Darcy was leaning back in his leather swivel chair, watching his cousin Richard Fitzwilliam wearing a path thin in his study carpet.
"Richard, you are a fully grown man! You don't require your parent's permission to do anything any longer." Darcy tried to placate his cousin without any success so far. "You have enough funds put aside from your army career, so you don't even require them to provide any support whilst you finish your studies."
"Darcy you don't entirely understand. My father has even withdrawn his permission for me to remain in the family home if I decide to continue in this path." Richard continued to pace, hands firmly linked behind his back; a worried frown marring his otherwise handsome features. "Whilst it is true that I have sufficient funds to provide an adequate living whilst I complete the last year required, but I have nowhere near enough to be able to afford to purchase and furnish a home of my own."
"Richard, I cannot tell you what to do; any more than your parent's can. Your father enjoys good health so there is no immediate indications that you would be inheriting the title or family home any time in the near future." Darcy smiled so that Richard knew that his words were to be taken lightly, "I am happy to grant you additional funds if you need them…" Richard held out a hand in protest, not wanting Darcy to continue any further.
"Thank you, Darcy but if I am going to do this, I want it to be on my own terms."
"What did you have in mind?"
"I'm thinking of applying for internships in the City…Yes I know it will take me longer to achieve my goal, but I will be earning enough to be able to rent rooms somewhere quiet and I won't owe anyone a shilling." Richard looked over to his older cousin, seeking approval. Richard had started studying the law early, but when war broke out his father had purchased him his first commission. Now that the war had turned, Richard felt it was time to let some other young pups take over and wanted instead to resign his commission and return to his first love.
"Richard that is an idealist plan, but are you really…" Darcy looked up as there was a soft tap on the study door and Elizabeth peeked her head around the corner.
"Miss Bennet! What a pleasant surprise, tell me what brings you to Pemberley?" Richard strode to the door and fully opened it, admitting Elizabeth into the room.
"That's rather a long story, and best left for another time. Colonel Fitzwilliam, I understand that it is your wish to study the law?" Elizabeth strolled into the room and perched on the edge of Darcy's desk. She looked over at the flabbergasted Richard, and raised one eyebrow expectantly. "It's not exactly a hard question, Colonel. Do you or do you not wish to study for the bar?"
"Well, I…" Richard stuttered, "Yes. I do." He nodded assertively.
"That's good, because I have had a rather brilliant idea. It would mean taking an internship rather than a pure study, but it does come with the opportunity to act as a second whenever possible…Oh and did I mention that it includes room and board with a prominent solicitor in the City?" Elizabeth laughed at the sheer shock on Richard's face, it was as though she had read the situation perfectly and had found a solution all within a matter of seconds. She walked over to the door again and popped her head back out into the hallway.
"Uncle Edward, would you care to come in now? Colonel Fitzwilliam, may I introduce my uncle, Edward Gardiner of Gardiner and Smithers of London. Uncle Edward, this is the gentleman I was talking about, Richard Fitzwilliam; recently retired from the Third Fusiliers. Darcy, perhaps we could leave Uncle Edward and Colonel Fitzwilliam to discuss the particulars?" Elizabeth held out a hand to encourage a rather quiet Darcy to leave the other two gentlemen in his study. He bemusedly took her proffered hand and shook his head, not really accepting the fact that once again the whirlwind that was Elizabeth Bennet had swept in and solved another crisis in the making.
"How did you know?" he whispered as they walked into the hallway.
"I just asked the right questions to the right people. Isn't that correct, Henry?" Elizabeth raised her voice slightly at the last and received a warm nod of satisfaction from the footman in return.
"Ah, Miss Bennet you truly are a most delightful surprise. Shall we see what your aunt and my sister are occupied with at this present moment?"
"No, let us just stroll outside and enjoy the sunshine together." Elizabeth suggested as they neared the garden door. Darcy agreed with pleasure, it was not often that he had the time nor opportunity to spend an hour just strolling amongst the flowers. The sun chose to escape from the passing clouds at the very moment that they exited the house and brilliantly shone amongst the cultivated flowerbeds and borders.
"Have you seen anything else of Charles or his sister's this afternoon? Caroline seemed a touch put out this morning and I wondered if she was feeling quite well."
"I believe that she and Louisa have decided to return to Town for the rest of the summer in hopes to travel abroad in a few weeks' time. Charles escorted them to Matlock a short while ago to arrange their onward journey."
"I see, well I know that Georgiana will be pleased to hear that, but where does that leave us?" Elizabeth's almost forlorn tone made Darcy look over in concern and stop in his tracks.
"Elizabeth! Whatever do you mean?"
"Well, I know that my goal here is to bring Georgiana out of her shell enough to help plan the Fayre and I have some ideas that I will speaking to Mrs. Reynolds about later. But bringing Jane and the children here for the rest of the summer – I know that was so that Georgiana didn't feel so alone with Caroline and Louisa. With them gone…" Her voice trailed off despondently. Darcy planted himself directly in front of her and made her focus directly on him.
"Libby, my darling. I would want you here even if there were no ball at all! Don't you realise that by now? Just because I haven't gotten around to saying the actual words doesn't mean that I …..And my whole household already think of you as Mistress of Pemberley…if I had my way you wouldn't even be returning to Hampshire in September! So you just bear that in mind whenever you start to doubt me in any way." He slowly lowered his head, giving her enough opportunity to pull away if she chose to. Elizabeth did not pull away, but rather lifted up her head to meet his lips halfway. It was a kiss of affirmation, rather than a blatant attempt at seduction. A kiss full of promise that spoke of the depths of feeling that each had for the other, words were not necessary their hearts speaking for them instead. Their lips parted slowly, savouring the contact for as long as they could.
"Libby, will you stay?" he asked quietly.
"Perhaps, it all depends on how nicely you ask me." Elizabeth whispered softly in return, only half in jest. Darcy took a deep breath.
"Elizabeth, I beg you not to trifle with me now. I fear I am too raw for your teasing at present. If your feelings are still what they were last April, tell me so at once. My affections and wishes are unchanged, but one word from you will silence me on this subject forever."
"And what are your feelings exactly, William?" Darcy knew that Elizabeth needed the actual words this time.
"Miss Bennet, I have such depth of emotion for you that I can hardly put them into words. To say 'I love you' is not enough, to say 'I want you' can hardly describe the start of it…" Darcy pressed her firmly against his hard body, knowing that she could hardly miss the meaning behind his words. "And you, Miss Bennet? What of your feelings?"
"I can hardly know where to begin. When you asked last April, I felt anger and resentment but now I find myself so deeply in love with you that I…" Elizabeth found herself unable to speak as her lips were otherwise occupied. Darcy had nearly thrown himself at her in his haste to have her speak her true feelings. Gasping for breath he laughingly looked into her eyes.
"Do I really need to ask the question? Or do I have my answer already?" The only reply he received was that of the nonverbal sort as this time he found himself on the receiving end of a hot embrace. Elizabeth poured all of her emotion into the kiss, pressing his lips apart to forage hungrily into his mouth with her seeking tongue. Darcy wrapped his arms around her tightly, happily accepting her as the aggressor. Panting for breath, he tore his lips away only to press hot kisses against her hair, over and over again.
"My Elizabeth."
"Yes, William. Yours." Elizabeth tucked her head into his neck and they remained standing there for a long time; bodies gently swaying against each other as they savoured the moment. Darcy finally pulled her against his side, retaining a firm grip on her hand.
"I don't ever want to be parted from you again."
"Nor I you. But you are to travel back to Hampshire in just a few days and we will be apart then."
"Come with me then."
"William, I can't. Could you imagine the uproar it would cause with my father if we were to travel back to Hampshire, announce our engagement and then I return back with you? No, it's best that I stay here with Georgiana. It's only for a few days."
"It shall seem like a lifetime." Darcy raised their clasped hands up to his lips and tenderly kissed the back of her hand. He lowered it slightly and caressed her long, slim fingers. "Tell me, Elizabeth, what jewels would you prefer? Emeralds, diamonds, pearls?"
"Not pearls, William. Pearls are for tears, and I am determined that ours shall only be happy tears. It's too soon for all of that, let us just enjoy it for a few more days, just the two of us. Let us go on as we are, for the present. Just for now, let us keep it between ourselves, at least until you return with Jane and the children." Elizabeth shook her head at his suggestion, happy in the knowledge that she was his and he was hers.
"But I want the whole world to know that you have agreed to be my wife, Mrs. Darcy."
"Mrs. Darcy, I like the sound of that."
"As do I." Darcy couldn't help but leaning over and gently kissing her again, the sound of the name on his lips brought up images in his head, not only of the ceremony but the wedding night too... He groaned against her mouth and tried to force the images from his mind. "Please tell me that you want a short engagement, Libby."
"We'll talk about it when you return, I would like Jane to be a part of it and need to talk…"
"Of course you do. Forgive me, I didn't mean to imply that we would rush into things. It's just that…" Darcy struggled to find the words that would explain the full depths of his wanting. Elizabeth smiled into his eyes and touched his hair again, it was beginning to become one of her favourite past times, softly curling her fingers into his hair.
"Darcy, I understand…I saw you remember?" Darcy groaned at the memory, just as he was starting to regain control over his lower body, the mere mention of his actions of the previous morning; had him surging against the flap of his breeches in earnest.
"Libby, you can't mention things like that to me! I'm having enough trouble controlling myself around you as it is without you making it worse."
"What if I didn't want you to control yourself?" She whispered against his ear, each word causing him to shiver in reaction at the hot puffs of air.
"Libby, I'm warning you…!" Darcy hissed through clenched teeth, fighting against his baser instincts to press her up against the nearest tree and plunge himself into her welcoming depths.
"You'd have to catch me first…" Elizabeth teased as she ran off squealing into the gardens. Darcy gave a roar and gave chase. She led him in and out of the flowerbeds and into the rose garden. He finally caught up with her near the house and she gasped as he picked her up into his arms and carried her further into the garden towards small gazebo well out of sight of the house. He kissed her urgently, forcing her lips to part to give entrance to his seeking tongue. He rubbed against her teeth and slid over the rough surface of her tongue, thrusting in and out in an urgent rhythm. Darcy forced himself to release her lips but refused to set Elizabeth on her feet. He manoeuvred himself around to be able to slide one hand into her bodice and skimmed his fingers down in a teasing rub over her very sensitive nipple. Elizabeth felt heat curling in her stomach and found herself arching helplessly into his touch; fingers mindlessly searching for the waistband of his trousers to free his billowing shirt. Hands trembling, she finally managed to tug the shirt free and reached out to touch the hot flesh of his back. Darcy tore his mouth away from hers with a gasp of delight, turning his head instead towards her neck. The feel of her delicate fingers gently caressing up his spine had him shivering in reaction, as her fingers trailed lower he caught his breath wondering if she dared to drop them even lower. Elizabeth had brought her hand around to the front of his shirt instead and was slowly tracing a path up his side, feeling each bump of rib as she went. She then drew that same finger across his chest, tangling in the dark curls that matted his heaving chest before retracing the path down the other side. The feel of the pant of Darcy's hot breath against her neck made her weak in the knees and she reached out to steady herself, bringing up her other hand to rest on his waistband. Darcy growled against her neck and dragged her up tight against his body before spinning them around so that he was sat on the stone bench of the gazebo with Elizabeth spread-eagled on his lap. She could help but feel his urgent desire pressing against her aching pelvis and fought against the need grind herself down against him.
"Sit very still, don't move a muscle." Darcy muttered out between clenched teeth. He hissed a little as Elizabeth gave a little wiggle to try and get comfortable. "God! Libby! Unless you want to be dragged before a minister before the day is out, please, I beg you don't move." Darcy felt a tingling at the base of his spine and knew that he was extremely close to jettisoning his excitement all over the back of Elizabeth's dress. He took a few deep indrawn breaths to try and calm down his jerking manhood. He focused on his breathing, keeping his gaze firmly an errant curl that had slipped from Elizabeth's upswept hairstyle. After a few long moments, he felt that he was finally in control enough to lift Elizabeth up from his lap, he reached out to place a hand either side of her waist but instead of lifting her off his hands seemed to move of their own accord to press her downwards until her warm feminine core was pressed against his firm thighs.
"Darcy….!" Elizabeth let out a high pitched sigh and rocked herself further back, an overwhelming heat came over her entire body and she twisted around to capture his mouth. Darcy probed his tongue along the seam of her lips, she instantly opened to let him in welcoming the skilful invasion of her mouth. She felt herself being lifted and turned until she was straddling his heavy thigh on the bench, skirts ruched up around her waist. Her thin undergarments felt as if they weren't even there, as Darcy felt the scorching heat of her femininity even through the thin linen of his trousers. Elizabeth felt herself growing damp between her legs, and embarrassment had her lifting herself away slightly. Darcy felt her move and pressed a firm hand against her lower back to prevent her from moving any further away.
"I want to feel it, knowing that this is all for me…God Libby, you don't know what it does for me." He wished that his breeches would disappear so that he could feel that musky dampness against his bare skin, but settled for pressing her further against his thigh, urging her to rock against him.
"Will…I…What's happening to me?" Elizabeth rocked helplessly against his thigh, pressing her wet core against him in a desperate urge to satisfy some deep craving that she didn't understand. She felt a surge of heat rising up through her body, spreading over her chest and face and causing her breasts to swell and tighten. "Darcy….! William, please…?" Elizabeth didn't know what she was begging him for, but Darcy felt that he knew what would finally tip her over that unknown precipice. He slipped his fingers into her bodice and took one of her swollen breasts in hand. He massaged the weight gently and then rolled the tightly budded nipple between his fingertips. The fact that Elizabeth was so close to her release was paramount in his mind, and he was determined to ignore his own impending release. Darcy's fingers tightening on her nipples caused Elizabeth to push down harder against his thigh and she rolled her hips slightly in an effort to still the ache that was intensifying deep within her womb. Her movements became almost frantic and she was almost sobbing in the effort. Suddenly she felt her nipple enclosed in the warm caverns of Darcy's mouth as he began to suckle at her breast. She felt a clenching deep within her body that echoed the motion and ground down hard against him.
"Darcy!" Elizabeth almost shouted as she found her release, flooding his thigh with dampness and she fell back against the one arm that still held her firmly across her back. Darcy smiled against the breast he was still suckling rhythmically, sending little ripples through her exhausted body. He let the nipple slip from between his lips with a little pop and with a sigh of regret brought her bodice back up to hide the bobbing delights from his gaze. He couldn't help but give one more nuzzled to each one through the thin muslin. Elizabeth sighed gently and looked up at Darcy's wicked grin through heavy eyes.
"What was that? It felt frightening at first, but at the same time, overwhelming…" Darcy trailed a series of light kisses over Elizabeth's face and down the side of her neck, where he sucked a little and gave a gentle nip.
"That my darling girl, is what the French refer to as 'le petit morte' or 'little death'. They say that without the flood of hormones released, the human body would be unable to handle the overwhelming effects. How did you like it?"
"I…I…like it." Elizabeth looked ashamed at the admission, having been taught that a woman should only endure the marriage bed, and that only common whores enjoyed the sexual act itself.
"Libby Darling! It's a perfectly natural human response and you have nothing to feel ashamed of!" Darcy leant down and captured her lips in a lusty open mouth kiss. "I cannot wait to marry you, and show you just how wonderful married life can be between us."
"Darcy, what happens….well, when a man…" Elizabeth wanted to know what exactly happens to a man's body during the act itself, but didn't really know what words to use or even what the right words were.
"Oh, Libby…You'll be the death of me!" Darcy knew exactly what Elizabeth was referring to and the reasoning behind her questioning. A few years before, a very frightened Georgiana had burst into his study in floods of tears resulting from a 'birds and bees' speech given by her governess at the time. Even now, Georgiana trembled still at the mere mention of the words 'wedding night'. Goodness knew whatever parable Elizabeth's own mother had used. Darcy sighed a little and lifted Elizabeth reluctantly off his lap and settled her down beside him. As she got her skirts arranged properly, he took a moment to stroke a finger across the damp patch left on his thigh, bringing a finger to his nose he inhaled her musky scent and shifted uncomfortably on the cold stone bench as the scent of her lingering arousal sent his own spiking again. He dug into his pocket and wiped his finger surreptitiously on his handkerchief before handing it over to Elizabeth.
"Hmmm, you may wish to…?" He nodded uncomfortably towards the patch on his thigh and then gasped when Elizabeth started to scrub at his breeches. "Not me, you!"
"Oh!" Elizabeth had been so caught up in the ecstasy of the moment that she had thought that the wetness own his breeches was from his own release. Now she realised that she did indeed, feel very damp in her undergarments and laid the handkerchief between the back of her skirts and her sodden drawers.
"I really think that this is a conversation best left until after the wedding, don't you?" Darcy didn't think his poor body could take any further stimulation, else he would find himself shooting off like a rocket at Vauxhall gardens.
"No, William. I think that I need to know everything before I wed, I know the mechanics of course but it all sounds so clinical and detached. The woman just lying there whilst the husband just rams his thingy in and then leaves…" Darcy spluttered and coughed as he caught his breath in reaction.
"Is that what your Mother told you?" He choked out a laugh.
"Gosh, no. Mother just muttered something about flower seeds and watering cans…Any questions we had as children had to be answered from the housekeeper." Elizabeth looked over to where Darcy was struggling to keep a straight face.
"Was she married by any chance?"
"A long time ago, he went off to war and didn't ever return."
"Hmm, I wonder why?" Darcy muttered sarcastically. "Honestly, Libby. It's not something I've ever really felt comfortable talking about."
"Surely you know what happens?"
"Bloody hell! Of course, I do! You of all people should know that, after what you witnessed this morning."
"Well, I didn't see all of it. Just you from the back!" Elizabeth was determined to find out all that she could, she had no intention of going to the marriage bed frightened out of her wits as poor Charlotte Collins had. What did it matter anyway, Darcy had already decided that they were to have a short engagement so any consequences would be quickly covered over. "Please, William?" Elizabeth pressed against his side, cajoling him with her soft, doe like eyes. He felt himself weakening against his resolve.
"Oh, alright then, but not here! Tonight, once every one has retired. There's a corridor that links our rooms, go around the back of the large mirror and you will see a door cut into the wall. My room is directly beyond. If you are certain that this is what you want, come to me tonight and I will be waiting. I warn you though Libby, this is a path that once trodden on, neither one of us can turn back from." With that last word of warning, Darcy pressed a kiss to her cheek and strode quickly from the garden. A quick look at the rigidity of his spine and the burgeoning swelling of the front of his breeches gave Elizabeth the reason why and she knew that it was best just to leave him be to calm himself.