Darcy's Temptation (61 page)

Georgiana Darcy's coach rumbled across the poorly maintained roads leading to Hines Park. The storm forced her to delay her journey to warn Chadwick Harrison, and now she anxiously looked out the coach's window at the approaching twilight.The coach moved slowly as it finally entered the gate leading to Hines Park. Georgiana wondered why no one was at the gatehouse to greet her, but her anxiety overrode her reason, and she had the driver press on.

When the house was in view, the carriage lurched to a stop. Suddenly a clatter of horses' hooves on the cobblestones and the angry shouts of men greeted them.A door flew open, and a masked intruder stood without, a gun drawn directly on her. Georgiana instinctively shrunk back into the shadows of the coach but the man grabbed her wrist, forcing her from the coach, literally pulling her down the steps before she could get her footing. She heard the door to the coach slam closed with a sinister thud.

“Come with me,” the man sneered. Despite her genteel upbringing, Georgiana fought him desperately, digging her nails into his arm. Pulling her up the steps, the man physically threw Georgiana onto the floor of the nearest drawing room.

Before she could look around to assess her situation, she heard Captain Rutherford's voice and saw the polished tips of his boots. “Miss Darcy,” his voice was sweetly ominous, and Georgiana intuitively shivered,“so nice of you to join us.”

Georgiana forced herself to a seated position while straightening her clothing.“Captain Rutherford,” she barely whispered.

“No traveling companion, Miss Darcy? My, you are a surprising young lady. I always suspected you to be all sugar and no substance. Maybe some spice and vinegar run through your
veins after all?” Rutherford reached down to offer Georgiana his hand, and in that moment, she knew him to be the embodiment of evil. “Do not worry, Miss Darcy, I will not let them hurt you.”

Georgiana reluctantly accepted his hand. “Where is Mr. Harrison?” she demanded as she stood.

“Oh, my darling Miss Darcy.” Rutherford moved in closer to her.“You do not want to align yourself with such trash.The man is hardly worth your attention.” His breath on her cheek caused her to shiver.

“That may be,” she said with some determination, “but I still wish to see Mr. Harrison.”

“Very well.” Rutherford's sneer spread into a wicked smile. “Follow me.”

Rutherford turned on his heels and strode away from her.A woman of lesser stature would have trouble keeping up with him, but Georgiana was used to following Darcy around. Rutherford was no challenge for her. The number of armed guards in the hallway bothered Georgiana, and she feared for Mr. Harrison's life. Finally, they entered a back sitting room.

Georgiana's eyes fell on the man she loved. She started to rush toward him, but Rutherford's hand gripped her arm.“You have a visitor, Mr. Harrison,” the captain said sarcastically.

Harrison lay in a clump on the floor. Rutherford released him from the hanging position only moments ago. Harrison knew others were in the room, but his body ached from the pain, and he could not respond. Georgiana gasped. Harrison's badly beaten body lay twisted and barely conscious at her feet. Rutherford kicked at him with the toe of his boot, and Harrison rolled to his back, exposing a bloody face, swollen badly from the many blows he sustained.

“Say something to the gentleman, my dear,” the captain taunted both of them.

Georgiana swallowed hard, trying to force evenness into her voice; yet, when she opened her mouth, no sounds escaped.

“What? Are you becoming shy once again? Then let me assist you.” Rutherford held tight to Georgiana's wrist, smiling at her in a dark way. He pulled her closer to the bloody heap which was Mr. Harrison. Impulsively, she reached out for the man on the floor.“I see you prefer Harrison to me even today,” Rutherford whispered in her ear as he forced Georgiana close to him. Caressing her face, he brushed his lips against her cheek,“But I will make you change your mind.”

Georgiana finally found her voice. “You do not frighten me, Sir.”

“I shall change your mind about that, too, but first I will give you some time with your lover.” Rutherford twisted Georgiana's arm, forcing her to her knees in front of Harrison's body.Then he violently released her, strode through the door, and locked it behind him.

Georgiana momentarily followed him with her eyes; then she turned her attention to Chadwick Harrison. Nearly unconscious, but still alive, despite his wounds, Harrison lay limp. Immediately, she cradled his head in her lap. Using her handkerchief, Georgiana wiped the blood from his face. A pitcher of tepid water stood on a sidebar. She rushed to it, pouring some in a bowl and rushing back to him.

“Please, God,” she whispered as she touched the damp cloth to his mouth.“Chadwick, I am here.” She cleaned his face with the water and the handkerchief. Her touch had been part of Harrison's daily dream, and he wondered if Georgiana could be real. His head lolled forward, trying to focus on the reality of the woman.“Please,” she begged, willing him back to her.

Harrison's eyes fluttered open; Georgiana's face hovered over his. If he died this moment, happiness would flow through his veins.“Are you real?” he managed to say through swollen lips.

“I am real, and I am here with you.” Tears misted Georgiana's eyes. Frantically, she began to tear strips from her petticoat to bind his worst wounds. Georgiana felt each wound to be worse than the last.“Chadwick, stay with me. Please fight to stay with me,” she whispered in his ear.

“I am here,” he managed to say at last. Much more, he could not put into action, but Harrison gave in to her desire for his recovery. If Georgiana Darcy willed it, Chadwick Harrison would respond.

 

For the next thirty minutes, Georgiana nursed him. She placed drops of water in Mr. Harrison's mouth; she kissed him gently, afraid to hurt him more. Little did she know, to Harrison each kiss held ambrosia of the gods, but there was also a sadness that Georgiana would see him die.“Why are you here?” he said at last.

“I came because you were in trouble.” Georgiana kept her voice low in case Rutherford listened.

“You should not be here; the captain plans to kill me.” Harrison's voice held regret.

She spoke with determination,“I will not let that happen.”

 

Rutherford finally reappeared. Coming into the room, the captain's eyes immediately alighted on Georgiana; she sat on the floor, Harrison's head cradled in her lap. “Ah, Miss Darcy.” His lips curled in mockery. “I should have told you, you are wasting your time with Mr. Harrison; you cannot change his fate, but I suppose you can offer him some comfort before he meets his Maker.” Neither Georgiana nor Harrison moved a muscle. “I am afraid you will need to come with me now, my dear.” Sarcasm laced his tone.

“I would prefer to stay with Mr. Harrison.”The strength of Georgiana's voice surprised them all.

Rutherford stepped forward, forcing her to look up sharply. “I am afraid you misunderstand me, Miss Darcy; the choice is
not yours to make.” He coldly took hold of Georgiana's wrist and forced her to her feet, leaving Harrison grabbing at the air as he tried to protect her. “I promised myself I would enjoy taking you from this scum,” Rutherford declared loudly. He pulled Georgiana to him and forcibly kissed her lips. Georgiana fought with all her might, twisting and turning to get away from him, but Rutherford held her tightly. When he finally released the death grip with which he held Georgiana, he laughed derisively. “If all I take is you, Miss Darcy, I shall be satisfied.”

He started to kiss her again, but this time Georgiana was ready.Very unladylike, she covered Rutherford's face with spit and then offered him a look of defiance. During all this, Harrison struggled to help her. Rutherford's hand reacted quickly, and Georgiana's head snapped to the right as he backhanded her along her cheekbone. He used his sleeve to wipe his face while Georgiana grabbed the side of her face with her one free hand. She wanted to cry, but she bit her bottom lip rather than do so. She would not let Rutherford see her defeat.

“Bastard!” Harrison tried to force himself upward, but a rifle butt to the stomach knocked him flat once again. He laid gasping for air and spitting blood as Rutherford dragged Georgiana from the room.

Darcy paced the room, trying to decide what to do about finding Georgiana. During the past hour, Elizabeth made a decision of her own.When the “discomfort” returned, she knew exactly with what she was dealing. Intuitively, she realized she could not postpone the birth of her child much longer. She was a little over three weeks from her delivery, but no longer did she worry for her safety. Her concerns now were twofold: delivering safely Darcy's heir and keeping her impending childbirth from her husband until he left to find Georgiana.

Elizabeth wanted Darcy with her, but if Georgiana was in trouble, Darcy would never forgive himself for not being there. It would eventually come between them so she forced herself to breathe through each of the pains while keeping her eye on the clock, mentally recording their frequency.

As the hours passed, and the rain slowed further, Darcy became more and more determined to ride for Hines Park. “The water must be subsiding,” he reasoned. “I can take a lantern if it turns too dark.”

A pain rocked Elizabeth's sensibilities, and she paused before she could answer her husband.“Although I fear for your safety, you, my Husband, must do what you think best for your sister; I will understand.”

“Will you really, Elizabeth?” He caressed her jaw line.

“Most emphatically,” she responded.

Darcy leaned forward to kiss her lips tenderly.When he withdrew, he said,“I must go; I feel something is terribly wrong.”

“I know, my Love.” She kissed him deeply this time. Her lips lingered over Darcy's.“Please remember I love you desperately. This child and I need you; be safe.”

“I can be nothing else, my Love.” Darcy touched her stomach lightly before he stood. “I will be back early tomorrow morning.” With that, he left the room to prepare to leave for Hines Park.

 

When Colonel Fitzwilliam rode into the carriageway at Pemberley, he knew not whether his cousin returned to London. Bursting through the door, he screamed, “Darcy! Darcy, are you here?”

“The Master is upstairs with Mrs. Darcy,” Mrs. Reynolds answered as she entered the foyer at a hurry.

“Darcy!” the colonel yelled again as he started up the staircase.

Darcy leaned over the railing at the top of the staircase. Sounding a bit annoyed, he responded,“I am here, Edward.”

“Thank God,” Edward stammered, now out of breath.

Darcy came down the stairs to meet his cousin. “What is the matter?”

Edward nearly panted, but he managed to say,“I got a letter . . . in Bath . . . from Hannah More . . . She knew not that . . . we found you . . . So, she wrote to me . . . Rutherford plans an attack . . . on Mr. Harrison.”

“Harrison?” Darcy's voice went cold. “When? When will Rutherford attack Harrison?” He grabbed Edward's shoulder to demand an answer.

“I suspect we may be . . . too late even now.” Edward looked more frightened.

Darcy sprang into action. “Come, Edward,” he pulled his cousin to the door. “Georgiana left London. She went to Hines Park.”

“My God!” Edward gasped,“I will get the horses.”

Edward sprinted toward the stables while Darcy quickly took his leave from Elizabeth before taking his sword and gun from the study. All he told her was Edward found out about Georgiana, and they two would go retrieve his sister. It was a game they played. Darcy knew he hid the truth from her to protect Elizabeth, and she pretended to be none the wiser. However, Elizabeth knew Edward would know nothing of Georgiana's trip to Dove Dale unless he had been in London; yet, she and Darcy left Edward with Anne in Bath.

Jane Austen,
Emma
, 1815