Longbourn to London (33 page)

“Lizzy…”

“Yes?” Their eyes locked on each other.

“We must proceed to the bed. We must. I cannot wait.”

With his hands on her hips, he pushed her up; her knees slid from the cushions and she stood, the crushed layers of her skirt falling about her legs. As he stood, the robe covered his erection, tenting the heavy damask. He took her hand and led her the few feet to the bed. Earlier, as he passed through the room, he had paused to turn down the counterpane and arrange the pillows.

They stopped at the edge of the bed. Darcy sat and positioned Elizabeth standing between his legs with her back to him. He untied the laces of her gown, and when he slid the shoulder straps of mesh and ribbon down her arms, the whole of it whispered to the floor. Next, he faced the laces of her short corset. These, too, proved easy. When it was sufficiently loosened, Elizabeth raised her arms, and he lifted it over her head to toss it away. That his enthusiasm to be rid of the garment caused it to land on the bed’s canopy was not noticed.

She stood before him in nothing but a demi-petticoat tied at her waist. Even in the candlelight, he could see where the ribs of the corset had worn grooves into her skin even though a length of soft flannel had been sewn inside to protect her. He rubbed her back where the marks were. “Better?” he asked.

She nodded, her hair bobbing in agreement. “Thank you.”

Darcy could feel the grosgrain ribbon wrapped around her waist and tied at the front to secure the petticoat. He reached around to undo the bow, and the last covering of her body joined her gown on the floor. He parted her hair at her neck, and unhooked the pearls. “Place them on the night stand, Lizzy.” She leaned to her right to do so.

He sat back to view her gently curved derriere. “Is there any part of you, Mrs. Darcy, that is not perfect?” Breathing deeply, Darcy rested his forehead on her back and closed his eyes, steeling himself to do what needed to be done, what he longed to do. His arms stole around her waist, encircling her and steadying his nerves.

After a moment, he realised Elizabeth’s breath was heaving—she was in the midst of a wave of sensation. He could hear her softly moaning.

With one bold hand, she guided his fingers between her legs. Being undressed by him had again provoked her passion. She no longer remembered anything her Aunt Gardiner had said. Her concern was not what Darcy might wish to do to her, but what
she
craved. Slowly she shook her head from side to side, swishing her hair over his face as his cheek pressed against her back.

“Please, Fitzwilliam…please.” She paused.

His fingers slid between her thighs, and into her, guided by her hand on the back of his. “There is more… Please give me more.” She tried to catch a breath at the edge of her moment of supreme bliss. “How can I bear this alone? Join me. Feel this with me.” He held her upright as she reached her zenith of desire.

Afterward she calmed only slightly, and held his hand in place. “Fitzwilliam…never, never did I dream of such love. That I would feel it so and share it.”

“Lizzy, dearest”—he smiled behind her—“you must release my hand.”

My astonishing Lizzy
.
What a journey she has made today, and I still feel stupid, as if trapped in a dream
.

She relinquished his hand and turned around as he stood. She undid the button of his robe, and embraced him.

He strained to savour all of her, naked against him.

Elizabeth could feel his erection pressing her hip. She longed to encourage him, not understanding that she was already behaving in exactly the manner in which he had devoutly hoped.

Now… I must take her now
. He lifted her into his arms and turned to lay her on the bed. “I love you. I do love you, my Elizabeth Darcy.” He looked at her complete nakedness while shrugging the robe from his shoulders; it joined her garments on the floor. She was lovely, with her hair spread upon the pillows.

Elizabeth’s eyes met his seriously. Her legs slightly parted. “Husband… Fitzwilliam…” There were tears at the corners of her eyes, yet she did not appear afraid. “Mr. Darcy… You have given me so much. I only have this to give you: I come into this marriage with my promise I have been chaste.”

Darcy gazed into her eyes with astonishment. He had no doubt of her.

She reached an inviting hand to him, and he laid down facing her. She continued in a rough whisper, “It does not seem nearly enough, but you must accept it. I give myself. My love for you is all I have.” She kept her luminous eyes on his, not daring to look down at his fully aroused member.

She is breaking my heart; she is so serious and must think these words necessary.
Darcy breathed deeply. “It is all I need. Lizzy…remember I love you. As we do…this, please remember, I love you.”

He leaned over her, fervently kissing a nipple until she moaned his name. Raising his head to kiss her eager lips, he slipped an arm under her shoulders, pulling her towards him, and covered her legs with one of his. He slipped his tongue into her mouth and out again repeatedly, as she responded by stroking his chest. He touched her breasts and flat belly. The power of speech left him as he lifted his hips to settle between her thighs.

Elizabeth wrapped her arms around him.
He is so warm…and he is not heavy at all.
She did not realise most of his weight was borne by the arm under her shoulders. With his other hand, he gently lifted her leg to embrace his waist. Feeling her heel on his tailbone, Elizabeth tucked her head under his chin, readying for the consummation. She was overwhelmed by his scent, her wits at a loss to define it.

Darcy closed his eyes and touched between her legs, finding the wet opening. With a deep breath, he took his erection in hand, addressing it to her rigid centre of pleasure. “Oh yes,” she murmured. He guided it to her entrance.

Exhaling, he started forward, and immediately felt her maidenhead resisting. He pushed further and heard her gasp, her hot breath searing his chest.

Elizabeth’s passion contorted into this new stinging sensation.

Darcy felt her sharply inhale but he could not withdraw. Elizabeth’s fingernails scratched his back. He did not notice.

The smarting in her deepest parts could not be ignored, but she resisted crying out.

A small voice whispered within him.
Be careful, you brute!
But the warmth and wetness of her tight flesh was thrilling beyond anything he experienced eight years ago.
This is much more than I remember, this is my Lizzy, I am in her…she is mine. She will always be mine. Yet, it is I who am possessed…

Darcy lost control. With several brisk thrusts, he was completely within her, rocking their bodies with his desire, and he was amazed to feel her other leg wrap over his lower back, her heels spurring his buttocks, opening herself further.

Her fingernails were gripping his back and she thought she might be drawing blood. She drew him as deeply into her as possible and the pain lessened.

When he at last became aware of it, Darcy mistook her clawing at him for passion. He slid his hand under her body to her derriere, pushing her towards him to intensify their connection. He surrendered completely, thrusting mindlessly, driven by her heels digging into his haunches until he found his voice, gasping, “Lizzy, my god! Lizzy!” Although he wanted the moment to stretch on forever, his release was sudden and thunderous. “Lizzy!”

She felt his spasms and was gratified she had incited his moment of ecstasy; gratified more that he cried for her with such vehemence, and most pleasantly surprised when his seed was soothing to her stinging flesh. But for all that, she was glad the event was completed. She suspected she was bleeding from his actions, but this did not alarm her— she would know what to expect the next night.
It is over… He has made me his wife. Soon it will not hurt. Perhaps when he repeats this tomorrow night, it will be more pleasant. Certainly, everything else has been…extraordinary.
As his last thrusts subsided, she whispered, “I love you,” without understanding why she needed to say it.

Her voice brought Darcy back to alertness. “Oh, Lizzy. I am so…”

“Stop! Fitzwilliam, do
not
say it!” She was as strident as he had ever heard her. She put her fingers over his mouth and lowered her voice. “Please, do not. This had to be done. My darling, I know beyond any doubt that I am taken. I am yours. How foolish I must have seemed, before.”

Darcy looked at her sheepishly. “Taken? Quite ruined, I am afraid. You were adorable in your innocence. Oh, Lizzy, if only I had maintained control, you might have enjoyed it as I did. The feel of you was far more intense than anything I have experienced. You are in every way exquisite. Your kindness has humbled me once again.” He smoothed the moist hair from her face and searched her eyes. “Was it so very bad?”

She pulled her other hand from his back, and seeing blood on her fingernails, smiled bashfully.

Darcy saw it, too. “Did you do that to me?” he asked, chuckling.

“I am afraid your back was sacrificed to prevent my whimpering. I did not want to alarm you. We may both be sore in the morning. Given what you had to do, and the, um…uh…relative sizes, shall we say, of yourself and myself, discomfort was unavoidable. You must not trouble yourself, Fitzwilliam.”

He meant to kiss her quickly but her hands held his hair, extending the kiss, her tongue teasing him. He was pleased to see her confidence had not abandoned her.

“But it did hurt you?” he asked when she released his lips.

“It is my endeavour to think only on what makes me happy. When you were most deeply, uh…joined to me?” The hue of her rosy skin deepened.

Darcy nodded that he understood her meaning.

“It hurt somewhat less, and I am sure you will be pleased to know that when you
…” How do I say this? I am naked underneath my naked husband, and he is within me still. I suppose I can say what I want in any way I please.

“Yes, when I what?”

“When you called my name…”

“Did I?”

“I mean, when your seed, uh, came out, it was like a balm.”

“So you are optimistic about doing this again?” He watched her eyes.

“When? Tomorrow night?”

“No, sooner.”

“How soon?” She stifled an inclination to wince.

“In a few minutes, I expect. We are still joined, you know…”

“You mean again
tonight
?” She was incredulous. Aunt Gardiner had not mentioned the event might be more frequent than daily.

“Lizzy, I
promise
you will like it better the second time.” Darcy felt himself deflating but did not wish to move. “Am I too heavy?”

“No! Pray, do not roll away. The feeling of you upon me is comforting.”

“Do you mean truly comforting, the traditional meaning, or comforting as I comforted you earlier?”

Darcy was amazed to see her expression change to desire. “As I was tremendously comforted at the coaching inn, and on the settee, and then here by the bed…”

“Answer my question.”

She chuckled, and Darcy enjoyed the motion of her body laughing under his, though it caused his member to slip out. The wonderful sparkle in her eyes caught the candle flames on the nightstands. He gave her a smile of joyful love.

“As I remarked in the carriage, if you smile at me like that, Fitzwilliam, I shall deny you nothing. I merely was not aware this might happen more than once a night.”

“You have been comforted three times today, and if you are a docile and compliant wife, I may choose to comfort you yet again this evening and well into the night.”

She pinched his bottom.
Oh the pride of the man!

“Ouch! Well, Mrs. Darcy, that is one less comforting for you!”

Elizabeth laughed. “And is there a point to this fulsome reckoning of your prowess?”

“
You
started it, Lizzy, and most charmingly, too. But yes, the material point is that
you
may be comforted more times than once a day—many more—and so may I. It simply takes a little time for me to recover. Unlike yourself…”

“Oh, you are too proud by half, sir!” Elizabeth was inwardly astonished. Her marriage had just been consummated, yet they were naked and teasing each other. She had not reckoned with this—had not apprehended that conjugal relations might be entertaining, or that Fitzwilliam Darcy, in a moment such as this, would be playful.

“Why should I not be? I have taken my beautiful bride to bed, and although this act was not everything I had hoped for her, she has learned to be comforted, and is willing to continue granting me favours. You see before you all the makings of a happily married man.”

He bent to kiss her laughing lips, and nibbled first one ear and then the other. He was pleased to make her giggle. Their mingled sweat pooled at the base of her throat and he licked at it, then rubbed it over her chest and continued licking to her breasts. She wriggled under him, moaning and sighing as the warm air chilled upon the moisture on her tingling skin. He felt his arousal renewing.