Imperative: Volume 2, A Tale of Pride and Prejudice (121 page)

Lifting her chin, she caught Richard’s eye and looked to the couple pointedly.  Confused, he stared at his cousin and back to his wife with a shrug.  She enfolded one hand over the other and raised her brows and nodded.  Richard looked again, and saw how Darcy’s thumb was brushing over Elizabeth’s ring.  His lips twitched, he rolled his eyes, then winking, returned to his conversation. 

“Message received.”  She said triumphantly.  “Elizabeth taught me that.  She is so good communicating with her husband with her eyes, have you ever watched them at dinner?  They are talking to each other constantly.  My husband is observant, but he is always caught up in his conversation, too.  I sometimes feel like I need to be a sailor with those flags they use to signal each other?  Oh, you do not live near the sea; you probably have no idea what I am talking about.”  Sophie laughed, and looked back out to the grand foyer.  “Where did they go?” 

“I do not . . . There they are.”  Jane watched Darcy smiling at Elizabeth as they took their places near the open door.  With Sophie’s observations in mind, she could see them lending confidence to each other.  Elizabeth’s gloves fell down her arm and she was laughing, pulling them up again.  Shaking his head, Darcy retied the ribbon at her elbow and leaned to brush his lips to hers gently.  Jane sighed and looked to see if Bingley was watching, and was unsure if she was sorry that he was not.  “I cannot imagine being kissed so openly, can you, Mrs. Fitzwilliam?” 

“Please call me Sophie?  We are sisters now, in a way, are we not?”

“I . . . I suppose that . . . yes, in a way . . .  You may call me Jane.”  She glanced at Louisa and Caroline shunted away into a corner by Lady Catherine and receiving a lecture in deportment and grace.  Sophie and Jane exchanged looks and Jane looked back at Elizabeth.  “How long have you known my sister?” 

“Oh . . . not long at all.”  Sophie watched Elizabeth holding Darcy’s arm with one hand and smoothing her dress with the other. “We met at my father’s home.  I remember that night so well, of course, that was the night that I met my husband.”  She felt Richard’s eyes on her and immediately he looked shyly away.  “I will always be grateful that the Darcys chose to visit Sommerwald.” 

“I wonder if Lizzy feels the same way about my husband?  He brought Mr. Darcy to Hertfordshire.”  Jane blushed when she noticed his delighted gaze and she knew that it was born from the kisses they had shared before they came downstairs. 

“I wonder if I would ever have married another.”  Sophie watched Richard returning energetically to his conversation with the men.  “Do you think that you were destined for Mr. Bingley?” 

“I would like to think so.” 

Sophie studied him, “Has he descended from the clouds yet?  That grin of his could light up this house without the thousand candles burning.”

“My sister, Mrs. Hurst, said this morning that he probably will not be on his feet again until he actually withdraws his father’s money from the bank and puts it in the attorney’s hand.” 

“Well, that is true enough.”  Sophie laughed.  “Will you have to travel to London?”

“I am sure that we will have to go.  The Hursts certainly will not wish to remain longer and impose on the Darcys and then there is my sister Caroline . . .” Jane sighed and she felt Sophie squeeze her arm. She smiled a little and looked back to her husband. “I just realized how much I have ahead of me.”

“Elizabeth has been such a good friend to me.  I am glad that we do not live too terribly far from Pemberley.  Our husbands would complain bitterly about the money we spend on postage otherwise.  Although, they
do
regard each other as brothers so maybe they would not protest too much.”  Sophie looked from her husband to his parents and then to the Darcys.  “I am sure that we will be very familiar with the path between our homes as the years pass.  Our children will grow up together.  I like that they may become as close to each other as Richard is with Fitzwilliam.”   

Jane bit her lip and offered cautiously, “I think that my husband described the location of our new home to be equally distant from Pemberley and Gladney?”

“Yes!”  Sophie’s eyes lit up.  “Richard said as much!  He wished to find a map in the library to show the gentlemen.  He said something about competing with Mr. Bingley in a race to Pemberley one day.  Can you imagine them coordinating their watches somehow?”

“I think that it would be wonderful.”  Jane smiled towards Bingley.  “We would be a family together.”

Sophie smiled as Richard strolled over.  “I would like that Jane, very much.” 

“What are you two ladies speaking about so enthusiastically?”  Richard noticed where they were looking.  “Shall we join the lovebirds?” 

Sophie held his arm.  “They are trying so hard to carve out some privacy, Richard, can’t you see that?  Please leave them be.  They are nervous enough.” 

“Elizabeth?  Nervous at a ball?”  He laughed and remembered dancing with her at Netherfield.  “Well . . . I suppose that I might not have been the best one to comfort her the last time she was dancing.”  Seeing Sophie’s brow lift, he cleared his throat and kissed her hand.  “Another time, my dear.  But I will take your advice and leave them alone.”  He rocked back on his heels and clasped his hands behind his back.  “For now.” 

“What are you doing?”  Darcy whispered.  “If a speck of lint dared to land on your skirt, I have no fear that it is long gone by now.”  Elizabeth’s hand stilled and he felt her stiffen.  “Breathe.”

“You are a demanding host.”  She hissed.  “What happened to you being uncomfortable in social situations?”

“Oh, have no fear, as soon as the guests roll in I will most certainly resort to my famous self. 
My
position is to help
you
arrive intact and sane for the moment when the first guest appears.  At that time, I will gladly hand over the reins and let you drive for the rest of the evening.  In fact, I am counting on it.”  His eyes twinkled.  “What do you say to that, Mrs. Darcy?”

She looked at him speculatively.  “I think that you are abandoning your duties at the first sign of trouble.”

“Nonsense.  A ball is a woman’s event.”

“Tell that to all of the wife-hunting men who appear.”

“Men do not hunt wives.  They hunt fowl.  A woman is a bird who adorns his arm and brings him pleasure in her song.”

“What trollop!”  She cried.

“Mrs. Darcy, your language!”  Lady Matlock admonished. 

Darcy clucked his tongue and shook his head.  “Oh dear, dear, dear.  Perhaps I shall have to take charge after all.” 

“Hush.”  She glanced at him and pursed her lips.  “If men are so disinterested, why is it the males of the species who primp and preen in their colourful feathers to attract a lady?  And dance, might I add?”

“To propagate the species.”  He said disinterestedly. 

“Is that all you want?  To make little Darcys?”  

“I certainly would like to practice doing so.  If one happens to appear as a result, then well done, me.”  Darcy practically snorted when her eyes widened and her mouth dropped open.  “Good heavens, Mrs. Darcy!  Any wider and you will resemble a baby bird waiting to be fed!” 

“And I can imagine just what sort of worm you would provide for my meal.”  She whispered.  Now Darcy’s eyes widened and she nodded, entirely satisfied with herself.  “Well done, me.” 

“Touché, love.”  Darcy cleared his throat and shot her a look.  “You are becoming entirely too accomplished with word games.”

“Certain word games anyway.”  She smiled and watched his grin grow.  “What has come over you?  Is this just a dangerous distraction for me?  Or are you truly feeling amorous?”

He raised his brow and glanced down at his breeches.  Elizabeth breathed quickly and moved to stand before him.  He took the opportunity to hiss in her ear.  “How are you dressed, dearest?  I would have to be dead a thousand years not to react to such a sight, and it was entirely unfair that I had to greet you with my sister in the room.”

“Oh, and it was not fair that you had to be so delectably handsome and I was forced to keep my hands to myself?”  Darcy’s eyes grew darker and she looked determinedly away from his mouth.  “Georgiana’s presence was hardly planned!” 

“But your attire was.  You dressed this way on purpose.  The bodice of your gown is entirely too small.  All I will think about tonight is,” he sighed and glanced at her décolletage, “how hungry I am.”

“This gown was that French modiste’s choice, not mine.  I had no idea it would fit so snugly.”

“You purchased this to torture me.”  He accused and she pinched him.  “Ow!  Lizzy Darcy watch yourself or I shall . . .”

“Shall what?”  She raised her brow.

“Punish you.”  Darcy growled, and slipping his hand around her waist, tapped her bottom lightly.

Her eyes narrowed as he placed her hand back over his arm.  “I would like to see you try.”

“Oh, now that is temptation!  I should take you over my knee right now!”  He started to let go of her arm again when she entwined their fingers and held him steady.

“Just remember, you have to sleep sometime, Mr. Darcy.”  His mouth opened in surprise and she lifted one brow.  “I am not above taking advantage.”  She shot a glance at his waist,  “Apparently neither are you. 
Put that away
!”   

“Absolutely, and for my next performance you will ask me to breathe under water.”  He looked at her cleavage and the pearls resting over her bosom.  “Were you awake when I came into the bedchamber?”

“Maybe.”

“Lizzy?”

“What if I had not awakened when I did?” 

“I would have left you alone.  I never would . . . well, I might . . . attack in your sleep.”

“I have.”  Elizabeth said proudly.  Darcy grinned and she laughed.  “And you love it.” 

“I love you.”  He caressed the back of his fingers over her softly blushing cheek.  His voice lowering, he spoke gently, “I am grateful for your desire for me, and knowing that you want me . . . Lizzy, I . . .”  He looked down at her hand clasped in his.  “I will not pretend to find the words, because I cannot tell you how . . . rich you have made my life.  Four weeks from now it will be our first anniversary.”

“The Assembly.” 

He nodded.  “If I had known, a year ago today, that . . .” 

“Will, stop.   When tonight is over, and the guests have gone, and the house is quiet and ours again.  Will you feel that you can look forward?  With a clear vision?  No more marking the past days of sorrow?”

“We have more sorrowful anniversaries lying ahead, Lizzy.  Our fight when you took off your ring, the day I was so ill, the carriage accident . . . so many . . .” Elizabeth shook her head slowly.  “But . . . we have more joyful anniversaries ahead of us now do we not?”

“Yes.”  Elizabeth encouraged him.  “Your proposal.  Our first dance, our wedding, carrying me over the threshold, walking with me through London . . . making me your wife . . .” Suddenly, he cradled her face in his hands and kissed her.  “Oh my.”  She blushed furiously as the men’s comments were accented by Lady Catherine’s shrill chastisement. 

“No apologies. I
had
to.”  His fingers caressed through the curls that framed her face, and he smiled when he heard the musicians practicing a jig.  “Come dancing with me?” 

“Oh, yes.”  She looked to the doorway as the first of the carriages at last arrived.  “But perhaps we should greet our guests first?” 

He took his last opportunity to kiss her before propriety required unquestioned good behaviour, and whispered, “If you insist.”

Chapter 43

“A
re you ready, Mr. Darcy?”  Elizabeth called across the divide.  Her eyes were sparkling and she wore a wide and happy smile. 

“For anything, Mrs. Darcy.”  He assured her and turned his head to watch the dancers gradually peeling off from the long line to perform figures as they passed the waiting couples. 

As their turn approached, Darcy sent Elizabeth a challenging stare and she lifted her chin.  They counted silently in their heads and simultaneously stepped forward; reaching for each other’s hands and turning around and around, skipped down the line.  Elizabeth was laughing as they turned once more before releasing their hands and coming to a graceful landing at the end.  They stood facing each other, breathing hard and beaming, waiting impatiently for their next turn. 

Elizabeth’s hand was over her heart.  “Oh my!”

“It has been far too long since we danced like this.” 

“Will,” she laughed, “we have
never
danced like this!”

“What about Netherfield?”  He asked and laughed with her expression of disbelief.

“That was not a ball! 
That
was an inquisition!”

They held each other’s eyes and entirely ignored everyone around them.  The ball had begun at last.

Pemberley glittered.  The thousand candles held in sconces, candelabras, and in the magnificent crystal chandeliers suspended above the mirrored ballroom created an atmosphere that had not been seen for nearly two decades.  An eclectic mix of people had been invited.  Darcy may have raised his brows a bit looking over Elizabeth’s guest lists as she proposed mingling Peers with the less lofty, but it was a mark of who the Master and Mistress of Pemberley now were.   Watching her confidence strengthen as she welcomed their guests into their home aroused him, not just with passion, but with pride. 

As emotion welled up from within, Darcy blew out his cheeks and studied his shoes while his fingers worked over the ring beneath his glove.  To his left he heard Richard laughing with Sophie.  Down the line there was Anne, apologizing to Gladney for her dancing and hearing his amused admonishment that she was fine.  Upstairs Georgiana was safe and whole; beside him his friend had become his brother.  Darcy closed his eyes.  A thousand thoughts were flying through his mind.  A year ago he had practically given up on his family, and now he was surrounded by it, and more, it had grown.  He rubbed his ring.  
And I know why.

“We seem to have survived the beginning intact.  Well, I have, what has happened to your good humour in the last minutes is anyone’s guess.”