I nodded. “Yes. I’ve known you my whole life. I can tell.”
I loved my brother, but seeing him half-mooning and half-mortified over a girl was hilarious. He always took himself so seriously, but underneath it all he was a boy with a crush.
I turned to Henry. “We’re sworn to secrecy.”
He looked just as uncomfortable as Darcy and I laughed at the two of them.
“Georgiana, you just wait. One day some guy will have you all tongue-tied as well.” Darcy smirked and glanced at Henry for a split second. “But we’re getting off topic. If you look over this list, there are only a few people we don’t know well.”
I looked over the paper once more with him. There was a column of notes next to each of the names. I assumed Oscar had jotted things down as he collected information.
“Let’s see. Mr. and Mrs. Milo Longfield are tourists. The notes say they’re building a house and wanted to see Pemberley’s layout. Bradford Philips is our second cousin, obviously, and is researching our genealogy. Daphne Jordan is an art collector. She knows we’re not selling any pieces currently but still wanted to stop by, probably hoping to talk us into selling a piece. Mr. Arnold is a neighbor,” Darcy explained.
“You were able to get this information quickly.” Henry nodded.
“Well, we have our security team. I know you want to talk to the guests, but please keep someone from theteam with you. We don’t know who we can trust.” Darcy quickly glanced at me, Dan, then Henry.
Lizzy appeared in the doorway, and Darcy straightened his shoulders.
“I called my family so they would know not to send out a search party. Sorry to impose on you.” She gave a slight shrug. Her expression was one of defeat in realizing she really was trapped for the night.
“You’re not imposing at all.” Darcy brushed off her comment, playing the role of knight in shining armor. “Our security team can take care of everything. If you’d like, we do have some interesting pieces you could add to your article. I can show you. We also have an extensive library.”
He seemed to have forgotten our conversation and Zac altogether as he led Lizzy out toward the gallery with Leo following them.
I stepped into the hall to observe the trio disappearing down the corridor. Then I returned to Henry and the trying-to-be-invisible Dan. “I’m glad she’s here. Darcy’s going to be too distracted to stop me from looking into things.”
“Well, you still need to be careful.” Henry frowned. “If you’re going to investigate, I’d like to help. I’d hate to see you get hurt again.”
“I would be happy to tag along as well,” Dan said. “Darcy would prefer someone from security watching over you.”
The last thing I wanted was someone to babysit us, but Dan would certainly report to Darcy if I acted suspiciously or sent him away.
“Right, of course. How about I call you when we decide to talk to the guests? Maybe we’ll look around for clues first,” I said, keeping my expression plain and bored. "We won't do anything risky."
“All right.” Dan looked suspiciously between me and Henry. “Please be careful, miss. I will be close at hand.”
He’d probably covertly follow us all afternoon, but at least this way he’d have to give us a little breathing room.
Chapter 5
Danhesitantlyleftuson our own in the parlor, though he’d left the door wide open and was probably within listening distance. We’d kept the curtains open, and the setting sun cut between the storm clouds on the horizon, casting an amber hue against the walls. The Christmas tree in the corner glowed with streams of sunlight spilling through the branches, leaving geometric shadows on the wall.
“I think everyone’s afraid I might be dangerous,” Henry muttered. “I promise I’m not. But I'm not so sure I rank high enough to be hanging out with the fae princess.”
I laughed and hopped up to see if Dan was still in the hallway. “Of course you’re not dangerous. If Darcy were really suspicious of you, he wouldn't let you out of his sight. Your family and ours go way back, so he's not really worried.”
Henry followed me and glanced out the door. No sign of Dan. “Well, I’m glad they’re protective of you.”
I leaned my back against the doorframe, and my lips tightened into a firm line. “Darcy’s more than protective. Since our parents’ deaths, he sometimes borders on paranoia. We can’t seem too much like we’re looking into things on our own, or he'll have a panic attack.”
“I don’t want to make him mad…” Henry hesitated. “He’s very influential.”
“Mad?” I raised an eyebrow. I’d never thought of Darcy as angry about things. Sure, he could be a little broody, serious, and anxious. But he was kind, and I don’t think he ever seemed mad. Not at me, anyway.
“Isn’t that what you mean?”
“No, he just worries too much. Don’t be scared of Darcy.” I waved Henry’s concern away, and leaned close to the window, hoping to absorb the last rays of sunlight. “I think we should go check Zac’s body one more time to see if we missed anything.”
