Page 73 of Until My Last Breath

Richard turned to his mother. “Mama, would you tell your story again today? I cannot wait to hear it.”

“Of course, my dear. Go now and prepare the picnic. Then, when weare all sitting, I will tell you the story. I promise.”

With this assurance, the two boys and Georgiana left, leaving the couple locked in their embrace.

“Would you care for a walk, or would you like to return to the house?” Darcy asked his wife.

“I would love to go for a walk. I am in great need of exercise,” she said, rubbing her swollen midsection.

“You look as beautiful as ever, my love. Just knowing you are carrying the fruit of our love is enough to make me feel the most privileged of men,” said Darcy, bringing her hand to his lips and resuming their walk.

After some minutes of silence, Darcy said thoughtfully, “I realised something this morning. I have not given it too much attention in these last years. I remember I used to have horrible nightmares, waking up in the middle of the night in a sweat. I always blamed myself for not being with my mother when she died a few months after Georgiana was born. My father told me he sent me back to school hoping she would improve; but she never did. Later he begged my forgiveness, but despite forgiving him, I always felt guilty. After we were married… No, actually, it was a bit before that… those nightmares… that guilt, they have… gone.”

The memory of that night, many years ago, when he was delirious with fever after being shot, came back to Elizabeth, and she told him how she had appeased his mind. “I am sorry if this—”

Darcy put his finger on her lips. He took her hands, rose them to his face, and kissed her open palms. “Do not be sorry. It worked. I never dreamt of her in that painful way again.” He looked at her, perusing every detail of her freckled face. “I do not deserve you, Elizabeth. You are the best thing that happened to me.”

She carefully pulled his face towards her and kissed his moist eyes. “I beg to disagree. After all you have done for me, I am the one who does not deserve you,” she said, gently kissing the small scar over his nose, still visible even after so many years.

Slowly, she let go of his face, lowering her gaze. It was always an emotional moment to recall what he had done for her, all the suffering and the pain, especially now in her present condition. “You saved my life, William. You came to rescue me.”

He put his finger under her chin and gently pulled her face up again. “And how could I not? I could not live without you. Remember?” He frowned. “I will never forget the sight of you fighting against that Captain Macedo.”

Darcy leaned his forehead against hers and closed his eyes as those memories brought back so many contradictory feelings. “I love you, Elizabeth Rose Darcy. I never regretted one jot of what I have done for you, and I would do it all again without a second thought. I would search for you until the end of the world, until my last breath.” His expression lit up. “And thank you for being honest with me and teaching me how to be a better man. With the grace of God, now I can teach our sons how to be good men — and never to disdain a wallflower in an assembly.”

They burst into laughter.

He pulled her for another embrace and kissed the top of her head. Her lovely smell of lavender and rose reached his senses, and he thanked God, once again, for the wonderful woman He had allowed in his life.

Cupping her face, Darcy kissed her lips — slowly, tantalising, lovingly. Even after so many years, the taste of her kisses was as delicious as that first one.

He slowly pulled away and his browns came together.

Yes. That first one when they did not know what the future had reserved for them.

He kissed her again, this time as a hungered man, with urgency, purging away all his fears once more. She was his now.

Elizabeth returned the kiss with the same urge.

When Darcy pulled away, he had a grin on his face. “But I have a complaint. You will be the death of me if you keep kissing me like that.”

“I see this is a serious complaint, indeed. I remember you saying the same thing the day you proposed to me for the second time, and I acceptedit.”

The scene of that precious day came back alive.

Darcy had asked Jane and Richard to take Elizabeth for a ride, claiming they needed a chaperone. On her return, she entered her bedroom just to find a sea of flowers, and Darcy among them with her engagement ring.

He had approached her, taking her hands and kneeled.“It was among the daffodils, violets and primroses that I realised I loved you. And it is among them that I ask you to accept me as your husband. My life is empty and colourless without you. I need you, Elizabeth, as I need my next breath. Please, marry me.”

It had been the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. That was the best marriage proposal she could have ever expected. And the kiss which followed had been the best they shared — before marrying.

And Darcy had said exactly the same thing; that he would die if she did not stop kissing him like that.

Her reverie was interrupted by his mouth in her ear. “Yes… But let us return before I take you to our bedroom and show you the reason you almost kill me every time you kissed me like that…”

Her melodic laughter filled the air.

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