The Unforgettable Mr. Darcy

He rubbed her back soothingly. “You are safe here, safe with me.” She nodded, grasping his nightshirt and burying her face in it, a sensation that was not unpleasing to him. “It was only a dream.”

“I am not so sure of that.” Her words were muffled. “It might be a memory.” She pulled away from his body; he felt instantly cold. “I think it was some sort of memory.” Darcy grew even colder. Had she remembered some of his ill-chosen words from the past? Her voice was hoarse. “I…I was on a boat. And there was a man with a pistol.”

Darcy went completely still. Was it a memory of the events that had led to her near drowning? “What sort of ship?”

“It was not a ship. A boat…a small rowing boat.”

Elizabeth might have taken such a small boat to board the cutter for Jersey. “Was the man a sailor?” Many of the navy men would be armed.

“No. He was dressed as a tradesman.” Her eyes had a faraway look as she remembered. “He was so angry; he aimed the pistol at me.” She shivered, wrapping her arms around herself. Without thinking, Darcy pulled her against his body, sharing his warmth.

“He was an awful man…” She was so very frail in his arms; he wanted to stand between her and the rest of the world. “A monster…”

She had uttered that word before. “Why was he a monster?”

Her brows drew together. “I…I cannot remember. He did something…monstrous. Something horrible. I could not believe…” She stiffened in his arms. “I wish I could remember.”

An invisible hand clenched Darcy’s heart. No doubt it was some incident from the ship’s demise. Had she encountered the Black Cobra?

Perhaps by the time they returned home, Elizabeth would recall enough to give information to the War Office. Darcy had no desire to pursue the blackguard now; Elizabeth’s safety was far more important.

Darcy laid her gently onto the pillows. “You should sleep.” He pulled up the counterpane and tucked it around Elizabeth’s shoulders. “Think no more upon it. Dreams rarely make sense.”

“That is so,” Elizabeth said sleepily, her eyes drifting closed. Darcy stood, pleased the dream had not disturbed her further, but before he could move, her eyes opened again. “William, what happened to the other people on the ship?”

“You should sleep,” he murmured.

Instead she struggled into a seated position. “Please tell me. You said the ship had an accident. Was it an explosion? I think there was an explosion in my dream.”

Not trusting himself to speak, Darcy simply nodded.

“What happened to everyone else on the ship?”

He owed her the truth. Darcy closed his eyes. “The War Office believed there were no other survivors.”

She gasped. “All those people!” Her voice throbbed with grief.

“Yes.” His hand stroked her hair gently. The moonlight shone in her curls.

Leaning toward him, Elizabeth relaxed against his chest. After a few minutes, he thought she had fallen asleep again, but then she stirred in his arms. “How did you know I was alive?”

Darcy’s mouth opened, but he could think of no plausible response. After a moment Elizabeth’s head jerked up at him. “You believed I was dead!”

Darcy closed his eyes; he would have preferred she remain ignorant of how close she came to perishing. But when he opened them again, Elizabeth was regarding him with a calm, steady gaze. “You came to France hoping to find my body.” It was a statement, not a question.

“Yes,” he admitted miserably.

Tears glistened in her eyes. “I am sorry to be the source of such anguish.”

He grabbed both her hands in his. “Do not apologize. You live. I could ask for no greater gift.”

They embraced for many minutes, but soon the weariness in her body returned. “You should sleep,” he whispered.

Elizabeth allowed him to lay her down on the pillows and pull the counterpane around her again, but her eyes were wide open, anxiety evident. “I cannot help but

think about those poor people. I do not know if I shall be able to sleep.”

Darcy cursed himself for having no immediate remedies for the horrors she must be imagining. “I will not leave you alone, my darling.” He brushed hair from her face and placed a kiss on her forehead.