“I think I heard that she is to go sometime after the new year,” a pleased Anne answered. There was no doubt that Lizzy was experiencing a tinge of jealousy. What Lizzy did not know was that Darcy was aware that he was being watched. The whole thing was a staged performance so that Elizabeth could see what a fine animal he was. When combined with his attractive physical qualities when he was in his human form, it was hard for Anne to believe that Elizabeth would be able to walk away from him.
***
As soon as the phaeton pulled up in front of the manor house, Georgiana was out the door. She had been standing by the window for the past thirty minutes waiting for the travelers to return.
“I am positive you went up to the clearing. Oh, Elizabeth, isn’t my brother magnificent when he is at play? I could watch him for hours. And the way he and Nell get on. Well, it’s comical, isn’t it?”
“Georgiana, you are not allowing Elizabeth to answer, and may we please go in?” Anne said in a tone that was meant to tamp down some of her cousin’s excessive enthusiasm. Elizabeth still had a ways to go before she was of a mind to consider an offer of marriage from a werewolf.
The ladies went into the drawing room where Georgiana continued to prattle on and on. In her mind, Elizabeth had gone to the clearing because she had come to terms with Darcy’s unique situation and would agree to become his wife. Anne was hopeful, but it was by no means a foregone conclusion.
“Georgiana, do you know what Mrs. Bradshaw is serving for dinner? Since Elizabeth hasn’t eaten today, I think it would be helpful to know what she has planned. Our guest must have nourishment.”
Georgiana agreed to speak with the cook, and as soon as she had gone, Anne turned to Elizabeth.
“I sent Georgiana away because I need to speak with you. I think you can discern from Georgiana’s attitude that she believes you have made a decision in favor of her brother, but I would like to hear it from your lips.”
Lizzy looked away from Anne. She had thought of little else since Mr. Darcy had revealed that he was a werewolf. She had run the whole thing through her mind over and over again. Could she marry a man who would disappear for two days every month and run about the countryside? Would she be able to lie by his side and forget that he was part wolf? And what of their children? Granted, they would not be werewolves themselves, but what would such young minds think about their father howling and hunting rabbits?
“Anne, I care very much for Mr. Darcy, but this matter of… of his becoming a werewolf. I do not think I would ever get to the point where I would be comfortable with such a transformation, and now that I know that there are she wolves of marriageable age, I think it would be best if he looked for a mate from among his… his peers. I am sure he would be happier in the long run.”
“I certainly understand, and William will understand as well. It was a risky thing for him to do—to fall in love with someone who is fully human. But he is so in love with you that he was willing to place his heart in your hands and hope for the best. So there will be no candle in the window tonight, and when he returns tomorrow morning, you may take your leave of him and return home. I am sure you will remain friends since Mr. Bingley is one of his dearest friends and that will be of some consolation to him.”
“Anne, I am truly sorry,” she said, her voice cracking.
“No need to apologize. If you cannot give yourself to him completely, then you should not become his wife because William would know that your feelings did not match his own and that is a burden he should not have to bear.”
Chapter 6
At supper, Elizabeth was engaging and conversant, but it was merely a performance. Although she thought there was an element of deceit in such false cheerfulness, she feared that if Georgiana knew she was to return to Longbourn alone and unattached, there would be a repeat of the previous night’s histrionics. But she could keep up such a pretense for only so long, and she played so poorly at cards that Anne suggested to Georgiana that she perform one of the pieces she had been practicing so diligently.
While Miss Darcy played, Anne and Lizzy chatted quietly. Anne insisted that there was no need for Elizabeth to apologize for appearing to be in good spirits when she was not.
“I understand completely. I know how unsettling it was for you to see Georgiana so distraught, and you certainly would not want to have to witness such an exhibition again.”
Lizzy squeezed Anne’s hand, comforted by the knowledge that she understood her difficulty. “I am a mere three and a half years older than Miss Darcy, but I feel so much older than she is.”
“That is because she has been protected her whole life,” Anne answered, “as are most of the girls who will come into society in the spring. I think it is rather unfair actually. Because once they are out, they are expected to act as adults when they have been treated as children up to that time.”
“I am sure that Mr. Darcy, in his role as Georgiana’s older brother and guardian, acted in the same way as he thought his parents would have,” Lizzy said.
“Exactly. He has felt the weight of being her guardian for the last five years. He has frequently said that in all decisions regarding his sister he would err on the side of caution, and so her upbringing has been very conservative. Despite what happened yesterday in your bedchamber, Georgiana is actually quite mature. But she loves the theater, and it shows.”
After finishing her piece, Georgiana rejoined the two ladies and suggested that Elizabeth accompany her while she played a ballad.
“Georgiana, I shall answer for Miss Elizabeth. She is very tired, as am I, and we are going to retire early.”
“Retire? It is only a quarter past nine. The evening has just begun.”
“Not everyone slept most of the day, and I really must insist that the evening come to an end, as I am weary to the bone.”
“All right then. I shall go to my room and read, but I can tell you that I am too excited to sleep. I shall be thinking about my brother and how he will be here by breakfast time, and I know one person who will be especially glad to see him,” she said while looking at Lizzy.
“Georgiana, you are too hasty,” Lizzy responded, beginning to feel cornered. “There are so many things that need to be discussed. I would not wish to give you false hope.”
“Oh, I am not worried about any of that. You will be persuaded. I am sure of it.”
***
Shortly after Lizzy went to her room, Ellie appeared to help her prepare for bed. When Lizzy had first arrived at Pemberley, she was puzzled as to how Ellie knew exactly when Lizzy required her assistance, but then she realized that Mr. Jackson had a way of signaling the staff when any of the Darcys or their guests were on the move. He anticipated everything and planned accordingly, which was probably why Mr. Darcy’s transformation remained unknown after fourteen years of secrecy to all but the most trusted servants.
As her long curly hair was being brushed, Lizzy asked Ellie about her master. “Is he often at Pemberley?”
“Oh, he comes and goes quite a lot, but he’s usually here at least once a month. And he’s always here for May Day, which is a big thing hereabouts. The Darcys always take part in the village celebrations, and they usually supply all the meat. Mr. Darcy is a big meat eater.”
“Yes, I noticed.”
“And he’s sure to be here for the Harvest Festival because the Darcy family is the host of it. It is the biggest event of the year. Everyone from the village and farms comes to Pemberley for a day of feasting, and I do mean feasting—what with a hog being killed and tables filled with all kinds of fruits and puddings and breads and lemonades. By the time you’re finished eating, you feel like a stuffed pig. After everyone has had their fill, they push the tables out of the way, and the dancing starts. Mr. Darcy and Miss Darcy and their partners always lead off the first dance, and they can really kick up their heels.”
After putting Lizz
y’s hair in a braid, Ellie continued, “Mr. Darcy really is the best master, and he is very kind to his servants. Before Christmas, we get gifts and some coins so that we can buy gifts for others. And the cottages for his tenants are always in good repair, and I can tell you that that is not true on a lot of the other estates. Some of them are frightful—little more than caves, and he does other things as well. People around here have lots of kids, and they need to work. So he helped to pay for the building of the potteries and a flannel manufactory.” Ellie put the brush down. “I think that will do for your hair, Miss Bennet. Is there anything else you want?”
“No, Ellie, I will have no further need of you tonight, so you may retire.”
“Thank you, Miss. Mr. Jackson said if we got all our work done early, we could have a story. He started reading Robinson Crusoe to us last night—me and all the other junior servants is what I mean. Have you read that book, miss?”
“Yes, I have. It is about a man stranded on an island, far away from any friend or family.”
“That’s the one. I can’t wait to hear what happens next.”
Lizzy wondered if such things were planned to coincide with the nights when Mr. Darcy was transformed. If Mr. Jackson was reading to the servants, all would be accounted for, and no one would be wandering about the estate. Then Lizzy thought of something else.
“Ellie, where are David and Goliath? I have not seen them all day?”
“And you won’t. Not until Mr. Darcy comes back. It’s the funniest thing. When the master ain’t at home, the dogs disappear. No one knows where they go, but we know they’re about because, in the morning, their food and water dishes are empty. And here’s another funny thing, we always know when the master is coming back because the two of them are on the prowl looking for him in every nook and cranny.”
Was it possible that the whippets knew what happened to their master and that they stayed away from him so as not to put him at risk of discovery? This whole thing was becoming stranger by the minute.
Before Ellie left, Lizzy told her that she would ring for her in the morning when she was needed. “I am not sure I will have breakfast tomorrow, and since the weather is still so mild, I will not require a fire.”
“Yes, miss,” Ellie said, and after curtseying, she left. After she heard the door close, Lizzy went to the window and stepped in front of the drapes.
“Where are you, Mr. Darcy? Are you nearby watching as you did last night?” But because of the emotional events of the last few days, a wave of fatigue descended, and she went to her bed. As she closed her eyes, she thought, one more day and I will be on my way to Longbourn, and I shall try very hard to put all of this behind me. But she knew that it was unlikely that she would succeed.
Chapter 7
Lizzy awakened, and after looking at the clock, fell back onto the pillows. It was only midnight, and she had been asleep for less than two hours—another seven hours until dawn. But there was a restlessness within her that would not allow her to remain in bed. She went to the armoire, took out her cloak, and quietly made her way down the stairs and out the French doors that led to the terrace. Hugging the wall of the manor house, she walked until she had reached a point where she could see the woods but where she would not be seen. She searched the treeline for any sign that Mr. Darcy and Nell were about, but all she saw were silhouettes of towering pines and the sound of rustling leaves stirred by a quiet breeze.
At the far end of the terrace, she pulled the draping off the long chair closest to the stone wall and positioned it in such a way that neither human nor animal could see her. After gathering the cloth cover about her to keep out the chill, she leaned back in the chair and looked at the silver moon. If there had never been such a thing as the moon, would there still be werewolves, she wondered? As much as she loved seeing this spectacular orb glowing in the night sky, she would do without it if it meant that Mr. Darcy would remain human.
There were other things that she wondered about as well. For instance, what was she doing curled up in a chair on the terrace in the wee hours of the morning? Was it because she wanted to be a part of Mr. Darcy’s world and to feel some of what he was experiencing or was it because she wanted to be near him on this their last night together? And when she thought of her departure, she felt the tears welling up in her eyes. How cruel Nature could be. Because of a brief encounter on a mountain road in the Black Forest fourteen years earlier, she would never be Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy. She would be willing to give up everything: Pemberley, the carriages, and all the other worldly goods, if only she could have a fully human Mr. Darcy. But such a thing was not possible because becoming a werewolf was not a disease that could be cured or an affliction that could be healed. It was a state of being, and he could no more stop being a werewolf than she could cease to be a woman. Pulling up the hood of her cloak, she turned her back to the moon and eventually sleep overtook her.
Unaware of how much time had passed, Lizzy was awakened by a cold wind, and with its arrival, the last of Indian summer departed. Even if the weather had remained balmy, falling asleep on a chair had probably not been a good idea because her neck and shoulders were stiff, and with her eyes closed, she made circles with her head trying to loosen the tension in her muscles. But when she opened her eyes, she saw him, lying in the grass, no more than ten feet from her, and he had probably been there the whole time she had been sleeping.
She swung her legs over the side of the chair until she was facing him, her eyes never leaving his face. He had the most remarkable eyes, and she felt as if she was in a trance, held in his power by his piercing gaze. Under any other circumstance, she would have been uncomfortable with anyone staring at her in such a way, but that was not the case with Mr. Darcy. It was actually a comfort for her to know that he had been watching over her.
“I suspect you have been there awhile, Mr. Darcy.” Lizzy shook her head and smiled at the absurdity of someone talking to a wolf. He probably did not understand her any better than her little Scottie did, but then again, Mr. Darcy was not a dog, but a wolf and a man. So it was possible that he was able to comprehend what she was saying.
“Is Nell nearby?” Lizzy asked, and Darcy turned his head in the direction of the woods. “Ah, so you do understand me. And how have you been occupying your time this evening? Have you been hunting rabbits or did you flush out some pheasants from their coveys? You are not saying. I understand. You do not want to reveal the secrets of your hunting success. All right then, shall we speak of that business in the clearing this afternoon? I shall tell you what I think happened. You knew I was watching you as you ran circles around Nell. I am also of a mind to believe that you and Anne had planned that excursion so that I might see what a fine animal you are. Am I correct, Mr. Darcy?
“Yes, I can see that I am right. You turn your head away from me because I have guessed correctly. You staged a bit of theater for my benefit. Well, I shall concede that you and Nell were quite entertaining, but I do not approve of how you run at her. She is a girl, a lady, a female, whatever you want to call her. You should not be so rough.”
Darcy gave a low growl. “Oh, I know all about your being the alpha male and that you command total obedience, but, sir, that is only in the wild. I imagine that it must be very hard for you to return to your human form and find that there are those who will not agree with you all of the time.” Darcy lifted his head as if pointing at her, and Lizzy gave a quiet laugh. “You are remembering when we first met—when I would not defer to you in all things. I believe that is what fixed your attention. I daresay you had grown tired of too much deference, and you wanted someone who showed some spirit.”
Lizzy closed her eyes and, in a moment, all that had happened to bring them to this day flashed before her. Their rough beginning at the Meryton assembly, his inept attempts to make amends, his offensive proposal, his kindness in rescuing Lydia, their reconciliation, and his many visits to Longbourn. When
in Hertfordshire, it was obvious how much he had wanted to ask her to be his wife, but then he had revealed the reason he had not proposed—that awful secret that would eventually be the cause of their parting. Lizzy lifted up her head in an attempt to keep her tears from spilling over, but it was impossible to hold back so much sorrow. When she looked at Mr. Darcy, he had crept closer to her, and she slid off the chair so that she was sitting next to him.
She ran her hand over his magnificent coat. It was as black as ebony, thick and curly—just like his hair, and he responded with a quick lick on her hand, but no more because, after all, it was a mere scratch that had turned him into a werewolf. Lizzy covered her mouth to keep from sobbing openly.
“If you wanted, how easily you could have your way. All it would take would be the tiniest scratch, and I would be a she wolf and would become a part of your world. But you will not do it because you truly love me.” She buried her head in his coat. “Oh, Mr. Darcy, what are we to do?”
Chapter 8
An exhausted Lizzy had fallen asleep next to Mr. Darcy, and she would have remained there if not for the cold nose on her cheek, and then there was a repeat of the pushing she had experienced the previous night. Even if she had possessed the energy to resist, she would have yielded because he would not have stopped his poking and prodding until she had done exactly what he wanted, and because of her fatigue, she was willing to take orders from the alpha male.
Once inside, she watched as the lone wolf made his way back to the woods, walking slowly, with as little energy as she had shown. But when he was within ten yards of the edge of the wooded area, Nell came running out to meet her friend and that caused him to pick up his pace, and Lizzy felt better because of it.
When she got to the top of the staircase, she was met by Mercer, Mr. Darcy’s faithful manservant. They had become acquainted during the many months that his master had been calling on her at Longbourn. As a former post coach driver, he had wonderful stories about all the goings-on at the roadside inns, and many of the tales were about his sweethearts at the different stops along the Derby to London route. But tonight the twinkle in his eye was absent. Believing that his master’s heart would be broken with the dawn, his face was drawn and tired.
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