THIS CHAPTER MOVES QUICKLY!
Lizzie snuck forwards, determined to surprise Will. She made it almost all the way to him when she cleared her throat. "Mr. Darcy."
She laughed when he jumped a little. "Lizzie." He sighed. "What did your aunt have to say?"
She closed the distance between the two of them and slid her hands into his. "Only that we have some more time to ourselves." She smiled.
"Lizzie, I apologize for earlier. What I did..." He sighed. "I am sorry if you felt I pressured you in any way."
She slid her hands out of his and put them on his chest. "May I kiss you, William?" She smiled.
"What?" He pulled away a little.
She closed the distance again. "May I kiss you, Mr. Darcy?" She repeated.
"If you want to." He licked his lips.
And she did want to kiss him. She wanted to kiss him more than anything. She slid her arms up his chest and placed one on each shoulder. As she went up on her toes, she noted both of William's hands still staying at his sides. She bit her bottom lip before she pressed her mouth against his. A few seconds later she felt both his hands on her waist and smiled against his mouth, leaning in a little. He in return pulled her closer to him, wrapping his large hands around her tiny waist. Her hands moved to his hair. How could she be so wanton? This certainly was not proper, but yet it feels so amazing! How could she stop? She felt his tongue at her lips, and she responded by opening her mouth a slight stayed, locked together, for what seemed like eternity, before Lizzie hesitantly broke away, gasping a little for air.
"I do want to kiss you, Mr. Darcy." She blushed.
"I can tell, Miss Elizabeth." He said lightly
"Cheeky." She smiled.
"I'm learning."
They were still only inches apart. Lizzie bit her lip again.
"Please stop." Will groaned lightly.
"Stop what?" She backed away.
He grabbed her hips and pulled her back to him. "Biting your lip."
She let her lip go and blushed. "I'm sorry."
He traced over her lip with his thumb, his other fingers lightly resting on her neck. His thumb moved off her lip and across her cheek, leaving a burning feeling as it moved. Soon his hand was cupping her neck, pulling her back up to his lips. As he kissed her again, she felt his tongue on her lip again and she readily opened her mouth. She suddenly felt very daring and as his tongue passed over hers, she moved in the same way, letting out a slight moan. His other hand moved to her back and grabbed at her dress as her two hands clutched at his shirt. As William pulled away, he lightly bit her lower lip and she felt him smiling against her mouth.
"Why?" She shook her self back into reality.
"Why?"
"Why should I not bite my lip?" She blushed and bit the inside of her cheek instead.
"It makes you entirely too tempting for your own good." He smiled.
She released the inside of her cheek and defiantly bit her lip and he groaned out her name.
She slowly pulled out her lip from her mouth. Why am I acting like Lydia? "I am sorry." She turned and walked towards the house. She heard him running towards her.
"Lizzie? What did I say?" He grabbed her hand.
"You said nothing. I was too forward. I do not know why am acting like this. I apologize." She hid her face from him.
"I must say, my darling Lizzie. That I quite enjoy your passion." He lifted her chin so she was looking into his eyes. He had a smile across his whole face and his eyes were sparkling even more than usual. "You were not too forward, and if anything I should apologize to you. And I am quite thrilled to know you are so willing to show your passion. Just promise me two things."
"And they are?" She smiled.
"The first is that your passion will never die."
"I can promise I will try to keep it alight. But only for you." His finger brushing her chin lightly was very distracting. "And what of the second."
"We will have a short engagement."
"I wanted to be married by the end of the summer. If that is not soon enough for you then-" She was silenced by a brief but passionate kiss.
"As long as it is before the end of the summer." The two then walked back to the house, hand in hand.
Three months passed, and although it took much encouragement, Mr. Bennet had agreed for a wedding before the end of the summer. Two months from the current day. They hadn't been left alone from the moment her father stepped through the door. Lizzie wasn't even allowed to walk alone. But she still saw William everyday, and she would see him every day after that.
"LIZZIE!" She winced as her sister stormed into the room. "You can convince Papa! Tell him!"
"Tell him what, Lydia." She sighed as she put down her book. She had already ordered her dress, there would be no need for flowers, the invitations were being sent out next week. She wanted small, and that is what she was getting. Her aunt had remarkable control over her mother.
"Tell him to let me invite !" Lydia stomped her foot.
"But Lizzie-"
"No, Lydia. This is my wedding and I do not want him here."
"What did he ever do to you?" She screeched and ran from the room.
"Aunt?" She turned to look at her Aunt, who had been ignored the entire episode.
"Yes, Lizzie?" She smiled.
"Put a watch on all of Lydia's mail? I cannot tell you why, but Mr. Wickham must not be allowed to come." She would stoop to begging, if it meant Wickham would not be able to come.
"I trust you have talked to your father about this, though." She placed a hand on Lizzie's knee.
"Yes." Although he did not believe me...
"Good."
One month to the wedding and the entire house was in an uproar.
"Papa, do not let her go!" The four sensible sisters were begging their father.
"Girls. You know Lydia is silly. And she is too poor to be an item of prey to anyone. Let her embarrass herself so she knows how unimportant she is. Now, leave me in peace and go help Lizzie with her wedding. Lydia is going to Bryton with the Fosters and that is final."
Jane, Mary, and Kitty left their father, Lizzie stayed.
"Papa, you know why she wants to go. And it is not wise to send her." LIzzie pressed her father.
"She wants to go so she may attend all the balls. Let her have her fun and discover that she is not so important as she thinks she is. Now, as I said earlier, go plan your wedding which you were so desperate to take place and leave me in peace."
One week before the wedding and Lizzie's monthly cycle hit, causing her stomach to be engulfed in pain. One morning, her stomach hurt so badly, she ate two bitees of toast and felt sick. "If you do not mind, my stomach is not at all well." She stood and returned to her room.
Later in the day, she heard a brief knock on her door.
"Who is it?" She stood.
"Its William." She smiled at how nervous his voice was.
"Come in." She rubbed her stomach.
"Lizzie, are you alright?" He left her door open and hurried into her room.
"Yes. My stomach is just acting up, that is all." She loved how he was so overly worried at everything that happened.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, William. I know what is wrong. And I should be better in a day, a day and a half at most." She blushed at the thought of having to explain this to him.
"What is wrong?" He pressed.
"Will-"
"Elizabeth. Tell me."
She shut her eyes and blushed. "It is quite normal for women. Will, please."
"Lizzie, I am concerned for you. That is all."
"Will, it happens every month. It is nothing to be concerned about." She bit her lip and turned a bright shade of red.
"Every..." Now it was his turn to blush. "I see." He rubbed his neck. "I'm sorry. I. Um. I"
"William Darcy," she grabbed his hands, "are you embarrassed?"
"Extremely." He chuckled.
"Just wait one week. Then you will have to deal this almost every month for almost the rest of our lives."
"Almost?"
"Well, when we have children, that will be nine months where you will have to deal with that instead." She laughed. His eyes went wide and he laughed alongside.
When they stopped Will looked very seriously at her. "Lizzie, how many children do you want?"
"I do want at least one son and one daughter, so at least two. But I would not object to having more." She smiled. "I would like to keep it reasonable though."
"Reasonable?"
"Oh yes." She tried to remain serious. "No more than ten." The look on William's face caused her to break and she started laughing again.
"Lizzie..." He sighed and pulled her into a hug.
"William, do you realize this is the first time we have been alone together in five months?" She said sweetly.
"You're right." He started to close the distance between the two of them. "What do you want to do with this time?"
"I would not object to a kiss or two." She bit her lip and heard him sigh.
"You forgot how tempting you look when you bit your lip." He said lowly.
"Yes. I have." She moved up to her toes.
"Lizzie?" She heard Jane's voice and pulled away, adding a step of space between the two of them.
"Yes, Jane?" She called.
She saw Jane's face appear. "Good, because Mr. Darcy-" She stopped when she saw him. "You know.
"Yes, Jane. I know Mr. Darcy has returned from London."
"And I bring," he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small blue box, "the wedding bands."
"May I see them?" She moved to the box.
"May I see the dress?" He teased.
"No!" Both women said a little too loudly.
"Then, no. You may not see the rings." He put the box in his pocket, grabbed Lizzie's hand, bestowed a lingering kiss to her knuckles. "I will see you soon." As he lowered her hand, he added so only she could hear. "My queen."
"Jane, will you do me up?" Lizzie turned to her sister.
"Of course, Lizzie. You look lovely." Her sister began doing up the buttons.
"Jane, I need a moment with Lizzie." Her mother shooed Jane out of the room. "I will finish doing the buttons."
"Of course, Mama." Jane kissed Lizzie's temple and left the room.
Her mother began doing up the buttons. "Now Lizzie. Mr. Darcy is a worldly man. He is probably very experienced in this nature." Oh no... "Tonight he will come to your room and he will make you his wife. Now when he does this, you will not enjoy it, but you will lay on the bed and let him do whatever he shall wish with you. It will hurt, but only the first few times. After you bear him a son," she finished the buttons and turned her around, "he will not come to see you very often. Do you have any questions?"
"No." Why didn't Aunt Gardiner come to do this?
"Good." She left Lizzie standing there, her jaw slightly dropped in shock.
"Lizzie?" She heard her Aunt.
"Aunt."
"I take it your mother has explained tonight to you?" She picked up Lizzie's bouquet.
"Yes."
"I take it you are not happy."
"Well..."
"I know William loves you. And your Uncle informs me his is very worried about hurting you." Lizzie blushed. "I promise it will be more enjoyable than your mother suggests. Maybe not the first or second time, but later on. When you both learn what pleases the other." Lizzie turned red. "Now, do you have something old?"
"The veil was Will's mother's." She smiled.
"And something new?"
"The dress."
"What did you borrow?"
"Jane is lending me her slippers."
"And your blue?"
Lizzie turned to show a saffire hair comb that held the veil in place. "Will gave it to me."
She handed Lizzie her bouquet. "There. You're ready."
There was a knock on the door. "Lizzie, its time-" Her father stood in the doorway. "Lizzie, you look lovely." Her father walked into the room.
"Thank you Papa."
He held out his arm. "Shall we?" She took his arm lightly. "I love you, Lizzie."
"I love you too, Papa."
Lizzie bit her lip as she behind the curtained french doors. "Papa, I'm afraid." She whispered.
"I have full confidence in you." He held her hands. "Mr. Darcy loves you. You will have an amazing life."
"Thank you, Papa." She kissed his cheek.
"Lets get you married." The french doors opened and she saw William, standing at the end of the isle.
She blushed and looked down at her bouquet and back up at William. As her father lead her down the steps of the house and down to the garden, she felt more and more at home. She saw the smile spreading from ear to ear. She liked her lips and purpousfully bit her lower lip. She saw his shoulders bounce a little and a quick shake of his head. As the ceremony proceeded, she grew more and more anxious. She wanted to see the rings, and be William's wife, and she wanted to wanted to be his.
"Do you have the rings?"
Will reached behind him and she saw a glint in Will's hand. She looked behind her and Jane put the ring in her hand. She didn't look at it, she was too busy looking at Will's clenched fist.
She smiled all through the vows that will spoke and bit her lip again when Will slipped a delicate silver band onto her finger. As Lizzie said her vows she worked a thicker silver band onto William's finger.
"I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride."
William pressed his lips to Lizzie's in a soft kiss.
"I now present Mr. and Mrs. Darcy."
And Lizzie had never felt happier.
Don't worry. Its not over.