The servants sprang into action. In moments the yard was pure chaos. Every stable was opened, every horse and pony urged outside. Even the stable cats joined the fray, streaming out of their haunts to join the gathering herd. After a polite hesitation from the best-trained horses, the throng cantered into the night.
“Come on.” Darcy grasped Elizabeth’s hand and pulled her towards the gardens. “We cannot be here when he arrives. Quickly!”
Still battling with her skirts, half blinded by the pouring rain, Elizabeth let out a wild laugh and ran. She could hear cries in all directions - the horses behind them, the stable hands pretending to chase them, and in all directions shrieking guests running back to the house to get out of the rain.
It was a genuine summer cloudburst, dumping gallons of water as quickly as it could onto the parched summer soil. Elizabeth could not see more than a few feet in front of her, so watched Darcy instead. He was drenched, his shirt sticking to his wrists and collar, and breathing heavily as he urged them on.
They happened across an ornate folly before getting completely lost in the rain and dived into the shelter. Laughing and clutching at each other, they stood under the marble pillars and waited for the rain to ease. It was biblical, pouring down from the roof in a thunderous roar and making the statues drip.
Elizabeth shivered and wrapped her arms around herself. Her dress was completely plastered to her skin, and the rain had brought an unwelcome chill breeze in its wake. Darcy’s arms tightened around her, and he pulled her close to his warm chest.
“You followed me.” she murmured.
“You frightened me.” he replied and then raised her face to look into her eyes. “Elizabeth, you mustneverdo that again. If you had been hurt…”
“I am not hurt.” she promised, shivering again, “I am only cold.”
He took off his coat with the thought of offering it to her - a flawed gesture, as it was as soaked as she was. Elizabeth laughed,thanked him anyway, and then pressed herself against his chest. He was dry there, at least, and warm. She thought he would complain about being chilled by her soggy embrace, but when she glanced up, he was smiling.
She caught her breath and caressed his cheek, giggling a little at the tiny droplets that were dripping from his hair. “You look like you’ve been swimming. Perhaps this would be a good time for you to give me my lesson.”
“Do you want a lesson, angel?” he breathed, his arms tightening around her. Lizzie’s breath caught nervously; she nodded, and he kissed her.
It was not a sweet kiss. She had truly frightened him; Elizabeth felt that clearly when his hands trembled on her skin. He drew her closer than he ever had before, crushing her chest into his so that their hearts pounded together. She gasped and sank her hands into his back, where the thin fabric clung to his skin so closely that he might as well have been naked.
That was how she was, Elizabeth realised. Every inch of her body was exposed by the sodden silk she wore. Darcy would be able to see every curve and crease. When he ran his hands hungrily over her breasts, she felt herself respond, and knew that he would be able to feel that, too.
“Darcy,” she moaned, her head falling back without conscious thought, “We should go…”
“Hush.” he murmured, nipping at her neck. “We’re not going anywhere.”
She shivered, unable to form another word. Thought left her entirely. There was only feeling.
The feeling of his hands on her body, slipping on her wet skin with frantic possession, checking her body for injuries andmemorising every inch. The feeling of hot breath on her skin as he kissed her, and the warmth that filled her from the inside out.
The wet softness of his hair under her cheek when he lifted her up, and the strength of his shoulders when she wrapped her arms around them and sank her nails into his back. The rumble of his chest when he groaned, and the press of her breasts against his hands as she gasped for air.
The feeling of fingers and lips, of teeth and muscles and iron-strong arms, until there was nothing left butwant.
Elizabeth whimpered and drew his head up, crushing her lips to his and pulling senselessly at his clothes.
“Wait - stop. Not like this.” Darcy shook his head, unable to relinquish his hold but wrenching himself away with an effort, “I can’t… angel, I fear I am too… I must begentle,not…”
“No.” Elizabeth breathed intoxicatingly in his ear, “Be gentle tonight, or tomorrow, or a hundred times later but please, dear God, take menow.”
Darcy did not need further persuasion. His blood roared in his ears, and all he knew was blinding desire. He lifted Elizabeth in his arms and pressed her firmly against the cold marble pillar. Without hesitation, he freed himself and entered her willing body in one possessive surge. She gasped, wrapping her legs instinctively around his hips and crying out his name in a low, shuddering plea. With a growl of long-thwarted release, Darcy started to thrust into her with wild fervour.
It didn’t hurt. Elizabethexpectedit to hurt. The icy stone stung her spine as she was thudded helplessly against it. Her neck throbbed from Darcy’s fierce, hard kisses. All that, yet this was the furthest thing from pain. It was heat and gasping fire,breathless hunger and throbbing need which grew stronger with every rhythmic surge.
Lizzie moaned in pleasure, tangling her hands thoughtlessly in the hands of the statues on the pillar as if they were the only things keeping her from drowning.
Darcy’s hold on her tightened and his movements changed. His thrusts became harder, deeper, demanding pleasure while his hungry black eyes locked on hers. Lizzie felt wave after rolling wave of heat throb through her whole body, making her sob out his name. He swallowed the sound at once, capturing her lips and her rapid breaths, pushing his tongue into her mouth as ruthlessly as his member plundered her pleading body.
It was too much to bear. With a broken wail she climaxed around him. Darcy followed with a deep growl of satisfaction, slamming his hips against hers until, with an undisguised roar of release, he buried himself deep within her trembling body.
They could not stop moving at first. Their bodies rocked together, sated but ravenous, drawing from each other’s pleasure and unwilling to part.
“My God, Elizabeth.” Darcy groaned into her hair, “My God.”
