All Hallow's Eve (13 page)

“
We would have to meet
quite
early in order to make it worth our while, Mr. Darcy.
After today, d
o you think you will be feeling up to it?
”
The light dancing in her eyes made it obvious that Elizabeth
was quite awar
e
of the
fatigue
that he had
tried so hard to
conceal
from her.

William could not help but smile a little in response.
“
I anticipate retiring very soon after
returning to Netherfield
.
I
believe
I will have
no
trouble falling asleep
this
evening.
”

She chuckled.
“
In that case, I will meet you here at the meadow before sunrise.
”

His back straightened
,
and he stated
strongly
,
“
No
!
I will meet you at Longbourn
,
and we
will
walk to the meadow together.
”

Elizabeth’s eyes flashed with
annoyance
.
“
I often walk longer distances tha
n
between here and Longbourn alone, sir.
I am not in need of assistance.
If
it is my safety
you fear for
,
I
carr
y
dagger
s
with
me
at all times and
am
equally
as
skilled
with a dagger
as
I am
with a sword.
”

He
could not help but
notice
that
th
e
re was a
dagger
strapped to her leg
,
but she had used the plural
. Without thinking, his eyes wandered over her person, his imagination visualizing
where others
could be
concealed
.

Elizabeth asked,
“
Would you like to see?
”

William raised his eyebrows
as
a
stoic mask fell across his countenance to hide his embarrassment
. H
er fingers worked to
un
tie t
he dagger from her
slender
thigh
, and s
he
handed it to h
im
to examine
.
It was beautifully
made
,
with her family crest
carved
into the handle
—
obviously
fashioned
by a master craftsman
.

H
is conflicting emotions caused him to speak more
forcefully
than he had intended
,
“
Miss Elizabeth, you may be
correct
in assess
ing
your level of skill
, but I
must
forbid
that
you walk alone!
”
Seeing anger spark in her
eyes, he took a deep breath and purposely softened his tone.
“
I
am in possession of information
that you
do not yet
have
which
underlies my
violent
reaction
to your s
tating
that you would walk alone
on the morrow.
Please listen to all that I must tell you.

“
M
y parents
enlightened
me
of this news during their visit, and it is the same subject th
at I had asked
to speak to you about before this
day is through.
Your grandmother
did not
feel it wise
to
tell you
the
night
of the
Sanun
,
fearing that
it would overtax your strength
. R
egrettably,
th
is
duty falls to me.
Although
I do not wish to alarm you,
Miss
Elizabeth,
you must be told
,
and the information is most definitely frightening.

“
It is unclear to me whether it is by design or by chance
—
or
if it is possible that
you
r
identity is
already suspect
ed
—
but
the Otherworlders have discovered that
a man who is
Olc
will be in
the area within a fortnight, in the
guise
of
a
l
ieutenant
in
the militia. I grew up with
this man, and though
h
e was never one to be trusted, somehow he has
found a way to identify
you as
the High
Priestess
.
It is feared that t
he
Olc
leader
will unleash
heinous plan
s
against you
—
though no one knows the particulars.
”
William
paused as he saw Elizabeth’s comp
lexion pale
.
He led her to the tree stump
that they had
made
use
of
the night of the
Sanun
.

Once
she reco
vered a little, Elizabeth asked,
“
Who is it
,
this
leader
of the
Olc
?
”

“
T
he Otherworlders cannot identify
him
, but they do know
of one who is working
with
him
. His name is
George Wickham.
”
He almost spat out the name.

“This is the very reason my family has not outwardly displayed our wealth or
connexion
. Since the time of Great Evil that we spoke of earlier today, we have been aware that
t
he living
Olc
are able to communicate with the wicked souls through rituals of their own, though never in the way
that we can during the
Sanun
.
With the help of the dead, t
hey
have been searching the first circles of society for the High Priestess, assuming the individual most important to our culture would wish all the comforts money could buy.
” She hesitated, her breathing rapid. Her tone was grim as she said
.
“
I
hope you know that I
would
not cooperate with any of their plans
!
I would
never
…
”
unable to finish her thought, she only shook her head
and shuddered.

“
I do not doubt your words
,
but
Miss
Elizabeth,
”
his
tone became very gentle,
“
you must
understand
that if they have you in their possession, they would stop at nothing to
convince
you to do as they wish
.
Not one of your acquaintances would be safe
, and
perhaps others
would be in danger
as well.
No one w
ould
be
free from
the
threat of harm
.
”

He
felt within hi
s
own breast
all of the
many emotions
that
pass
ed
over Elizabeth’s
lovely
features before she
spoke again.
“
Well then, i
f they took me, I would not
survive
very long, Mr. Darcy.
”

“
No, t
hey would undoubtedly keep
you
safe…
”

Elizabeth
stood and placed her hand on his arm to gain his full attention.
“
I do not mean
that I would die
by the
hands of
an
Olc
, sir.
If
there were no High Priestess
, they would have no reason to harm anyone
—at least not until the next Destined One was born
and grown
.
”

William
understood instantly
and
stiffened
.
After s
tar
ing
into
her eye
s
for a few tense moments
, he
nodded.
It was necessary
to
fight back the bile that rose in his throat at her declaration
before being able to speak again.
“
If something were to happen, I would never forgive myself for not being there to protect you.
Please, I beg of you, allow me to meet you
at
Longbourn and walk with you?
Until this threat has passed, you must
never
be alone
—not even for a moment
.
Once the time grows near
that
we expect
Wickham is
in town, your family will move to Netherfield
—
”

“
I do not believe
that
would be necessary,” she interrupted. “
My sisters, my father and I can—
”

“
Excuse me, but
I am afraid
it
is
necessary
, for several reasons
.
Not only
does your father agree, but so do the Otherworlders
—
your family
will not be enough to protect you.
Besides, t
he
Olc
will
expect you to be
at Longbourn
.
T
here is
also
not enough room there to house all of us
.
”

Elizabeth stared at him for a few moments
.
“
Miss Bingley and
the Hursts?
They must not be place
d
in danger’s way
.
”

“
I am certain
that
Bingley will send them away as soon as possible.
Once they have gone, we can train
indoors
at
Netherfield. We shall move what we need from
the armo
u
ry beneath Longbourn during the night.
”

El
izabeth arched her left brow,
“
Y
ou
honestly believe
that Caroline Bingley will
do as
her brother
tells her to
?
”

“
Her brother controls her funds
;
she must
comply
or be cut off
,
”
William
answered
,
his
s
urprise
that Elizabeth w
ould question
this
part of the plan
evident on his face
.