Obstacles to Overcome

Chapter 48

"This bloody thing is not opening." Elizabeth struggled to open the latches of the trailer's ramp.

Darcy stood, arms crossed over his chest, observing her, wondering how long it would take before the stubborn little thing to struggle with the latch before asking for his help. He decided to intervene before she injured her hand. "May I?"

She sighed and moved to the side. "It's stuck."

Calmly, Darcy turned the latch in the opposite direction she had been trying and lowered the ramp. "I'll unload Petticoat."

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. She hated that he was so calm when she wasn't. Why did she agree to come to Leeds? She shouldn't have let them talk her into this. No matter what Darcy and Forster said, she knew she wasn't ready for this. But they insisted and she agreed and here she was, competing in the Leeds Pony Club annual event, riding a Pemberley horse, coached by William Darcy. She sensed that all eyes were on her, that she couldn't fail or disappoint. Why did she agree to this?

Once their camp was ready and Petticoat was tied to a tree, they went to the admission table for Elizabeth's number. There were lots of children from different riding clubs competing and lots of parents and family watching and recording the event. Elizabeth felt that she was too old for this.

Half an hour later, the competitors were called up to walk the course and Elizabeth's anxiety grew exponentially.

"Are you coming with me?" she asked Darcy.

"I think that this is something that you should do on your own." he smiled. She really needed to be more confident. "I will accompany you, but I'll stay out of the arena."

"Do as you wish." she walked away.

Darcy only sighed and followed her.

There were nearly 100 entries that day, quite a record for the club. Elizabeth was competing against 6 other people in her category, intermediate 2 to 3 feet. There were a few senior riders that might jump higher and the rest were mostly children and teenagers. Some of them were even jumping ponies as they were too small for larger horses. After walking the course with the others, Elizabeth realized her own stupidity and cursed this ability she had of getting mad at Darcy so easily. Only the children were accompanied by their teachers; people her age and with her expertise did it on their own. She returned to him smiling guiltily and received a kiss on her cheek.

After watching the beginner's class for a while, they went to saddle Petticoat. They didn't bring a groom with them (it would be ridiculous for only a few hours), so Darcy helped Elizabeth to ready her mare. Then, they went to the schooling pen for the warm up.

The proximity of the show only made Elizabeth's anxiety grow. The schooling pen was a little crowded with the riders that were about to compete and their instructors. There were three hurdles placed in different positions and the teachers were giving their apprentices a few tips of how to face the show. They were all young people, some of them children, and the ring was a sort of organized chaos where instructions mingled, horses trotted and hurdles fell.

While Elizabeth rode, Darcy remained on one side, reclined on the fence, looking at her. He preferred to stay apart and allow her to concentrate, so he made conversation with one of the teachers that was standing close to him. When Elizabeth's turn came closer, he walked to the centre of the arena and told her to jump.

"Watch your way," he spoke calmly. "There are too many children around and someone may cross your way; check that there is no one near before jumping, all right?"

Elizabeth had to wait a moment until the two kids that were circling the pen were out of her way. For God's sake, they weren't even 10 years old! When the way was clear she trotted towards the obstacle and jumped. The jump was successful and she returned to Darcy after a huge exhalation.

"Very good." He waved her to follow him. "Let's go, it's almost your turn."

Elizabeth felt her blood pressure skyrocketing. Why did she agree to do this?

Darcy, who was observing her not too far away, saw her lifting her hat to dry the sweat from her brow and rubbing her palms on her breeches. He could see that instead of having fun with this, Elizabeth was suffering. She really needed to calm down and enjoy the moment. Petticoat didn't seem nervous; the mare had endured the trip, the crowded schooling pen and the foreign environment pretty well, but now he feared that Elizabeth's tension would affect her and this first time out together would be traumatic, for both.

"Elizabeth," he walked slowly towards her. With a wave of his hand, he gestured for her to bend so he could tell her something. She obeyed, sure that it was very important if he was making such a mystery of it. When she was close enough, he spoke directly in her ear.

"Your ass looks great in those breeches."

"What?" she laughed.

Smiling, Darcy repeated the comment and she laughed harder. "Now, it's your turn. Go, babe, show'em." He slapped Petticoat's rump and she parted at a slow gallop. One minute later, Elizabeth was back and grinning broadly after a clear run.

"Good girl, you did great." He patted her thigh and then Petticoat's neck. "It wasn't that bad, was it?"

Elizabeth swung her leg over Petticoat's neck and slid her rear down the saddle to fall into his open arms. "Where did this 'babe' thing come from?" He never called her nicknames before.

"I needed to distract you from all the silliness you were thinking about, Elizabeth; you were so tense that you were going injure Petticoat's back." He took the reins and they walked towards the horse's area. Second round was after lunch, so they had some time to eat something before competing again. "This is only a local show, Liz, try to relax and enjoy the day, think of it as a picnic."

"Yeah, I bet that's easy for you. I'm sure you had a hell of a picnic at the Nation's Cup." She walked next to him.

"I did," he grinned wickedly. "Only at that picnic, I was eating lobster and caviar."

~ * ~

Her second round was successful and now Elizabeth had to jump the 'finals', which were not really finals, they were just another round for the riders to acquire more practice. Panicking, she realized that obstacles were being lifted and she expressed her fears to Darcy.

"William, they are raising the hurdles!"

"Only 3 inches," he said calmly. "You practiced even higher at home."

"But this is different! How am I going to do it?" she protested.

"Throw your heart over the obstacle, then jump after it," Darcy replied.

"What?" Elizabeth turned around.

He repeated it. "It's a Polish saying." Darcy placed his hands on her shoulders and looked into her eyes. "Elizabeth, jump because you want to jump, because it makes you happy. Don't do it because I say so or anyone else does. You don't need to compete if you don't want to, but if you do it, try to enjoy it or you'll end hating this sport."

This was a good philosophy. Darcy wasn't No. 1 only because he was the most talented rider she had ever seen, it was also because he loved to be there, in the centre of the ring, defying the laws of gravity while jumping in front of thousands of people. He loved the adrenaline and he liked the challenge. He was the best and he knew it, and he demonstrated it every time he rode his horse.

"Is that what you do?" she smiled.

"What?" he raised his eyebrow.

"Throw your heart over the obstacle and then jump after it."

"My heart belongs to you now, so I can't throw it too far anymore, but yes, that's what I usually do." His lips twisted into a smile.

After that, she didn't give a damn about the show, the course, competing, anything but him. "Did I ever tell you that you are the sweetest, most adorable, sexiest, hottest, man in the world?"

Darcy made a smug face. "No, but you can repeat it every time you wish. Especially the sexiest, hottest stuff. Come, let's go, or you'll be late."

Elizabeth bent her leg and two seconds later she was sitting on her mare. She really enjoyed jumping that time.

~ * ~

"I don't know what happened, but this thing keeps popping up." Elizabeth was sitting on Darcy's knee, checking a problem on the computer. Every time she connected on the Internet, the web page of a travel site appeared.

"Are you sure that you didn't install anything when you opened it the first time? Maybe it's a virus."

"I don't know, I don't remember even visiting this page. It just popped up."

"You are useless with a mouse in your hand, Elizabeth. I'll have to buy you your own computer so you'll not mess with mine any longer," he said in good humour.

"Mine?" She grinned.

"Yes, yours." He uninstalled the program and it was fixed. "Now, until you have your own computer, in your own study, always say 'no' or 'cancel' when asked permission to install a program, all right?"

"No?" she giggled, "Do you want me to always say 'no'?"

Darcy tickled her stomach. "Well, not always."

"And when am I allowed to say 'yes'?"

"You are becoming naughty, aren't you?" He tickled her harder.

"And you ..." She stopped when they heard strange sounds coming from the hall.

Mrs. Reynolds sounded a little alarmed. "Lady Catherine, what an unexpected surprise, I will tell Mr. Darcy that you're here."

"That is not necessary," the Lady responded. "I know the way; is he in his study?"

At that moment the study's door flung open.

Elizabeth jumped off his lap and Darcy rose as his aunt entered the room. "Kate, what an unexpected pleasure. To what do I owe ..."

Lady Catherine stood in the centre of the room, glaring at the couple. "William, I came all this way from Kent to have this rumour universally contradicted."

"What rumour?" He raised his eyebrow.

"I've just returned from a two month trip and learned that you, my nephew, have been living under the same roof with this," she eyed Elizabeth from head to toe, "young lady for some time. Is that true?"

"Yes, it is," he said in a firm voice.

She gasped dramatically. "Have you no shame or morals? I didn't raise you to act in such indecent manner, young man!"

Elizabeth couldn't understand what was going on. She thought that Lady Catherine wasn't against their relationship, in fact, she was told that she was the one that encouraged their reunion.

"I don't think that our behaviour is indecent at all," replied Darcy.

"No? Then how do you call this ... cohabitation outside the sanctity of matrimony? You are living in sin!" Lady Catherine spoke angrily.

"Don't you think it's a little bit old fashioned? Come on, Aunt ..."

"I will not be interrupted! This is intolerable, Fitzwilliam, are the shades of Pemberley to be thus polluted?"

Elizabeth was becoming hysterical and braced herself. She glanced at Darcy and saw him just look at his aunt with his eyebrows raised in ... amusement?

"I don't think it's so dramatic, aunt; and in any case, it can be fixed easily."

"Oh, yes? How? What are you planning to do?"

"We are getting married in only a couple of months. Do you thing that will save us from the condemnation of society?"

"Two months?" Lady Catherine's facade crumbled and looked at her nephew in utter dismay. "Why didn't you tell me? I can't plan the wedding of the century with such short notice! Fitzwilliam, you can't do this to me."

"Didn't Ann tell you? She said she would." he smiled. "I would have called you myself, but I didn't know where to reach you in India."

Elizabeth, whose mind had been in a total turmoil since Lady Catherine burst into the room, had just realized that this had been some kind of cheap melodrama that her Ladyship had played in front of their eyes.

Lady C smiled broadly and walked to them, kissing his cheek first and then Elizabeth's, leaving them both smudged with lipstick. "I guess I have no other choice than to congratulate you. I am so happy for you two. I know you were made for each other."

"You should have never left the stage, Kate; Sir Larry lost his best partner the day you retired."

The old lady patted her nephew's cheek. "You know your uncle didn't allow me to continue with my acting career when we got married."

"England's theatre is missing one of its most brilliant luminaries," Darcy said cheekily.

"Flattering will not make me forgive you." Lady Catherine walked towards the sofa where she deposited her rather large figure. "After all I did for you, I was expecting that at least you would call me when you set the date."

There was wickedness in Darcy's smile. "I've been busy."

"I bet you were." His aunt laughed. "And you, Elizabeth, how is he treating you?"

Elizabeth was still stunned by this unexpected apparition so she couldn't elaborate a coherent reply. "Fine, I'm ... very well, he's very ..."

"I always knew that you two would get along. I was hoping he would ask you out while at Rosings, but then I feared that he would scare you away with that brooding face he always carries around. He got that from the Darcy side. They are all so dull and serious."

"Well, he ..." Elizabeth looked at Darcy, begging for a clue of what to say. She didn't receive any. "... he ... we... we talked a few times but he ..."

"It doesn't matter. Here you are and now we have to plan the wedding. Do you have any ideas?" she asked Elizabeth.

"Well ... I ..." Elizabeth glanced nervously at Darcy. "We were thinking of something simple and small."

"Simple? Small?" Her ladyship's eyes went from one to the other. "You cannot expect Fitzwilliam Darcy to marry in a simple ceremony!"

Elizabeth raised her eyebrows. It was not the first time the old lady called him this. "Fitzwilliam?"

"Oh." Lady Catherine covered her mouth in the worst performance of feigned innocence anyone had ever seen. "He didn't tell you yet."

"Tell me what?" Elizabeth looked at Darcy, who was rolling his eyes.

"His name." Lady C smiled mischievously.

Elizabeth giggled. "It's Fitzwilliam?"

"No, even worse." Lady C patted her hand and grinned. "Fitzwilliam Bartholomew Darcy. His father had such a bad taste."

She burst out in laughter. "What?"

"I think that is enough, aunt," Darcy tried to put an end to this.

"So, dear, whenever he misbehaves, you can always call him Bart. He absolutely detests it."

"Kate, back on that wedding issue ..." He chose a less unpleasant subject.

"Oh yes, dear, the wedding. You will have to delay the wedding for a couple of months so we can plan something really grand. You two will continue to live in sin for a little longer, but who cares?"

"But we want something simple and small," Elizabeth insisted.

"That's ridiculous. We have hundreds of very important acquaintances that MUST be invited."

"Kate," Darcy interrupted, "I understand the pressure that society imposes in cases such as these but I would prefer our wedding to remain an intimate and exclusive affair." That was said in such snobbish tone that Elizabeth almost exploded in laughter at the way he phrased it.

Lady C's eyes immediately lit up. "You are my nephew after all."

"Are you staying for dinner?" Darcy asked with a smile.

"No, I'm staying at Matlock tonight. There's that bloody meeting of the Group that we must attend tomorrow."

"Then I'll see you tomorrow, at the meeting," he replied.

"Are you coming too, Elizabeth?"

"I'd love to go," and then, looking at Darcy, she asked, "Will you to take me with you, Bart?"

~ * ~

"Where's Elizabeth?" Darcy came into the house after seeing to some things at the stables. He had already searched for her in the rooms she usually was in at this time but he couldn't find her.

"I haven't seen her since lunch," said Mrs. Reynolds. "Maybe she's out."

"Out?" Darcy looked at is watch. It was nearly six, and she didn't mention to him that she was going out today.

"I think I heard her say that she wanted to see to a couple of things, but she didn't say where."

"Will you check it out, please?" There was a hint of alarm in Darcy's voice.

The housekeeper called the kitchen and asked the maids. No one had seen Elizabeth since lunch.

"How is that there are nine people working in this house and no one knows if she is here or not?" Darcy spoke angrily. He went to the phone and called her mobile. It was off.

"William, I can't tell her to inform me what ..."

"Margaret," he interrupted, "First: I want to be informed whenever she leaves the estate; and second: don't argue with me. Is that clear?"

She housekeeper sighed. "I'll check with the security guard at the entrance to see if he saw her leaving."

"I'll do it," snapped Darcy as he dialled. "She isn't acquainted with the roads, she might get lost or something could happen to her and ..."

"Hi, everyone." Elizabeth sang as she entered the living room.

"Elizabeth." Darcy sighed in relief.

"My feet are killing me." She made a face as she walked to him.

"Where were you?" he asked while hanging up the phone.

"Lambton," she kissed him quickly on the lips in front of Margaret's smiling eyes. "There is this florist that Maddy's sister recommended to me, though I liked best the one we saw in Matlock."

"You didn't tell anyone you were leaving." He looked at her with a frown.

"No?" Elizabeth said casually.

"You didn't take your mobile with you either."

"You are the only one that calls me on the mobile, so what would be the point of carrying it around if I'm here? Anyway the battery was dead."

"You weren't here and I tried to call you," he said in disbelief; that was the most ridiculous excuse he had ever heard. What if something happened to her on the road? She wouldn't have the phone to call him in case of emergency.

She smiled sweetly, giving the matter very little importance. "All right, I'll take it the next time. Look what I've got you." She grabbed a shopping bag and gave it to Darcy.

"You brought me a present?" he smiled.

"Trainers. Yours are old. Do you like them?"

"Yes, they're very nice, thank you." He kissed her.

"Margaret, I would love a cup of tea, would you be so kind as to send me one?"

"Of course, dear; and you, William, do you want something to drink, too?" the elder woman replied with an arched brow.

Darcy glared at her. After the scene he just made, he knew that his housekeeper was expecting him to say something to Elizabeth. "Coffee, thank you."

"You finished early today," said Elizabeth as they walked towards the couch once they were left on their own.

"No, it's already six. I thought you weren't going out today."

"Six! No, it can't be that ...." She looked at her watch, she never expected to arrive this late, but she was delayed in one of the stores. "I guess I lost track of the time."

His previous worries returned. "Elizabeth you must tell someone when you are leaving the house. I was worried sick."

"But I only went to Lambton, William," she said in a dismissing tone. "I wasn't even out for two hours."

As gently as he could, he tried to make her understand how things worked at Pemberley. "My love, this is a big house, a very large estate, I would like to know if you leave it or not. I don't want anything to happen to you."

"And what can happen to me?" She knelt on the couch and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Nothing," he smiled against her lips. Telling her that he liked to find her at home when he arrived would upset her and explaining to her that they were obscenely rich and that that demanded certain precautions would only scare her. He dismissed both and trusted that she would follow his instructions. "Promise you will be more careful in the future, all right?"

"Yes, sir." She smiled.

Their lips met. "And that you will tell me or Margaret if you are going out."

"Yes, sir."

"And that you'll always carry your mobile, just in case." Another kiss.

"Yes, sir."

"And that you won't be absent for too long." His kisses turned more demanding.

Elizabeth's lips were too busy to respond to that.

Chapter 49

The doors of the huge indoor stadium opened and Elizabeth felt the tickles of all that energy crawling under her skin. Frankfurt was one of the top equestrian events of the year, the world's largest indoor tournament, limited only to horses and jumpers with international experience and that paid the highest prize for the sport: the plain sum of 300.000 Euros in cash to the winner.

Both Darcy and Elizabeth were equally excited to be there. La crème de la crème of the equestrian world was there to celebrate the most exclusive, classy and magnificent show of the year: competing, watching, buying, selling, no one would miss this unique opportunity that the Frankfurt Three Day Event provided.

On their arrival, the couple went to the admission zone, where Tuareg went through a thorough veterinary inspection and where anti-doping controls were practiced. The security around the horses was strict that on after the required paperwork and examinations were finished they were allowed into the area destined for them. They were given identifying badges and a hostess accompanied them to the stall assigned to Tuareg. Mike, their groom, would spend the night at the stables -like the rest of the grooms- so then Darcy and Elizabeth, once everything was settled, parted to their hotel for a well deserved rest. After a light meal, they went to bed.

Though the first was supposed to be the easiest event, Darcy just obtained fifth place. Tuareg played difficult during the finals (in fact, during the whole day) and he had to secure him more tightly in order not to produce faults. All in all, he was quite lucky he only dropped two obstacles, as Paença, from Brazil, the other favourite, had a very nasty fall in the finals when his horse refused the central parallel. That was the most spectacular fall that Elizabeth had ever seen. Fortunately, neither rider nor horse were injured in the 'collision', and they still were Darcy's main competitors for the Grand Prix in two days time.

That day Elizabeth was introduced to Baron Helmut Von Wuthenau, a very distinguished man who sported the title of being the third richest person in Europe and who was very interested in acquiring Trumpett, a mare co-owned by Pemberley and Matlock stables that was jumping in this Championship, too. The Baron was charmed by Darcy's young fiancée and Elizabeth was charmed by this new experience that was with the interacting with the nobility and the top horse people.

Second day was the European Dressage Championship. Though Darcy was not competing in that discipline, he followed the progress with interest. Dressage was like a ballet. It lacked the emotion and the vertigo of show jumping but it required much more technique and practice to do it perfectly. Darcy's dressage wasn't bad, Jill was coaching him, but it was far from being at a competitive level. If he, by chance, joined the Olympic team, Dressage would be something that he would need to master almost as well as jumping so he wanted to see the masters in action.

That night, they dined with the Baron and several other big shots in the industry and the couple ended the evening with an invitation to spend a week at the Baron's castle in Linderhof after their wedding.

"It's quite late," Elizabeth closed the draperies of their suite. "Do you know at what time we have to be at the stadium tomorrow?"

On hearing no answer, she turned around. Darcy was sitting on the bed, his elbows on his knees, his face hidden in his hands.

"William?" she called him. He wasn't looking well. "Will, are you all right?"

He rose abruptly and grabbed his coat. "I'm going to the stadium. I must see that Tuareg is all right. I'll be back in an hour."

"Will!" Elizabeth walked after him and stopped him before he opened the door of their suite. "He's fine! You spoke to Mike less than an hour ago."

"Elizabeth, let me go, I must ..."

She held his arm firmly. "You'll probably wake up everyone at the stadium if you show up at this hour. Call him and you'll see everything is fine."

"You don't understand, I must see him." he tried to free himself.

"No, it's late and you must get some sleep before the show. Call him."

Reluctantly, Darcy dialled his mobile and called his groom. As Elizabeth had guessed, Mike was sleeping -Darcy's call woke him up-, and so was Tuareg.

"What did I tell you?" Elizabeth could see that not even Mike's reassurances that everything was all right had soothed Darcy's anxiety.

Darcy ran his hand through his hair. "I'm sorry, I don't know what's wrong with me, it's just that I ..."

"You are nervous, William, it's normal. This is one of the biggest shows in the world. It would be strange if you weren't."

Now that she thought of it, there had been some very subtle changes in Darcy's behaviour during the past days. He had turned very quiet, he was eating very little and he was sleeping restlessly. Had she paid more attention to it, she would have noticed his growing nervousness about this show. She had thought at the time that he was only concentrating but she should know better by now. Darcy was not one to show his fears or insecurities but he was human and he felt those emotions like anyone else, only that he was a master in concealing them.

Perhaps she had failed in recognizing the symptoms, but she was there to apply a cure. She dragged him towards the bed and made him sit down. "Do you know something?" Elizabeth said as she caressed his scalp. "When I first met you, I thought you never got nervous before a show. I'm relieved that you are like the rest of us."

Darcy rested his head on her stomach. He was already purring. "Of course I get nervous. Did you see the size of that stadium?"

"Not much larger than the Olympia. You weren't nervous then."

He snorted. "That's what you think. And I threw up the entire night before the Olympia's finals, Elizabeth."

"But that was because of those drinks you had after dancing with me on the previous night." she giggled. He was relaxing, and that was good.

"No, I believe it was seeing you dancing with that Collins fellow what turned my stomach upside down."

"Come on, you were laughing at us!"

"Well, it was quite funny, wasn't it? You are an appalling tango dancer." He looked up at her, a grateful smile on his lips.

"Collins is worse."

"I wasn't looking at him."

Elizabeth bent to kiss him, and pushed him back until he was lying flat on the bed. "Now, sir, you must get some sleep. It's late."

Darcy pulled her over him. They were still fully dressed, embraced on the bed. Sighing, he said, "Thank you, I needed this."

"You are very welcome."

~ * ~

Inside the stadium the excitement was palpable. The show was just beginning and everyone involved in this mega-event had the adrenaline on high. Thirty thousand spectators and ESPN transmitting live. It was show time.

Tuareg was saddled and Darcy changed into his formal red jacket, white breeches and black boots. To say that he was looking gorgeous, serious and concentrated would be redundant. He mounted his horse and headed towards the main arena, a row of flashes preceding his entrance.

"For heaven's sake, this is a circus!" Darcy muttered to his horse. "You won't let this affect you, will you?"

Surprisingly unaltered by such an unusual reception, Tuareg, observed everything around him with perked ears.

As Darcy had told Elizabeth once, he climbed his horse and suddenly, he was calm. Qualifying rounds were a piece of cake for him.

During the break, the attendees were presented with a show by the spectacular Riverdance ballet that danced marking the rhythm of the steps of the 10 Friesian horses trotting at unison on a wooden bridge. The crowd just exploded. The finals were only in two hours.

The time for the warm up was getting closer and Darcy and Elizabeth chose to stay in the more secluded and peaceful area reserved for the horses to wait for Darcy's turn. Nonetheless, someone managed to disturb them.

"William, William Darcy." A man approached them.

Both William and Elizabeth turned to see who he was. With a frown, Darcy tried to recall who this man was. When he finally recognized him, he extended his hand to greet him, but he didn't smile. "Warren."

"Great qualifying rounds, congratulations." Warren shook Darcy's hand. "You must be nervous about the finals. You are lucky that Paença cleared your way with that fall. He had a horrible ride today. I thought he would not make it."

Darcy raised a quizzical brow. He wasn't nervous right now, and he didn't want to get nervous, but this little chat about nervousness and falls was not exactly helping him to remain calm.

"I know that you don't have much time before the warm up," this Warren proceeded, "but I need like to talk to you about something really important: A client of mine is going nuts about purchasing Tuareg. She ..."

"Richard is the one in charge of the numbers. Talk to him." Darcy cut him off.

"I did and he says that he's not for sale. Come on, William, you must consider this one ..."

Elizabeth could detect annoyance growing in her fiancée's countenance. Maybe it was time to put in practice what Jill and Howard said about easing the pressure from Darcy's back.

"Excuse me," she interrupted. Placing a hand on Darcy's forearm, she said, "Will, Mike's looking for you."

Darcy showed his appreciation for her interference with a smile. "I'll be there in a moment."

Warren then cleared his throat, forcing Darcy to introduce him to his fiancée. That's when Elizabeth learned that this was Warren Whocares, formerly a rider from the US, now an international horse dealer who was considering several purchases for the Americans. Definitely not what Darcy needed on the eve of the finals of a major tournament.

"I didn't know you were getting married, William, congratulations to you."

"Thank you, if you excuse us," said Elizabeth, "we really must be going."

But Warren insisted. "Maybe you can convince him to consider this offer, Elizabeth. We are really interested in acquiring Tuareg. We are talking about big numbers, here."

"I'm not selling him." Darcy replied.

For his tone, Elizabeth could sense that Darcy was on the verge of losing his patience. It was then when Elizabeth recalled a conversation she heard between Darcy and Richard about Hurst's Gin Tonic. Darcy had acquired that horse not long ago and she thought it might be an excellent choice for this American rider. Warren Whatever liked the idea and left with the promise to contact Richard about this horse that same night.

"I thought he would never leave." Darcy exhaled as he placed his hand on Elizabeth's shoulder. "Thank you, love; that was a brilliant idea."

"Who's that man?"

"Warren sodding something. He used to ride professionally but he discovered that he obtains more money as horse dealer." Darcy looked at his watch and then at her. "I must go."

Elizabeth knew he needed some time on his own now. She held his chin and kissed him. "Go, babe, show'em."

Darcy kissed her and climbed atop his horse. It was show time.

~ * ~

The madness of the show followed them back to Pemberley. Darcy, after winning the German Grand Prix in Frankfurt, had escalated one step in the World Ranking and the pressure that the sponsors were applying on him now because of the upcoming shows was enormous. Mercedes wanted him to go everywhere, his uncle wanted him to go and why not, Darcy wanted it too.

During the past few years, Darcy had had a great career at the national level. He began a successful campaign abroad but his international aspirations were killed with Miss D's early retirement. There was a one year gap until Tuareg was ready and everything started all over again. The Olympia was the first top international show he had won and from then on, he had never stopped going up. In only a couple of years of selected international competition he had reached the top ten and he didn't want to lose that position now. Karl Weber (No. 1 in the ranking) had swept the World Cup from him in Jerez in the previous year but he was not willing to give up the first place this time. The Olympic possibility was also there and he just couldn't let that pass. It was going to be tough, so he meditated about that, consulted with Elizabeth (she was delighted that she was going to America) and his decision was made. Hickstead, the Nations League and Santa Anita would come next in his jumping agenda.

As Col. Forster had said, he wanted full dedication while training for the League. That became a complication. Charles was in Manchester, quite near, so he only needed to bring Sonata to Pemberley, but the other riders weren't. Kelly lived in Oxford, she had two children and she couldn't leave them for so long and Greg was from Braknell and couldn't stay with them either. It was decided that Col. Forster would come three times a week to Pemberley and then travel to work with the other two riders.

The routine that Darcy and Elizabeth had established before Frankfurt began to change when Darcy's training was adapted to the colonel's instructions and Elizabeth became more involved in the wedding preparations. With Charles there every morning, the men focused in their horses (Darcy was working with his two). Elizabeth joined them on occasion but usually she left early so she wouldn't distract them. During this time, wedding preps, shopping and discovering Manchester and its surroundings became her entertainment.

"Is that all that you are going to eat?" Elizabeth inquired on seeing that Darcy was having only fruit for breakfast.

"I must lose ten pounds for Hickstead," he replied.

"What?" She stared at him in disbelief. He was fine now; in fact, he had recovered some of the weight he lost in Frankfurt and now he was thinking of losing it again.

"I'm running an endurance race; I'll gain almost a minute per mile if I lose ten pounds."

"Aren't you taking this a little too seriously?" She tried to make him come to his senses. "I mean, you are going with Backup, you won't get points for the finals with Tuareg, I don't see the reason for you to risk your health like that."

"I am not risking my health, Elizabeth; I'll follow a perfectly balanced diet." Darcy was a perfectionist and he wanted to do things perfectly. Anyway, he wasn't used to someone telling him how to handle his career or his diet, for instance. "And I will have a better performance if I ..."

"I don't care," she snapped. He was exaggerating this; there was no need for him to lose weight for a race with his second horse. She would accept it if the world ranking depended on it or for the Olympics, but not because of this (¹). "If you lose 10 pounds, I'll lose five."

Darcy sat back and blinked. "You?"

"Yes." she held his stare.

"You don't need to lose weight, you are fine." He absolutely adored her the way she looked now. Strong and healthy and curvy.

"Neither do you." Elizabeth also liked him full and healthy and strong.

"All right." He half smiled as he admitted her point. "Can I have one of your scones?"

Elizabeth buttered one and gave it to him. "I'll order you some eggs."

"Next time. Charles will arrive in a few minutes, if he isn't late as usual. Are you coming with us?" He sipped some more of his coffee.

Margaret entered the room with warm toast for them so she listened to the rest of the conversation.

"No, I'm going to Nottingham. There are a few things I want to see. I called them and they said I could come in this morning," replied Elizabeth.

"Oh," he said simply.

Elizabeth caught his expression immediately. He never protested when she was going out, though he always made this face that betrayed his dislike that she was leaving his domain. Usually, it didn't bother her, but this controlling thing was beginning to tire her. Margaret, who had noticed both of their stubborn attitudes, refrained from saying a word and tried to pass unnoticed as she served them their breakfast.

"Yeah. And perhaps I'll go to Matlock after that." Her tone was more challenging than usual.

Darcy knew that she was provoking him, measuring his reaction and smiled, efficiently avoiding a confrontation. "All right, just drive carefully."

Clever evasive tactic, Elizabeth noticed. It would take time but she would domesticate him (and he was so sexy when he did this). "Yes, sir."

"Are you going dressed like that?" Darcy asked with an arched brow.

"What's wrong with this?" Elizabeth looked down at her clothes.

"Nothing, it's just that ... it's fine." Her white blouse was very cute but a little tight in the bust for his taste. He didn't have any problem that she wore it at home but with other men around, well, it wasn't so cute.

His eyes on her chest made her realize his meaning. Huffing in annoyance, she went to change.

"William, you should be ashamed of yourself." Mrs. Reynolds called his attention.

"What?" he inquired innocently.

"She was fine, I don't see the reason why you had to point that out."

"I didn't ..." he protested.

"Listen, young man." The older woman scolded him as if he were a child. "You stop doing this or you'll be in trouble, do you understand?"

Darcy opted for his seducing smile to soothe his housekeeper's temper. "Come on, Margaret, it was only a joke. I'm not that bad, am I?"

"Don't try that on me, I know you too well. Now, do you want some eggs?" She said harshly.

"No, thank you." He rose from the table. "I must go."

"Is this one all right for you?" Elizabeth appeared at the door. Her cute little blouse was replaced tank top. A red, tighter tank top. The housekeeper snorted.

Darcy stared at her navel peering over the top of Elizabeth's jeans. He was an idiot, he should know better by now. "It ... it's fine."

Elizabeth swayed her way to him and stood on her toes so she could kiss him

"Will you be home for tea?" He smiled against her lips, admitting defeat.

"Yes, sir."

(¹) Weight obviously decreases speed. For Athens, the Federation changed the rules for eventing, not requiring a minimum weight for riders to run the endurance race (3 hours aprox.). That puts at disadvantage larger riders as women are lighter than men. Until now, women (or lighter riders) were required to carry an extra weight on their saddles, that, obviously, was in detriment of their performance. It's not uncommon that heavier riders would lose weight before this kind of event and go to the sauna to sweat before the race.

~ * ~

"Elizabeth?"

"Georgiana?" Elizabeth answered her mobile.

"Where are you? I called you at home and Margaret said you were out."

"Nottingham. I came to see a couple of things." she smiled.

"So, Will gave you the day off." Georgiana snorted. "I was going to do some shopping and see some friends. Do you want to come?"

"Sure." Elizabeth grinned. "I'll see you in your flat." She turned off her mobile and walked towards the car.

~ * ~

"Elizabeth isn't back yet?" Darcy asked Mrs. Reynolds as he entered the kitchen. It was nearly four.

"William, let her be." The housekeeper sighed.

He sighed as he sat at the table. "All right, Margaret. You are jealous. I understand."

"You are a big boy, aren't you?" she smiled.

~ * ~

"Liz, this is Bridget and Roxanne; girls, this is Elizabeth." Georgiana introduced them.

The girls said the usual hi, how do you do and sat in the coffee shop. They made girl talk for a while until Roxanne said,

"How is that sexy brother of yours, Georgiana? Still jumping and single?"

"Still jumping, but soon to be married." Georgiana kicked Elizabeth under the table.

"Pity that he is such a constipated arse; because he's the hottest guy I've ever seen." Elizabeth only raised her eyebrows. "I think I've been trying to catch his attention since I was thirteen but he never acknowledged my existence."

"Really?" asked Elizabeth.

"Yeah, he ignored me completely." Roxanne sighed.

"Does he still have those long, muscled legs, Gini?" Bridget asked.

"He's bow legged." retorted Roxanne.

"All riders are slightly bow legged, Rox." Georgiana jumped in defence of her brother. "And William's legs are quite straight if compared with the others."

"I would love to have those legs bowing around me." sighed Bridget.

Elizabeth was now wondering how these girls knew so much about her fiancées legs. Fortunately, the girl provided the information before she asked.

"For Georgiana's 15th birthday, they had this fabulous party at Pemberley, by the pool and everything." Bridget's eyes were twinkling at the memory. "Will was there and her gorgeous cousins were there too. Oh, my, I've never seen so many handsome men together."

"Yeah," Roxanne provided more information, "Bridget had never been ignored by so many men at the same time. William looks absolutely gorgeous in trunks."

"I bet he looks even better without them," Bridget snorted.

"And I bet that under that cool exterior, hides a very passionate beast," Roxanne said lustfully.

"I don't know, I gave him some very direct hints but he never acknowledged them. Maybe he is sexually repressed," continued Bridget with an evil smile.

"Do you think so?" Roxanne asked her.

"I don't know," replied Bridget, openly drooling over Darcy. Elizabeth didn't know if she should feel amused or angry because of this. "Though I would looooove to find out."

"Well," Georgiana said casually, "Let's ask Elizabeth; she is marrying him in two months, so she surely knows if he is or not. Tell me, Liz, is William sexually repressed?"

Both girls froze and stared at Elizabeth with their mouths agape. There were five seconds of absolute silence and then all four exploded in hysterical laughter. They laughed for almost ten minutes, mingling giggles and catcalls with words such as 'stud', 'hot' and 'lucky bastard'.

~ * ~

By seven Darcy was restless. He tried Elizabeth's mobile twice and listening to her voice telling him to leave a message only made him go even crazier. It was getting dark, she said that she would be home by tea time and there was no sign of her yet. The worst scenario began to form in his mind. From an accident to kidnapping, every alternative was considered. He did his best to calm down, telling himself repeatedly that she was all right and repressed the urge to call the satellite tracker installed in her car. Five more minutes. He would wait five more minutes before calling the police.

"It's nearly eight!" gasped Elizabeth. "Oh God, I never imagined it could be this late!"

"Come on!" laughed Bridget, "It's not that late! Don't tell me Willy doesn't let you go out!"

"Of course he does, it's just that I told him I would be at home for tea," she replied.

"Oh, please!" Roxanne teased her after drinking some more beer. "He isn't your father, you can go back whenever you want!"

"Yes, you are right." Elizabeth waved her off. "He can wait a little longer."

Georgiana almost spat out her drink. Keep Darcy waiting, what a dangerous decision. "If I know my brother, he's calling the police right now. Give him a ring, Elizabeth, or he'll go mad."

"My battery is dead, can I use your mobile?" Elizabeth asked Georgiana.

While Elizabeth dialled, the girls continued with their encouraging cries. Elizabeth couldn't stop giggling. "Hi, darling," she said when Darcy answered the phone.

"Liz? Are you all right? Where are you?" he replied on seeing that this was Georgiana's number.

"I'm in Manchester with the girls. I'll be home in a while," she said sheepishly.

Darcy frowned on hearing the laughs and 'woohoos' coming into the receiver. "Girls?"

"Yeah." Elizabeth giggled when Roxanne made a swooning face. "I'm with Georgiana and her friends, Bridget and Roxanne."

He knew them, and he never approved of that Bridget character. "All right, be careful. Bye."

"Bye," Elizabeth replied, disliking his tone.

Just before he hung up, Bridget yelled 'Bye stud!' Elizabeth only hoped that he hadn't heard it.

"Well," Roxanne asked with a provocative smile. "What did your Willy say?"

"Nothing." Elizabeth raised her chin.

"I fear that someone here is going to have a hard time when she returns home." said the slightly inebriated Bridget.

"Not at all, everything is OK," replied Elizabeth, knowing it was a lie.

~ * ~

"Hi, love." Elizabeth smiled sheepishly when she entered Darcy's study. It was nine thirty.

"Hi," he muttered without lifting his eyes from the computer.

"Did you have dinner already?" she walked to him.

"Yes."

Elizabeth moved closer to kiss him and he offered her his cheek. Thank God, because he would have smelled her beery breath.

"Would you like to drink some coffee? I could have one."

"No, thanks." he didn't look at her.

Though she didn't like his attitude, Elizabeth had to admit that he had good reasons to be upset. If he was going to be mad at her, it would be better if he did it now and not later. "I saw a lovely carpet for the bedroom." She tried another subject

No answer.

"Do you want to watch some TV before going to bed?"

"No."

If he was being difficult, she could be difficult too. "OK, if that's the way you want it, I'm going to bed."

"Good night."

~ * ~

Elizabeth waited for a long time for him to come to bed, but those two beers she had won over her will and she fell asleep. When she woke up, early in the morning, she searched for Darcy in bed but she didn't find him. If he slept with her, he didn't even wrinkle the bedclothes of his side. Becoming more and more annoyed with this, she rose and went looking for him.

Darcy was in the stables when she found him. With an unfriendly face, he informed her that he would be in Matlock for the day.

"I see," she replied sarcastically. "You are taking a little revenge for what happened yesterday."

"I am not." He walked away.

This was Elizabeth's time to be upset. She hurried after him. "Come on, William, admit it, you are upset because I arrived late and now you are taking revenge."

"No."

"No? Then, what's wrong with you?" she demanded.

"Nothing."

Why was he being such an arse? Why didn't he just admit that he was mad at her, shout and tell her how wrong she was for arriving late on the previous night, so she could apologize and make amends? But no, he had to make this all more difficult, pretend that he above this when he was burning with rage inside. For a moment, her voice softened.

"Will, please tell me."

"I must go, we'll talk later."

Later? Her courage rose again. "Oh yes? So now we only discuss things when you want, is it?"

"Don't be ridiculous."

"I am being ridiculous?" She grabbed his shirtsleeve.

"I must go." He tried to walk away but she was pulling him back.

"No, mister." She raised her voice. "Listen, I know that you are upset, that I shouldn't have arrived at that hour without calling you, but allow me to remind you that you are not my owner and I can go where I please when I please without having to ask your permission, do you understand?

Darcy stopped in his tracks. "Your owner?"

"Yes, I am not your damn possession."

"Is that what you think?"

She saw him clenching his jaw but continued nonetheless. "It's obvious."

"We'll talk later, I have to go." he attempted to leave once again.

"No sir, you are not leaving until I'm done with you." she held his arm firmly.

Darcy glared at her hand clutching his arm. "Let me go, Elizabeth."

"No!"

"I must go. We'll talk when you calm down."

That really made her go mad. She stood in front of him, her hands on her hips. "Who the hell are you to decide when I can talk or not?"

Darcy took a sharp intake of breath in an attempt to hold back his rage. "I may not be your husband yet but I ..."

All that Elizabeth wanted at that moment was to erase that 'Master of Pemberley' look from his face. "You, sir, are a big arrogant bastard. You don't own me, I am not your bloody possession. If this will be your attitude whenever I do something that does not involve you, then I will have to reconsider if I want to live with you. Do you understand?"

"Are you sure of what you are saying?" A dark shadow crossed Darcy's countenance.

No, she wasn't, she was too furious to realize the possible interpretations her fiancée could give to that statement. "You've been deciding where I go, what I do and what I should wear for the last few weeks. You played victim and convinced me to stay at Pemberley with you. You are some kind of possessive and manipulative freak who thinks he can decide everything I do. If you think I will submit my will to yours then I'm out of here!"

"All right, Elizabeth, I understand." His voice was even and deadly serious.

The coldness in his eyes made her realize that she had gone too far, though she was not going to loose her ground right now. Chin up, she released him.

Darcy parted in one direction, Elizabeth in the other.

~ * ~

Darcy didn't return until suppertime. He didn't go anywhere, he only drove through the through the serpentine roads of Derbyshire like a maniac, trying to gather his thoughts, and returned home as confused as he left.

He had never faced a situation of this kind before. Well, he had, with his sister, when she was seventeen and he became her guardian and he was making objective and responsible decisions for her. None of his previous relationships lasted to the point of a fight. Maybe because neither party was truly in love or expected to have a future with the other so he never cared about losing any of his previous girlfriends. But now it was different. Elizabeth was not his little sister or a girlfriend he didn't care about. Though not married yet, he considered her his wife since the day she moved in with him. And maybe that had been his greatest mistake. Perhaps he had asked too much, too soon.

Darcy knew that his attitude during the discussion had not been the wisest one. But he was so angry. Angry that she wasn't home when he arrived, angry because of the laughing and teasing on the other end of the phone, angry that she didn't do what he had asked. He should have talked to her at the moment that she arrived, telling her his concerns, how he felt, but he was so upset that he just couldn't bring himself to speak rationally about it, so he chose silence. Definitely not the best way to resolve the matter, but the only way he could handle it.

She acted wrong. If she wasn't coming home early, she should have at least called him and tell him where she was. It was a matter of consideration, that's all. He didn't mind if she went out, alone or with friends (okay, it bothered him, especially with those girls), but the only thing he wanted was a little responsibility. He wanted to know when and where and with whom. Was that too much to ask? He wasn't being controlling (all right, he was, only a bit), but he was taking care of her, wasn't he? He even promised that to her father. Also, they were rich and they needed to take certain precautions. He was very careful and responsible and he expected the rest to do the same. It had been tough for Georgiana to understand when she was younger but she soon learned how things worked at Pemberley (well, not really). He thought that Elizabeth would understand, too. But Elizabeth wasn't Georgiana. Anyway, his sister moved out exactly because of this. His controlling and overprotective nature.

Perhaps it was time to go to her.

Darcy headed to their bedroom and found it empty. Where the hell was she? With an unpleasant feeling growing inside his stomach, he went to the closet. He sighed in relief when he saw that her clothes were still there.

Not sure of where to go, he went to the peachy room, the one she was going to occupy when she came to visit him, the one she never used. The shades were closed and he could see a body curled on the bed. The dark form sat up when he came in and spoke.

"Are you ready to talk?" her voice wasn't friendly.

His guard went up immediately. "There is nothing to talk about."

"I'm leaving for a couple of days. I want to see my family."

He turned around and left.

~ * ~

Darcy dined alone that night. He didn't eat, he just sat and stared at his food. Elizabeth didn't come down and remained all the time in the guest room. He retired early, somehow hoping that Elizabeth would come to their bedroom but knowing she would not. What was he going to do? He couldn't stop her if she wanted to leave. At least she wasn't leaving him forever. She said a couple of days, didn't she?

Even if he would never admit it to himself and to any other living soul, for the first time in many years, Fitzwilliam Darcy was terrified.

~ * ~

Elizabeth was unable to sleep. She wanted to go to him and apologize for partying around and arriving home so late without telling anyone. And for shouting all those things at him. She recalled all what she said to him she was feeling terrible. He had his reasons to be upset but she reacted so childishly to his anger. Now that she tried to see things from his angle, she was able to understand what he felt. What would she do if he arrived late in the night without telling her? Darcy always informed her about everything he did. Anyway, his routine was so precise that he was awfully predictable. So, what would she think if he changed it without telling her? Would she be angry or worried? Worried, because she would be sure that something happened to him (and furious if she learned that he been partying around without her).

One of the things that she adored about him was that he was very caring and protective and that sense of security he gave her. She had to admit that sometimes he could turn a little overbearing, but that came with the package, and it was her task to help him change if it suffocated her.

Elizabeth knew that she should have called, that he was sincerely worried about her when she was missing. If only he would have talked to her, telling her what bothered him, she would have apologized and they would be together now. She also knew that he always kept things to himself instead of saying them (something utterly frustrating when it happened), but she had accepted him the way he was. Though she had had a good time with the girls, she knew she went a little too far. Even though they were not married yet, they were a couple, like husband and wife, and they owed each other respect and consideration. Oh, dear, she just wanted to make amends.

Perhaps it was time to go to him.

She walked slowly into the dark room towards the bed. Empty. She was sure that she heard him coming in, so she turned around and found him in his armchair. His head was leaned on his fist and his eyes were fixed on the window.

"Will." She knelt on the floor in front of him.

He didn't move.

"Will, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have spoken the way I did."

He swallowed and continued to stare outside of the window, looking but not seeing.

"I know I acted wrong. I knew you would become angry. I should have called you and told you what I was doing."

He remained silent for along time. He seemed not to be hearing what she was saying. At length he spoke. "Am I possessive?"

She smiled and stroked his leg. "A little."

He bit his knuckles. "Will you leave me because of that?"

"I'm not leaving you."

"You said you ..." His voice was shaky.

She smiled and shook her head. "I am not."

"Thank you." He swallowed very hard.

Elizabeth leaned her head on his lap and embraced his waist. She smiled when she felt his hand caressing her hair.

"You were right. I acted wrong and then behaved like a child. Even though we are not married yet I am your wife and should act like one." She continued in a lighter tone, "You can be very demanding and controlling sometimes but that doesn't mean that I can leave just like that. I'm sorry."

"No, it's my fault. I'm being very bossy, I overreacted and I ignored you. You have the right to go wherever you please but you should have called, if only to tell me you were OK, that you were coming late. I was so worried."

"And do you think that that would have prevented your anger?" She raised her head and smiled archly.

"No." He shook his head.

"If you only would have spoken to me, telling me that you were upset. I wanted to ask for forgiveness and love you and you just shut yourself off and didn't talk. You can be so exasperating when you do that."

"I know, Georgiana always says the same." He smiled faintly. "She threw an ashtray at my head once."

"Did she hit you?" She grinned.

He pointed at his forehead. "I have this scar to prove it."

Elizabeth rose to her feet and took his hands, urging him to stand up. He did but she could see that he was very tense and still feeling uneasy about what had happened.

Darcy knew he had acted wrong. He didn't like to fail and he had failed miserably. Elizabeth wasn't a woman to be commanded or ignored. He loved her because she was free, spontaneous, alive, and because she was there. The last thing he wanted was to thwart her will and push her away from him.

"Will you help me to change?" he looked at her.

"Will you help me to grow up? she smiled.

"I love you just as you are."

She shook her head. "Please forgive me, I behaved very childishly and I hurt you."

"No, you forgive me, I'm sorry."

"I ..."

Her mouth was covered in a voracious, fierce kiss. He kissed her and embraced her as he let go of that anguish he felt. It was a kiss that spoke of need and fear, of love and pain. He carried her to the bed and their bodies entangled in a passionate embrace.

It was then when Elizabeth realized how vulnerable he was. He had preserved his heart untouched for so long that now that he had allowed her in, that his defences were completely down, he was so afraid of losing her that he just didn't know how to act. He made love to her, with a desperation he had not shown before. And then he fell on top of her, his body bathed in perspiration, sobbing in her arms until he cried his demons away.

If Elizabeth had to describe the way he loved her that night, she will use only one word: Possessively.

Chapter 50

The calm after the storm finally came. For two months, Darcy's and Elizabeth's life had been travelling, competing and wedding preparations.

First, came the Derby of Hickstead. Those were three spectacular days. The closest family (on both sides) was present at The All England Jumping Course in West Sussex to applaud and cheer for them. It had been a marvellous experience.

Darcy competed with two horses, Elizabeth with Petticoat. Backup's debut was in style. True to his indomitable nature, the horse ran a great endurance race. A third place in his first time out was more than Darcy could ask for and the bay stallion from Pemberley and Matlock Stables quickly won the admiration of many. Charles, riding a very inspired Sonata, won the cross-country race and Darcy, aboard Tuareg, set a new record for showjumping on the greens of Hickstead, showing everyone that they indeed were the best team that existed.

Elizabeth's debut was excellent too. She was sixth in an entry of 65, so she couldn't complain about the results. What she learned from this was that the major leagues weren't for her or at least not now. She liked to ride, to jump, but competing would be something that she would have to do gradually, starting from the beginning. Going from a small pony club to the Derby of Hickstead was too fast a move for her. She was nervous, with her entire family there watching her and Darcy was warming up when she jumped the finals so he wasn't there to support her. Also, she missed one of his entries and they both ended the day tired and stressed. On that occasion, she would have preferred to watch, to accompany her fiancée and relax with her family instead of joining the madness of the show.

Soon after Hickstead, the couple departed for the continent to do the trial of the Nations League that preceded the World Cup in the US. Four weeks of shows, of travelling, of wins and losses. They toured through six countries, slept in hotels, camped at the shows, looked after the horses, attended tournaments and balls and gave interviews. Now Elizabeth understood Darcy's longing for home; the tension of travelling; the stress riders and horses were faced with every day; and why they loved this so much. They lived for this sport.

As a celebrity of his sport and with the season thriving, Darcy had his sponsors and his own perfectionism to oblige and it was at the tournaments where Elizabeth took her most active role as his companion. She just loved to be there, sharing the excitement of the show, watching him jump, feeling all the adrenaline that competing at this level meant. They were a team now. She was the light that made this sport luminary shine with a new intensity. She not only taught him to enjoy the social aspect of his sport, making an elegant gala or the camp of a cross-country trial the most lovely and pleasant experience, but she was also there to support, to encourage him while a new world appeared in front of her eyes.

There Elizabeth learned the oddities of her fiancée's profession. In a sport like this one, where animals are one half of the team, some things were unpredictable. There were problems with their accommodations in different hotels, trying the patience of the exhausted travellers. Once a tire of the truck exploded on the way to France and the horses panicked inside the trailer. Elizabeth saw Darcy falling during a practice, Kelly was disqualified when her mare refused the easiest jump and, on the eve of the most important show in Zurich, they all spend a full night up accompanying Charles when Sonata had colic. They were together through wins and misfortunes and Elizabeth was able to join that extraordinary camaraderie that existed between the members of the British team.

During that time, Darcy and Elizabeth learned a lot about the other and about themselves. Away from home, moving from one place to another and constantly exposed to strangers and to the other members of the team, they learned to share the other, they found a moment to take a break and be together and they understood the other's need for privacy. She was there to yell when he won, to rub his back when he was tense and to help him to fix Tuareg's hooves. He slowly softened his protective watch on her (though he didn't give it up completely; he was, after all, William Darcy) and she learned how to handle it. Sometimes she became angry, sometimes she conceded his point (because he had one) and sometimes they both laughed at their own stubbornness.

Darcy's life wasn't only his horses now. Back at home, Elizabeth had reconciled him with his other passion: music. During the past years, because of his dedication to his sport but mainly because he didn't have someone to accompany him, he had left aside his love for music to the point of giving it up completely. He had started to play the piano again, they went to the theatre and, for the first time in his thirty years, he had learned to enjoy life.

As for Elizabeth, Darcy was her tie to earth, the security she needed and his balance and tranquillity brought reason to her explosive temper. He respected her mind and her dreams, he supported and encouraged her studies and shared with her everything he had learned and possessed. This was a gift but also a responsibility. She finally learned how to deal with her new position, what being the Mistress of Pemberley meant. Though she was going to college in little more than a month, she became involved in the household's administration and in the subject that she really loved, even more than riding: horse breeding and reproduction. She was like a sponge. She studied bloodlines and pedigrees and learned about all that had been done until now in the stable's breeding programs. She learned what to look for in a champion, how to produce it, training techniques and with the Stud Books and the knowledge of all three stables in her hands, she built the solid foundation for what would be a very promising career. Together with Darcy, she began to draw the sketches of what had been Darcy's and that now was her dream too: the embryo transfer lab. Like the previous Mrs. Darcy, Elizabeth became the soul of Pemberley stables.

This was undoubtedly a union to the advantage of both, they were the perfect match. She had softened him, opened him to life; he had given her the world.

~ * ~

It was raining. It had been raining for two days now but neither Elizabeth nor Darcy cared about that. The only thing they cared about was that they were there at home at last, together, and that they were marrying in only three days.

The dogs were spread around, sleeping on the rug. Bono, as always, curled at Darcy's feet; Mick, closer to Elizabeth, and Geri, slightly jealous that the other two had monopolized the privileged locations, chose to lie on the fluffy end of the carpet. Miraculously, they had avoided Mrs. Reynolds' vigilance and snook into the house to be with them in this rainy afternoon.

Darcy was comfortably reclined on the couch, watching the news. He wasn't in the mood for football today. The day was too deliciously peaceful to even think of altering his present calmness by following a game, so he entertained himself watching TV with his hand inside Elizabeth's blouse. He loved to feel her breast on his hand; it fit so perfectly. He did this almost unconsciously. Every time they were together, like this, he did the same. He just loved it.

Elizabeth was lying on the couch, reading, with her head resting on the thigh of the winner of the World Cup in Santa Anita, the rider with the lowest average of faults in the Nations League and that had recently been distinguished with the title of the Horseman of the Year. He was now third in the World Ranking and on the way to the top if he continued like this. But now, he was EHH, her EHH, and he was watching TV with a hand inside her blouse. She really loved when he did that.

The phone rang, disturbing their peaceful afternoon. Sighing, Darcy took the call. It was Col. Forster. While he exchanged pleasantries with his coach, Darcy's hand remained inside Elizabeth's blouse, cupping her breast. Then, suddenly, he removed it. He turned off the TV with the remote and Elizabeth felt his leg tense under her head. She sat up facing him and tried to follow their conversation.

Darcy didn't speak much, he only listened; so at the beginning, she wasn't able to decipher what they were talking about. She heard him ask about dates, places and then he talked about Tuareg. By now, she was guessing the subject, though she couldn't tell for sure. But it was when Darcy mentioned 'Athens' when her heart began to pound in her chest. She observed him quietly, while he responded with unmoved 'hmmmms' and 'ahas' to whatever the colonel was saying and then saw him frown and finish the conversation with an immutable 'I'll think about it'. He hung up the phone and leaned back with a huge exhalation.

"What happened?" Elizabeth asked when she realized that he wouldn't tell her right away.

"It was Col. Forster," Darcy replied calmly.

"I know it was him; what did he say?"

"He was selected to coach the Olympic team."

"Really?" she gasped. "And?"

"He wants Tuareg and me on the team."

Elizabeth wrapped her arms around Darcy's neck. "I knew it! Oh, Will, that is fabulous! You're going to Athens!"

"I didn't accept it yet," he said after a pause.

She disengaged her arms from around him stared at him in disbelief. Did she hear all right? Suddenly, Darcy stood up and walked around the room while running his hand through his hair. If she was feeling this dizzy, she was sure he was about to faint. She walked after him.

"What? Are you not happy about it?

"Of course I am, Elizabeth," he replied even if he didn't look happy or excited.

One of the things she learned about him during this few months of living together, was that Fitzwilliam Darcy sometimes needed some time to process things, especially this kind of thing. "So, what's the problem?"

"There's no problem."

"Then why are you acting like this? William!" she cried, "You are going to Athens!"

"Liz, I didn't decide if I'm going yet."

"This is a unique opportunity! This is the biggest event of your life! You've been working for this for years!"

"I know, but I have to think about it." Darcy sighed.

"You can't be serious. If they chose you, it's because you are the best one. You'll represent your country! William, this is something you can't refuse."

"Elizabeth, I didn't accept, I didn't refuse. I just want to think about it," he repeated calmly.

"This is unbelievable!" Why did he always have to think things over?

"Why?" Darcy realized that, as always, she was getting mad at him as she always did when she didn't obtain answer that she expected. As always, he found the situation very amusing.

She rolled her eyes. She detested when he was being obtuse. "This is everyone's dream! How can you refuse an offer like this one?"

"Did you hear me refuse it?"

She bit her lip. He had to be doing this on purpose. "Okay, you didn't refuse it, but you didn't accept it. Am I right?

With his finger, he gestured her to come closer. She obliged but pouting angrily. Darcy wrapped his arms around her waist as he spoke with a soothing voice. "I didn't accept it yet, I want to think about it and I want to discuss it with you but only if you calm down, all right?"

She nodded.

"I am perfectly aware of the opportunity I'm being offered, Elizabeth. But I know the great responsibility that this implies and the sacrifice that it means," he said calmly.

"Don't you want to go?" she asked in a small voice.

"I didn't say that. I am human, Elizabeth, of course I am excited and honoured; but do you know what are we talking about?"

She always felt ashamed when he treated her this way after one of her outbursts. "I guess so."

"Are you sure?"

She shrugged.

"We are talking about months of intensive training and that means travelling and full commitment. Tuareg and I will be required to go international and compete in almost every CSI*****(1) show around the world for at least eight months prior to the games (2), there'll be vet inspections and all sort of checkouts from now until Athens and we'll be confined for three months before leaving. Now, you are going to college and I can't and I won't ask you to drop it to follow me around. I respect your career too much to even think about interrupting it."

"But Will, you will regret this decision all your life if you don't go," she said softly.

"Elizabeth, I didn't make up my mind yet. I would like to go but I don't want to do it without you. I lived without a life of my own for a long time and now that I have it I don't want to lose it."

Her eyes filled with tears. "I'll take a break from my studies if necessary."

"Darling," he looked at her in earnest, "We'll think about this together and make the appropriate decision together; do you understand?"

"William," she pleaded, "You can't miss it! You'll be too old for the next Olympics!"

This was the silliest thing he had ever heard. "Liz, I'm going on top of the horse not underneath it. Riders don't lose expertise with age, they increase it."

"I know, it's just that, well, the opportunity is now, please don't let it pass. This may be your last chance to be there and if you don't go, you will regret it all your life!"

"Liz, please, let me think about it."

She wrapped her arms around his waist and embraced him tightly. "Oh, Will, I don't know how you can keep your balance with all this; I don't know what I would do in your place."

He chuckled and stroked her back. "Surely fighting me until you get what you want."

"I'm sorry that I overreacted. Sometimes I don't understand how you can bear with my temperament."

"Because I love you just as you are." He pulled back to look at her. "Belligerent, stubborn, smart, beautiful, sexy, sweet, lovely, caring, generous and so bloody alive that I wouldn't even dare to think of my life without you."

"Say you will go. We can sort things out. Maybe I can take a short break or a semester off and be with you or maybe you can attend only the closest shows so you wouldn't be away for too long or ..."

"You haven't even started college yet, Elizabeth; you don't know how it would be. I'll think about this, you'll meditate about this, and then we'll discuss it some other time, OK? I don't want to worry about that right now."

She sighed in exasperation. "And you say I'm stubborn?"

"I'm not being stubborn, I just want to analyse all implications, weight the alternatives and make an appropriate decision. I don't want to leave my family aside and that means you." He pressed his forefinger on her nose. "Is that clear?"

"Yes, sir." She smiled.

"Anyway, the Olympics are in 15 months and I have a month to answer them. Many things could happen until then. The only thing I care about now is that we are getting married in three days."

Her smile broadened. "Thank God we are."

(1) CSI*****: International Showjumping Championship (five stars): There are different categories of showjumping championships, obviously five stars are the top events of the equestrian calendar.
(2) Riders classify individually for the Olympics (no matter the horse), so they can compete with a different horse than the one they had been riding prior to the games. Showjumping horses (no matter who is the rider) must have 6 months international experience at high ranked shows prior to the Games.

~ * ~

Darcy adjusted his tie. He smiled at his reflection on the mirror. He was really happy. Where was he one year ago? Returning from Brussels, after winning the Nations Cup. And at the time he thought that his life was complete, that it couldn't get any better. He had never been so wrong. Little did he know what he was missing, what fate would do to him in the following year. The surprise of meeting her again, the rejection, the loneliness; and then, finding her, hope, loss, the reunion, their love growing and today, marriage. He was finally marrying Elizabeth, the one, the only woman he had ever loved. He was proud of himself.

"William, are you not ready?" Charles opened the door. "I thought I was the one that was always late for everything."

Darcy glanced at his watch and smiled at his best friend and best man. "It's not late. And I am ready, in case you didn't notice. The miracle is that you are ready on time."

Charles brushed his friend's shoulder. "Jane changed my watch's time so I would think it was later. Nervous?"

"Not at all." Darcy smiled calmly.

His friend chuckled; he should know him better by now. At that moment someone rapped the door and they saw Richard coming in.

"Well, well, well, the groom is ready," he teased his cousin.

"As ready as I can be." Darcy smiled at him.

Richard slapped Darcy's back. "You placed me in a very uncomfortable position with this, did you know it?"

"Why?"

"I'm the only bachelor of the family and Vicky, with all these weddings, is having some very weird ideas dancing inside her head."

"Rich," laughed Darcy, "You two have been together for more than eight years, don't you think is time to make things formal?"

"I can't deny that this change has been very positive for you, Will, but Victoria and I had been doing very well with our 'semi free' relationship, I don't know why I should change it," Richard said dubiously.

"Richard," said Charles while placing his hand on Richard's shoulder, "You are the one that is enjoying this situation, Vicky is just enduring it. You should take her more seriously."

"Seriously?" Richard said defensively. "Charles, I love her! I'm taking her seriously."

"Then, why don't you marry her?" Charles insisted.

Richard frowned. "It's just that we like to live in different houses."

"She likes it or you like it?" Charles retorted.

"We both do it."

Charles made a face and Darcy shook his head and turned to face the mirror. Richard was a commitment phobic and it was impossible to argue with him.

"Do you really think she is unhappy with this?" Richard asked after a while.

"Why don't you ask her?" inquired Darcy.

"Are you decent?" A feminine voice came from behind the door.

Charles' 'yes' mingled with Darcy's and Richard's 'no'. Georgiana opened the door anyway. She kissed her cousin and Charles and then she stood in front of her brother.

"You are looking great." She grinned and wrapped her arms around his neck. Darcy embraced her tightly. "Oh, Will, I'm so happy for you, you can't imagine how much."

"You are saying this only because you left me on my own," he teased her.

Georgiana giggled in his arms. "Are you trying to make me feel guilty?"

"Yes." he smiled.

"You won't succeed, do you know that?" Her eyes watered as she tightened the hold around his neck.

"I know, sister."

"Now, let me fix that knot." Deeply moved, she sniffed and pulled back. Darcy squeezed her cheek affectionately. "You used to know how to tie it on your own."

"Maybe you were right and I'm becoming spoiled." he raised his chin.

Georgiana fixed the knot and touched his cheek. "And I'm so glad that someone is finally spoiling you, it's about time." She locked her eyes with her brother's and they both smiled. They were too emotional for words so they just looked at each other as millions of images crossed their minds. Life had been hard for both of them and though they had spent most of their lives apart, they really loved each other. Georgiana kissed his cheek one last time. "I'll wait for you in the church."

Darcy checked his watch. His pulse quickened, his heart began to pound in his chest. He was marrying Elizabeth.

Georgiana exited the small room, Richard walked after her and Charles placed a hand on Darcy's shoulder as he escorted him to the chapel.

"Congratulations, my friend," Charles said. "You deserve this happiness and more."

"Thank you Charles." Darcy smiled. He took a deep breath and went to wait for his bride.

~ * ~

Elizabeth sighed as the dressmaker fastened the tiny buttons of the back of the dress. Had it been six months already? Not even that. In a few days it would be six months since she found Darcy sitting in Longbourn's living room after two weeks of suffering because he never came back. But he did return to her. Now that she looked back, for more than a year, since she saw Pemberley's trailer pulling into Netherfield, there wasn't a day where William Darcy wasn't in her thoughts. Hating him, longing for him or loving him, since that day, he became part of her life.

"I can't believe it!" Fanny Bennet whined in desperation. "We only have thirty minutes!"

"It's almost ready," said the dressmaker, on the verge of losing her patience while she checked that everything was in the right place. There was a lose stone on the back of the corsage so, ignoring Fanny's cries, she proceeded to sew it.

"This is the loveliest dress I had ever seen," Jane said to her sister. "Are you nervous?"

Elizabeth smiled and shook her head. "I can't believe I'm so calm. If something is going to come out wrong, it's too late to fix it and really, Jane, the only thing I care about now is that I'm marrying him."

"Now it's my turn to go crazy," Jane smirked. "Only to think that I'll go through this in only three months is making me reconsider eloping."

"Don't you dare, Jane." Fanny perked her ears. "You will be married in style and this time nothing of simple and small weddings, do you understand?"

"Yes, Mom," Jane replied in affirmative only to make her mother shut her mouth. With two hundred guests at Pemberley, no one would call this a simple and small wedding. The sisters giggled and Fanny called Elizabeth's attention for moving while the dressmaker made the last adjustments.

There was a faint knock on the door and Fanny yelled a 'who is there?'

"It's me," Thomas replied. "The limo is ready." Fanny allowed him in.

Smiling proudly at a work beautifully done, the dressmaker stood and went for the veil. As if following a ritual, she placed it on Elizabeth's head, carefully securing it while trying not to touch the perfectly done hairstyle. Once ready, Elizabeth turned to the mirror to look at herself for the first time.

"Oh God," Fanny's eyes clouded, "You are so beautiful."

Also on the verge of tears, Thomas walked towards his Lizzy and extended his hand to hold hers. "My dear, you are the picture of loveliness. I'm so proud of you."

"Thank you, Dad," she beamed.

"Come, sweetheart," said her father, "Your Mr. Darcy is waiting."

A thrill ran through Elizabeth's body. She felt alive and anxious and so happy that she could barely contain her joy. She took her father's arm and he escorted her to the limo.

In church, everyone was waiting. The bride was fashionably late, the groom was waiting behind the door. Then, the signs were given, an anxious Darcy appeared near the altar and when the music began to play, the crowd turned around and the doors opened, announcing the arrival of the bride. There were sighs, 'awwws' and sniffs. Miss Elizabeth Bennet walked slowly down the aisle on the arm of her father and with a teary smile, her hand was given to Fitzwilliam Darcy. The couple turned towards the priest and the ceremony began. They recited their vows, promised each other eternal love and sealed the union with the sweetest kiss. Behind them, Richard was whispering something in his girlfriend's ear, Phil was securing Kitty's hand and Georgiana had just caught Greg's eye on her. When they turned around, they were finally husband and wife.

"I love you, Mrs. Darcy." The tall and proud William Darcy savoured the taste of those words as he tucked her hand on the crook of his arm.

"And I love you, Mr. Darcy." Elizabeth beamed in joy as she looked into his eyes.

They smiled in happiness and love, knowing that this was just the beginning, that their life together had just begun.

Epilogue

Beijing 2008

(Narrators)

"Welcome to the 29th Olympic Games. My Name is Tom Maddox, transmitting live for ESPN from the Olympic Stadium in Beijing. Together with me, like in the other equestrian disciplines, to tell us more about this sport, is Scott Sanders, our Equestrian columnist. Good afternoon, Scott."

"Good afternoon, Tom."

"This is a lovely day today here in Beijing; we have a very agreeable temperature so I think that the riders and horses that are competing today for the finals will not suffer the intense heat that made their previous trials so uncomfortable."

"You are right Tom, we have very nice weather and this will certainly make it easier for them."

"Scott, you are an expert on equestrian sports, tell us something about what we're seeing today."

"Well, as you know, Equestrian is the ultimate in team sports, horse and rider working together for years to hone feats of grace, daring, agility and speed. It includes three disciplines - dressage, jumping and the three-day event - each with individual and team competition. This is the only Olympic sport where man and animal are established team-mates and one of the few where men and women compete together as equals, so we'll have the opportunity to see a little of the battle of the sexes today."

(chuckle) "Battle indeed, Scott. In your experience, who would be your guess for the gold in the showjumping discipline?"

"With no doubt, Tom, I can say that my absolute favourite is William Darcy. William had an outstanding performance in the endurance and speed phase of the Eventing discipline, he is riding the best horse and I know that he worked very, very hard to be here today."

"Yes, as you know, Scott, the British team already obtained the gold medal in Eventing, mainly thanks to Darcy's excellent performance in each separate discipline. Today, they are jumping as individuals."

"Eventing is a three-day competition where four riders from each country compete as a team and they obtain points in each discipline in which they compete: endurance and speed, dressage and showjumping. Those disciplines are completely different from one another and they demand a great versatility and talent from the riders to perform them at an Olympic level. "

"We saw a very hard trial during the Endurance competition on Monday."

"Since Athens, this discipline was reduced from a 6 hour to a 3 hour trial, so this time we saw one phase of road and track and a very tough cross-country. More than 10 km at full gallop and some very difficult jumps. Charles Bingley had the best time in the whole event, Darcy made a good road and track, ending fourth, and I was really impressed by what he did in dressage yesterday. That is not his specialty but he prepared himself really well and he did wonderfully, obtaining some very important points for his team. He was coached by Jill Summers-Fitzwilliam, the lovely lady that obtained the bronze medal in dressage individually. But this is showjumping. He is the best in this, he masters this discipline and no doubt he'll do very well today."

(reading notes) "William Darcy is 36 years old, riding Tuareg, a 16 year old gelding that has a very vast career. This is the same horse that Darcy jumped in Athens, isn't it?"

"You are right, Tom. Tuareg is the oldest horse on the British team, he is in fabulous shape and he has the international experience and that surely is very important at this level of competition. Darcy jumped some other horses successfully during the past years and obtained some important wins but when it comes to an event of this magnitude, he goes for sure and Tuareg is always up to the challenge. The trust and understanding that exists between them is simply amazing. He is jumping him only at selected shows now."

(Reading) "Co-owned and co-bred by Matlock and Pemberley stables, Tuareg had an incredible career with William Darcy."

"Together, they won three Olympias, two Nations Cups, two World Cups and a bronze medal in Athens among other incredible wins. That is outstanding. What else could be said about them? They are just wonderful together and there's something special about them that makes this team invincible. I don't think we'll be able to see a partnership like this one in many, many years.

"I heard that he refused some very important offers for this horse."

"I had the opportunity to talk to Darcy's wife, Elizabeth, during the cross country phase the other day, and she told me that this horse means very much to them and that they will not sell him for any reason. Tuareg will end his days in Pemberley, that's what she said. I think they are planning to retire him after the Olympics."

"A well deserved break after such an amazing career. Darcy's wife is also a very talented rider."

"Oh, yes, she is. The Darcys are a well known and respected couple in the showjumping world, as breeders and riders. They are just wonderful, very nice people. Elizabeth did quite well in the amateur circuit for a couple of years but she says that she prefers to stay away from the professional ring as she claims that she can't handle the stress as her husband does. It is very tough, very stressful and Darcy has the talent, temperament and the attitude to face the pressure. And Elizabeth is always there for him. I'm sure that William wouldn't be having such a magnificent campaign without the support and encouragement of his wife."

"Yes, we know that the training for the Olympics is very demanding."

"Indeed. It takes years to make it perfect. Since the Darcys built the embryo transfer lab that Elizabeth is operating at Pemberley, we haven't seen her competing. Anyway, I doubt she would be able to return to the ring anytime soon as her four months of pregnancy will certainly keep her inactive for a while."

"Her sister is the veterinarian for the British team, isn't she?"

"Yes, Jane Bingley. She is a very reputed horse physiologist; she is married to Charles Bingley, also in the British team."

"Well, it seems that the entire family is in this business; that's nice. And what would be your picks for silver and bronze, Scott?"

"That is a tough one, Tom. Gertie Lindt from Germany, Armand Renis from France, Charles Bingley from the UK or even the novel Christy Fox from the US. She is the revelation of this games at only 26 years old, and well, anyone can make it. We'll see the world's best riders and horses here today and it's very difficult to pick one.

"Well, it's show time, Scott. Our first competitor today is ..."

"... And now is the turn of British rider William Darcy, aboard the 16 year old Tuareg."

"And this is decisive; this is the final jump off. We reached the 2nd round in a draw and now the race is against the clock. Only six obstacles and the timer. Renis has the best time and depending on Darcy's timing, gold, silver and bronze will go to them and Christy Fox from the US. This is a completely different course from the one they jumped this morning. The riders don't know it, so to the difficulty of the course we must add the novelty of galloping it for the first time. They have less than thirty seconds to make it clear and that is really hard."

"He is galloping the course now ... very confident, very solid. That was a clear gate ... now the corral ... very good jump ..."

"He is making excellent time. He showed us his talent a few minutes ago in the 12 obstacle course and now is devouring the arena. Let's see how he does it in the oxer, that is a very difficult jump..."

(enthusiasm increasing with every word) "... the oxer was clear and now reaches the last vertical at an incredible speed ... and he did it! Yes, Darcy made it! Clear run in 26 seconds and that means that the gold is British. William Darcy is the Olympic Champion in a perfect, impeccable ride! Gold for Darcy, silver for Renis and bronze for Fox. This was amazing."

"A remarkable win for a remarkable rider. This was an incredible win, for all of them. So much work, so much sacrifice and here is the reward."

"Yes, this is. We'll go to commercials now and then directly to the podium for the medal ceremony.

~ * ~

The Sun - Police section - August 2004

A man named George Wickham was found dead, killed by more than 90 knife stabs near Sloane square in London. Though the circumstances of his death are still to be determined, the place where the body was found points at a passionate homicide that could have been committed by one of Wickham's gay lovers. The other hypothesis that the police is investigating is a possible connection with an important web of illegal betting, as Wickham was a well known 'bookie' in South London.

~ * ~

Mail on Sunday - march 2007

The best and the worst in print. By Judy Cooper

Undoubtedly the worst publication of this month is Mary Bennet's 'The Conquest of the Black Holes', the third part of the Spaceshafts saga.

With this absolute waste of printed paper, Miss Bennet is once again showing us her little talent and pitiable writing skills by giving us a new piece of the cheap erotica that she is famous for. Like its predecessors, The Conquest ... is at the top of the charts, having sold over 200.000 copies after its release only two weeks ago, repeating the unbelievable success of her previous books.

To oblige her thousands of fans, Mary will be signing her books at ...

~ * ~

Meryton's Gazette - Classified Adds - Sunday Edition, January 2005

Lost every hope?
Your love left you?
I can help you.

MADAMME FANNY

Tarot and esoteric advice

53 Braxton Road, Meryton

~ * ~

Equestrian Magazine, November 2013

A Legend retires By Maddy Gardiner

After leading the charts of the show jumping arena for nearly 15 years, William Darcy has announced his retirement from the professional circuit. Now the father of three lovely children, William says that he wants to dedicate more time to his family and his engineering profession and the arrival of his daughter Marion a month ago had precipitated his decision.

The Darcys, especially Elizabeth, have been involved in improving the technique for embryo transfers in horses in the lab they built for that purpose a few years ago at Pemberley. With that breeding method, they have obtained some very good horses, including the outstanding Legacy, the horse that William rode to success during this year's World Cup in Stuttgart and that helped him to obtain his second Olympic gold in London 2012. Legacy is out of William's Miss D, in a pregnancy carried by another fabulous jumper, Liddy, Elizabeth's mare from Longbourn stables.

William assured us that he would not give up the ring entirely as he plans to continue to show us his incredible talent jumping sporadically in the National circuit. So do not fear, ladies, England's hottest horseman will still be around.

Te End

---

Authors love feedback. Please express your appreciation for Belén's story here

This vignette is the counterpart of chapter 49 of Obstacles to Overcome, where our dear couple has a major fight because of Darcy's possessiveness. As you'll see in this little update of their life together, Darcy might be a controlling freak, but Elizabeth is no saint.

The other face of the mirror

"What time are you coming back?" asked Elizabeth while buttering her toast.

"Four, five, I think." Darcy sipped his coffee. "Jill wants me to work with Star Maker until I get the collected trot right. I'm having problems coordinating it so she prefers that I practice it with a better trained horse rather than Tuareg."

Now in their eighth month of marriage and over the 'college adaptation' process, they were learning how to match their individual activities with their life as a couple. Fortunately, attending college every day had not been as traumatic for her husband as Elizabeth thought it would be. Maybe because she was expecting him to react more violently to her absence -in one way, she was even disappointed that he didn't- and she underestimated his ability to adapt to all kinds of situations. The truth was that Darcy never protested or tried to alter her schedule. In fact, it was the opposite. He adapted his to hers so they could be together as much as they could.

The couple knew that the harmony that they were working so hard to achieve would not last for long. The exam period was getting closer and this would certainly demand more of Elizabeth's time. Also Darcy's pre-Olympic competitions were about to start and that would lessen their time together. He and the other members of the team were working very hard to reach the goals that the committee had imposed and the qualifying rounds were now their priority. Jill was training him in dressage, a discipline that he was having difficulty in mastering, so he was travelling to Matlock three times a week to practice to meet the committee's, and his own, expectations.

Now Elizabeth really understood what Darcy meant when he said he wished that sports were not marketing events. There was constant gossip around them and about them, different versions of facts or events were circulating and there were even spies trying to learn about the progress of their training and the horses' physical conditions. The security around the horses had been increased and their privacy was occasionally disturbed by the veterinary and medical controls that the athletes (riders and horses) were submitted to.

At the moment, they were fortunate that England's equestrian calendar was so complete. There were a several local shows to attend without having to travel abroad to obtain the precious qualifying points. In a month or so though, the hardest competition would start and Darcy would have to leave. For example, the Italian Masters Tournament would keep him away for nearly ten days and Elizabeth knew now that she wouldn't be able to accompany him. They found a way to make the separation shorter but both making sacrifices: Darcy would go on his own and Elizabeth would fly on the weekend and miss one of her classes.

While things were running smoothly in her marriage, school was getting tough for Elizabeth. The exams were close and no matter how much she studied, she always feared that she was not going to make it. She was becoming nervous and anxious and trying really hard not to release all that tension on her husband, though she did not always succeed. In one way, she envied his ability to remain cool and unmoved when everything around him was becoming altered -including her- and blessed him for being able to keep his balance under pressure.

"You tossed in bed all night long." Darcy said quietly.

Elizabeth looked at him apologetically. "I'm sorry but I have these exams and I'm so nervous. I don't know if I'll make it."

"You will, don't worry." he smiled. "You should be more confident about this."

She returned his smile and raised the cup to her lips. "I don't think I'll be home for tea today," she said after a sip, "I'm going to the library with the girls, to study."

An acknowledging glance in her direction was his reply.

Elizabeth smiled at her possessive husband. He always did this when she told him that she was staying out for longer than usual. He never said a word about it but she knew that he wanted her at home. Darcy, knowing that she had caught his expression, smiled back.

"Drive carefully." was all he said.

The phone rang and Darcy answered it with the cordless. It was Jimmy. While finishing her breakfast, Elizabeth listened to their conversation.

Darcy's relationship with his second eldest cousin was one of cordial distance. Elizabeth knew that her husband has his motives to feel 'bothered' by him. Jimmy Fitzwilliam was a well-known rake, the terror of any absent husband, as she heard someone say, something that wasn't of Darcy's liking. Also, in their youth, Jimmy had accosted her husband mercilessly and that rivalry was never overcome. Georgiana once said that they had a huge fight when Darcy was about sixteen and was big enough to confront him. Laughing, her sister-in-law had told her that it took four men to separate them (Jimmy was as large as Darcy) and that Howard received a blow to his eye in the process. The cousins cared for each other, they were family, and though Jimmy would never mess with his cousin's wife, she knew that Darcy wanted him as far away from her as possible. Now, the cousins were conversing easily and, for what she could guess, planning something. The words 'drinks', 'pub', and 'fun' told her that she would not be part of it.

"What?" Elizabeth asked him when he hung the phone with a smile.

"Nothing. Vicky is moving in with Richard the following week and Jimmy is organizing this last 'bachelor' outing before that happens. It's on Wednesday, you don't have any plans for us, do you?"

"No," Elizabeth shook her head, "I have to study, I think I'll stay locked at home for the entire weekend too."

"You don't mind that I go? It's been a long time since I went out with my cousins."

"Not at all." she would use that additional time to study without having to feel guilty because she left him on his own. Anyway, he had the right to go out and have fun with his cousins. It didn't bother her; no, not at all. Not even if he was going to the pub with Jimmy the rake.

"All right, I'll tell him I'm going." he drank some more coffee. "I suppose that you won't be able to come to the show in Rotherham this Saturday."

"I thought you said you weren't jumping there." she frowned.

"I'm not, but we have three horses we sold last year competing there so I want to take a look. Also, Greg's jumping Backup and I want to see how they are doing together."

Soon after they returned from their honeymoon, Greg had asked Darcy if he could lease Backup for the season as he wasn't obtaining the results he expected with his horse. Darcy quickly accepted. Now that he was focused on the Olympics, he had concentrated his riding on Tuareg so the bay stallion was sent to Brakenell to start his campaign with a new rider. Since they started jumping together, Greg and Backup were doing quite well on the national circuit.

"I'm sorry, dear, I won't be able to go." Elizabeth sighed and sipped her coffee. She would have liked to go but she really had to study.

"Don't worry," Darcy smiled, a little disappointed that she couldn't come, but knowing that there was no other choice. "I'll go by myself."

Elizabeth blinked.

Oblivious to her change of countenance, he continued. "That way I won't be around while you are studying, I always manage to disturb you at some point. It's just for the day anyway."

Did that mean that he was going without her? First, this 'bachelor' thing with his cousins, and now this? What was going on here?

"Anyway," he proceeded, "Richard is doing this pre-nuptial horse training with Vicky. Now that he finally decided to marry her, he says that he wants her to get used to the shows and the environment. Charles said that he would bring Jane, too." Elizabeth listened while struggling to appear unmoved. That sounded like a lot of fun and she would miss it. Much to her discomfort, Darcy went on. "Even Gini might come, though I would guess that Greg's presence has a lot to do with that. So, as you see, I won't be on my own."

"Great." she smiled, not sure if she was happy or not because of this knowledge.

"Good." he replied, too merrily for her taste. "Let's go or you'll be late. I'll walk you to the car."

Elizabeth observed how he ate his half-eaten toast in one bite and finished his coffee. She left hers unfinished and followed him.

~ * ~

For almost a year now, Elizabeth had become used to being the center of Darcy's world. At the beginning it was a little overwhelming, then he learned to control it, he learned to share her with the rest of mankind, allowing her the space she needed. But he was always there, near her, within her reach and this sudden 'detachment', to have him 'going on' with his life without her made her feel ... unneeded. While she didn't mind when he was away because of his work or competing, the fact that he was going out to have fun without her was just ... horrible.

That Wednesday, classes seemed endless. The only thing that Elizabeth could think all day long was when they would end so she could go home to see her husband before he left. Invariably, something would happen that would force her to stay a little longer. If it wasn't a classmate asking her about something, it was her car that had no gas and forced her to an unplanned stop. All in all, she managed to reach Pemberley before six.

"Hi." Elizabeth entered the bedroom.

"Hello, love," Darcy turned around while buttoning his shirt, "I thought I would miss you."

For a second, she was speechless, when she found her voice, she said, "you cut your hair."

Grinning, he rubbed his head. "Yeah."

Darcy usually cut his hair every two or three months, as he liked it long. It was wavy without being curly and it was very easy to handle so, no matter the length, he always looked fine. As for her, Elizabeth preferred it shorter, so she was always insisting that he cut it. She had been asking him to do it for the last two weeks and he had been inventing silly excuses not to do it. And today, the day that he was going out (to party around without her) he cut it and he was looking gorgeous. Damn.

He finished dressing, he kissed her goodbye and whistling merrily, he left.

Elizabeth then found herself alone, in that big house, just her and half a dozen servants, dining on her own. Feeling awfully lonely, she asked Mrs. Reynolds to only fix her a sandwich and she ate, all by herself, in her study. One hour later, she was restless. This was the hour when they usually sat together to watch TV or converse about their day. Today he wasn't there. He was, God knows where, having fun with his rakish cousins. Because the Fitzwiliam brothers were really something. Jimmy was a rogue but Richard was no saint and she was sure that Edward had a past too. And they were with her husband now, corrupting him. Damn.

Unable to concentrate on her book, she went to the living room and sat, crossed legged on his side of the couch. Images of Darcy entering a cabaret with his gorgeous cousins began to form in her mind. In slow motion, she saw them walking into the smoky salon, in this 'magnificent seven' manner, capturing the lustful eyes of the ladies of dubious reputation that were sitting there. They sat around a small round table and ordered their drinks. The waitress, wearing a Playboy bunny outfit, was very solicitous to them, bending quite provocatively when serving them, exposing her ample cleavage for her husband to admire. It was when she pictured Jimmy putting a few bills in between her breasts that she decided to open her book again and return to her cell biology. Yes, genes and proteins, that is what she should be thinking of now, not her gorgeous husband having fun with his gorgeous cousins in a smoky cabaret, surrounded by prostitutes. Genes, proteins and bunny tails, that should be her preoccupation now.

Around midnight, Elizabeth thought of calling him on his mobile to see how he was doing (and where he was and what he was doing and ask him when he planned to come back). But then she thought better. This was his first night out with his mates since their marriage and it would be embarrassing for him if his wife called him at midnight to check on him. His cousins would mock him endlessly. Yes, she would save him the embarrassment. Anyway, Darcy was the obsessive controlling possessive freak, not her.

~ * ~

Elizabeth closed her book and stood to stretch her body. She was tired, very tired. She was planning to wait for him to come back but she was feeling too sleepy. She checked her watch. Three AM! The first feeling that assaulted her was fear, preoccupation. A terrible accident, the Merc burning, and Darcy in hospital. One second later, she dismissed it. What an imbecile she was. Darcy was very a very prudent driver and, had there been an accident, someone would have called by now. Unless it had just happened and the fire had burned his ID and there was no way to identify his body and ... she banged the book against her head.

As she climbed up the stairs, her fear turned into annoyance. What if he was still partying with his cousins? It was passed three for Christ sake! Such inconsiderate behavior didn't deserve such a solicitous vigil from her. No, she would not lose one minute of sleep because of him.

Angry, she kicked her shoes off and dressed for bed. One of his T-shirts, that's what she liked to wear for bed but tonight she was so angry with him that she changed into a nightgown. Five minutes later she changed into his T-shirt again.

At this point, Elizabeth didn't care about embarrassing him in front his cousins. Eight months of marriage and he was already hanging around in cabarets? She could not allow such behavior right from the beginning. She strode towards the phone and dialed his mobile. It was off. Bastard. Should she leave him a threatening message? No, it wouldn't be wise to leave a recorded message, just in case he was at the hospital, or already on his way back. She would behave like the adult she was, take this in a mature way and kill him if he didn't have a good excuse for his tardiness. Bastard.

For nearly an hour, she tossed and turned in the bed, unable to sleep. Four A.M. This was unbelievable! He was an Olympic athlete! What if his coach found out? He could be expelled from the team! How could he do this to her? No, this will not do, her anger would not be repressed. He would learn now who Elizabeth Bennet-Darcy was. This message was one he would never forget. She would tell him that she would cut his testicles off and throw them in the toilet if he wasn't home in and ... She heard the sound of a car's engine and looked out of the window. She saw the lights on the driveway ... It was him! He was back! Her husband was safe and sound and everything would be all right.

But her relief was soon replaced with indignation. It was nearly dawn! It would be better if he had a good excuse for this behavior. Bloody inconsiderate. How dare he? Arriving at this hour, drunk surely, with ... she heard him climbing the stairs, she curled up on her side and pretended to be asleep.

Darcy entered the bedroom but didn't turn on the lights. As the room remained dark, Elizabeth looked over the covers to see if he was tipsy or not. He was looking fine, though he didn't walk a straight line from the door to the bed. She closed her eyes again and heard him tumbling over something, whispering a curse and then silencing himself with a 'shhhhhh'. He undressed, went to the bathroom and then slipped under the covers next to her. A heavy arm fell over her waist and his long body accommodated behind hers. In one second, he was snoring, loud and clear.

Elizabeth was enraged. She opened her eyes and turned her head to look at him. He was smiling. Blissfully. She moved closer to smell his breath and wrinkled her nose when an odd combination of beer and toothpaste reached her nostrils. She tried to escape his hold but he protested, holding her even tighter. Some noises came out of him, then a giggle and a few unconnected words. The only one she understood clearly was 'Gilda.'

Even though she had very little sleep the night before, Elizabeth rose very early on the following day. She was upset, very upset. She left the bed, went to the bathroom, making as much noise as she could but there was no way she would disturb her husband's rest. Of course, she would never be able to wake him up in his current state. The bastard stayed out almost all night long, partying around with his cousins and returned at four in the morning, completely drunk.

She bent to watch him more carefully. "William," she poked his arm with her forefinger. "I'm leaving for school."

He groaned and turned his face to the other side.

Incensed, she left the room.

~ * ~

"My love," Darcy greeted his wife with a smile, "I didn't hear you go this morning."

Elizabeth was still too angry with him to smile back. Dark circles under his eyes, she noticed. Of course, how could he not have them after a full night of sin and dissolution?

"Hi," she offered her cheek for him to kiss.

"How was your day?"

"Fine."

He scratched his head. "I slept until passed noon and I'm still tired. I think I'm getting old. When I was at school, I used to stay up all night long and it didn't affect me so much."

Elizabeth only smirked and walked away from him, leaving him to wonder what was going on.

During dinner, Elizabeth was unusually silent. Then, unlike other days, Elizabeth didn't join her husband on the sofa to watch TV together. She remained in her study, reading, and Darcy had to go for her to tell her that he was going to bed.

"Still studying?" he leaned his shoulder on the doorframe.

Elizabeth looked up. "Yep."

"Are you coming to bed?"

"Go ahead. I'll be there in a minute."

He frowned, but said nothing else.

~ * ~

Elizabeth retired an hour later, hoping that her husband would be already asleep when she reached the bedroom. But, unfortunately for her, he was awake and waiting for her.

"Hi, lovely." he said with a smile.

She went directly to the bathroom. When she emerged, he was still sitting on the bed, fully awake. He lifted the blankets for her and moved closer to lay by her side.

"It's getting tough, isn't it?"

"Yeah." she curled her body on the mattress, her back to him.

Darcy knew she was stressed and tired and worried about her exams, but this was all the indifference he could take. "Elizabeth. What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing. Good night."

He looked at her, propped in one elbow. "Elizabeth, I'm going to ask you one last time. What's wrong?"

This time, she didn't even answer.

"All right, madam," he said coldly. "If this is how you want it, this is how you're going to have it."

Darcy turned the opposite way, pulled the covers over himself and turned the light off. He was too angry and too proud to insist.

He didn't have to wait long to know what was going on with his wife, because she, on seeing that he gave up so quickly, became even more offended than she already was.

"I should have known," she smirked with her back to him. "Men! You are all the same."

"I beg your pardon?" he slowly turned around.

"Oh, come on, William. Don't play innocent with me."

Darcy rubbed his face with his hand, trying to control the anger that was growing inside of him. "Elizabeth, what are you talking about?"

"What am I talking about? You arrive at four in the morning, completely drunk after partying around with your cousins and you are asking me why I'm upset?"

"I wasn't drunk!"

"Don't lie to me! I saw you! You stumbled and almost fell!"

"I didn't!"

"You did!"

Darcy was usually a very calm, balanced person but he couldn't hear these unfair accusations without reaction. "I think you are upset because I went out with my cousins last night."

No reply.

He sat up and took a deep breath before speaking with barely controlled anger. "If I'm not wrong, you said that you didn't mind that I go out with them."

"Obviously, I made a mistake. I didn't know what you were capable of. I shouldn't have allowed it."

"Allowed?" his voice was all incredulity.

"Yes." she replied, still with her back to him. She punched the pillow and adjusted it under her head.

"Who do you think you are to allow me to go out?"

"I'm your wife in case you don't remember." she looked at him over her shoulder

He stared at her in utter disbelief. "You are crazy."

"I am crazy?" she sat and faced him. "I am crazy? You were in a bar all night long, with some trollop named Gilda and you say I am crazy?"

Darcy was usually a man of few words. He never said more than the absolutely necessary, unless he was mad, really mad. And this was once of these rare occasions in which Darcy was exceedingly angry. "For your information, I wasn't in a bar all night long. I went to have drinks with my cousins, which I had not seen in ages and I came in that late because I drove Richard back to his place because he was too sloshed to get there on his own. I had a couple of beers, yes, but you know perfectly well that I need much more than a pint to knock me off. And if I stumbled, it was because you, as it is your bloody habit, threw your shoes in the middle of the room and I didn't see them because I didn't turn on the lights because I didn't want to disturb you!" Elizabeth's eyes widened as he raised his voice, but he went on. "Now, Mrs. Darcy, if you are not going to allow me to go out with my cousins once every five years, then get yourself another husband because I will not allow such behavior from my WIFE!"

Elizabeth raised her hand to her mouth while looking at him with wide opened eyes. He shouted at her. Darcy never ever shouted before. He always endured her outbursts with a calmness she sometimes found irritating but this time he didn't. Oh, God. Her husband was mad at her.

"I'm sorry, Will ... I'm so sorry." she cried as tears clouded her eyes.

Darcy saw that her body started to tremble and hugged her tightly against his chest. "It's OK, my dear, it's all right."

"I don't know what's wrong with me!"

"Those exams are making you crazy, that's all. Just try to calm down, will you?" he rocked her body.

Even though she was feeling safe and cared for in his embrace, Elizabeth cried all the tension, all her fears away. When she was done, in a soft and nasal voice, she asked him,

"Who's Gilda?"

"Who?"

"Gilda, you mentioned her last night."

Darcy chuckled and shook his head, incredulous that she insisted on this. "The filly that was born at Matlock the other day. We chose her name last night."

Elizabeth laughed in between sniffs. What a ridiculous creature she was. She embraced his waist and smiled blissfully. Her husband didn't hang out in a cabaret with some trollop named Gilda. He and his cousins spent the night naming horses.

But her blissful smile lasted only two seconds. Was he taking her for an idiot? Four of the most gorgeous men in Derbyshire, one of them an assumed rake, spent the night talking about horses? That was the most ridiculous thing she ever heard in her life.

"You spent the night naming horses?"

"No, actually, we only named that one."

"I see. And where did you get the name from?" she eyed him suspiciously.

"Ahhhh ..." he hesitated, "from the badge on the waitresses breast ... chest." he corrected immediately.

Elizabeth gasped aloud. "You were looking at her chest!"

"She was serving our table!" he looked at her with some confusion.

"You stared at her breasts!"

"They were huge, how could I not see them?

She was indignant. "And that inspired