From Pemberley to Paradise, page 13
And the green one was indeed Elizabeth’s choice too.
The seamstress from Pemberley cleaned and transformed the dress to suit Elizabeth like it was her own.
∞∞∞
Darcy came into her room the morning of their marriage—just before Elizabeth started to get dressed—bringing a large box of jewellery. Sitting in front of her dressing table, her hair in a high bun she was dressed in a night rail and a robe she put on when she heard him coming in. Darcy asked her maids to leave them alone and he opened the box to reveal a splendid emerald necklace. It was so delicate that Elizabeth did not dare to take it.
“Let me help you,” he said, placing the emeralds around her neck. He looked at her in the mirror, both admiring the necklace.
“It was one of my mother’s favourite pieces of jewellery.”
“I cannot possibly accept it; I shall give it back after the ceremony!”
“Shut up, Elizabeth, for once!” he said in a mild and loving tone. “The emeralds are yours, from my mother, for you are carrying her first grandchild! I want to see how they look on you!” He made her stand up and go in front of the mirror that dominated one wall. From behind, he gently dropped down her robe, exposing the emeralds in all their glory shining around her high, slender neck. She was almost naked, but she did not care. Quite unexpectedly, he bent and kissed her on the neck then he gently turned her around in his arms. She could still feel his lips on her neck, but then his lips were all over her and the kiss was neither cold nor friendly. It was like a summer storm, Elizabeth could hear the thunder in her ears coming from her heart and she was sure if she opened her eyes she would see the lightning.
Then he was gone, leaving her completely dazed in front of the mirror. No doubt, this time, the kiss had been real, his lips crushing hers, his hands trying to bring her even closer, which was impossible in the end as they were one body.
The maids came back bringing Jane with Georgiana and in the shortest time, her room was filled with all the ladies in the house.
Her hair was dressed in a braided ringlet bun decorated with small flowers. The maids finally uncovered the mirror in front of her for her to see the result. And indeed at the end, when she appeared dressed in the elegant green dress, wearing her bun like a queen all the ladies applauded. She was beautiful. Motherhood gave her a halo of light she did not have before, one that she felt coming from deep inside her where she was happy to be a bride.
∞∞∞
Darcy and the guests were long gone to the church when the colonel helped Elizabeth to climb into the elegant chaise—decorated with flowers and ribbons—waiting for her in front of the mansion.
Built in the 13th-century the parish church of St. John the Baptist had a close connection to the Darcy family which in the past owned a manor much closer to the church than the current mansion.
Elizabeth walked into the chapel on the colonel’s arm. As she stepped from the outside light into the church’s shadows, her body filled with the mystery she was about to live, chasing away the plans, the questions, dilemmas that brought her there. She was a bride and no one could take that from her. Like everybody else in the church, Darcy was glancing at her while his bride slowly came through the nave. She was so beautiful and delicate his heart stopped in wonder, but only his eyes could see—through the silk dress that was dancing around her—the slightly rounded belly where his child was. He was proud and happy when she stopped near him and looked up to see his face.
The church was enveloped by happiness; no one could tell how the bride and groom had come together, but when they made their vows and the minister blessed their union, a general sigh was heard from the people inside the church.
They were man and wife.
Darcy took her hand and looked at the ring he had placed on her finger only a moment earlier, wondering if she was as happy as he was.
There were many people outside waiting for them, including his tenants and workers from many miles away—they all came to see their new mistress. Children were waiting for their master to toss coins that would bring them happiness. A little girl of no more than four years old, wearing a white dress and flowers in her hair, gave Elizabeth a beautiful coloured bouquet of wildflowers; she was so sweet that Elizabeth took her into her arms while Darcy smiled at that perfect portrait. It was his dream, a little girl in a white dress waiting for him on Pemberley’s stairs.
“Mrs Darcy,” he said when he helped her climb in the chaise.
Elizabeth smiled, forgetting the other; he was her husband and that day nobody could take it away from her. Just before entering Pemberley’s grounds Darcy took a little road she did not know. They stopped near a vast enclosure with funeral stones within. Greenery and flowers inundated the place and each stone had its own bench.
Hand in hand, they sat in front of two stones, Anne Darcy and William Darcy. Elizabeth put her head on his shoulder and he took her into his arms as he said, “Mama, Papa this is Elizabeth…and the baby!” he laughed. Then in front of his parents, he kissed her as he wished to do since they left the church.
They sat in front of the stones for a long time, the only sound disturbing the silence was the birds’ chirp, butterflies were flying, a frog was watching them from the borders of the pond in the middle of the graveyard. Elizabeth waved to the greenish beast who jumped croaking, clearly upset by her gesture.
“You cannot stay still, can you?” he asked her. “I am wondering what kind of naughty girl I shall have.”
Elizabeth said nothing, she just wanted to sit on her knees and find the frog to apologise for disturbing its realm. But she could not, she remembered her beautiful silk dress and smiled, making him wonder what brought that smile to her face.
“The baby is moving,” she wondered; it was the first time she could feel and recognise that sensation.
“No!” he said excitedly. He made her lie on the bench, her head on his lap while he placed his hand on her stomach, waiting for his baby to move. And the baby moved.
“My God!” he exclaimed, filled with tremendous emotion. “She did move!”
“Why do you speak all the time about the baby as being a girl?” Elizabeth asked him on the way to Pemberley.
“Because I want a delicate and intelligent and good girl.”
∞∞∞
The first party was held in a vast courtyard located at some distance from Pemberley, where most of the houses of the staff were. Elizabeth was astonished to find a village at less than a mile distant from the park, clean, well-structured with beautiful little thatched cottages with wallflowers and trees.
“I did not know the servants did not live at Pemberley,” Elizabeth whispered to her new husband.
“Well, you do not know a lot of things about Pemberley…” he said, but in fact, he wanted to add, “and me!” but he kept silent, a smile on the corner of his mouth.
“Actually in this village live not only the servants but also their grown-up children who, sometimes, work in other places.”
In a large square, in the middle of the village was the longest table Elizabeth had ever seen, there was a little orchestra which started playing the moment Elizabeth and Darcy arrived, followed by their friends and family, the guests from Pemberley.
They were invited to sit at a table decorated with garlands. To Elizabeth’s surprise, all their guests followed the road to the village and sat at the table. Before sitting, Elizabeth asked Mrs Gibbert to accompany her and introduce every person at the gathering. The women and men bowed with much respect, Elizabeth smiled and kissed a child who gave her flowers; she spoke with everyone so happy to be there. Darcy was right behind her trying to hide his pride for the woman he had just married, but nobody was fooled, their master had found a mistress of his kind.
After a while, he invited Elizabeth to dance and everybody applauded at the end. But when a lad of no more than 15 years came to ask her to dance, Mrs Gibbert told him smiling, “Our mistress dances today only with our master, but in a year I am sure she will save a dance for you.”
∞∞∞
The day ended with a sumptuous supper. Around the table were the family, friends and neighbours who attended the church. A little orchestra was playing and most of the guests wished to transform the supper into a dancing party. Except for Elizabeth, who wanted just to sleep. And again Mrs Gibbert saved her, she whispered some words to her master who stopped the music for a moment to say, “Thank you all, my friends, for being with us on this special, wonderful day; my bride and I shall retire now and we shall also miss tomorrow. But you have all kinds of surprises prepared by the colonel—the master of ceremonies from now on. Goodnight, and thank you!”
Elizabeth just waved, but as soon as she was out of the room, she said, “I am exhausted.”
Mrs Gibbert took her hand while she addressed Darcy, “Please, sir, carry her to the room, she nearly sleeps!”
“Yes, Mrs Gibbert, she sleeps on all her great occasions!” he was not mean but somewhat ironic, yet he smiled seeing how angry the old maid was with him, “You cannot know, sir, how it is having your first child!”
With Elizabeth in his arms, Darcy plainly laughed. Mrs Gibbert had been in his family all his life and her parents had served his parents, yet it seemed lately she had another master…her mistress.
Once in her bed Elizabeth fell asleep like a baby, he lay down near her watching her sleep; he caressed her on her face while she opened her eyes just for an instant saying, “Thank you!”
All night long he stayed near her, sometimes he took her into his arms but even when he was further she could hear his breath, but as the morning broke, she found herself alone in bed. The fear invaded her. Where was he? Had he the audacity to leave his bride on their first day together... and go to the marchioness? Sad and angry, she rang for the maid.
It was again Mrs Gibbert, who came with the tea and biscuits she brought Elizabeth each morning to calm her nausea.
“Where is he?” Elizabeth cried, barely awake but Mrs Gibbert did not understand who she was searching for so desperately.
“Who, madam! Who are you searching for?”
Elizabeth lay her head on the pillow and whispered, “My husband!”
“Calm down, madam,” the old lady answered smiling; he is downstairs preparing your trip.
She helped her new mistress dress, keeping on her smile, thinking how wonderful it was to see two people so in love.
Chapter 21
Once installed in the chaise, Elizabeth asked with curiosity, “Where are we going?”
This carriage was bigger than the one they used a day before and it had boxes and luggage on the back.
“It is a surprise, my dear!” he said—so satisfied since Mrs Gibbert told him how his wife had called for him in the morning.
“We are going too fast,” she said, but Darcy had no intention of slowing down. He was driving the chaise himself while a servant was in the back. She could not say a word without being heard, so she closed her eyes and let the wind caress her.
They travelled for an hour, climbing and going down small hills. It was a hot day in late summer, the sun was still burning, but autumn was near. She fell asleep as she did so often, lately. He let her sleep even when they stopped at their destination. He thought he would carry her, but she opened her eyes with a smile that made his heart beat. The servant was carrying the boxes deep into the forest that appeared in front of them.
“It is not a forest,” Darcy said, “it is more a stand of trees, as you will see, but we need to walk for some minutes. Do you think you can walk?”
Elizabeth smiled again, “I am not ill, my dear! Of course, I can.”
But she was happy to find him worried about her. Maybe it was the baby that he cared about, but as long as the baby was with her, he took good care of them both.
They walked in silence side by side. From time to time, the sun pervaded through the trees lighting the path. It was her kind of walk; she enjoyed the sun and the trees, incredibly grateful for being together, alone in that perfect scenery. It took no more than ten minutes to arrive at a cottage. It appeared so unexpectedly that Elizabeth turned to Darcy in wonder, “It is amazing!” she said.
The servant had finished carrying their luggage and as he was ready to depart, Darcy said, “Thank you, John, we are expecting you tomorrow at noon!”
“So we are going to stay here until tomorrow?” she asked. Darcy could not but observe her tone; she was playful the way she used to be, but behind her little tease, there was a pleasure. She enjoyed being with him in that faraway place, the only girl—he knew—to be happier in a forest than in a palace.
“Come,” he said, taking her hand, “let me show you the cottage.”
The cottage might be remote from civilisation, but it was nicely furnished, with beautiful curtains and a huge bed that made Elizabeth smile, again that little smile that betrayed her delight.
“No, my lady,” he said, “I am not going to undress you and carry you to the bed if that is what you think!”
Elizabeth blushed like she had not in a long time as it was precisely her idea.
“You should be ashamed of yourself!” he said, laughing.
“Why?” she asked with her most naïve tone, she was still blushing but did not care, “I am your wife!”
Darcy was unpacking some clothes, but he turned to her, the clothes falling to the floor, forgotten as he took her into his arms.
He kissed her till her lips hurt, “Stop,” she whispered, “you are hurting me.” But she was smiling. He stopped for a second just to retake her in his arms this time caressing her bosom, kissing her neck while she closed her eyes incapable of defending herself. She recognised the sensation, his hand on her breasts made her cry as she did that first night together.
“Come,” he whispered as troubled as she was.
He took her by the hand guiding her outside. They took a few steps until in front of them opened an incredible sight, a small lake, no more than thirty feet large, with a cascade on the opposite side.
Elizabeth stood still in delight; it was the first time in her life to see a real cascade or a lake like that one, so bright, so perfect she could not believe her eyes.
“It is paradise,” she whispered. They were standing on a ponton, a good sign that the lake was well-known by others, but then she remembered the cottage which looked like the ideal hiding place for…lovers.
She looked at Darcy, wondering why he brought her here. But it lasted only a second, she did not care, she was there with him, she was his wife and from that moment on she let the enjoyment conquer every part of her body and soul.
“Come,” Darcy said again, while he put a blanket down on the ponton, “now you may undress!”
She looked at him a big frown on her face.
“What is it, Mrs Darcy?” he said, showing her the cottage. “Back there, you were ready to undress!”
“Awful man!” she said!
“At your service, madam!” he laughed, approaching her, “Raise your arms!”
But as she was not making any move, he undressed right there in front of her. She remembered feeling him naked near her. However, this time he had his underwear on but anyway it was the first time in her life to see in plain daylight a man almost naked.
One moment he was near her and the next he jumped into the lake splashing and laughing. Then he came back on the ponton, helping her undress. Still unsure, she crossed her hands across her chemise, but she was already wet as he was so near her.
“What do you think you are doing?” she cried, trying to resist him.
“Getting you into the water, to swim to the cascade!”
“Swim? I do not know how to swim!”
He stopped so abruptly that she almost fell into the lake, “You do not know how to swim?” He was more than astonished. “You do not ride, you do not swim, what kind of child were you?”
He looked at her as though she were some strange creature, but then he stopped and asked, “Do you trust me?”
Elizabeth laughed, she let her arms hang near her body, not hiding anymore, “Almost!” she said. “Don’t you have a boat or something?” she asked only to see him burst in laughter, “A boat! On this lake! Look what we are going to do.”
He showed her a log floating on the water near the cascade, “I shall bring the log here and you will catch it with your hands while I lead the log to the cascade.”
The next second he was in the water, swimming. Elizabeth stared at his body as it cut the waters. He was agile and powerful, it was the body she remembered so well from Netherfield, the body next to hers, and then atop of her. She closed her eyes as she remembered how it felt when he loved her.
In no time he was back.
Smiling, he helped her into the lake and catch the log, “Do you remember the frog from the graveyard, just try to do with your legs what the frog did.” And indeed, even without his help, the log advanced and, in a few moments, they were near the cascade.
Standing under the cascade, he finally took her into his arms.
It was paradise, a fine mist spray was caressing them, a sensation Elizabeth had never felt before. Her chemise was wet and useless; he just took it off without her saying a word then he threw their clothes ashore and she was in his arms again.
“Are you my wife, Elizabeth?” he said, caressing her breasts till she had to make him stop.
“Do you want to be my wife now, Elizabeth?” he asked with a hoarse voice while his hand was caressing her skin.
“Yes!” she cried. “I want…”
“What do you want, Elizabeth?” he asked again watching how her eyes became round with astonishment as he touched her in the most intimate places.
“What do you want? Name it, or I shall leave!”
