Page 126 of A Searing Acquaintance
She moved over and crawled onto his lap. “Okay, fine. The list is a joke. I can’t fool you. You have a much better poker face than I do, Ferdinand.”
He observed her empty wineglass and corked the bottle.
“Hey!”
“We need to be serious, sweetheart.” Darcy was trying desperatelyto be the adult and get them to make some decisions when he’d much rather be ravishing her. He took a deep breath and tried to maintain some control. “You asked me for a list of those whom I think Ishouldinvite, but not one of them makes the cut when I think about with whom I truly want to share our wedding day.” He looked at her closely. “Do you agree?”
“I am not formed for serpentine receiving lines and pretty pleasantries.” She stretched her arms around his neck and moved her lips close to his ear. “You should come to my yoga class. I know you admire my flexibility.”
“Elizabeth.” He could barely recognize his own voice.
“Yes, dear. Business before pleasure.” She sat back and wiggled her hips while giving him a solemn look. “The guest list. Size matters. And as you well know, there are some things that I much prefer to be big, but I’d like our wedding to be small.”
Darcy felt his cheeks redden and fought not to smile. Or moan. She’d been in a silly mood all day, and silly nearly always turned into sexy. Silly mood or not, they had to get this hashed out. He gripped her hips to hold her still.
“Then family-only it is,” he managed to say, “on the sand and in the gazebo.”
“Hmm, I think it was Colonel Mustard in the conservatory with the lead pipe.”
“Elizabeth,” he said, collapsing back on the sofa and pulling her on top of him. “I surrender. Have your way with me.”
For all the things that had gone wrong in the nearly six hundred days since they’d met—actually 577, according to Charlotte the accountant, but Elizabeth preferred to round up—everything seemed to go right on their wedding day. The sun was bright, the clouds were fluffy, the breeze was gentle, and the guests were well behaved. Their vows were simple, their rings fit perfectly, and the food was delicious. They’d cracked open the family-only guest list to include Charlotte, a bridesmaid, with her now fiancé, Bill, and of course Mrs. Reynolds and Sara, Darcy’s recently promoted executive assistant. The two had teamed up and expertly handled so many details neglected by the bride and groom that they’d earned the title of official wedding planners.
No invitation had been issued to Sylvia, who had dropped out ofsight and, for Elizabeth, mostly out of mind. The Fitzwilliam family made no mention of the omission. Months earlier, Darcy had informed them quietly and succinctly that Elizabeth had no relationship with her mother, and he would view Barbara as his mother-in-law. The topic, he emphasized, was never to be broached in Elizabeth’s presence. An eyebrow or two was raised, but no questions were asked. They were polite people accustomed to skirting unpleasant family histories.
Charles had commented only once on his sisters’ annoyance at being left off the list, but he had to concede that the new Mr. and Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy had been quite strict in adhering to their family-only rule. Besides, Caroline had no ring, and she would have been forced to attend dateless despite her alleged relationship with a man named Grafton Black. Elizabeth learned about it from Jane during the reception.
“The purse designer?” Elizabeth asked doubtfully. “I thought he was gay.”
“Me too, my friend. Me too,” Charlotte agreed. “Can you believe it?”
Annabella, who, as Elizabeth had anticipated, had become friendly with Charlotte and Bill, leaned into the conversation. “Sorry, ladies. It’s an act. Grafton dabbles, mostly for publicity reasons, but he is definitely fond of the ladies. We did it in his brother’s kitchen in Tribeca a couple of years ago. Caroline is one lucky woman, for a few weeks anyway.”
Satisfied that everyone was happy for a few weeks or forever, Elizabeth focused instead on the man smiling at her across the sand.My husband. She shook her head in disbelief. They had started off badly, proceeded awkwardly, and stumbled from insult to understanding; yet through all of the comedy and drama, she always noticed him. He always affected her. He waited and hoped, and when she needed him, he helped. He had faith in her when she had none. His constancy had never wavered. And now, she had never seen him so happy.
Darcy hadn’t stopped smiling all day. He couldn’t. As much as he’d known this day was coming—that Elizabeth had said yes to joining their lives—he couldn’t stop marveling at the deep, overwhelming warmth and joy that had taken over his life. He hadn’t been able to stop looking at Elizabeth.My wife. She was luminous, her happiness sparking laughter and smiles from their families, her green eyes drawn constantly to his. He could scarcely leave her side, and neither seemedable to stop touching the other, as if to remind themselves that yes, this was real.
Conversation proved difficult. While his bride was effusive and chatty with family and friends, the groom was mostly seen nodding, smiling, and offering little more than monosyllabic agreement to any guest who approached him.
Rich laughed, slapping him on the back and teasing him as the most inarticulate groom in the history of the world. “I thought Elizabeth had cured you of your tongue-tied tendencies.”
“He’s besotted,” Charles chimed in. “I married a Bennet girl too. It goes with the territory.”
“Besotted with Bennets, eh?” Rich rolled his eyes.
“So says the bemused bachelor,” Darcy replied, triggering the memory of a long-ago jibe.“Alliteration rather than titillation is your game?”Was that the first moment he’d really noticed Elizabeth?
“Brothers-in-law besotted with Bennet beauties,” Charles said, chuckling.
“You boys are too cute for me.” Rich strolled off, defeated by the lighthearted joy of newly married men.
Uncle Michael stood up at dinner, a glass of champagne aloft in one hand, the other resting on his wife’s shoulder. “Fitzwilliam’s parents, Anne and Arthur, and his sister, Georgiana, are not here with us today. But their spirits are always at Pemberley. I know how much all of them would love Elizabeth and how pleased they would be to see their moody, bookish, teenage son and brother grown into such a good man, and to know that he is so happy and well-loved by a wonderful woman.” Michael cleared his throat as sniffles could be heard. “Good job, kiddo. If Elizabeth loves you even half as much as you love her, you’ll have a fine life together.”
Rich rose to his feet, looking a bit misty-eyed himself. “To Mr. and Mrs. Darcy!”
Elizabeth leaned toward her new husband, her eyes glistening as much as his, and gave him a tender kiss. He closed his eyes as one thought crossed his mind.She always knows.
He’d been drawn to her from the moment she’d checked his socks and pretended she saw some orange on them. He’d wanted her since that night at Netherfield. But he couldn’t remember how long he’d loved her. There was no beginning, and he knew there could be no end. He’d had enough of endings in his life.
