Read Online An Autumn Accord: A Pride and Prejudice Novella Variation (Seasons of Serendipity Book 4) by Elizabeth Ann West - Free Book Online
Authors: Elizabeth Ann West
Tags: Jane Austen, pride and prejudice variation, jane austen fan fiction, pride and prejudice series
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her husband and she cared not to reflect on the circumstances dictating those evenings. Not yet six months married, the Darcys continued to learn and adjust to each other’s living habits. Given the unstructured nature of their living arrangements since the wedding, the entire process had become rather elongated.
“ How did your interview with Richard go?” Elizabeth remembered her curiosity earlier about Mary. The Colonel had been long gone by the time the ladies arrived to change for dinner, but Mrs. Kensington had relayed the happenings of the home in her brief absence.
Fitzwilliam walked towards her and lifted her with an embrace of no effort. “Oh no, Mrs. Darcy –” he held his squirming and squealing wife, “the time for discussion has ended. I decree we are to bed and to bed we shall go.”
Darcy opened the door to his suite with one hand, eased by Elizabeth holding a portion of her weight with her arms snaked around his broad shoulders. He did not bother to close the door as he kissed his wife the half dozen steps to the large fourposter bed in the middle of the room. Gently placing Elizabeth on the bed so she might sit upon the edge, he retreated to the armchair in the corner to remove his own boots.
“ I shall abide by the master’s wishes for this evening, so long as he satisfies my curiosity come morning.”
Darcy offered her a rakish smile as he succeeded in removing the second of his Hessians from his feet. “Agreed, agreed. Now I do believe you have far too many pins in that hair of yours.”
Elizabeth hopped off the edge of the bed and walked around to the other side and the pretty little dish she used expressly for the purposes of holding her hair pins until they could be collected and restored to her own dressing table in her own suite. Not unlike other evenings when the couple preferred their privacy over the ministrations of their servants, Darcy tugged his shirttails from his trousers, as he stooped to the fireplace and added the coals left purposely for their evening slumber.
He poked and stirred the fire until he was satisfied the hearth would keep them warm. By the time he was finished, Elizabeth had removed her evening dress and shimmied down into the covers in only her chemise. She yawned and her heavy eyelids fluttered, battling to stay awake.
Darcy hurried to join his sleeping wife, but his efforts were in vain. For no sooner had he finished his undress and embraced her as a loving couple was want to do, he realized she had been more exhausted than he had known. It was one of the few nights Fitzwilliam Darcy had little choice but to content himself with sleeping next to his wife.
♠♠♠
Chapter 6
Caroline Bingley strolled around the breakfast table for the fifth time, lightly trailing her fingertips over the edges of the empty chairs. A footman stood in the corner of the breakfast parlor at Netherfield Park and had the unfortunate need to clear his throat. The sharp interjection to Caroline’s calculating frustration elicited a harsh chastisement from his mistress.
“ Is there something you wish to say? James, Robert . . . Stevens . . . whatever your name may be?”
“ Thomas, madam. And no, I merely had a crumb, or other such small morsel caught in my throat. I beg your pardon, Miss.” The footman’s hands shook as he held them at his sides. To regain control, he eased them behind his back and clasped them together so as not to show fear.
Before Caroline dismissed another member of Netherfield staff, her jovial brother, Charles Bingley slid open the wooden door connecting the breakfast parlor to the hall. Charles Bingley made a slight gasp at the sight of his older sister standing near the table this early in the morning. Like every other morning, Bingley expected to break his fast alone. Caroline famously preferred maintaining town hours, regardless of her actual locale.
“ I told you I do not expect the Darcys until later this afternoon, nigh upon
“ How did your interview with Richard go?” Elizabeth remembered her curiosity earlier about Mary. The Colonel had been long gone by the time the ladies arrived to change for dinner, but Mrs. Kensington had relayed the happenings of the home in her brief absence.
Fitzwilliam walked towards her and lifted her with an embrace of no effort. “Oh no, Mrs. Darcy –” he held his squirming and squealing wife, “the time for discussion has ended. I decree we are to bed and to bed we shall go.”
Darcy opened the door to his suite with one hand, eased by Elizabeth holding a portion of her weight with her arms snaked around his broad shoulders. He did not bother to close the door as he kissed his wife the half dozen steps to the large fourposter bed in the middle of the room. Gently placing Elizabeth on the bed so she might sit upon the edge, he retreated to the armchair in the corner to remove his own boots.
“ I shall abide by the master’s wishes for this evening, so long as he satisfies my curiosity come morning.”
Darcy offered her a rakish smile as he succeeded in removing the second of his Hessians from his feet. “Agreed, agreed. Now I do believe you have far too many pins in that hair of yours.”
Elizabeth hopped off the edge of the bed and walked around to the other side and the pretty little dish she used expressly for the purposes of holding her hair pins until they could be collected and restored to her own dressing table in her own suite. Not unlike other evenings when the couple preferred their privacy over the ministrations of their servants, Darcy tugged his shirttails from his trousers, as he stooped to the fireplace and added the coals left purposely for their evening slumber.
He poked and stirred the fire until he was satisfied the hearth would keep them warm. By the time he was finished, Elizabeth had removed her evening dress and shimmied down into the covers in only her chemise. She yawned and her heavy eyelids fluttered, battling to stay awake.
Darcy hurried to join his sleeping wife, but his efforts were in vain. For no sooner had he finished his undress and embraced her as a loving couple was want to do, he realized she had been more exhausted than he had known. It was one of the few nights Fitzwilliam Darcy had little choice but to content himself with sleeping next to his wife.
♠♠♠
Chapter 6
Caroline Bingley strolled around the breakfast table for the fifth time, lightly trailing her fingertips over the edges of the empty chairs. A footman stood in the corner of the breakfast parlor at Netherfield Park and had the unfortunate need to clear his throat. The sharp interjection to Caroline’s calculating frustration elicited a harsh chastisement from his mistress.
“ Is there something you wish to say? James, Robert . . . Stevens . . . whatever your name may be?”
“ Thomas, madam. And no, I merely had a crumb, or other such small morsel caught in my throat. I beg your pardon, Miss.” The footman’s hands shook as he held them at his sides. To regain control, he eased them behind his back and clasped them together so as not to show fear.
Before Caroline dismissed another member of Netherfield staff, her jovial brother, Charles Bingley slid open the wooden door connecting the breakfast parlor to the hall. Charles Bingley made a slight gasp at the sight of his older sister standing near the table this early in the morning. Like every other morning, Bingley expected to break his fast alone. Caroline famously preferred maintaining town hours, regardless of her actual locale.
“ I told you I do not expect the Darcys until later this afternoon, nigh upon
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