Darcy looked toward the door through which Oscar departed. “You know how he is. I tell him to relax, and he becomes even more adamant.”
It was true. While he’d always been a bit informal around me, even looking down on me a bit, he tended to simper over Darcy’s royal status. It was probably his way of feeling usefuland part of the family since his own relatives had died long ago. Despite being royal, the Valemonts tended to pick up strays. Oscar and I had that in common, which is why I didn’t mind his slight snubbery.
“And why are you hiding your identity and spending so much time in Austen Heights?” I asked.
“Moonrot.”
“You’re looking for a cure?” Moonrot was a magical curse that appeared suddenly a few years ago and hadn’t gone away. Lydia’s father was afflicted with it and was only getting worse despite all the treatments her family paid for.
Darcy nodded. “The first case was said to be here. And you? Why are you in Austen Heights?”
“A few of the band members and I fit better here.”
It was wild that we were actually talking after all these months of running in similar circles and having rumors fly throughout town about us. I hadn’t realized how quickly my history with Darcy would spread and grow into wild rumors after coming to Austen Heights and telling only a couple of people. It had become too hard to contain, and I didn’t think either of us had attempted to change how people perceived us.
We sat in silence. I took a bite of the cranberries while Darcy stared into the fire without touching his food.
“I’m grateful for the money. For making Lydia and I above suspicion.” I cast him a sideways glance. “Although you’ve never deigned to stoop to get me out of trouble before. At least not since…”
The name hung in the air like a weight between us. Georgiana. Not since I’d broken his little sister’s heart.
“Despite the rumors flying around, you haven’t outed my true identity,” was all he said.
I tasted the mashed potatoes, observing him. “No, it has to be something more than that.”
Darcy became a little agitated. He set his plate aside. “Is it so far-fetched to think that I might do an act of kindness?”
“For me? Yeah, it kinda is.”
He grasped the armrest and stared hard at me. “Georgiana told me what you are.”
I froze before also setting my plate aside. “When did you find out?”
“A week or so ago,” he said. “And I suddenly saw your actions with Georgiana in a new light.” He glanced at me. “You ended things with her not out of cruelty and not because you were after her money or position like you claimed.”
I sighed, his words lifting a giant weight off my shoulders. Finally, he understood. “I’d just become thisthing, Darcy,and already it had started affecting every aspect of my life. I couldn’t put your sister in danger. I couldn’t allow someone of her station to associate with someone like me.”
And it had been the right decision. From what I’d heard, Georgiana was now happily dating another guy and she was safe from me, from my messed up life. I could do the same with Lydia—I could, even though the idea of her with another man made me sick to my stomach.
Darcy’s expression softened. “How did you get turned?”
He wantedthatstory. After the bad blood between us, I wasn’t ready to give it. “Is this why you wished to meet?”
Darcy’s jaw clenched, and he looked out the large window that led out onto a balcony. The wind outside the manor whistled, tossing up snowdrifts and reminding me of the time Darcy and I tried to have a snowball fight from opposite balconies at Pemberley as children.
“The marriage served its purpose,” he said. “You and Lydia are safe from suspicion, but things have changed. What are your plans now?”
“Why do you care?”
He reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone. “Have you heard of Pam Smoot?”
“The vlogger?”
“She’s the sister of a royal councilman, Gerard Smoot. I backed some policies that put him out of business a while back.”
He played Pam’s video, the same one my sire had made me watch, showing her conclusions about the prince and the fae that had been killed by vampires.
“You wouldn’t know who’s responsible for this death?” Darcy asked.
