Page 38 of London Holiday (Sweet Escapes Collection #2)

Chapter thirty-eight

H is interview with Mr Bennet was everything surreal and confusing. Darcy had expected a protective father, one who instantly discerned his true history with Elizabeth and accepted his suit as little more than some resolution to the obligation owed the family, but Mr Bennet had baffled him. Clever, the man was, and undeceived from the moment of Darcy’s introduction when he had mentioned that he had first met Elizabeth in London. However, rather than sensing himself thoroughly grilled and chastised, he felt rather like a mouse, battered around by a cat before escaping to safety.

“I hope he did not shock you very much,” Elizabeth apologised when they had an opportunity to speak of it. “Papa can be a touch querulous.”

“He seemed rather fixated on my attire and asked me what I thought of the back of his carriage,” Darcy grunted. “I told him that it looked to be death on wheels for any required to ride on the back, but that I would happily risk such a dare to prove the earnestness of my suit, if a challenge was his intention. He seemed contented with that and granted his blessing.”

“Oh, Papa! He was sporting with you, I am afraid.”

“So I gathered. However, the conversation became more serious a moment later, for we began to speak of libraries. I think I have found one subject upon which your father will speak with unwavering gravity. I believe,” here, he smiled shyly, “that you also will approve of the Darcy family collection, for it has been the work of many generations. ”

“Shall I be flattered that you consider my pleasure, or shall I accuse you of excessive pride, sir?”

“Whatever pride I had was dashed the moment I took up your parasol and committed to a day in your service, madam,” he bowed. “You have mended my character, Elizabeth, but I fear it shall want frequent patches.”

“I am to understand that it is my turn to indulge you with the improvements to myself which you have wrought.”

“There can be no alterations,” he squeezed the hand resting in his elbow. “No one admitted to the pleasure of your company could think anything wanting.”

“Oh, you pay your compliments very prettily, sir, which I shall presume as evidence of your improved address, but it will not do. I have long been guilty of judging by first impressions, believing my instincts and feelings to be sound and untainted by the undue oversight of reason. Will you laugh, sir? I thought you the handsomest, rudest, most hopelessly inept footman in all London before I took the time to look again and saw the gentleman beneath the livery.”

“But you did think me handsome,” he grinned. “Your insight did not fail you.”

“Mr Darcy!” she laughed, her cheeks crimson. “Perhaps your lesson in humility has not been so well learned as you profess.”

“Indeed, it has. By you, I was properly humbled, but you must permit me to inspire some feminine chagrin from time to time. Your countenance colours and your eyes sparkle most becomingly, my dearest loveliest Elizabeth.”

Her colour did deepen, but for this, she had no saucy retort. She merely tightened her arm through his, and they walked on together through the early autumn woods, the stillness broken only by the occasional rustling of leaves beneath their feet.

“Elizabeth,” he ventured at last, “I spoke with your father about Miss Lydia and Miss Mary, and he has given his permission for me to raise the question with you. Do you believe their situations might be improved if they were to come to Pemberley? I would place Miss Lydia at a nearby school for the daughters of gentlemen, or bring on a private tutor if you prefer. Miss Mary may have her choice of situations, for she seems fond of learning. However, she might profit from the company of my sister and Mrs Annesley, and perhaps the benefit will be mutual. Would that suit? It would require more of you, but I felt perhaps it would please you better.”

Elizabeth was biting her lip. “You are kind, William, but you have not met Lydia. You may regret the arrangement.”

He tilted his head to survey her in bemusement. “Your mother I have withstood, and you well know that I have no sources of pride in my own family’s decorous conduct. I believe I will survive. Your father gave his approval of the scheme.”

“For the very compelling reason that he will avail himself of your library while you see to the management of his daughters!”

“A price I am more than willing to pay,” he smiled, catching her eye until she blushed again. “I had also shown him the arrangements I intended to make for your own provision. Has he spoken to you of them?”

Her face became an even deeper shade of precious rose, and she smiled her embarrassment. “He said you were exceedingly generous.”

“It is far less than you deserve,” he replied warmly. “My only regret is that we must wait out a prolonged engagement. I would not taint our marriage with a quick ceremony, and I believe your mother was gratified to make all her arrangements. Moreover, the Countess of Matlock intends to call on you next week. Her support will be exceedingly helpful to you later.”

“You did not mention the additional benefit of the time secured for Mr Bingley and Jane while they act as our chaperons,” Elizabeth smiled and glanced over her shoulder to the oblivious pair walking behind them. “Do you suppose they would even notice if we were to step behind that tree? ”

“Elizabeth,” he warned, “the last time I stepped behind a tree with you, I nearly kept you there.”

“Indeed? A pity you did not speak of your difficulty, for I might have comforted you.”

“If you had, my conversation with your father would have gone rather differently.”

She laughed, that artless, joyful music which had first won his heart. “I must ask you, sir, at what point during the day did you first begin to suffer in your affections for me? Was it perhaps during the Italian Walk or as we admired the fountain?”

“I cannot say that it was, although a certain charade of yours stands out in my memory.”

“Which charade was that?”

“When you played the scarlet, drawing the eye and desire of every man including myself. I hope one day you will repeat the performance, but only in the privacy of our own home.”

“I thought you had promised never to speak of that moment again?”

“Before another living being, yes. Recall, if you will, that was also before I was assured of your hand. Now that I have won it, I would like to revisit that most delightful incident as frequently as possible. But you had asked when you were first secure of my admiration, which was long before that. As you have first put the question, I shall ask you. When did you begin to think of me as more than a troublesome intruder upon your day?”

She paused in the road and smiled up at him. “I cannot pinpoint the spot or the hour, but perhaps I might say that I knew I was forever lost when you rescued me from myself.”

“The balloon,” he smiled. “A moment I shall forever treasure in my fondest memories. For myself, I believe it was when I first opened my eyes.” Darcy kissed her hand and resumed walking, his best friend and the lover of his heart close at his side.

It may easily be guessed that in short order, Elizabeth was not the only Bennet sister with happy news to share with her family. All Mrs Bennet’s predictions of hedgerows and starvation were now supplanted by visions of carriages, jewels, and other wealthy men for her remaining daughters. When the happy mother, at last, prevailed on her husband to send her with her two eldest daughters to London to shop for their wedding trousseaux, Elizabeth had the pleasure of meeting her future sister, Miss Georgiana, at Darcy House. The girl was everything her brother had represented, and within a very few moments, a hesitant alliance was forged between the two which was only to strengthen through the years.

Among the others she met in the house, Elizabeth also made the acquaintance of one Mr Henry Wilson, who was presently studying under a Mr Hodges from Pemberley to take over the duties of a butler. Darcy’s sly smile when he introduced them, she returned with an equally conspiratorial expression as she wished Mr Wilson well in his new post of polishing silver rather than boots.

On the third day of the Bennet family’s stay in London, the party were all invited to the home of Mrs Jennings for dinner. Mr Darcy and Mr Bingley were pleased to escort them, and that good lady was full of effusions when she found proof with her own eyes that two girls in whom she had taken an interest had already secured, without her assistance, two exceedingly eligible matches. There was, however, a bit of disquiet in her eye whenever she looked upon Elizabeth seated beside Mr Darcy.

The whole of the evening, her gaze flicked in their direction until Mrs Bennet became convinced that Mrs Jennings nursed something of a matron’s fascination with her future son-in-law. This much was, of course, untrue, but the usually ebullient Mrs Jennings was rendered discreet.

There was one point near the end of the evening when she approached the engaged couple with a question about whether Mr Darcy liked thinly sliced ham and punch, but his response was so perfectly civil, so absent of any hint of suspicion, that she let the matter drop. In future years, never once did the typically garrulous woman imply any impropriety in the courtship of Mr and Mrs Darcy.

Happy for all Mrs Bennet’s maternal feelings was the day she saw her two eldest daughters sign the registry and mount lavish carriages for their new homes. Elizabeth kissed both her parents, her aunt and remaining sisters, then joyously consigned herself into the keeping of her new husband. As he settled her inside with warm rugs and hot bricks for her feet, she nestled close under his arm and knew, at last, real comfort.

“So,” she murmured after a few moments of sweet distraction, “ this is how you behave when you ride inside the carriage with a lady. Upon my word, sir, it is a very good thing you did not do so three months ago.”

“Indeed,” he agreed, “for we would have missed all the sights.” Then he pulled her close and proceeded to divert her most pleasurably for the whole of the distance to London.

Darcy retired early to his chambers. No book was necessary on this, the most auspicious of nights, but he had asked Wilson to unlock the cabinets and send up a brandy. The drink, for him, was rather more sentimental than desired, but he carried it with him when he knocked on the door to his new bride’s chambers. She had just sent her maid away and answered it herself… and it was a very good thing she was alone in the room, for Darcy would not have wished for his reaction to be witnessed by others.

Her silken hair tumbled round her shoulders, thick and dark and luxuriant. Those sparkling eyes lit and roved freely over his informal attire, and he felt flushed from head to foot. Her figure… by heaven, she was perfection; the lines of her body fell precisely where he had imagined they might, and he could not find the wo rds even to bid her a good evening, or tell her how lovely she was, or how delighted he was that she was his own.

“Is that a brandy? I thought you had sworn off drinking that.”

He held it aloft. “I confess, it has a propensity to leave me defenceless and heedless of the rest of the world. Since you so obligingly rescued me on the last occasion, I felt secure in your comfort, should I choose to surrender myself to your power. However,” he smiled and set it aside, “I believe the only fine wine I shall ever desire is here.”

“I do hope so, William. Oh! I have a gift for you.”

She turned from him, and he was left to mourn his empty hands, which had a moment ago caressed satin hips. “Is my beautiful wife not gift enough?”

“I think when you open it, you will understand. I thought first of purchasing you a copy of As You Like It , but you already own several. This was my next best idea.”

He lifted the lid of a dark parcel and chuckled. “Shoes?”

“They are specifically made for dancing, or so I am told, and are guaranteed not to injure your toes. I am rather hoping you will give me a few more lessons in the waltz.”

“I am not certain which of us was the master and which was the pupil, but I shall endeavour to please. Since you are in the mood for giving gifts, I have a small little trifle that I had intended to give you later. Do you see that box on the mantel?”

He brought it to her, and she very carefully opened it. A moment later, she dangled a silver tag from one fingertip. “My own pass to Vauxhall?”

“It holds no value. It was one of the remnants from this last summer, and the park officials sold it to me for a pittance. The tags for ‘12 have not yet been minted. The true worth is on the back.”

She turned it over and read the engraving.

Elizabeth Darcy

A day I will cheris h

As long as I live

She clasped it in her hand, and her eyes glistened. “Thank you, William.”

He took it from her hand and laid it gently on the mantel again, and as he did so, he felt her warm arms slide round him. He turned and drew her head to his shoulder, then simply remained there, at peace and at one with her.

“In truth, I pray we shall have many more such days to cherish. I would have you at my side for all life’s adventures, and I hope they shall be many,” he whispered into her hair.

She tipped back her head, offered him a languid smile, and then her hands caressed up his shoulders to his face. Her thumbs softly stroked his cheeks, but when he bent to kiss her, she gently lifted his head away. Her eyes wandered over his face as if memorising every groove, every angle, with the newfound freedom of ownership and belonging. “William?”

“Elizabeth?”

“Teach me to dance.”

His brow furrowed. “Now?”

Her eyes dropped to the opened collar of his shirt, then fluttered shyly back to his. “Help me to fly.”

“I do not understand.”

She stood on her toes and a shiver of desire coursed through him when her lips grazed his throat. “Show me everything there is to see, hold me safe, and give me courage when mine fails.”

“Ah,” he whispered. His very being now quivered at her touch, and his hands began to learn each dip and curve of her form. “I shall ask something of you in return.”

“Yes, my William?” Her reply was indistinct, for she had now worked two more of his buttons free and was brushing her lips against his chest.

He took her hand and began to gently lead her. “Teach me to take my leisure with you, each and every day.”