Chapter Two #4
He swallowed hard, as if she had struck a chord of regret. “My father passed six years prior and my mother shortly after the birth of my sister. In retrospect, my father groomed me for the position of Pemberley’s master and Georgiana’s guardian from an early age. It is all I have ever known.”
“Georgiana? Your sister? Is she much younger than you, then?” Elizabeth finished off the last of her wine.
“She is twelve years my junior. Often, I feel I am her parent more than her brother,” he confessed.
“Then she is comparable in age to Lydia and Kitty,” Elizabeth observed.
“Georgiana is not as outgoing as your sisters. She is very shy and reserved.” There was a slight hesitation, which Elizabeth was not confident she understood.
At length, he continued in wary tones, “I never complimented you on your performance at Sir William’s, Miss Elizabeth.
You have a compelling voice. I do not believe I have ever heard ‘Lord Thomas and Fair Ellender’ done so well. ”
Elizabeth looked off, as if remembering some lost detail. “It is one of my favorites.”
“Such a song—a favorite?” His voice rose with anticipation, and again Elizabeth knew chariness.
“May I share a family secret with you, Mr. Darcy?” She made her decision to take him into her confidence.
“Sharing secrets?” he teased. “Our relationship moves to another level.”
“Mr. Darcy, you love to lampoon my words, but I take no offense.” She gazed at him steadily.
“I love the song because Lord Thomas, upon whom the tale is based, is a distant relative. My father’s family arrived in Hertfordshire many generations ago from Scotland.
The story of Lord Thomas Benning and his love for Fair Ellender haunts many a child in my bloodline. Is that silly? A woman’s fancy?”
Darcy felt his breath rush from his lungs.
His ancestor Ellender D’Arcy loved Elizabeth’s ancestor Lord Thomas Benning.
How could that be? Did Elizabeth know of the curse Ellender created with that love?
Was it design or Fate that brought Elizabeth Bennet to his notice? The thought rang clearly in his head.
“It is not foolish, nor is it simply a female fancy,” he began.
“Traditions—family traditions—are cherished, even if they take a tragic twist.” Not certain he wanted to continue the conversation, Darcy stood quickly.
Thoughts of curses and darkness and black magic filled him.
“I intend to retire on that note. Might I escort you to your room, Miss Elizabeth?”
She stood also, folding the shawl to replace it on the chair. “Thank you, Mr. Darcy.”
He retrieved the candle to light their way, and Elizabeth fell in step beside him. At the top of the stairs, they turned to their right. They paused outside her room. When she reached for the latch, he said politely, “Miss Elizabeth, this was a pleasant end to my evening. I enjoyed your company.”
“It was … it was … eye-opening,” she whispered as she impulsively leaned towards him.
Darcy had never used the powers he possessed on a woman.
An innocent was to be protected. But he held the ability to make Elizabeth not remember what occurred between them, and he was sorely tempted to do so now.
It would be so simple. Elizabeth would never know, and he could indulge his desire to kiss her and to touch her.
For long moments, they remained, neither of them moving.
They were only inches apart, so close he could see the fringes of her thick lashes.
“Scandalous propositions are always eye-opening,” he murmured as he edged even closer. A pull, something greater than himself, bade him to move.
“I believe I should partake of scandalous propositions more often,” she whispered.
She rested a hand on his chest, and Darcy wondered if she could feel his heart pounding so irrationally.
Lightly, she added, “Can you think of anything more scandalous than standing here in the middle of the night, dressed as we are?”
He could not say who moved first.
“Elizabeth,” he whispered, before lowering his mouth to hers.
Drinking of her lips, he pressed her against the doorjamb, but did not take her into his embrace.
Instead, Darcy angled his mouth to deepen the kiss, allowing his tongue to slip between her lips.
He knew he moaned, but he could not prevent the sound.
His world tilted suddenly, and he felt himself slip into dark, uncertain depths.
Never had he been so impetuous! If she wanted, Elizabeth Bennet could claim seduction and demand he marry her.
All of his plans to end the curse would be for naught, but Darcy did not care.
He kissed Elizabeth Bennet, and she returned his intrusion of her mouth with tentative attempts at intimacy.
She clutched the opening of his shirt in her hand, and Darcy felt his pleasure mount.
If she demanded marriage, he would agree wholeheartedly.
At length and very reluctantly, he ended the kiss, drawing his tongue across her sharp teeth, one at a time, wondering what they might do to his body. Their mouths lingered inches from each other, and their breathing came in short, chest-heaving gasps. He felt her presence in his blood.
“I believe that is as much scandal as I can bear for one night,” he murmured.
Elizabeth dropped her eyes and quickly straightened the wrinkles she had created in his shirt. “You are correct, Mr. Darcy. I am more adventurous than I imagined.”
She meant to step away, but Darcy caught her wrist. “Please … do not regret this moment.” He released her wrist and stroked Elizabeth’s chin line with the back of his hand.
“It was nearly as exquisite as you.” He paused, wondering if he should kiss her again.
“Good night, Miss Elizabeth,” he said finally, breathing the words into her hair before turning and striding away.
He heard her whisper, “Good night, Mr. Darcy,” but he did not look back.