He texted his chauffeur to meet him at the building’s back exit. Hopefully Darcy would be long gone before the paparazzi realized he wouldn’t depart via the red carpet. But he couldn’t let them snap pictures of Elizabeth in her current state.
Fortunately, Elizabeth cooperated, only grumbling about having to move while her head was spinning. They gathered some strange looks as he navigated her toward the staff-only exit, but nobody questioned them.
The alley behind the theater was blissfully empty except for Raoul waiting with the limo. With minimal fuss, Darcy helped Elizabeth down a short flight of steps and toward the car. Instantly grasping the situation, Raoul hopped out of the driver’s seat and helped maneuver Elizabeth into the backseat.
Raoul kept the snarky comments to himself until the limo was underway. “You know, sir, you’re an international movie star and not half bad looking. You don’t need to get them drunk beforehand. They’d probably do it sober.”
“Ha, ha.” Darcy was too worried about Elizabeth to formulate a witty comeback. He settled for raising the divider between the front and back seats.
He had expected Elizabeth to sleep once they were in a moving vehicle, and she did doze for a few minutes, but she awakened when they stopped at a traffic light. “Will?” She blinked muzzily at him.
He took her hand in his. “Don’t worry, you’re safe. I’m taking you home—to my home.”
A corner of her mouth quirked up. “What’s safe about that?”
“You’re completely safe with me,” he told her earnestly.
Her head lolled against the back of the seat. “I thought you wanted a one-night stand.” She wriggled suggestively in her skin-tight black dress.
Darcy prayed for strength. “Not when you’re drunk.”
She blinked again. “I’m drunk?”
“Yes.”
“Huh. That doesn’t happen very often.” She held up a shaky hand in front of her face as if observing the effects of a science experiment. “I am drunk.” She giggled. “I’m drunk! I’m drrrunnnk! Did you hear that I’m drunk?”
Darcy couldn’t help laughing. “Half of L.A. heard that you’re drunk.”
“Do you have a nice house?” She cuddled against him with an abandon she never would have displayed when sober. A better man would have felt guilty for enjoying it. “Of course, you do! Of course, it’s nice. Never mind.”
“It’s actually my family’s estate, Pemberley, outside the city. My parents don’t use it much anymore. They’re usually in Europe.”
“Sounds nice.” Elizabeth’s eyelids drooped.
“Why don’t you rest a little, Elizabeth?” He drew her head down to his shoulder. “It’ll take us a while to get there.”
“I don’t think I’m sleepy,” she said with a wide yawn.
“Give it a try.” Within minutes she was asleep, still curled against him.
He couldn’t imagine a pleasanter feeling.
***
Darcy had worried he would have to carry Elizabeth into Pemberley, but the nap in the car gave her enough energy to walk (well, stumble) under her own steam, although she needed his guidance and support to navigate Pemberley’s grand front entrance with its ten-foot doors. Raoul followed at a discreet distance in case his help was needed.
Lights on sensors came on automatically as Darcy led Elizabeth into the marble-clad front hallway. She staggered to a nearby bench and collapsed onto it gratefully. Raoul closed the door softly behind them. “Do you need any help, sir?”
Darcy didn’t owe his chauffeur any explanation, but—all jokes aside—he didn’t want the man to think he was taking advantage of a drunken woman. “Her sister was in a bad car accident, and her parents blame her for it. She didn’t want to go home.”
Raoul regarded her sympathetically. “I would say not, poor thing. Is there anything else I can do?”
“No, you can retire for the night. I probably won’t need you until midday at the earliest.” Raoul and the gardener had quarters in the gatehouse near the front of the property.
“Very good. Good night, sir.” Raoul slipped out the front door.
Elizabeth had slumped over and was in danger of sliding completely off the bench. Darcy swung her into his arms and carried her up Pemberley’s grand staircase. On the second floor, he vacillated between putting her in a guest room or with him in the master bedroom. However, if she got sick during the night, he didn’t want her to be alone. Master bedroom it was.