So three today, and they might be my last for a few days. am on holiday for a bit and not sure ill get much time. sorry its not the best time to stop... please dont kill me! :)
i may manage something later. let me know if you are totally desperate! ;)
not long left now!
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Chapter 26
...
The next occasion; Elizabeth was in the library, her favourite chair. A discarded and empty cup of tea was next to her and her feet were tucked underneath her.
Darcy moved quietly behind her and leaned over her. She was reading Shakespeare and he smiled as he lowered his lips to her neck. When he made contact she jumped and let out a little shriek, clapping her hand over her mouth when she noticed who it was.
"I am sorry Elizabeth." Darcy could not quite hide his mirth as he moved around and sat on the floor in front of her. "You were quite engrossed and I could not help myself."
She tilted her head. "Is this how it will be, sir?" She raised an eyebrow "every time I am alone I will be shocked and set upon." Her teasing smile ensured he did not take offence.
"Until you tell me to leave you be, I intend to importune you as often as possible." His hand rested on her knee and stroked down to her ankle. He stopped and looked down at her ankle, resting in his hand.
"You know." He put his other hand on her foot and started to massage gently. "I do not think I have ever really looked at your ankles before."
"Huh?" Elizabeth cursed herself for her inarticulate reply, but really his fingers were most distracting.
"Your ankle." He persisted, amusement lacing his voice "I have never taken the chance to look at it." His fingers exploited the arch of her foot, massaging up to the back of her ankle.
"You really have the most beautiful ankles" he bent and placed a kiss on the inside of her leg. Elizabeth gasped and shivered. He looked up, a wicked grin on his face and one hand started stroking up the inside of her leg.
She looked around, they were alone of course, but anyone could walk in at any time.
"When you said you wished to start showing me how things could be between us" He voice was breathless, quiet but filled with a passion she likely did not recognise in herself. "I had no idea you meant like this."
He continued to look at her with his wicked grin, hand slowly moving in circles now at the level of her knee.
"I love thee so, that, maugre all thy pride. Nor wit nor reason, can my passion hide. Do not extort thy reasons from this clause. For that I woo therefore hast no cause." He placed a kiss on her knee, which his hand had deftly exposed, and allowed his hand to circle higher, feeling Elizabeth quiver under his touch.
She tilted her head "quoting Shakespeare now?"
"It seemed appropriate." He said, gazing at her.
"And the rest?" She asked.
He looked down, his hand pausing. "I dared not."
"Then let me.. but rather reason this with reason fetter." His gaze was on hers and she leaned over, hand cupping his cheek "love sought is good, but given unsought is better."
His gasp of breath was enough to move her and she lowered her lips to his. He surged up, pressing his body against hers as their lips met and their tongues tangled.
"Oh, Elizabeth." He breathed against her, his hands stroking her face, her body and her exposed leg. Moving all over lovingly caressing every part he could reach. His lips were back on hers and she met his movements, her own hands coming up to stroke through his hair, delicately tracing lines down his back. He groaned in appreciation as her fingers stroked him, barely discernible through his jacket.
They stayed this way, kissing and touching, for some undefinable time. The gong ringing to alert them to dress for dinner was all that penetrated the fog of desire that hung over them.
Elizabeth laughed as he helped her to rise, self consciously patting her hair as Darcy dropped to her feet and lovingly placed her slippers on.
"We best dress for dinner before we are missed." She said, once her feet were safely ensconced in her slippers.
"Indeed." He offered her an arm "I have seen no signs of magical ... um"
He looked at her "I am not certain as to the word, escapage?"
She shrugged "I can feel our power when.." she ducked her head, embarrassed
"When we kiss?"
"That feels like the wrong word." She said, a cheeky grin on her face "calling that a kiss is like calling Pemberley a cottage!"
Darcy laughed aloud and Elizabeth smiled, not certain when the last time she had heard him laugh.
"I am glad you feel that way." He said "I can feel it also, but it seems to be more of a bubble around us. Although I cannot pretend I was paying much attention to the surroundings just now."
She laughed a shocked laugh. "I do not know if I can explain Kent." They began to climb the stairs, nodding to the footmen "I think it was partly due to being unprepared. The Ley line may have contributed. And I did nothing to contain my magic, part of me was desirous of making a spectacle."
Darcy looked at her, eyebrows raised.
"You were so dismissive of my powers." He opened his mouth "it is of no importance now." She waved away whatever he was about to say. "I am no longer the same person, I am confident in my abilities, grateful for them and have no need to be recognised by anyone other than you." She squeezed his arm "but back then I felt differently. I also had never felt quite so angry. I can control it better now."
"You are the most gifted witch of my knowledge, let alone acquaintance." She just smiled "You seemed to control your power when we last, umm argued." He did not wish to remind her of their bitter dispute less than a week ago, but she had not let a wisp of power escape.
She shrugged. "It did not take any exceptional effort on my part, I just knew what to expect and did not let it escape my control."
Darcy furrowed his brow in thought but before he could say anything they were at their chambers and they parted to dress for dinner.
...
Dinner was more relaxed than any Darcy could remember for a long while. Georgiana had not known there had been tensions, Darcy and Elizabeth both careful to guard their emotions in her presence, but even she noticed the light hearted atmosphere that evening.
The long awaited message from London had come through as they sat to dinner. The men and women caught in the attack on the Darcys had been tried and sentenced. The ring leaders were to be transported whilst the lesser men had been imprisoned. Elizabeth had shuddered. The magical prison was no more or less unpleasant than the one for non magical misdeeds, but prisoners underwent different trials. Earth magicians, in particular, were kept mostly drained. Healers had been granted permission to use the magical energy from prisoners and so would drain them on a daily basis to use the energy for healing of the sick. She knew there was likely plenty of misuse of this power and she suspected the guards would drain the prisoners for their own uses. As with all prisons; money and power were what bought luxury.
With the immediate threat behind them, both Elizabeth and Darcy felt far more at ease. Darcy had begun to atone for his poor behaviour and was content with the progress he had made. He knew he still had to gain her trust, and hopefully allow for their magical auras to bond. But he was happy to take things slowly, knowing he was to blame for the damage so far.
When they retired, he walked Elizabeth to her room and bowed over her hand, kissing it for long enough to rouse a blush to Elizabeth's cheeks.
He reached up and stroked her cheek.
"I would like to see you, after we have readied for bed. If you are amenable to that?"
Elizabeth stiffened, was she? She could not deny that his kisses and caresses had reawakened yearnings which she had previously oppressed, but she could not stand further rejection and she had no idea if his new found openness would extend to the bedroom.
She nodded, perhaps less welcoming than she should be, and turned to flee in to her room.
Darcy stood staring at the door, worry marring his face. The house creaked and sighed around him, as if sympathising with his plight. Somewhere downstairs there was the telltale sounds of maids moving about, likely cleaning out the fires from the day. Darcy just stood still, thinking what was best to be done.
After a number of minutes an expression of resolve came over his face and he turned smartly and moved to his own door.
...
Elizabeth jumped slightly at the sound of a knock and called a tentative "Come in"
She was sat at her dressing table brushing her hair, having sent Betsy away for the night. Her hair was not in need of further brushing but the repetitive motion soothed her and so she continued.
When Darcy's valet appeared in her door she rose, a frown of confusion across her face.
"From the master, ma'am" was all he said, holding out a letter.
She took the missive and he disappeared through the door, closing it gently behind him.
She stared at the letter, turning the crisp paper over in her hands. On one side the Darcy seal, still slightly soft and only a very small amount of wax sealing the pages together. On the other a bold hand had written 'my darling Elizabeth'
She smiled slightly, surely with such an appellation the contents could not be too grievous?
...
My darling Elizabeth
Be not alarmed, my dear, that this letter contain any demands or complaints aimed towards yourself. I wish only to set you at your ease and hope, with my words, to do so. I have long been aware that I am far more proficient at explaining myself on paper than I am in person. This affliction, if you can call it that, is certainly at its worst with yourself and I can only attribute that to the effect you have on me. You are, simply, enchanting and when I am with you I am often at a loss for words.
Words cannot express how thrilled I am with the start we have made to repair the breach in our marriage. I take the whole of the responsibility upon myself and will gladly take on the work of repairing it, however I do require your willing participation but I will not force this upon you.
I had hoped to come to you this evening to continue our exploration, but I could sense your justified hesitancy. And so I propose this: I will not visit your chambers, they shall be your sanctuary, your domain. However, you are completely welcome to visit mine, if and when you so choose. My door is always open. If you should wish to sit and talk, to read or to lie in my arms, I would welcome you. If you wish to share more intimacies I would be thrilled to have you walk through my door. If you do not wish to do so I shall not lament your choice, although I cannot say that I will not miss your presence.
So, dearest loveliest Elizabeth, I leave matters in your hands. What ever you chose know that I love you and that my door is open to you, any time tonight or any day in the future that you might wish to walk through.
FD
...
Elizabeth had read the missive three times before the heat started to fade from her cheeks. Could she be so bold to go to him? For it seemed like just the sort of behaviour that would only be expected of a wanton. From her talks with married women, few willingly entered their husbands beds.
But as she re-read his words of love his intent seemed to settle in her, he truly wished for her comfort above all, her choice. She looked over at her bed and remembered the few times he had visited her here. Their intimacies could barely be called that. Cold and unfeeling, even if he kissed her here, would the memory of their previous interaction intrude?
She did not know what she wished, but she wished to try. She stood and walked over to the door, pausing for a moment on the threshold before waking determinedly across it.
...
The look on Darcy's face, when she walked in, was enough to convince her of her welcome. Such a look of heartfelt delight she had not seen since the moment she had accepted his proposal. Her own returning smile was warm and happy and, for a moment, they stood there, staring and smiling at each other.
Then he moved towards her, gathered her hands in his and kissed them reverently. "Elizabeth, you have come."
She tilted her head to the side, a teasing smile upon her face "with such a prettily worded invitation, how could I not?" Her face became serious "I do appreciate your consideration."
He gathered her in to his arms, holding her tightly against him. She briefly thought that she had never been so tightly embraced, before she sunk against him. Months of minimal contact making her desperate for his warmth and comfort. She buried her head in to his chest and tried to stifle the sob that threatened.
"Hush Elizabeth." She felt soft kisses against her hair "I am sorry, so sorry." She just held him tightly and allowed the tight feeling in her chest to ease. When she raised her head she felt tolerably in control of her emotions.
"I am still worried, about us, about what might happen." He said gently.
Elizabeth wrinkled her brow delicately and he remembered all the times he had wished to smooth the wrinkles. This time he did not resist and stroked his thumb up from the bridge of her nose smoothing the soft skin there.
"I do not understand."
He smiled softly "there are parts of marital intimacies with which you are unfamiliar, I have not tried to show you pleasure and so I have no idea how it will affect you, or your magic. This is what I had tried to avoid."
"You tried to not give me pleasure."
He groaned, sinking on to the soft leather chair in his room. "It sounds so selfish when you put it like that."
Elizabeth only raised an eyebrow.
"You are aware that when we... join, I find a release."
Elizabeth's lips twisted, "I suppose I understand."
"Well, it is rather overwhelming, and uh, pleasurable."
Her expression remained skeptical "You did not seem terribly pleased." She moved to the other chair and sat down, not liking towering over him.
"That was because I wished for so much more, but restrained myself for fear of..." he sighed. "I am not certain why I was so concerned."
"You were warned?" She prompted.
He growled "yes, but not by anyone trustworthy."
Her eyes widened
"Wickham." He sighed, knowing her next words would be condemnation. He waited for her justifiable outrage. Instead she sighed heavily.
"It seams he is still able to charm even the most stoic of us."
"I cannot be so sanguine!"
"I am no such thing. I am seething that Wickham has, once again, come between us. But I am not about to let him continue with his malicious intent." She rose and knelt before him "our greatest revenge will be to live with and love each other as if he was not the very devil come between us."
He clutched her hands as if they were a lifeline. "He had heard of the thunderstorm, he warned of people looking for a magician. He convinced me that our lovemaking would bring a target upon us."
Elizabeth just looked at him for a very long moment.
"What he said makes sense, I understand why you believed him. But we must find a way."
Darcy smiled, a wicked, libidinous, smile. "I have an idea."