Darcy's Fortune Read online

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter One

  STANDING IN THE GARDEN of Rosings Park, Elizabeth Bennet clenched her hands and glowered at Mr. Darcy. Her face burned with mortification. Not only had she been deceived by George Wickham, it seemed that Darcy had known of this man's deplorable character for some time and held the facts back from her. As she looked at him standing there so handsome and sure of himself with fading sunlight washing over him, her shame blossomed into irritation.

  "How long have you known about Mr. Wickham?" she demanded. "Why didn't you tell me he is a liar and cheat?" she snapped, her throat tight with anger.

  He flashed her a cool, sardonic look. His stony countenance temporarily forbade further comment. Instead, taking Elizabeth's hand in a firm grasp, Darcy hastily ushered her toward the house where a soft light still glowed from the windows. Hurrying to keep up with his swift strides, she pulled against his steely grip and cried, "Let me go!”

  Once inside the house, he walked her through the shadowy hall and into the library. On the desk a reading lamp cast soft light over the room. His gaze resting on a nearby chair, he unceremoniously plopped her down upon it.

  She instantly shot to her feet, burning to slap his face. "I won't sit here and be lectured to like a bloody criminal," she lashed out, turning to walk away.

  He looked down at her with hooded eyes. "I knew you were attached to the man and I was waiting for the right time to tell you about him," he said evenly. He clasped her forearms in his large hands, bringing her closer. "I would have told you instantly if I had suspected you intended to elope with him. How could you have been so foolish?"

  His accusation fueled her growing anger. "The answer to that question is very simple, sir. When a human being is freezing, that person will seek a fire—any fire, poor though it might be. I had long ago given up hope of stirring your heart, for it is made of stone." She gazed into his smoldering eyes, wanting to touch him, even hurt him. She knew she had gone too far, but the hot words spilled from her quivering lips before she could catch them. "All you have in you is arrogance and conceit.”

  His face hardened at her accusation and his hands tightened about her arms, biting into them. "How wrong you are," he whispered in a rough voice. The sentence was spoken with such feeling it almost took her breath away.

  Darcy looked down at Elizabeth's angry face, and for a moment he felt the sting of her words. Then, with the force of a wall crashing over him, he realized that in her own way she was telling him she loved him. And at the same moment, he knew that he loved her—loved her with all his heart. And he knew that this love was a strong, vibrant, invincible love. The realization was so powerful that it swept away all concerns of duty, honor, and suitability, and as he felt his heart thudding crazily in his chest, he knew he was going to carry her upstairs and make love to her.

  For a moment it seemed to Elizabeth as if Darcy were trying to see inside her very soul, then he lowered his lips to hers and she could feel his warm breath upon her face. With unyielding force, his arms went around her and pulled her against him; she could feel the buttons on his jacket pressing into her bosom. Soft tender feelings rushed over her, leaving her limp and helpless in his steely embrace. A look passed between them that shook her deeply, and in the space of a heartbeat his mouth took hers in a wild kiss, so forceful that she trembled. Realizing that to give in now meant total surrender, she twisted in his arms and pounded his shoulders with her balled hands.

  Ignoring the futile attack, he slid his powerful hand over her arm, subduing her, and as he deepened the fiery kiss, pressing her closer, she knew there would be no denying him. She felt the raging fire within him, and it thrilled her. In a state of awe, she relaxed into his warm embrace, and with a will of their own, her arms crept around his broad shoulders.

  Moving his lips from her mouth, he pressed hot kisses over her closed lids, her cheeks, the throbbing pulse in her throat, and she noticed a strange sensation in her breasts that she had never known before. Her limbs took on a sensual glow, and with a shiver of excitement, she felt her nipples harden and swell against her gown. "Elizabeth..." he whispered in a caressing drawl as he moved his strong hands over the hollows of her back. His body was warm and strong and the rhythm of his thudding heart sent a dart of passion sweeping through her veins.

  She could feel his starched shirt against her cheek and his lips kissing her hair, and when he easily lifted her up and swung her feet from the floor, she drew in a sharp breath. Her heart leaped as he positioned her in his arms as if she were almost weightless and moved toward the open library doors. Everything was happening so swiftly she didn't have time to speak or think, and a deep languorous need passed through her, turning her will to water.

  Before she knew it, he was out of the large chamber and carrying her up the dark stairs, and for an instant her consciousness seemed to dim. Alarm rippled through her, making her weak and confused. Who was this passionate stranger, this man she had never seen before? With a start of fear, she realized he had shown her only one side of his personality up until now, concealing the wild passionate side that he reined in with a curb bit.

  Then as his bedroom door drew near, her heart pounded furiously and she opened her mouth to cry out, but he shifted her in his arms and kissed her again, muffling her voice. Clutching his shoulders, she quivered at the power and tenderness of the kiss and her head spun wildly, forestalling her protests.

  In the bedroom she heard the door close behind them and excitement spiraled in the pit of her stomach. She had never been in his private chambers and the semi-darkness and musky man-scent of the room wrapped around her like a velvet cloak. When he laid her on the bed, she sank into the soft mattress; nearby, a small bedside lamp cast a soft glow over his determined face. Her senses whirling with fear and pleasure, she glanced into his fiery eyes.

  "Why are you doing this?" she asked in a broken whisper.

  A hungry look raced over his features. “While I cannot fix on the hour, or the spot, or the look, or the words, which laid the foundation, I know now that I want you." There was passion in his voice, and the words sent her blood racing with anticipation.

  She realized what was happening was mad, insane, but she knew she couldn't stop it if she tried. It was as if destiny had bound them together and the passion they had both tried to repress rushed to the surface, demanding satisfaction. As if in a dream, she felt him pluck the plum from her upswept hair and remove several hairpins, so that her loosened locks fell in a cool cascade about her shoulders.

  He sat down beside her and feathered hot kisses on the inside of her arm. There was a tender expression in his eyes that made her pulse throb with excitement. When he buried his face against her neck and nuzzled her throat, she could feel his warm breath and hear his ragged breathing. Then, raising his head, he swept her hair back from her forehead and gazed into her eyes. "In vain I have struggled. It will not do anymore. My feelings will not be repressed..."

  His eyes were shining with love, and a rapture glowed through her unlike anything she had ever known. She felt tears prick her eyes and there was a constriction in her throat.

  Darcy looked down at her exquisite face and savored her feminine beauty. Her eyes were shiny and sparkling with passion, and her lips were slightly parted. In the diffused light, her long lashes cast shadows on her cheeks, and her brown hair fanned out on the pillow in a tangle of silken curls. For the first time in his life, he felt that he understood the great love that inspired poets and painters...the love he had been waiti
ng for all of his life. As impossible as it seemed, he had found that love in this spirited woman who was just waiting for him to awaken her sensuality. "Yes. It seems I've wanted you forever," he murmured, tenderly sliding his hands over her arms.

  Elizabeth's heart fluttered madly as he stood and slipped off his jacket and shoes and carelessly cast them aside. As he leaned over her, the manly scent of his cologne radiated toward her with the heat of his body and sparked her mounting passion. Soft light burnishing his bold face, he removed her shoes, then sank to the bed again. In one fluid movement he pulled her close, and with an agonized groan caressed her hair. Ecstasy sparkled through her like fireworks as he gathered her in his arms and then took her mouth in a deep kiss. At that moment Elizabeth felt she was encompassed by a warm glory and everything around them dimmed in comparison.

  As the kiss became more possessive, he eased his tongue into her mouth, and when he tightened his arms about her, hunger sang through her veins, making her slowly slip her fingers into his crisp black hair. The kiss melted into a soft intimacy that made her quiver in delight, but even then, it was fired with a new urgency that bespoke heart-shaking passion.

  With a low moan, he buried his hand in her hair and ran his fingers through her locks, then swept them over her breast and waist, hungrily tracing her curves. It seemed that they were starved for each other, and that the barrier between them was down. They were one, and a wonder unlike anything she had ever known flowed through her.

  Confronted with a last-minute surge of doubt, she moved against his broad chest, but he pressed her into the bed, and, gently easing down her gown, he fluttered hot kisses over her shoulder. Then, taking her mouth once more, he scooped his hand into her bodice. For long moments he cupped her breast and ran his open palm over its softness as if he were enjoying its weight and silky texture. She didn't understand the rapturous new feelings welling up within her, but when he tantalized her aching nipple with feather-light strokes of his fingers, breathtaking passion rocked her body, leaving her defenseless against him.

  Raising his head once more, he trailed little kisses over her pulsing throat, and she drew in a sharp breath as he took her hand and placed it over the long hot swelling in his breeches. "See how much I want you?" he said huskily, the sensuality in his voice stirring wild primitive feelings within her. The hardness of his manhood both intimidated her and filled her with a delicious shock as he held her trembling hand in place. "Yes, that's the way, my darling," he said, moving his fingers over hers, encouraging her to caress him.

  Doubt and fear assailed her, but she felt a flame leaping within her, stoking her courage. As she slowly complied, he groaned in pleasure and eased down her deeply cut decolletage, freeing both her breasts from her chemise. She flushed with embarrassment, but as he moved his hand over her bare breast and slowly rolled the nipple in his fingertips, she almost swooned with delighted.

  She had guessed that he was capable of deep passion, but her own wanton response startled and frightened her. Sensing her fear, he moved his mouth over hers again in a slow shivery kiss while his fingers drew at her aching nipples. Warm blood stung her cheeks; currents of desire raced over her, making her writhe against the cool silken counterpane.

  In one languid movement, Darcy sat up and unbuttoned his shirt, then lightly cast the garment aside. Sinking into the mattress again, he took her mouth once more and eased up her skirt and petticoat to explore her thighs. When she moaned in delight, his mouth moved to a rosy nipple and lovingly suckled it while he pushed down her bloomers. She sucked in her breath and felt a hot flush rising from her bosom as his tongue deftly flicked at her sensitive peak. Fiery waves of pleasure rolled from her breast, and, gaining in strength, shuddered through her body. Lord, what was happening to her? she wondered, scarcely able to believe such intense sensations existed.

  His hand caressed her smooth buttocks and quickly brushed over the cleft between her cheeks. When he removed her bloomers, her heart thudded crazily. She drew in a sharp breath as his fingers seared a path to the seat of her desire and caressed it with electrifying touches. As the juncture between her thighs throbbed with a tight aching sweetness that drove her to a fever pitch, she held her breath, suspended between modesty and desire. Almost delirious with passion, she wanted to weep with the pleasure and intensity of it all.

  "Let me make love to you," he whispered as he raised his head, urgent need flaring in his smoky eyes. "I'll show you passion as you've never known." As he spoke he leisurely grazed a thumb over her swollen nipple, making her skin flush with warmth.

  "Yes," she sobbed, her lips trembling. The feelings he had elicited in her body were so intense she felt as if a light were shafting through her body, filling her with a pleasure beyond words. Taking her hand, he put it over the swelling in his breeches again, and slowly moved his hand over hers. He groaned in delight, and a few moments later unbuttoned his breeches. She gasped in surprise as the fiery shaft spilled forth and rested in her palm. Her heart fluttering madly, she gingerly explored him, shocked and thrilled by the hardness of his aroused flesh.

  Her heart racing out of control, she gazed at him through a mist of emotion as he caressed her hair, then raised her hand and gently kissed her fingertips. The power and intimacy of the moment sent her senses reeling. This was the imperious Mr. Darcy whom she had both despised and secretly desired for months. As his fingers deftly loosened the long row of buttons down her back, her heart nearly burst with love and desire for him. She trembled as she thought about losing her virtue, then told herself it was now too late to worry about the future, for he had brought her body to a state of trembling need.

  Gently urging her to a sitting position, he eased the gown over her head and tossed it aside. Her rustling petticoats followed. As she sat on the edge of the bed, he knelt before her, and his lips found her mouth. Still kissing her deeply, he grazed his thumbs over her sensitive nipples, then, after pressing kisses over her throat and breasts, he suckled each of the coral peaks, drawing on them long and steadily, making her close her eyes and clutch his shoulders as she moaned in delight. At last he tenderly kissed her lips, then stood, and, lifting her a bit, settled her upon the mattress.

  Darcy gazed at her as she lay there defenseless before him in the soft rosy light, totally nude except for her stockings and garters. A reverent feeling stirred his spirit as he considered the perfection of her gently curving body and delicate face. This was his woman, the woman he loved above everything else; she was so exquisitely lovely that his heart ached at the sight of her. The thought of awakening her to womanhood, of seeing her blossom into a lush rose, sent his blood racing. Lord, how he wanted her, wanted to bury himself in her velvety depths this very moment.

  Elizabeth felt the cool night air wash over her bare breasts and thighs as she watched him divest himself of the rest of his clothes. Soft light washing over his fine muscular form, he towered before her, his huge shoulders, hard chest, and flat stomach riveting her gaze. Hair tapered from his broad chest down to his aroused flesh, which stood proudly from his shadowed groin. As her eyes ran over his magnificent body, she thought of how long she had scorned him, wanted him, desired him. But never in her wildest dreams did she think he would be so breathtakingly perfect. Her heart raced as he extinguished the light and laid down beside her.

  Her breath catching in her throat, she watched his dark head bend over her breasts, then she felt him take a nipple into his mouth again and leisurely swirl his tongue about it. A glowing sweetness now pulsed between her legs and she slipped her arms about him, pulling him closer. When his fingers caressed her soft mound, deep, drugging passion spread through her veins and she felt ecstasy streak through her like sheet lightning. Taking her mouth in a hot kiss, he stroked her secret places until she was nearly mad with desire. One of his hands caressed the nape of her neck while the other strayed between her thighs and brushed the hair of her mound, gently teasing it before he separated the moist folds. Finding her swollen bud, he stroked hi
s thumb back and forth, urging her to open her legs. She shuddered with pleasure and he deepened the kiss, thrusting his tongue into her mouth as boldly as his searching hand was gentle, and she was lost in a world of rapturous desire.

  The heat of her passion flushed her face and neck, and, lifting his head, he spoke to her with soft words of love, tenderly stroking her body and flowing hair, reassuring her and giving her courage. When he roughly nuzzled her neck and pressed his hard manhood against the inside of her bare thigh, she let out a heart-pounding moan and trembled with desire. As he supported himself on one elbow and leaned over her, she opened her quivering legs, and, with an almost unbearable longing, ached for him to enter her. Taking his time, he kissed her breasts and stomach while his hand moved between her legs, working her desire to a white-hot heat. At last, he moved over her. She felt the tip of his long hardness slide into her, and she buried her face against his shoulder and moaned softly.

  "Quiet, my darling," he whispered gently. "The pain will last for only a moment, then a golden tide of pleasure will wash it away."

  She gasped at the sting of entry, but he kissed her deeply and, as he had said, the pain quickly melted into lulling pleasure. As he began to move, the hair on his chest teased her bare breasts, stirring new excitement within her, and with a gasp, she clutched her arms about his muscled shoulders. At first she traced her fingertips down his back, then she slipped her hands to his tight buttocks.

  Now he lowered his hips until he was farther inside her, and for a few moments he was motionless. Then he began to move once more, stroking her firmly and deeply this time, slowly, deliberately. Elizabeth shivered with delight and felt a languid satisfaction steal through her as he increased his speed, confidently controlling each stroke. A mounting pleasure built inside of her and as she relaxed, he increased his speed.

  Lifting his lips from hers, he whispered, "Put your legs about me, my darling."