Page 94 of Sketching Mr. Darcy
“I am fine, truly,” she whispered. “But I was so ashamed to see all the servants listening. The things she said about me and the way she offended Georgiana… I did not care much about her words, but to raise such a scandal… It was almost frightening. Something is very wrong with your aunt…”
“How could you be ashamed for my aunt’s outrageous behaviour?
Let me blame myself and feel the shame, as I deserve it.
We have always considered Aunt Catherine to be too outspoken and too accustomed to having her own way, but we should have seen that it was more than that.
How did she enter the house against my precise orders? ”
“It was just a horrible coincidence, I believe. No servant is at fault. But I cannot understand what she wants. Our marriage is already accomplished. Does she really hope I will die so you can still marry Anne? So what should I do? Do I have to always live in fear?”
Elizabeth felt chills along her skin as she spoke. Darcy kissed her temple to comfort her.
“Elizabeth, can you believe that your life is more important to me than my own? And that I will take better care of you than of myself?”
His eyes were open for her to see inside his mind and his soul, and she had no doubts remaining.
“I believe you,” she answered, the burden dissipating from her heart. He held her hands to his chest.
“Starting today, I will place two doormen, so nobody will enter unannounced. You will not be fetched to talk to anyone besides the Matlocks and your relatives. Mrs Thomason and the butler will take care of any unexpected guests if I am not at home. And you will not go anywhere outside the house without me or two servants and the coachman at least.”
“Very well—but it seems ridiculous to take so much trouble over an argument with your aunt. I hope things will calm down soon. She must see reason eventually. Poor Anne… ”
“Yes, poor Anne. I shall speak to my uncle. Perhaps we should do something for her too. For now, my only care is for you. I will not allow anything or anyone to trouble you again! ”
The tiresome day ended with a pleasant dinner, to which was added Colonel Fitzwilliam’s presence. He apologised to Elizabeth for his aunt’s outrageous behaviour, but she turned the conversation to more pleasant subjects, asking whether he would be present at the ball.
“Of course! So, you will attend the ball too? I wish to dance two sets with Elizabeth, and before you hurry to oppose me, Darcy, you should consider that it is to your advantage that she dances with me and not with others,” the colonel said, and Georgiana chuckled.
“I will not object, but I was wondering whether you will open the ball with Lady Isabella,” Darcy replied.
“Well, yes, I might…” The colonel hesitated.
“I like Lady Isabella very much,” said Elizabeth. “If her dowry is only half as great as her beauty and her wit, she surely must be a most desirable young lady.”
“She truly is,” Darcy concluded.
“And yet, as I said before, you did not marry her ,” the colonel said, and it was Darcy’s turn to laugh.
“That is because I was fortunate to find the most perfect choice.” Darcy smiled, glancing at his flustered wife. “But Lady Isabella is certainly one of the most worthy young ladies—if only a man feels confident enough to handle her wit and daring character.”
“I am sure an honourable, brave officer would be a perfect choice for a witty, daring, and healthy lady,” Elizabeth intervened and then added to relieve the colonel’s uneasiness, “Speaking of brave officers, I am proud to say we have one in our home. Did William tell you about Peter?”
“He did! I say, that boy is really something! Did you know that he stopped the horses too? Oh well, horses and Lady Catherine—not much difference. At least horses can be kept outside.”
“Robert, let us not speak of Lady Catherine again,” Darcy said severely. “We have had enough for one day. We might debate the subject further over a glass of brandy without bothering the ladies.”
After dinner, the gentlemen enjoyed their drinks while Georgiana amused them with her music.
As the hours progressed, Elizabeth became overwhelmed by a strange sense of fatigue and restlessness, of warmth and cold, of nervousness and eagerness while her mind was occupied by the revelation that very soon she would be alone with her husband in the solitude of their suite.
When Georgiana and Mrs Annesley retired, Elizabeth did the same. With a “good night” to the colonel and a glance at her husband, she hurried to her room and called for Molly to prepare her bath. Yes, a warm bath would do perfectly well—and perhaps her husband would not delay too long.
Elizabeth realised that she needed to order some new outfits for nights too. Her old ones were quite inappropriate. She closed her eyes and sank into the water, her entire body burning as she remembered what happened the previous night with two of her gowns.
She heard steps and opened her eyes. “Molly, I would like to get out now, please.”
“May I help you, Mrs Darcy? I took the liberty of dismissing Molly for tonight.”
Elizabeth startled and wrapped her arms over her chest while she watched her husband’s approach. He was dressed only in trousers, his face freshly shaved, his hair slightly wet.
“Am I making you uncomfortable?” he inquired from only a few inches away.
“A little…” she barely spoke.
“I am very sorry to hear that,” Darcy said, holding her gaze.
He knelt near her tub, his eyes still locked with hers, and without another word, he claimed her lips, tasting them eagerly. His hand caressed her face then glided to her wet nape.
He deepened the kiss while his hand lowered into the warm water, stroking her shoulders and arms, then cupped her breasts with tender possessiveness.
She moaned, and her hands slid around his neck, allowing his caresses to spoil her.
Their lips were crushed into an ardent kiss while his hands brought back the most astonishing sensations, which grew more powerful than she remembered.
After some tormenting moments of tantalising passion, he lifted her from the tub, wrapped her in a large towel, and carried her to the bed.
He lowered her towards the pillows, slowly wiped her warm, wet skin with the towel, and then gently tasted her with thirsty lips.
He started with her face, then down to her throat, her neck, and her shoulders.
He stopped and returned to her face, caressing her cheeks.
“I missed you so much, Mrs Darcy,” he murmured hoarsely. “I know it was a terrible day, but I hardly thought of anything else but this moment. I missed you painfully.”
Elizabeth caressed his face, her heart and her body yearning for his touch.
“I missed you painfully too.”
“My beautiful wife,” he whispered, covering her face with loving kisses. “You have been the perfect mistress of the house the entire day. Now you are just my perfect mistress.”
“As you are now only my master.” Elizabeth smiled at him with her sparkling eyes and her dry lips, which happily joined his.
Her body, warmed by the hot water and burned from the kisses that covered, tasted, and pleasured every inch of her shivering skin, learnt new meanings of passion and delight.
His eager, tender, powerful love banished any other feelings except happiness and gratifying fulfilment—which he generously offered her again and again—until she felt herself nothing but the mistress of her master.