"Where are you taking me?" she laughed.

"Do not you trust me?" he asked with mock indignation.

"Implicitly," she replied.

"As well you should. I can assure you of my familiarity with these woods."

"I know that you would never lead me astray," she replied.

He extended his hand to cover hers, saying, "No, I would not."

The woods were deep here, and there was not another person in the vicinity.

He stopped suddenly and took her into his arms. She did not protest, but welcomed his loving embrace. They stood thus for some minutes, simply enjoying the warmth and security of each other's presence. Then Darcy untied the ribbons of her bonnet and let it fall to the grass below them. She appeared surprised by his actions, but said nothing. He began to kiss her lips gently, then he pulled away from her slightly to trail kisses down her face and along her neck.

"Fitzwilliam," she mumbled, as she enjoyed his attentions.

"Hmm?" he replied without removing his lips from her skin.

She did not reply and he continued his kisses until eventually he claimed her lips again with his own. He broke away briefly to say, "I love you so, Elizabeth."

She smiled a bit breathlessly and replied, "I know you do. And I love you." But when he moved to kiss her again, she forestalled him saying, "Fitzwilliam, we are not in the privacy of our bedchamber."

"No, we are not," he said, moving the neckline of her dress and pelisse slightly, to place a kiss on her shoulder, "but these are my woods," he kissed her neck, "this is my land," he kissed her cheek, "and you, my dearest, loveliest Elizabeth, are my wife." As he said the last, he moved his hands possessively from where they rested around her waist along her body. Then, moving one of his hands to her abdomen he added, "and you are carrying my child."

"All of those things are very true my love," she replied gently, "but what if someone should happen upon us?"

"Then he would witness the kisses of an adoring husband to his very deserving wife."

"Oh," she said playfully. "Is that all anyone would see?"

Darcy's eyes grew wide with surprise as his smile broadened. Elizabeth blushed prettily. "I am quite amenable to anything else you might propose my dearest," he said with a hint of mischief.

She averted her eyes and, still blushing, replied, "I have nothing to propose."

He gently tilted her chin to urge her to return her gaze to him and when she did he replied softly, "How unfortunate," before kissing her lips again quite thoroughly.

After a few moments, the couple found themselves contentedly in a close embrace. They stood thus for a few more moments before Darcy spoke, "Do you know what today is?"

"April ninth."

"It was one year ago today," he took out his watch and checked the time, "at about this time, that I first asked you to marry me."

She pulled slightly away from him and said, "Do not remind me of that evening, I have told you it is best forgotten."

"Never will I forget it. I am sorry if the memory gives you pain, but I will always remember that day as the one which heralded my salvation."

She backed away from him a bit more, taking his hands in hers, "Fitzwilliam, you were not so terrible to begin with, and I was not without faults of my own."

He drew her back into his arms and turned her so that her back was against him. He bent his head to kiss her ear and then whispered, "I never dreamed then, even before I spoke to you -- when I was anticipating a favorable response -- that I would find the kind of happiness that I have since come to know." When he had finished speaking, he began placing several gentle kisses on the back of her neck.

She closed her eyes, hardly able to believe that this perfect happiness was her reality. She became overwhelmed with emotion as he tightened his embrace around her. After a moment he whispered, "Do you suppose we shall have a boy or a girl?" placing both hands on her abdomen.

"Do you have a preference?"

"Not at all. Do you?"

"No." She turned in his arms and placed her own around his neck. Then, looking at him earnestly, she added, "So long as our child has your noble qualities."

He kissed her again gently, and his intended reply was forgotten as she responded with eager passion.

When they desisted, they looked into each other's eyes and no words were needed between them. He caressed her cheek and tucked a wayward curl behind her ear. Then he carefully picked up her bonnet and attempted to place it on her head. She laughed lightly at his gallantry as she set it aright and retied the ribbon. He then took her hand in his, kissed it, and led her back to the footpath and from there, to their home.