Chapter 2.8 #3
At Longbourn, Darcy spent most of the time with the gentlemen, but whenever he had a chance, he would secure a few private moments with Elizabeth.
He declared she was his peace and comfort, and only holding her hands or embracing her or stealing a kiss would dispel his distress.
And there was plenty of distress as Longbourn was full of people most of the time.
It seemed Mrs Bennet daily invited some of those four-and-twenty families with whom she was on familiar terms.
There were still occasions when Darcy left everyone for a ride by himself.
At her question, he only replied that he needed some time for calm and reflection, and she could not argue with that.
His lonely departures were balanced with the times when the entire party went for peaceful rides around the estate: Jane, Bingley, the Gardiners, and the Darcys.
Mr Gardiner would take Margaret with him in the saddle while Becky preferred Darcy and was beyond herself with happiness when he allowed her to take the reins in her small hands.
Elizabeth still struggled to maintain the pace of the others, but she was increasingly successful.
∞∞∞
Four days before the wedding, the entire Longbourn household became a maddening din.
Later in the afternoon, the sky became dark with clouds, and Darcy, Elizabeth, and Bingley decided to return to Netherfield before the rain started.
None of the ladies opposed that plan—Mrs Bennet because she was too busy establishing the dishes for the wedding breakfast, and Miss Bennet because she would not expose her beloveds to the danger of riding in the storm.
After mounting their horses and while Elizabeth gently petted Summer, Darcy suddenly said, “Perhaps we should take the road through the wood. It is shorter.”
Bingley readily agreed while Elizabeth looked at him in disbelief. This was a day completely unsuited for a ride through the woods.
Darcy kept his horse close to hers, asking frequently whether she was well. The path was steeper, but Summer seemed comfortable with it.
Shortly, Elizabeth’s surprise increased as she noticed the horses were directed toward the old cottage—the place she had so long wanted to see again. She gazed at her husband, intrigued but very pleased, and he seemed content with her reaction.
Unexpectedly, he stopped and dismounted then took the reins and halted Summer, stretching his arms to help Elizabeth down.
“We should walk further. Bingley, please take care of the horses.”
The two gentlemen apparently had a previous understanding, so Elizabeth could do nothing but take her husband’s hand and follow him.
“William, are we going to the cottage?”
“Yes, my love.”
He said no more, and she chose not to inquire. In a few minutes, as the wind started blowing and a few single drops of rain began to fall, they spied the cottage through the green trees.
“Oh, it is beautiful! And the wood is so fresh, so full of life. Spring is so lovely!”
“Yes, it is,” Darcy answered, kissing her hand, then both took a moment in front of the cottage. He put his hands on her shoulders and kissed her cheeks.
“Shall we enter?”
He opened the door, and before she had time to recover, he lifted her in his arms and stepped in. Elizabeth gasped in surprise and put her arms around his neck, their eyes locked. Without a word, he slowly put her down, and she finally took her eyes from his and looked around.
She gasped in astonishment as her eyes sparkled with tears.
“Oh, William, this is…”
“I have been waiting for this day…for a rainy day…to bring you here again.”
“Oh, William” were the only words she kept repeating.
Everything looked as she remembered yet entirely different. The wooden furniture, the floor, the windows, the closet—even the small bed in the adjoining room—were clean and tidy. On a small table, there was a kettle and some cups of tea.
“Let me start the fire.” He smiled, brushing his lips on hers. “It should be warm enough soon.”
Speechless and tearful, Elizabeth watched her husband’s every move.
He pulled a small package from his inner pocket, knelt in front of the fireplace, and a moment later, a bright, red flame lit the chamber.
Afterward, he unfolded the package he had carried and put some cold meat, fruits, cheese, and bread on a plate.
Only then did he turn to meet Elizabeth’s eyes, where she remained motionless in the middle of the cottage.
Her expression—breathless, tearful, biting her lower lip with emotions matching her happiness—melted his heart.
He had thought of that moment from the day they had last been there.
He wished—and planned—to return together someday soon to complete their wonderful memories with new ones even more unforgettable.
Once they arrived in Hertfordshire, he had hired two men to restore the cottage to a liveable condition, and he went daily to supervise the project.
He was sorry to have to deceive Elizabeth, but it was his strongest desire to make her a surprise she would never forget.
And there she was—more beautiful than ever—and he took his reward as he had so many times before from her bright eyes that enveloped him in an adoring gaze. That was what he had hoped.
They stepped toward each other and their arms entwined in a tender embrace.
“William, sometimes I fear my heart will break in pieces from so much happiness. No words can express how I feel now. This is…I cannot imagine anything more wonderful. And I thought you did not care to see this place again. I am such a simpleton! I thank you so much, my love!”
“It was my fault that I concealed my intentions from you. But I hope you forgive me. The delight on your face was worth any effort.”
“You should forgive me for doubting your intention, my beloved husband.” She leant her head against his chest, and he gently removed her bonnet then kissed her temple.
Outside, the rain intensified, and hasty drops were falling on the roof like a drumbeat.
“I am so happy it is raining,” she whispered. “I hope it will not stop soon.”
“I planned to spend the night here if you agree. It should be comfortable enough, I hope.”
She rose on her toes and teased his lips with her fingers. “You and I and the solitude of this magical place—how could I possibly wish for more? And you waited all these days just for the rain? I did not know you were such a patient man, sir.”
His lips searched her, tasting and tantalising them playfully.
“I hoped it would…just as when we met. I can be patient when necessary, madam.”
“It seems the sky has plotted with you, my dear husband.”
“Yes, it is quite fortunate. And I confess I also colluded with Bingley and your father, so they both know where we are. Nobody will worry about us. And I brought some food, so we can make tea and—”
“I am not even surprised anymore. You always think of everything. But I am not hungry at all…and I can hardly think of anyone or anything else,” she whispered, kissing him passionately.
Then, still tightly embraced, she pushed him into the armchair by the fireplace and sat on his lap.
Their words were crushed between hungry lips as they both recollected her in that same armchair four months before—wet, scared, frozen, and wrapped in dirty blankets.
She stopped for a moment, her eyes meeting his.
“I remember how cold I was. My body felt trapped in a cage of ice; then I slowly started to warm—by the fire you made but also by your care and kindness and by the new sides of your character that I began to discover. And I have been warming ever since. Your arms, your love, your care never allowed me to be cold again.”
“My beautiful, dearest Elizabeth…” he replied, covering her face with sweet, tender small kisses, like a warm, sunny rain.
The rest of the day and the entire night, their lovemaking was only interrupted by shared memories, confessions of past feelings, and professions of their present life.
Every word, every recollection, every image from the past enhanced their passion, and their growing desire was hardly satiated until dawn. And the fire burning steadily in the fireplace had little to do with the warmth that indulged their bodies and their hearts.