The Prince of Pemberley - Book 2 - Chapter 3

Hello, 

I've been considering stopping to post 'The Prince of Pemberley' because it takes a lot of work and very few feedback... Also, my mind has been very agreeably engaged in another story while '45 dias na Europa com Sr. Darcy' is been revised. I've got a lot in my hands these days!..

Meanwhile, here, this hot Darcy and Lizzy are getting in trouble! Things won't be the same anymore after this chapter...

As always, if you haven't already, read the story's front page before diving in. Tks.

BOOK 2

LOVERS

previous chapter

CHAPTER 3

Filling  the void

To a foreign viewer, two handsome men riding horses through a beautiful property was a virile spectacle, and that was what Darcy and Graham offered on that sunny April morning.

getty

They arrived at a belvedere and dismounted to rest the horses.

'So, Carnival in Brazil was worth the effort?' Darcy anxiously asked his cousin while tying his horse to a hitching post. Since Graham arrived at Pemberley that morning to spend the weekend when Anne, Lady Catherine and the girls were present, there hadn't been a chance to talk in private.

'Cousin, you have no idea!' Graham grinned. 'The whole country is a party! Lizzy sent me to Bahia the weekend before Carnival when she was still here and people were already celebrating. In Rio there were street parties anyone can follow, no fees! Rich, poor, children, elderlies... You can buy cheap beer on street vendors or find a table in a cool pub to see the party pass you by, whatever you want. A week after Carnival there's still more celebration!' Graham shared a conspiratorial glance with Darcy. 'I met the sisters. Jane, Kitty and a Lydia.'

Darcy raised his brows.

'The younger ones are 'basket cases' as Lizzy said.' Graham chuckled remembering Elizabeth's eye rolling each time her sisters came on to him. 'I could have had both if I wanted.'

'You didn’t!' Darcy scowled.

Graham shook his head. 'I like it classy.’ He grinned. ‘Now, the older sister...' He whistled. 'That one is my type. The architect, Jane?'

Darcy nodded. 'I know her. Very pretty, polite, a wallflower I'd say.'

Graham smiled at his cousin. 'Yes. I liked her, but she didn’t give any hint she liked me back… Lizzy asked her to take me party hopping because of her leg-'

'She didn’t overtax her knee, did she?' Darcy asked concerned.

Graham frowned deeply. 'No. She was very upset for not being able to enjoy carnival. I met her only a couple of times, for lunch and at the beach - man, those women in bikinis!...' He shook his head and waited for Darcy's protest that didn’t come, although he scowled. 'We talked about my flat's renovation; the architect has clever ideas, small things that will make a difference. I liked everything. There's even a design.

Here, they uploaded it on my phone.' Graham showed Darcy Jane's sketches.

'I’ve seen those. I helped Lizzy measure the place.' Darcy said.

Graham pressed his lips together and stored the phone back in his pocket.

'Send me the bill. I'm grateful you lent it to her.' Darcy concluded.

'I'm glad she will clean up the studio. God knows what my ex did in there.' Graham joked.

Darcy chuckled. 'I'm sure Lizzy will bring good vibes.'

'Vibes?' Graham sniggered.

Darcy grinned. 'She likes this bullshit of planets, zodiac, universe forces, fate.'

'I could feel strong vibes on me when her sister and she undressed those wrapped skirts at the beach!' He raised an eyebrow to Darcy who frowned immediately.

'I know what you are doing, Graham. Give up.' Darcy grumbled.

'What are you doing, man? She is married!' Graham held his cousin's arm. 'You must be crazy!'

'What are you saying?'

'I’m saying that there are a million women for you and you hook with one married to a wanker!' Graham threw his hands in the air. 'Of course she is hot and must be a nice lay-'

'Watch it!' Darcy pointed a finger at him.

'Sorry, but she has a perfect ass. And legs, tits. Nice face that is very pleasant to look at.' Graham said. 'But she is married to that wanker!'

Darcy groaned. Graham had no idea how pleasant it was to look at her face while making love to that body, or how frustrating it was to see that beauty married to Wickham.

'William, we were having drinks the night she arrived, Jane, Lizzy, the wanker and I. The women went to the bathroom together for five, ten minutes and it was enough for the wanker to tell me Jane’s entire story. Who she dated, who she fucked, his friend who knocked her up and told her to get lost, everything. I was disgusted.' Graham cursed low. 'What is a woman like Lizzy doing with a scumbag like Wickham?'

'I ask myself the same question.' Darcy slapped his riding crop against his hand, scowling at the horizon. 'Hurst, from security-' He said and Graham nodded. 'He researched Lizzy when she first contacted me after almost twenty years.' Darcy smiled faintly remembering her sweet e-mail. 'The report had more pages on her husband than anything else. The man is a navy medical officer, volunteered to work aboard hospital ships and spends only a week a month at home.'

'He bragged about it but what's his specialty? He doesn't look like someone committed to save lives.’  Graham sneered,

'He is a craniofacial surgeon, helps forest communities’ children. Have many lovers, any kind of woman: patients’ mothers, fellow officers, nurses, any woman. Usually he tricks them into paying for the affairs' expenses, you know, motels, dinners. There was a fellow officer who rented an apartment to live with him because he assured her he was leaving Lizzy. When the woman realized it was bullshit, she threatened to make a scandal and jeopardize his career...' Darcy clenched his teeth. 'What a man could search outside his home with a wife like Lizzy, I can't understand.'

'You must be high!' Graham punched Darcy's shoulder. 'Bloody hell, you are in love with the scumbag's wife!' He chuckled. 'Don't tell me she has been crying on your shoulder and you ended up lending her money! Are you paying for her PhD?'

'Graham!' Darcy raised his voice. 'This is the last time I'll tolerate you speaking of Lizzy this way. Clear?' Darcy roared.

Surprised, Graham widened his eyes and showed his palms to Darcy. 'I apologize.' He turned his head to look elsewhere while Darcy scowled at the horizon.

'It's complicated.' Darcy said after a while. 'We were supposed to have had this when we were young. I wanted to postpone the wedding, Anne knew it. I was going to Brazil for a sabbatical, Lizzy was graduating.' Darcy clenched his jaw again, never averting his eyes from the distant horizon, as unreachable as his regrets from the past. 'But mother fell ill, Anne got pregnant and then miscarried on father's accident...'

'You are living in the past.' Graham said.

Darcy nodded. 'I’m living in the present what I was denied the chance to live then.' He turned his head to face his musketeer cousin. 'She makes me insanely happy.'

Graham raised his brows to his hair's roots.

'She is funny, intelligent, an excellent mother, a professor, PhD... And when we’re alone!...' He sighed.

Graham shook his head. 'You have really lost your mind.'

'She also has.' Darcy said remembering that was what she said on the hottest night of his life. To this day he didn’t know how he lasted so long back then.

'Cousin, she is married.' Graham insisted.

'So am I.' Darcy said.

'That’s different. Men cheat.' Graham said cynically. 'I did, you did, our fathers, the guys at work... I've joined you and your Vice Presidents at clubs more than once.' Graham counted on his fingers. 'If she does this to Wickham, she might as well do it to you.'

Darcy's nostrils flared, Cassandra's friend's father popped into his mind. 'No.'

'Yes.' Graham snorted.

'No. It's different, we have a history together.' Darcy said and Graham shook his head. 'No one has to understand us.'

'That's typical.' Graham sniggered. 'If you want to find trouble, it's up to you. I like the woman, she is fun and good looking but take care cousin. You two aren't very discreet. Those cigarettes sharing, eating each other's food... If your mother-in-law finds out...'

Darcy cringed.

'Watch out. Guard yourself; make sure her intentions are as pure as yours. Is she under surveillance?' Darcy nodded, even though he had recently ordered the contrary. 'And the scumbag too, obviously.'

'Of course. I'm keeping his file updated.' Darcy said. “Anne as well.” He thought.

Graham nodded. That was the best his cousin could do for the moment.

'Shall we get back to have lunch with your delightful mother-in-law?' Graham asked.

'Please, Lord, no.' Darcy walked to untie his horse. 'Let’s ride to the tourist inn for a pint. I need some alcohol.'

'Sounds good.' Graham said mounting his beast.

---

This story's release is close... Check the book's page for info.

“… Visions of somebody else

Torments me to distraction…”

More than I can bear – Matt Bianco

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