Page 69 of Bitten By Mr. Darcy
“He will be too distraught to do anything except come for her immediately,” said Caroline.
“So, what do I do now? Just sit there with her?”
“She is to be yours, of course,” said Caroline. “In order to complete the change, you must drink from a human, and that is the human you will drink from.”
Mr. Wickham turned to look at Elizabeth.
Elizabeth swallowed very hard, and she realized she’d been tricked far too easily. Caroline was likely correct that Mr. Darcy would be out of his head and would come for her directly.
They were in grave danger.
MR. DARCY READthe letter and he could feel Elizabeth’s despair through the bond. He had been feeling her anxiety all afternoon as well, and he—foolishly—had chalked it up to something to do with Colonel Fitzwilliam.
Ah, yes, but funny that he should think of that man now, was it not?
“Bring Miss Bennet here,” he said to the servant. “She is still under this roof, is she not, or did she go with my wife?”
“She is here,” said the servant. “I shall fetch her.”
He retreated as the servant left the room. This room had an outer chamber. He must be sealed away whenever that door was open to the sun. He could get into his windowless carriage if he must, but it involved a great deal of effort. He would have to be swathed in several layers of thick quilts, covering every inch of him, and even then, it would weaken him.
He would do it, of course, but he was not going after her alone.
This was likely a trap.
Caroline had sent this missive to him, threatening the life of his wife, but she wanted him to come to her, and he didn’t know why.
There was a time when he wouldn’t have thought that Caroline would cause him harm, but he had misjudged her. She seemed quite willing to kill if it served her purposes.
And, yes, she had loved him, but it was easy for love to sour to hate. Love turned to hate far before it became indifference, after all.
There was a knock at the door.
“Yes?” he called.
“Miss Bennet, sir,” said the servant.
He opened the door.
Jane Bennet stood there, eyes wide. “Am I in your bedchamber, sir, because this seems highly irregular.”
“Your sister’s life is in danger, Miss Bennet,” he said to her. “I need you to go and collect Colonel Fitzwilliam. I know it’s not entirely proper for you to go to his house alone without a chaperone, but I shall send you with a letter. The two of you must go immediately to this address.” He showed her the letter that had been brought to him from Caroline. “Tell him to bring a loaded gun.”
Jane’s lips parted. “Oh. Oh, dear.”
“The colonel will listen to you, I think,” said Mr. Darcy. “I am not certain if he would come there for my sake, but for yours, I think he would. If not, at least for your sister’s, perhaps. He will come.”
“For my sister’s life, yes, I shall make him come,” said Jane, her voice suddenly fierce.
“Good,” said Mr. Darcy. He rapped on the door. “Mr. Giles? Have you the quilts I need?”
“At the ready, sir,” came the response.
“Good,” he said. “And my windowless carriage?”
“It awaits you.”
MR. WICKHAM HADto tie Elizabeth Bennet back up twice because she managed to get free. Not entirely free either time, of course, but she got a hand free once, and then both of her feet. That time he had to chase her and tackle her and wrestle her back to the couch.
