“You just hope to keep me to yourself, sir!” she retorted playfully.

His arm snaked out and caught her around the waist, pulling her onto his lap. “Absolutely correct, my dearest.”

She wound her arms around his neck. “You, Mr. Darcy, are the most forward man of my acquaintance,” she said with an impudent smile.

He stole a breathtaking kiss. “I see that you are finally beginning to understand me, Mrs. Darcy.”

She nibbled playfully at his ear. “I must ask you, however, to release me, else Jane will be quite shocked by our behavior.”

“One kiss first, my love,” he said. With a smile, she met his demand, and, as he had hoped, one kiss turned into rather more. She was still in his arms when Bingley escorted Jane in, causing Elizabeth to scramble off his lap ungracefully.

It was obvious that restoring her dignity was a lost cause, so she gave a guilty smile as she went to embrace Jane. She whispered an apology for embarrassing her in Jane’s ear.

“No need for that, Lizzy,” Jane said with a smile. “I am becoming inured to it!”

This statement, coming from Jane, was quite a surprise, and Lizzy took a closer look at her sister, only to note that her delicate lips were ever so slightly swollen. Jane? she wondered to herself, and a look at the brightness of Bingley’s smile only added to her suspicions.

She did not have a chance to confirm her supposition, however, until after dinner when Darcy and Bingley were thoughtful enough to allow the two women to retire by themselves for a time. She turned to Jane with a look of mischief and said, “Dearest Jane, if I did not know better, I would think that you had been allowing Mr. Bingley to kiss you tonight!”

Jane blushed deeply. “Lizzy!” she exclaimed in deep embarrassment.

Elizabeth took her hand remorsefully. “I am sorry to tease, Jane. I will not raise the subject again.”

“No, dearest Lizzy, I am not afraid to speak of it, only embarrassed… it is my own fault, you see.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Mr. Bingley had nothing to do with it?”

“Oh, Lizzy, I have behaved dreadfully! It began the day after you arrived. I was telling him what a lovely talk you and I had, and how contented you seemed with marriage to Mr. Darcy. We had both been concerned, you know, after you fought on the day you became engaged—and then I just kissed him!” She looked amazed at her own temerity.

Elizabeth smiled knowingly. “Was he shocked?”

Jane colored. “For a moment, I believe he was, but he recovered quickly. He was… pleased; he made that evident.” She could not quite bring herself to meet Elizabeth’s eyes.

“He looks very happy tonight.”

“Well, to tell the truth, Lizzy, I confess I have allowed it to happen a number of times now.”

Elizabeth recalled the first times Darcy had kissed her, and how ambivalent she had felt. Of course, we were not yet engaged, she thought, but she would have been taken aback by her own response even had they been formally committed to one another. “It can be rather surprising in its effect, can it not?” she said sympathetically.

“I had no idea, Lizzy!” she exclaimed. “It does make it a bit easier for me to understand how you and Mr. Darcy came to be caught in such compromising positions.”

Elizabeth laughed. “Yes, well, a great deal of that was my fault, but Mr. Darcy was also rather more… demanding than your Mr. Bingley seems to have been.” The look in Jane’s eyes suggested that Bingley was perhaps not now quite as undemanding as he might once have been. Elizabeth took her hand and pressed it affectionately. “Do you regret kissing him, Jane?”

There was a pause as Jane considered this. “No, I do not. I cannot think that Charles and I should ever be near so daring as you and Mr. Darcy, though, Lizzy! You would think us quite dull, I am sure.”

“If you are happy, then I am happy, dearest Jane.”

“I confess that I am less worried about the wedding night now!” admitted Jane with a laugh.

“You will find that it comes quite naturally, I have no doubt!” They smiled at one another affectionately.

Bingley rejoined them on his own, a broad smile on his face as he spotted Jane. After a brief greeting, he turned to Elizabeth. “Lizzy, Darcy is quite the changed man these days! I have no idea how you may have accomplished it!”

“I am not certain to what you refer, Mr. Bingley,” Elizabeth said cautiously.

“He just confessed to me that there was a letter he needed to finish to his steward that should have gone in yesterday’s post! Unbelievable!”

“And this is so extraordinary, Mr. Bingley?” Elizabeth asked with amusement.

“Why, Darcy has always done his work promptly. He has never delayed to the last minute like this,” said Bingley. “It is quite delightful to see him engaging in some of the same sins as the rest of us mere mortals.”

“I have noticed that he smiles a great deal more than I ever saw in the past,” added Jane.

“I will grant you that he does smile more,” said Elizabeth with a laugh.

“Do you know what I find the most astonishing, though?” asked Bingley. “His tale of the events in London! Do you realize how shocking it is that Darcy let his cousin deal with Wickham? Darcy always does everything himself. I have never known him to accept help, nor share a responsibility. I believe he would have thought it a weakness to need anyone’s assistance.”

Elizabeth had not considered this. She thought back on all the time she had known him, and could not find a counter-example. Of course, it was a trait that they shared, and she had learned as well to rely on his support and assistance. “One of William’s most redeeming characteristics is his willingness to change,” she said lightly.

“For your sake, at least!” said Bingley with a broad smile.

“Of course, I cannot claim to be completely unchanged myself,” Elizabeth said slowly.

Bingley and Jane exchanged a glance that suggested to Elizabeth that this topic had been raised between them before. She looked at them in mock reproach until Jane could not help laughing. “Yes, Lizzy, you are different as well. I daresay that you and Mr. Darcy are good influences on one another.”

*   *   *

Elizabeth was not regretful when the time came to return to London. Although she had enjoyed her time with Jane and her father, the need to shield Darcy from the notice of those of her family whose vulgarity would be mortifying to him had taken its toll on her. Leaving her former home caused little distress when she would be returning there in only two months’ time for Jane’s wedding. Although the reason for their return to London was not a pleasant one, she was content being with Darcy.

Georgiana was delighted to see them on their arrival in Brook Street; she had missed her new sister dearly, and was anxious to tell them both of her activities in town since they had left. Colonel Fitzwilliam was unexpectedly off to Newcastle again—“the better to keep an eye on Wickham when he arrives there,” said Darcy darkly. Lydia’s wedding was scheduled for the following day, and a note from Mr. Gardiner awaited them with the details of the arrangements.

Elizabeth could practically see Darcy’s mood deteriorating in front of her as the evening progressed, and was concerned as to the cause of it. Not wishing to raise the question in front of Georgiana, she bided her time until they retired for the night. When they finally went upstairs, Darcy stopped her before she entered her room. “Elizabeth,” he said in a serious manner, “my disposition tonight is not pleasant. You might prefer your own company to mine.”

She looked at him gravely, troubled by his implication that he should perhaps keep his troubles to himself. Perhaps, she thought, he wishes some time to himself, and is seeking a courteous way to say that. She suspected, however, that it was his tendency to withdraw when he was troubled, and she certainly did not wish to set a precedent in that regard. “I think that I should prefer your company, regardless of your disposition, and would hope that my company might ease your spirits. You need not pretend to a cheer that you lack.”

She thought that he looked relieved, and he kissed her forehead before going to his room. “I shall join you shortly, then, my love,” he said. She smiled slightly, pleased that she seemed to have made the correct decision.

After Lucy had assisted her into her nightclothes, Elizabeth sat brushing out her hair as she wondered what might be troubling Darcy. It seemed an encouraging step that he did not attempt to hide his feelings from her. She could not expect their marriage to be always without difficulties, but it was important that they face them in concert. His knock came at the adjoining door, and she bade him enter.

His expression was warm as she set down the brush and walked into his arms. He held her close to him, burying his face in her hair, letting the softness and the sweet scent of it soothe him.

As she felt him relax in her embrace, she tilted her head back to look up at him. “Can you tell me what is distressing you, my dearest?” she asked softly.

He could see her concern, and felt warmed by it; warmed, and also pleased in other ways as well. He lowered his lips to hers in a lingering kiss. “Let me lose myself in you first, my beloved, and then, if you wish, we can speak further,” he said.

There are many forms of comfort, thought Elizabeth, and she was more than happy to provide relief in that form, responding as ever to the feeling of his body against hers and the pleasures of his kisses. She arched herself against him seductively, and was rewarded by an immediate response.