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Elizabeth laughed again. “Yes, extremely well, Mr. Darcy.”

He placed another kiss upon her temple. “I am very glad to hear it. I want you to know I will do everything in my power to ensure your happiness, Elizabeth. I shall deny you nothing that will bring you pleasure. You need only ask.”

Elizabeth withdrew her head from his shoulder and turned so she could look upon his face. The love and devotion she saw in his eyes was overwhelming, and for a moment, she was too overcome to speak. Holding his intense gaze, she drew closer to him and swallowed several times. “Kiss me then, Fitzwilliam,” she whispered, and without any further encouragement, he did just that.

*   *   *

The wedding breakfast had been proclaimed a monumental success by all in attendance, and to Mrs. Bennet’s immense delight, Lord and Lady Matlock had been impressed by all the attention she had paid to even the most minute of details. Even Darcy had to agree that Elizabeth’s mother had quite outdone herself, though her resulting success had been at the expense of his staff, who had suffered immensely under the strain of her command.

As a special surprise to Darcy, Mr. Bennet announced the removal of his entire family party to the Gardiners’ house on Gracechurch Street for the remainder of their stay in London, which would conclude in two weeks’ time. Lord and Lady Matlock invited Georgiana to stay with them in Berkeley Square, as well, and after some further consultation between the two families, an invitation to Matlock House was also extended to Jane, Mary, Kitty, and Lydia so the five young ladies might continue to benefit from one another’s society. Colonel Fitzwilliam made a valiant attempt to disguise his horror at such a prospect, but there was very little he could do about it, since he did not have a house of his own to which he might escape the effusive, not to mention persistent, admiration of Elizabeth’s two youngest sisters. Only out of complete desperation did he plead his case to his cousin for temporary asylum at Darcy House.

As could be expected, his request was met with hearty laughter. “You must be desperate, indeed, to make such an outrageous request of me on my wedding night, Fitzwilliam. But I am afraid I must disappoint you, Cousin, as I have no plans whatsoever of entertaining the likes of you when I now have a beautiful new wife to distract me with her considerable charms.”

“Be not alarmed, Darcy,” Colonel Fitzwilliam countered in a tone that begged him to reconsider, “I assure you I will be no bother at all. As a soldier in Her Majesty’s Army, I am quite used to amusing myself. I shall not interfere with you and your lovely bride.”

Darcy could not but laugh again. “It pains me to say it, Fitzwilliam, but I am afraid you will just have to bear the Miss Bennets’ visit with fortitude. After all, is that not what they teach you soldiers in the army?”

Colonel Fitzwilliam grumbled something incoherent that Darcy could not quite make out, but laughed at all the same, and before he could be set upon once again by Lydia, quickly moved to quit the room.

It was not until late in the evening that all their guests finally departed Darcy House, leaving the newly married couple completely to themselves but for the servants. The door had barely shut upon Mr. Bennet, who, Darcy suspected, had purposely stayed to such a late hour only to inflict some form of final punishment upon his son-in-law for the liberties he had taken before his marriage to his favorite daughter, when the clock struck nine o’clock.

Without preamble, Darcy pulled Elizabeth into an intimate embrace, claiming her lips with a passionate kiss that left her clinging to him, breathless and wanting more of the same. He was only too happy to oblige her by trailing his lips along the delicate curve of her neck, across her shoulders, to the ample swell of her breasts as they teased him from beyond the neckline of her gown. Not until his attentions produced a moan from his wife did Darcy’s senses finally return, and he discovered they were still standing in the middle of the front hall on full display.

Gathering Elizabeth in his arms, he held her for several moments, willing his rapid breathing to slow. He placed a kiss upon her curls and inhaled her scent. “My wife,” he whispered, his voice full of feeling.

Elizabeth gave him a mischievous smile as her fingers toyed with his cravat. “Is there nothing you would care to show me in your study, Mr. Darcy?”

He stared at her a moment in incomprehension before a rakish smile overspread his face. “I should say not. Tonight, Mrs. Darcy, I shall ravish you properly—in our bed in the master’s chambers, where you belong.”

She giggled, and lifting her easily in his strong arms, he raced up the staircase and down the corridor leading to his private rooms, pausing only long enough to push open the door and kick it closed again with a thrust of his foot. It was with great embarrassment that they were then met by Darcy’s valet, Mr. Stevens, who had been waiting to attend his master.

Without releasing his wife or tearing his gaze from her crimson countenance, Darcy dismissed his rather perturbed valet with strict orders not to return on the morrow unless summoned. Darcy then instructed him to relay a similar message to Sonia, who was, undoubtedly, awaiting Elizabeth in the mistress’s chamber. With what dignity remained in his possession, Mr. Stevens hastened from the room.

Darcy carried his blushing bride to the bed and laid her upon it, reclaiming her mouth with a tenderness that sent delicious shivers through her body. Elizabeth deepened their kisses and coiled her fingers into his hair. She pressed herself against her husband’s strong body and felt his arousal grow even harder against her.

With a moan, Darcy buried his face in her neck and ran his tongue along her flesh while his hands busied themselves with her breasts. Through the silk of her gown, he felt her nipples become hard and took to rolling them between his fingers, eliciting a gasp and then a low moan from Elizabeth. Disentangling her fingers from his hair, she explored his upper body. When she reached his waist, she lingered there, caressing his waist and hips. Darcy rolled onto his back, bringing Elizabeth with him, and kissed her with feeling as she kilted her skirts above her knees and straddled him.

Darcy released her and ran his fingers over her stockinged legs with a featherlight touch until he reached her garters. Elizabeth arched back her neck, enjoying the sensation of his hands as they caressed her. He unfastened her garters and eased her silk stockings from her legs before continuing his exploration, onward to her hips and then to her derrière, which he massaged and kneaded as she rocked herself against him. Her breathing increased with each movement, and she felt deeply satisfied when she heard her husband’s gasp of pleasure.

Darcy’s hands slid upward along her back to the many intricate fastenings of her gown. Elizabeth leaned forward and claimed his mouth with hers, their tongues performing an intimate dance. Many, many minutes passed before he finally managed to undo the very last button, tugged gently at the delicate material, and freed his wife’s shoulders from the confines of her gown. His mouth descended to her newly exposed skin while his hands moved onward to release her breasts, and further still, until Elizabeth’s dress pooled around her hips. She helped him with her corset, chemise, and petticoats, and soon, Darcy beheld her in all her splendor as she sat astride him, her body glowing in the moonlight that filtered down upon them from the windows on either side of the bed.

He gasped at the sheer beauty of her, moved beyond words as he savored the sight of her curves and the passion in her eyes as she returned his intense gaze.