Darcy did not hesitate. He had no intention of speaking with Lord Matlock. It was his wedding day, for heaven’s sake, and he had other things on his mind.
He put out his hand to Elizabeth. “Shall we?” he said.
Her eyes were dancing. “We shall.”
They ran towards the Darcy carriage, hand in hand. The gentle rain spattered onto his face and clothes, their feet landing in puddles.
They were laughing when they reached the Darcy carriage. It stopped beside them.
“Hurry,” said Darcy, handing Elizabeth into the carriage unceremoniously. “We do not want my uncle to follow and discover our destination.”
They tumbled onto the seat, limbs askew, clothes entangled, laughing madly.
“I did not take you for a coward, Mr. Darcy,” said Elizabeth, straightening herself out.
“Neither did I,” said Darcy, shaking his head. “That was my uncle, Lord Matlock, the most formidable of my relations, except possibly for my aunt, Lady Catherine. I would rather be called a coward a million times, than be stuck with my uncle on the day I am married. He will keep talking forever and never let me go.”
“He sounds like Mama,” said Elizabeth.
Darcy threw his head back and guffawed. “Well then, now we have an idea what to expect.”
“My clothes are wet,” said Elizabeth, ruefully.
“Never mind, Mrs. Darcy,” he said, cheerfully. “You will not be needing them.”
“I will need them when we arrive at the hotel,” she pointed out. “Unless you wish us to be the object of gossip again. And our things are in the other carriage and will not arrive until later.”
“I can think of many ways we can while away the time while waiting for our things,” said Darcy. “I made a sign to hang on the door.” He reached into the folds of his greatcoat and proudly produced a sign. It said, STAY OUT!
Elizabeth arched her eyebrow. “Is that meant for me, or for your uncle?”
“It is meant for anyone who might wish to intrude on me and my beautiful wife.” He said with a smile.
As he thought of what lay ahead, he sobered. “Elizabeth, we have known each other for a very short time. There is so much I want to discover about you. This is just the beginning of our life together, and I mean to start it well. The weeks ahead may be uncomfortable at times, and we may face some challenges, but as long as we face them together, we will prevail.”
“You speak as though we are going into battle,” said Elizabeth, her lips twitching.
“I am serious, Elizabeth. When you meet my irate relatives, you will see what I mean.” He hated it that he needed to issue warnings on the very first day of their married life, but Lord Matlock’s unexpected appearance had shaken him.
“Irate relatives are nothing,” said Elizabeth dismissively. “What you need to worry about, is how to deal with Mama when she is determined to put you on display like a circus animal, and parade you through the drawing rooms of Meryton.”
Darcy gave an exaggerated shudder. “I cannot think of a worse fate,” he said.
Elizabeth leaned forward to smooth away the frown on his brow. “Come, my love. You told me not to think of the past. Let us not think of the future, either.” A mischievous twinkle danced in her eyes. “Have you noticed that we are alone in the carriage, with no one here to disturb us?”
She pulled off her gloves and ran her fingers across his jaw. Darcy’s breath quickened, his pulse leaping wildly in response. He leaned into her touch, craving her nearness, his skin on fire.
“Perhaps we can find a way to while away the time until we reach the hotel, Mr. Darcy?” she murmured.
“Your wish is my command, Mrs. Darcy,” he said, hoarsely, lifting her into his lap. “I think I can accommodate your request.”
Their lips touched and merged, melting into each other, as the world outside faded away, and the two of them became one.
Epilogue
It was bitterly cold. Even protected with layers of clothing, the wind still managed to find ways to seep under their clothes. Still, tradition dictated that they come here to feed the ducks in Hyde Park, and who was Darcy to question a tradition?
“Brrr!” said Elizabeth, sliding her arm under his and trying to get warm. “It is far too cold to be outdoors.”
