Chapter 34
Elizabeth was waiting in the shared sitting room for her husband to arrive.
A simple cold repast had been laid out for dinner, but she could not summon any appetite.
They had only travelled for two hours before stopping for the night.
Mr. Darcy had rented a cottage for them to ensure privacy on their wedding night but Elizabeth was too nervous to appreciate anything.
It was not that she was anxious to be alone with him, rather the opposite.
She had craved solitude with him, for her Fitzwilliam was always restrained in company.
The carefree, almost boyish charm that emerged when they were alone was dearer to her for it was meant only for her.
They were to go to Bath for a short honeymoon before going on to Pemberley.
The journey from Longbourn to Bath would not have taken more than two days, but Mr. Darcy had not wanted his bride to be tired and hence had planned for a full three days with multiple stops.
They had arrived at the cottage an hour back.
Elizabeth had been immediately worried at not seeing any maids around for she did not have a lady’s maid with her and would require help with the wedding gown.
A simple travelling dress she would have managed on her own, but this was too elaborate.
As if understanding her concern, her husband had taken her arm and guided her towards her chamber as the footmen brought in the luggage.
“Elizabeth, I had specifically requested that no servants be around except for the kitchen staff. I have waited too long for the privilege of being alone with you. And we do have our footmen staying outside if anything is needed.”
“Is there no maid around then?” she questioned, her worry apparent in her voice.
“Would you not allow me to help you?” He said almost too quietly for her to hear. When she did not respond he continued. “I can ask someone from the kitchens to come upstairs if you would prefer.”
“No! I mean, you may help me,” she said, blushing deeply. Her husband lifted her chin to look at him. “Elizabeth, I promise you I will not do anything that makes you uncomfortable. I understand that this intimacy will take some time getting used to.”
“You do not need to worry about me.”
“If not you, then who will I worry about?” He said with a soft smile as he embraced her.
“You were radiant today. The moment you entered the church, I had to physically restrain myself from walking up to you. How I have waited for this moment of solitude, Mrs. Darcy,” he said as he turned her towards the mirror and helped to undress her from the back.
Elizabeth was not sure what she had expected when Darcy had asked to help her but he applied the same precision to this task as he did with others.
Soon she was in her dressing gown. Her hair, untangled, fell on her back.
He gave her a chaste kiss as he went to his own chambers, where his valet awaited him.
She had been rooted to the spot for a few minutes before coming back to herself, using the water in the basin, she refreshed herself and then decided to wait for her husband in the sitting room.
She did not have to wait long before Mr. Darcy joined her.
He made her a plate from the selection and then served himself.
Seeing her just move the food around, he finally took the plate from her and pulled her to him in such a way that he lay flat on the sofa with her back resting against him.
He then slowly fed her from the plate nearby.
“I will not feign ignorance to your nervousness, dearest. It is only natural. I just wish to assure you that I mean to take our intimacy slowly. It has been a long day and all I wish is to be next to my wife and nothing else.”
At this Elizabeth turned to look at him with wonder, “But then why have this cottage?” she asked, surprised.
He smiled, pulling her to him again, “Because it allows me to be alone with you. I am done sharing your company. Just the two of us as we start our lives together.”
Elizabeth could not help the tears that welled up in her eyes as her heart filled up with love for this wonderful man.
They spent a couple of hours in the same posture as they spoke about all their hopes and dreams. Soon Elizabeth was yawning as her eyes felt heavy from sleep.
Darcy carried her to his chambers and once he had settled her on the bed, he joined her, holding her as they fell asleep.
The next day they started from the cottage after a late breakfast. Neither of them was in any hurry to complete the journey.
It was the company more than the destination that mattered.
By mid-morning they had finally left the cottage with a plan to travel for around six hours during that day.
Elizabeth felt much closer to her husband after last night.
His holding her as they slept had felt much more intimate than any other gesture of affection.
She now felt a little bold and as the carriage moved forward, cuddled up to him, much to his delight.
They spent the journey reading to each other for some time but most of it was spent in conversation.
Though by nature Darcy was a quiet person, with his new wife he had no dearth of topics to talk about.
Elizabeth’s playfulness had taken a new form where she would kiss her husband on his nose, his cheeks, or his forehead whenever she found him adorable, which was quite often.
Darcy had long craved the closeness that Elizabeth so effortlessly bestowed on her friends and family, but this was much beyond anything he had dreamed.
The few hours in the carriage were proving to be the best of his life thus far.
It was late evening when they arrived at the inn for the night.
They had travelled the whole day only stopping for changing horses once.
Thus, they were both tired and hungry and directly went up to the rooms reserved for them.
This night they refreshed themselves, had a light repast and then decided to retire.
Darcy’s sense of propriety was too much to allow him to sleep with his wife in a public inn.
Thus, both spent hours tossing and turning and missing the other when Elizabeth finally decided that she needed her husband’s company if she was to manage any semblance of sleep.
Ignoring his sensibilities, she knocked on his door and once it opened, she walked straight to the bed and made herself comfortable without a word to her stunned husband.
Slowly Darcy walked back and got into the bed and held his wife who was already deep asleep by then.
It was late in the afternoon the next day when they finally pulled up to the cottage in Bath.
The housekeeper and servants were standing outside to greet them and once the staff were introduced the couple retired to refresh and have a private meal.
Later she and Darcy walked around the cottage which was charmingly situated on the outskirts of the city.
The Crescent was visible at a distance from the upstairs window and Elizabeth could not help but stare at the charming view.
It was all so peaceful and quiet. The place was surrounded by a meadow and every window had an ivy climbing.
She could not have imagined a better place to start her new life.
As Darcy walked up to her, she turned and hugged him with a fierceness as she whispered, “make me your wife, Fitzwilliam. Fully and completely.”