A smaller bag contained two carefully wrapped baby rattles. One was of silver with many tiny silver bells attached to the outside and a knob of coral on the end for sucking on. The second was a gourd painted with a tropical scene of palm trees, foam cresting waves on the seashore, and brilliant blue sky, attached to a handle of burnished ivory.

The remaining packages contained a half a dozen odd puzzles. Puzzles of entangled wires looped about into shapes, others of wood carved into knots, one with string and metal balls threaded into an intricate shape, and the last two were wooden Burr interlocking puzzles shaped as a pyramid and a horse. All were brainteasers, the idea to figure out the mystery of how they were formed. “I had many of these when a boy,” Darcy proclaimed. “By far my favorite pastime. I love trying to figure out how they are constructed. I know for a fact I have several of these yet hidden in a storage box, but these are different.”

Lizzy was overwhelmed, Darcy grinning like a cat after swallowing a canary. He grasped her hands and pulled her onto his lap, cuddling her into his arms. “William, you are too wonderful. You do too much…”

He halted her with a kiss. “Hush, Elizabeth. I can never do enough to express my love and appreciation for what you have given me, my beloved wife.” He flattened a hand over the swell of their child, smoothing her gown taut to better visualize the bulge. “This,” he smiled, caressing tenderly, “and you are the greatest gifts I have ever received in all my life. I will take care of you as I deem appropriate.”

Lizzy frowned nonetheless, “I understand this, dearest, but are you sure of the expense? You have been so extravagant.”

He nodded, kissing her forehead. “Elizabeth, you have seen my ledgers and know the financial burden is not a hardship. Besides, I have been saving and planning for my family for years. There is no concern. Now, let me hold you and feel our son for a spell before I freshen up for dinner.”

Dinner was delicious. Afterward, the Darcys tarried in the common room to listen to a traveling minstrel sing and play a lute. He was excellent, and the room filled to capacity with cheering listeners. It was entertainment of a sort Lizzy had never partaken of; she and Darcy sat snuggly together at a corner table sipping wine as the troubadour displayed his talent with an eclectic mix of mournful ballads, folk hymns, and lively dance tunes.

Upon later reentering their temporary bedchamber, Lizzy spied her husband in his robe sitting on a chair and examining one of the string and metal puzzles with deep intensity. She observed him unawares for a few moments, desire allayed with wondering if he would solve the mystery. He was leaning with elbows on knees, brows knitted with those precious creases visible, fingers traveling purposefully over the pieces. He turned, wiggled, and pressed in concentration. Suddenly grasping two of the steel rings with an expression of abrupt perception, his hands blurred as he twisted a piece. The pieces separated and Darcy released a satisfied shout.

Lizzy smiled, applauding in pride. “Bravo! My brilliant spouse.”

Darcy glanced up with a smile of smugness, rapidly replaced with stunned awe and raging ardor as the pieces fell from slack hands. “My god, Elizabeth! You are… ravishing! Where did you buy that gown?”

Raising her arms, Lizzy performed a swaying dance as she twirled about. “Oh, this old thing? Do you like it, my lover?”

The gown in question was black satin and clinging to every curve. The bodice gathered under barely concealed breasts and split open between to reveal her cleavage; string thin straps crossing over creamy shoulders and down her back. The back of the gown was essentially nonexistent, the fabric covering her bottom just barely. The long skirt was slit in four places all the way to mid-thigh, flashes of leg tantalizing as she danced.

Darcy was instantly aroused, the vision of his wife in swaying satin nearly more than he could tolerate. It was not only the visual stimulation but also the joy in these constant gifts she sprung on him, all for the express purpose of pleasing him. Of course, she most assuredly reaped the benefit of his intense delight. With a sultry smile he rose, slowly traversing the space separating them, Lizzy watching with bright eyes.

Reaching tender fingertips to caress over her cheeks, jaw, neck, and then to her shoulders, he slipped a finger under each slim strap. He huskily spoke, holding her gaze, “The gown is stunning. However, the true magnificence is found sheathed inside the satin.” He traced over her collarbone, trailing fire downward to brush fleetingly over each hard nipple. “It is always you, best loved wife, who completes any outfit, rendering it supreme and me your slave.”

Continuing the fiery assault over her flesh, Darcy augmented the torrential sparks flowing through her by applying lips to the tender skin behind her ear. Lizzy shivered, moaning faintly as he maintained a steady, leisurely devotion to every inch of her. Murmuring love and adulation as he kissed her, his hands traveled from her hair to upper thighs as he moved over and around her body. Standing behind her now, pulling the lush mass of hair aside, he administered the same dedication to her back. Kissing and licking the nape of her neck, down the entirety of her spine to sumptuous buttocks, his hands stroked her lovingly.

Lizzy arched backward, sighing with pleasure. “I love you, Mrs. Darcy, immeasurably,” he whispered into her ear, nibbling the lobe. “So beautiful, desirable, and sensual. Mmmmm… you smell delicious enough to feast on and I believe I shall do just that.” He cupped her breasts, pulling her against his chest, sucking delectably over her neck and shoulders. “Thank you, my beloved luscious lover, for striving to thrill me further. Although you need nothing to heighten your beauty and power over me, I do appreciate your enthusiasm and effort.” He pressed into her body, groaning hoarsely. “Love, my precious love. You provoke me to astounding reaches of desire. Never have I imagined such raging passion as with you, my Lizzy. I so love you!”

“Fitzwilliam, take me to bed.”

Darcy smiled, lips tickling her shoulder blades. “I have a better plan.” He kissed her neck, grasping shoulders and turning her about. “Go stand by the window, sweet wife, whilst I douse the lights.”

She did as he asked, waiting and watching as he glided about the chamber extinguishing each lamp. He approached with sinewy grace, eyes indigo, and desire proudly evident. Darcy untied his robe, exposing his multitude of masculine attributes to his wife's thirsty stare. “So powerful and virile you are, my heart. All of you alluring and sublimely male.”

Darcy smiled. “It is you, Elizabeth. You move me and arouse my potency as never previously attained. I confess I am still frequently shocked at how I respond to your love. I never reacted so grandly until I began loving you.” He cupped both hands around her slender neck, his thumbs caressing over her jaw and his fingers laced into her hair. Leaning in, he licked lightly over her full lips before claiming her entire mouth, inner and outer, in an all-encompassing kiss.

Lizzy encircled his waist, hugging tight and arching into his body with a sibilant moan. For long moments they embraced, kissing and caressing with ever increasing passion. Darcy finally broke away with a raspy growl, panting heavily. “Turn around. Let me show you how desperately I yearn for you.”

Obeying with a nod, Lizzy faced the window. Moonlight shone faintly on the rippling surface of the river, millions of stars twinkling, the pale light bathing Lizzy's skin with a bluish glow. Darcy fondled warm hands over the curves of her hips, down firm thighs and around to the sensitive inner flesh, satin sliding sensuously. Gliding hands over the precious prominence created by their child, upward to cherish each breast, again drawing her securely onto his body.

“I shall love you here in the moonlight with your succulent body merged with mine. Moving, always moving as our passion rises to heavenly heights. I shall possess you with my body as you possess my soul. You, Elizabeth Darcy, my wife and eternal love.” As he finished speaking, voice low and vibrant, he ran one hand up her spine while bending her body slightly and initiated the delicious process of wholly loving his wife.

Slowly, leisurely they loved, caressing as passion rose. They were lost to increasing sensations, sighing and moaning in need. Darcy kept his eyes open, marveling at her beauty in the reflective light and her roaring response to him, overjoyed at her blatant pleasure, and always with love spiraling unimaginably as his own ardor escalated until he felt the intense bliss gathering to a point of uncontrollability.

Passion cresting until neither wished to hold back, tumbling over as souls melded in the process. Immediately, Darcy pulled her upward and onto his burning chest, enveloping her with trembling arms and delivering moist kisses along her glistening neck as he panted with gradually declining rapture.

“Elizabeth, my beautiful love, my soul, my delight and life. How amazing you love me! My joy is fulfilled with you, so perfect you are.” Lizzy tarried in a place of heavenly stupefaction, allowing his words of veneration to wash over her consciousness as his hands tenderly caressed her arms.

“Fitzwilliam,” she whispered, “I love you.” Darcy smiled with supreme happiness, brushing her lips and then sweeping her into his arms, carrying her to the bed.

They nestled close, face to face with hands entwined and fingers lightly caressing. Darcy played with her lush curls, a favorite pastime, while Lizzy feathered through the downy hairs on his chest. All the while eyes mere inches apart were locked in a loving gaze, one or the other frequently leaning for a kiss. Oddly, considering their busy day and recent strenuous activity, neither felt overly tired.

Darcy brushed over the satin of her gown. “You never told me where you bought this scandalous gown.”

Lizzy giggled. “Scandalous? Madame du Loire is French and you know the reputation they have! Apparently, it is well founded as she creates an entire line of such decadent garments for clients so inclined. I must have an invisible sign stamped on me for those able to discern that shouts, ‘Her husband is insatiable and she is licentious.’ The third time I visited her shop for a fitting, she brought out the short chemise from Christmas Eve that you so love.” Darcy smiled salaciously in remembrance. Lizzy continued with a laugh, “Yes, I think I must have had a similar expression on my face, beloved, for when she asked me how I ‘enjoyed’ the chemise, suddenly a dozen scanty bedroom garments appeared, each more scandalous than the last. So now I have a collection and don a new one every so often for the humorous cast of your face when you see me, not to mention the sexual delights as a result.” She kissed his chuckling lips.

“I shall have to extend my appreciation to Madame du Loire,” he said, stroking enticingly down her waist and hip.

“You shall do no such thing, William! I would die of embarrassment. I still blush scarlet when she shows me her latest creation.”

“Yet, you purchase it,” Darcy interjected with a grin.

“Well, of course! Mortified speechless I may be, but not stupid. I am abundantly thankful she knows my size and I need not have them fit. Again, it is all your fault, but the sensations rushing through my body when I wear one of these filmy lingerie, as the French call them, are most inappropriate for a public house!”

“I wonder if Marguerite knows of such French delicacies. I do hope so, for my valet's sake.” Darcy ran the back of two fingers along the swell of her breast under the bodice.

Lizzy laughed. “Well, if she did not before, she does now, as she helps me dress and launders my undergarments. I deem Samuel will be quite satisfied, especially if his shy nature harbors great passion as it does with you, my heart.”

Darcy blushed faintly, hiding his humility within her bosoms for a spell of nuzzling and kissing. Lizzy released a sigh of pleasure, kissing the top of his head. His muffled voice rose from where his lips were planted firmly on one nipple, “How many of these lingerie did you bring on this trip, my wife? Perhaps we should forego our plans for the morrow and stay inside.” He rose with a hopeful, questioning look to his wife, but Lizzy giggled and shook her head.

“Forgive me, lover, for disappointing, but I only brought this one.” She laced her fingers through his hair, smiling happily and tickling her lips over his. “However,” she whispered breathily, “I do not judge the positive effects of this particular gown have yet been utterly exhausted.” With a last nip to his full lower lip, she twisted from his grasp and stood on the bed.