Imperative: Volume 1, A Tale of Pride and Prejudice (42 page)

She hugged his arm.  “Thank you for indulging me.  Hopefully we both will find it quite exhausting, then all thoughts of more vigorous exercise will be eliminated.” 

“Elizabeth . . .”

“You begged me to help you; well I am doing my part, do you not see?  It seems to me that it will be an unending exercise.”  She looked at him thoughtfully.  “Perhaps we can exercise your mind instead this evening?”  Laughing at his groan, she leaned into his shoulder and they set off.  “A game?  Have you a favourite?”

“Very well, temptress, I will play along.  I know that you enjoy sketching characters, my father and I played a similar game, deducing things from clues left behind.”  

“Oooh, that sounds fascinating!  What did you call it?”

“Observation.”  Darcy could not help but laugh when she groaned. 

“Is that where you learned to stare?” 

“No, you inspired that talent.”  Elizabeth’s chin lifted proudly.  They crossed Russell Street and started walking towards Soho Square when Darcy spotted a man watching them out of the corner of his eye.  Turning his head, he stopped dead.

“Fitzwilliam?”  Elizabeth looked in the direction that he was watching.  “What do you . . .” She gasped.  “Is that Mr. Wickham?”

Darcy dropped her arm and held Wickham’s eyes for a frozen moment; Darcy’s face growing red while Wickham’s turned white.  Waving down a passing hackney cab Wickham jumped in and quickly disappeared.  Darcy swore under his breath and looked down the street, just in time to see his carriage turning the corner.

“I am sorry.”  Elizabeth said softly, following his gaze.

A thousand thoughts were flying through his head, but noticing her worry, at last he let out a stale breath.  “No, if we had been in the carriage, I never would have seen him.  Thanks to you, we know he is still in London.  That is progress.”  He looked back to her and tried to smile.  “Now, what were we doing?”

“Going home.”  Elizabeth saw his anger giving way to despair, and took his hand back in hers.  “You surely want to get word to your cousin and uncle.”

“Yes, of course.”  He looked back down the busy street, and then returned to her.  “Come, a good brisk walk will do me some good.”

“It has always been remarkably effective in cheering me.”  She smiled and nudged him.  “I regret that we have no mud puddles to leap over, though.”  Darcy’s lips lifted a little, and they started walking.  “Tell me about the mud at Pemberley, what do I have to look forward to?” 

“Elizabeth . . .” He kissed her hand.  “Thank you for trying to cheer me.  I am fine.”

“Good, then you can tell me all about what to expect when you take me home.”  Smiling at him encouragingly, she nodded.  “Go on, then!”

A brisk wind blew and the people around them hurried quickly past, but they were so engrossed in their conversation that they never noticed a thing.  Within a quarter hour they were crossing Bond Street, once again under observation, this time by Lady Catherine and Anne as they stared at the couple disappearing into the streets of Mayfair.  

“Be honest with me, Lizzy, you really cannot ride.”  Darcy laughed when she pursed her lips as they strolled beyond Berkley Square and down Mount Street, passing Judge Darcy’s house.  He was feeling too good to even think of stopping.  “You are just trying to impress me.”

“Why would I want to do that?”  She glanced at him and then looked down to the ground.

“No idea.”  Peeking around the bonnet he saw her expression and squeezing her hand tightly, caught her eye.  “I anticipate very much teaching you.”  As her face brightened, he felt her relax again and tilted his head backwards, “We should have stopped at the millinery shop in Bond Street.”

“Shall we go now?  We have just barely begun to stretch our legs.”  She started to turn and he laughed, stopping her and looking down into her sparkling, happy eyes.  It took a great deal not to kiss her just then.

“Lizzy . . . I . . .”  He hugged her hand to his body.  “I want to go home.”

“But I would still have this annoying bonnet . . .”

“I imagine that I will find any bonnet you wear annoying.” 

“I imagine you will.” 

Their eyes met and they both looked shyly down to their entwined hands.  Darcy heard a familiar voice hail them as they turned onto Park Lane, and saw his carriage roll by.  “We won.”

“I would say it was a tie.”  She looked back up when he laughed softly and lifted her chin.  “If I had known we were racing, I would have walked faster and spoken less.” 

“Oh no.   I am quite addicted to your voice now; do not deprive me of it.”  Seeing her teeth caught on her lip, his head tilted, “What are you thinking?  What did I say?  Please tell me.”

“It is just . . . I would hate to be deprived of your voice, too.” Darcy’s eyes widened and blushing, she pinched him.  “Oh, hush!”

“I did not say a word!”

“Well . . . those eyes of yours have the same effect!”  She shot him a look and seeing the delighted smile spreading across his face, she groaned. 

“My smile, too?”  He laughed and spoke huskily against her ear.  “Are you smitten with me, Lizzy?  How else may I bother you?”  Seeing her determinedly staring forward, he stopped walking.  Elizabeth stumbled with the sudden halt and looked up at him in surprise.  “Shall I kiss you?  Here before all the world?”

“
That
would bother me.”

“
That
would be the point.”

“You would never do something so intimate publicly.  Not if you are not proposing, that is.”  She met his single arched brow with her own.  “I think, Mr. Darcy, that it is a good thing we have arrived at your ridiculously large home.”

“And why is that, Mrs. Darcy?”  His hand paused on the door handle, and he drew in his breath sharply when she stood up on her toes and kissed him softly.  “Oh.”  Wordlessly, she pressed down the latch and opened the door.  Darcy stumbled in and Elizabeth giggled.  His cheeks reddened when a footman with downcast eyes quickly disappeared around a corner and left them alone. 

“I think that our vigorous walk in the cold has failed miserably in tiring us.”  She fell into his open arms and laughed when he pulled off the offending bonnet and tossed it onto a chair.

Darcy laughed when she did the same with his tall hat and hugging her, rested his cheek in her hair.  “Then, my love, I think that we shall just have to spend the remains of the day bothering each other.”

Chapter 14

“I
am very surprised to see you here, tearing yourself away from your bride.  Tired out?”  Richard smirked.

“Keep your voice down!”  Darcy glanced around the club.  The two of them were sharing a drink while Elizabeth remained at home, receiving the final fittings for her rapidly expanding wardrobe.

“Do not tell me you are still behaving yourself?  Marvellous things, separate bedrooms.”  Watching him squirm uncomfortably, Richard’s mouth gaped.  “You share a bed?  Your willpower frankly amazes me!  If I had a woman teasing me as she does you, I would have tossed her over my shoulder by now and shown her . . .”  Richard stopped when he saw the raw emotion on Darcy’s face.  “Forgive me, Cousin, I am unaccustomed to love being a consideration.  What have you done?  Something will have to give sooner or later, and by the look in your eye, I bet it is the former.” 

“I sent Parker off on a . . . mission.”

A rumble of chuckling turned to a full-out guffaw, drawing the attention of many.  Darcy’s cheeks coloured and Richard grinned.  “How many boxes of armour did he buy?”

“I do not know, I just gave him the funds, and . . .”  Darcy’s embarrassment grew along with Richard’s smile.  “I thought when we are settled at Pemberley I might experiment . . .”  Richard snorted.  “Enough.”  His lips pursed shut and he glared.  “What news of Wickham?  Anything?  He surely has not left the city.  Uncle was infuriated when he received my note.  His reply was terse to say the least.  Sometimes I wonder at his fury being greater than ours, or maybe he takes it differently.”

Richard sobered and studied him.  “How do you mean?  We are both furious with Wickham’s actions.”

“I do not know, maybe it is because he lost his daughters.”  Darcy considered the question.  “He has always struck me as very protective of her.  He is very protective of Pemberley in
general, especially since Father died.”

“Well, I can certainly appreciate that, being the remaining brother and Pemberley being so great.  I am sorry to say that I do not feel that protective of Matlock.”  Richard leaned back and crossed his legs.  “I know, you know, my father knows, I would do better than my brother.  He is weak and has no occupation, and fills the endless hours with dissipation, and I am disgusted with how the estate has been hurt.  Father has to sell what he can to keep up with the dear Viscount, and himself for that matter.  Your father was no drunk; he did not squander the assets and leave you with debts to settle at his death.  There is a great deal for you all to be proud of there, and hurting Georgiana hurts all of you equally.”

“That is true, I am certainly grateful for Uncle’s help.  And yours as well, Richard.”  Darcy smiled. 

“I am certain that Wickham is still lurking around somewhere.  I am surprised that the judge did not mention he had found his lair before, but then that was just after you married and were unavailable, and I was back to duty.  He did not know where to find me.  And with it empty, he just sent our men back out again.”

“And Wickham has truly vacated that place?” 

“It seems so.  Plenty of others will take him in, no doubt, he has his friends.  Our men found him once; it is only a matter of time.” 

“I am convinced they never married.  When he saw me he was scared.  Wickham is, if nothing else, ready to claim his entitlement.  If he married her, he would not have hesitated marching up to me and demanding the dowry in front of all of those witnesses.”  Darcy watched Richard’s head nod.  “I am glad to be able to bring Georgiana this news.”  He rubbed his forehead.  “I have not heard a word from her since the wedding.”

“What about your aunt?”

“She wrote her congratulations and said the staff is eager to meet Elizabeth.  They are hoping that Mrs. Gaston’s reporting is not fanciful or wishful thinking.  I cannot imagine what she told them.”  He smiled a little and turned the ring on his left hand.  “Richard, I know of your misgivings, but . . . Lord, I am so very happy.  In the midst of this trouble, I have the loveliest, liveliest, dear woman . . . I could not have imagined a better choice.”  He looked up to him. 

“I am sorry that I added to your burdens at such a difficult time.”  He studied the contented man and asked casually, “Any opinions of me lately?”

“Oh, she hates you.” 

“I suppose I deserved that. Seriously, though . . .”

“She will be cautious around you, I think.  Just as she will be with the few ladies who have come to call in the past days.  I stayed with her, of course, so they were particularly well-behaved, but the day will come when she is alone with them.  I think that she knows enough now that she will not receive their compliments naively.”

Richard nodded.  “She knows that they are looking for cracks to expose?”

“What is this I hear about you marrying a milkmaid, Darcy?”  Darcy and Richard looked around to see a group of men seated nearby, laughing and sniggering into their drinks.  “Well perhaps not that bad, but surely scraping the bottom of the barrel.”  Mortimer Grantley took a drink and bared his yellow teeth.  “You could have had my daughter and made a nice penny in the process.”

“That smacks of bitter grapes, Grantley.”  Richard said quickly and shot Darcy a look to stay seated.

“Mrs. Darcy’s worth is not measured in gold.”  Darcy said coldly.

“Looks fade, Darcy.  That is when that gold holds appeal!  She tickled your prick, so I’ve heard, or rather used her
arts and allurements
.”  Evan Tait grinned.  “You can pay for that, you do not have to marry it!”

“And what is this family I hear of?  What bargains may they procure for you?”

“Morley, I suggest that you rethink in what direction you cast stones.”  Darcy spoke softly as inwardly he seethed.  The elder man’s face coloured and his mouth snapped shut.  “As should the rest of you.  I also believe you should consider the source of information for your amusement.”  

“And perhaps meet the lady?”  Richard added.  Chastised, the group turned back to their drinks, muttering about how Darcy never had a sense of humour and shooting uncomfortable looks back to the two glowering men.  “Cowards.”  Richard snorted.  “They had their opening lines but could not continue the tease.”

“Tease?  Insult.  I will not forget it.”

“And they realize the mistake, look at them.  Morley seems worried and keeps looking back at you.  I bet he might come to apologize.  Do not listen, let him twist!”  Richard raised his brows and nodded.  “I am proud of you not jumping up and pounding them to a pulp.”

“What good would that do?  It would only encourage others who want to take the opportunity to bait me.  They are gnats, not worth my time.” 

“You are cool, Cousin.  I have always admired that in you.”  Richard smiled as Darcy looked away and nodded. “It seems that Aunt Catherine’s tongue has been at work, what other stories are going around about Elizabeth and her origins?” 

Darcy rubbed his ring.  “I do not know.  We have to be very careful with our public behaviour for the next few days since now we are known, and, with it being the slow season, clearly of great interest to those who are here.  Our attendance at the theatre Friday will essentially be her presentation.   Monday we will depart for Pemberley, and hopefully when we return for a little of the Season, there will be other new people to dissect.”

“Oh no, they will still be interested, all the country houses will empty and they will want a look at her.  Especially the ladies who were expecting a great deal from you this Season.”  He raised his brows and Darcy sighed.  “You danced last year, you know that their greedy little fingers were wiggling, just waiting for the chance to get in your pockets!”