Page 34 of Winter of Passion (Pride and Prejudice Variation)
W hen the horses began to move, he embraced his wife tightly, and she put her hands around his waist.
“You are safe now, my beloved,” he whispered.
“I have never felt unsafe with you, my love. Is everything well? The horses, everyone else?”
“Yes, thank the Lord. The horses are sheltered, and the innkeeper has done his best. I trust we shall be comfortable enough. At least we shall be safe and warm.”
“My love, I am so happy you brought the food and wood for Mrs Finch tonight. I knew you would do something for them. Her name is Peggy Finch, and she is eight-and-twenty. She seems such a kind woman! Peter is nine and Leah is six; young Martin is two years old, but he looks so much younger and is so thin, poor baby…”
“I shall enquire further about them tomorrow,” Darcy said. “I wonder whether there is a Mr Finch around?”
“He died last year, Peggy told me. Apparently, he had some sort of accident. She seemed unwilling to give details, and I did not insist. But I am sure they are struggling to survive. With two small children, she cannot work to provide for them. It is heartbreaking…”
“The woman who is struggling to survive has raised her son to be brave and kind-hearted and help others, with no consideration for his own comfort. This is something that many families of great fortune and consequence fail to teach their children.”
“I heartily agree…”
“And, my love, as much as it pains me to say so, if not for Peter, we would have been in a danger difficult to overcome.”
“I am confident you would have found a way eventually,” Elizabeth answered, caressing his face. “But I do thank the Lord for sending that little angel.”
The carriage finally arrived at the inn, where the innkeeper was waiting for them, together with his wife and a maid.
“Mrs Darcy, welcome! We are so happy that you arrived safely! Dinner is ready, sir. And the rooms too, just as you asked. Your luggage has been taken up, and there is hot water in the chamber and—”
The innkeeper looked so agitated that Darcy had to interrupt him.
“I am sure everything is excellent. I appreciate your effort. Please give my men everything they want to eat and drink. Mrs Darcy and I shall have dinner in our rooms — we are too tired for company.”
“Oh yes, of course! I shall have it brought up in a minute, sir!”
Darcy took Elizabeth’s arm and led her to their apartment — two rooms united by a small sitting room.
The rooms were reasonably large and neat, the bedsheets clean, and the fire burning in each grate.
Two trays with food and drinks were brought, then the servants silently retired, leaving the Darcys finally alone.
“You may ring for the maid to help you,” Darcy told his wife. “Or I may help you,” he offered, placing a small kiss near her ear.
“As tempting as it may sound, I believe I shall do it myself. I am embarrassed by these dirty clothes, and my appearance must be wild.”
“Your appearance is as stunning as ever, my beloved,” he whispered. “I shall change for the night too, and we shall dine when you are ready,” he said, closing the door of her room and allowing her the privacy she desired.
After what seemed like far too long, Darcy heard a knock on the door, and Elizabeth finally entered. She wore her nightgown and a robe, and her hair fell onto her shoulders — just the image he had dreamt of so many times.
He took her hand, kissed her, and invited her to sit at the small table in the middle of the room. “You look beautiful, Elizabeth.”
“And you, sir. I have never seen a man look more handsome when he is not properly attired.”
She was teasing him, and he arched his eyebrow at her.
“I wonder how you can compare. Have you seen many men improperly attired?”
She laughed, and the sound of her joy touched his heart.
“No, but I still believe my statement to be true.”
“I shall not argue with anything that is to my advantage. Now let us eat — I am starving. For food too,” he added.
She blushed and averted her eyes, and he felt the need to calm her.
“My love, I look forward to holding you in my arms as I have been yearning for you since I last touched you. But this will not be our wedding night.”
Her eyes widened in puzzlement.
“If you agree, I would like our union as husband and wife to be in our home.”
“Oh…yes, of course I agree…” she whispered.
“Now let us eat and try to rest…and perhaps sleep a little,” he teased her further. “We have had a horrible day, and we might have another similar one ahead of us.”
“I am happy to be with you, regardless of what is ahead of us,” she said. “I am hungry too, and then, I wish to sleep in your arms until late tomorrow morning. It will be the first time we have not had to worry about being caught,” she jested.
“Indeed, it will be a first time for us, after all.”
With each bite, their anxiety dissipated and their appetite increased. He poured her a little wine, and after the first gulp, her cheeks turned crimson.
Darcy’s hunger for food sated, he could think of nothing but his beautiful wife, who gazed at him adoringly, blushed, and laughed at him. He wondered whether he would be able to restrain himself to control his passion.
They ended their dinner with some conversation and another glass of wine.
“Should we go to sleep now?” she asked timidly.
“Yes, it is time.”
They both stood up, and he suddenly lifted her into his arms. She let out a small cry of surprise, and her arms encircled his neck, then their lips joined passionately.
He took her to the bed, removed her robe, then blew out the candles and put another log on the fire.
Finally, he returned to her, and they snuggled under the sheets, closely embraced.
“You fit so perfectly in my arms,” he said and gently nestled her against the pillows. His fingers brushed over her eyes and cheekbones, and he felt her hands mirroring his gestures. He captured her mouth in a kiss that began with tender passion but soon turned into breathtaking desire.
He eagerly caressed her throat, her shoulders, and her bare arms, then he reached the edge of her nightgown, pulling it down from her shoulders, exposing her soft skin to his yearning passion.
He broke the kiss to look at her; her hands were tightly clasped around his neck, preventing him from leaving.
“You must allow me to show you how much I love and desire you…how much I have missed you since we were last together.”
“Please show me,” she whispered.
He traced warm kisses across her cheek, then along her jaw, down to her throat, then back to her ear and finally met her lips again.
He lowered her nightgown and heard her moan; her breathing increased as his fingers brushed from her neck down along and around her breasts, then he cupped their roundness, which fit perfectly into his palms. She moaned more loudly, and her back arched into his hand while his thumb flicked her hard nipple.
He silenced her with another kiss as his hands continued their sweet caresses, feeling her tense, then her body began to move as if of its own will.
“I want to taste you,” he whispered, and his mouth abandoned hers and travelled downwards.
He felt her shivering as his lips reached the place where her heart was beating wildly, kissing, tasting, savouring, and then closing around her nipple.
She moaned again, and he stopped and lifted his head to look at her, kissing her lips softly.
His hand returned to her breasts, unable to abandon their softness.
She opened her eyes, revealing that her desire matched his.
His hand resumed its journey, paused on her belly, then moved down slowly, brushing over her thighs before sliding gently between her legs.
His eyes still locked with hers, he greedily wished to watch her take her pleasure.
A deep moan escaped her dry lips, and she licked them as his hand slowly moved against her inner thighs.
She slowly parted her legs, his caresses increased, then his fingers moved up tentatively and remained still, pressing on her most intimate place.
She gasped and looked at him, holding her breath.
He smiled and kissed her again, aware that she already knew what would come next.
Slowly, with tender caresses, his fingers found their way to her core, and his mouth captured hers again in a possessive kiss.
His tongue conquered her mouth while his fingers stroked her burning core.
He felt her abandon herself to him and heard her beg for more, so his lips soon followed the path of his fingers, kissing and savouring where his fingers had already caressed, conquering her skin inch by inch, until he felt her entire body quivering and her hands entwined in his hair pulling him closer, while her lips whispered his name.
They remained still, closely embraced, struggling to breathe. His fingers brushed through her hair, and she needed some time before she opened her eyes. Their gazes met, and a sweet smile was shared without another word.
Out of the window, the storm sounded frightening, as if it was still trying to torment them. Inside, their love and unleashed passion, as well as the fire burning steadily, were enough to keep them warm and safe — and they finally fell asleep.
∞∞∞
The storm kept Elizabeth and Darcy at the inn for two nights.
On the first morning, several men worked to free Darcy’s carriage from the snow, but it was snowing too hard to be brought to the inn.
Later that day, Darcy and his men took more logs and food to Peter’s family. They were received with much joy by Peter and with reluctant gratitude by his mother, who seemed fearful to accept such kindness.
The innkeeper had informed them that Peter’s father had been born in the village and had brought his wife there ten years ago. Finch had wasted every penny he had on drinking and had frozen to death the previous winter when he had fallen outside one night and was not found until the next morning.
Seeing the cottage in full daylight, Darcy discovered that half of the roof was ruined, and only one room was usable.
The family’s situation was more dire than they had noticed the day prior.
Peggy Finch cried with gratitude at receiving more goods, but it was certainly not enough to protect the family for more than a few days.
Therefore, after Darcy returned and discussed the matter thoroughly with Elizabeth, he asked her to speak to Peggy Finch and present her with a proposal.
Coming from a man, such a suggestion would certainly frighten any decent woman; coming from the mistress of the house, whilst still astonishing, it might be easier to accept.
Therefore, Elizabeth returned to Peggy with an offer that caused the young woman to faint.
She was given the choice to immediately move to the inn with the children, and the Darcys would pay all their expenses till spring while their house was repaired, or to move the entire family to Pemberley, which was always in need of more servants.
Elizabeth still quivered as she remembered the expression on the woman’s face: fear, disbelief, and shame, until she began sobbing with despair.
With her heart heavy, Elizabeth compared herself to the young woman; she had been in danger for only an hour, and she had the protection of Darcy’s love and his financial power.
How would it feel to be alone, with three children whom you cannot feed or protect, with no husband to support the family, with only a slight chance of surviving from one day to the next?
Elizabeth needed more than an hour to calm the poor woman and discuss the matter with her at length.
“Peggy, I would kindly suggest you consider moving to Pemberley, if there is nothing to keep you here. You may stay at the inn while you think about your choices. Do you have no other family, even if the house is repaired, who will help you make a living and take care of the children?”
“I have no family, except for the children…”
“Then please think of them! I shall be at Pemberley too, and you will all be under our protection. You will not have to worry for the children’s safety or their needs any longer.”
Tearful, Peggy kept shaking her head, asking Elizabeth, “And what if Mr Darcy doesn’t want us there any longer? How could we return here?”
“Peggy, I am glad Mr Darcy cannot hear you say that. In truth, there is no man more loyal to his word. He would never break his promise, and neither would I.”
“But why take so much trouble with us, Mrs Darcy? Why?”
In truth, who would believe that strangers arriving during a winter storm might simply decide to change their lives? Elizabeth remembered that she had hardly believed Darcy’s generosity in Lydia’s situation, despite his previous marriage proposal to her. What was poor Peggy Finch to believe?
“But Mrs Darcy, how can I repay you? What shall I do there? I can’t accept that you want to thank Peter. ‘Tis too much.”
“Mr Darcy said that once you are accommodated at Pemberley, we shall find proper employment for you, so you can make a living and take care of the children. I know how shocking this sounds, but you will see that Mr Darcy has helped many other people. His tenants and servants say he is the best master and the best landlord.”
“I do not know…I cannot believe it,” the woman whispered.
“Besides, Peggy, for you it might be nothing, but Mr Darcy — a most excellent man who is generous to others but not accustomed to asking for help — considers that Peter’s intervention and your kindly allowing us into your house saved our lives.
I am sure Mr Darcy has not had many reasons to be as grateful to anyone as he is to Peter. And I utterly agree with him.”
It was the supreme argument, which convinced Peggy to take Elizabeth’s offer into consideration.
Later that day, through snow and wind, Peter came to tell Elizabeth that his mother agreed to do as the mistress suggested.
The boy’s happiness was almost too much to bear, and Elizabeth impulsively embraced him.
The next day, the entire family was moved into the comfort and warmth of two rooms at the inn, much to the innkeeper’s astonishment. They were to stay there until the weather improved, and Darcy would provide them with a way to move to their destination.
Later in the afternoon, the snow stopped, the wind soothed, and the sky finally cleared enough for a few stars to appear. With great difficulty, Darcy’s carriage was freed and moved to the inn.