Darcy and Elizabeth were to spend their first week of connubial bliss at Pemberley before heading to Northumberland. The Gardiners planned to spend several days in Lambton before returning to London; and the Bennet family, Anna Darcy and her parents, Mr. Bingley, and the de Bourghs would all be guests of the Earl of Matlock at his Derbyshire estate before traveling onward to their own homes.
She nodded and said, “I admit I did far more chatting, smiling, and dancing than anything else, and it is certainly later than I imagined the celebration would last. But, oh, Fitzwilliam, everything was simply
“Dearest, I do not expect you to be perfect.” He smiled at her as they ascended the staircase to their rooms. “Just please understand why I am not.”
“Agreed.” She nudged him with her elbow, and he nudged back.
“Is everything to your satisfaction here at Pemberley, Elizabeth? Are your chambers comfortable?”
“Yes, and you have asked me that exact same question at least a thousand times since my arrival. How could they not be? I understand, from Anna and Mrs. Reynolds, that my apartments are those normally reserved for the likes of a marchioness or duchess. I am duly flattered and honoured, sir.”
“It is true. We once had two duchesses staying here during the same week, and we thought they were going to
“Finally, a pun! I was beginning to speculate over our lack of knack for wordplay, sir.”
“This evening, Elizabeth, shall be reserved for play of a different variety. I will come to escort you to dinner in, say, an hour?” He kissed her hand and left his blushing bride to the ministrations of her abigail, Ann Cillary.
The romantic, candlelit repast was served in a private dining room with a small fireplace and a table only large enough for two place settings. After their hunger was sated, Darcy asked if Elizabeth would care to join him for a short stroll along the river. Never one to pass up an opportunity for a walk, she agreed; and servants fetched their outerwear.
As they sauntered alongside the bourn, the gentleman repeatedly peeked at his fob watch. “Sir, why do you so secretly and frequently verify the time? Do you have an assignation tonight, perchance?”
Darcy startled at being caught, put the timepiece back in its waistcoat pocket, and smiled down at his wife. “As a matter of fact, yes; and the rendezvous must be perfectly synchronized.”
She began to solicit his meaning, but her words were cut off when his warm lips claimed hers just as a shrill, whizzing whistle pierced the silence. An unexpected boom made Elizabeth jump; and as she stepped back and opened her eyes, the night sky above the stream was alive with colour. She laughed with delight and clapped her hands. “Fireworks yet again, Fitzwilliam! And finally they are authentic.” The impressive display lasted another few minutes, although its splendour was totally wasted on the newlyweds whose senses were more agreeably engaged.
As they ambled back to the house, gloved hand in gloved hand, the gentlemen stopped just shy of the entrance and spoke softly. “Mrs. Darcy, I just want to reiterate that to have and to hold you from this day forward shall be my greatest pleasure; and I will do everything within my power to keep the promises I made today before our family and friends.”
“Fitzwilliam, I promised to love, honour, keep you in sickness and in health, forsake all others, and keep only unto you so long as we both shall live; and I absolutely have no qualms as regards those pledges. I must caution you, however, that I may struggle mightily with the obey aspect.”
Less than an hour afterward, Darcy, barefoot and clad only in trousers and open-necked shirt, tentatively tapped on the door to his wife’s chambers. Elizabeth had previously dismissed Ann Cillary and, therefore, opened the portal herself. “Come in, Fitzwilliam.”
The spacious room, decorated in ivory and gold with burgundy accents, glowed. A radiant fire blazed in the grate, beeswax candles softly illuminated the shadows, a subtle lavender aroma permeated throughout, and chilled champagne awaited. Darcy, nonetheless, noticed not any of those niceties. He only had eyes for the glorious vision standing alluringly before him. Elizabeth’s rich, vibrant hair was unbound, her magnificent dark eyes glittered, and her voluptuous curves were clad in the single most becoming, bewitching, and beguiling gossamer piece of clothing he had ever witnessed.
“Oh, my love! This chamber has just been elevated from being worthy of a duchess, for at this moment it is surely occupied by a goddess. My God, Elizabeth, but you are beautiful!” He rushed forward to embrace his bride and met with no resistance. Their kiss advanced from tentatively tender to heatedly intense and deeply passionate within mere moments. Darcy had intended to take his time and be extremely gentle, but Lizzy was wreaking havoc with his control. When he pulled away to search her face for censure or encouragement, he was surprised to see instead her sassy, saucy smile.
“Mr. Darcy, I do believe you have another dill-emma.”
“I assure you my only dilemma at this moment is one of willpower,” he panted. To what do you refer, Mrs. Darcy?”
“The dill-emma, sir, is the enormous pickle in your pocket.”
“Madam! I have no pockets, as you are very well aware. Your teasing is frustrating my self-restraint, you little minx.” He rather roughly pulled her close, plunged his hands into Elizabeth’s hair and his tongue into her mouth, startling her. “Oh God! Forgive me, Lizzy. Be assured I will not rush you, even though I grow impatient to make you my wife.”
“I believe the Reverend Mr. Godfrey has already performed that service, sir.”
Darcy gazed at his naive bride with equally immense affection and amusement. “I most certainly trust not, at least in the manner to which I refer, Mrs. Darcy.”
Elizabeth become conscious of her blunder and blushed furiously. “You must consider me the most green girl in the kingdom, Fitzwilliam.”
“You are my beautiful blushing bride, Elizabeth … a true English rose; and you are expected to be an innocent. As for being green, you must remember the day we first met … I was green, literally. But, Lizzy, I do trust your mother explained … ah … in relation to … relations.”
“She did, and she also gave me some reading to do by Fordyce and Gregory to guide me in our marriage.”
“Good God. Elizabeth, I attempted to read those books but could not stomach such hogwash, such claptrap, such balderdash. Ah. I see by that certain twinkle you are teasing me. You must allow me the pleasure of putting another kind of passion in those fine eyes of yours tonight.” Darcy reached for her left hand, raised it to his lips, and kissed the band of gold on her fourth finger. “I have already wed thee with this ring and endowed thee with all my worldly goods. May I worship you with my body now, Lizzy?”
Afterward
The week at Pemberley passed very rapidly for the newlyweds; and before they knew it, the carriage containing George Darcy, Lady Anne, Anna, and Miss Mary Bennet returned to the estate. Kitty, Lydia, and Robert had already returned to Longbourn with their parents and a pony; and Mary brought letters for Lizzy from each member of the family, wishing her well and expressing unending love for their daughter and sister.
Fitzwilliam Darcy had been concerned his bride, who was raised in a rather lively family, might be lonely during the twelve days of Christmas. So, with her consent, Anna and Mary had been invited to travel with them to Northumberland and remain as long as they desired. Invitations had also been dispatched to their northern
