Page 55 of The Sole Love

He did not look back to see his friend’s grateful expression. He searched for Elizabeth, and when he found her, he wordlessly invited her to take his arm and led her outside, where the chaise waited for them.

Elizabeth tried to protest, looking for the others, but Darcy answered decisively. “The colonel and Georgiana will excuse us to Lady Matlock, and I am sure she will understand. Besides, she is coming to dinner, and you will have time to talk to her then. Come, I want to show you Pemberley.”

The prospect of such a ride overcame all her resistance. She wanted to be with him and discover his favourite places. During their journey to Matlock two hours earlier, she had been too preoccupied with Mr Bingley’s arrival to notice much of their surroundings.

This time, they rode in silence for a while, simply enjoying being together.

“This wood extends almost to the other side of the estate; it is rather like a boundary,” he said, and she wondered how immense the Pemberley estate was. Then the road entered the fields. From time to time, men along the way took off their hats and bowed, while, to his delight, Elizabeth waved with genuine pleasure, smiling at each of them.

She saw a child no more than five years old running to catch them. His mother was behind him, calling his name, but the little boy did not hear her. Elizabeth asked Darcy to stop the chaise and help her down to receive him.

“Philip,” his mother kept calling while Philip looked with fascination at the chaise and the beautiful lady. He gave Elizabeth a bunch of flowers and laughed as she bent down to kiss him. Finally, his mother arrived and, curtseying, apologised, but Elizabeth’s smile reassured her.

“Who are you?” the boy asked.

Again, his mother tried to apologise, but Darcy looked at him and said, “This lady shall be my wife.”

To their surprise, little Philip looked her over from head to toe before apparently reaching a decision.

“She is beautiful!”

Once again in the chaise, Elizabeth could hardly contain her excitement. “I shall be your wife? Why me?”

“Because you are beautiful. You heard him. Even little Philip could see that.”

“We shall never come here again without bringing little gifts for the children,” she said.

Darcy looked at her and saw his mother, who had known everyone on their estate by name and whose carriage, whenever she rode around the fields, had always been full of gifts.

“Yes, madam,” he said, touched by her unmistakable resemblance to Lady Anne.

“And we should do more for the children’s schooling,” she continued, but this time she was already making plans, and he no longer counted.

“Have I ever told you I love you?” he asked without looking at her.

“Oh yes…you have, and you added that it was despite my inferiority!” she replied with a smile.

“Just one more harsh word, Elizabeth, and I shall love you here in this uncomfortable chaise.”

“You would not dare!” she said as he stopped the chaise in the middle of the road and took her into his arms.

She struggled a little, and Darcy immediately released her. He looked into her eyes.

“Elizabeth?”

She did not move away.

Then, his eyes fixed upon hers, he caressed her bosom and watched her eyes close.

“Every inch of this body will be mine, caressed and kissed millions of times,” he whispered. “Are you ready to be mine?”

“Yes, I am ready,” she said.

“Open your eyes, my love.”

Blushing, she looked at him, and he saw urgency in her eyes and felt it in her body’s response to his kisses.

“Is that a final yes?”