Chapter 21

The next three months were bliss for both Elizabeth and Darcy. Darcy came almost every day to see Elizabeth at the little cottage, making up various different excuses to his hosts. He thought they must be extraordinarily dim not to realize that something was going on, but they never spoke of it to him, although he sometimes saw them exchanging looks when he mentioned going for a ride. Sometimes he even spent the night at the cottage with Elizabeth, and waking up with her in his arms was a pleasure he could never have anticipated.

Elizabeth's stomach was growing bigger, and soon he was able to feel his son or daughter move when he put his hand to her skin. He could not wait until their child was born. He tried not to think about Carlisle, and that the man would arrive in a little over two months to see his heir. Elizabeth had had a terse letter from him a couple months ago, telling her that he had gone back to London for the season. It had been in answer to a letter from Elizabeth, asking for more funds in order to set up the nursery. Darcy had not yet seen the nursery where his offspring would reside. He had as yet only seen the morning room when he and the Landsdownes had come for tea many times.

Darcy was riding back to the estate one morning after spending the night with Elizabeth. He had woken up holding her warm sleepy body in his arms, and had made love to her once more before declaring that he had to return.

The Landsdownes had already had breakfast when Darcy entered, and both their brows rose when they saw him. He excused himself quickly to refresh himself, but when he came down again, Freddie was waiting for him.

"Forgive me if I am prying into your business, Darcy," he said, "but Rosamond and I cannot help but notice just how many rides you take toward Carlisle lands, nor that you sometimes are gone all night. I have no wish to interfere, but both Rosamond and I want Lady Carlisle to be happy. Rosamond found out at the house party, you see, that Carlisle beats his wife. But I am sure you know that already."

Darcy was speechless. He opened his mouth, but was not sure what he was going to say. Freddie raised a hand.

"It is none of my business what you do, but I want to make sure that no word of this gets back to Carlisle. Just make sure you are having a care for her reputation and happiness, Darcy. That is all I ask."

With that, Mr. Landsdowne departed, leaving Darcy feeling chagrined. His friends were more perceptive than he realized. At least Freddie had not sounded condemning. They wanted Elizabeth's happiness, he said. Did that mean they approved?

One thing was certain; he had been gone from Pemberley and Georgiana for too long. He wanted to come back for when his baby was born, but he needed to return to Derbyshire at least for a few weeks to take care of some business.

When he returned to the cottage that afternoon, he told Elizabeth that he would have to depart for a month or so, but would be sure to be back for her confinement. He could tell that she was disappointed, but she hid it well. She declared that she would give him a farewell gift, and took his manhood into her mouth until he was writhing and moaning and spilling his seed down her throat.

They kissed tenderly as he left, and he rode back to the Landsdownes, to begin his journey to Derbyshire the next morning.

Elizabeth had been so used to seeing Darcy everyday that she felt bereft once he was gone. She circled back to his thought of purchasing an estate nearby in Gloucestershire. The idea was becoming more and more appealing, but she hated that he would have to leave Pemberley just to spend time with her. She knew how much he loved his ancestral home. She had never seen it, but he had told her all about it. She longed to traverse its paths, to walk its halls, as Darcy's wife. She cast that thought aside, as she always did when she thought of her future. Her main goal now must be to protect her child from her husband as well as she could. She hoped that once his heir was born, he would leave her and the child alone in the country while he went to live in London or some other fashionable center most of the year. Unspoken in her mind was the knowledge that if she had a girl, Vincent would eventually want to try for a boy to pass on his title to.

The next month passed slowly, with letters from Darcy and her family two or three times a week. She had learned that Mary was to be married next month, but she had no hope that Vincent would allow her to attend. Besides, she would be nearing her confinement then, and it would not be safe for her or the child to travel at such a time.

She had celebrated her 21st birthday two weeks after Darcy left. She had a small celebration, with the Landsdownes coming for dinner. She was truly grateful for their friendship, but she wondered if they suspected anything between her and Darcy. If so, they never gave any sign of it.

It was at the beginning of July, when she finally received Darcy's note saying that he had returned to the Landesdownes, that she fairly wept with the relief of it. She wrote back with a request that he meet her the next day at the cottage.

She was too large now to ride a horse, so she requested that the phaeton be hitched up. Sarah had been firm that she must go along with her mistress. It was too dangerous, now that Elizabeth was so far along. What if the phaeton tipped over? What if Elizabeth went into premature labour? What if she got stranded or hurt in some way? Sarah would not allow her to go alone, and Elizabeth could not change her mind. So, both Elizabeth and her maid rode down to the cottage, where Sarah said she would make herself busy in the kitchen and that neither Elizabeth nor Mr. Darcy should pay any attention to her.

Elizabeth was too happy to see Darcy to argue with her maid. She did agree that Sarah had some good points.

When Darcy arrived at the cottage, Elizabeth came right out to greet him with a hug and a kiss. Darcy pulled back from the kiss and looked down at her. "You have grown so big, my love!" he said in amazement.

Elizabeth giggled. "You should never tell a woman how big she had grown, Fitzwilliam!"

"Forgive me, my love. You are as beautiful as ever. In fact, you are glowing!"

Elizabeth took his hand and led him into the house. "Sarah is here. She insisted she come in case I ran into some trouble."

"I am very glad she is taking such good care of you," he said, as they passed the kitchen. "I was worried about your coming here by yourself when you are so far along."

"I only have a month to go before our child is here," she said with a smile, sitting on the edge of the bed, and patting the side for him to sit next to her.

"I cannot wait to see him," said Darcy, leaning in to kiss her.

"It might be her," Elizabeth teased, moving her lips against his and pushing her tongue into his mouth. He groaned.

"Elizabeth, you undo me," he said.

"I thought you might not find me attractive, being so large," she admitted in a small voice.

"Just the opposite, my love!" he assured her. "To see you rounded with my child is the most erotic thing I can imagine."

They took off their clothes slowly, not wanting to rush things, and then kissed and embraced leisurely in the bed for long minutes, until they both were aroused.

Elizabeth wondered how they were going to go about this. She was too heavy and awkward to be on top. But Darcy solved the issue.

"Lie on your side, with your back facing me," he said, then he lay behind her like two spoons in a drawer. They had often cuddled this way, but Elizabeth did not understand how it was going to work until he lifted up her top leg and brought it over his hip. Then he pushed into her from behind.

They groaned together at the feeling of being so intimately connected again. Darcy began to thrust slowly, building up a sure, steady rhythm that made Elizabeth pant and gasp in pleasure. She felt full and tight in this position, and that added to the pleasure. She had to admit it was easier when she was lying on her side like this.

Eventually Darcy started to lose some of his control. He thrust harder, nearing his peak quickly. He reached around her to rub circles around her sensitive nub, and with a moan she clenched around him, climaxing. He found his release soon after, crying out as his seed gushed into her.

They lay together afterwards panting, until they recovered their breath. Elizabeth turned around with some difficulty until she was facing Darcy again. "I am sorry it was so fast, my love," he said. "It has been so long that I could not hold back."

"It was perfect," said Elizabeth, giving him a soft kiss. "I am so happy to see you again, Fitzwilliam," she said.

"I am happy to see you too."

"Are you sure the Landsdownes will be all right with you staying for another month?"

"I have to tell you, Elizabeth, that they suspect something is going on between us."

Elizabeth gasped, her face going red in mortification. "They do? But they never intimated anything of the sort to me!"

"Freddie told me as much when I was last here."

"They are good friends," Elizabeth said.

"They are indeed."

"Now you must tell me all about the last month. You were just in London?"

Darcy chuckled. "I have told you everything in my letters, but if you want me to repeat it…"

"I want to hear everything from your own lips, my love."

"Very well. I was at Pemberley for about three weeks, and then I had to journey to London for some business. I arrived at the Landsdownes from town last night."

"And how is Georgiana?"

"She is doing very well. She misses you."

"I miss her too," murmured Elizabeth.

"In fact, she begged to be allowed to come with me on this trip."

"You should have brought her! I would have loved to see her."

"How could I explain my many absences to her? It would not be seemly to have her here."

Elizabeth sighed. "I suppose you are right."

"We have the next month together," said Darcy. "Let us enjoy it."

They did enjoy it. Elizabeth travelled almost every day down to the little cottage with Sarah to meet Darcy, and sometimes spent the night. After a couple weeks she grew too big and uncomfortable to make love, but Darcy seemed content to simply hold her and to talk. She could not believe that she loved him more now than she ever had before. She had not thought that her love could grow to such a degree. He was everything to her, and as her due date came closer, she had only to dread the moment when Vincent would arrive.

Caroline Bingley was angry.

She was twenty-seven years old, and, as Charles said, firmly on the shelf. Five years ago, her brother had introduced her to his friend, Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy. He had the splendid estate of Pemberley, and a pristine lineage, with even an earl as an uncle. Caroline had immediately set her cap at him.

She had tried to be in his presence whenever possible. She curried his favour, she agreed with everything he said, she displayed her accomplishments. But even after five years, she still was not his wife.

She was wondering what Darcy did not see in her. She was attractive, elegant, and accomplished. Her large fortune had not been closely connected to trade. Why was he so blind that he could not see that she would be the perfect hostess and mistress of his homes? Had she not spent years flattering Mr. Darcy and making up to his pathetic sister? She had even feigned a friendship for the meek and mousy girl in order to get on Mr. Darcy's good side. But nothing she did had helped.

Charles was getting impatient with her. He had said that if she had not accepted a marriage proposal by the end of this year, he would release her dowry to her and she would have to set up her own establishment. He and Mr. Hurst had grown weary of having her in their homes. Caroline was growing frantic. She had to get Mr. Darcy to propose.

She knew what the problem was now. It was Lady Carlisle. Ever since that wretched house party last summer, when Caroline had thought she would finally catch him, Mr. Darcy had been paying an inordinate amount attention to the viscountess – a married lady! When they had been in London over the winter, every time she ran into Darcy or Georgiana, Lady Carlisle was always with them.

And now, Charles had said that Darcy was in Gloucestershire, had been there for months. She knew that Lady Carlisle had retired to her husband's estate there for her confinement. She had glimpsed Lord Carlisle in town this summer, but his wife was not with him. No, she was apparently with Darcy, who was staying with the Landsdownes only a few miles away from her.

It was not to be borne. Caroline did not care if Darcy kept a mistress – it would at least spare her the unpleasant task of enduring his attentions – but he would marry Caroline first. That uppity strumpet would not keep Darcy away from her.

So she formulated a plan. She would write to Lord Carlisle, telling him of his wife's affair. Now, Caroline was not completely certain that she was having an affair, but Carlisle need not know that. It was important to leave Darcy's name out of it. She did not want Carlisle challenging him to a duel. If he were killed, then Pemberley would never be hers.

But if Carlisle raced back to Gloucestershire to confront his wife, Darcy would be forced to retreat. He would come back to London and finally ask Caroline to marry him.

She rubbed her hands together in glee. Yes, that is exactly what she must do. She reached for a pen and some paper.