Truth about Mr. Darcy

least not on this matter. I will brook no opposition, Elizabeth. Though it was my mother’s favorite, and her mother’s before her, in the last few days it has become simply another ring to me, the same as any other piece of jewelry. It is you who is exquisite. I have always thought so, and so I shall until the end of my life.”

Their eyes held for several long moments, speaking volumes without any words being uttered. Elizabeth finally broke the silence, her need evident in the quiet urgency of her voice. “Do you believe our chances of discovery here within the next several hours to be very great, Fitzwilliam?”

He only looked at her, surprised by the implication of her words.

“Will a servant intrude, do you think, if we were to renew our intimacy with one another?”

“Here?”

Elizabeth nodded.

Darcy slowly shook his head, his mouth feeling very much as though he had been chewing cotton. “No. I am often here late into the night going over matters of business. The servants know not to disturb me at such a late hour.”

Elizabeth gave him an amorous smile and placed her hands upon his shoulders.

Darcy swallowed. “And what of your maid?” he asked hoarsely. “Will she not be waiting to assist you before you retire?”

Trailing her fingers along the edge of his cravat, she said, “That is one advantage of growing up in a house with four sisters. Having but one maid to share between us, I have grown quite accustomed to seeing to myself. In fact, I have long since dismissed Sonia for the night; however, if I later find I am in any particular need of assistance, then perhaps you can see to me personally, sir.”

She kissed him then, a long, sensuous kiss that succeeded in melting away any remaining fragments of his reserve. After a moment, Elizabeth backed away from him, a mischievous smile playing upon her lips. Darcy watched, mesmerized, as she made her way to the door, her hips swaying, and turned the key in the lock. She then moved toward the fire and, reclining fully upon the large leather sofa before it, beckoned to him. “Will you not come to me, Fitzwilliam?” she asked, her voice soft and inviting. “Will you not make me yours once again?”

Darcy watched as Elizabeth slowly ran her hand from the elegant curve of her neck down to her full breasts. An inarticulate sound rose in the back of his throat.

“Come to me, my love,” she whispered.

Who was he to argue?

Chapter 14

Mrs. Bennet’s voice had increased to at least ten times her usual volume as she eagerly informed Jane and Elizabeth of her plans for the day. Much to his consternation, Darcy heard her even before he reached the bottom of the staircase in the main hall. Slowing his pace, he struggled against an inclination to seek refuge in his study. Perhaps, I could say I have a pressing matter of business to attend to? Then he thought of Elizabeth and sighed.

They had parted not five hours earlier, after passing some of the most tender moments of his life in front of the fire in his study. As he recalled those blissful hours with fondness, the need to gaze once more upon her face became overwhelming. Drawing himself up to his full height, Darcy steeled himself against his future mother-in- law’s boisterous effusions and forced his legs to continue toward his original destination. After crossing the main hall and taking several deep breaths to subdue his annoyance, he nodded to the servant to open the door to the dining room. In the next moment, he entered and took his place at the head of the table. Another servant approached and began serving his breakfast.

“Do not be ridiculous, Lizzy,” Mrs. Bennet proclaimed. “Of course, you will need new gowns. Six at the very least, and most likely more. Since you have been clever enough to catch yourself such a rich husband, I am sure your father will not mind the expense one bit, for he must realize that your marrying Mr. Darcy will certainly throw your sisters into the paths of other rich men.”

Darcy took several swallows of tea in order to dislodge the toast he had choked on, then glanced sharply at Mrs. Bennet before allowing his gaze to dart toward Elizabeth. It was precisely as he had suspected—she appeared to be in misery.

Her cheeks blazing with mortification, Elizabeth muttered, “Mama, please,” as she wished for the floor beneath her to open up and swallow her whole. Though she did not dare look at Darcy, she could feel the intensity of his penetrating eyes upon her. He must be disgusted by my mother’s lack of decorum! she thought, feeling no small amount of shame. For her to say such a thing in front of him—and while she is a guest in his own home, no less! Without a doubt, Fitzwilliam must be questioning the soundness of his decision to marry me, for how could he possibly believe the daughter of such a silly and vulgar woman could ever make a suitable mistress for Pemberley or a proper wife for him? I would not blame him in the least if he is, even at this very minute, regretting his rash decision!

Seeing Elizabeth in distress pained Darcy, and he found himself wanting to do nothing more than offer her comfort, to go to her and wrap her in his embrace, but he knew he could not. He looked instead to Mr. Bennet, who, Darcy noted with a touch of irritation, was observing them all with an expression of repressed amusement. Seeing he was to have no ally in his future father-in-law, Darcy cleared his throat and said as amiably as he could, “I take it then, ladies, that a visit to the modiste is the order of the day?”

Georgiana was quick to answer. “Oh, yes, Fitzwilliam. I thought to take Miss Elizabeth to Mrs. Duval’s in Bond Street.” Then, turning to Elizabeth, she said, “Mrs. Duval has always been very accommodating whenever I have had the need for a special gown to be made in very little time. I am sure she will be delighted to design your trousseau, Miss Elizabeth. Her work is truly excellent and she currently has the most beautiful pale yellow silk in the window. I do believe the color would look lovely on you.”

Elizabeth gave her future sister a warm, appreciative smile. “Thank you, Miss Darcy. I am looking forward to seeing it. Indeed, I am quite certain Mrs. Duval will have many beautiful things in her shoppe.”

“Lizzy, have you not always said you longed to own a yellow ball gown?” chimed Kitty. “I daresay now that you are to become Mrs. Darcy, you shall most likely have twenty!”

“Kitty, I would hardly need twenty ball gowns,” Elizabeth said. “Indeed, I have very little need even for one.”

But her mother agreed with Kitty, proclaiming that Elizabeth would surely have twenty if she wanted them, for Mr. Darcy, as rich as he was, could certainly afford to buy her as many as forty such gowns and very likely more. Elizabeth felt her mortification increase.

*   *   *

All the ladies departed for Bond Street shortly after breakfast, the number of gowns Mrs. Bennet insisted they must purchase multiplying with the passing of every ten minutes. Jane and Elizabeth did all in their power to discourage their mother’s thinking—and speaking—quietly stressing the impropriety of spending so much of their father’s money on so many gowns, but to little avail. Georgiana, equally as uncomfortable with such talk, attended them in relative silence.

Before they had departed, Darcy had taken Georgiana aside. Knowing Elizabeth would certainly not be of the same mind as her mother, who had appeared more than eager to overspend her father’s limited funds, he had given his sister strict instructions to make certain she paid very close attention to each additional item Elizabeth favored and to secretly charge them all to her own account. This included the designs of certain gowns Elizabeth would not have the resources to purchase while she retained her maiden name. He was adamant that, as his wife, she would want for nothing, but, most especially, the pale yellow ball gown her sister had spoken of at breakfast. In fact, after learning that Elizabeth had always desired to own just such a gown, Darcy had become quite determined to see to it that her father would not absorb the cost of that particular item. He wanted to see her eyes light up with pleasure when he presented it to her after their marriage, just as her beauty and vivacity caused his heart to swell each and every time he so much as thought of her.

As soon as the ladies set foot in the modiste shoppe, their party was met by a young assistant who made her way to Georgiana.