A Scandal at Hunsford Read online

  A Scandal at Hunsford

  A Pride and Prejudice Sensual Intimate Trilogy

  Alice Everley

  Copyright © 2018 by Dear Dahlia Publishing

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Created with Vellum

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Also by Alice Everley

  Also from Dear Dahlia Publishing

  1

  A Walk to Rosings

  It was a pleasant spring day as Elizabeth Bennet and Charlotte Collins walked amongst Mr. Collins garden at the parsonage at Hunsford. Collins had tended it with pleasure and it was one of the parsonage’s most beautiful features. When they reached the garden gate, Charlotte turned to her friend, happy at last to have company at the far away home of her new husband.

  “Shall we keep walking? It is such a lovely day and perhaps we can stop to admire Rosings Park. Lady Catherine will not welcome us without an invitation, but you can at the very least admire it from a distance until she sends us an official request. She does not take kindly to sudden arrivals at her home,” Charlotte said with a smile that betrayed her discomfort with her new husband’s benefactor.

  Elizabeth delighted at the idea of seeing the home of Lady Catherine de Bourgh, as Rosings Park was known to be quite grand. Mr. Collins spoke frequently of it, as it was known to be his favorite topic of conversation, especially when those of great wealth were near. Ever since Lizzy arrived at Hunsford, Collins had been sure to share stories of Lady Catherine’s generosity, though in truth, Elizabeth had hoped to spend more time alone with her dear friend Charlotte, who herself seemed in need of companionship other than her husband, Lady Catherine’s, and Lady Catherine’s daughter, Anne.

  As the sun shone down on Hunsford’s garden that lovely March day, Elizabeth was just happy to have a moment of peace to hear of Charlotte’s new life. She spoke at length of Collins’ enjoyment of his garden, and how she rarely discouraged his time spent there, because it meant she could tend to the house and read in quiet. Lizzy suspected that perhaps Charlotte was not as content in her marriage to Collins as she might be, which only strengthened her own resolve to remain unmarried until she found happiness in the union.

  Charlotte had just opened the gate when Collins appeared on the path that lead to Hunsford, running faster than he seemed to have the ability. His round legs were moving with such haste, Elizabeth worried he might fall in the dirt. When he at last arrived at their side, he was gasping for air and resting his hands on his knees.

  “Dear, perhaps you should go inside and ask the housekeeper to make you a cup of tea? You look as if you have exhausted yourself.”

  Collins held up his hand in protest. “That will not be necessary, my darling. But I had to tell you and Miss Bennet the excellent news and there was no time to dawdle!”

  “News?” Elizabeth asked, her curiosity growing by the moment. What possible news could there be in the quiet little estate of Hunsford?

  “Lady Catherine de Bourgh has invited us to her home for tea tomorrow! You should be most pleased at this news, Miss Bennet. Lady Catherine de Bourgh does not invite just anyone to Rosings Park. You should consider yourself truly honored to be offered such a privilege.”

  Elizabeth smiled with all of the happiness she could manage, as if she were more pleased to meet Lady Catherine than see the inside of Rosings Park. Her mother would not forgive her if she did not study every detail of the fine estate.

  “I am honored, indeed, Mr. Collins! We shall celebrate with a walk, I believe. Mr. Collins, Mrs. Collins, come and let us enjoy this momentous day.” Lizzy knew Collins would not wish to turn and walk the path he had just come, but neither would he say no to his guest.

  “Yes, let us. There are few on the road today and it is ideal for a walk. Come! Let us enjoy God’s beautiful creation,” he said with an air of fatigue.

  Elizabeth, Charlotte, and Collins left for their walk through Kent and toward Rosings Park, though they did not dare approach the property itself until the day of their proper invitation. As they walked, Lizzy and Charlotte talked with excitement about the luxurious interior of Rosings, as Collins gasped for breath with each step farther away from Hunsford. Along the way, Elizabeth and Charlotte stopped to pick wildflowers to put in vases at the parsonage. Lizzy knew that Lady Catherine de Bourgh would never accept anything as common as wildflowers as a gift, but it felt the least she could do for her gracious hosts at Hunsford.

  Elizabeth kept walking and collecting until suddenly, she found herself all alone, in the middle of a grassy field, surrounded by flowers and lovely trees. But neither Charlotte nor Mr. Collins was anywhere to be seen.

  “Charlotte?” Elizabeth called out, her concern growing with every moment she realized that she was on her own. But no one answered her call. Instead, she heard only the echo of her own voice across the field. Lizzy considered every option for her rescue and knew that she could not have wandered far from either Hunsford or Charlotte. So, she hoped that if she sat in the meadow for a moment and gathered her thoughts, she might be able to remember where she had come from.

  Elizabeth lay down in the cool grass and stared up at the blue sky, as only the occasional crowd drifted across. She felt herself beginning to drift off to sleep when the sound of her force startled her awake.

  “Miss Bennet, this is hardly an appropriate place to take a nap.”

  Lizzy opened her eyes and was shocked to see Mr. Darcy standing above her, staring down with a serious scowl. At first, she felt a hint of shame. But then she realized there was no cause for it, as she had done nothing wrong.

  “There is nothing wrong with taking a moment to appreciate a beautiful day, Mr. Darcy. Perhaps if you spent more time in nature, you would be a more pleasant gentleman.”

  Darcy did not have an answer for Elizabeth’s claim; he simply offered his hand to help her up off of the ground, which he did with ease. His hand was strong, and he was able to get her back on to her feet in one swift movement. Once they were face-to-face, she was better able to examine his true expression and it was one of mild amusement. She surveyed the area around him and saw that he was also alone, which surprised her, as she was sure Colonel Fitzwilliam had accompanied him to Rosings Park.

  “What are you doing out here all alone, Mr. Darcy?”

  He smiled and waved his hand to indicate the empty meadow. “I could ask you the same, Miss Bennet. I saw Mr. and Mrs. Collins more than a mile from here and surely you did not intend to become separated from your hosts.”

  “And did you intend to abandon yours?”

  Mr. Darcy laughed, which was something Elizabeth did not expect. The man hardly seemed capable of a smile let alone genuine humor and their history did not lend itself to pleasant interactions. It was a surprise to see him in good spirits.

  “Colonel Fitzwilliam has availed himself of the company of your cousin, though he was not given much choice in the matter, as he began speaking of the virtues of my aunt and Fitzwilliam found he was unable to escape. I managed to slip away while all were distracted, however, to appreciate this beautiful day, as you suggested I do.”

  Elizabeth examined him further and found him to be truthful, in spite of belief that he might very well be a scoundrel. She bent down and picked up the bundle of wildflowers that were sitting by her feet and looked over Darcy’s shoulder once more.

  “I suppose I must find my friends once more, before they begin to worry.”

/>   Darcy shook his head. “Nonsense. Collins will keep them occupied for some time. Why do not we continue your walk toward my aunt’s estate? There is a very nice tree near the edge the stone wall that makes up her property and it is perfect for providing shade when then weather becomes warm. Perhaps we might sit together before we rejoin our companions?”

  Lizzy could not believe what she was hearing; Fitzwilliam Darcy, the most arrogant gentlemen in all of England, was being polite to her, and it was something she did not expect. She found herself unable to resist his sudden display of kindness and nodded without a word. The pair began their slow walk away from the meadow and toward the perimeter of Lady Catherine’s property.

  At first, they walked in silence, looking only at the nature that surrounded them and listened to the sounds of the birds as they sang in the sky. But as they approached the tree Mr. Darcy had spoken of, and Elizabeth saw it was just as grand as he had suggested, suddenly he became anxious to speak once again.

  “Miss Bennet, have you been enjoying your stay at Hunsford? My aunt had suggested the parsonage was quite small, especially for three people.”

  Lizzy could not help but laugh in incredulity at such a statement. Of course, Hunsford would appear small to a woman like Lady Catherine de Bourgh. But in truth, it was a perfectly lovely estate with more than enough room for Collins, Charlotte, and children, when the time came.

  “Your aunt has misled you, Mr. Darcy. Hunsford has been most comfortable and Charlotte is a wonderful hostess. I will be sorry to leave her when it is time to return to Longbourn.”

  Darcy looked down at the grass under the tree and gestured for them to sit. “Shall we?” Elizabeth had no reason to dispute; her dress was already sullied from earlier and she had grown tired from all of the walking. The couple sat in the shade of the old tree and a quiet descended over them once again. Only when Elizabeth looked over at Mr. Darcy did she understand that the gentleman was staring at her, watching her, thoughtfully.

  And then Mr. Darcy did something Elizabeth was not expecting; he reached over and set his hand on her leg without saying a word. They just sat there, a gentle spring wind stirring the leaves and grass around them, as the warmth from his strong fingers sent tingles along her skin, all the way down to her toes. She knew that she should resist, that she should tell him to remove his hand at once, but she could not find the words to do so. Even when she tried, they would not come.

  “Mr. Darcy… I think…”

  But she could not finish her sentence. Darcy’s hand, which had been scandalously resting on Elizabeth’s thigh, began to drift down toward the edge of her skirt, sliding softly under the flowing fabrics. Elizabeth looked over at him, and she could feel the uncertainty settling deep into her bones. She felt it was wrong, that she should stop him, but just the power of his touch was enough to render her senseless.

  “Miss Bennet, I find you most charming, and I hope you will not consider me too forward if I show you how deeply I have become fond with you.”

  Elizabeth knew she should stop him, but against her understanding God, she felt peaceful and safe in his presence and in that moment, felt that she could not be without him. She did not stop him; in fact, she nodded softly and gave him permission to continue his exploration of her body.

  Mr. Darcy leaned over and kissed her neck softly, pausing only to bite gently and unexpectedly at her earlobe.

  “Oh, Mr. Darcy,” Elizabeth whispered as she closed her eyes. He distracted her with his kisses as his hand continued to travel its way up her skirts, finding her underclothes. He let his fingers explore her most intimate area and her whole body rose at his touch. Elizabeth’s breath began to quicken as he traced the outline of her womanhood through her undergarments, until her eyes began to flutter from the strange new pleasure he was introducing her to.

  Elizabeth turned to kiss Darcy as if she had lost control of her faculties, the kiss deep, her desire hardly contained as Darcy continued to tease her. She turned her body toward him, her breasts pressing against his chest as he slowly studied her, taking his time as he brought her this indulgence like she had never known.

  Darcy ran his hand from one thigh to the other, before sliding his hand under between her legs, pushing first one, and then two, fingers into her waiting womanhood. At first, she did not understand what he was doing, but as her body prepared this new experience, her legs widened in response, and her chest began to heave with desire. Darcy felt his manhood harden, longing to experience Elizabeth, but he knew that they did not have the time for such thing, and she would not be ready for that. Not yet.

  Today was only about showing Elizabeth Bennet how much he wanted her for his own.

  His fingers slowly stroked inside of her until it seemed she might cross over a precipice and then, Darcy got down in front of Elizabeth, push her skirts the rest of the way up to her waist.

  “What are you doing?” Elizabeth leaned forward to ask hesitantly. But Darcy just kissed her, and silently pushed her back against the tree trunk. She complied, and her eyes closed as Darcy’s fingers became more enthusiastic with their strokes. Elizabeth’s fingers dug into her thighs as her release built and her hips bucked with each unexpected movement.

  After finding his way through her wealth of undergarments at last, Darcy allowed himself the distinct pleasure of viewing Lizzy’s most intimate secret. She was too lost in the joy he was bringing her to even realize what was about to happen, so when he touched her, it was a surprise of both shock and absolute pleasure. She cried out at the new sensation, at the feel of his warmth against her own, and with everyone one of his movement, she was not sure she would survive until the next.

  Darcy could feel every twitch and twist of her every time he touched her, and it only made him want her more. She begged him for more, her whimpers echoing off of the surrounding trees. It wasn’t long before she found the apex of her pleasure, which in itself almost brought Darcy to his own.

  “Oh, Mr. Darcy!” Elizabeth cried out as her back arched into the air, riding the waves of her deep pleasure. Darcy simply watched the beauty of her face as she discovered gratification for the first time. He gave her a few moments to gather herself and find her voice again. Once she did so, she looked as if she had seen a ghost.

  “Mr. Darcy… what did you do? What have we done?”

  Darcy got to his feet and then helped Elizabeth do the same, so she could put her garments back on. As she dressed, he brushed away the leaves and sticks from his trousers and tried to adjust his outfit, so he looked as polished as he had when he arrived in the meadow. Once Elizabeth was dressed, he helped her do the same, until they both looked proper again.

  “Perhaps, we should rejoin our companions now? They will be wondering after us…” Darcy said. But Elizabeth covered her face in terror.

  “They will know what happened here, Mr. Darcy, I am sure of it! We cannot go back.”

  Darcy laughed. “Then shall we live under this tree for the rest of our lives, Miss Bennet? It might grow cold in the winter months, but I am sure someone will bring us blankets.”

  Elizabeth begrudgingly relented, and the pair began the long walk back toward Hunsford in absolute silence…

  “Elizabeth! Where have you have been? We were beginning to grow so worried I thought we might have to call the constable!”

  Charlotte ran to her friend as soon as Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy crossed the pathway that lead to where Collins and Charlotte had been waiting with Colonel Fitzwilliam for Darcy and Lizzy to return. Charlotte did look as if she had been in a panic, but as soon as Elizabeth was in her arms, she calmed. Yet, when she pulled away, it was almost as if she could see a change in Elizabeth’s eye, and Lizzy herself sensed it.

  “Nothing to fear, Mrs. Collins. Miss Bennet simply wandered too far in her search for wildflowers and I happened to come upon her in a meadow. Now that she has been returned safely to her friends, Fitzwilliam, we should return to Rosings Park ourselves. The mistress of the house does not take kin
dly to those who are late to supper.”

  They said their goodbyes and parted ways, with Elizabeth’s eyes cast to the ground the entire time. On the path back to Hunsford, Collins admonished Elizabeth for wandering away.

  “One must be careful and stay to the path, Miss Bennet. Should you have found your way to Rosings Park, Lady Catherine would have been most displeased. Though I am, of course, sure she would have offered you shelter until your proper return to Hunsford. I also must protest in the way you returned to us, cousin. You were quite covered in grass and flower petals. What if Lady Catherine de Bourgh had seen you in such a state?”

  Elizabeth began sweeping at her skirts again with haste, Charlotte watching her all the while, as she tried to ensure there was no nature left on her. By the time they returned to Hunsford, all she wished to do was take a bath and change into a dress that had not been involved in such a scandalous affair. Yet, when they walked into the parsonage and Collins retired to his study, Charlotte followed Elizabeth to the guest room and entered behind her before she could shut the door.

  “Elizabeth,” she said, surprising her friend, “have you told me all there is to tell about your walk today?”

  Lizzy did not wish to lie to her oldest friend, so all she said was, “what more could I tell you, dear Charlotte?”

  Charlotte nodded but it did not seem as if she believed what Elizabeth was saying. Instead, she gave her a quick kiss on the cheek.

  “Please do not rush as you dress for dinner. I am sure you wish to take a bath after your ordeal.”

  Once she was gone, Elizabeth sat on her bed and all she could do was whisper,

  “What have I done? What have I done?”

  Collins sat at the desk in his study and took out a piece of paper, the letter he intended to write already prepared in his mind. He took out his quill and began to write: