state when he was in her company. Was this how his life would be? Some fool drunk on the allurements of a woman, his wife?

Staggering out of bed, he noticed the state of the once pristine blue sheets, which were now stained with his spendings. That was another embarrassment he could have done without. Oh! Dear! God! The chambermaids will see the mess and know precisely what I have done, he cursed. In a panic he procured the pitcher of water from the side table and splashed a liberal amount over the stains, rubbing the liquid around so that the marks diminished to some degree. He would then tell the valet that he accidentally spilt the water during the night.

Having sorted out his dilemma, he hastily called for Roger. The quicker he saw to his ablutions and dressed, the sooner he would be with her. His eagerness did not go amiss on the servant, who had also noticed the state of the bedding. The water did not disguise the evidence that the master had had a rather disturbing, yet pleasant night.