Page 95 of Midnight at Pemberley

Darcy stripped off the torn shirt and donned the clean one. Despite what she said, Elizabeth did not look at him while he changed. Instead, she looked upon her sister’s face. “Thankfully, Lyddie did not shrivel up like the other woman.”

Darcy went quiet. “I suspect your sister still retained some small part of her humanity. She was under Wickham’s control for only a short time.”

“My parents will appreciate our efforts. I will write them when we reach the inn.” Elizabeth stood to brush the dirt from her skirt. “I was to be with them by now. I thought in my letter that I would tell them we discovered where Wickham could be found, but we arrived too late to save Lydia. Does that sound reasonable?”

“Your parents will be thankful we recovered Lydia’s body.” Darcy paused, wondering if he dared hope she would accept his next suggestion. “We should follow to Longbourn.” Darcy watched her face to see how she would react. Less than a week earlier, she adamantly refused the same offer. “Would you like that, Elizabeth?”

She hesitated before agreeing. “Yes, William.” Two heartbeats later, she rushed into his embrace. “I never meant all those awful things I said.”

Her tears now stained his clean shirt, but Darcy paid no mind. Elizabeth sought solace in his arms, and the world was good. “I am sorry about Lydia—what I had to do today. I could not stand by and permit her to harm you.”

Elizabeth swallowed hard before saying, “That was not Lydia. The girl lying under yonder tree is the true Lydia.”

She leaned into his closeness, and Darcy settled his hands at her waist. “Edward and two other men are approaching,” he murmured into her ear. Then he reluctantly released her so he could don the coat she brought for him.

As the men prepared Lydia’s body to remove it to the village, Edward told the undertaker, “We have been searching for my cousin’s sister for more than a week. We originally assumed she eloped. My cousin and his wife traveled from Derbyshire, while I traveled from London, but, unfortunately, we were too late. Mrs. Darcy’s sister slept out in the cold when she ran out of money. It appears a wild animal has attacked her. We are most grieved to find her in this condition, but it will be a balm to her poor parents to have a body to bury in the family cemetery.”

Darcy suspected his cousin presented the men an exorbitant fee to ensure the story of a disgruntled runaway would be repeated. These were the same people who experienced more than one unusual death thanks to Wickham. Why should they take note of a stranger? No one would know what Lydia Bennet had endured as one of Wickham’s disciples, and the Bennets would be relieved to have a body over which to grieve.

“You are not going back to that house tonight!” Elizabeth threw her napkin onto the table in frustration. They dined in the privacy of Darcy’s room. “I will not have it, William! Do you hear me?”

“I agree with your wife, Darcy. You can barely move your arms. How can you face Wickham?” The colonel speared another slice of ham and lifted it from the platter.

Darcy knew they meant well, but he also recognized how Wickham would respond. The entire neighborhood would suffer. “If I do not face Wickham, he will wreak havoc tonight. He and his followers will feed on the innocent.”

“Darcy,” his cousin reasoned, “these people know the dominion that Wickham holds over them. It is an unspoken reality. We must spread the word and all will be well.”

“How would we go about doing that, Edward? How might we sound a warning?”

The colonel leaned back in his chair. “I know just the men … my companions from the tavern. Let us send them out on some horses to the neighboring farms. It is only ten in the morning. We have at least seven hours until dark, and many more before Wickham’s ghouls dance.”

Elizabeth asked, “What do we tell them? How will we explain what we know of Wickham’s plans?”

“I suggest we tell them the truth. Obviously, we must protect the locals from Wickham, who has a graveyard full of ardent imitators, most of them loved ones of the villagers.” Edward waited for them to comprehend his thoughts. “Many times in battle, the army must first win the goodwill of the people they wish to aid. As a soldier, I have found the truth to be the most beneficial weapon in winning the war of wills. We openly declare you are a vampire expert, and you have come to free this village of the hold Wickham has over it. However, you recognize your challenge will infuriate your enemy, and you wish to warn them to protect themselves for tonight. Tomorrow night, you will lead a full assault.”

Darcy asserted, “You are absolutely mad! You wish me to announce my curse to the world!”

“Actually,” Elizabeth began tentatively, “I like Edward’s idea. His assumptions are correct. We must do more than eliminate Wickham.”

“Neither of you understand,” Darcy argued. “You saw only two of Wickham’s underlings. I fought an army of them, and for each one I vanquished, another took its place. We cannot possibly overcome the number under Wickham’s control.”

“I disagree.” The colonel leaned forward to speak directly to Darcy. “Elizabeth knows more things about vampires than anyone else in this room. She knows a means to dispatch them. We can control how many we fight at one time, using the old military adage of divide and conquer. You must listen to your wife and to me. We have skills you do not, and despite all your powers, you will lose if you do this alone.”

Silence filled the room as Darcy assessed what his cousin had declared. Obviously, Edward held a special fondness for Elizabeth, but the man had put that aside and would not act upon any blossoming feelings. Instead, he wanted Darcy to accept Elizabeth’s love without question and to accept her as an equal. What other choice did he possess? Following Edward’s lead, Darcy turned to his wife. “Are you of the persuasion we can do this?”

“Edward speaks the truth, William. We possess the means by which to end this nightmare, but we require time to set a plan in place and to provide you time to heal. You cannot face Wickham in your weakened condition.”

Darcy took a close look at his wife. He had always known her to be an exceptional woman, highly perceptive and quite opinionated, but it took his cousin’s acceptance of Elizabeth for Darcy actually to see her as a partner, someone he not only must protect, but also someone he must trust. Deep in his soul, his heart leapt with joy. Perhaps, hope was still alive, for Elizabeth offered him a selfless love. He nodded his head in agreement. “Put everything into motion, Edward.” He spoke the words, but did not remove his eyes from Elizabeth’s countenance. She had changed somehow.

“I will find Gordy immediately.” Edward stood to take his leave. “You two require time to talk.” Then he was gone, leaving Darcy and Elizabeth to reconcile their differences.

Neither of them moved. “I have thought of little but you since you departed Pemberley.” Darcy’s breathing became shallow. “Tell me we still possess a chance.”

Elizabeth dropped her eyes. “It seemed so simple at the start.”

Darcy swallowed the emptiness filling his heart. “I understand. We will do what is necessary, and then I will make arrangements for your protection.”

Elizabeth was on her feet immediately, taking his face in her hands and forcing him to look upon her. “Fitzwilliam Darcy, someday you will permit me to finish a thought before you jump to a conclusion. I am saying I cannot be a passive female, waiting for my husband to instruct me on what to think or how to act. Do you truly believe you are so unworthy of a person’s love? If so, I have an ordeal of my own after we finish this one, because I must convince you I love you beyond reason.” She leaned in to kiss him. It was an act of tenderness—but also an act of incomplete submission.