As the last strains of music faded away, Mr. Darcy guided Elizabeth from the dance floor with great reluctance. "I will call on you tomorrow, and the day after that, and every day hence until you stand before me as my wife, if you will permit it."
Elizabeth's eyes gleamed with mischief. "Such impassioned pleas may provoke unwarranted gossip. One might suppose you mean to court me in earnest!"
"To the devil with gossip!" he exclaimed. "Let them talk - I care not. I mean to court you as ardently as any suitor has ever pursued his lady love. The sooner all know your hand and heart are now promised to me, the better."
Elizabeth laughed at his vehemence. "Then by all means, you have my permission to call on me as frequently as you desire. I dare say Papa will appreciate the diversion, if nothing else!"
The week passed in a blur of preparation and impatient longing for Elizabeth and Jane. With special licenses procured, their weddings were to take place at the ingeniously swift pace of just five days hence.
Mr. Bingley had departed at once for London himself to obtain a special license of his own. "If Darcy sees fit to hasten his own wedding, I'll not have him outdo me in securing my own bride!" he had declared with a laugh.
Mrs. Bennet fluttered about the house in a frenzy of activity. "So much to do and so little time!" she exclaimed. "Flowers to arrange, gowns to finish altering, menus to finalize. Oh, my dear girls, you shall have the weddings of the season, never you fear!"
Elizabeth laughed at her mother's enthusiasm. "As splendid as any ceremony, as long as we are wed by week's end, Mama." Her eyes held a secret smile as she thought of Mr. Darcy and the tender intimacy they had already shared, impatient for the day when she could at last remain forever by his side.
Jane squeezed her sister's hand, sharing in her quiet joy. While naturally more reserved than Lizzy, Jane's connection with Mr. Bingley ran just as deeply. "All that truly matters is being united with those we love," she said softly.
"Two weddings, and to such fine gentlemen!" Mrs. Bennet crowed to anyone who would listen. "Why, all of London will be talking about the matches the Bennet girls have made, mark my words!"
Mr. Bennet merely shook his head, a mixture of bemusement and resignation written across his features. "I shall be glad when the wedding breakfasts have ended and some semblance of quiet returns to the house once more. Your mother grows more excitable with every passing day!"
Elizabeth laughed. "I believe Jane and I will not overly mind leaving the quiet behind for a bit. Not if it means being mistress of our own homes at last, and," her eyes sparkled mischievously, "enjoying a well-deserved respite from the constant clamor and chatter."
"Lizzy, you know very well that once wed, your life shall be anything but quiet," Jane teased with a smile.
The double ceremony was a small but joyous affair, held at the local church to the overwhelming relief of Mrs. Bennet.
As Elizabeth and Jane prepared to walk down the aisle, Mrs. Bennet dabbed at her eyes, fluttering with excitement. "My dear girls, you both look absolutely radiant! To think this day has finally come."
Elizabeth squeezed her mother's hands, blinking back tears of her own. "Thank you for all you have done to make this possible, Mama."
Mrs. Bennet waved her hand dismissively. "Nonsense, you must thank your own charms for ensnaring two of the most eligible gentlemen in the county!" She lowered her voice conspiratorially, "And what fine figures they both cut in their wedding attire. Why, you would not find a handsomer pair at St. George's itself!"
Jane blushed at her mother's irrepressible frankness. Some things would never change, no matter how many daughters she sent off to marry.
Stealing a final embrace, the sisters made their way to the entrance of the church. The small guest list of close friends and relations were abuzz with delight, craning their necks eagerly for a glimpse of the brides.
Caroline's brow remained furrowed in a disapproving frown throughout the service, her sullen presence reluctantly accepted at her brother's behest. But the newlyweds cared little for her churlish temper, caught up as they were in a haze of wedded bliss.
At the end of the aisle, Mr. Darcy stood proud and solemn beside a beaming Mr. Bingley. But seeing Elizabeth approach on her father's arm, Mr. Darcy's composure dissolved into a smile of such tenderness and joy that her breath caught in her throat.
Her eyes never left his as she walked toward her destiny. By day's end, she would be bound to this man, heart, body and soul, to have and to hold from this day forth as his lawful wedded wife.
Jane and Mr. Bingley were equally enraptured, gazing at one another as though none present save themselves. Two sisters, once inseparable, now prepared to embark on new lives and adventures apart but for one common blessing - the love of noble gentlemen who cherished them beyond all else under the sun.
As the ceremony concluded to raucous applause and celebration, Mrs. Bennet dabbed at fresh tears while Mr. Bingley dispatched his sister off to London post-haste. "I have borne your malicious tongue for the last time, Caroline," he informed her angrily. "The rumors you spread nearly thwarted my own happiness, and I'll not have you ruin Darcy's. Be gone from my house, and do not show your face again until you've learned discretion and kindness!"
Caroline sputtered in indignation, but recognizing she was in no position to argue, she departed Meryton without another word.
After the wedding breakfast was concluded, the well wishers had departed, Elizabeth found herself back at Netherfield, alone at last with her new husband in the privacy of their bedchamber. Nervousness and longing warred within her as Mr. Darcy approached, his eyes burning with uninhibited passion.
"At long last, you are mine, the siren in the blue and silver," he murmured huskily, tracing the curve of her cheek.
Elizabeth's breath caught in her throat as he gently cupped her face in his hands. "And you are mine," she whispered. She gazed up at him through lowered lashes, pulse racing with anticipation of exploring the delights of marriage unrestrained by propriety.
Mr. Darcy swept her into his arms and captured her lips in a searing kiss, obliterating all remnants of doubt or propriety in its wake. His touch was as shocking as it had ever been, sending molten desire coursing through her veins with such intensity that she gasped against his mouth.
He released her from the kiss only to draw back and gaze into her eyes with an intensity that left her breathless. "Elizabeth Bennet," he murmured hoarsely, running his thumb feather-light across the swell of her lower lip. "My wife."
Elizabeth sighed as his lips trailed along her jawline and down the slender column of her throat, setting her very skin aflame. Her hands, acting of their own accord, tangled in his dark locks, urging him on as his warm breath stirred sensations entirely unfamiliar yet irresistibly pleasurable within her.
He groaned, lifting his head to gaze at her with eyes clouded by desire. "You undo me, my darling."
His fingers deftly unfastened the silk laces of her gown, baring soft curves and silken skin to his view alone. Reverently, he peeled away each layer as though unwrapping some rare and priceless gift, his lips following the path revealed inch by tantalizing inch.
Elizabeth trembled at his touch and, overcome by longing, she reached out to grasp him close in her arms. He hummed in pleasure as their bodies pressed together in an embrace that spoke of the strength of their bond. His hands moved lovingly across her curves while his lips explored every exposed area with a hunger that threatened to consume them both.
Elizabeth gasped at the tender assault, her back arching as she offered up her charms for further exploration. Each heated caress shattered what remained of her defenses, carrying her to undreamed of realms of ecstasy. Tonight her innocence would be well and truly lost, an inevitable sacrifice on the altar of their all-consuming love.
As his hands roamed she sensed a rightness, a belonging as though two halves cleaved asunder had found their mate at long last. His name was a breathless litany on her lips, "Fitzwilliam," she breathed, scarcely recognizing the throaty timbre of her own voice.
At the sound of his given name upon her lips, Mr. Darcy groaned and captured her mouth once more, drinking in the intoxicating taste of her like a fine wine and gathered her into his arms. He laid her upon the bed, its pristine linen sheets a blank canvas awaiting the masterful strokes of a consummate artist.
His hands skimmed the gentle flare of her hips, the inward curve of her waist, traveling up to cup the soft weight of her bosom as his mouth followed the path his fingers had forged. Elizabeth gasped at the sensation, her nipples hardening in response to each featherlight touch.
Her hands reached up for him, cradling his head as she pressed herself against him, wanting more of what he was offering. Mr. Darcy growled in response and deepened their kiss as his hand moved to trace circles around one sensitive peak before taking it into his mouth.
Elizabeth arched against him as a soft moan escaped her throat while his tongue teased her into a state of rapture. His other hand worked its way down to caress her inner thigh and further still until it found its target - sending pleasure coursing through her body that left her trembling with pleasure.
"So beautiful," he rasped, his voice rough with passion, eyes gleaming as they roamed each hill and valley laid bare to his view alone.
As though confronting a vision scarce imagined, much less attained, his hands trembled slightly. So often had he gazed upon the beauty of greek sculptures and timeless works of art but none could compare to the living, breathing mastery beneath his hands.
Her hair spread upon the pillow in coppery disarray, cheeks flushed and lips swollen from the fervency of his kiss, Elizabeth gazed up at him through eyes clouded with longing. In this moment, his undoing, all masks and pretenses fell away.
"How came I to deserve your trust, your favor, this glimpse of paradise?" He traced the curve of her cheek with a tenderness that stole her breath. "You have brought me back to life, captured my heart and soul with fetters which shall never break."
Her eyes gleamed, a teasing smile curving her lips."Must you speak so poetically?" She reached up to clasp his face between her hands. "I need no flowery words or grand gestures, husband. Only this - your love, your faithfulness, all those long years of happiness stretched out before us to explore."
With a laugh, he pressed a swift kiss upon her lips. "Impertinent woman! You know your wish is my command. A lifetime of devotion you shall have."
Her trembling fingers tore at the bindings of his shirt, shoving the offending garment impatiently away until at last his own heated flesh was bared. She sighed at the sight of him, illuminated by firelight - broad shoulders, chest lightly dusted with dark hair, tapering down. Her hands explored each contour, grazed the rippling muscles of his back. She traced the line of his jaw, his sculpted lips, with a feather-light touch that elicited an appreciative groan from her husband.
Elizabeth gazed up at her new husband, heart swelling with emotion. His eyes shone with tenderness and passion as he studied her, as if still unable to believe his good fortune.
"Mrs. Darcy," he murmured, the name a sweet caress upon his lips. "My wife."
A thrill coursed through her at the words. "My husband," she whispered.
He turned his head to press a fervent kiss to her palm, then pinned her with a heated look. "I intend to make up for lost time, my love, and spend the rest of the night showing you exactly how long I have waited for this moment."
Elizabeth gasped as his hands moved lower, caressing her curves with an expert touch that sent shivers of pleasure coursing through her. He progressed down the length of her body, slowly exploring every inch of her being until she was shuddering with a desire so intense that it almost overwhelmed her.
He finally reached the apex between her thighs and teased it mercilessly before delving beneath to stroke the delicate flesh beneath. She moaned helplessly as waves of pleasure washed over her, delighting in the pure bliss he was evoking within her.
His fingers moved with certainty and skill, coaxing her body to new heights. Elizabeth groaned in ecstasy, barely able to contain herself as she trembled in his embrace. She felt his lips on hers again, searing hot and demanding, as his hands kneaded and explored every inch of her body with an intimate knowledge that left her aching for more.
She clung to him, breathless and eager for the ultimate consummation of their marriage. Elizabeth's heart pounded as her entered her, finally joining their two bodies into one. She gasped at his hard shape pressing against her softness, waves of pleasure flooding through her with each thrust.
Mr. Darcy buried his face in her neck, savoring the honey-sweet scent of her skin as he moved within her. His movements became ever more urgent as they raced toward pleasure, their moans mingling in the night air.
She shuddered in delight as he caressed her curves with an expert touch, eliciting sensations that she had never before experienced. His hands moved lower still until they reached the most intimate part of her being, kneading and exploring with a skill that was nothing short of magical.
It wasn't long before Elizabeth was lost in a world of pleasure, writhing beneath him as wave after wave of bliss washed over her. She clung to him tightly as their bodies moved exquisitely together in perfect harmony, each thrust bringing them closer to a powerful climax that neither would soon forget.
As their movements grew ever more urgent, Elizabeth felt a burning need build within her until it reached an unbearable crescendo. With a loud cry of pleasure, she finally released the tension, sinking into bliss as her body shuddered in pure delight. Mr. Darcy followed soon after, his own cries joining hers.
As the echoes of their shared pleasure faded, Mr. Darcy collapsed beside Elizabeth on the bed, an arm thrown haphazardly across his eyes as he drew long, ragged breaths. She was similarly splayed out beside him, the fine sheen of perspiration on her bare skin catching the low light of the fire in the hearth. Their heaving chests synced in a rhythm.
"Good heavens," Mr. Darcy murmured after a while, dragging his arm from his face and casting a sidelong glance at his wife. "If I'd known the blissful paradise that awaited me in the marriage bed, I'd have proposed the moment I saw you, dearest Lizzy."
Elizabeth's brows arched in surprise and she emitted another warm laugh, a soothing balm to the soreness of his ego. "Oh, is that so?" she teased, her fingers tracing an idle path over his chest. Her touch was feather-light, but it set his nerves ablaze, the lingering spark of their recent intimacy still smoldering.
"Yes, it is," he replied with an exaggerated sigh of faux resignation. "It appears that the business of being a husband is more demanding than I'd expected."
He saw her lips twitch in amusement before she rolled her eyes dramatically. "Poor, unfortunate soul," she sympathized in a voice that was equal parts fondness and mockery. "How ever will you manage?"
"I suppose I'll have to make do," Mr. Darcy retorted, his fingers traveling from her shoulder down to her waist. He pulled her closer, their bodies touching.
Elizabeth chuckled, the sound sending pleasant ripples through his body. "I have no doubt that you will, husband," she said, her voice rich with warmth and unspoken promises.
He stared at her, his eyes drinking in the sight of her tousled hair spread on the pillow and the way the firelight played on her bare skin. Her eyes sparkled with humor and affection as she met his gaze, her lips curving in a mischievous smile that made him wonder what new form of sweet torment she was planning to subject him to.
But it was a torment he willingly accepted. His hand tightened on her waist, the flame of anticipation kindling in his eyes. "Let the arduous task of husbandly duties continue, then," he said, leaning down to capture her lips in another passionate kiss.
Elizabeth feigned a gasp of horror, placing a hand dramatically over her heart. "Already, Mr. Darcy? I hope you do not intend to make a habit of exhausting your poor wife."
With a devilish grin, he lunged for her, pulling her flush against him. "Only if my poor wife insists on it." His lips found hers again, the kiss slow and sweet, promising many more such moments in the hours and years to come.
Indeed, she would make sure he kept his promise. After all, they had a lifetime of love to explore. And if she had her way, and she usually did, they would explore every single aspect of it, right down to the last detail. She pulled away from his lips, a mischievous twinkle in her eyes. "I must warn you, husband. I do tend to insist on quite a few things."
He met her grin with one of his own, pulling her in for another soul-searing kiss. "My dearest Elizabeth," he murmured against her lips. "I would expect nothing less."
In the dim light of their bedchamber, amidst the tangled sheets and fervent whispers, Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam found the promise of a future they'd both longed for.
THE END
