*This work is Copyright protected.
Elizabeth stood in awe, looking at the spectacular visage of Pemberley. She had first glimpsed the grand property from the carriage, after they had travelled through, what felt like hours and hours of the estate's grounds. It was a large stately stone mansion, which boasted four floors, with row upon row of sparkling windows flickering with the afternoon sun. The stonework to the main entrance of the house was exquisite, containing carvings that had become slightly worn over time. Upon closer inspection, she could see that the stone encasing the windows had been given the same treatment.
Around the house, were vast stretches of lawn, leading to different gardens (which Elizabeth was happy to find not overly manicured) and a large oak to the right. In front of the house lay a large rectangular lake, that Elizabeth knew her father would love to go fishing in when he visited. She looked to Mr Darcy, smiling fondly at that thought.
Taking a deep steadying breath, she turned towards the staff - her staff now waiting to be introduced to their new mistress. Mr Darcy comfortingly placed her hand in the crook of his arm and brought her and began the lengthy introductions. She was certain she would not remember half of their names on her first try but was determined that she would before she left.
Mr Darcy could see that the staff were as nervous as Elizabeth was, but after a minute or so relaxed due to his wife's genuine eagerness to learn their names and roles within the household.
"Mrs Reynolds, I would like to introduce you to Mrs Darcy. Elizabeth this is our housekeeper, and should you need any assistance, she is a fountain of knowledge." Mr Darcy, said fondly, after the rest of the staff had been introduced and dismissed.
"I am very pleased to meet you. I will be sure to remember that." Elizabeth said smiling warmly.
"The pleasure is all mine, Mrs Darcy" she said with a curtsey. "We have planned to have dinner served in two hours to allow you time to get settled and refreshed after you journey. Is this suitable?"
"That sounds wonderful, Mrs Reynolds."
"Elizabeth, I shall leave you with Mrs Reynolds and come and collect you before dinner." said Mr Darcy turning towards her.
"Yes of course," she smiled a little unsure.
He chuckled softly and bent to kiss her hand before disappearing.
After Mr Darcy had left them alone. Mrs Reynolds had showed her up to her apartments. Elizabeth thought the room she had occupied at Darcy House was palatial, but this redefined the word. Her rooms consisted of a dressing room, a washroom; for bathing, a bedchamber and her own private sitting room in addition to the private sitting room she shared with Mr Darcy.
Her rooms were elegantly decorated in pinks and yellows, with a number of beautifully crafted white furniture including a vanity table and matching writing desk next to the floor to ceiling windows.
She had not yet entered Mr Darcy's apartments, but she had heard him speaking to his valet through the adjoining door, which sparked an awareness within her and a trepidation of what would happen when he visited her tonight.
Elizabeth had also been introduced to her lady's maid, Emily, who had assisted her in bathing and dressing for dinner. She had never experienced such treatment before, and she liked Emily immensely. They were of a similar age and Elizabeth could see them becoming friends very quickly. She had allowed her to choose a deep purple silk gown for her to dine in, the materials had obviously come at Mr Darcy's expense, her parents most assuredly would not have been able to afford such lavish garments.
When Mr Darcy had collected her for dinner, he had complimented her saying that she looked wonderful bowing over her hand. Then, he had escorted her to the dining room. The dinner itself had been a pleasant affair but Elizabeth couldn't recall what had been discuss or what they had eaten. And now, here she was stood in the centre of her bedchamber, staring at the door leading to her husband's room, dressed in the most scandalous nightdress she had ever seen. It was a flimsy piece of pale pink silk, with a sheer lace v-shaped panel ending just above her navel, the skirt falling to the floor with a daring split all the way up to the top of her thigh. She was thankful that it came with a matching robe, although it had the same revealing splits on either side of it, but at least it covered the sheer panel at her décolletage.
She had of course had the talk about marital relations, which had frightened her. Her mother had told her it would be fine to cry the first time but after that she would need to hide her tears at other times, as her husband would not appreciate them. Her mother had also said it was a good tool to get one's way… but she did not understand what she meant by such a statement. And finally, that if she was lucky, she would manage to give him a son on the first try and then he would leave her alone…
Her Aunt Gardiner had also come to her to give her some advice, but hadn't really ended up saying much at all. She had refused to tell her the particulars as she had thought it would frighten her more than necessary, but she had told her to trust Mr Darcy and try not to be nervous.
Standing there Elizabeth suddenly, looked about the room and wondered whether she should extinguish the few more of the candles, but then became distracted when she remembered a risqué painting she had found in her father's study. It depicted a lady leaning against a bed post with one leg, peaking out of her robe and one hand holding the post above her head. Could she be brave enough…?
On unsteady legs she moved towards the bed posts and arranged herself as she remembered the image, but upon hearing her husband's voice on the other side of the door, jumped out of her skin and broke the pose. Instead she decided to sit upon the edge of the bed with her legs crossed, her eyes fixed upon the door as it opened and her husband entered, closing it behind him.
When he turned to face her, she visibly saw his breath hitch and his eyes darken hungrily, dropping to the exposed flesh from the slit at her thigh. Following his gaze, she realised she had crossed the wrong leg and, in her embarrassment, rushed to cover it.
"Don't! You look perfect…" he said, coming towards her purposefully.
Reaching out to cup her chin, raising it he forced her to look at him, her stomach quivered, and her heart raced with anticipation. He stood before her in an expensive looking brocade robe, his feet bare and from the gap in the robe revealing a light smattering of chest hair.
"You have been quiet, this evening… are you nervous?" he asked softly.
Unable to form words she simply nodded, as his thumb began to trace her bottom lip.
"There is no need to be nervous Elizabeth, I will never force you to do anything you are uncomfortable with. I assume you have been told what happens between a man and his wife?" he asked, pulling her to stand with him.
Eyes going wide, she drew away from him, but he reached out and caught her arm pulling her back.
"Where are you going?"
"To get into the bed, am I not supposed to lay there and wait for you to… um… do what a husband does…" she said, refusing to look away but blushing crimson.
"And what pray tell, is it that a 'husband does?'" he asked, humour softening his gaze.
"Please do not laugh at me," she said with a pained giggle, "The truth is I do not know. It is very frustrating! I was simply told to lie underneath the covers on my back… but then, what is the point of this scandalous nightdress if I am to lay beneath the covers, – what are you doing?" asked Elizabeth breathlessly as he had begun loosening the sash of her robe.
"I believe I need to see this scandalous nightdress for myself," he said, arching a brow at her.
Once he removed her robe, he took a step back and holding her hand in his above her head, he moved her to twirl, eliciting a small laugh from her. The sound and the fact that he was the cause of it, pleasing him more than it ought to. His mouth went dry at the sight of her barely concealed breasts, as she stood self consciously before him. It stunned him that she had no idea how exquisite she was. She was pure and light and obviously had great dreams of marrying for love. He knew he could not offer her love and had never in his opinion made love to a woman before. That did not mean he did not know how to please a woman; he would be able to give her more pleasure than she could imagine, he was just unsure if he would live up to her fantasies. She already had a completely different idea of what the marriage bed should be…
"Well, do you like it?" she asked, a little uncertainly.
He responded by pulling her flush against him and kissing her leisurely, exploring her mouth until she melted into him and her nerves faded away. All that existed was the two of them, she ran her fingers through his hair and moaned against his mouth, arching into him. He moved his hand to find the split of her nightdress, slipping his hand into It and over her thigh to her buttocks, giving it a little squeeze. Pleased to find she was not wearing any undergarments he brought his free hand to her other cheek and pulled her into his growing arousal. She let out a whimper as her feet left the floor and he pressed himself into the sensitive heat at her core.
When he put her down, he pulled back stripping out of his robe to reveal, beautifully pale skin stretching over an abundance of lean muscle. He stood before her in a pair breeches, the proof of his desire straining against them. She looked up at him, her fear evident but he reclaimed her mouth in a crushing kiss and then went to work on her jaw, her throat and down to her chest, as he gently slipped the straps from her shoulders. Just before it fell, she panicked and clutched it against her.
"Elizabeth, do you want me to stop?" he asked softly.
After a brief hesitation, she squared her chin and dropped her hands to her sides allowing the gown to slither to the floor. He stood for, what felt like an age and just looked at her.
"You are so perfect, Mrs Darcy." He whispered sweeping her up into his arms and laying her upon the bed, before going to the fall of his breeches. Elizabeth looked up at the canopy of the bed her embarrassment overriding her curiosity.
She felt the bed dip as he joined her, laying beside her. Leaning towards her, she turned her face so that she could capture her lips with his, when instead he cupped one of her breasts and closed his mouth over its peak and suckled. She arched off of the bed, crying out her pleasure. He moved over her nestling himself between her thighs as he gently bit down on her nipple, before soothing the pain with his tongue, her hips bucked against his under his onslaught and her breathing became rapid. He lifted his head to look at the now swollen nipple, but her hand found its way into his hair as she offered her breast to him once more. He chuckled looking up to find her head thrown back in abandon.
Darcy moved to her other breast whilst bringing his free hand down to the curls at the apex of her thighs. She tried to clamp her thighs together, but his hips stopped her. He moved lower still and worked his fingers through her slick folds finding her hidden pearl applying pressure to it over and over and over again.
"William, something… I can't… I don't," Elizabeth gasped as her core began to pulse, coiling tighter and tighter.
"Yes, you can, just let go, Elizabeth," he instructed, the low timber of his voice vibrating against her engorged nipple, adding to the overwhelming sensations.
"But-"
"Now."
At his command, she fell apart in his arms, her body shuddering out of her control as her moans echoed around the room and her legs fell limp back to the mattress. He moved above her as he positioned himself at her entrance.
"Are you ready?" he asked.
Still in her euphoric haze, she smiled as he bent to kiss the bridge of her nose gently and then nudged the head of himself into her entrance. He had to bite back a laugh as her eyes widened with a slight panic and she sucked in a deep breath grasping his shoulders.
"This is the part that will hurt?" she asked him.
"Yes, but it is just this one. I am sorry I cannot take the pain for you Elizabeth."
"I am ready, William."
"Just try to relax." he said.
She took a deep breath in and then exhaled, "I am relaxed."
He chuckled then; she was as far from relaxed as one could be. But then she wriggled, and he forgot his humour, gritting his teeth against the urge to slam into her and claim her.
"It doesn't hurt yet, but it does feel... odd…" she said, but Darcy was too far gone and most definitely past the point of speech.
He slid a bit further in, gasping at the tight silken heat of her, he shut his eyes as she moved her hips a little more, a moan escaping her as he slid another inch stretching her further. He kept going this way until he felt the barrier of her virginity and knew she felt it too as her nails dug into his forearms painfully.
He looked into her big doe eyes and bent to capture her lips once more as he brought a hand down to find her pleasure spot hidden within her folds, before plunging forward and tearing through her maidenhead. He stilled within her instantly, breaking their kiss and allowing her to get used to his invasion.
"I am sorry, Elizabeth," he said, kissing the lone tear from the corner of her eye. "Do you want me to stop?" He whispered tenderly, in truth, he thought he might die if she said yes.
But his brave Elizabeth, shook her head and pride swelled within his chest. Slowly, he began to move within her, strokes slow at first, her face still creased in discomfort. Bending his head, he nipped and suckled down her throat, drawing out small whimpers and sighs from her, as she tilted her head to give him better access.
He turned his attention back to her pert breasts, Elizabeth cried out as his tongue circled her overly sensitised nipples, teasing the tout peaks. He felt her hips tighten as her hand found its way back into his hair gripping almost painfully, and so he latched onto it, suckling one peak deep into his mouth and caressing it with his tongue, as he picked up his pace. His thrusts became stronger and faster as he finally took her to the hilt.
Elizabeth felt tension growing within her once more and she lifted her hips to meet each of his thrusts, her movements primitive as she felt herself already at the beginning of her ecstasy. She clung to his shoulders and his back. She couldn't seem to get enough of his skin. Elizabeth was vaguely aware of some raised bumps across his back and felt him lose his rhythm each time she touched them, but was so overwhelmed with trying to reach her peak and moved her hands back into his silky locks. And then as if a dam broke, she screamed as she fell apart and exploded into a thousand pieces. He buried his face in her neck as he followed soon after her and she felt him release his seed inside of her, her body still spasming with waves of ecstasy.
He collapsed on top of her pressing her into the mattress, his breathing harsh and ragged. Pushing his weight off of her, William went over to the washstand and came back to her, gently cleaning between her legs. Elizabeth thought she should be embarrassed but she was too sated to even lift a finger. He disposed of the linens and lifted her into his arms to pull back the sheets and place her in the bed, before climbing in next to her pulling her into his chest.
"I am sorry I hurt you, Elizabeth." He said, kissing her temple gently, the remorse he felt at seeing the evidence of her virginity was harder to swallow than he thought it would be.
"Mmmm, you made up for it afterwards, husband," she said with a yawn, before she gave in and allowed her exhaustion to claim her.