Chapter Seven #3
“Forget … remember … forget … remember … forget … remember,” he chanted as an aura of blue light spread like fingers caressing every corner.
“Forget the old.” The light continued to surge through the walls, filling each of the rooms in succession.
“Remember the new.” The light turned in on itself and rolled towards him, having touched all in the sleeping Bennet household.
“Forget the old. Remember the new,” he repeated once more, turning counterclockwise to pull in his power.
As if the swooshing crack of a whip, the energy balled into the pit of his stomach and disappeared. He sank to his knees in exhaustion.
He remained slumped over for several minutes.
At length, he stood to study Elizabeth before he departed.
She had captured his eye from the beginning.
Despite her tenacious spirit, her innocence moved him.
Oh, to be the man who won her heart! Under other circumstances, she would be his destiny: his wife.
“Wear the gifts in pleasure, Vixen,” he murmured, and then he left her to the end of a dream.
Returning to Netherfield, he sat in his room for hours, staring into the fire, finishing off more than one glass of brandy.
In his time with Elizabeth, he had insinuated himself into her life and had tempted her modesty.
They had slept in the same bed. They had shared intimate kisses.
They had shamelessly flirted with each other.
And he had used his powers to protect her.
In truth, his powers surprised even him.
Wickham used such powers against Georgiana, making his sister know nothing but what the cad desired.
Until recently, Darcy considered his powers part of the internal evil he fought.
The truth was he used the same type of powers as did Wickham.
Elizabeth woke to find the brown-paper wrapped package at the end of her bed.
He was here! In her sleep, she felt Darcy in the room, watching over her.
Fascinated, she took the gift upon her lap.
She let her fingers caress the string, imagining he touched it.
She brought her fingertips to her lips and sensed his kiss lightly on her mouth.
Then, very slowly, savoring each moment, she untied the knot and peeled the string from the package.
Unfolding the paper, the sight of the cloak brought a gasp to her lips.
It was a deep forest green. She had never seen anything so fine.
She stood on the mattress, bouncing in happiness as she swept it from the wrapping and draped it around her.
For warmth, white rabbit fur trimmed the hood and cuffs.
Elizabeth ran her fingers over it, enjoying the softness.
Still wrapped in the cloak’s warmth, she dropped to her knees on the bed.
She fished into the bottom of the layers of paper and found a jeweler’s box, along with a note.
She unwrapped the small box slowly. She knew what it contained.
The jeweler’s box squeaked as she lifted the lid.
She sighed heavily when she saw the jeweled crucifix, covered in perfectly matched diamonds and emeralds.
She undid the chain and hooked it around her neck.
The cool metal burned her skin. She kissed the back of it and then let it nestle between the rise of her breasts.
The jewels disguised the base iron of the design, but Elizabeth knew Darcy had sent it as protection from Wickham.
The night Darcy and she discussed the curse, he told her the legend behind the baobhan síth—how they killed a group of men, but one man escaped because he hid between the horses—the iron horseshoes protected him from their vampiric attack.
Elizabeth felt safer with the necklace serving as an amulet to protect her.
At length, she unfolded the note. Her fingertips followed along as if the letters rose up and touched her.
Vixen,
You would tempt a sane man with your beauty, and considering what I am doing is far from sane, I admit to being enthralled by the mere thought of you.
If you knew what great joy I find in being with you, you would blush.
I used a special spell to protect you from censure upon accepting these gifts.
No one will remember what you owned previously.
You may wear the cloak and the necklace without fear.
Your family will think the items were in your possession for years.
The riding habit will be seen in the same manner.
How I wish I could view your face at this moment. I would enjoy looking upon your luminous features. How I wish I could kiss your lips and give myself up to the world we create when we are together!
The memory of you will stay with me forever.
D
Elizabeth folded the note. Without thinking, she brought it to her face and inhaled.
It smelled of him—of sandalwood and maleness.
Clutching the necklace in the palm of her hand, she swept the cloak from around her and draped it over her body as she slipped further into the bed linens to sleep again and to dream of Fitzwilliam Darcy.