Read Online Darkness Falls Upon Pemberley by Susan Adriani - Free Book Online Page B

any length of time. The throb of longing in his breast was too painful. His cousin’s animation and ability to tease made Darcy literally ache to be with the raven-haired beauty who’d stolen his heart; but she’d refused him and had fled to London. He hadn’t seen, nor heard word of her since, not even from Bingley, who was now married to her eldest sister.
    Like Colonel Fitzwilliam, Georgiana seemed to have found her stride as well. She could finally be trusted to wander through the house and grounds unaccompanied, though she often preferred a companion. More often than not it was Richard, who always went out of his way to bring a smile to her face or make her laugh, usually at Darcy’s expense.
    The fact of the matter was that Darcy ’s cousin and sister appeared to be thriving as vampyres. But what if Darcy underwent the same metamorphosis and didn’t thrive? What if he finally took a leap of faith and became like Elizabeth, only to discover—after the fact—that he was nothing like her at all? What if he turned into a blood-thirsty monster and retained absolutely no shred of his staunch self-control? What if he ended up slaying every human being he came in contact with, including those in his care and under his protection? Would Elizabeth be angry with him? Would she be disgusted and disappointed? Would she tell him she wanted nothing to do with him ever again and order him away? Darcy didn’t think he could survive a second rejection, or the possibility of harming anyone so barbarously, especially after having made such a permanent, life-altering commitment. The consequences were not only terrifying, but everlasting; infinite and unalterable.
    How on earth would he ever live with himself?
    Darcy ran his hand over his mouth and shut his eyes, expelling a ragged breath. His sister stood several meters away, a respectful distance so as not to further unsettle his horse. Georgiana’s care and concern for him were genuine, as was her almost desperate desire to see him happy. At the tender age of fifteen she’d endured enough pain and regret to last a lifetime—and last a lifetime it would, and more. With Darcy and Richard to care for her, however—and maybe, someday, God willing, with Elizabeth as her friend—perhaps she wouldn’t see her past as regretful. Perhaps her future would be bright, joyful, and brimming with promise.
    The corners of Darcy ’s mouth lifted slightly as he envisioned his sister and Elizabeth together. As usual, the sensation of satisfaction he felt from indulging such a heartfelt fantasy was fleeting, leaving him with a profound emptiness and deep sense of loss. Darcy opened his eyes and shifted his gaze to Georgiana, who regarded him with furrowed brows as he swallowed thickly and cleared his throat.
    “ I’ll be fine, Georgiana. I may not be at the moment, but I will be at some point. Now, be merciful and allow me the sanctity of my morning ride before Richard decides to join me. His incessant chatter always grates on my horse’s nerves.”
    Georgiana pursed her lips. “ Very well, Fitzwilliam. I hereby release you, but only to spare your poor horse a headache.” This earned a genuine smile from her brother, which quickly faded when she added, “I am not so easily dissuaded, you know. We will discuss this.”
    Darcy shook his head with a scowl.
    “If Miss Bennet truly makes you happy,” she continued defiantly, “if you love her, Brother, then you must know I’d want to know her—especially if she’s like me.”
    It was too much, by far too much. Furious with this new, outspoken version of his sister, not to mention Richard for poisoning her mind with faerie tales that could never come to fruition, Darcy snapped the reins and dug his heels into his horse’s sides. He barely heard Georgiana’s hasty cry, imploring him to be careful.
    Darcy snorted contemptuously. At the moment he certainly didn ’t feel like being careful. In fact, the master of Pemberley had a fierce