Eternal Flame ~ A Pemberley Fairy Tale

Chapter Twenty-three

Darcy sat on his bed, unwinding the constricting cloth from around his neck. Years ago he’d worn the starched white linen with pride, dressing as befitted his status as a well-born gentleman, but now it was a relic of a bygone age; a strait-jacket of pomp and circumstance he was glad to discard. He unfastened the engraved cuff-links, dropped them onto the bedside table and rolled up his sleeves.

In contrast to his first wedding, their guests today had been mostly working men and women who woke early every morning to tend their animals and crops. Even the nuptials of their master and new mistress did not excuse them from those responsibilities and by seven o’clock that evening the house had returned to its usual stately calm.

He pulled off his boots and socks, closing his eyes as he buried his toes in the soft pile of the bedside rug. At this moment Liz was in her room preparing for their first night together. He could only wait with impatience.

Kelly and Mrs Reynolds had done a wonderful job, transforming the mistress’s chamber from a dusty disused room to the welcoming space he remembered from before. Although he’d offered Liz carte blanche to replace the old wallpaper with something more modern, she hadn’t been ready to lose something that had the power to bring back such pleasant memories.

Liz’s acceptance of her former incarnation had breathed new life into the cold stone of his heart. The brief fragments of insight into her nineteenth century self had given her a deeper and more complete understanding of his existence. Even those true and loyal friends he’d made among the families at Pemberley had never been able to fully grasp his isolation, but Liz had bridged that gap. With her memories of his past and her acceptance of his present she knew him in a way no one had ever known him before, not even Elizabeth.

Tonight was the culmination of one hundred and ninety five years of waiting. His torment would end and he could continue the rest of his natural life with the woman he loved. In his mind it was long overdue, but the reward was better than he had ever hoped for.

He heard a faint knock and opened his eyes. Liz hovered on the threshold, her knee-length satin kimono covering everything except her shapely legs. A beautifully wrapped wedding present. “May I come in?”

“Of course.” Primal emotions stirred within him, sloughing away all thoughts of curses and waiting. She was his wife, to do with as he pleased, but he could only think of pleasing her. “I thought you might need more time to prepare.”

Liz sighed as she closed the door behind her. “Any more waiting will turn my nerves against me.”

He crossed the room, taking her hands in his and bringing them close to his heart. “There’s really nothing to worry about.”

“So speaks the voice of experience.” Her voice quivered and she swallowed. “It’s hard not to worry, considering the circumstances. There’s a lot riding on this night; your whole future, in fact.”

William released one of her hands, guiding her across the room with the other. He didn’t want her to focus on anything except him and their night together. A bottle of champagne stood on a silver tray next to two flutes. He popped the cork, catching the bubbles as they tumbled into the glass. “Forget about tomorrow. Concentrate on the here and now. This might help.”

She took a sip, sneezing as the fizz tickled her nose. “You think getting me drunk is the answer?”

“No, not drunk. I’m trying to relieve the tension. I want you to relax and be happy.”

“I’m already happy. Being here with you is enough for that.”

He leaned towards her, pressing his lips against her forehead then her nose, as her sweet coconut scent swirled around him. The champagne on her breath mixed with his, sending his senses pitching and swirling. He moved his hand down her back, smoothing the soft satin beneath his palm, then he swept her up into his arms and carried her over to the canopied bed, laying her gently down with her head on the pillow.