Chapter 2

Elizabeth adored attending the Theater with sister Jane and Aunt and Uncle Gardiner. Although she was not officially 'out' she was allowed to attend certain functions with Aunt Madeline and Jane to further her education. Hence, she was intimately familiar with the layout of the building while being fully conversant in customs and courtesies. She had been looking forward to finalizing the details of her rendezvous with William, however, knowing that tonight was her last night in town had her feeling anxious.

While Uncle and Aunt Gardiner and Jane watched A Midsummer Night's Dream Lizzy spent several minutes of the first act searching the crowd for her deemed acceptable specimen. William was not in the box he told her to meet him in, but she managed to locate him in the box one level above.

Elizabeth pointed him out to Jane. "Look! There he is. Does William not look ever so handsome sitting there following the play?"

Jane, who was also following the play, only acknowledged Lizzy's chatter at a peripheral level. "Quite! He is handsome." Then she was reabsorbed in the stage performance. She did not notice Lizzy quietly slipping out of the melee and disappearing up the steps.

Lizzy was oddly calm as she slipped into the box he was sitting alone in. The thought crossed her mind that tonight he smelled deliciously of sandalwood and clean linen and fleetingly wished she could see his face clearly, but decided Jane had the right of it. The deep shadows in the box not only prohibited her recognizing how handsome he truly was, they also bolstered her confidence. It was not difficult to adhere to her plan. He seemed slightly surprised but hesitated for a second only before engaging with her when she stood behind him and whispered, "William, we have very little time."

Her warm breath caressed his neck causing the fine hairs to stand up all over his body. Soft hands tugging at him had him standing to follow her. He was swimming in a sea of sensory overload as her lavender scented body came alive under his hands and mouth. The next fifteen minutes became defining moments in both of their lives.

She claimed his soul while taking his seed and left him with nothing more than the memory of a beautifully crafted little female entering his box as he sat alone. She enticed him to move to the back of the box where she politely asked him to help her with a small problem. And, since she was a lady, she also lent him her handkerchief to help somewhat clean up the mess they made. The handkerchief was embroidered with sweet Williams, not her initials, so she felt relatively safe contributing that to their joint venture before vanishing back into the crowd.

Never having done IT before, Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy had no idea that he reeked of sex. True, the scent of the woman was heavy on the handkerchief in his inner pocket, but he was unaware that he should have made his way to the washroom and tidied himself up slightly. He was merely sitting at the front of his box attempting to refocus on the theatrical production when his cousin Richard Fitzwilliam finally joined him just as the bell rang signaling intermission.

The first words out of Richard's mouth were, "What the hell have you been doing?" It was not that he did not know what his cousin had done. No, he had done the same several times. The situation simply struck him as totally incredulous. Strait-laced, stick up his butt, Darcy had just… Well, if he had been in the Twentieth, or Twenty-first Century Richard Fitzwilliam would have simply asked, "Who did you just fuck?" Instead, he inquired using the appropriate vernacular, "Did you just do a flyer with a bird of paradise?"

Darcy smirked. "Richard, when my lady first approached me I assumed it was one of your tasteless jokes. You know? But then I realized that since today is my birthday mayhap the lady had been paid by you to give me an other-worldly experience. I thank you. And, by the by, yes, she was quite worth losing my virginity to."

As Richard sat down on the seat next to Darcy and shook his head, in a daze while trying to assimilate all the facts he had, he felt his freaking mind figuratively shut down as he listened to his cousin whisper, "She was absolute perfection, Richard. When I picked her up and eased her down on me it was complete nirvana. She was so hot and wet, but so tight." His voice dropped from his usual baritone as he practically moaned 'but so tight' that second time.

Richard did not know whether to scream from jealousy, embarrassment, or unfulfilled sexual desire from just listening to Darcy speak. He settled for moaning quietly while surreptitiously attempting to readjust his equipment.

Darcy knew exactly the effect he was having on his cousin. He knew because his body was still sustaining aftershocks as he relived that exquisite fifteen minutes. He leaned close while pretending to watch the stage and whispered, "Just as I started to pull out she whimpered that she wanted me to spend inside her because she needed all of me."

Richard took a deep breath, swallowed to keep the moisture in his mouth from turning into drool, and then expelled his breath back out raggedly. He choked out, "You know that is how she gets pregnant. You never spend inside her."

"I did twice. Has a woman ever begged you for more?"

Richard choked on a slobber. "No, damn it."

Darcy snickered, totally satisfied with the effect regaling his performance to his horndog cousin was creating. He ran a finger around the inside of his cravat before stating, "I think she left a love bite on my neck, even with my cravat on. It feels like a bruise when I touch it. We were trying to be quiet but when her little body went rigid in my arms," He paused and sighed contentedly, "I thought she was going to scream loud enough for the crush down in the lobby to hear her."

Richard glared at him as he raised his hand, void of glove, and breathed deep. Darcy could not resist running his tongue along his forefinger from palm to tip. The lingering taste and smell of her caused him to whine, "Damn, I want more of her. Who was she, Rich? Where did you find her?"

Richard did his best to act nonchalantly as he responded. "Secret, old boy. Cannot tell you. But, yes, some ladies are incredibly responsive." Neither male mentioned that his voice cracked as he stared at Darcy sucking on the tip of his finger. And, under no circumstances would Richard admit that he wanted to forcefully jerk Darcy's finger out of his mouth and do his own sensory tests on said digit. His eyes were riveted on his cousin as he shifted restlessly in his seat. No way in the seven levels of hell would he admit he did not send the woman to Darcy since it would diminish his happiness. At least that was he excuse he gave himself instead of admitting that he had no freaking clue who the woman was.

Darcy pretended that Richard not answering his question was all part of the present. He looked down on the stage with a dreamy expression on his face. "So, have you ever had a woman sink her little hands in your hair, pull your head down so her mouth could capture yours and in between kisses, beg you to do it again?"

"Shut up!" Richard finally managed to hiss. His ire was completely raised as he owned, "No, I have never had a woman beg me to perform for her twice." They spent the rest of the play in total silence; both wishing they were somewhere else doing something else.

Lizzy managed to slip back into the part of the theater where Jane and Aunt Madeline were standing. She looked around for Uncle but did not see him. "I was worried I would not get back in time." She whispered to Jane.

"Where were you?" Aunt Madeline asked as she eyed Lizzy. The girl had been acting strangely all day and now she had disappeared for over half an hour.

"I am sorry I was gone so long, Aunt." Lizzy turned guileless eyes up at her. "I have been feeling rather unsettled and was worried that I have started my courses. I spent a few minutes in the ladies privy line."

"Are you able to manage until we get home?" Madeline asked quietly as she looked around at the crowd. Most of the people were absorbed in the play still, but it was obvious there were those already anticipating the final scene.

Lizzy felt bad lying to Aunt Madeline. "I think I shall be fine until then. I did have a clean cloth in my reticule for just such occasions."

Her aunt nodded and patted her shoulder while complimenting her foresight before returning her attention to the stage.

Lizzy fell asleep in the coach on the way home and did not wake even when Uncle Edward picked her up and carried her up to the room she and Jane shared. Madeline and Jane managed to get her out of her gown and into a sleeping rail before they gave up and did the same for themselves. Madeline did notice that Lizzy was wearing protection so she assumed the teen's exhaustion was caused by her cycle.

Uncle Edward waited until Madeline joined him in their room and settled in bed before making the offhand comment that he wished the girls could stay another month or so because he was slightly worried about Lizzy. The child really should be a bit larger and heavier. When Madeline arched an eyebrow at his comment he clarified by explaining that Lizzy probably did not weigh a hundred pounds soaking wet. He was seriously concerned that she was not eating properly.

Neither Edward nor Madeline felt it would be a good idea to mention to the other that Lizzy had been gone from their area for over half an hour and had returned smelling lightly of Sandalwood and sex. They both assumed that when one used a public privy it was difficult to control what one was liable to be exposed to.

The morning was too busy with eating, packing and playing with the baby cousins for the sisters to speak privately. The girls were outside of the house, taking their leave of Aunt Madeline before climbing into the coach when Lizzy's friend William managed to call on them. As he handed her into the carriage he made his apologies for not having been able to attend the theater last night.

Jane noticed the color drain from Lizzy's face while missing a step and tumbling unto the seat. "Are you well, sister?" She whispered as she reached Lizzy to help her settle.

Lizzy took a deep breath and let it out slowly before using her hands to push up off the seat and straighten her skirts out. "I am well." She choked out in a relatively convincing tone. "I tripped on my skirt. I have not injured myself though. I shall be fine." The taste and smell of the man she had been with last night was ingrained in her brain. Under no circumstances would Mr. Rheese-Jones ever be of interest to her again.

The gentleman thought no more of the situation, assuming that Lizzy's discomposure was the result of, as she stated, tripping on her skirts. He bowed to them while tipping his hat and waited until the carriage began moving before turning and making his way back down the street.

Jane was not to be put off. She watched Lizzy carefully but held her peace until the carriage was underway and they were less likely to be overheard. She whispered harshly, "You told me last night that your plan had been successful. How could it have gone perfectly if the man you chose to interact with was not the one who performed the services which you solicited?"

Lizzy giggled nervously before smiling tremulously at Jane. "Mayhap the man whom I originally solicited help from was replaced at the last minute by a superior specimen."

Jane considered her response and found humor in the situation. "Do you suppose the gentleman whom you engaged the services of found the job to be to his liking?"

Lizzy's tone of voice was rather droll as she asserted that the gentleman went about his task with dedication and alacrity. His attention to detail while fulfilling her strigent requirements had been exemplary.

Both girls dissolved into laughter that could have carried a note of hysteria, but neither commented on it when they finally regained their senses and reassumed the posture of properly bred ladies. Jane eventually felt the need to ask, "Lizzy, if the man whom you met with last night is not the man whom you organized the rendezvous with what are you going to do if the rest of your plan fails to work properly?"

Lizzy stared at Jane without seeing her. Grief and fear were clear on her face. "God would not be so cruel. My plan will work because it must. What I did last night was done to save me and my sisters."

Jane nodded her head in agreement. There really was no reason to either disagree or state the obvious. Lizzy had not stirred herself to help their mother. Had it been just Fanny needing help Lizzy would have left her to nest in the hedgerows.