A Touch of Night (15 page)

"And you can trust us with your brother's secret as well."

"He told me that you had sympathies for lycanthropes," said Georgiana. "I am so pleased to meet someone I am able to speak freely with about such things. I am usually very nervous in company for fear I will inadvertently give something away."

"I know how you must feel," said Elizabeth and reached over to squeeze Miss Darcy's hand reassuringly. "Before this, only my aunt and uncle and myself knew of Jane's affliction. Such openness has never been possible. The necessity of being secretive all the time can be stressful."

"Oh yes!" cried Georgiana. "Oh, yes, very much so." Tears in her eyes spoke of probable memories of her dead fiance.

Elizabeth looked away, and hoped that Georgiana could feel her sympathy and understanding. She found herself wishing very much that Georgiana lived closer to Longbourn. She could not, of course, correspond with Miss Darcy on this subject, but it would have been such a relief to have someone with whom to share her dreadful family secret.

As soon as Jane was dressed, all three joined the gentlemen in the small salon. The tea tray was awaiting them. Georgiana did the honors as hostess and poured tea while Darcy passed around buttered scones. He waited until they had all drunk and eaten a bit before he brought up the question that was uppermost in everyone's minds.

"Miss Bennet, do you have any idea how you came to be released from the room at your relatives' house?"

Jane became thoughtful. "I have pondered upon that these past three days, during my ordeal in the city. I was changed already, you see, when it happened. I dimly remember pawing at the door and then . . . it opened. I was through it before I could think and restrain my animal side. And then . . . freedom overtook me. I ran for the simple joy of being outdoors under the moon. I wanted to find a park, larger than the small one near my uncle's home. Before I knew it, I was lost. I am so sorry that I lost self control and caused so much worry for everyone."

"You were not to blame," said Bingley, rising at once to her defense. "Of course you could not help yourself. I know that feeling of need all too well."

"Do you remember anything else?" asked Elizabeth. "No one in that household would unlock that door."

Jane's brow wrinkled. "I remember a smell . . . something unusual. The dog in me wanted to chase it up a tree or down a burrow . . . not a squirrel or a hare . . . something malevolent . . . I've got it -- weasel!"

Darcy's face darkened. "You're certain it was weasel?" His voice was tense, almost tinged with anger.

Jane appeared taken aback. "Well . . . I am almost certain . . . it was musky and . . ." She trailed off.

"Darcy!" cried Bingley. "Cannot you see Miss Bennet has been through enough already? For three days she has lived in fear in the worst slums in town."

"I am sorry if I have alarmed you, Miss Bennet," said Darcy apologetically. "It is just that the circumstances are so suspicious and weasel means only one thing to me." But shook his head, as if at his own thoughts, and he did not go on to elucidate what one thing it was. "Bingley -- how did you come to be with Miss Bennet? Your sister told me she had not seen you in two days."

"I was on my way to White's when I had a sudden urge -- not the urge to change -- an urge to walk where I had not planned to go. It was as if I was being drawn somewhere. And all the time Miss Bennet was on my mind. I think below my conscious thought, I smelled her scent." He blushed. "By day's end the feeling became stronger and stronger and then it was intermingled completely with the urge to change form. I admit that I lost control and . . . the next thing I knew I was in my dog shape, running through alleyways until I met the same dog that I had met while staying at Netherfield." His eyes glowed softly as he related this part of his story. "It was foolish I know, but we ran together, just enjoying being in each other's company. At dawn we found ourselves under a bridge, changing back to our human forms. Luckily there was some long grass for Miss Bennet and I to hide in. We were both naked -- I could do nothing to help her in that state because I could not leave her alone, unguarded in that part of London. We decided to stay all day under the bridge and then, at night, I was to lead her to Gracechurch Street in dog form. We talked and we slept, and then we shifted form and started out through the alleyways of town, where we were set upon by that pack of wild dogs."

As he told the story, Elizabeth took Jane's hand and stroked it. "My poor Jane," she said when Bingley had finished. "What a harrowing experience."

"At least that second day out, with Mr. Bingley for company, was by far better than the first, when I was all alone and scared out of my wits that someone would find me, curled up in a corner behind a pile of rubbish."

Elizabeth pulled Jane into her arms and stroked her hair. "It is over now, dearest, and you are safe." She turned to Mr. Darcy. "I thank you for your hospitality, but I think it must be safe now for us to go abroad. My aunt and uncle are very worried -- We must -- It is incumbent upon us to relieve their anxiety as soon as we may. We cannot justify leaving them in such suffering a second longer than needed. If you will but direct us we will be on our way."

"I will order the carriage," said Darcy.

"Will there not be suspicions? Two ladies leaving your house so early in the day, and nothing to explain their presence in the first place?"

"Georgiana will take you through the house and let you out into the street with no one seeing you. My man often takes the carriage out for me, so no suspicions will be raised in the stables. He will meet you at the door and the two of you will be inside the carriage so quickly, none will be the wiser."

"One would almost think you are accustomed to such clandestine measures," said Elizabeth, saucily.

"I promise you," sad Darcy, "this is the first time I have had occasion to secretly transport ladies from any establishment of mine." His tone was severe. "There have however... been other moments of ... There have been other friends in need."

"Darcy extends his protection to all his friends," Bingley said.

As Darcy left the room to make the arrangements, Elizabeth blushed with embarrassment at her misplaced levity and with a strange, warm, blushing feeling at the idea that Darcy had just called her a friend. He who had been so horribly misjudged by her.

The plan went without a hitch and soon Elizabeth and Jane were in a darkened -- and very opulent -- carriage being whisked through the streets of London to Gracechurch Street.

"Oh, Elizabeth!" said Jane. "I know it was a terrible thing to happen, but at least something good has come out of it. Mr. Bingley has asked if he may call on me at the Gardiners'"

"And what did you tell him?" asked Elizabeth, teasingly.

"I said I should be very pleased if he did. That was not wrong of me, was it?"

"No, Jane. Though I fear if he sees you again he will not be able to stop himself from falling even deeper in love with you than he already is."

"Elizabeth! We are simply acquaintances, nothing more," Jane said unconvincingly. Then she giggled. "Isn't it amazing that Mr. Bingley and my spotted hunting dog are one and the same person?"

"It is," said Elizabeth. "I am so happy for you, Jane."

The rest of the way to Gracechurch Street, Jane smiled in a bubble of euphoria. Elizabeth was glad for her sister. It seemed everything would work out for her and Mr. Bingley. They had so much in common and they were both so much in love. At least someone would be happy because she was certain she had missed the only opportunity she would ever have for happiness.

Mr. Darcy had been helpful and kind. He had endangered himself to save Jane and Charles. He had gone so far as to call her a friend. But the truth was that he must have been out looking for Charles, worried about his friend just as she was worried about her sister. It was true that before he had changed to dragon form he had called her name.
Elizabeth
. But she had been in danger and he was warning her -- nothing more. After the things she had said to his face, her disgraceful accusations about him and Bingley being lovers -- she knew that was unforgivable. She had lowered herself in his eyes for certain, showing the base routes her mind could run. And then today she had done something quite similar -- her silly joke about secretly getting ladies out of his house. She had said it without thinking of the implications -- but upon his severe reaction she knew he could only believe her thoughts coarse and depraved. He probably believed her to be joking -- joking! -- about illicit relationships. And before his sister, too!

Oh, he would treat her with politeness as the sister of his best friend's love, and he would show her kindness because he truly was the best of men, but he would never again ask her to marry him. And now she could think of nothing she desired more than to be his wife. Dragon or man he was the most worthy of beings.

Again the image of his glowing body as he changed from dragon to human returned to her. She remembered the amazing sensation of riding on the dragon's back and holding that warm golden-scaled body against her own, knowing all the time that the dragon and Darcy were one and the same. At least she would always have that to remember.

But she wanted more. She wanted those emerald eyes -- the dragon's and Mr. Darcy's -- to gaze into hers and tell her she would never have to be alone again.

A tear slid down her cheek, followed by another one. Even with Jane by her side, she felt most horribly lonely.

Chapter Thirteen

The next morning Mr. Bingley lost no time in paying a call.

Elizabeth, who had seen the looks exchanged by her sister and the amiable young man, was not surprised at all at his appearing at the Gardiners' doorstep as early as it was decent to call. What surprised Elizabeth, though, was that he did not come unaccompanied. His friend Mr. Darcy was with him, looking as severe as Elizabeth remembered him from the early days in Netherfield. It was difficult to believe that this austere gentleman was the same one she had watched change to and from the dragon form just a short time before.

She couldn't help remembering the shimmering green and gold scales she had pressed herself against as they flew through the night sky, or the golden hued skin the scales had transformed to, the rippling muscles, the beauty of his naked form. She blushed at her thoughts, so out of place in her aunt's drawing room with its formal atmosphere, and clasped her hands together primly in her lap. When she had composed herself enough to look up, she found Mr. Darcy's green eyes directed upon her, and their expression made her cheeks flame once more. The dragon was indeed not far buried in their emerald depths.

Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner had been told some of what Jane had gone through during her ordeal in the city, but not enough to give away the secret that the two gentlemen were also
weres
. They knew the gentlemen had aided their nieces, but nothing more, though they had their suspicions that more was involved than a fortuitous meeting in which the gentlemen had scared off a pack of wild dogs that had cornered the girls in an alley.

This morning visit proved to them that, with at least two of the parties, it was clearly a case of reciprocated love. With the other two, nothing was plain. That there was attraction was evident, but it was also evident that pains were being taken on both sides to hide this attraction. As Mrs. Gardiner played hostess she paid close attention to every nuance of conversation, every surreptitious glance, the slightest tell-tale movement. The protection of her nieces was her paramount concern. Love could conquer many obstacles, but Jane's condition was a greater impediment than most had to face in the course of true love. Mrs. Gardiner was not sure that Elizabeth would ever trust to another the protection of her sister. And, in fact, if Jane were determined to marry -- and certainly Mr. Bingley seemed determined to marry her -- Mrs. Gardiner was sure that Elizabeth intended to follow her sister and help her contrive to hide her condition in her new estate as she had up till then. Many a love affair had crumbled over much more superficial problems.

The two, however, did look to be as in love as anyone could possibly be. Jane glowed with a quiet radiance while Mr. Bingley overflowed with exuberant bonhomie. He politely conversed with all present, but his eyes returned always to Jane.

"I believe there is a park to be found in this neighbourhood," he said to Mrs. Gardiner.

"Yes, sir," said she. "It is small but considered quite fine, even though it borders on one side upon warehouses. There is a lovely avenue of limes leading up to an ornamental pond."

"A duck pond, rather!" laughed Mr. Gardiner.

"I am very partial to ducks! Finest of fowl!" cried Bingley. "I feel a great urge to see them, and I cannot but think that a walk out in the fresh air upon a sunny day such as this would do the ladies a world of good and help repair the ravages brought on by shock. What say you, Miss Bennet?"

Jane glanced from her aunt to her uncle, a look of pleading in her eyes. "May we?"

Mr. Darcy added his voice to the request. "We would be most honoured to escort your nieces," he said.

Mrs. Gardiner turned to Elizabeth who smiled and nodded, a high spot of colour on each cheek, then consulted with her husband. Finally they gave their consent though she still wondered where all this was going to lead. If only she were sure of the gentlemen's secrecy and their acceptance of Jane's unusual situation. She didn't quite know what to make of the fact that her nieces were encouraging their suitors. They had -- subtly and otherwise -- discouraged so many others before.

"Mind you do not tire the girls," said Mrs. Gardiner.

"Thank you, aunt!" said Jane, getting up and kissing her cheek.

"Wrap up well," said Mr. Gardiner, still a little concerned.

"Do not worry, Uncle," said Elizabeth reassuringly. "We shall be well taken care of."