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 to actually see her as a partner, someone he not only must protect, but also someone he must trust as an independent thinker. Deep in his soul, his heart leapt with joy; maybe hope still lived, beautiful—selfless love. Elizabeth trusted him, and she would always stand by him. He nodded his head in agreement. “Put everything in motion, Damon.” He spoke the words, but did not remove his eyes from Elizabeth’s countenance. She had changed somehow.
“I will find Gordy immediately.” Damon stood to take his leave. “You two need some time to talk. I will let myself out.”Then he was gone, leaving Darcy and Elizabeth to reconcile their differences.
Neither of them moved, but instead spent time memorizing the face of the other. “I have thought of little but you since you left Pemberley.” Darcy’s breathing became shallow.“Tell me that we still have a chance.”
Elizabeth dropped her eyes, needing to speak the truth, but not sure Darcy would accept the person she had become since she met him. She was not the perfect model of a lady. She could not give full control to her husband.“It seemed so simple at the start,” she began.
Darcy swallowed the emptiness filling his heart. Unable to look into those emerald green eyes any longer, he rolled his own up in an act of supplication. “I understand.We will do what is necessary,
Elizabeth was on her feet immediately, taking his face in her hands and forcing him to really see her. “Fitzwilliam Darcy, someday you will let me finish a thought before you jump to a conclusion. I am saying that I cannot be a passive female, waiting for my husband to tell me what to think or how to act. Do you really 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 that I love you beyond reason.” She leaned in to kiss him. It was an act of tenderness—but also an act of incomplete submission.
Darcy pulled her onto his lap, but he never released the kiss. Instead, he deepened it. Like a starving man, he took her mouth fully. Nothing satisfied him; he could not get close enough—could not let Elizabeth leave his embrace.When she breathed out, Darcy breathed in—needing to fill himself with her. He hungered in a way he once would not have believed possible. It was a sexual thing, but it was more than that.True, Darcy wanted to ravage her, but he wanted to possess her—to cherish Elizabeth and bind her to him forever in an all-encompassing love. Darcy’s lips rested above hers.“How have I lived without you?”
“My love, neither of us lived before the Meryton assembly.”
CHAPTER 27
Tremulous cries of mortal terror reigned during the night. If anyone slept, he was the exception.Wickham led the attacks himself, and nary a house in the village or countryside was spared. Shrills of death filled the air as the mist moved progressively over the landscape. Those brave enough to watch it likened it to the finger of God and the plagues of Egypt, and—similar to God’s Passover—each household marked their door frame and all windows with signs of Christianity and crudely made crosses of ash, along with garlic, in the pagan way. Prayer vigils continued throughout the night, and the blessed streaks of dawn brought shouts of joy ringing from household to household.
Even more effective, the colonel placed sentries throughout a five-mile radius to keep anyone from entering the area during the darkness. No loss of human life occurred, and they congratulated themselves on their small victory. Darcy promised to replace the few farm animals lost, and most were satisfied with how well their precautions had protected them.
Besides the other safeguards, Elizabeth placed a score of salt outside each door of the inn, and she put a line around the barn to protect the animals and the stable hands.Yet no one celebrated at the inn. Few boarders stayed with the preparations, and those who did huddled together. Throughout the night, faces and hands clawed at the windows, glazed eyes pleaded for admittance, and bloody mouths sang out in warning. Darcy heard the innkeeper comment on being the proprietor of hell.
He and Elizabeth watched it all unfold from their bedroom window. Elizabeth leaned into his shoulder for comfort. “Will it ever end?”A blood-curdling scream caused her to start in fright.
“It is like something out of Exodus, but it will end with the
Elizabeth traced his jaw line with her fingertips. “No one would take a stand before now.”
“Am I up to this, Elizabeth? I mean, can I change this for these people? I am not some gypsy claiming vampiric powers in order to swindle good people out of their money. I came here to save
She stroked his chin with the back of her hand. “You cannot, my love, take such thoughts into this battle, or failure will be assured. Instead, do this for me, for Georgiana, and for yourself. Everyone else will benefit from your triumph.”
Damon tapped on the door. “Everything is in place,” he informed them when Darcy bid his cousin to enter. “This will be the last night these people live in fear.”
“I sincerely hope so.” Darcy’s doubts still played havoc with his resolve. “Damon, would you stay with Elizabeth for a few minutes? I wish to speak to the innkeeper.This hurt his business, and I want to assure him we will make restitution.” He handed off his wife to the colonel. Darcy noted how they both stiffened with the gesture, but he made no comment.
Judiciously, Elizabeth moved back to the window to watch the road and the countryside. She hugged herself, looking for comfort. “How much longer before dawn?”
“Less than an hour.” Damon moved behind her and rested his hands on her shoulders.
She forced herself to relax into his touch. The colonel was a gentleman, and even without Darcy as an impediment, he would treat her appropriately—with respect.They would come out of this trying situation as good friends.“Are we doing the right thing?”
“We are fighting for your husband’s life.”
Elizabeth simply nodded.“He is a good man.”
“The very best.”
She turned to face him.“Will we prevail?”
