“Definitely not turnips. While I agree that they are a splendid addition to crop rotation, I will not speak further of such humble foods. We are Darcys, after all, and we must maintain our standards of only speaking of the finest foods while all alone in our carriage.”
Elizabeth could not stop giggling. Or maybe, she realised, she just did not wish to tell him about the calf’s-feet jelly. But he had asked. “The best advice my mother gave was to trust my husband.”
“Good advice indeed,” he murmured into her hair.
“The most wonderful thing she said was that I would not have to worry about pleasing my husband, because she could see that every single thing I do pleases you.”
“I did not think her so observant. She is, of course, correct.”
“I think you did not like…you know, the things I said about turnips.”
“I liked them a bit too much, actually. I cannot stop laughing over them. At any rate, so far your mother has proved to be brilliant beyond compare. What did she say that was frightening, or horrifying, or depressing?”
“You, sir, are far too clever. How did you know that I told you only the very best part of what was about an hour-long lecture.”
“Oof, an hour? Well, I am waiting for the rather more unsightly bits.”
“Well, there was a rather lengthy discourse on calf’s-feet jelly.”
“You must be teasing.”
“I assure you, I would be more clever in my tease - do you not remember how well I did with turnips?” Elizabeth sighedwith the remembrance of her mother’s point of the jelly analogy. “My mother wished to tell us to lie very still and keep very quiet, and that was when she started talking about how you cannot agitate the calf’s-feet stock, or the jelly will not be clear.”
“Lie still?”
“Yes. I was positive from…well, you know, your kisses…that you donotwish me to lie still. So I put this in the category of ‘I should trust my husband’ rather than to follow this piece of advice.”
“Thank goodness! Needless to say, I would not wish for you to lie still and keep quiet—no man would wish his partner to do that! Also, I do not wish you to think of the activities of the marital bed as a duty, as something we cannot talk about, as something that I rule over and you have no say in—none of that is what it is about.”
“The other part of her hour-long ‘conversation’ is that we must silently endure the activities of the marital bed as one has to endure a brutal frost or a long time being measured and pinned by a seamstress in an unpleasantly hot room. I suppose ‘silently endure’ is not one of the things you wish me to do?”
“Madam, I take back the errant comment that your mother is brilliant beyond compare. Forgive me, but she apparently knows very, very little on some topics.”
“She knows little about turnips, I am positive.”
“Good God, woman, you are making it difficult not to ravish you in the carriage, danger and propriety be damned.”
Elizabeth chortled. “And now you curse! My ears are surely quite polluted by this time, what with your terrible turnip talk, your cursing, and…well, honestly, my mother’s calf’s-feet jelly was as disturbing as anything you have ever said!”
Fitzwilliam checked his pocket watch, and she was surprised when he changed seats. Now facing her, his face serious, he took her hands and said, “We should be arriving at the inn about anhour from now. I wish to have a serious discussion here in the privacy of the carriage before our arrival.”
She nodded, letting her smile fade in recognition that something important needed to be discussed.
“I was hoping we could celebrate our wedding night at the inn, but I would understand and accept your wishes if you want to wait until we have more…auditory privacy, in the comfort of Pemberley. What is your wish?”
“Of course we will have our wedding night tonight. I hesitate to point it out, but it is called awedding nightfor a reason.”
“You are correct, madam, and many couples take bridal tours. I believed we should do a tour later, when the weather is better—and who knows? It is possible that this interminable war will end, and we will have many more choices. I knew that you have never even seen Pemberley. For those reasons, I wished to go to Pemberley, although I will treasure taking you to many places someday.”
“I would love that, but, yes, I long to see my new home.”
“So in addition to rooms for our servants, I should take one bed chamber and an adjacent sitting room, at the inn, correct? I can take two for us, if you prefer.”
“One,” Elizabeth said firmly. “And I expect you to communicate very well about these mysterious non-duties, once we are in privacy…am I correct to have such an expectation?”
“You are correct. We will talk a lot, laugh a little, and possibly try many things. Some of the communication may be non-verbal, but all of it should be mutual. Although I have never been married before, I believe that the activities of the marital bed should be like a conversation between people who respect one another. Give and take, speak, listen, and reply. I know this will be easy for us, because of those kisses.”
“And perhaps all that give and take will be tiring, and we should sleep now so we can have quite a long conversation, once we reach the inn.”
