“Don’t. I want to hear you.”
Her hips moved even faster when he brought his hand back to her, and the die-away moment was nearly come upon him when a strong shudder ran through her as her cries of rising ecstasy grew louder. Darcy grasped her by the hips and gave way to a thrusting fury that nature could not support for long. She fell against his chest, breathless, while he lay dying with delight.
He wanted to stay motionless and languid, but when Elizabeth climbed off of him, he turned them on to their sides to lay down on the bed. Brilliant dark eyes met his as he ran his hand up and down her arm. The intimacy now between them was rich with intensity, but before he could speak into it, Elizabeth pressed a kiss against his lips and said, with a sweet smile, “I am very glad that I asked you to marry me.”
Darcy laughed quietly as he felt sleep start to descend heavily upon him. “I am very glad that you humbled yourself to ask.”
“And you are ready to bring your bride home after a visit to town?” she asked in a sleepy voice.
“I think I am at home now,” he murmured. “Not here in this lodge, but here with you in my arms.” Elizabeth pressed herself closer, but he could not be sure if she was asleep or awake. “But yes,” he said drowsily, “soon we shall go to Pemberley.”
Darcy and Elizabethwere shown into Longbourn’s drawing room and Darcy forced himself to unclench his jaw. This formal nicety to take leave would be a tax on his forbearance. Elizabeth had spent yesterday saying goodbye to Miss Lucas, Mrs Beverly, and their other friends in the neighbourhood.
In this instance, we have not kept the good wine until now.
Mrs Bennet invited them to sit and Mrs Collins cleared her throat,reminding her mother whose right it truly was to ask a guest to be seated. Elizabeth gave him a long-suffering look and sat, but Darcy stood behind her chair. This would be a short interview.
“My dears, are you certain you must go away?” Mrs Bennet asked. “It seems exceedingly sudden.”
“Mamma, Darcy always intended to return home after Georgiana died. She had been too ill to travel any closer to home from Ramsgate than Meryton, but Darcy very much wants to return to Derbyshire. He only stayed as long as he did so as not to remove me from you too soon.”
“Mrs Bennet,” Darcy said, smiling, “might I prevail upon your good judgement?” This earned him a few startled glances. “Do you know of anyone who might purchase my lease? You are on good terms with the families in the neighbourhood. If anyone could recommend the house to the perfect family in the area, it would be you.”
He heard Mrs Collins huff, but no one of sense could declare that Longbourn’s mistress was a generous hostess who was well acquainted with the neighbourhood concerns.
“I can certainly inquire for you, my dear Darcy. It is too small for the Gouldings, but perhaps Mrs Long might take it. It would be large enough for a widow, after all.”
“Indeed.” He looked at her pointedly, but Mrs Bennet did not take the hint. Elizabeth had told him she might have to be finessed into giving up living at Longbourn for the sake of having her own smaller establishment. “Perhaps, since we are quitting the place without delay, you might reside there yourself.”
“Me? Whatever shall I do there?”
“You would take excellent care of the house and the grounds and host parties there whenever you wish. You and Lydia could keep on our cook, two maids, kitchen boy, and man, since the rent and the servants are paid through the year.” He would pay their wages and the rent every year, of course.
His mother-in-law looked taken aback. “I would wish to help you, certainly, but living in a lodge is nothing to being mistress of Longbourn.”
“I would thank you to remember who is the rightful mistress of Longbourn,” Mrs Collins said, and Mrs Bennet looked mortified.
“There are four bedrooms,” Darcy added quickly, “so you shall boast spare rooms for visitors, and the dining room is large enough to seat eight.”
“But she would be obliged to make large purchases to supply the place of what must stay at Longbourn,” Mrs Collins said. “She cannot afford it, and Mr Collins will not allow her to take any furnishings that are rightly his, so she might as well stay under my care.”
Mrs Bennet was certainly under Mrs Collins, but not in any terms that would include the wordcare.
Ignoring her, he said to Elizabeth’s mother, “I shall be happy to supply any deficiency of comfort Netherfield Lodge currently suffers.”
Lydia looked to have grown tired of the conversation and walked to the window. From there, she had a clear view of the sweep, and Darcy braced himself for what would follow.
“Is that your carriage?” Lydia turned from the window and her mouth gaped. “Mamma! You must come see the carriage Darcy bought for Lizzy!”
“He did not buy it for me,” Elizabeth said, holding back a smile. “He had his sent from London to retrieve us.”
“You are certain it is not new? A bride ought to have a new carriage if her husband can afford one.”
“The preparations of new carriages and furniture might wait until Elizabeth’s own taste can have fairer play,” Darcy said.
Lydia cocked her head. “London? I thought your estate was in Derbyshire. Oh! An estateanda?—”
She looked between him and Elizabeth, and then laughed heartily. She covered her mouth and fled to the corner of the room behind him. All Darcy could hear was, “So rich! Mary shall not stand it!”
