Page 42 of The Sole Love

“You are resplendent in the morning, Miss Elizabeth,” he whispered, fixing his eyes on hers.

“And you are so elegant, Mr Darcy, for such a long journey.”

They both smiled.

That woman had a reply for every word he said. Their life would never be boring. They would surely fight fiercely in the morning and make passionate love at night, with no trace of disagreement remaining between them. Elizabeth would be the mistress of his heart and his domain. He saw in her a spark of passion but also those qualities that completed a woman: compassion and justice. She would argue with him and the next moment be a perfect mistress of the house.

“Do you want to sleep?” he asked teasingly.

“No, I could not,” she answered with a sincerity that disarmed him. He could no longer tease her or contend with her…only love her. She had been sincere, and the tension between them was too great to sleep or even to rest.

Yes, Mr Darcy, it is impossible to sleep next to you.

And with each mile that passed, one thought continued to engross her. She wanted to be in his arms. But not the mere embrace of the previous day. She wanted him to kiss her, and the urge was so intense that her body stirred every time she looked at him. She had thought that travelling together would be an endless delight, while, in fact, it soon became sweet torture. They were too close and still not close enough. They wanted to be alone, and yet they had at least three days ahead of them in a shared carriage.

He observed his sister and Mrs Gardiner carefully to be sure they were asleep, then turned to Elizabeth and whispered so quietly that it was a mere movement of his lips, “I want to hold you!”

He watched her bite her lip, apparently sharing his urge. It was unbearable. It was wonderful, and perhaps for the first time, some of the uncertainty and confusion surrounding their relationship dissipated. Not completely, but enough for each of them to feel that what existed between them was love and that it was shared.

∞∞∞

They made two stops, but each time, all their party was around them. At least when they were outside the carriage, they could breathe, their incredible yearning tempered by the presence of others. Each time, he managed secretly to touch her hand or assist her in and out of the carriage. Their attempts to show an interest in their family were rarely successful. If someone spoke to Elizabeth, she smiled and nodded, while Mr Darcy gave short answers, his eyes searching for Elizabeth.

“Elizabeth looks more like Jane than our old Lizzy who climbed all the trees,” said Mrs Gardiner, sharing a smile with Mr Bennet when they arrived at their destination, a beautiful estate surrounded by woods, with a fairy-tale mansion covered in ivy, its towers and massive stone walls rising above them. However, the austerity of the exterior was deceptive, as inside they found a cosy parlour and pleasant little rooms furnished with exquisite objects from another time.

Their hosts received them so warmly that they immediately felt at home. The Morrisons were happy to have guests, even if their house could barely accommodate them all.

Mrs Gardiner, who spent a few days there each summer with her husband, had already described the arrangements.

“We shall not have enough space, and the girls will probably have to share two rooms, but it is such a nice place that, after a full day’s journey, you will be happy to find comfort and a good meal.”

They all agreed that it was pleasant to rest there for the night. Elizabeth and Jane invited Miss Darcy to stay with them, and Mr Darcy saw his sister’s happiness among her new friends. The prospect of sharing a room was delightful for a girl who had had her own apartment since she was a toddler.

In so many ways, her life would also change after…

He wanted after to come as soon as possible. He was almost certain of Elizabeth’s feelings, but he immediately conceded that even the time they spent together before their engagement was exciting and helped him know Elizabeth better.

Waiting for her and the other ladies to accompany them on a stroll before dinner, he acknowledged that he was incapable of finding any flaw in Elizabeth. When he saw her coming, her eyes already fixed on his, his heart filled with love and anticipation.

Georgiana was accompanied only by Miss Mary, and Darcy secretly approved of their blossoming friendship. He kept it to himself, but despite all his efforts, he did not care for Miss Lydia or Miss Catherine and considered them poor examples for his sister. Miss Mary, on the other hand, was the sister he scarcely knew. Usually alone and discreet, she spoke infrequently, and he observed that she always had a book to read whenever a convenient moment arose.

“You cannot get lost in the woods,” Mrs Morrison told them as they prepared to depart. “Just follow one of the two paths and then come back. Dinner is in less than an hour.”

At sunset, a strange silence engulfed the place. They strolled for a while through the silent wood; not even a warble could be heard. Mary and Miss Darcy left them behind and ran like much younger girls, laughing as they tried to hide from them.

“If you get lost, we shall leave you here with the bears and the lions,” Mr Darcy shouted, amused.

The couple could hear their laughter, and Mary answered, “There are no bears or lions here, sir, only some squirrels.”

And they disappeared.

“They are so good together.” Elizabeth intended to begin a casual conversation, but the man beside her gently turned her to face him.

“And what about us, Elizabeth? How are we together?”

His voice was so close that she shivered with a joy she no longer tried to hide. There was no need for pretence between them now. Alone in the quiet wood, she could finally admit how much had changed between them.

“We, Fitzwilliam? What is the meaning of ‘we’? Is there a ‘we’?”