Fault or Virtue: An Imaginative Retelling of Jane Austen's 'Pride and Prejudice' (21 page)

“I’m sorry,” he said, starting to move away from her. He stopped when she put
her arm around his waist and pulled him back.
“It was unexpected, but not unpleasant,” she whispered, pulling him to her again.
“Even still,” he whispered back, “I should not have gone so far.” He gave her a
chaste kiss on the cheek and pulled her tighter to him, wrapping her in his arms. “Can I
hold you until you fall asleep?”
“What will we do in the morning?”
“I’ll transport you to your room while you’re sleeping, and none will be the
wiser.” He raised one eyebrow wickedly. “But you will not be so lucky once we are
married.”
“Oh no?”
“Oh no. We will be confined here to my bedroom, but there will be no sleeping.
So I suggest you spend the next few months very restfully.”
“And perhaps reexamine that red book of yours?”
“Why don’t we look at it together, and that way I can answer any questions you
may have with demonstrative explanations?”
This caused her to blush furiously, but she laughed all the same.
Though not much conversation followed, neither slept much that night.

“Lizzy!” chided Mrs. Bennet, “surely you intend to see me to an early grave if
this is how you intend to appear on your wedding day!”
Elizabeth, though aglow with happiness, was also extremely tired owing to a
sleepless night in Darcy’s bedroom the night before. They had spent the evening much as
they had the night of their engagement.
“It is too late for Mr. Darcy to change his mind now, Mrs. Bennet,” her father said
in Lizzy’s defense. “Besides, where could he escape to, we have quite taken over his
home.”
It was true. The past three months had brought a swarm of visitors and wedding
guests to Pemberley, mostly members of Elizabeth’s family, as the Darcys had few
relations.

The ceremony was well arranged and the gathering afterwards elegant. The
setting of Pemberley was both picturesque and ideal for the number of people and the
level of grandeur such an event demanded, but as the couple soon realized, posed an
uncomfortable obstacle. As host, Darcy was finding it difficult to excuse himself from
company in order to begin his wedding night with his new wife.

He found Elizabeth alone, having just parted company with Charlotte Lucas.
“Mrs. Darcy,” he growled, giving her goose pimples.
“Aha!” she declared. “There is my husband.”
“In all of our turbulent past, Mrs. Darcy, remind me, have you not accused me of

!
*%!
“I will perhaps display those other things later, Mrs. Darcy. As for now, I will act
on the selfish impulse to take you into my arms, and take you up to my bed. Any
objections?”

“I love this dress, Mrs. Darcy,” he said once he had placed her atop the bed. “But
it would serve my purposes much better on the floor.”
He joined her on the bed, deftly undressing her whilst kissing her passionately.
“I might say the same of your coat, sir.” Elizabeth gasped, fumbling with his
buttons.
William groaned and went faster at his work. Before she knew it, they were both
naked, rolling around under the warm, soft blankets. William massaged her breasts gently
while his tongue urgently rubbed against hers. She gasped when he squeezed her nipple
between his fingers, and he moved his mouth quickly to cover one nipple in light kisses,
licks, and soft sucks. One hand slid down her stomach while the other made sure the
other nipple stayed stiffened.
When his long, nimble fingers found their home between her thighs, she tensed
and moaned, pressing her hips against his hand. She clawed at his shoulders and back,
writhing in pleasure as he moved his fingers up and down, in and out. He gave her nipple
one last playful bite, and slid himself down to join his fingers at their work. In seconds,
she was gasping for air, wriggling against him, crying out, and finally, with one last
plunge of his tongue inside her, she gave a loud scream and shook uncontrollably with
pleasure.
He parted her legs wider and climbed on top of her, kissing every inch of her as
he moved his face towards hers.
“William,” she breathed, wrapping her arms around his neck.
He kissed her hard and she cried out again, her desire for him returning. His hand
slid down her once more, this time rubbing the place between her thighs to ready her for
his manhood. He parted her with his fingers and gently thrust himself inside, feeling her
stiffen as he slid farther in. He kept his mouth over hers as he slowly moved in and out,
feeling her slowly start to relax as the pain subsided. When at last she began sighing with
pleasure, he returned his mouth to her nipples, sucking hard while she pulled his hair. He
plunged inside her again, harder than ever, and found his pleasure after just a few more
strokes. After he caught his breath, he slid down and kissed her between the thighs, and
then rolled her over so that her womanhood hung just over his mouth. He grasped her
bottom and pulled her towards his mouth, and licked and sucked furiously until he heard
her screaming into the pillows. She fell to one side of him, desperate to catch her breath.
He laid his head beside her on the pillow and smiled, taking in the full sight of
her, satiated but eager for more.
“Don’t even think about sleeping, Mrs. Darcy.”
“Mmm…” she managed, resting her head on his bare chest and closing her eyes.
When Darcy’s fingers again returned to exploring the space between her thighs,
she knew sleep would not come to her, not for a very long time.