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Part 17
It was 1.40 a.m., about 5 weeks after the incident with Collins in Liz's flat. Williams's car had been parked out front of his parent's home for almost an hour.
"You really should go in now Liz, I'm know I'm in for an earful from Mum for getting you home this late as it is".
"Well, you know what they say... may as well be hung for a sheep as for a lamb", Liz replied, making no attempt at all to pull back from her position cradled in Williams arms. Instead she ran her fingers up the back of his neck, and entwined them in his hair as she drew his head toward her for another kiss.
William found the situation he was in both incredibly enticing and frustrating. Elizabeth had pushed his resistance about as far as it could go that night, and he knew he needed some breathing space if he was to continue to maintain his self-control. Even so, he went along with the kiss for longer than he intended, before reluctantly pulling back and trying to divert his mind from the desires that assailed him.
"Look Liz, honey. I do have to go or I'll be useless at work tomorrow".
Liz hesitantly agreed, and after placing one more soft and inviting kiss on his lips, sat up away from Will into her seat.
"You know you really should have bought an auto", Liz complained. "That gear stick of yours can be very awkward".
"When I chose the car I completely neglected to anticipate situations like this", he laughed. "This is a bizarre experience. I feel like I'm 18 again - parked out side my girlfriends parents house, knowing they're waiting for her to come in. ...Only the situation here is worse - I'm parked outside my own parents house!"
Liz was highly amused by the expression on his face.
"I'm sorry Will, but every time I start making noises about finding a place of my own I get a very negative reaction from your family. Far from being made to feel like I'm intruding on their hospitality, they give the impression that my moving out would be akin to the action of an ungrateful child".
Despite the flash backs to his late teens, Will was actually pleased Liz wasn't looking for another place just yet. When she moved he wanted it to be to his home, not any other. Rather than articulating this thought Will stayed on safer ground.
"I'm happier with you here while Collins is still out on bail", he said. "And my family have certainly taken to you in a big way. If I were the jealous type I'd be concerned they favoured you over me", Will smiled.
"On the contrary, I think one of the reasons they like having me around is that they see you more often. Your Mum virtually said as much to me the other day".
"So she'll be cross at you for not wanting to see me for the next few days, won't she? Are you really willing to face her disapproval, or do you want to reassess your priorities and spend tomorrow evening with me?" he asked with a smile.
"Don't tempt me Will", she answered.
William thought of the irony of Liz telling him Not to tempt her! Sometimes she seemed to have so little comprehension of what she was capable of doing to him.
"I'm so far behind in my studies I'm starting to have nightmares about it", she continued. "There's just no way I can put off my uni work any longer".
"Come on then. I'll see you to the door", Will said, getting out of the car and walking around to assist Liz out of her seat.
The closeness of Liz as they walked to the house did little to help Will hold his desires in check. It was at least 15 minutes later that he finally managed to find the willpower to disengage himself from the softness of Liz's lips and body. They again said their good byes and William turning back for one last soft kiss whispered to her "I love you Lizzy," and was gone before Liz found the words to reply.
Looking after him as he drove out to the street, Elizabeth had time to reflect how fortunate it had been that she was honest with Will, about her principles and sexual innocence, straight up. If she hadn't told Will then, and if Will had not the strength of character to respect her wishes, she knew there would be a real danger of all her well reasoned resolve coming to naught.
"No!" she told herself determinedly. " I won't sell myself short. It's love and total commitment or nothing". Still, as she turned to walk to her room there was a smile in her face and a spring in her step.
"He said he loved me", she thought. "That's not a bad start".
The following day Liz did try and concentrate on her uni work, but found it difficult to settle, her thoughts too often drifting off to William. By the time she had reached the targets she had set for herself that day, it was close to midnight, and her mind felt like mush. She had a shower to help her relax before crawling into her bed with a relieved sigh. Liz quickly fell into a deep sleep and was therefore unaware of her door silently opening and of the tall figure who slipped into her room and seated himself at the foot of her bed.
There was no question of her beauty. His eyes moved from her sensual lips, over the smooth curve of her cheek, to curl of her eyelashes; he took in the soft waves of her hair as it cascaded across her pillow, but there was much more to her than physical beauty.
He knew what he had to do now, and wondered at his hesitation. There was just so much at stake; his whole future pivoted on the outcome of this night.
Taking his courage into his hands Will reached across and gently shook her.
"Liz, Liz, wake up honey".
Liz stirred but didn't awaken. Will moved to the side of her bed and lightly shook her shoulder.
"Lizzy, you have to wake up. I need to speak to you."
This time his efforts seemed to have the desired effect as Liz rolled onto her back and reluctantly opened her eyes.
"Will?" she murmured sleepily.
"Yes Lizzy, it's me, I have to talk to you, now. Do you think you can postpone your dreams a short while?"
"Why are you here so late?" Liz asked. She was still confused by her sleepy state, but couldn't help but notice the seriousness in William tone. "Is everything alright?"
"I'm sorry about the time Lizzy, but I couldn't get here sooner. I've come practically straight from work, and this can't really wait until tomorrow".
Liz was wide-awake now, and not a little worried. The seriousness in Wills voice had not been in her imagination. Sitting up out of bed next to him, she looked at him intently, waiting for him to continue.
William had been all prepared to explain his purposes, but the sight if Liz in her night attire temporarily halted him. She was simply wearing a little T-shirt and satin boxer shorts; even in the dimly lit room he found himself uncommonly distracted.
"Will...?" He heard Liz ask, and looked up to find her watching him in intense anticipation. Now how was he going to broach this again?
"Elizabeth, I've been given an overseas posting for three months, and I have to leave tomorrow".
Liz's heart fell to her feet but she said nothing and so he continued.
"Our correspondent covering the coup in Fiji has had to return home because of family difficulties, and I've been chosen to replace him".
"This is a pretty big step forward in your career, isn't it?' she asked, trying not to let her disappointment show in her voice. "Congratulations. I'll miss you terribly but at least now I'll be able to catch up on my work".
"I almost told them I couldn't go. The thought of going three months without seeing you was nearly too much", he told her candidly. "Liz, you must know by now that I love you. The idea of life without you is too empty for me to even contemplate. Lizzy, I know I'm being pushed into this declaration sooner than you might feel completely comfortable with, but I can't leave without receiving an answer. Elizabeth, will you marry me?"
It was one of those rare moments in Elizabeth's life that she couldn't find the words to reply.
"I... but do you really... I can't think of any thing I'd love more... but are you sure?"
William laughed at her discomposure.
"I've never been more sure of anything in my life", he replied as he pulled a small velvet pouch from his pocket and placed it in Liz's hand. "Open it."
He noticed Liz's hand was trembling as she drew back the strings on the pouch and tipped out an elegant and lovely diamond ring.
"I hope it fits", said William. "I probably should have taken you with me to choose it. We can change it if you don't like it".
"It's beautiful", Liz replied, barely keeping the emotion in her voice in check. "I wouldn't change it for the world".
"I'm so relieved you like it", Will commented as he slipped it onto her finger. "It's been burning a hole in my pocket for over a month now".
Liz looked up at him in amazement.
"For over a month now? You can't be serious".
"Perfectly serious", answered Will smoothly. "Elizabeth, I've loved you for so long now... Can I ask one more thing of you, though? It seems I've spent enough of my life waiting for you, and I don't want to wait any longer. I know it will leave you with the lions share of the work and decision making, but can you see your way clear to having the wedding as soon as possible after my return?"
"William, I'd marry you tomorrow if I could. The only problem I can see with your plan is telling Janice and Dad that they have two weddings on their plate in the space of two and a half months, but they have broad shoulders. I'm sure they'll cope."
William's relief was immense. The delight he felt upon Liz's acceptance was not to be expressed in words. He leaned across and took his beloved into his arms and kissed her tenderly.
Liz responded to his passion with openness and acceptance. Any resistance she had been harbouring in their previous exchanges was forgotten as she relished the exquisite sensations caused by his touch. Without knowing how they had progressed so far Liz found herself lying back on her bed with William's body next to hers, one of his hands on her thigh, the other on her back under her shirt, moving slowly over her tingling skin. His lips had left her lips and were moving down her neck to the base of her throat. A warning bell began ringing in the back of Liz's mind and she tried to ignore it, but it would not be silenced.
"Will, we have to stop".
William's exasperation was intense but when he spoke his voice was controlled and reassuring.
"Lizzy darling, you can't possibly still doubt my love and devotion to you? I want to spend the rest of my life with you".
"No William, I don't doubt that at all, but I do doubt whether either of us want to risk begining married life with me more than three months pregnant".
William groaned and sat up with his head in his hands. This possibility had never occurred to him.
"You don't have any thing we can use here?" he asked in desperation.
"Sure, I've got boxes of them in my top drawer. I keep them for all the other men I bring up to my room", she shot back at him, not knowing whether to be amused or annoyed at his question. "Anyway, I thought I was the novice here".
"Sorry Liz, I should have thought better of asking that question, but you have no idea of what you do to me", William replied. Even in his current state of excruciating frustration he dismissed the idea of going out to find an overnight chemist, and sneaking back into his parents' house, as too tasteless. Their first time together deserved to be something special.
"Well Liz, it looks like circumstances dictate that I'm going to marry a virgin, that is unless you can see your way clear in the few days prior to the wedding..... ".
"Sorry Will", Liz laughed, unable to distinguish if she was predominantly disappointed or relieved at the abrupt end to their evening's lovemaking. "I think you'll just have to cope for those few days. I'm sure I'll be worth the wait".
"I'm sure you will be", William smiled back. "But to make my waiting bearable, would you mind putting on some more clothes? I'd like to escape this night with my sanity still intact!"
The End
Elizabeth was never able to recall the day of her engagement without experiencing in part, the overlay of emotion attached to it. There were her own, almost incomprehensible feelings of joy and completeness, which mingled with a longing and anxiety that inevitably came with the knowledge she would not see William for three full months; there was the delighted acceptance of the Darcys, as they lovingly welcomed her further into their family; and there was the slight awkwardness of informing her parents who, though not expecting such a development this soon, had already come to think of the eventual union of William and their Lizzy as an agreeable certainty.
Liz's reaction to all these feelings was amplified by a physical and mental exhaustion, no doubt contributed to, in no small way, by the fact she'd had very little sleep over the last few days. William had stayed with Liz for hours that morning, holding her as they talked about their desires for the future, but also about the practicalities of arranging a wedding with Will out of the country. The emptiness she felt on him leaving her room, was counterbalanced by a guilt at having kept him there so long, when she knew this day was going to be difficult and demanding for him.
Elizabeth however, should not have wasted too much concern over how William would cope. He was experiencing a heartfelt delight at the prospect of his future, and performed the requirements of his day with an uncharacteristic grin on his face, too happy to feel tired.
Their farewell at the airport was poignant, if a little restrained, as the whole Darcy family had also come to see Will off. When the last of their goodbyes and instructions were given ('Do your best to avoid hostage situations', 'Make sure you call as soon as you arrive', 'Say hi to George Speight for me') William turned back for one last slow kiss from Liz before disappearing from sight at the boarding gate.
Liz was quiet on the trip home from the airport, and excused herself early to go to her room. As she lay on her bed thinking of the changes the last twenty-four hours had wrought in her life, she became overwhelmed at the enormity of it all, and found herself weeping without really knowing why. She soon fell into an exhausted sleep, but on awakening late the next day, she felt cleansed and refreshed. It was with a growing excitement she began to anticipate the pleasures of a wedding and the fulfilment she was sure her marriage would bring.
The amount of time Will and Liz spend on the phone and the Internet over the next few months can only be imagined. There was much to be shared, said, and done.
William's expressed desire that the wedding be a simple affair came to nought, as both his mother Anne, and Janice stepped into 'assist' with the preparations. Elizabeth found the planning gave her an enjoyment and sense of purpose, that took the edge off her impatience in waiting for Will's return.
"I just can't understand the pleasure they seem to be able to get from it", Chaz remarked to his new father-in-law and George Darcy. "I just barely survived lead up to my own wedding, and we're not back five minutes from the honeymoon, and there's Jane into it again, this time for her sister".
The men had taken refuge in the sun on the veranda of the Bennet house, leaving all the women inside with their talk and planning.
"William probably doesn't fully appreciate his good fortune in being out of the country while all this is going on", Chaz added dryly.
Thomas smiled and shook his head as another burst of laughter issued from the house.
"They all seem like reasonable, down to earth women - then look what happens at the mention of a wedding".
"Well, Georgie and Anne are just loving their involvement", George laughed. "If Richard's not at home I get no rational conversation what-so-ever, I'm exhausted with trying to appear interested".
As much as they might complain, the two fathers were actually far from dissatisfied with the prospect of the upcoming event. Both were pleased at their childrens' choice in a partner, and confident that they could reasonably expect to have a fulfilling and happy marriage. There was also a growing friendship between the Darcys and the Bennets that promised satisfying relationships between the families in the future.
A hold up due to difficulties at the newspaper, saw William arrive home from Fiji, only four days before the Wedding. The family was sensitive enough to let Elizabeth meet him at the airport by herself, and their greeting was far less restrained than their farewell. It didn't appear that their time apart had created any awkwardness between them. It has been said that absence makes the heart grow fonder (or in Williams case, could that be abstinence?) and the emotions they felt on being reunited cannot be contained in words.
The wedding itself went off like a fairy tale, William looking handsome and distinguished in his formal attire and Lizzy looking absolutely stunning in an exquisite long white satin gown. Though he could not have previously thought it possible, William experienced an even deeper longing and desire for her than he had ever felt before.
By mid afternoon, as the wedding luncheon was beginning to wind down, they had both been deeply impressed by how privileged and blessed they were. Not only were they marrying because of a real and satisfying love, but they were also surrounded by caring and supportive family and friends. It made Liz wonder if life could ever get any better.
Late that afternoon Liz and William settled into a cosy guesthouse where they would stay the night, before flying out the next morning to the Greek Isles for their honeymoon. (Oddly enough they had ignored everyone's suggestions that they stay at a resort in Fiji for their holiday.)
Will relaxed into a deep armchair and watched his wife with appreciation as she investigated the rooms and view. His eyes were drawn to the graceful movements of her body, the sensuality of her fair skin and the loveliness of her countenance. He breathed deeply and told himself not to rush things.
"Well Lizzy, what shall we do now? Do you want to go out for an early dinner before we come back here?"
Liz placed herself lightly in his lap and accepted his arms around her body.
"I'm not at all hungry", she said softly into his ear. She began to place some light kisses down his neck, running the fingers of one hand up into his hair, and undoing his top buttons with her other hand, to allow her to slip it under the material to the warmth of his skin.
William was not about to argue with her disinclination to eat. He took her chin in his hand and moved her lips up to his, kissing them tenderly at first and then with an increasing passion. Liz moaned softly at the pleasure she was receiving from Wills lips and soft touch.
William pulled back slightly with an amused look on his face.
"Isn't it about here that you usually call stop?" he queried. "You're not about to decide you're desperately hungry now or something, are you?"
Liz just laughed, kissing him again. William response was to remove her from his knee, and lead her into the bedroom.
That night Liz was able to prove that all of Collins's accusations about frigidity and repression, were so far off the mark as to be totally absurd. William too, was able to prove to Liz that there are some things more uplifting than music. (Yes, even more than 'Les Mis')
The union of Elizabeth and William Darcy demonstrated what can be achieved in a marriage not based solely on passion. Their deep love was complemented by individual strengths, mutual respect, good humour and adaptability. This provided both a rational and firm foundation for their lives together. They strengthened their commitment with a deliberate determination to not be complacent, but to feed their relationship with effort and time.
Oh, for those who are interested, Bill Collins received a non-custodial sentence for the incident in Liz's flat, but three months later he was again arrested on a charge of sexual assault. This time he was sentenced to a minimum of five years imprisonment. I think we can all rest assured that his 'pretty boy' looks made him a very popular and welcome addition to the prison population. (A word of advice Bill; if you drop your soap in the shower block, don't bend over to pick it up!)
The End