Apprehension and Desire: A Tale of Pride and Prejudice Read Online Free PDF Page B

doubts.”
    ***
    Fitzwilliam Darcy rolled onto the other side of the huge four poster bed in his chamber at Rosings Park. The night was cloudless, and the moon shone through the open curtains, allowing him to see through the darkness. He reached for the pocket watch resting on his bedside to read it was past two o’clock. In little more than four hours, he would see Elizabeth again. He had known he would not get any sleep this night. He felt funny, all giddy inside, knowing that after all the inner struggle of months, she was at last his.
    She had seemed to be entirely surprised with his proposals; he smiled to himself. She had looked so adorably shocked when he had called her Lizzy. Darcy closed his eyes, concentrating again on the sensation of having her in his arms. She had been so small and warm, her body soft, and she smelt so sweet. The skin on her graceful neck, where he had managed to kiss her, was so soft, so delicate. He was a bit disappointed that she had not let him do anything more. He would not have gone too far, of course – he respected her virtue – but he longed for a kiss. She was a true genteel lady, and an innocent, and being in a man’s arms was surely very new to her.  He had felt how she stiffened when he pressed her to him. Good Lord, he craved her touch and caresses so much, but he was neither stupid nor blind. He doubted that her affections matched his, not yet, at least. He knew though that soon he would win her over completely, and then she would not hesitate to allow him some liberties.
    Tomorrow he would procure her father’s consent and then return to Kent as soon as possible to escort her to her family in London. He had heard her speaking to his aunt about her plans to travel by post, accompanied just by the man servant her uncle was to send. It would not be borne that his future wife travel alone by post. He would have to bear those relatives of hers in trade, whatever their name was… Gardiner. It would not be pleasant, but there was no way to avoid it. Thankfully, Elizabeth was sensible enough, and she would surely agree to sever the relations with her family after the wedding. But he would not think about her unfortunate connections now. He felt a warm sensation in the pit of his stomach at the thought of the wedding. How soon could it be? A few weeks perhaps, if all could be prepared that soon. They would spend their first summer at Pemberley this year.
    He looked at the empty space beside him. How would it feel to have her there, in his bed, at night? To be able to always touch her, reach for her? He would at last learn how she looked under her clothes. So far he had been well acquainted with every part of her uncovered by her dresses. She had small hands, feet and ears. Her hair was thick, and probably very long, judging by the great mass of curls pinned on top of her head. And those dark eyes, eyes in which he was lost every time she directed them at him; though at first sight, they seemed to be black, in truth they were very dark green. He loved to observe her long eyelashes, charmingly curled in the corners. Even the imperfections of her face, like too short an upper lip, an imperfectly shaped nose, with far too many freckles on it, or that slightly crooked front tooth, seemed lovely to him.
    As for her body… Darcy felt himself shivering, his arousal growing. His hand moved under the bed covers and he started touching himself leisurely. She was perfect in that respect. Perfect for him. During their mutual walks across the Rosings grounds, he had many an opportunity to observe her graceful form. Her breasts were a full handful for sure; he could barely wait to see them. Judging by her reserved behaviour today, he would have to wait for the wedding night to have a look at them. Somewhere at the back of his mind, he knew it was perhaps not exactly gentlemanlike to concentrate so on his betrothed’s assets, but for the first time in his life, perhaps he did not care. He had seen