“No, please don’t. You should not repeat what I said. A memory at such a time as this is unpardonable.”
“And what time would that be, Elizabeth? Are you saying that you will accept my offer of marriage?”
“Not yet. There are things I would like to discuss.”
“Then let us go into my study.”
Lizzy laughed. “Absolutely not. I will not risk a repeat of last night. I suggest the first drawing room.”
“The first drawing room? The one next to the foyer where all of the servants go back and forth? If we are to have no privacy, why don’t we just sit on the stairs in the foyer and have everyone listen in on our conversation?”
“I think mine is the better suggestion, but whichever you prefer is fine with me, dear,” she answered while trying to suppress a smile.
Darcy gestured for her to go ahead of him into the first drawing room, and so she would have her way once again, he thought. Shaking his head, he reminded himself that he had wanted to marry a lady with spirit. Well, he was about to get his wish—in spades.
Chapter 11
Darcy directed Lizzy to a corner of the drawing room that was not directly in view of the foyer, but rather than sitting on the sofa, Lizzy chose one of a pair of chairs nearest to the fire. Although Darcy had surrounded himself with the most loyal of servants, there was no doubt that the lives of their master and mistress were of keen interest to those who lived belowstairs, and Lizzy’s presence had prompted much speculation as to whether the master would finally take a wife, creating a palpable buzz in the house.
After moving his chair closer to hers, Darcy began by apologizing for his aggressive behavior the previous night. “It may be helpful if you understand what happens during my transformation back to human form. As soon as the sun appears over the horizon, the changes begin. The physical process lasts for about twenty minutes. However, it takes longer for the mind to adjust to the altered state. Because of this, I remain in my study until I am sure that I am thinking as a person and not as an animal. But last night, as soon as I entered the room, I knew that someone was there, and my lupine instincts took over. I am truly sorry that I frightened you.”
“I do understand,” Lizzy quickly responded. “I should have waited for you to come to me in the morning. That was really my fault, not yours.”
“Thank you for that,” he said and reached across the divide and took hold of her hand. He wanted to kiss it, but that would have meant bending over so that his head was almost at her knees. “Damn it! This is ridiculous,” he said standing up.
“Why don’t we go to the second drawing room, where we will have more privacy?” Lizzy offered.
“Thank you,” he said with a sigh of relief, and the couple quickly made their way to the yellow drawing room. But they were not alone. David and Goliath had been with their master all morning, ready to spring into action if necessary. Lizzy was of the opinion that the whippets did not approve of her and that would explain why they seemed always to walk between Mr. Darcy and her. After signaling to his dogs that they were to stay put, he looked at Lizzy. “Now, where was I?”
“You were speaking of your transformation.”
“Ah, yes. Well, the same thing happens when I go from human to wolf form. It is in that first hour that I must be careful, as my mind has not fully gone over to being a wolf. Lest I confuse you, you should know that there is a part of me that always remains human, which is why I understood what you were saying on the terrace, and there is a part of me that always remains a wolf, which is why I knew that…”
“Yes, I understand,” Lizzy quickly interjected. “You were speaking of your transformation.”
Darcy smiled, remembering Lizzy’s embarrassment when she learned that he knew how she was reacting to him physically. He would never have kissed her in such a way if she had not signaled her interest with her scent.
“I realize that I quite overpowered you last night when I carried you to the sofa and…”
“William, I completely comprehend what happened last night. There is no reason to go into detail. All is forgiven.” She looked away from him because the mysterious stirring had returned, and there was no way he would not know what was happening to her.
“Again, I thank you for your understanding,” he said with a smile in his voice. “Now, you said that you had some questions for me.” With that, his back stiffened. He could just imagine what she must be thinking and what questions she would ask. Would she be disgusted by the idea of his hunting down an animal and eating it raw? Would their children be werewolves? Why did wolves howl? But the question he feared the most was that she would want a detailed description of his transformation. She would be repulsed by a vision of a man dropping to his knees as his arms became legs, followed quickly by the thickening of his neck, an emerging muzzle, and the change in his teeth that were designed to tear an animal apart. The metamorphosis was completed when his hair became fur. She would want to know all of that, and his stomach churned at the idea of speaking of such things to the woman he loved.
Lizzy hesitated, realizing that any question would be intrusive, but there were things she needed to know. “Tell me all about Nell?”
“What?” Darcy burst out laughing, in part because he had been so wrong about what question she would ask and in part out of relief. “Nell? You want to know about Nell? Why?”
“Because you spend two whole days—and nights—together every month. I know she is attracted to you.”
“Attracted? She is a friend, neighbor, and member of my pack—no more than that.”
“And because she is your friend, you think she cannot be attracted to you? Haven’t you noticed how she sashays when she is near you?”
“Sashays?” Darcy started to laugh again. “You know, Elizabeth, once a year, there is a werewolf gathering on an estate in Scotland, and there is a time set aside for exchanging stories and anecdotes. I now have mine. When my fellow lupines hear that Nell ‘sashayed’ so that she might attract me, they will truly howl—with laughter.”
“Do not make fun of me. Call it what you will, but she is flirting with you.”
“Yes, she is, but only to practice her skills. I have no interest in her as my mate, and let me put your mind at ease. A werewolf is more human than wolf, and as such, the males engage in the act of procreation only when we are in human form because we only sire human children. You need not be jealous of her.”
“I am not jealous of her. I was just pointing out what is patently obvious to me.” But she was not fooling him for one second. “Is she beautiful?”
“I have heard her described in such a way.”
“What color is her hair? A mousy brown, perhaps?”
“Not mousy at all. She has hair as golden as Jane’s and eyes as blue as a summer sky.”
“I see you have a poetic side that I did not know about. How do I compare to her?”
“You are beyond comparison with any woman. If you are fishing for compliments, and I can see that you are, I shall tell you the truth. I love your dark curls that are impossible to restrain. You have an adorable nose and mouth, a firm chin, and the cutest dimple. But it is your dark eyes that draw me in, but you should know that they reveal much about you. I can tell your mood quicker from your eyes than from what comes from your mouth. How did I do?”
“You were doing fine until that last bit, but since you said that I was beyond comparison, I shall forgive you. Shall I get to meet Nell?”