Chapter 1 The Remarkable Mr. Graham #3
“In a manner of speaking, you might say that. I have observed you, off and on, since yesterday afternoon when you almost tumbled into that ravine.”
My breath choked off, a leaden sensation settling in my stomach. How could he be aware of this? Had he been watching from the hillside above or from the path on the opposite side of the cliff? “Why have you spied upon me?”
Mr. Graham’s expression sharpened, eliminating all traces of his former good humour and taking on an ominous cast. “I am an angel of death. Yesterday, when it became clear you would take a fatal fall, I acted in a way I have never done before—I interfered and spared your life. You have received a rare gift. Your time on this earth has been extended.”
What utter nonsense! “You must be insane.” I reached out to ring for a servant.
“Just a moment, if you please.”
In the twinkling of an eye, and without the least bit of movement on my part, I found myself in the precise spot where Mr. Graham had just been; this alone could not be possible.
Yet an even more fantastic perception shook me to the core: a second identical version of me stood behind my desk.
But despite the other man's appearance, he could not be me—I could not occupy two places at once!
“Do you still think I am insane?”
I flinched at the words—uttered in my voice—yet spoken by another.
My gaze lowered to my chest, arms, and legs.
My figure had altered, and I now wore Mr. Graham’s ostentatious clothing, from the ornately tied cravat down to the tasselled boots.
My fingers grazed the unfamiliar fabric of the brightly hued coat.
Had I somehow fallen into a demented dream?
With lumbering steps, I moved to the looking glass. The reflection that faced me belonged to Mr. Graham. I lifted my hand to touch the blond hair. “This cannot be real!” I spoke with his voice rather than my own! My respiration arrested. “This must be a delusion. Or is this sorcery?”
“You may call it sorcery if you wish.” He continued using my voice.
“This is a small demonstration of my powers so you will understand that I am not to be gainsaid. Do you not approve of the body I chose to use for my visit here? It belonged to a Lothario in Calabria. He made the mistake of bedding the wives of two different men. One of his paramours learned of the other and stabbed him to death. Is that not the most handsome face you have ever seen? And the body—it is exceptional! The man must have exercised for hours each day. Go on and flex that arm. The biceps is huge.”
An abrupt wave of dizziness assaulted me. Unsteady on my feet, I staggered from the mirror. This bizarre episode had to be a hallucination, and I should awaken from it soon.
“Now that you have seen a demonstration of my abilities, I trust you will accede to my wishes and provide your cooperation. I have the power to end your life at any time. You would be wise to heed my warning.”
My respiration accelerated. I averted my gaze to avoid the eerie sight of the man using my body. “Will you return us to our proper forms now? This is intolerable.”
“As you wish.”
In an instant, I returned to my former location and my own body. Thank goodness. I collapsed into my chair and rubbed my eyes. “I must find a way to rouse from this deranged dream.”
Mr. Graham took the seat in front of my desk.
“You are mistaken. You are neither asleep nor under the influence of a spurious vision. Instead of allowing you to perish as you should have done yesterday afternoon, I chose to spare your life and grant you more time with your family before you leave this earth. In exchange for my generous gift, I expect payment in the form of your cooperation. It is my desire to spend time here on earth experiencing life among mortals. I want you to serve as my guide.”
This was madness! Did he assume me to be a gullible fool? I summoned a hardened stare for the blond gentleman—one that had served many times in the past to discourage others from so much as approaching me. “Do you expect me to believe that I ought to have died yesterday?” I employed a mocking tone.
“That is correct.” He inclined nearer, and an unreadable emotion flickered in his blue eyes.
A chill coursed through me, and my taut bearing relented, my shoulders lowering.
Images from the day before flashed through my head—the precipice, Regal’s sudden movement, my loss of balance, the dread, the certainty of my imminent demise.
And then, the eerie sensation just before I lost consciousness: the conviction that time itself had been interrupted.
I shook my head. Could he have spoken the truth?
I could not accept such a fate. It could not be my destiny to die after so short a time married to Elizabeth—not with my son yet so young!
Yet Mr. Graham’s explanation matched the circumstances of my outlandish experience well enough to lend him a semblance of authenticity.
I blinked back tears at the prospect of Elizabeth becoming a widow at the age of three-and-twenty and Bennet growing up without a father.
“Why?” The word croaked from me, and I took a hard swallow before beginning again. “Why make an exception for me?”
Mr. Graham reposed in the chair. “I have long been intrigued by the way you mortals cling to your lives with such fierce determination. For the most part, even the eldest of you are quite reluctant to leave this earth. I have the ability to view the thoughts and memories of mortals. From you, I learnt of the losses you suffered in the past and the accompanying periods of loneliness and despair. Nevertheless, the unusual degree of happiness that emanated from you captivated me, and I had to know what made your life so fulfilling.”
My hands threaded through my hair whilst I took measure of the self-declared angel. “What do you wish from me?”
Mr. Graham folded his hands in his lap. “For the period of approximately one week, I shall follow you throughout your customary routines and observe your actions. I want to know the people with whom you meet and spend time, including your family.”
Fire rose from my neck, and I crossed my arms. “What you ask is out of the question. I will not allow you near my family.”
His fingers drummed upon the arm of the chair.
“You would be wise to reconsider before taking this drastic course. Let me make this clear. If you cooperate, you need have no fear for your family or friends. However, if you refuse my modest request, I shall allow you to perish as you would have done yesterday. In that event, you will never see your wife or son again. When your remains are discovered, it will appear that you suffered a bleeding in the brain and died here at your desk.”
Dash it all. What choice did he leave me?
I should either expose my family to the angel or die and leave them at his mercy.
After his earlier demonstration, I did not doubt his ability to carry through with the threat.
“I do not want you around my family.” Yet my voice lacked the conviction of a minute ago.
“I am unwilling to bend on this particular. Your loved ones play a significant part in your life and influence your state of mind—thus, I insist on spending time with them. You will still have privacy with your wife and son in the evenings and early mornings. But for the majority of your day, you will serve as my guide and will…” Mr. Graham cocked his head as though listening, yet the room remained quiet.
He straightened, his expression grave. “You must decide at once, Mr. Darcy.” His words rushed out. “Your wife is on her way to your study at this moment. Will she find you alive?”
My resistance drained from me. I could not subject Elizabeth to the horror of discovering me dead at my desk. “Do I have your word that no harm will come to my wife or son?”
Mr. Graham raised a hand to his chest. “You have my solemn promise.”
The rampant thumping of my heart reverberated in my temples like the frenzied beat of a drum. With no good choice left to me, I should be forced to trust the man. “Very well. I agree.”
A bright smile raised Mr. Graham’s cheeks. “That is excellent. You will introduce me as a visiting friend from university who has been living in Calabria.”
The door opened and Elizabeth entered. Mr. Graham and I stood, and I fought off a grimace.
She strode towards me. Her buoyant presence brightened the room, eclipsing the bleakness that dominated the area prior to her entry. “Fitzwilliam, I—” Her sight veered to Mr. Graham and she stopped short. “Oh, pardon me. I understood you to be alone.”
I stepped around the desk and went to her.
Somehow, I should conceal my disquiet. Whilst I performed the introductions with the narrative Mr. Graham had suggested, my stomach twisted.
I reminded myself that the deceit, though detestable, would preserve her peace of mind.
At the conclusion of my discourse, I doubted my performance.
Had my explanation been too forced? Too hasty?
To my relief, she revealed no sign of alarm.
Elizabeth curtsied to Mr. Graham’s bow. “It is a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Graham.”
“I am honoured to meet my dear friend Darcy’s beautiful wife.”
“Well…” My wife’s sight remained riveted upon the blond man’s vivid blue irises, her mouth slightly open. Whatever she had been prepared to utter died on her lips, and she continued to stare at the man.
A dull pain emanated from deep within my chest. Elizabeth had never been moved by another man in such a way before!
I had always taken my good looks for granted, having received praise for my appearance from family and friends all my life.
Until Graham, I had never encountered a man who so decidedly surpassed me in appearance and stature.
My wife’s response to him shook me to my core. He captivated her.