Revelations an adaption of Pride and Prejudice

Chapter 15

Afterdinner they retreat to a little room with a free standing bath in it,a room just for bathing! The bath is already full, someone has had alot of work getting it that way, and they'd better make use of thatwork before it cools off again. It is a tight fit with two adults,but they do enjoy sitting in the bath together, though after a whileit gets rather cold. After drying each other off, they then race forthe bed, leaving the cooling water for the staff to remove the nextmorning.

Andthat bed is as good as it looked this afternoon, so warm and so soft,and the covers are so thick. As Elizabeth starts to get really warm,holding her beloved close, feeling totally tranquil after the hotbath, four days of travel and all the feelings she experienced todaystart to take over and she falls asleep before she can even think ofmaking love.

Thereis no way in which Darcy can be disappointed over that, his urgeshave been satisfied so often the last few days that they do notbother him, besides, there are things that need thinking about, andthat is best done by himself, before he goes to sleep. Having a warm,soft shape lying against him just makes it a lot more pleasant.

Howwill he secure Elizabeth from ever becoming dependent on anyone?Money of course is the answer, and it needs to be available only toherself, not even to him, not even to her children or family. Nathanwill sort it out, and if he cannot, Darcy will write to his Londonlawyer. A few weeks will see it arranged to his satisfaction.

Thenthe riding business, Darcy really wants his beloved to feel the joyof riding a good horse, and hearing Peter talk so airily of his wiferiding astride has returned his wishes to the front of his mind. Theidea of a skirt that is divided in two parts does not entice Darcy atall, it's merely practical. Ladies' clothes are not exciting, butusually rather boring, he totally agrees with Georgiana on thatscore.

CanDarcy live with encouraging Elizabeth to do something her own classwill find indecent, but which other classes find completely normal?Should he consult Mrs Reynolds? She is very conservative, better not.Nathan then, he is married, and he is just one class below nobility.He knows the people in this neighbourhood, they would never tellDarcy what they really think, but Nathan is one of them, he'll know.Better find something else to do for Elizabeth during their meeting,they did after all have a deal there was to be no business these twoweeks. Maybe she'll enjoy a tour of the other side of the house, theservant's side. Kitchen, laundry-rooms, storage and larder, scullery.Somehow he suspects she'll want to know what is going on in thehouse, in the entire house.

Exploringthe rooms they don't use will be a lot of fun too, especially withMrs Reynolds, she knew Darcy's mother well, and she knows a lot aboutthe family-history. Or he could give Elizabeth that lewd book fromhis London library. Finding his father's stash here will be a pastimehe wants to undertake together, but of course she can easily spend afew hours browsing the fabulous library here. He'll just propose theoptions and she can choose, or do anything else she might enjoy, likegoing on a ramble outside.

Satisfiedwith his contemplations, Darcy very gently nuzzles his beloved, tofeel her lovely soft skin, and smell her sweet feminine scent. Such aprize for him, such feelings she evokes in him, he has been veryemotional with happiness several times today. But soon it will becomesweet habit to stroke her, or kiss her, or make love to her, thosememories of grief and sadness will no longer make him feel weak. Somuch to look forward to.

Thenext morning, Elizabeth wants to walk around the whole park: 'Yourgardener, John, was it?, said it was ten miles round, we can be backin time for lunch.'

Frankly,Darcy has never walked it in its entirety, though he has often madethe trip on horseback. But his boots are well-worn, he has been onseveral incredibly long walks with Elizabeth the day they got engagedand the day after, and several times during their engagement, theymust have been as far. So why not? Maybe it is time for him to reallyget to know his own park on ground level.