My property is the storyline, all new characters, new character development, and new developments. Copyright -Glorioux
A Dangerous Place
Darcy had it, "Charles, shouldn't you be paying more attention to your food? Just stop looking at my wife all the time."
The three guards nodded agreeing, also not liking Charles's attitude. They glared at him and could see his nefarious intent, lusting after their Lady, besides being foolish, he was disrespectful.
One of them wanted to wring his neck, another wished he could reveal who they were, but they knew what this was a bad idea. They could also feel Hurst, maybe he was the one consorting with an enemy, but something didn't match. He seemed to want something from them, but what? Regardless, the entire lot was a problem.
George had just entered and heard the warnings. "Bingley, I agree with William. It is in bad form to ogle the Lady of the house; luckily, he is your friend, or I would put you in your place."
"She is a beauty, and I am not blind. I am only admiring her." Charles retorted, smiling.
"Show some respect, my wife is with child," Darcy was angry at all the poor comportment. He wanted to tell them to leave.
Hurst nearly whooped. A child from her, it would increase their chances; she might be amicable and understand them; hell, they would finally be able to do it. Five pair of eyes were on him. He needed to act calm, as much as able. He wished he was sure and would approach her. Finally, the chance they were hoping for; his cousins would be happy, nothing was ever the same.
Elizabeth blushed.
George grinned, "My Lady, my congratulations, William is a lucky fellow; I cannot wait for a nephew." He looked happy.
"William, a nephew, pish?" Caroline snorted, again.
"Yes, he is my half-brother," Darcy glared at her.
"La-re-da," Caroline's voice was laden with sarcasm. "A brother? You mean a by-blow."
The newcomers all looked at each other wondering what was a by-blow.
"My father recognized him, but he wished to keep the Wickham last name. He was raised as a child of the house, not that is any of your business. By the way, you exceed your place. I don't like your insults; perhaps, Miss Bingley should remember that you are my guest, and have no right to insult my brother." Darcy sneered. What a mistake, he wanted them gone. He could see George's face, the pain, and he didn't like it. He knew if Miss Bingley were a man, he would had punched him, no question.
Leon disliked the human; she was mean and spiteful, and Charles also irritated him.
"Nothing more beautiful than the glow of motherhood," Charles added; he wouldn't give it a rest.
Hurst seconded him, and the guards and George growled softly.
Elizabeth felt a caress and looked at her hand; her husband held it. She sensed that he was fighting for control and noticed the ones around; it was a tense situation. She laid her other hand over his; he squeezed gently. Amazingly, it comforted her just as her parents advised; they were right. Charles was behaving extremely rudely, making her uncomfortable. What a family, she wished that she could hurt the mighty Caroline and her equally horrid sister.
If William's guests weren't enough, a footman came, "Sir, your uncle is here, the Earl. He asks that you come outside."
Elizabeth's face lost all color, her hand turned icy cold. "Darling," Darcy whispered, "he isn't stepping a foot in this house," squeezing her hand once more.
He looked at the guards, "Please stay with her."
George stood up right after and left the room. On his way out, he signaled someone to follow.
Caroline smirked nastily. She was tempting fate thinking that she was above everyone. She was going to get her punishment sooner or later, or sooner and later; hopefully very soon.
L'Roy's eyes followed her every movement, he knew her kind, petty, vain, vindictive and full of herself. He wouldn't be responsible the next time she attacked his Lady. She was unwise, she just didn't know how much.
"Why outside, did he say anything else?" Darcy asked the footman.
"No sir, he didn't." The footman answered.
William Darcy, who used to love his uncle, was sure that he couldn't stomach seeing him, nor did he want him around his wife. Something awful was nagging him, but he was not sure what. Whatever it was, he was certain that it was terrible.
"Elizabeth, darling, you heard my uncle is here. Please go to our room as soon as you finish eating." He looked at her.
Miss Bingley dropped her fork when she saw them holding hands, jealousy made her sick, the upstart, she thought.
Gavin stood up, "I will escort my lady, Mrs. Stone, please come with her. We will go as soon as she is done."
Miss Bingley chose that moment for a rude comment. "You turned into a princess. Ha, from country lass dressed in cheap garments to donning princess frocks, a pretentious upstart..."
She couldn't say more, her throat closed, she was chocking.
Echtwulf sounded vicious, "You need to watch your words they could choke you. Words can kill."
She looked afraid, she should be. It must have been her imagination but the owl thing was looking at her with deep hatred, and that wasn't possible. She could swear the bird pointed a wing at her.
Elizabeth couldn't stop shaking, the moment Darcy left the stomach sickness returned. Maybe it was hearing that the uncle who had violated her mother was there. Her mother had told her the sad story. It made her afraid of the man, but more afraid she would want to hurt him.
Darcy's uncle stood at the carriage door, he seemed in a great hurry, Richard was finishing unloading his trunks from the carriage.
Inside the carriage, Darcy saw his cousin Salome and her husband, a strange bird. He had never liked the pedantic, overdressed Lord. Her sister Hortensia was there as well with her equally detestable husband. Like usual, his cousins appraised him as if he were a slab of beef.
George stood by the steps, he had seen who was in the carriage and stepped back. He disliked Darcy's cousins. Unfortunately, George had known both carnally and once believed himself in love with Salome. When he had asked her to marry him when he became of age, she had laughed and told him that he was only entertainment, only a footman. He had been 15 the time, she was a year older than him.
He didn't trust the uncle and even less now.
"William, my boy." His uncle came forward to shake Darcy's hand and to press his upper arm.
Darcy tried to relax, but his uncle's touch made him feel dirty. He could barely look at him on the eye.
"As you can see, I have a full carriage, thank goodness is very large. My daughters are coming to stay in an estate that belongs to Harold's aunt, just a little ways from here, and they are anxious to get there, only 40 more minutes or so." His uncle smiled.
Darcy nodded as he walked away from the carriage with his uncle. Richard was bringing his luggage inside helped by George and the footmen.
"Catherine refused to see us." His uncle told him that Aunt Catherine wanted to start a legal battle against him, and he needed his help. He was on his way to Edinburg to talk to a lawyer friend of his. According to Catherine, he had stolen most of her dowry, which was a lie. His estate was being sued because, his aunt claimed Darcy's grandfather had embezzled a fortune from the Bennet family, another lie.
Darcy just nodded, he suspected that his uncle was the one lying.
"I heard from one of the footmen that your beautiful wife is back. I will stop on my way back so I can see her and greet her." He smiled in a way Darcy believed lecherously.
Darcy wanted to grab him by the neck and break it. "I don't think that will be necessary; we are going to the Lakes, and we will be here for the next couple months."
"I see, you're planning for some bed sport to break her in. Lucky dog, you landed one of the Bennet beauties. Since my father, we have tried. She is some piece, a delightful morsel." He sighed.
"Uncle, you are speaking of my wife, observe decorum." Darcy was barely able to control himself. He looked towards the carriage, and Hortensia licked her lips when she noticed him looking.
The husbands had stepped down and mounted their horses, attached to the back of the carriage. Both kept looking around, maybe not. Something niggled his mind, a furtive thought, but it left. He decided they might have been wanting fresh air; they rode away after waving their hand.
Darcy was seething, and his uncle noticed and chuckled, "Ah the jealousy, my boy get used to it. She will be highly sought after. After she has your son, many of us will be seeking her. Don't be so bitter, it is the way things are." He tried to get close to his nephew who backed up.
He gave his uncle a cold look. And was about to answer when a deep voice behind him answered for him.
"Nobody will be after her. We are here to make sure of that." One of Lizzie's companions said.
Darcy was quiet, he wanted to hurt his uncle, he fisted his hands. He felt a hand on his shoulder and heard the voice; he felt saner.
"Who is this man," his uncle pointed behind him.
He saw Leon, looking like an angry beast ready to strike, hatred poured out his eyes. His eyes looked like a cat's.
"Her father sent them. Her father and mother came here to bring her," Darcy's eyes were intent on his uncle.
"Who came, was Bennet here?" he smirked with contempt; Darcy heard his dismissing tone. "Like father, like son, both weaklings."
"Not her adoptive parents, I meant Lady Eugenia and her husband, didn't you know? Her father is a prince in his own lands." William Darcy told his uncle.
His uncle turned green. "Ah, no wonder she is so pretty. I stand by it; sorry son, but you need to learn or stay here all the time. I must go but will stop in a few days."
"Don't bother, we won't be here. Again, I won't tolerate any advances on my wife." Darcy crossed his arms, not smiling.
His uncle chuckled, turned and left. Leo looked at the carriage with his eyes narrowed. His eyes were normal-looking again.
"He was lying, he was scouting; he is after our lady. There is something bad about him. I didn't get close enough, but I felt someone bad out here. Not sure if it were him; nonetheless watch him; he is not to be trusted. It had to be him; I didn't see anyone else." Leon said.
Darcy didn't hear his last words, otherwise he would have corrected him, and hurried inside. Elizabeth had gone up.
The first thing that he noticed was Miss Bingley, who had not learned her lesson. {I thought that country lasses could carry babies just like cattle, placid animals." Miss Bingley stopped.
Leo hissed, and Miss Bingley felt a hand around throat, squeezing.
"I think you need to watch your tongue, some have been known to fall into great peril for less than that. Tread carefully."
"Come up please, she is not well," Mrs. Stone called him.
He ran. He was upset when he saw Lizzie, she was very ill and couldn't stop throwing up. All her color had leached out, she was very pale.
"There is an evil influence here, which is the reason her father our Lord wanted her away from our place. She is now very sensitive to darkness because of the new life she carries. Introduce me to each guest, one at a time." Leo asked.
The warriors all cared for Elizabeth, that was clear to him, and he had seen them take great care with her.
He sat with her, holding her hand. The dogs sat next to him. They didn't like to see her ill.
"What happened, dearest? Please forgive me; I was gone too long." He caressed her hand.
"Not sure, the room started to spin around. I'm sorry to say that I was sick before leaving the dining room." Lizzie half smiled.
Darcy chuckled, "On top of Miss Bingley? I hope."
They all laughed, Elizabeth grinned, feeling better, "No, unfortunately, it wasn't much, but I heard her making a big deal."
The sickness eased, "Your guests must leave," Leo was emphatic.
They all agreed; particularly, after George came and told him that Louisa and Hurst had gone somewhere in a hurry. "It was odd, Hurst was arguing with her. He looked unhappy, dragging her. Charles went fishing, and Miss Bingley is napping," George told him, "I am glad their rooms are away from the family wing.
More Family
After that, Elizabeth got better. Darcy, needing to take care of a few things, asked her if he could go two rooms down the hallway. He went to his study, next to his room, he didn't want to go far since the feeling of unease wouldn't leave him. He felt someone else, and in front of his eyes, a strange being who looked much like him showed up.
One of them, one of Elizabeth's people. He looked at William and said,"Ah, it is true, I feel that you are mine, I didn't know. Your great grandmother was my love; I miss her so. I asked her to come with me, but she thought I was a demon. If I had known she was pregnant, I would have returned, but I was hurt. I have terrible luck in love. Maybe one day, I love mortals, and think that I'm destined for one."
Darcy was speechless.
"I cannot stay long," he gave him a medallion and touched his face. Darcy felt loved, it was hard to explain. "I am elated that you are mine."
"I have a half-brother, he is around." Darcy told him; he would later realize he hadn't mention Georgiana.
"Two, I have two grandchildren, my cousin will be thrilled. I will explain later, I have done things which brought me much grief. One doomed my descendants and me to suffer extreme jealousy. The other, after your great-grandmother, left me unable to make life. And here you are. I wish I could stay, not sure. Perhaps, I must ask my Lord." He looked around. "I sense new life, where? It is mine as well."
"Who are you?" Darcy asked.
"I am your great grandfather a prince; I govern a large province. I must talk fast; my Lord told me about you; he wanted me to know about you; I am happy beyond words. Take good care, call if you need me. Keep the medallion around your neck. You are fortunate that our princess is married to you." He talked very fast.
Darcy had questions, he hoped to get a word or two. No chance, the next second he was gone. Darcy was learning and hung the medallion. To his surprise, he could touch it, but it wasn't visible, just like the bracelet.
He was done after taken care of a couple of things, so he went to her room. William invited Lizzie for a walk. He offered his arm, and he covered the hand on his arm with his. She leaned onto him, her mother was right, she craved him.
She should tell him what her mother had said. She needed to ask him again. Later, she would say it at the appropriate time. As soon as they were out, the color came back to her cheeks. "This is so beautiful, I wish you could see my parent's place. It is different, lots of vegetation, but this is lovely."
They walked on a path moving away from Pemberley's buildings.
He looked troubled, "That is where I found my sister, I didn't tell you about her. It was a great tragedy, she fell from the horse, it was snowing. It took a day to find her. Now, I think something else happened when we were fourteen. That time is not clear, I wasn't well for a while." He didn't tell her how much he had changed afterward.
"Which we?" She asked covering his hand with hers. She could feel his tremors.
"We, the two of us, and George. We played when younger, Richard joined us whenever he came. George was flirting with someone; he is a year older. Usually, he came with us, not that day." He answered.
"What happened?" Lizzie asked.
"Don't know, one minute we were horse racing, then, I don't know. I still miss my sister," his eyes looked far away. Darcy was feeling the ugly thing scratching, wanting to get out his head.
The dogs were following them, all of a sudden they weren't around.
"Wind, Merlin?" He called them.
Elizabeth looked alarmed, "Something is wrong."
He sensed as well and needed assistance. For once Darcy wasn't proud; he felt others near. He touched the bracelet, but nothing happened.
There were several cloaked figures all around them. They heard the dogs growling. The beings didn't wear cloaks, they were covered by darkness, Darcy noticed, somewhat surprised.
Gavin suddenly appeared, "Go back, I sensed danger." Then stopped them.
"I see others ahead. Stay, wait." Gavin told him.
Darcy looked and saw several figures, not sure how many. Lady. Smoke and Lady Grey appeared from behind a tree, the area turned dark grey and filled with smoke.
Darcy was lifted inside the smoke and taken away from the circle of attackers. He was right outside the house after the smoke dissipated. Elizabeth and the dogs were right by him. Echtwulf and Leo were next to them. Echtwulf moved towards the trees.
Darcy wanted to go back. "I must go and help." He went after Echtwulf.
"No Grey and Smoke are out. They will take care of whoever is left." Echtwulf said.
"Who were they?" William asked.
"Not sure, two of those were renegades, the others, not sure." Echtwulf explained
"Why do you think?" William asked concerned.
"They want our dear lady. Introduce your guests to either Gavin or Leon." Echtwulf explained.
Mrs. Reynolds came out. She always had a keen sense for trouble.
Darcy went to her, "I need your nephews and the others to be here, send a messenger."
She smiled, "I already have."
He lifted his eyebrow. "Why?"
"Something is wrong," she lowered her voice. "Is the Mistress an angel? One in my family saw one once. I think you are a part angel."
Ah, it made sense, his ancestor, he nodded, "Yes, in the strictest of confidences, something like that. We think she is in danger."
"We believe there is wickedness around here, your father did as well. He was tricked into marrying your mother, he loved my sister, who was with child, George and his brother; your uncle Edmund was furious. When he came back, my sister was married to George Sr., and your father to the lady Anne, well, never mind."
"George had a brother, I see, let's talk later," Darcy wanted to ask about the day when his sister had died.
"What is going on?" he saw Mrs. Grey, who suddenly appeared.
She said, "Sir you must come as soon as you are done."
"I found your sister, hiding behind a tree, she was furious when I brought her back. I have her by the stables." She explained.
"Please find George, she needs to be taken back, George knows where. Mrs. Reynolds needs to send Fergus and a couple more. Could you help me?" Darcy asked her.
Mrs. Grey smiled, her chance, "Yes, of course."
Darcy didn't need this, who was Georgiana trying to see? He would kill the bastard. The headache was coming back.