He stepped away from their cluster, Richard muttering in mock disgust, “Oh God help us, he is going to make a speech. So much for slaking our thirst and hunger.”
“Fear not, Colonel. There is plenty for all, and while everyone is distracted over William’s announcement, we can dive in unnoticed and steal the best morsels. Come! No slight intended, but feminine company is preferable to a group of prosy old men!” And with a swirl of silk around limber, bony legs, Dr. Darcy flounced across the lawn toward the reclining women.
“Prosy?” Gerald Vernor asked.
“Old?” Albert Hughes commented drolly. “Has he forgotten who the eldest of this group is?”
“This is my uncle we are talking about here,” Darcy said with a chuckle. “Do chronological years really enter into the equation?”
There was no need to answer the redundant question, so they merely shook their heads and followed the doctor’s mincing steps—in a suitable strolling gait—until reaching the canvas sunshade where the ladies and children reposed.
“Lady Warrow”—Darcy bowed deeply toward his great-aunt—“I am pleased you could join us.”
“I adore dining in the out-of-doors, Mr. Darcy. It is a delightful pastime as long as not undertaken too early in the day, mind you. I rarely rise before nine o’clock and it does take this old body far longer to reach a state proper for public viewing than it once did.” She patted the perfectly coiffed silver curls bouncing youthfully at the nape of her neck, the other palm smoothing the fashionable French Empire gown of white lawn that draped her slim body.
“My Lady, you surely jest! Your beauty shines as brightly as ever and you appear no older than I recall from my youth.”
The marchioness fluttered her fan as daintily and coquettishly as a maiden, but her eyes sparkled with a sultry gleam present in few mature ladies. “Dr. Darcy,” she drawled, “where you learned to charm and flirt is a story I long to hear, since I know you did not obtain the skill from my brother, God rest his soul.”
George extended his arm, Lady Warrow leaving Mr. Butler’s side to take the offered support from her nephew, winking as he murmured in a secretive tone, “Indeed it is a dazzling tale, Aunt, but unlikely fit for fragile ears.”
“Thankfully my ears have not been remotely fragile since I was sixteen, so I shall look forward to the conversation. For now, however, we must content ourselves with tales of young, innocent love. I assume you wish to inform the group of our mutual happiness, Mr. Darcy, but you better hurry or I shall blurt it out myself.”
Darcy bowed, grin still broad as he extended his hand to Georgiana. She had managed to remain sitting on the blanket next to Lizzy and not bolt upwards the second Sebastian entered her vision through the greatest of willpower. Now it was as if she was released from a restraining tether and she did jump up, practically hopping across the short distance to take her brother’s hand. At this point there were few doubts in anyone’s mind as to what the news was since Sebastian and Georgiana were staring at each other in utter adoration.
“My friends and family members, it is my great joy to announce that Mr. Sebastian Butler has won the heart of my sister, Miss Georgiana Darcy. That his heart has equally been wrest away by Miss Darcy has been affirmed via several sources, most emphatically by the wrester. Thus, it was fairly easy to grant Mr. Butler the honor and privilege of her hand in matrimony when he sought my permission.”
He took their hands and linked them together within his own, continuing in the same resonant timbre, “Join Mrs. Darcy and I in congratulating the betrothed couple!”
From there on it became noisy, laughter and overlapping conversations ruling long into the afternoon. Richard congratulated Darcy on announcing in a concise manner, to which Darcy responded with words that shall not be repeated here. Georgiana and Mr. Butler somehow managed to stay within two feet of each other all afternoon, even when playing with the children. Lady Simone broke her self-imposed plan to delay voicing her hopes by first whispering her suspicions to select ladies, and then two or three others, and before long the whole group knew, thus making it unnecessary for the Fitzwilliams to remain mum. The gentlemen expressed unknowing surprise at the news, Simone too busy receiving congratulations to notice those whose acting skills were inadequate. Richard proved to be as long-winded and emotional at speeches as Darcy ever was, a fact Darcy jumped on with taunting glee!
Harry eventually broke down and removed his stockings, ending up getting wetter and muddier than anyone else. In fact, the only youth who maintained his poise was Oliver, the nearly eighteen-year-old resisting the urge to act other than an Earl should without too much difficulty. Michael’s encounter with the water, while held by Lizzy, elicited squeals of delight but the flapping ducks brought lusty yells not easily quenched. Fiona Lathrop fearlessly joined in with the boys, earning instant respect to be remembered for years to come.
The ducks decided braving the screeching children was worth the treats delivered, but apparently the frogs and lizards disagreed, since not a one was discovered no matter how exhaustive the searching. Dozens of bulrushes were broken during the amphibian/reptile quest and many more were stripped for the pleasure of floating seeds, but luckily the groves were plentiful so the visible effect was negligible.
Kites were strung but the breeze never grew brisk enough to gain altitude. Lawn games were more successful thanks to the level turf. The slopes and valleys located nearby served well for tag and tumbling. Butterflies, moths, and assorted flying insects drifted about, much to the delight of Stuart Vernor and Andrew Fitzherbert, who were fascinated by bugs and captured several interesting specimens for their collections. Julia Sitwell set up her easel, as did her eldest son, Rory, the two capturing the rippling waters of the Serpentine in watercolors with impressive skill. Sebastian withdrew his Tromlitz flute and Georgiana her Celtic lap harp, the expert musicians dazzling everyone with a variety of tunes.
The adults were tireless in their enjoyment of the sunny weather, fine food, and companionship, but the younger children succumbed to extensive play and full bellies. Lugging inert bodies back to the waiting carriages proved harder than carting the loaded baskets down had. Those, at least, were now nearly empty and servants arrived to assist with the larger items. Nevertheless, it was late in the afternoon before they were fully unloaded at Darcy House and the Darcy boys were tucked into their respective beds for naps.
Darcy fell onto the settee before the unlit fireplace in his and Elizabeth’s bedchamber with a loud sigh. He was waiting, rather impatiently, for his wife to emerge from her dressing room. The vague references to
Elizabeth dearly enjoyed surprising her husband. Of course explicit visual or tactile inducements were unnecessary, but he knew she would not see it that way. Therefore, his mind was pleasantly wandering. Would she wear the over-sized shirt of his that still drove him insane? Would she appear deliciously naked? Perhaps wearing one of the devilish costumes that her modiste designed? Would her hair be yet pinned up so he could thrill in releasing each lustrous tress? Or down in a cloud of fluid waves shrouding her elfin face and delicate shoulders? Would she splash her alabaster skin with her signature essence of lavender or the special musky jasmine that she wore as a treat just for him?
The musings meandered as he removed his shoes and jacket. Again, it truly did not matter; anything she chose was guaranteed to provoke him into a raging inferno of wanton desire. Merely the thought of her was affecting him and his next sigh was more of a moan as blood rushed in a hot surge through his vessels.
He reached a hand to loosen the suddenly constricting cravat just as the door opened. His breathing hitched and hand halted halfway toward his throat, the brief paralysis broken with a cleansing release of air as his eyes swept over the woman who utterly owned his soul. A brilliant smile illuminated his face as he drank in the vision of Lizzy gliding across the short distance.
Her hair was down, tumbling chocolate curls framing her cheeks and falling to her waist in a lush veil. She had chosen to remain in the creamy tan gown with copper trim that she had worn that day, only without any undergarments thus allowing the sheer muslin to cling to her flesh and offer tantalizing hints of the perfection underneath. The fact that a portion of his brain had been disrobing her from this particular dress all day made her choice to keep it on all the more stimulating.
He extended one arm, palm upward, murmuring gutturally, “Ah, Lizzy. What are you trying to do to me?”
She smiled in return, taking the offered hand and lacing her fingers between his, but moved around the narrow settee until behind him. She leaned down, kissing each fingertip ensnared amid her fingers, only then answering his question with a hot whisper against his right ear. “I think you know precisely what I am trying to do.
