“I know that Mr. Darcy speaks highly of him, but it is because of the actions of another that he is in trouble.” Lizzy finally asked who this young man was and why such risks were being taken on his behalf.
“Of course, you would not know about Rupert. William is very cautious when it comes to sharing information about those under his protection, but let us return to the study where a fire is burning and we can be more comfortable.”
Lizzy sat in the chair closest to the fire—Mr. Darcy’s chair—but it brought no comfort or warmth. She recalled his last words. “You will have ample time to reconsider. You are not bound to me.” With such uncertainty, it would be impossible to go forward. She understood that he had uttered those words out of concern for her, but she was unhappy that he had anticipated that she would reconsider his offer at the first sign of trouble. Did he believe that her love for him did not match his own?
“Elizabeth, do you drink brandy?”
“No, but I am thinking about starting,” she answered. In three days, she had known the depths of despair, only to have her spirits soar when she realized how much Mr. Darcy loved her and how deeply she was in love with him. But now, she was at the bottom of the well again—with only a hint of sunlight—and she reached out to take the glass from Anne.
“You asked who Rupert was, so I shall tell you. His grandfather is the king.”
Lizzy gasped. “Oh, no! Not that Rupert. He is only twenty years old, but he is already fodder for the gossip pamphleteers.”
“Yes, he is that Rupert.”
“The newspapers have reported that he is in Ireland. If only he were.”
Rupert was one of the many illegitimate children fathered by the Prince of Wales who were scattered about the country. All that was known of his mother was that she had died giving birth to him.
“With such a history, no wonder he was banished to the country. But with reporters following him everywhere he goes, is it not possible that Rupert could lead prying eyes directly to Pemberley and Mr. Darcy with disastrous consequences?”
“Rupert’s coming to Pemberley was arranged by the Council, and so many precautions were taken when he was brought here. It is unfortunate that this task fell to William because he did not want to take him in. However, you can imagine how difficult it was to say no to the heir to the British throne. When he finally agreed, William made it clear that if Rupert misbehaved he would be turned over to the Council and that it was highly likely he would be banished to an area of British North America near Hudson Bay where a mixed werewolf/wolf colony lives. Because the hunting is so good, I understand that it is a wolf’s dream come true, but if you are a wolf for only a few days a month, it can also be a frozen version of hell.”
Lizzy could feel her anger rising. From what she had read about Rupert, a year or so in a place of endless winter might be just what was required to straighten out so misguided a youth.
“Mr. Darcy spoke briefly to me about the Council. What do you know about it?” Lizzy asked Anne.
“We have already spoken about the gathering in Scotland in July. It is at that time that a leader is chosen from all the wolves living in Britain, Scotland, and Wales. He, in turn, chooses two counselors—one a werewolf and the other fully human. For a two-year term, the three serve as judge and jury to all those werewolves who do anything that jeopardizes the wolf population. Even for those with royal blood, you are allowed only one mistake. This is Rupert’s second.”
“Does Mr. Darcy go to these gatherings?”
“Not every year, but he does try because he does so enjoy them. While he is at the Underhill estate, he is completely at ease. It is my understanding that there is a mix of werewolves, their families, and trusted associates. It was at such a get-together that William met the brother of a werewolf who would be attending Cambridge, and so arrangements were made for them to share a room.”
“But how could Mr. Darcy go to university?”
“When he enrolled, he claimed to have asthma, a disease that restricts passage of air into the lungs, so he would leave Cambridge, feigning illness, at different times of the month, not just at the time of the full moon, so that no one would be suspicious of his comings and goings. Of all the things William has endured because of his being part wolf, it was his inability to play cricket at Cambridge that bothered him the most because he is an exceptionally talented batsman. Because of his ‘illness,’ William could only be an honorary member of the team, and he had to stand by and watch as those inferior to him played a game he loved. Although he was permitted to practice with them, he could never play against Cambridge’s competitors, and it nearly drove him to distraction. But at these gatherings in Scotland, he does play cricket and, recently, a number of them have taken up the game of golf.”
“None of this surprises me,” Lizzy said, with a half smile. Although it pleased her to think of the athletic Mr. Darcy standing on a cricket pitch, it was probably something she would never see for herself because he had decided for both of them that marriage would be too great a burden for her to bear, and that thought brought on a wave of fatigue that completely sapped her.
“Anne, I am so tired. I can hardly think. Will you please excuse me?” She went to her bedchamber.
After untying the ties on the drapes around the bed, she climbed into her cave. Even though she had burrowed deep into a mound of quilts, she was still shivering, and she found that the only way she could get warm was to curl up into a ball, very much like a dog would—or a wolf.
***
Lizzy would have preferred to stay in her bedchamber for the remainder of the day, but with Mr. Darcy’s sudden departure and Georgiana being closeted in her room with Mrs. Brotherton, if she did not go downstairs, it might invite comment from the servants. Besides, it seemed cowardly. If Mr. Darcy would not retreat from his responsibilities as the head of the Darcy family and the leader of his pack, she would not hide under her bedcovers, and so she rang for Ellie so that she might dress for supper.
When Lizzy went into the drawing room, she found Anne, Georgiana, and Mrs. Brotherton having a lively chat. There was no sign that this was a family in crisis. In fact, the atmosphere was definitely positive—almost cheery. What had happened while she had been resting?
“Oh, there you are, Elizabeth. You look so much better now that you have rested,” Georgiana said, greeting her guest. “Mrs. Brotherton will be joining us for dinner, which should be ready within the half hour. Anne has just asked that I perform a piece that she is particularly fond of,” she said as she walked to the pianoforte.
Anne gestured for Lizzy to sit on the sofa with Mrs. Brotherton. It was obvious that Georgiana’s lady’s maid had something to share and that Miss Darcy’s playing was meant to prevent their conversation from being heard by others, but with Mr. Jackson standing nearby keeping watch, she did not see how that could happen. Obviously, everyone was exercising an abundance of caution.
“Elizabeth, I think you will be very interested with what Mrs. Brotherton has to say. As Teddy’s mother, she has been in regular correspondence with him since his arrival in Scotland. She is very hopeful that everything will end well and the only harm done will be that we all had a good fright.”
Lizzy was puzzled. What intelligence could Mrs. Brotherton possibly have? She was not aware of any messenger having come from Mr. Darcy, so what could account for it? Lizzy looked eagerly at Mrs. Brotherton and asked her to explain the reasons for her optimism.
“First, Miss Elizabeth, I want you to know that when Teddy arrived in Scotland, he went through weeks of training so that he would know how to act in almost any situation. Second, those two young men are not alone by any means. There are those who work for the estate manager as well as members of the community nearby who are ready to act in case anything goes wrong on the estate.”
“Then why did Mr. Darcy go to Scotland?”
“Because he has
a responsibility to the members of his pack, as well as to any others who may be affected by Rupert’s actions, to find out exactly what happened. It is what a leader must do. But if you read the letter, you will understand that things may not be as dire as Mr. Darcy thinks. Upon closer inspection, I think you will agree with me that the master misread the first sentence. But before you read the letter, please allow me to explain that the term ‘daybreak’ is the process of transforming from wolf to human, just as the term ‘nightfall’ refers to the transformation from human to wolf.”
At daybreak, there be reports of a large black animal sneaking about the rabbit hutches and that T and R be running about the countryside without his clothes. So MacGregor’s gillie went looking. A shot rang out and R be hit in the arm. It’s nary a scratch but MacGregor’s man be swearing up and down that it be a wolf he took aim at. The laddies are with the laird to get it sorted. Robbie McDonald
After reading the letter a second time, Lizzy saw the reason Mrs. Brotherton believed Mr. Darcy had misread the letter. “T and R be running about the countryside without his clothes.” It was Rupert, not Teddy, who had been found without so much as a stitch on.
“When Mr. Jackson told me what was in the letter,” Mrs. Brotherton continued, “it didn’t make sense to me. Why would Teddy be running around without any clothes on? You see, Teddy only transforms for two days, while the gentleman transforms for four. So there was no reason for my son to be without clothes. Here is what I think happened. As he always does, Teddy was at the rendezvous point an hour before daybreak, but the gentleman wasn’t there. Teddy then went back to the house, alerted the staff, and set out for the place where he thought Rupert might be, that is, the MacGregor estate. In the event a wolf is sighted by his neighbors, Mr. Underhill keeps black Labradors, Newfoundlands, and large black German shepherds on the estate.”
“And they are all called Wolfie,” Lizzy said.
“Yes, how did you know?”
“Just a guess. Please continue.”
“I am sure Mr. Underhill went to the laird’s house with the dogs in tow to show Mr. MacGregor what his gamekeeper had actually seen, and some money changed hands for the inconvenience to MacGregor’s staff. The story of a wolf sighting will make the rounds of the alehouses for a while, but then it will be forgotten when something new takes its place. I am sure that is what happened. Teddy and I are very close, and if he were in danger, I would feel it here.” The young man’s mother pointed to her heart. “But I have no such feeling.”
Lizzy went quiet while she sorted out all of this information, and it did make sense. It was her understanding that the Underhill estate had been a sanctuary for werewolves for more than two decades. Surely, this was not the first time something like this had happened because it seemed that as soon as Teddy had sounded the alert, everyone had sprung into action. It almost had the feel of a military maneuver.
“Thank you, Mrs. Brotherton. I do feel better. Your scenario sounds logical to me, and I now have reason to believe that it will end well for everyone.” Lizzy smiled at Anne, and when Georgiana saw that Anne and Elizabeth were smiling, she stopped playing the pianoforte and rejoined the ladies.
A pleasant dinner was followed by a rubber of whist. After Georgiana had performed the piece she was to play at the dinner in Berkeley Square, they retired early. Lizzy could only hope that she would finally have a restful night, and she could barely keep her eyes open while Ellie brushed her hair.
Chapter 16
Lizzy did sleep well. She had decided that Mrs. Brotherton’s interpretation of the events at the Underhill estate was correct and that she would not worry about the situation in Scotland until given a reason to do so. With that concern set aside, Lizzy now had to decide if she should remain at Pemberley and wait for William’s return. Although Anne and Georgiana were excellent company, with three ladies, as well as Mrs. Brotherton, staring out the window waiting for Mr. Darcy’s return, the days would drag on endlessly. On the other hand, if she returned to Longbourn, she would be able to take up her daily routine, which involved a lot more than sitting around reading books, doing needlework, and chatting. If she were to become the mistress of Pemberley, there would have to be changes made because she needed to move about, but with a purpose. Unlike Caroline Bingley, she did not consider taking a turn about the room, locked arm-in-arm with another fine lady, to be exercise. In truth, the lives of the women of the upper class could be excruciatingly boring.
At breakfast, Lizzy found that Anne’s and Georgiana’s spirits remained high, and they pleaded with Lizzy to stay in Derbyshire, at least for a few more days. Georgiana invited Lizzy to ride with her every morning after breakfast so that she might improve her skills.
“Will is an expert horseman, and he loves to ride into the Peak to look at the different rock formations and to hunt for fossils and minerals,” Georgiana explained.
Lizzy knew of her brother’s interest in the geology of the region. In fact, because of all those afternoons spent in the parlor at Longbourn, she knew quite a lot about Fitzwilliam Darcy. Of course, there was one thing—one enormously important thing—that she had not known.
“Although I am an imperfect equestrian,” Lizzy responded, “I am an excellent skater. Perhaps when the pond freezes, we could all go ice skating.” Georgiana and Anne looked at each other, pleased that Lizzy was speaking of a future visit to Pemberley.
“Shall we go riding, Elizabeth?” Georgiana asked as she looked out the window at a cold gray day.
Lizzy was about to agree to the plan when Georgiana said that they would have to put off riding until later in the day. “We have company,” she said in her bright, cheery voice, as she loved visitors. “Someone from Granyard Hall has come to call on us.”
Lizzy had no doubt it was Lady Helen and under her breath mumbled to Anne, “Good Lord, what else can happen? I now know how Pharaoh felt when the ten plagues of Egypt descended.”
A few minutes later, the beautiful Lady Helen swept into the room. Standing before the three ladies as if she were appearing on center stage at Drury Lane, she took off her gloves, hat, and coat, and after handing them to Jackson, announced, “My father has told me what happened in Scotland. How dreadful. I think we should all cling to each other, and so I shall stay at Pemberley until Mr. Darcy returns.” After uttering that remarkable statement, she swept past her hosts and went into the drawing room.
The debate Lizzy had been having regarding her return to Longbourn came to an end as her visitor had decided the matter for her. “Lady Helen, that is very thoughtful of you,” Lizzy said, sitting down opposite to her. “But for my part, I shall be leaving for Hertfordshire in two days.”
Georgiana was about to say something in favor of Lizzy staying on, when Anne took her hand and squeezed it, and with the slightest shake of her head, indicated that her cousin should say nothing. As much as Anne would have liked to have Elizabeth remain, having Lady Helen in residence for three weeks was too high a price to pay, and she knew that once Elizabeth left Pemberley, the lady would return to Granyard Hall.
“Oh, I am sorry to hear that, but it is probably for the best,” Lady Helen replied.
The best? For whom? It might be for you, Lizzy thought, but not for me.
“Would you like for me to send for some tea and cake?” Anne offered.
“No, thank you. I had a huge breakfast.” She actually licked her lips at the memory.
And when Lizzy saw that, she smiled because she could picture a time when Nell would not sashay but waddle around Alpha.
“This whole thing could have been avoided if Alpha had only listened…”
“Lady Helen, there are servants about. Please refer to my cousin by his name,” Anne cautioned her.
“Of course, my apologies. But it is true that I told Mr. Darcy that the gentleman in question was positively wild and beyond hope of reform.”
“It is
my understanding that William did decline,” Anne said, defending her cousin, “but the boy’s father pleaded with your father, and it was only when Lord Granyard intervened that William agreed to host Rupert, albeit reluctantly.”
“Yes, of course. No one is to blame except you know who. I am sure he will be exiled, and rightly so. My concern is what happens to me if Mr. Darcy does not get back in time for nightfall.”
“But that is still three weeks away, and if my brother has not returned in time, then you could make arrangements with Mr. Cassel,” Georgiana whispered. “You did that one other time. Remember?”
“Yes, I most certainly do remember it, and I found the whole arrangement to be dreadful. Mr. Cassel is the son of a nobody. It is bad enough that, on occasion, I have had to be out there with only Teddy, but at least he is a member of my family.”
“But Teddy is an absolute treasure!” Georgiana cried. “There is nothing he would not do for the family.”
“Yes, dear,” Lady Helen said in a condescending voice. “He is a darling man, but his mother is your lady’s maid. It is inappropriate.”
If Nell considered being in Teddy’s company to be inappropriate, then why did she allow Teddy to groom her, Lizzy wondered? And then she answered her own question. Teddy was a servant, and servants did such things for their masters and mistresses. And, of course, when the young lupine was not there and Mr. Darcy and Nell were alone, she would ask Alpha to brush her coat and, in doing so, create an aura of intimacy. What a clever girl.
“Does rank really matter when you are out in the wild?” Lizzy asked. “Don’t you all have to act in concert?”
Lady Helen let out a puff of air to let Lizzy know how absurd her question was. “Rank always matters, Miss Bennet, which is why I sleep next to Mr. Darcy.” Lowering her voice, she continued, “And away from Teddy.”
With each word spoken, Lizzy gained a clearer understanding of why Mr. Darcy had never considered Lady Helen as a possible mate, and it had nothing to do with her being like a sister to him or that she was boring. This exquisitely beautiful woman was an idiot. She had taken the precaution of whispering Teddy’s name, but in a clear voice had said she slept next to Mr. Darcy. An unmarried Lady Helen sleeping next to Mr. Darcy! Oh, wouldn’t the servants have fun with that one. Even Georgiana went wide-eyed, and if Anne clenched her teeth any tighter, they might be in danger of cracking.
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