Lizzy sat quietly as her hair was curled and pinned by her maid; Jane watching silently. When the maid had completed her work, Lizzy sat looking at her reflection in the mirror, a slight smile tugging the corners of her mouth.

"You seem very calm, Lizzy."

"I am, Jane. I see no reason not to be. I am going to marry the man I love," she smiled.

"I hope I shall be as composed as you when my own wedding day arrives. I must confess I am a little concerned about one thing."

"And what would that be, dearest Jane? Surely you can have no doubts as to Bingley's affections for you?"

"Goodness, no. But tell me, Lizzy. Did our mother speak with you of your, er, marital 'obligations'?"

Lizzy stifled a smile at her sister's awkwardness. "Yes, Jane, she did."

"And, Lizzy? Was what Mama had to say very disconcerting?"

"Disconcerting would not be the word I would necessarily use. But if you do as I did, and ignore all that she said, I am sure you will be fine."

"Lizzy! You cannot be serious!"

"I most assuredly can. Jane, my darling sister, if one were seeking advice on the most sure path to marital felicity, would not one seek information from a source which had proven success in that area?"

"Why yes, I can see what you mean. So if not Mama, then whom?"

"Aunt Gardiner," she winked.

Jane smiled in understanding. "And her advice?"

"Quite simple. Trust your husband and his love and the rest will follow." Lizzy stood and grasped her sister in a warm hug. "Now come. Jane; it will soon be time. We had best go downstairs before Mama starts calling for us." They both rolled their eyes at the thought and smiled.

Even before they reached the drawing room though, they could hear the exasperated wails of their mother. With a shared look of reluctance, they walked into the room together.

"Ah, there you are, Lizzy," said Mrs Bennet. She bustled around Lizzy, checking her dress and hair. "It is almost time - we must leave for the chapel soon."

"But Mama! There is one hour yet until the ceremony. Is it not the fashion for the bride to arrive after the groom? I would look a little eager, would I not, if I were to be waiting at the church ahead of the guests and groom?"

"Yes, but Lizzy, you don't want to keep Mr Darcy waiting. He may change his mind."

"Mr Darcy will not change his mind, Mama. Of that, I am quite certain."

"Mr Darcy will have to wait, nonetheless," said Mr Bennet, coming into the room, "for I wish to speak with my daughter before her wedding, as I will surely have no chance after."

Lizzy followed her father into the library, relieved to be away from her mother's nervousness, which was showing signs of becoming contagious.

"Sit my child. I have but a few words to offer you regarding your married life - I feel quite sure you have had a surfeit of 'advice' from other parties. Although if I can give you this one small instruction to carry with you from this day forward, it would be to stay as you are, Lizzy. I have watched you and your Mr Darcy, and I am quite convinced that the qualities that you possess that I have so come to value and cherish, are the same ones that he also admires. Too many women change on entering the married state, so that before long the husband no longer recognizes the woman he lives with as being the same one he married. Do not fall into the trap of being a traditional wife, Lizzy. I fear Mr Darcy would be most disappointed," he smiled. "Now come here, my child, and give your father a hug, for I fear they shall be in short supply around here once you are gone."

Darcy paced in the library at Netherfield as Bingley watched on in silent amusement, hiding a smile behind a strategically placed cup of tea.

"Come sit, man," he said. "You will not be wed any faster for wearing out my rug."

"Is it not yet time to leave, Bingley? Surely it is."

"It is ten minutes later than the last time you asked, Darce. Is it nerves you are suffering from? You have nothing to be nervous of. Elizabeth loves you deeply - any fool can see that."

"I am not nervous, Charles, not at all. Anxious would be more the word. I have wanted to be wed to Elizabeth for so long, that now that the time is so near, I need it to be complete. I wish her to be my wife now - this waiting is more than I can bear."

"Well, it shan't be long. I shall have the carriage brought around and then we shall leave."

Bingley left the library to attend to the carriages, but Darcy was unable to enjoy his brief moment of solitude. A gaudy apparition in the form of Caroline Bingley soon replaced her brother. Darcy felt greatly annoyed by her presence, knowing she would attempt once more to change his mind; she had been discreet, but relentless of late in that regard. Still, nothing he said seemed to have any effect. He looked at her pointedly, making no attempt to hide his irritation.

"If you have come to attempt to dissuade me from my marriage once again, Miss Bingley, you may save your breath. I believe I have been quite explicit in my resolve on each previous occasion."

"But surely you realize what damage this match will do to your standing, Mr Darcy. Indeed, consider the reflection it will have on dear Georgiana and her place in society. You cannot possibly be serious!"

"I am perfectly serious, Miss Bingley. For quite apart from the fact that I love my fiancée exceedingly, Elizabeth, with her ease and manners in society, will be a perfect role model for my sister. For Elizabeth was also born a gentleman's daughter, and as such, she deserves greater attention and respect than other ladies who may have acquired their social standing through more commercial means."

Caroline, who could not fail to understand his meaning, swept from the room in humiliation, almost knocking over her brother on his return.

Fully aware of what had transpired in his absence, Charles shook his head in resignation. "I am terribly sorry, Darce. I have tried to speak to Caroline, but she refuses to heed me on this subject."

"Do not concern yourself, Charles. After today, she will have no further argument. For Lizzy and I will be married, and as I will no doubt be considered 'undesirable' due to my unfortunate 'alliance', we shall be left in peace to enjoy our marriage," he grinned to his friend. "A situation I am anticipating most pleasurably. And as you will no doubt also be considered to be entrapped into a similar alliance, we may be ensured an abundance of relief from those of the ton."

Bingley laughed in response, shaking his head. "It is time to leave. Are you ready, Darce?"

"I have been ready for months, Charles. Let us go."

The change in music alerted Darcy to the arrival of Elizabeth, and he turned eagerly to see her walk down the aisle towards him. As her eyes caught his, a look of utter happiness suffused her expression on seeing her beloved. For Darcy, her smile was a ray of sunshine into his previously bleak existence, and he loved her dearly for the light she had brought into his life.

As Elizabeth took her place beside him, he glanced at her, needing to reassure himself that this was reality and not a dream. The ceremony was brief, fortunately, as Darcy was finding it increasingly difficult to concentrate on the vicar's words with Lizzy so close. So consumed was he with her presence, he had to consciously listen for that part of the ceremony that would require his participation. Thankful when they were finally pronounced man and wife, he bent to chastely kiss his wife. As they moved arm-in arm up the aisle, he whispered softly, for her ears alone, "At last, my darling Lizzy, you are mine."

Elizabeth was becoming exceedingly impatient with her new husband. Far from being unpopular with the residents of Hertfordshire, it appeared he was now overwhelmed with people eager to make his acquaintance. Having waited half an hour for the opportunity to speak with him privately, Lizzy decided it was time to enlist more drastic measures. "Excuse me, Mr Darcy," she said, attempting to smile while unobtrusively dragging her husband away from some guests to the relative privacy of the library, which for once was unpopulated. "Whilst I am much pleased to see the improvements you are making in conversing with strangers, I would very much prefer it if we could take our leave sooner rather than later?"

"But Lizzy, the wedding breakfast is not yet finished. We have not yet partaken of dessert," Will smilingly protested, wrapping his arms around her.

"Surely we have partaken of sufficient food at this point - perhaps we should leave dessert for later?"

Will's eyes opened wide. Was his lovely wife flirting with him? He quickly glanced at Lizzy and almost missed what he could have sworn was a mischievous smile. Lizzy reached up to kiss her new husband lightly, before whispering to him quietly, "Are you still hungry, Sir?"

If some of the guests were a little surprised at the alacrity with which the coach was ordered and the bride and groom departed, they put it down to the distance to be travelled before nightfall.

After the unusually balmy late autumn warmth of the past weeks, the weather had turned distinctly cool, a sign of the oncoming winter. For this reason, Darcy elected to use the closed coach. Even so, he and Lizzy were rugged up under blankets to ward off the penetrating chill. Lizzy became so cozy in fact, that she felt her eyelids becoming decidedly heavy, and fight it as she might, sleep eventually overcame her and she began to nod uncomfortably in her seat. Slowly, so as not to wake her, Will eased her head down onto his shoulder, cushioning her from the rocking and lurching of the coach. Stroking her hair away from her face, he reflected on the deep love he felt for the woman now comfortably ensconced on his lap.

Vaguely aware that this was the first time he had seen his wife asleep, it struck him how very young she looked without the sassy, impertinent expression she so often wore when awake. He smiled as he drank in every precious feature - the long lashes, the pert nose, the attractive blush on her cheeks, the full, ruby lips. As he contemplated those lips, he recalled the kiss in the library. Absentmindedly he licked his lips and realized he could still taste her. Thoughts of their 'dessert' caused him to groan slightly and he attempted to ease the growing fullness in his breeches, squirming a little in his seat. Damn! Can't this coach go any faster? Sighing to himself, he tried to settle more comfortably, attempting to think of something, anything - but dessert. The coach rumbled on into the late afternoon, the rocking eventually causing even Darcy to nod off into an uneasy slumber. Sometime later, the momentum of the coach eased, and Darcy roused, amused to find his arm still firmly grasping Elizabeth … even in sleep he could not let her go.

With the slowing of the coach, Lizzy's eyes opened and she was momentarily but sweetly surprised to find her head on her husbands shoulder. She sat up, still feeling a little sleepy and disoriented. Rubbing her eyes, she peeked out the window of the coach for her first view of the London townhouse. Instead she viewed a quaint little cottage, complete with thatched roof and rough stonework, peeking out from amidst abundant and verdant greenery. Dusk was falling, but the cottage was glowing merrily in the half-light. Smoke curled lazily up from the chimney and floated off in the gentle breeze. "Will? I thought we were traveling to London tonight … where are we?"

"London is for tomorrow, my darling Lizzy. Tonight is for us, alone."

"But where are we? This isn't a carriage stop - it looks like somebody's home."

"It is ours, Lizzy; our own private little hideaway."

Lizzy looked quizzically at Will, her arch smile encouraging him to continue.

"Actually my father bought it for himself and my mother as a home to rest in during their frequent trips to London. The couple that look after the place, Mr and Mrs Samuels, informed me that my parents used to stay here for a week at a time on occasion - time alone for just the two of them. I had no knowledge of this until after my father died. It was one of the many properties we own which were in his Will, you see. Mrs Samuels apprised me of the details. Apparently my parents, for all the years of their marriage, lightheartedly referred to it as their 'honeymoon' cottage. I'd like to think we could continue that tradition, Lizzy."

As he handed her down from the carriage, she squeezed his hand and reached up to lightly kiss his cheek - a silent acceptance, her meaning implicit.

The cottage, though very modest by Pemberley standards, was nonetheless quite roomy, and opened from the small foyer into a cosy parlor. Contrary to the rough exterior, the interior of the cottage had obviously been remodeled and refurbished to reflect a refined, relaxed ambiance with soft, dusky velvets and plush, deep pile rugs of an oriental design. As Lizzy entered the room, she gasped at the sight that greeted her. Everywhere, on every cupboard, table, above the fireplace - were candles, blinking and glowing. Like a thousand little fireflies, they lit up the room with a twinkling glow. Lizzy turned to her husband and he glanced back at her sheepishly.

"I hope you like it. I want this to be a night we will never forget."

"I am quite sure we will remember this day for the rest of our lives, my husband, with the sweetest of memories."

He hugged his wife tightly to him and then taking Lizzy's arm in his, began an unhurried tour of the cottage. Whilst from without it had appeared deceptively small, the interior was, in fact, quite spacious and consisted of a warm, inviting lounge room, comfortably furnished with velvet covered wingbacks and plush settees situated in front of a blazing fire; a small, intimate dining room; and four very roomy bedrooms. It was this area of the house that stunned Lizzy the most. The main bedroom, obviously the subject of her husband's particular instructions, was not only lit by a multitude of candles but also bedecked with flowers - fragrant, colorful and abundant. Apart from the huge bed that dominated the center of the room, Lizzy spied a delightful sitting area in front of a comforting fire. One thing puzzled her, however, and she turned to her husband a little perplexed.

"Is it not customary for a sitting area to have chairs, Will - hence the name?"

For neither a chair nor settee was to be seen. In their place were a soft rug and many cushions, scattered with apparent abandon.

"Trust me, Lizzy. I believe you will find the furnishings very much to your liking."

"Truly?" Lizzy enquired with a raised eyebrow.

"Definitely," stated Will confidently. And with more pleasant thoughts in mind, Will endeavored to forestall any further enquiries on the furnishings and attempted to turn Lizzy's mind to other things.

"Perhaps you would like to freshen up after our journey, my love. I asked Mrs Samuels to have a bath drawn for you, and then I have a surprise for you upon your return."

"Indeed, Mr Darcy? A surprise?" she answered somewhat cheekily, he thought.

"Lizzy! Perhaps I should have said gift … now quickly before your bath goes cold. Oh, and one more thing. My apologies, my darling Lizzy, but unfortunately there is no maid to attend you. I shall be waiting here in case you have need of my assistance." Two could play that game, he thought.

Lizzy sighed contentedly at the thought of sinking into a warm, relaxing bath. In her dressing room she found a huge bathtub, full nearly to the brim, steam rising from the water and a proliferation of bubbles threatening to cascade over the sides. Her toiletries and gown were laid out for her, apparently by Mrs Samuels, as she had seen no other person in the house save her husband. Luxuriating in the warmth of the huge bath, Lizzy noted that even in here the room was lit with candles, and a softly blazing fire suffused the room with a hazy glow. Tilting her head back against the top of the tub, she allowed her mind to wander, until her thoughts pleasantly settled on her husband. Lizzy knew that he was a passionate man beneath that cool exterior. What surprised her though, was the romantic side that she had hitherto been unaware of. She knew that the candles and flowers were his idea, but what touched her deeply was his desire to begin their married life here, in this beautiful home, which had obviously held much happy significance for his parents.

Darcy, now dressed only in shirt and breeches, sat on the thick, soft rug and leaned back against the cushions, gazing unseeing into the fire, wrapped in thought - and all his thoughts centered on the woman in the next room. His wife. The woman he loved more than life. And fully love her he would, starting tonight. Unlike most men of his age, Will's intimate experiences with women were limited, and this had concerned him. He wanted, no, he needed, to do everything in his power to guarantee Lizzy's pleasure, and had often wondered in the nights leading up to this one, if his experience would be adequate. Lizzy stirred feelings in him, feelings of such desire and shamelessness, that made him want to explore areas of her that he never had with another woman. He loved the look, the smell, and the feel of her - and to his embarrassment the all too familiar throbbing began anew.

He threw his head back in frustration and closed his eyes, attempting to regain his customary control, breathing deeply. He was concerned; he wanted this night to be perfect, and yet just thinking of Lizzy was enough to drive his body to its limits.

His head popped up as he heard the door open. Will turned to look at his bride and caught his breath. He attempted to swallow past the lump in his suddenly parched throat, unable to speak the words he longed to say. Like a vision from one of his dreams, Lizzy stood in the doorway, haloed in the candlelight. Her gown, draped softly, hugged her curves and wrapped around, held together by a loosely tied belt. Long, chestnut curls, freed at last, tumbled over her shoulders and back, starkly contrasting against the white silk covering her alluring body. She stood on the threshold, stilled by the look in his eyes. Hunger? Passion? Need? Love? Whatever it was, it excited her.

As Lizzy slowly moved towards the fire, the silk swished and slinked against her skin. Every womanly curve, valley and peak was accentuated. She smiled shyly at her husband and leaned down to run her hand over his cheek and lightly down his neck.

"I believe you promised me dessert, Will?" she whispered into his ear.

Will swallowed hard. His dreams had never done justice to this reality. Wordlessly, he captured Lizzy's hand and gently eased her down beside him on the rug. Reaching beside him, he picked up two fluted glasses of fine Austrian crystal filled with a pale amber liquid, the tiny bubbles within rising to the surface. Lizzy sipped the sparkling champagne, wrinkling her nose as the bubbles tickled her. Darcy looked on in wonder at the paradox that was his wife - the sultry seductress in white satin wrinkling her nose with child-like wonder at the tickle of the champagne. He sighed as he sipped and a feeling of contentment, long forgotten, washed over him.

He stroked her cheek softly. "You have never looked more beautiful to me than you do at this moment, Lizzy. I would easily stay here like this with you forever."

She kissed her husband lightly in response. Unsure of what to do, she waited patiently, remembering her aunt's words, and allowed her husband to take the lead.

Reaching under a cushion, he said, "Close your eyes, my love, and don't open them until I tell you."

He brought out a red velvet box and opened it slowly. Inside, puddled on a bed of satin, was a pendant on a chain of the finest gold links. Lifting it, he placed it around Lizzy's neck as she moved her hair aside, clasping it at the back. Will looked at the picture his wife presented - eyes closed and arms raised to hold her chestnut curls up, rosy nipples peaking through the revealing satin of her gown, and the pendant settled just short of the deep cleavage of her full breasts. His eyes hungrily devoured the sight of her.

His voice croaked slightly. "You may open your eyes now, Lizzy."

Lizzy looked down at the pendant and smiled at her husband. Two delicate, filigreed, gold hearts were entwined, and a precious stone was set in the middle of each. One was diamond, the other ruby.

"The hearts represent you and me, eternally linked. The diamond and the ruby symbolize my promise to you, that I will be faithful to you, honor, love and cherish you, passionately, with every fibre of my being … forever."

Touched by his words, Lizzy reached for him. "I believe there was something I left unfinished today in the library, Will." And she leaned in to her husband, kissing him softly, tentatively, slowly opening her lips to his, tasting and teasing him with her tongue.

Will, his arms rigid at his sides, groaned and pleaded huskily against her mouth, "Please Lizzy, don't tease me." His dark eyes held a need akin to a kind of pain. That look sparked something in Lizzy, and they came together, mouths meeting, searching, taking. Holding her to him, Will grazed his mouth and tongue over her lips and neck, sighing into her hair and inhaling her sweet, intoxicating scent. The touch of her fingers moving inside his shirt to wind around his neck sent shivers of pleasure shooting through his body.

A log crackled and fell heavily in the hearth, breaking the silence. Breathlessly they pulled apart, each stunned at the heat of sensation passing between them.

Oh my god, Lizzy! Do you have any idea what you do to me? thought Will. Feebly attempting to regain some control, he cuddled Lizzy to him and they each took a moment, gazing into the fire, allowing their racing pulses to quiet. For Lizzy, any unease a new bride should have felt was replaced with a feeling of absolute trust in her husband. As she had handed her future to him this day, so too would she give her body. She remembered the innocent longing she had felt for this night over the last months, and now that the moment was here, she felt almost light-headed with relief. She yielded completely to her husband, determined to follow his lead wherever it would take them.

Will had trouble believing the vision in his arms was real. With trembling hands, his fingers slipped over the satin of her gown. The silky feel of the satin against the warmth of her skin was erotic and arousing and part of him (a large part of him, if truth be told) longed to rip the gown off to reveal the treasure beneath. Instead of acting on this impulse, he curbed his raging desires and treasured the richness of this moment, acknowledging the voyage of discovery they were both to take. Burying his head in her abundant curls, he inhaled the scent of her - a fragrance of which he would never have enough.

Will trailed feather light kisses along the silky soft skin of Lizzy's cheeks and brow, until he once again reached her luscious lips. With her head tilted back and eyes closed, the invitation she presented was unmistakable. He watched, mesmerized, as a wet, pink tongue peeked out to moisten her lips, causing a jolt of desire to course the entire length of his body.

As he leaned forward to kiss her softly, her eyes half-opened lazily, and the look Will saw there rendered him mute. Physical need and a passionate hunger stared back at him, and what should have been a tender touch, a tentative sharing for each - flared into a blaze. The tenuous restraint that had tethered their emotions through the weeks preceding their nuptials snapped. The last vestiges of their control were abandoned and Lizzy's arms wrapped around Will's neck, pulling him to her. Not stopping to question, but glorying in the wantonness of her response, Will's hands roamed freely over her silky body, sliding sensuously over the satin gown she wore. As his hand grazed her breast, Lizzy quivered in response. Since that day in the park at Rosings, she had hungered for and dreamt of his touch. Teasing her nipple through the satin, he cupped and fondled her breasts as Lizzy moaned and arched in response, offering her body to his sensual touch. Breaking their kiss, he slowly eased the satin away from her upper body, revealing two perfect orbs with tight rosy nipples. He dipped his head to better savor the feast before his eyes, much more satisfying than any food. Capturing each tight bud in turn, he suckled gently, his tongue tracing a trail of fire and ice over her skin. Leaning into his touch, she shivered with delight, her breath quickening.

He paused for a moment, her shift in posture hinting to him of the tension building within. She looked at him questioningly and holding her gaze, Will slowly loosened the belt and tugging on the two ends, pulled her against him, holding her captive against his hardness. In the stillness and intensity of their gaze, he let the belt drop, her gown slipping down to puddle on the cushions. Her nakedness revealed, Darcy's eyes grazed her body, his breath quickening. In the flickering firelight, her skin seemed alive, glowing and pulsing in time with the thudding beat of his heart.

"Do I please you, my husband?" she whispered huskily.

Only one thought ran through his mind as he drank in the splendor before him, "You, my darling, are more perfect than I ever imagined."

Any hesitation and doubt left him in the wake of his excitement. Lifting his bride easily in his arms, he carried her to the bed, laying her back against the pillows. Moving to lie beside her, he licked, kissed and nibbled from her torso to her toes, tracing his tongue and lips over every inch of her, tasting and teasing her until she could stand no more. She whimpered softly, her pleasure evident in her subtle movements as she eagerly presented herself to him for more. Will watched her, her eyes shut against the ripples of pleasure coursing through her body and he knew then he needed to be closer to her.

She sighed as he moved away from her to stand up, her eyes opening to seek out the cause of her loss. With his eyes fixed on Lizzy, Will slowly pulled his shirt from his breeches and raised it over his head, tossing it over a nearby chair. The muscles on his chest and arms rippled in the firelight. Her eyes followed his hands as they travelled down, and Lizzy's lips parted, as one by one, he slowly undid the buttons on his straining breeches. Finally, their tightness released, they dropped to the floor, and he absently kicked them to the side. The sight of her husband, standing before her, his desire evident, quickened Lizzy's breath. She felt she should look away but she was unable and remained transfixed. He was truly magnificent! His broad chest, lightly covered with tight, downy curls, rose and fell in time with his ragged breaths. Lizzy licked lips that had suddenly gone dry as Will's hungry eyes raked over her body.

Misinterpreting her look, he became concerned. "Do not be scared, Lizzy - I would never hurt you."

"Scared, Will? No. I am yours, my husband. Teach me, show me how to love you."

With sinuous grace he slowly knelt above her, feathering his fingers lightly - over arms, breasts, stomach and legs. He bent to suckle at her breasts again while his fingers danced up her inner thigh. She moaned as she felt his finger gently stroke the area of her pleasure and Will marveled at the wetness he found there. Lizzy was lost to the sensations coursing through her body; she was completely unaware of the soft moans and low words of pleading she uttered. Recognizing her muted cries of pleasure as those akin to what he was feeling, Will felt his control slipping away in the face of her desire.

She was so beautiful in her excitement, he was overwhelmed by the need to possess her. Whilst he still retained a modicum of control, he breathed deeply and, settling himself between her thighs, gently began to ease his firm length into her moist folds, grunting softly as her tightness closed around him, resisting the urge to thrust deeply and bury himself in her hot depths. Lizzy gasped at the welcome invasion, as she sought release from the incredible tension that had claimed her body.

Every nerve ending in her body was electrified. Will moved slowly within her until he felt an obstacle, the final obstacle he would breach before he would make her his completely. Leaning down, he whispered to her, "This will hurt, but only for a moment, my love." He parted her lips with his tongue, and kissing her passionately, he thrust through the barrier and buried himself fully within her. A small cry escaped from Lizzy at the brief, sharp pain, but seconds later, she felt a fullness, a completeness, within her. Fully sheathed in her molten depths, instincts took over and they thrust and moved together. Will felt himself drowning in her, his pleasure intensifying as he sensed her growing need for release. With each stroke, Lizzy felt the pressure within building. Starting as a small tremor, it travelled through her shaking body, gathering momentum and intensity as it went. Aware of the peaking of her excitement, Will, panting, lent down and took a hard nipple in his mouth. Tremors started to shudder through Lizzy, escalating her pleasure to a higher plane than she would ever have believed possible.

"Wiiilll!" she cried out as her muscles tightened and contracted around his shaft, her climax shuddering through her body.

The sound of Lizzy crying out his name and the feel of her tightening and throbbing around him were too much for Will. His control in tatters, he felt the rumblings of his orgasm building to an explosive peak. Crying out in sheer exultation of this moment, and with a final shuddering thrust, he spilled his release, filling Lizzy with his love.

Arms shaking from the exertion, Will lowered himself lightly onto Lizzy. Both physically and emotionally spent, they lay there - breathless and panting, stunned at the intensity of the experience.

"Will?" Lizzy asked softly. He lifted his head and looked deeply into her eyes, shining now as tears of joy traced damp paths down her cheeks. "I could not possibly love you more than I do at this moment," she wept happily.

He held her to him, her words more dear to him than he could ever say. Suddenly he felt warm lips on his neck, trailing down to his nipple and nipping and suckling it lightly. His sharp intake of breath indicated his surprise.

"And what do you think you are doing, my beautiful wife?" he beamed at her.

"I asked you to teach me, Will. Now I wish to test what I have learned."

Smiling widely, he rolled Lizzy onto her back. "Later, my love. I believe I am not quite finished in your instruction yet."

His expression grew intense. So much so, that Lizzy was prompted to question him. "Is there something wrong, Will? You seem distracted."

"Only by you, Lizzy. Of all the images I hold of you in my mind, this one shall always remain my favourite. You, naked, wearing nothing but a pendant and the tousled effect of our love."

The two lovers lay entwined, Lizzy's head resting on the pillow of Will's chest, his arm cradling her, fingers still tangled in her hair and a quilt dragged over their exhausted, sated bodies, as they contentedly slept at last.

Many hours later, Lizzy awoke to the feeling of fingers running through her hair.

"I didn't wish to wake you my love, but I needed to see your beautiful eyes once again. It is through the expression in them, that I know that I am truly loved. Can you forgive me?"

"There is nothing to forgive, Will," she smiled up at him. "But perhaps I can show you in other ways that you are truly my beloved."

And she reached for him once again.

FINIS