But while they waited, with the clock ticking away the hours, Darcy’s attention turned to Elizabeth, and with a bottle of Jedburgh Scotch on the table next to him and David and Goliath at his heels, he reexamined his options. Yes, he loved her, more than he ever thought possible, but the reality was that he was a werewolf and she was a human. The situation with Rupert had served to demonstrate how vulnerable a population werewolves were. One wayward comment could end in disaster for the entire lupine community.
Even if there were no idiots like Rupert, there was still the physical transformation that took place every four weeks, and such thoughts caused Darcy to sink back into his chair. Of course, he would rather not be a werewolf, but he had accepted it from the beginning. And there were advantages to being a lupine. Although he relished the thrill of the hunt and roaming through the diverse landscapes of his property and the Peak, nothing compared to his time in North America. Because he had been tested mentally and physically by its harsh elements, when he had returned to England, he was confident in his abilities in both his incarnations. But with his adventure now behind him, he had decided it was time to choose a wife from among the she wolf population so that he might marry and raise a family. He had it all planned out until…
Darcy had arrived at Netherfield Park the very day of the assembly. It had been a mere two days since daybreak, and he had told Bingley that he was in no humor to go to a local dance. With his sense of smell still in a heightened state, the mixture of scents—most of them emanating from unwashed bodies with an added layer of perfume to disguise the odors—was unpleasant to say the least, but Charles would not be put off. Once they had arrived at the assembly, Bingley continued to press his friend, insisting that he dance. The result was that he had stated in a voice loud enough to be heard by others that “to dance at an assembly such as this would be insupportable.” Worse yet, he had specifically singled Elizabeth out as being merely tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt him to dance.
He was genuinely ashamed when he realized that Elizabeth had heard his remark, and when he turned around to gauge the effect of his rudeness, she had looked right at him and had actually smiled at his surliness. In that moment, he had felt a tug at his heart, but he needed to know more about the lady. So he had listened in on her conversations at Lucas Lodge and had found her to be an engaging conversationalist as well as someone who spoke with authority on a number of substantive topics. When she had called him out for his eavesdropping, he did not care because he had heard what he needed to hear. Added to all her charms and sparkling wit was a smile that had left him weak at the knees.
The result was that he followed her into Kent and badly botched the whole affair. As he walked to the parsonage, he practiced what he would say to her and thought that if an opportunity arose, he might even drop a hint that there was more to him than he was at liberty to disclose at that time. But when he went into the parlor and saw her sitting in front of a window, with its light creating an aura outlining her beautiful features, he forgot every line he had rehearsed. Instead, he concluded that it did not matter what he said. He was a werewolf, and this lovely creature would run away when she learned of his other incarnation. Instead of professing his love for her, he had presented her with a list of reasons why he should not marry her. In that way, he would not feel rejected when his secret was revealed.
A few months after his bungled proposal, Elizabeth came to Pemberley on the very morning of his return to human form. It was a glorious day, and after escorting Nell to the rendezvous point, he had decided to take a walk in the gardens. As he entered the lower gardens, there she was, sitting on a bench without her bonnet but with her eyes closed and her face pointed toward the sun. When she opened her eyes and found him staring at her, she jumped up from the bench and hurriedly returned her bonnet to its rightful place. He sensed her embarrassment, but he sensed something else as well. The message given out by her scent was unmistakable. She wanted him to take her in his arms and kiss her, and once again, he had reason to hope.
After her return to Hertfordshire, he had paid a call on her at Longbourn, which had gone very well, and with each subsequent visit, her scent and the way she moved her body let him know that she would be receptive to another offer of marriage, that is, if he were human. But between his monthly transformations and going to Northumberland and arranging for transportation for the she wolf and her pups, he had not seen her at all during the month of June. In July, he was in Scotland attending the gathering, and then Rupert had arrived at Pemberley. Although he had written a number of letters to her during their separation, when he had asked if she had received them, she said nothing more than, “Yes, they were properly addressed.” Clearly, she had judged them to be unsatisfactory.
“Which reminds me that I must remember to write to Elizabeth and Georgiana before I leave Scotland,” he said out loud, and after locating a writing desk where he could perform such a task, his thoughts returned to Lizzy.
It was Anne who had finally convinced him to reveal to Elizabeth his other incarnation, and it was a good thing that she had. When he arrived at Longbourn, Elizabeth was so annoyed at him for his peripatetic habits that if he had not had a plan in place, he believed that she would have shown him the door. As it turned out, Anne’s scheme to reveal his lupine nature at Pemberley worked brilliantly, and the strength of his love eventually won her over.
If only he knew what was happening at Pemberley. Considering the circumstances under which he had been called away, he believed that he had done the right thing by providing her with an opportunity to change her mind. But would she take it? He dearly wished to know what was happening in Derbyshire. He would arrive at Pemberley shortly before the next full moon, but would Elizabeth be there to witness it?
Chapter 20
During the last few days, Lizzy had been watching Anne de Bourgh for any sign that her health might be affected by all the emotional upheaval at Pemberley. During the carriage ride to Ashton Hall, Anne had contributed little to the conversation, stating that she preferred to listen to Georgiana speak of her debut or Lizzy’s answers to her cousin’s many questions about life at Longbourn. There was also a slowness in her movements that was a sign of fatigue, so when the weather went from dreary to dismal and the rains came, Lizzy suggested that they remain at Ashton Hall so that Anne could rest, and rest she did.
The first day after their arrival, Anne did not come downstairs until one o’clock in the afternoon, and Georgiana teased her cousin that she was picking up her bad habits. The second day was a repeat of the first, and it was then that Lizzy realized why Anne felt comfortable keeping to her bedchamber and foregoing playing cards after dinner. A weight had been lifted off her shoulders because Lady Marguerite was now in charge.
Although Lizzy thought Lady Marguerite was an absolute jewel, she greatly intimidated Georgiana with her outspoken opinions.