Mr. Darcy's Forbidden Love-kindle (59 page)

The sound of heavy footsteps on the other side of a wall of shelves brought her eyes to that area and her breath caught, despite her best intentions, when William came around the end of the structure. Swarms of butterflies invaded her stomach instantly at the sight of him.

He was just as she had remembered—tall, muscular, tanned and devastatingly handsome. He wore black except for a dark burgundy waistcoat, white shirt and cravat. He paused and smiled slightly.

Since both he and Elizabeth stood stock-still, Audrey gently pulled her towards Fitzwilliam, leaving only a few feet between the couple when she halted. Reaching to take her nephew’s hand as well, she looked from one to the other.

“This may likely be the only occasion that you will have complete privacy to say what you will, since we leave for London tomorrow. Let me admonish both of you to decide what you want most in life. Keep in mind that, although it is admirable to try and please others, there comes a time when you must consider your own happiness. I am a witness to the fact that life is capricious and far too fleeting to waste. If what you feel for one another is true love, do not let it slip through your fingers.”

Having had her say, she pulled each hand towards the other until they met and fingers entwined. “Now, if I know Mrs. Parker, dinner will be served shortly, so I suggest you stop staring at one another and start talking.”

Lost in the exquisite warmth of skin on skin, his palm touching hers, Elizabeth was unaware of Lady Ashcroft’s departure until the sound of the door closing signified that they were truly alone.

No one had ever looked at her the way he did at that moment—the deepest desires and aspirations of his soul unhidden. His smouldering expression produced a shiver that raced down her spine, and at once her face crimsoned. This heated blush spread down her neck and then across her bosom. As it did, his gaze followed to her décolletage before coming back to meet her eyes. A quick flame leapt into his eyes, as the grip on her hand tightened. Nonetheless, she was very mindful that he made no attempt to come closer. 

When at last she realised what restrained him, a great pang gripped her heart. For chivalry would not allow him to press for her love. If their love was to be acknowledged or nurtured, it was to be her choice and at her instigation. That he would not take advantage of her feelings for him was a gesture that erased any doubts she might have had, and the realisation made her both ecstatic and limp at the same time.

As though that were not enough, at that very second William whispered huskily, “Oh, the heart that has truly loved never forgets, but as truly loves on to the close.”
*
15

Elizabeth was lost. It would have been far easier to ask her to stop breathing than to refuse so great a love. Watching her expression as it altered to favour him, William began to draw her to himself so effortlessly that it seemed as though a gossamer thread connected them soul-to-soul. Once in his arms, her face came to rest against his rock-hard chest in an embrace so firm that she could hardly breathe.

A heavy sigh escaped his chest, and she could feel his body relax as he breathed her name, “
Elizabeth
.”

One iron hand came up to cradle the back of her head as he buried his face in the velvet of her hair and inhaled deeply of the lavender scent. The other hand slid down to the small of her back, splaying out to pull her close. Lying against his wildly beating heart, she suddenly became mindful that its cadence matched the mad drumming of her own. Gratified that he seemed just as affected as she, without further restraint, she melted into him, her hands sliding around to rest on his back. At this gesture, William groaned and the hand on her back slid a bit further down, urging her hips closer still. 

He began to kiss the crown of her head, slowly inching succeeding kisses down her face as he sought her mouth. His lips were exceedingly soft, and Elizabeth held her breath at the realisation that soon she would experience her first real kiss. But alas, the butterflies that had invaded her stomach earlier found reinforcements and her knees began to buckle. As if noticing her sudden frailty, William slipped one arm under her legs and effortlessly picked her up. Carrying her towards a large sofa near the hearth, he sat down with her in his lap.

Her eyes were still closed, and she waited expectantly for his kisses to resume. When they did not, she opened her eyes to find him examining her face, in particular the injury now unmistakable in the glow of nearby candles. He ran the back of his fingers gently over the offending bruise, and she watched as his expression sobered.

“How can I ever make amends for what you have suffered for coming to Georgiana’s aid?”

“Georgiana is as dear to me as a sister, and I could do no less. There is nothing for which to atone.”

His words were strangled. “If only I had the right to keep you with me, to keep you safe.”

Elizabeth’s heart overflowed at the evidence of his love. “Though it is not possible for you to be with me at all times, even should we marry, I know there will come a time when you shall have the right to keep me close.”

Provoked by her declaration, the world was set to right when William, hesitating no longer, hungrily claimed her lips. His own were no longer soft but insistent, seeking that which he had desired for so long, that which was so crucial to his happiness as the air to breathe with.

Unrelentingly he prodded with his tongue until her lips opened, and he tasted the sweetness within. Even the deluge without the manor could not compete with the tempest raging inside him at this moment. Revelling in the feel, taste and smell of Elizabeth, his designs to take things slowly completely vanished and his tongue instinctively darted inside her mouth to tease her own.

At first she sat motionless, as though caught up in savouring each sweet sensation, but in time, she began to replicate his actions. His answer was to caress even deeper with his fingertips, which initiated an entirely different sort of response in Elizabeth. She moaned, threading her hands into his hair, pulling his mouth harder against her own and, for a few brief moments, he forgot that the rest of the world existed.

A sudden knock on the door caused them to pull apart. Breathing heavily, William slipped Elizabeth out of his lap and onto the couch. After he stood, he leaned down to place a kiss on her pale forehead before stepping a few feet away. Straightening his waistcoat, he called out, “Come!”

The door opened and Mr. Parker entered, rapidly making his way to where William stood and examining the floor instead of the flushed faces of the young couple.

“I am sorry to disturb you, sir, but Mr. Mooney has sent a groom to inform you that you are needed at the stables. I tried to explain, but he insisted—”

William’s lifted hand brought an end to the butler’s explanation. Releasing a disappointed sigh, he glanced over to Elizabeth, who still stared at the floor, her face crimson as she was mortified at the intrusion. “There is no need to explain. Would you be so kind as to send word to Mr. Mooney that I shall be there as soon as I change clothes?”

Parker bowed, “Very good, sir.” He quitted the room in seconds, pulling the door shut behind him.

William quickly stepped over to Elizabeth, pulling her to her feet and back into his embrace. Though he feared she might have been frightened by the fervency of his kisses, she made no attempt to resist him. Nonetheless, she was trembling, so he tightened his embrace.

“I love you, Elizabeth. I have never loved any woman but you.”

He could feel her relax into him once again and rejoiced in her response. “I love you so very much.”

Not able to refrain after that declaration, he leaned in to kiss her yet again with only a little more restraint than before. Then pulling back to adore her, he gingerly fondled one glossy chocolate spiral that had slipped out of the pins and now rested on her shoulder. All the while he memorised her face and after a few moments, he felt able to speak again without his voice betraying him.

“When I arrived, Mr. Mooney was examining one of the mares because he thought she might foal early and deliver breech like her first colt. This mare is Georgiana’s favourite; she has ridden her for years. It was evident that Mooney is not well, and he informed me that Mr. Bradford, his assistant livery manager, died last month. Since I have had experience in such matters with my own horses, I told him I would be happy to be of service when the time came. Otherwise, only some completely untried grooms are left to aid in a situation that could prove dangerous to the mare and colt. I could not ignore the situation.”

Her words were encouraging, though her eyes begged him stay. “Of course, you could not. I understand completely. Certainly, you must help.”

“When I am finished, if it is not too late, I would like for us to finish our talk.” He smiled, though it did not reach his eyes. “I fear that I have said very little.”

“On the contrary, I think you expressed yourself very eloquently.”

At her words, he pulled her into another fierce embrace, kissing her so soundly that she was breathless when he released her, pleading, “Wait up for me?”

“I… I will,” she stammered.

Leading her towards the library entrance, he gave her one last longing gaze and tightly squeezed her hand before opening the door. As they entered the hallway and began towards the foyer, he kept a firm hold on that hand. Immediately, they encountered his aunt hurrying in their direction.

“Fitzwilliam, dinner is prepared, and Georgiana and Marshall are waiting in the drawing room. I was coming to get you when I learned that you have been summoned by Mr. Mooney. Dear boy, you cannot do everything asked of you. You are undoubtedly exhausted, and you have had no dinner. He shall just have to make do without you.”

“Aunt, upon my arrival, Mr. Mooney explained the circumstances, and I promised to be of service when the time came. That the animal decided to foal now is no one’s fault.”

“It is too much to ask of anyone, and for heaven’s sake, this is no night to be out of doors!” As if to prove her contention, a low rumble of thunder began and got progressively louder, shaking the entire room while lightning simultaneously lit up the space. 

“I fear that I am needed, and there is no putting it off.” William’s weary eyes crinkled, his dimples cutting deep crevices into his tanned face. “Now, please do as I ask and carry on without me.” Glancing to his love, he could not help but smile. “All of you—please enjoy your dinner. Just send a tray to my room, and I will eat later. Now, I must hurry if I am to be of any assistance.”

He brought Elizabeth’s hand to his lips for a quick kiss, stared into her eyes for a brief moment, then turned and walked towards the grand staircase.  His long legs made short work of the stairs, and in a few strides, he was completely out of sight while Elizabeth stood transfixed, staring at the top of the stairs as though she expected him to return at any moment.

Lady Audrey had not missed their joined hands, and when William lifted Elizabeth's hand to place a kiss there, her heart had overflowed with joy. She had prayed so long for her dear boy to find real love and now that he had, all she could think of was how pleased his mother Anne would have been.

She glanced towards heaven.
This woman will be the making of him, my dearest sister, you shall see. You would have loved her, just as I do.

Laying a hand on Elizabeth’s arm, she implored, “Come, Elizabeth. There is no need for us to wait here. He shall likely take the back stairs when he goes to the stables and may be gone for some time. Let us have something to eat while we wait. It will do no good for all of us to be famished.”

Elizabeth swallowed hard to suppress the tears that threatened. She did not want to let Lady Ashcroft see how deeply she was affected by his absence. After all, until a few minutes before, she had resisted the deepest desire of her heart to love him. How foolish she would seem to be so upset now. Steeling herself, she walked alongside Lady Ashcroft to the drawing room. 

And as they made their way through the house, two sets of prayers were offered. One asked the Lord to spare the mare and colt and for the birth to be uncomplicated and soon done with so that William might get some well-deserved rest. The other contained all of that and more—a request that she be allowed to see him again tonight.

~~~*~~~

The Stables

By the time William arrived at the stables he was almost soaked to the bone. The winds were howling, small trees bent almost to the ground with the force of them, while lightning and thunder took turns astonishing the night with displays of ferocity. It had been some time since he had witnessed a storm of this magnitude, and while he was not frightened, William was very aware of the potential for damage, especially from the winds. Nevertheless, as he neared the smaller stable where the broodmares were housed along with newborn colts, the door swung open, and he ran inside to be greeted by one of the younger grooms who had been stationed to watch for  him.

“Mr. Darcy, sir, I almost missed you! I watched at the window, but it is almost impossible to see anything in this downpour! If not for your great coat flapping in the wind, I would have overlooked you.”

“John, is it not?”

“Yes, sir!”

“Well, John, if not for the gravel path, I might never have found the stables!” William declared with a chuckle. “I could only see a few feet ahead of me.”

“I am sure Mr. Mooney will be grateful that you came. He is in the last stall on the left.”

While they talked, William divested himself of his great coat, hat and gloves and tossed them to the groom. “Please place them across some of the hay bales to dry.”

It was not hard to find the precise stall, as there were at least four young men standing around the one in question. They parted as he neared and then gathered again after he entered the spacious stall filled with straw, rags and water. Mr. Mooney and another groom were standing next to a beautiful white mare that his sister had christened Tatiana years before. The mare was evidently in distress, and as he was stripping off his coat and rolling up his sleeves, it laid down. That is when Mooney spoke.