35 • Habits
- This chapter features nsfw material -
Dawn greeted Jamie’s mind first; that blue-tinted haze which glistens with morning dew. James met the choice of sleeping or waking by experimentally opening his eyes, gauging their receptivity to the day…
He blinked until the flowers next to him came into view. Somehow his being in Netherfield tickled his mind first, and he slowly recognized his wreath resting in a round dish of water. The rosebuds had opened a little.
The exhalation behind him was not Jane. James rotated to peek at William likewise perking up with groggy eyes. He then rolled over completely as William’s arm draped over him. “Did I wake you?”
James shook his head against his pillow. “How long have you been here?”
William favoured kissing James’ forehead to answering immediately. “Charles was kind enough to place you in between our rooms. Jane is an early riser. We seem to have traded places.”
“Naughty,” James pushed a laugh through his nose. He frowned with his eyes closed. “I thought nocturnal ventures happen nocturnally.”
William’s nose gently nuzzled his own, causing his heart to fumble in his chest as a sigh eased from his lips. “I made it clear to the staff that your care is of utmost importance and that you shan’t be disturbed. I think Jane heard my voice, and that is what drew her from bed.”
“The two of you are a scandalous pair,” he uttered meekly, his smile in his voice.
William’s fingers slid through his hair, coming to rest on his nape. “How are you feeling?”
His eyes drifted over William’s split shirt, his neck, his lips…
A thumb touched the corner of James’ lips, the lightest press for his attention. He breathed, “Can I touch you?”
William kissed him long and slow, the pads of his fingers tickling the curve of Jamie’s ear before it followed his throat to his chest. His nods moved their lips together while James’ hand overlapped his, gently adjusting it to rest beneath his shirt.
The garment was pushed aside to open the path for William to kiss his clavicle and follow his sternum down. James’ hand found its way under William’s shirt from his nape. His hand slid over a shoulder blade as James’s buttons were slipping free.
“I meant…” he tried, but William settled over him with his arm in the curve of James’ waist, cradling his ribs while his mouth worked over him.
“Meant what?”
James sighed as he wiggled a finger to indicate, “Other way around.”
William chuckled against his hipbone. James scrubbed a hand over his face as William wandered ever downward. “What would you do to me? Tell me what you like.”
“I’d want whatever you want,” he piped, his voice taking on a nervous pitch.
William looked up at him. “Is now too soon?”
James shook his head. “For intercourse, yes, but for everything else, no.”
Lashes fluttered over grey-hazel eyes as William nuzzled his face against James’ groin. His lips pushed a trail through the fabric over his erection.
James swallowed loudly. “Because I doubt you have the right oil, and it’s been a long time. I have—I have to stretch…”
William’s eyes flicked up and he came to rest on James’ belly again. “Lizzy?” he soothed, rubbing his sternum.
“What?”
“I didn’t realize you were a nervous talker,” his gaze softened.
James swallowed again. “I just don’t want—I know you said you know—but I don’t want you…surprised.”
William’s elbow pushed into the mattress as he held his head up. “Surprised how to make love to you?”
James huffed a sigh. “Well, it is an indecorous placement.”
His gaze jerked to William’s chuckle. “Would it soothe your fears to know I’m surprised you volunteered such placement?”
James’ features relaxed as he absorbed that and William felt his cock pulse against his torso. “May I taste you?”
Ideas flew clumsily through his morning fog as James nodded. While his beloved kissed his lower belly and eased his undergarments lower, James’ eyes found a second door to the room. “Wait—what’s that door?”
William did not bother looking. “It adjoins to my room.”
“Ohh,” James sighed, feeling the soft push of William’s lips. Some distant part of him remembered the layout of the estate; how the lady of the house would have an adjoining room to her nursery if she so wished. Or a lord could have one of the best rooms in the house with an intimate guest. “Cheeky.”
William’s palm gripped him, carefully spiraling while his lips kissed James’ base. One of his legs slipped free for his knee to rub against William, but James quickly lost himself within the molten heat of William’s lips and tongue. He clumsily patted the top of his head in warning, if his hitched breath was not enough. William merely growled in his chest and lavished him until James relaxed. His eyes opened after his raiment was loosely reinstated to see William wiping his mouth with a handkerchief.
“Did you plan this?”
William’s eyes flicked to him. “I hoped; nothing more.”
His features opened as James climbed to his knees and toppled William onto his backside. “Do you have a wash basin in your room?”
William blinked up at him with rouged lips. “I do.”
“Good,” James purred, and tipped his chip up for a long kiss.
“There is a tub here—”
“Mn mn,” he hushed, giving William’s lip a tug with his teeth. “Less conspicuous.”
William’s brows lifted. “I can’t be sure how inconspicuous a breakfast picnic will be.”
James paused. “Outside?”
The former chuckled. “I suppose we could dine on the floor here.”
“Or the terrace,” James agreed, planting loud kisses on his neck.
William hummed while his eyes sagged closed. “I already gave the instructions for the garden.”
James lifted up from where he straddled him to sit comfortably atop William’s lap. “Are hedonist meals outside so rare for you that everyone will know I’ve corrupted you?”
William’s, “Absolutely,” took James enough by surprise that he guffawed with his hair in glorious disarray. William’s hands wandered up his thighs to his waist, where he pulled James down for them to lie facing one another. He liked the way James’ hands pressed into his chest when they kissed. He liked how one of them palmed his ribs, his waist, and then his groin; all of the gentle ways James told him what he meant to do before pulling the erection free of his pants. James relished each sound William made: his husky sighs and soft words, there and yes.
Afterward, the handkerchief fell over his wet fingers. William tended to each one, collecting most of the discharge before James rolled off the bed. “Show me this basin.”
William gestured for him to let himself through the door. James felt a giddy sort of trepidation fill him up. He had never seen William’s personal apartments.
The room, of course, was any other in Netherfield: spacious, clean, with minimal though expensive ornamentation. James’ eyes then fell to the pieces of William scattered about: the traveling trunk on the bench at the foot of the bed; an aged burgundy with leather straps darkened from regular conditioning. Whatever had not been removed from it seemed to hang around the room. James could not help but give him a look after seeing the drawers pulled out at varying lengths for the man’s shirts to hang.
William caught it. “Are you critiquing my habits?”
“No,” he chuckled, “just observing. Could you spare one or two of those hangers?”
William pulled two of his shirts off the dresser with every intention to fold and remove them to the trunk, but he peered at James pouring water into the basin. James peeked at the void of silence. “I can take this to my room if you’re uncomforta—”
“I’m not uncomfortable. I’m concerned we will never attend breakfast.”
James giggled with a shy smile. “We have to, I’m quickly becoming ravenous. But there’s hardly anything elegant or seductive in seeing someone wash. You’ll have to wait for the bath for that.”
William came around the bed to assist in the removal of James’ shirt. The latter watched curiously as the garment went on the hanger and William announced, “I’ll put this outside while you get ready. Pants too.”
James took it somewhat as a challenge and stepped out of the garment. He smirked at the visible struggle William had in leaving through the French doors to the terrace. James placed two towels over the floor to catch what water ran off them, and was glad for the kettle hanging from the front of the mantle; warm enough to add to the basin.
William sighed upon his return to the room. “If you’re going to establish the habit of wandering a room nude, I need to be prepared.”
James threw one of the smaller towels at him. “I will have it known that I don’t much like waiting for food. Take off your clothes. This water will only be warm for so long.”
William caught it against his chest and obeyed. Bathing together proved a remarkably trite affair despite James’ lingering stare on William’s thighs and the way they curved into a sculpted derriere and waistline. “Horse riding?” he mumbled.
William, intent on going about his task, sent him a blunt look of inquiry before he smirked and squeezed a sponge over James’ hair.
Freshly dressed, James pulled William’s comb through his wet strands while he overheard a member of staff tell William their meal was ready on the wisteria lawn. While William finished buttoning his waistcoat, James announced he would go out first, and left through his and Jane’s room. Taking the grand staircase to the front door, he met a footman who relayed the message, “I suppose you’ve heard about breakfast, sir?”
“Yes, thank you…and how difficult would it be to add a pot of coffee to it?” James asked as he recognized a figure coming through Netherfield’s gate.
“No trouble at all, as there’s already one along with a pot of tea, sir.”
“Thank you,” James said, trotting down the stairs to meet his father.
Mr. Bennet had gone through the trouble to adorn his good boots and waistcoat, but otherwise seemed perfectly content after his morning stroll. “Good morrow,” he crooned.
“Is everything all right?” James asked, knowing William was approaching behind him by the crunch of gravel and his father’s gaze.
“Good morning, Mr. Bennet.”
“Indeed it is,” the man smirked, accepting his hand to shake. “I’ve simply come to make sure my children have not savoured whatever wine collection Charles is trying to build.”
William smiled while James’ eyes rolled. “Would you like to join us for breakfast? It should be just around the corner, on the lawn.”
“Before the insects wake from their hibernation? Yes, please,” Mr. Bennet agreed the same moment his chin lifted at Jane and Charles waving to them from the terrace.
Breakfast was an animated meal with every beverage one might want for the start of their day; alongside a bowl of medium boiled eggs, an entire loaf fresh from the oven, sausages, and jams. Mr. Bennet favoured a tomato jelly on his toast while he laughed with Charles. James carefully bit into an egg so the molten yolk did not wander and William mixed cream into their coffees. Jane had rolled her fluffy bed-head braid into a bun, but pushed the rampant locks of her fringe behind her ear to drink her tea.
When the food had been enjoyed and all that remained was conversation, Mr. Bennet finished his coffee to announce, “Thank you most graciously for the food and company, although I must continue to take from you. Might I have my children back for a while? The kitchen was left in a right mess yesterday, much as they tried to put the pots away. I do believe that is just the beginning of many tasks.”
Jane and her brother exchanged guilty expressions before the former apologized, “I’m sorry, papa—”
“No need to be sorry, dear. I saw a workstation and insisted it remain just as it was so you two might pick up wherever you left off. However this means I have dined in luxury while your sisters had to suffice with toast and jam.”
James had been looking at the copper cup in his hands, but now he caught Charles’ eyes from where he lounged on his side. “Charles, where did you get this copperware?”
“Oh, uh…” he thought back, “Brighton, I think it was. Although I do remember the man who sold them to me saying that he is based in London. His young son was most eager to be getting home or to the beach. Anywhere but the shop,” he laughed. “Would you like a referral?”
“Maybe…but what I need isn’t for the handling of food,” James admitted.
His father absorbed this and deciphered, “Indeed, we are due for an errand in London. Jamie’s had his mind on several things our sweet Meryton isn’t able to acquire with regularity.”
“I’d be happy to take you,” Charles offered. “Or at the very least, you may stay in my apartments there. All you would need is a letter written by me. My housekeeper there would give you a key.”
“That is very kind, but we would not be staying long enough to warrant that. And I enjoy too much imposing on my in-laws,” Mr. Bennet smirked at James.
“Is this errand of immediate importance?” William asked.
He gave it some thought. “No, we ought to write to the Gardiners first, and Georgiana is arriving soon. It would be more ideal to visit the nurseries in the coming days.”
“Nurseries?” Jane piqued, her eyes following her brother rising to his feet.
He shrugged. “I suppose it would be ideal for the bride to choose her own decorations, but nobody asked you.”
Jane gripped his wrist, inducing him to stand rigid while she pulled herself up. “There’s indeed a great deal we all need to discuss and plan, and we ought to be here for her ladyship when she arrives before we abandon the place for London.”
Charles’ brows lifted. “You’re going to London?”
“Yes, I think so,” Jane wore a wistful smile. “I want both Lady Anne and Georgiana’s input’s for my wedding gown.”
Charles slowly turned crimson and sent a helpless glance at William, who ever so elegantly sagged against obligation. With mirthful clarity, James realized, “William, are you the fashionable friend?”
They moved away from the remnants of the picnic for the staff to begin clearing it away. “My mother had the taste and my father had the money. Now with a sister who enjoys the studies of fashion, yes, I am.”
“But green is the brightest thing I’ve seen you wear.”
“I do have others,” he stated bluntly.
Charles commented, “I try on his waistcoats when I’m at a loss.”
A stable hand arrived with the Bennets’ horse while their hosts walked them to the gate. Mr. Bennet took the reigns for Jane to swing her leg over the saddle, but all three Bennets turned upon Charles inviting, “In the meanwhile of our housekeeping tasks, may I prepare a dinner for all of us? Is next Thursday all right?”
While the others scheduled the foretold evening, James felt William draw close and pivoted to give his attention. “Would you be comfortable riding behind me on horseback?”
“To see the greenhouses? Or something else?”
A smile teased his face. “I meant the floriculturists, but I will keep your answer in memory for other ventures.”
“I’m comfortable, but I don’t want to exclude Charlotte. She’s always found a unique pleasure in sharing my chores, but I think a pregnant newlywed is just the sort to help plan a wedding.”
“You’re trying to spend time with her without Mr. Collins’ attendance,” William reiterated.
“You don’t have to say it out loud.”
William smirked but granted, “The two of you arrange for me to come ‘round with the carriage tomorrow. I’ll come by tonight for verification.”
James puzzled, “You’ll come by?”
The man’s brow lifted. “Can I not?”
“I didn’t say that.”
Mr. Bennet touched James’ shoulder. “Time keeps strolling with or without us.”
James let his father pull him along after a glance at Charles wearing a gentle smirk on his face. William remained where he stood until the Bennets were beyond the gate.
Once returned to Longbourn, James took the horse to Lucas Lodge—
“Don’t leave me to clean up the kitchen!” Jane accused.
“I’m picking up Charlotte to discuss your wedding.”
It proved enough to release him from the task, and when he dismounted in front of the Lucas’s, one of the middle-aged siblings answered the door. James quickly placed a finger over his lips and she eagerly leaned in for the secret.
“Do you think you can untangle your sister without alerting Mr. Collins?”
She giggled and nodded while closing the door. Some time later, Charlotte emerged with her riding boots and cap. “You do realize he will eventually call on you to make the obligated pleasantries.”
“Not today,” he remarked, holding the horse steady for her to climb behind the saddle. “Where Jane’s wedding is concerned, I would prefer to keep his visits to a minimum length.”
He turned out of their paddock and they both moved with the horse’s trot. “You would be relieved to know there are certain tasks he keeps himself completely separate from. He’s been remarkably obedient during my search for midwives.”
“Lady Catherine has not made her recommendations?” he voiced with audible incredulity.
“She does not yet know.”
He laughed, “The relief is in your being as devious as ever.”
James relayed the suspended plans for the next few days, including the dinner at Netherfield.
“I shan’t invite myself without Charles’ express consent, and I would not go without my husband or parents, at the very least. Leaving him with my siblings would be a good exercise.”
James peeked over his shoulder. “Is he not good with children?”
“It is not so much a lack of management, but a lack of familiarity. He spends time with them in church, of course, but there are always in place the strict rules of propriety. For a family, I think a little chaos is far from his realm of comfort.”
James decided, “More on that later. Are you open to going with William and me to pick arrangements for Jane’s wedding?”
“I’d be insulted if I wasn’t,” she returned. “Also, I demand every detail regarding this new friendship between you and William.”
The horse chuffed beneath him, so quickly did he try to turn around. “You never received my letter! I wrote it the night Jane was engaged!”
“So I’ll have documentation of this waiting for me at home?” she chimed. “Wonderful!”
James tried to phrase all that had occurred as concisely as he could, for once they arrived at Longbourn, Charlotte and the Bennet siblings converged on many sheets of paper for all manner of ideas to be written down. Eventually, after an early dinner, and many torn and compiled pages later, Jane looked over what was mostly James’ notes and drawings when a knock sounded on the door.
He stood to answer it while Jane muttered for Charlotte’s ears, “For someone with as many snide complaints as him, he’s certainly put this whole thing together already.”
Charlotte chuckled over her evening tea. “He would go to the moon for you if you wanted silver roses. Surely you know that.”
But Jane’s tongue slid between her teeth as she scrutinized his rough sketches: the Netherfield banisters woven with ivy, and the occasional peony or vague flower for colour. Candles in copper jars, sapphire and ivory ribbons, and a gold leaf hairpin Jane had not spoken of since she was a girl. It had been the finest thing their aunt Philips had made, and it had sold in an instant.
“I can’t believe he remembers this,” she exhaled.
“He’s even thinking of your hair,” Charlotte remarked with a glance at the hair closure; a cluster of round leaves like clover. “You might give Charles the courtesy of final decision since it will be his…well actually, I suppose William will be paying for it, won’t he?”
Jane’s face lifted from the papers, the idea having never occurred to her. Charlotte emphasized, “Lizzy told me about Lydia and Wickham. I would not be surprised if that becomes his gift to you and Charles: paying for the wedding, at least in part.”
Jane shook her head, setting the papers down. “What a person does with their money is their choice, but I do not desire expensive things for my wedding.”
Charlotte’s head tilted. “Does Lizzy know that?”
Jane peeked up with her lips pursed to the side. “I think he’s intent on making my wedding everything I’ve ever wanted.”
Charlotte frowned. “After what he did for my own wedding, I would hardly have any doubts in his abilities. Yet you do not seem relieved.”
She let her mixed feelings lift her lips into a crooked smile. “I think my wedding is as close as he will be to having his own.”
* * * * * * *
James opened the door, but just as quickly as his smile lifted for William, it clumsily fell over Georgiana’s shoulder as she pulled him into her embrace. “L-Lady Georgiana?”
“William said you wouldn’t mind! Do you mind?” she exclaimed, quickly releasing him.
“No, of course I don’t mind,” he laughed with a kiss to her cheek. “You travel fast.”
“William only invites me to London! I had to come as soon as I could! Lady Anne was so kind and met me in Meryton—Am I pronouncing that right?” William pushed her into the house when James moved aside for them. “Netherfield is so pretty! I understand why Charles was drawn to it! Apart from the obvious. I’m so sorry, am I intruding?”
Instead of answering, James called, “Kitty!”
“Whah?” his sister responded, coming straight from the kitchen with a buttered roll in hand. The lump in her cheek sagged under wide eyes as she uselessly hid the bread behind her skirts during a curtsy.
Georgiana moved with all of her privileged grace to take her hand and lift her up. “It’s only me, Kitty! You’ve been in my home, and I’m in yours without any proper invitation. I’ll curtsy to you.”
And she did. Kitty’s hand flew over her mouth, but failed to hide her scarlet cheeks or throat.
Jane and Charlotte emerged to answer the commotion and gave brief curtsies before Jane flew forward. “Are you Lady Darcy?”
“Georgiana, please,” she grinned.
James introduced, “This is Jane, my older sister and Charles’ fiancée, and Charlotte Collins, my longest friend.”
“A pleasure! Do I hear a piano?” Georgiana asked.
James eased past his sisters in the narrow hallway. “That will be Mary. I’ll get her and our parents.”
Mrs. Bennet was beside herself when James found her in Mr. Bennet’s study. “Oh, goodness! Oh, goodness! I haven’t the right kerchief on—my complexion is far from decent!”
“She’s like Charles, mama,” James soothed. “She’ll just be happy you want to meet her.”
“But is my hair all right?” his mother fretted over her stray locks while he and Mr. Bennet ushered her from the room. Jane had moved the crowd of people from the hall into their sitting room. Charlotte was pouring tea for their guests when Georgiana stood for Mr. Bennet to take her hand.
“A pleasure, your ladyship. I assume you’ve dined? Or we can put together a supper for you.”
“You’re most kind! I dined before coming, thank you, and I must apologize. I couldn’t wait to see James and Kitty again; certainly after hearing so much about everyone else.”
“No apology is necessary if you will forgive our lack of formality. My wife and mother to the Bennet clan.”
He stepped aside for Mrs. Bennet’s curtsy, and James smiled at his mother’s eyes tearing up when Georgiana reached for her hands. “You are a vision, your ladyship. I promise you, I look better at the start of the day—”
“Nonsense! Jane has your eyes and jaw. You’re perfect as you are. I see Kitty inherited your curls.”
Mrs. Bennet let out a bashful laugh while she attempted again to tame her errant pieces of hair. Georgiana sat once more to ask Mary what she had been playing. “I have books for you! I’ll give them to you when we dine at Netherfield together.”
James leaned against William as his sister charmed the family beyond reckoning. A jolt of tingles ran from Jamie’s ear throughout his body when William pressed his lips behind his ear and murmured, “Will you walk with me?”
He nodded, and together they quietly left through the front door. In the darkness of the evening, William took James’ hand and said, “You choose the path.”
“Just around the house. We shouldn’t stray far,” he said, leading with a little tug.
William fell into step with him. “Have you spoken with Charlotte?”
“Yes, she will come with us.”
“Good. If we leave no later than after brunch-time, we will be able to visit three floriculturists.”
“Are you inviting yourself to brunch?” James laughed.
“No, but I wouldn’t decline if given the invitation.”
James let his step sag so his body nudged William’s. He stayed there, his arm moving around his waist. “Alas, I think we would move more swiftly if you picked me up, and then Charlotte, with as little social fuss as possible.”
William’s arm had fallen comfortably around him, but James missed his body without the rigid layers separating them, and he said as much. “I miss touching you.”
“Careful. Or I will indeed take you away to Pemberley.”
James chuckled as they strolled past the chicken coop; some of the hens still strut over in the patches of grass and sawdust while the last colours of the day clung to the sky.
“Pony,” James called.
William released him so he could crouch for the rust-coloured hen meeting him through the enclosure. “You named a chicken, ‘Pony’?”
Said chicken flew to the top of the fence, where she teetered but held firm. “She’s just about the only nice one we have,” James laughed, “and now one of the oldest. Instead of a pony, I was promised one of the next chicks that hatched. I named them all Pony so they wouldn’t become dinner.”
“They all remain?” William’s fingers met James’ in her russet feathers. She pecked his wrist twice before deeming him worthy enough.
“All except Pony’s brother. He fought too much, so he went to Mr. Hill’s farm. We still hear him sometimes, shrill as he is.”
“It is nice of Mr. Hill to honour all of the ponies,” William granted. His fingers left her and she flew back among her pecking order.
“His wife loves the old cock,” James agreed. “He follows her and sits with her while she reads and sews. You’re not supposed to be outside.”
It took William a moment to see what James did: little Darcy trotting along the side of the house. James hoisted him up against his chest, the bushy tail wagging under his elbow. “May we go to the kitchen?”
William nodded, following to the battened door where James closed the responsible open window. “Tea? Wine?”
“Tea, I think.” William leaned against the island counter, crossing his ankles while James dropped a cheesecloth into a cup, measured tealeaves, and poured the kettle from the fire into it. He otherwise poured water over a slice of lemon for himself. “If I offered you my London apartments, would you take them?”
He had succeeded in catching James off guard. He rolled the lemon in his cup while he contemplated. “Are there not newspapers that print the goings-on of people of note?”
“There are.”
James let his spoon rest in the cup. “I appreciate it, I do. But I think my staying with my aunt and uncle is the best option.”
He could see the shades draw closed behind William’s eyes as he nodded. They both lowered their heads toward their cups. After a moment, James said quietly, “I wouldn’t want to inhabit a space that’s yours without you there.”
“I didn’t say I wouldn’t be joining you.”
A nervous smile flashed on James’ face. “And these papers wouldn’t record ‘unfamiliar guests in Lord Darcy’s home’?”
“I have an entrance for the day and an entrance for the night. In other words, a door for the papers, and a door for myself. It’s my neighbor’s back door. Nobody cares about them.”
James processed that and could not help but huff a laugh. “You own two flats?”
“A regular practice for those needing to establish privacy,” William nodded. He watched as James lifted the cloth and squeezed out the water to finish his tea. Before James could remove the used leaves elsewhere, William touched his hand. “I understand if you still choose the Gardiners. I may be unhappy about it, but I understand.”
“It’s not that I won’t visit, or don’t want to see it,” James interrupted. “I just…I’m glad you want me in all corners of your life. I just…think outside the city…our homes are—”
“I understand,” William hushed, closing his arms around him. James leaned into him, silently damning the world and thanking it at the same time.