Mary Simonsen - Mr. Darcy’s Bite

“Get up! For God’s sake, you are the son of a prince and a member of my pack. Stop this disgusting display,” Darcy had told him. “If you think that this will change anything, you are mistaken. You knew what the punishment would be for a second transgression, but you decided that since your father is the Prince of Wales you could get away with your slothful ways. You were on MacGregor’s property because you wanted his rabbits. Why bother hunting if you can steal someone else’s food? And in doing so, you came very close to being seen in your lupine form.

“If anyone had actually witnessed your transformation, do you know what would have happened? You would have been beaten to death, and after they had finished with you, they would have turned on Teddy. And then MacGregor’s neighbors and the villagers would have been alerted to the werewolf in their midst, and because they knew that you were a guest of Mr. Underhill, they would have marched over to his house, and only God knows what would have happened. This very thing occurred in France, and the mob burnt the house to the ground.”

But Darcy needed to get that horrible scene out of his head. Nell was not Rupert, and her transgression was serious, but nothing to compare to what Rupert had done. In all his years as a werewolf, other than Rupert, he had never personally known any lupine who had been subjected to Council discipline, and now it had been necessary for him to discipline a second member of his four-member pack. So what should he do? Nell’s father was right. If he registered an official reprimand with the Council, she would have to watch every step, weigh every word, and would forever be looking over her shoulder. Considering the gossip-obsessed society she moved in, that might be a good thing. It might actually protect her from herself.

When Nell came into the room, Darcy recognized that Lizzy had been right. Nell was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, and because she thought he had come to ask for her hand in marriage, she was dressed in one of her loveliest dresses. But before he even said a word, she knew that was not going to happen. Her father had warned her of Darcy’s decision, and she had entered the room with head bowed.

“Mr. Darcy, I am so sorry,” she said, sniffling. “I know there is nothing I can say to make up for my careless remarks, but you know I would never do anything that could harm the members of the pack.”

“But you have already done such a thing.”

“But Papa said that Mr. Jackson made sure that none of the junior servants were about.”

“How fortunate for you—and me.”

“What will happen to me?” she asked, twisting her handkerchief.

“In one way, you are the beneficiary of Rupert’s stupidity because it allows me to compare the two situations. I have decided to reprimand you…”

Nell gasped. Short of committing a transgression so grievous that the wolf was immediately taken into custody and exiled, this was the worst thing that could happen for a first offense. Her sniveling gave way to copious weeping, but Darcy made no attempt to comfort her.

“Nell, allow me to finish,” he said loudly in order to be heard above the sound of her sobs. “I have decided to reprimand you, but I shall keep the written report of your error at Pemberley. It will only be revealed to the Council if you should commit a second transgression. I have known this to be done in at least one other instance.”

Nell came over and knelt in front of him and took his hand and put it against her forehead as a sign of her acceptance of his decision. “Thank you. I will not disappoint you. I promise.”

Darcy pulled his hand away. Such demonstrations were necessary in the wild, but he had never been comfortable with their use when he was in human form, and he helped her to rise.

“Please sit down because there is something else I want to talk to you about. It is the matter of your marriage. You are twenty-one years old, and the time has come to address this issue. Lord Angelsey is the only werewolf who is both British and your equal in rank, but you seem not to like him. I know of only four British werewolves who are members of the landed gentry, but, frankly, I cannot see you marrying any of them either.”

“Are you sure that there is not another who is suitable?”

Darcy knew that she was referring to him, but if there had even been so much as a spark of interest on his part, that ember had been extinguished with her selfish pursuit of what was beneficial to her and to her alone.

“None that I know of. However, there are gentlemen of French, German, and Swedish origin in the various packs near the Welsh border. In the spring, I want you to go to Herefordshire and visit with Mrs. Evesham, and she will see that you are properly introduced to those gentlemen of suitable rank and age.”

“Must I marry?”

“If you are asking me if I am ordering you to take a husband, the answer is no. However, the decision whether to marry a human or a werewolf has been taken away from you. I cannot risk your being careless with your husband’s relations, so you must marry a fellow lupine, that is, if you choose to marry. But you are of a most agreeable temperament, and you are usually kind. I know that you have taken great care with your brothers and sisters, and so I imagine that you would want to marry.”

“Yes, of course. I would want to marry and have a family.”

“Then, as I have said, you will go to Herefordshire. In the meantime, I shall write up the reprimand, and you must sign it after daybreak.”

“Yes, I shall do that. Is there anything else you want to talk to me about?” Nell knew that Mr. Darcy had every right to tear into her for trying to sabotage his relationship with Elizabeth Bennet, and now that she understood he had never wanted her, she was overwhelmed by a sense of remorse.

“No, that is all I have to say. My power over you extends only to matters pertaining to the lupine community. A discussion of personal matters would be inappropriate.”

“Mr. Darcy, I am so sorry,” Nell said with tears pouring down her face. “I only wanted to…”

“I believe you, so we will say no more about it. I shall see you at nightfall. Since this is the first bad weather we have experienced this autumn, and with only the two of us to hunt, we probably will have to be satisfied with small animals.”

“I can ask my father to tie up a goat or a sheep, if you would like.”

“You may, but do not do it on my account. It is no hardship for me to go without food for only two days. When I was at Hudson Bay, there were occasions when the only things available were berries and bugs, so I shall survive.”

Nell grimaced, and Darcy knew that during their time in the wild they would be eating goat meat or mutton. But it did not matter. He had no appetite. Between Nell and Rupert, he had lost Elizabeth. So immediately after daybreak, he would leave for Hertfordshire to bring Georgiana home and to have one last look at the woman he loved.

Darcy was so weary that his muscles ached, and every bump in the road to Hertfordshire caused him to wince. But he wasn’t the only one. Mercer, who was sitting across from him sleeping, was feeling unwell but had refused to remain behind at Pemberley. Metcalf was exhibiting the same stubbornness. Darcy had tried to convince the man that his son was capable of driving a carriage on a well-traveled road between Derbyshire and Hertfordshire. But Metcalf disagreed, and so he had two Metcalfs sitting in the driver’s seat. Darcy wondered what he would do when these faithful servants, as well as Jackson, Mrs. Reynolds, and Mrs. Bradshaw, retired from his service. A worry for another day.

When he arrived at Netherfield Park, he was warmly greeted by Bingley, but then his friend always acted as if he had just got a new puppy. Being of a mercurial temperament himself, Darcy did not understand how Charles could be so even tempered all the time. Mrs. Bingley, however, was another matter. There was a coolness in her reception, and what, pray tell, did that mean? But he was too tired to probe. That evening he excused himself, citing fatigue, but he also wanted Mercer to retire, and as long as Darcy was up and about the man would not do that. An exasperated Darcy told his valet that his nursery maid had not hovered as much as he did, but it made no difference.

The next morning, an unshaven Darcy went to the stables and asked the groom to saddle Montcalm, Bingley’s favorite horse. Because Charles had tamed the unruly animal himself, he wanted Darcy to ride him so that he might see what a wonderful mount he was, and this was the perfect morning to do that—clean, crisp, with a layer of hoarfrost on everything. Before speaking to Elizabeth, he needed to clear his head of the detritus that had accumulated there. Maybe he was misinterpreting what Elizabeth meant when she said that her conversation with Nell had “changed everything.” Was it possible that it was a change for the better?

Forgetting about his scruffy appearance, he headed for Longbourn. He would know by her welcome if there were clear skies ahead or a storm on the horizon because Elizabeth was incapable of concealing her emotions. Her eyes, the way she moved her body, her scent revealed everything, and he pictured himself sitting in the Bennet’s parlor drinking a hot cup of tea on this cold morning. While conversing with Elizabeth about all that had happened in Scotland, he would learn if she had reconsidered his offer of marriage. Hopefully, the visit would end with his asking Mr. Bennet for his daughter’s hand in marriage.

*   *   *

A well-rested Lizzy came to the breakfast room full of vim and vigor and ready to take on a new day. Mr. Darcy’s note had been liberating. He wrote that all was well, and so she wished him well. No more worries on that account. If the gentleman decided to marry Lady Helen, he would have a pretty wife and handsome children. Hopefully, they would inherit his intelligence, but that would be none of her concern. Besides, it was better this way. It made sense for Mr. Darcy to marry a she wolf, because if he did not, he would eventually face nightfall alone as Nell would marry and leave Granyard Hall, and Teddy, who had indicated that he would not be content remaining a groom, would want to take on something more challenging. No, this was definitely better for everyone.