A Touch of Night Read online

  "Another dragon?" Elizabeth asked alarmed. Perhaps what she'd seen was a mating dance, then? Again the idea bothered her, and she couldn't have said why.

  "No, Lizzy, another... another one like me." Jane looked serious, and blushed a little, as she always did when describing things that happened in her other form. "You know how... Well, village dogs and wild wolves often give chase, but I have ... I'm smarter than they are and I manage to evade them."

  And a good thing, Elizabeth thought. She tried never pry too deeply about the peculiar dangers of Jane's condition. She didn't want to ask Jane if she might become pregnant by a creature other than human, but since weres mated with humans -- and that's how the line was propagated -- it stood to reason they might also mate with their other form. Elizabeth shuddered. The idea was completely unthinkable -- she cast it from her mind. It was another humiliating danger arising from the unnatural birth defect. Sweet Jane had done nothing to deserve any of the torment that haunted her young life.

  She looked on with heightened sympathy as Jane continued, "But Lizzy, yesterday another one pursued me... and I couldn't lose him. It was only with the utmost effort that I managed to return home undiscovered."

  "A werewolf?" Elizabeth asked.

  Jane shook her head and sighed. "I don't think so. The glimpses I caught were of a regal, spotted hunting dog."

  "And are you sure it wasn't a hunting dog?" Elizabeth asked. In her other form, Jane looked like a sleek, golden and elegant wolfhound.

  "I am sure, Lizzy. He ... He was too smart to be a dog. I'm very much afraid, Lizzy, that I won't be able to evade him another time. Not that I think he would hurt me. Not as such. But I don't know what his moral fiber is, nor how well he can control himself."

  Elizabeth bit her lower lip. "I don't know what to tell you, Jane. I can't lock you in the basement. There are no facilities for it, and a servant might find you."

  "I know," Jane said. "I wasn't asking you to. I'll just hope that the other one is a gentleman and thoroughly under self-control, in both forms."

  Elizabeth sighed. "We'll have to hope that." But she didn't like trusting so much in the goodness and self-control of others, weres or humans.

  Breakfast brought yet another threat to the sisters' calm. The family was hardly assembled at the table when Lydia announced, "La, such fun last night. Did you see the dragon in the sky?"

  Several spoons clattered to plates. Mr. Bennet's and Mrs. Bennet's, Elizabeth's, Janes, and Miss Mary Bennet's and Miss Kitty Bennet's. Mr. Bennet looked from behind his newspaper, his dark brown eyes full of suspicion, "Have you been sneaking the claret again, Lydia?"

  Lydia laughed. "Oh, Papa, that's so droll. No. I haven't. But there was a dragon dancing in the sky. Do you think they'll send the were -hunters after him? I hear his majesty's were -hunters have golden uniforms with gold braid. I think that would be very splendid. Even better than red coats."

  "Don't speak nonsense, Lydia," Elizabeth said, fervently hoping that only Lydia had seen the dragon -- other than Elizabeth herself. No one would send for the were -hunters on the word of a very silly fifteen year old. And Elizabeth knew they couldn't afford to have the were -hunters loose in the region. The were -hunters always made their investigations during the full moon, and if they came now, they would find a great deal more than a dragon. Jane would be in dire peril. "There are almost no were-dragons . They were pretty much killed right after the were laws came into effect. To dangerous to be allowed to live."

  "Lizzy is right," Mary who prided herself on her reading and profound thinking said. "Let us not forget that these laws, immemorial though they were, were formalized by John Lackland when his brother Richard assumed the form of a lion at court and devoured half the courtiers. King John had him executed and forthwith, parliament passed the wise law that every were , harmful or not, will be executed as soon as discovered, for they are not fully human and might at any moment lose control of themselves and fall upon humans, devouring human flesh. In fact, Fordyce himself writes that--"

  "Jane, you must eat eggs," Mrs. Bennet said. "For you are too pale. Tell me you're not going to contract a dread illness for we must have you healthy. There is an assembly tonight, and Mr. Bingley told your father he's very fond of dancing and you must know I mean for you to marry him."

  "Mama!" Jane said, but was interrupted by her father saying, an amused twinkle in his eye, "Well, well, a love of dancing is the first step to falling in love, which in turn is the first step to marrying. You must forgive your mother for jumping a few steps, my dear."

  "He's coming with a large party, I hear," Lydia said.

  "Three gentlemen and five ladies," Kitty said.

  "Too many ladies," Elizabeth said. Her sisters laughed and all talk of weres was forgotten, though Mary looked very upset at being so ignored.

  It was one of the rare times in her life when Elizabeth felt grateful to her mother and her mother's matchmaking obsession. For the rest of breakfast, they discussed the assembly and the subject of were-hunters and dragons was quite forgotten. Towards the end of breakfast, through combined efforts of herself and Mrs. Bennet, they managed to make Jane eat a boiled egg and drink some warm tea, and Jane's color returned a little. But her eyes retained their haunted look, as if afraid to meet what she couldn't face in the human world -- always so much more dangerous to her than the world of were-kind.

  * * * *

  Despite the insufficient breakfast, Jane was looking lovelier than ever when they left for the assembly. The assembly taking place in the evening and early hours of the night, Jane had always been able to hold off her transformation until it was over. Something for which Elizabeth felt they should be very grateful.

  As it always was every month, the assembly formed a cozy gathering of neighbors and friends bent on amusement -- comfortable and calm except for the ripple of excitement that ran through the crowd. They were all eager to finally see the new resident of Netherfield Park, and the large party he was rumored to have assembled.

  When they entered there was a hush, only broken only by Lydia saying, "Thank the Lord there are not five ladies after all!" and then giggling loudly.

  Charlotte Lucas, Elizabeth's best friend in the neighborhood, though she was almost eight years older than Elizabeth, leaned towards her and said in a low voice, "The fair-haired gentleman with the agreeable smile is Mr. Bingley, and the two ladies his sisters. One of the other gentlemen is married to his older sister, and the other is Mr. Darcy. My father tells me that he is very rich -- ten thousand a year -- and that he has a grand estate in Derbyshire." Charlotte could normally be counted on to know all such gossip. Her father had been a businessmen till he had the occasion to speak before the king on a royal visit to Meryton. This, causing his elevation to a knighthood, was the cause of misfortune for his family. His elevation to the peerage made it, in his own mind, unsuitable for him to keep shop as he always had. That in turn caused him to move to town and try to live up to his dignity. This meant the family was much worse off than the Bennets and Charlotte, nearing twenty eight and still unmarried, often had to help in the kitchen.

  "His sisters think themselves very fine, do they not?" said Elizabeth. The two ladies had fine figures, dressed in the height of fashion and cast bored, superior glances across the room. "Which gentleman is the rich friend? Not the portly one, I hope -- it would be too sad for all the hopeful ladies in this room to be denied a chance with the tall, dark haired one, though his expression is so very stern."

  Charlotte giggled, but then sighed. "Mr. Darcy is a fine figure of a man. It would indeed be cruel if he were married."

  "Not that he would look at the likes of us," said Elizabeth lightly.

  Charlotte stepped back, gave her friend a long, evaluating look and smiled, "You are looking remarkably pretty tonight, so I see no reason for you to suppose that."

  "He has the look of not being well pleased with his company," said Elizabeth, examining the man, who truly might be the most handsome man she
had ever seen, but whose expression forbid even a thought of ever talking to him, let alone joking with him -- and Elizabeth dearly loved to laugh. "He must think us all very countrified and provincial."

  It was not long after his arrival that Mr. Bingley sought out an introduction to Jane and asked her to dance. Elizabeth did not blame him for her sister was by far the prettiest girl in the room, but she followed them with her eyes, concerned for Jane. She had such a kind heart and gentle nature. If she fell in love it would be dangerous -- and Mr. Bingley's affable countenance was tailor made to attract her.

  As was often the case at local assemblies, gentlemen were scarce. Elizabeth had danced a few dances but was now sitting on the sidelines beside Mary, wondering whether she should be happy that Jane was enjoying herself or worried because Jane seemed to show the same preference towards Mr. Bingley that he showed towards her. It was unfortunate that Mr. Bingley was not more like his friend, who had at first impressed the people of Meryton with his stately bearing and fine fortune, until they had become disgusted by his evident pride and arrogance.

  He walked here, he walked there. He stared out the windows and behaved as though decidedly above his company, dancing only with the ladies in his party and conversing with nobody. At that moment he was standing not far from where Elizabeth sat.

  Mr. Bingley said something to Jane and came to join his friend. She perked up at hearing Bingley address his friend.

  "Come, Darcy, you have to dance," Bingley said. "I must have you dance."

  Darcy sighed. "Bingley, I'll never understand your interest in getting so involved in society. For those like us, the more people we know, the greater the chance we'll get caught."

  Caught? Elizabeth thought this an odd thing to say and wondered if the two of them were some sort of criminals, or if Mr. Darcy alluded in this indelicate way to the possibility of their getting caught into marriage by women he considered their inferiors. Considering Mr. Darcy's obviously insolent pride and self-importance, that was all too likely.

  Half amused and half horrified, she listened on, prepared to laugh at Mr. Darcy's obvious pride, but was shocked as the conversation turned to her.

  "Don't be silly, Darcy," Bingley said. "There is no one hunting for us. Lay aside your worries for one night and enjoy yourself! This assembly is exceptionally delightful. In fact I've never seen a pleasanter society or more handsome girls. Some of them are uncommonly pretty."

  "Your partner is the only handsome girl in the room," responded Darcy, glancing over to where Jane stood waiting.

  "She is divine! I don't think an angel could be more beautiful. But there are other pleasant girls as well and some of them are uncommonly pretty -- why she has a sister sitting behind you who is also pretty and looks most agreeable. Miss Bennet can introduce you to her."

  "Which do you mean?" Darcy asked, and looked at Elizabeth. The minute he looked at her, his eyes widened, as if she were... Something dangerous, or perhaps poisonous.

  He had uncommonly beautiful eyes, though she could only discern that as he looked at her directly and widened them. Dark green and expressive, they filled with horror at the sight of her. His cheeks tinged with a red flush. But before she could think very hard about what that might mean, Darcy looked away and said to Bingley. "She's tolerable, I suppose. But not handsome enough to tempt me. I am in no mood to give consequence to females who are slighted by other men -- it is bad enough to have to stand here and endure the rest of the evening without your wishing an uncomfortable situation upon me. Return to your partner and enjoy her smiles, you are wasting your time upon me."

  Elizabeth's feelings towards Mr. Darcy, which had already been less than cordial, were now completely hostile. She had done nothing to deserve such contempt, much less such humiliation. He had to know she could hear him. And the look he had cast her was filled with abhorrence. As if he had sensed some evil within her, or some danger. But she could not understand what it was about her countenance that had disgusted him so. She had always been regarded as one of the prettiest girls in the community. He was clearly a strange gentleman, and she was heartily glad not to have been forced into dancing with him. She knew it would not have been a pleasurable experience at all.

  She got up and walked across the room to join her friend Charlotte. As she walked she pondered the other comment she had overheard. His concern about mingling in society giving them a greater chance of being caught. Were they, then, not the gentlemen that they seemed? She had heard tell of scoundrels and thieves, men of gentility who had lost their fortunes through gambling and dissipation who came into the country and posed as upstanding citizens only to pull off some nefarious swindle in the community. Were Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy involved in just such a plot? Or were they in hiding because of political intrigue or espionage? Were they indeed traitors to the crown? Elizabeth was still mulling these thoughts over when she reached Charlotte's side.

  "What is the matter, Elizabeth?" asked Charlotte. "Your expression is so very grim."

  Elizabeth shook herself and laughed. It would not do to express her suppositions without any proof. "I have just been slighted, Charlotte, and it has cut me to the quick."

  "By whom?" Charlotte asked, widening her eyes in surprise.

  "Mr. Darcy, of all people does not think me tolerable enough to dance with!" she said, and felt the corners of her lips pulling up for above all else Elizabeth dearly enjoyed a joke. "He is so proud and fastidious one must be as elegant and showy as those vain peahens he is used to consorting with. I am not handsome enough to tempt him! He would not be seen dead dancing with a lady slighted by other men. As if I had the least desire to dance with him myself!"

  "Careful, Elizabeth," said Charlotte. "Behind your laughter I detect some bitterness of spirit."

  "Do not be foolish, Charlotte. I am merely disgusted with the gentleman's consummate arrogance. Assuming every woman would, naturally, wish to dance with him. I can assure you that he is the last man in the world that I would ever wish to dance with."

  The two friends continued to laugh as Elizabeth found many other amusing ways to disparage the haughty Mr. Darcy. She made fun of his standing pose, and his walking, and above all his bored expression. "What does he expect to see out the window?" she asked Charlotte.

  "Perhaps a dragon," Charlotte said.

  "I beg your pardon?" Elizabeth asked, trembling.

  Charlotte looked at her, a slight frown creasing her forehead between her eyes. "Oh, have you not heard the rumor in the village. We are, it seems, playing hosts to that most wild and forbidden of weres . There is talk of sending for the Royal Were -Hunters."

  Involuntarily, Elizabeth looked towards Jane as her sister danced with the dashing Mr. Bingley. Elizabeth's protective instinct was so strong that she could never relax in her chosen duty of keeping Jane safe from detection and the deadly consequences it entailed.

  Chapter Three

  There was much excitement at Longbourn the next breakfast.

  While Mrs. Bennet tried to relate the wonders of the assembly in minutest detail to her husband and Mr. Bennet made totally out-of-context comments from behind his edition of the Times of London, a letter arrived for Jane.

  "A letter," Mrs. Bennet said. "Where is it from, Jane?"

  Jane blushed. She seemed scarcely recovered from her nightly wanders which had started late and ended so close to breakfast time that Elizabeth had not managed to ask Jane whether she'd seen the hunting dog again.

  "It is from Netherfield, Mama," Jane answered, softly.

  "Oh, Netherfield. Well, read it my dear. Read it quickly. Do not keep us in anxiety."

  "It is from Caroline Bingley," Jane said. "It says... My dear Jane, Louisa and I are alone today, as my brother and Mr. Darcy are dining with the officers. And you must know if you don't come and save us from each other's company, we'll hate each other for the rest of our lives, since that is the inevitable result when two women are forced to spend the day in tete a tete."

  Mrs.
Bennet frowned. "Well, you shall ride on horseback to Netherfield then."

  "Why, Mama?" Jane asked.

  "Well, for sure, because it looks like rain," her mother said and smiled sweetly.

  Jane blinked and Elizabeth could practically see her wondering whether in her tired state she'd missed a step in the conversation. "I don't understand, Mama. Why should I ride on horseback because it looks like rain? Is the carriage not available."

  "Certainly not! I'm sure the horses are needed in the field. Are they not, Mr. Bennet?"

  "They are needed in the field far more often than I'm allowed to have them there," Mr. Bennet said. "But if Jane needs--"

  "She does not need it. She shall go on horseback, for it looks like rain," Mrs. Bennet said, decidedly.

  "My dear," Mr. Bennet said, for once setting down his newspaper, seemingly fascinated with his wife's reasoning. "I know that you must think you've given me every possible detail in this so charming plan of yours, but I must assure you that I see no relation between impending rain--" He cast a glance out the window, where the sky had turned grey and boiling with clouds. "And your daughter having to endure that rain on horseback. If there is such a lack of water for baths, perhaps I should--"

  "Baths! Do not be nonsensical. Of course, she must go on horseback, for it looks like rain, and if it rains she'll have to stay overnight and wait till Mr. Bingley returns home."

  The look which Mr. Bennet cast his spouse mingled admiration and not a little fear. "It is then decided that this poor man will be hunted down mercilessly and forced to marry our daughter?"

  "Forced to marry her! Don't be ridiculous. Anyone who saw them dancing yesterday night couldn't but know they were in a fair way to being in love."

  Elizabeth cast a worried glance at Jane, who was blushing brightly, but her father didn't seem to notice. "Well, if that is so, my dear Jane, you must make sure your Mister Bingley asks my permission first. It wouldn't do for you to cast yourself beneath reproach by eloping."