Chapter 14

The women at Netherfield spent much of their time in the company of the Bennets, particularly Miss Bennet and Elizabeth. They would have picnics out in the open, stroll through the fields and gardens of both houses, visit with their neighbors, and in the evenings, after supper, perform for each other while at the piano or singing or reading a book. Elizabeth was able to better know Miss Darcy and had become friends with the girl.

Four days passed in this manner at which time the gentlemen returned from town.

"We have got the licenses, the bans are set to be printed in the paper, and preparations for the honeymoon are underway." Bingley said, smiling at Jane. "Darcy and Elizabeth shall spend a night at Pemberly, then join us in town where a few days later we shall take a ship across the channel and down into Spain. Unfortunately, a trip through France is entirely out of the question."

"I do not care where we go, as long as we are together." Jane placed her hand within Bingley's and squeezed.

Elizabeth felt strange watching them together. She looked up at Mr. Darcy who stood so close to her she could smell the soap he washed with that morning, mixed with his natural scent. She allowed herself to study his features, his eyes, his nose, the line of his jaw, the way his hair fell across his forehead.

"Why do you study me, thus?" Mr. Darcy asked, taking Elizabeth to a sofa by the fire and sitting down with her.

Jane and Mr. Bingley were discussing their trip with Mrs. Bingley and Caroline, and though they were just on the other side of the room, Elizabeth felt she was quite alone with Darcy.

"I was just realizing how accustomed I am to your presence. Your features are so familiar to me now."

Will smiled, "Shall we take a stroll through the garden?"

The day was warm and bright and the colors vibrant around them. They passed through the roses into the hedge maze, when Darcy stopped and stood to face Elizabeth. He grasped her hands within his, so warm and strong, and said, "I cannot begin to tell you how much I missed you. I do not think we should spend another day apart. You shall have to follow me on my business, wherever it is I go."

"Do you have much business that takes you away from Pemberly?" Elizabeth asked, realizing she knew very little about his holdings.

"Pemberly is of course my home, and where most of my lands are. I have a house in London and property in the north of England that was part of my Mother's dowry. I try to travel there every other year to see how the steward his handling things. He's a very capable man and keeps up a steady correspondence about the sheep and cattle. I also visit my Aunt once a year during the spring."

"Lady Catherine? And how is she?" Elizabeth smiled.

Darcy smiled as well, "She did not take our upcoming union as gracefully as I had hoped. She was determined to leave at once and never speak to me again. I think she will come to her senses soon enough."

"The poor woman," Elizabeth mused, "How hard it must be for her to not be in control of the situation."

"Elizabeth," Darcy breathed, "I do not wish to speak of her or anyone else. I wish to bask in your presence. Dearest of Elizabeths, may I kiss you?"

Elizabeth looked up at Darcy, not knowing what to say, not able to say anything. Slowly, Darcy raised his hands to cradle her head and bent down so his mouth was merely inches from hers. Staring into her eyes, looking for any signs that she was not ready, he was satisfied when they closed and he could see her lips part.

Elizabeth had been kissed exactly twice before by men who were not related to her. When she was a child a little boy who lived in town kissed her, which caused her great annoyance. The other time was when she was 16 and her first ball at the Assembly Hall. A young man visiting family had attended, and after a dance led her outside for some fresh air, where he kissed her. She promptly slapped him, then stalked back into the Hall.

This kiss was beyond either experience. Darcy's warm hands slid from her jaw until they were entangled in her hair and his lips sent flames shooting throughout her body. She could taste him, breathe him and she felt like she was drowning, but refused to surface. Without realizing what she was doing she wrapped her hands around his chest, pulling him closer, as if she couldn't get enough of him. The kiss, which was chaste at first, deepened. Darcy parted her lips with his tongue ever so slightly, sucking on her top lip. Elizabeth's eyes opened at this unexpected turn, but she tentatively licked his bottom lip with her own.

"Elizabeth," Darcy murmured as he began softly kissing her jawline down to her neck.

The sound of her name brought her to her senses and she stepped back, releasing her hold on his body. Elizabeth could still feel the kiss as she reached up to touch her lips with her fingers.

"My dear, we must do something about your hair before we return." Darcy laughed.

Reaching up she could feel almost half of it had come undone. Thankfully Elizabeth was used to putting her own hair up into simple twists and in a minute her hair was as it had been. She straightened her clothes, which had become a little rumpled during the exchange.

"I cannot tell you how long I have wanted to do that." Darcy smiled.

"I am speechless." Was all Elizabeth could manage.

"What? Elizabeth Bennet, rendered speechless by Mr. Darcy?" Darcy laughed, which caused Elizabeth to laugh as well.

Darcy bent down to place a single kiss on her cheek, then took her arm in his, "I believe it is time we head back."

After her experiences that day Elizabeth had to admit to herself that she was indeed falling into a passionate love with Mr. Darcy, or Will, as he asked her to call him. She smiled as she lay in bed, replaying over and over that kiss. She touched her lips and was amazed that a man could produce such emotions with a simple kiss. She smiled again at her earlier notions of plaguing his life.

"Oh, I shall still plague his life," she said, pulling the covers up to her chin. "Only I shall do it with teasings, and relish every minute."

As she began to drift to sleep she remembered one thing she needed to do once they were married. She needed to resolve the matter with Mr. Wickham.

A few miles away in the town of Merytown, Mr. Wickham was smiling to himself as he sat at a poker table. A couple of Officers and a couple of tradesmen from the town were seated around the table, watching his smile curiously. Was he bluffing? Did he have a winning hand?

But the cards were not at all what was making Mr. Wickham smile. He had spent a wonderful afternoon in the company of one Lydia Bennet, a girl who was so innocent to the world and so naïve. She had a lovely body, like her sister Elizabeth, but she did not have her sister's sense of propriety. She was very generous with her affections, like a puppy dog eager to please its master.

The hand was called and Wickham found that he had lost that round. No matter, soon he would have enough money to live comfortably for a long time.