“What are you thinking, William?”
Elizabeth’s voice startled him from his reverie.
“Hmm.” Darcy nestled his head against Elizabeth’s neck. “Truth be told, my dearest, I was contemplating the sheet.”
Elizabeth pulled slightly out from him and asked, “The sheet?”
“Yes. You remember…”
“Of course, but that is what you were just thinking of?”
Darcy nodded his head. “More along the lines of not needing the sheet. Nor a door, nor a room, nor a house ever separating us again.”
Elizabeth smiled and looked around her at the small cabin. “Are we to stay here for the night, then?”
Darcy’s eyes widened. “Here? I should say not! I have something arranged that I trust you will find more pleasantly accommodating. A little more spacious in regards to certain amenities.” He glanced at the bed as he said this and Elizabeth, blushing, turned away.
But a sense of disappointment swept over her and she looked back at Darcy. “I think I would prefer to spend our first night here.”
Darcy looked at her incredulously. “But Elizabeth, certainly you cannot expect us…” He looked at the beds and back to her in exasperation. “I have no intention of sleeping in separate beds after all the time I have waited! These beds are barely wide enough for one person, let alone the both of us!”
“Please, my love?” Her drawn-out plea and her twinkling eyes gave him a moment’s pause to reconsider.
But then, quickly, he answered, “No, Elizabeth. I promise you that you will greatly prefer the plans I have made.”
“You were hoping to spend the night at your townhome, were you not?”
Darcy shook his head, “Our townhome and, as a matter of fact, no, I had something else in mind.”
“And what would that be?”
Darcy shook his head. “I wish it to be a surprise.”
Elizabeth suddenly pulled herself out of Darcy’s lap and stood up, folding her arms in front of her. “Is there any reason, other than your judgment that the beds are too small, that we cannot stay here for the night?”
“That is reason enough for me!”
Darcy stood up and walked over to Elizabeth. A very mischievous look crossed her face and she pulled herself up against her him. “If I recall correctly,” Elizabeth began, “when I awoke that night we had to sleep on the floor, we were not taking up much space together at all!”
Darcy smiled as he recollected waking up to Elizabeth snuggled tightly against him and forcing himself to think of her as Caroline Bingley to ensure his behaviour was kept in check. “Are you saying you wish to sleep on the floor?”
Elizabeth smiled. “If we end up there, so be it. I would merely like to spend our wedding night where we were first married.”
A wide grin spread across Darcy’s face as he battled with Elizabeth’s romantic notions and insistence. He finally relented.
Drawing close to Elizabeth again, he said, “I shall inform the captain that we will be spending the night here and have Durnham bring in our overnight bags.” He leaned down and gave her a tender kiss.
After Darcy returned and they waited for the meal to be brought in, he poured the wine and the two sat at the table, reflecting on their journey to America and their journey back to each other.
The winter sun descended quickly toward the horizon, and soon the room was illuminated solely from the candles. They ate their perfectly prepared meal in the ambiance of a candlelit room, rocking softly to the rhythm of the gentle swells of the Thames River.
Although Darcy hated to leave Elizabeth, he knew it would be only proper for him to give her some privacy to allow her to ready herself for bed. He stepped out of the cabin and walked toward the dining room where he found Durnham and Winston visiting with some of the crew. He stopped and talked with them and then walked out on the deck.
As he walked, he thought back to those times out here when he had struggled about his feelings for Elizabeth. How could he have waited so long to tell her he loved her? He felt a tremor pass through him as he considered that after they departed the ship, he might never have found her again. He closed his eyes at just the thought of that possibility.
His thoughts took him back to Elizabeth, who was now back in their cabin, readying herself for him to come to her, and it was all he could do to not return to the room directly. He walked the deck a couple of times and finally decided he had allowed her sufficient time.
He came to their door and lightly knocked. “Elizabeth…”
“Come in,” Elizabeth answered softly.
Just hearing those simple words from Elizabeth’s mouth made Darcy’s heart race and his mouth go dry. He slowly reached down and took the door handle in his hands, giving it a turn. As the door swung open, he looked in; his eyes needed a few moments to adjust to the soft dimness of it. Elizabeth had extinguished most of the candles save a few.
She was still sitting in front of the mirror when he first walked in and saw her. He was rendered speechless as he watched as she unhurriedly stood up and turned around. The gown she wore shimmered and clung to her curves. His eyes took in every inch of her standing before him as well as the back of her from the reflection in the mirror.
He was so captivated by the sight of her, he was torn whether to take those few steps and take her in his arms or stand and watch her from afar.
He was finally able to muster the words, “Elizabeth, you are beautiful.”
She looked down and smiled. As he still seemed incapable of movement, she began walking toward him. She came up to him and wrapped her arms about his waist, looking up at him. He needed no further prompting to take her in his arms.
As his lips came down upon hers, she suddenly felt all apprehensions about the night disappear. She felt right in his arms and he felt so right in hers. Their kiss grew in intensity and soon their passions were ignited beyond abandoning.
At length, Elizabeth noticed that her husband had never closed the door to the room. “Dearest husband, it will not do to have me standing here in this attire and in such a passionate embrace for all the ship’s crew to see. Would you mind closing the door?”
Darcy kept his arms tightly wrapped around Elizabeth as he used his foot to manoeuvre the door closed behind him. It shut with a resounding bang that announced to all that from now until dawn, they were to be left alone, no visitors would be accepted, and no interruptions would be tolerated.
***
The door to the cabin did not open again until almost 9:30 the next morning. For two people who enjoyed rising in the early hours, it was evidence that neither had slept adequately.
They took a leisurely walk arm in arm up on deck and then proceeded to the dining room. The chef in the ship’s galley had prepared a simple morning repast and they enjoyed it while sitting alone at the table Elizabeth had been sitting at when Darcy made his unusual offer of marriage. They both looked around them, knowing it might be the last time they would ever see the ship.
“Must you truly sell the ship, William?” Elizabeth asked in a melancholy manner.
“No, but I believe it to be the best thing to do.”
His hand went to the back of Elizabeth’s neck and kneaded it gently.
Elizabeth sighed contentedly and then said with a touch of resignation, “I shall truly miss it.”
Darcy only nodded and smiled.
When they finished their meal and Durnham and Winston had taken out their bags, Elizabeth took Darcy’s arm as they walked toward the door that brought them back out on deck. Before they reached it, though, they came to a hanging sign that boasted the name of the ship.
“A moment, please,” Darcy said. He called out to one of the crewmen that was working in the dining room and asked if he could assist.