Chapter 6

Darcy was up at dawn and headed out on his favorite stallion. The horse was spirited, but his temper was good and Darcy often entertained the business of making money by letting him out to stud. To advertise the horse he needed to show him, riding was the best way to show. The horse may have been taking some of his cues from his rider this morning because he took Darcy straight to where Elizabeth had left her mare.

The first sign that Elizabeth's morning was going to be difficult was hearing her mare whinny anxiously. She had been warned by the stable hand that the mare was going into estrus, but she had not worried about it because she had not planned to encounter anyone riding a stallion. At first the sound did not penetrate her awareness. It took her a minute to realize her horse was in distress. She rushed toward the mare only to see Darcy's big black stallion circling her while bumping her with his shoulders and biting her neck. The second thing she noticed was Darcy trying to remove her saddle without the stallion attacking him.

Comprehending what was happening, Elizabeth stood back and watched in fascination. She did not realize her hands had raised to her bosom until Darcy's moan captured her attention. He had dropped her mare's saddle and was staring at her like the family dog eyed her bacon sandwiches. "Mr. Darcy?" Was murmured as she watched his hands clench and release.

"Elizabeth?" was all he could manage as he moved to stand in front of her. His head bent and his lips crushed down on hers as the big black mounted the chestnut mare and proceeded to do his job properly. Darcy's hands shook as he slid his arms around Lizzy's back and crushed her to his chest.

In between hot wet kisses Darcy managed to beg her to let him pleasure her like she had been doing. There was no use trying to explain to him that ladies often clutched their hands to their bosoms, it did not mean she was pleasuring herself. Her incoherent answers spurred him on to unbutton the front of her gown and nuzzle the valley between her small perky breasts. With all the noise the horses were making Lizzy's verbal appreciation of Darcy's worship of her body went unheard.

Darcy lifted Elizabeth up and pressed her back against the ancient oak tree from which the mount was named, holding her in place with his lower body. She was as mindless with lust as he was, her arms wrapped around his shoulders and cradling his head as he worshipped her breasts with his hands and mouth. Her pelvis rocking against his had him moaning and begging for more.

Tilting her face to see what was happening in the sudden silence broke the thrall for Elizabeth. Seeing the stallion still tending to the mare caused her stomach to flip. Her mind wandered to the possibility of William using his tongue on her. "William, we cannot do this." She finally choked out, even as she still cradled his head against her breasts.

His face raised and their lips connected in a slow sweet kiss. Lost in their kiss, eyes closed, and restless hands stilled, they did not hear the footsteps approaching.

Jane gasped in shock as she took in the scene. She instinctively picked up the stick lying on the path beside her. "Sir, if you do not unhand my sister I shall use this branch over your head." Jane Bennet was ready to kill to protect her sibling. She had visions of Lizzy almost dying the last time a man had his way with her. The ordeal had not been of his making, but the end result had been blamed on him because he had thoroughly and successfully accommodated Lizzy. Jane did not want her sister to be subjected to that scenario a second time since it was not necessary.

Darcy was still unfocused, unable to do aught but remove his mouth from Lizzy's and press his face into the side of her neck. His body was too far gone to make sense of anything but the feel of Lizzy against him. He was seconds away from coming and had no idea of what was happening.

Lizzy spoke to Jane as soon as she managed to draw a breath of air into her lungs. "Oh, Jane!" Her breath caressing his neck sent him over the edge. He pressed his hips into hers as he spilled his seed, wishing he was inside her again as they fought to hold their expressions of pleasure in being intimate with each other.

Jane had spent over five and a half years wondering who the gentleman was that captured Lizzy's heart. It took only a second for her to process the fact that this was the William whom Lizzy had mated with. And he still wanted her. Instead of being comforted by the fact he obviously found Lizzy attractive, she was terrified that he was only after another round of rolling in the hay.

Lizzy did not know what to say to her sister. With her dress undone and William still clutching her to his body like a youngster with a plushie, she had no idea of how to address the situation. She figured she might as well start with proximity. Her soft little hands made their way to his jawline to move him back so she could look at his face. There was no reproach as she bid him stop. "William. My sister is here and we are…"

He drew back further and looked down at her with sleepy blue eyes. Smiling softly while caressing her cheek gently with a shaking hand he murmured, "Yes, dear one. I know we should step away from each other, but I am not sure I am decent enough to."

Lizzy giggled softly while agreeing. "My dress is undone. If you move just slightly I shall endeavor to pull it back together without offending my sister's sensibilities."

Jane heard both sides of the conversation. She could not help snapping, "Your sister's sensibilities have already been completely and thoroughly violated. I do not know whether to be jealous, angry, or tempted to emulate this situation since I find it utterly confusing but decidedly fascinating."

As Jane was eyeing them while speaking, Darcy eased back so Lizzy could tidy up slightly before he set her back on the ground. Once she had her dress rebuttoned he stepped away from her and looked toward Jane. "Charles has already stated that he would be most appreciative of any crumbs of affection you might be enticed to throw his way."

She shook her head as she catalogued the damage done to Lizzy. "Thank you, Mr. Darcy. I shall keep Mr. Bingley's offer in mind if I find myself in want of being ravished."

Lizzy could not hold the laughter as she contemplated gentle Jane participating in her own ravishment.

Jane did not appreciate being laughed at. "Look at her, Mr. Darcy. You have thoroughly compromised my sister."

Darcy turned back to Lizzy and ran an objective eye over her person. "Ah, I see what you mean, Miss Bennet. If I hurry and return her to your parent's home right now I shall either be called out as a rake who violates maidens or be asked to make an honest woman of her." His voice was sensual as he catalogued all her imperfections.

His fingers lightly caressed her as he listed the abuses she suffered. "Your father will have no trouble recognizing the redness adorning your perfect skin as whisker burns. The mark on your neck as a love bite. Your swollen lips have been abused by kisses too rough."

"William!" Lizzy's voice held no reproach. All he heard was his lady wantonly calling his name so he stepped back into her personal space again.

"Do not start again!" Jane was fast losing all tolerance for the compromising situation her sister was in. Lizzy's reputation would not hold up for a second round of scrutiny. "Lizzy, under no circumstances will your reputation withstand being linked to Mr. Darcy. We need to leave here before we are seen." Then turning her attention to Darcy she snapped, "Please resaddle Lizzy's mare. I need to get her home before she becomes more of a spectacle than she already is."

Jane's ire registered. Jane's ire registering burst Darcy's happy bubble. His happy bubble was replaced by white hot rage. He did not want anyone criticizing the beautiful little creature he was fixated on. He kept his temper only because he kept his silence. Whirling around he picked up the saddle, breathing deep and doing his best to keep his mouth shut until he mastered the anger simmering under his skin. He gave one sharp whistle and waited for his horse to bring the mare back to him. He counted to twenty in Latin under his breath before the horses reappeared.

It was only a moment's work to saddle the mare and lift Elizabeth up. She settled on the saddle then held the horse steady as she extended the other hand to Darcy. He refused to acknowledge Jane being there as he first kissed Lizzy's palm then nuzzled her wrist with his teeth.

It registered with him that she really was a very small woman. He wondered how it was that she had managed to hide her pregnancy. He was thankful that however it had happened, his son was perfect. He smiled up at her as he nibbled on her wrist again since he noticed it made her blush.

She giggled before pulling her hand away from him and returning her full attention to the still skittish mare. She patted the horse's neck and spoke softly, "I do not know what to say, William. The man I intended to meet at the theater knew my situation and agreed that he would not interfere with my plan. It did not occur to me to speak to you because I thought I was in the correct box with the correct man."

"You were in the correct box with the correct man." His blue eyes lost their softness. "You did not specifically tell me that you wanted my help with creating a child, but I knew it was a possibility when you told me you needed all of me."

Her soft hand caressed his cheek. "I thank you for him. He changed the lives of everyone here at Longborne, mostly for the better."

He blinked back tears. It eased his heart slightly to hear her speak so well of their child. "I want you both." He choked out. "We have already wasted over five years. Although I want to marry you immediately, I will ask your father if I may court you. When would be a good time to call?"

Jane heaved a sigh of deep anxiety as she stood there perfectly miserable to be the third wheel. She realized that she had angered Darcy but could see no way clear to apologize for caring about and protecting her sister. She decided not to fret about it as she caught her horse's reins and started to look for a mounting block.

She gasped as she was swept up by strong hands on her waist and settled on her saddle without a by-your-leave. Rather than fuss at him taking liberties, she smiled down at the still visibly agitated man and thanked him for his aid.

Elizabeth looked over at her, "My dearest sister, thank you for being here for William and me. Our emotions are not as steady as they should be. We appreciate you helping us to regain some equilibrium."

Darcy snorted. That was an understatement. They could play badminton with his emotions, or croquet. Either game was liable to fly off tangent and be called foul.

Jane shook her head. Whether it was in rejection of Lizzy's speech or amusement that such an obvious and dangerous breach of propriety would be so casually dismissed was not specified. "We need to go home." Was the extent of her verbal participation.

The ladies wheeled their mounts around and trotted back down the trail toward Longbourne. Neither felt like carrying on a conversation. Jane knew from twenty years of dealing with Elizabeth that she would not speak about what happened until she thought through and understood as much of it as she was capable of without insight from others.

Lizzy's emotions were too close to the surface for her to process new information. She was still in sensory overload. The feel of William's body against hers left her aching for fulfillment. Witnessing her mare being covered by William's stallion had been an erotic experience she would not soon forget. It brought back all the memories she spent almost six years trying to forget. There had been days at a time she did not seek privacy so she could cry from the agony of being parted from her own heart. If they were separated again she knew she would die from the loneliness.

Darcy stared after the women until they disappeared from sight before swinging up into the saddle and heading back toward Netherfield Park. He wanted to follow Elizabeth back to Longbourne, but he had to wait to pay a visit during normal visiting hours. He knew meeting Elizabeth this morning was a bad move on his part. He had dreamed of her several times during the night though. Dreams that left him unfulfilled and on edge.

Now he had to speak to Mr. Bennet and apologize profusely for not only abusing his daughter, but he also had to admit that his horse had provided services without the proper contractual agreement. And he was jealous of the blasted horse.