Page 80 of Second Chances
“Beth, she is your sister; you know her best. Not only do I think that you are the only one capable of making the most informed decision on this part of the issue, I agree with you,” he explained coolly. “I’ve kept this from so many people for so long, and look where it has gotten me. I really thought that when she left me, she left my life for good, that I would never have to deal with any more repercussions from that relationship, but I was wrong.”
He paused, his hands coming up to run over his face, trying not to let his anger and frustration overwhelm him.
“I tried to protect you, protect your family, but I failed,” he said bitterly.
“Darcy, you didn’t fail. How could you stop her? You can’t control her, so it’s not your fault. We need to come up with a plan together, now that everything is out in the open and just move forward.”
“What did you have in mind?”
“Well, first, I need to tell Jane. It’s just gotten beyond the point where I’m able to keep it from here, where it’s safe to keep it from her,” Beth began, thinking out loud. “Then, I want to ask her what she knows about Caro’s relationship with their parents.”
“Why?”
“Just some comments that Mrs. Bingley made at Jane’s party. There’s something going on, something I think that has to do with why she’s suddenly back in the states and trying to get back into your life,” Beth mused.
“What did she say?”
“Nothing specific, but my mother and she were commiserating about daughters who don’t listen. I mentioned Caro’s exhibit next weekend and Mrs. Bingley said that they wouldn’t be going, that she’d hoped Caro returning was to mend things with her family, but that it was actually financially motivated.”
“I see,” he responded pensively, his jaw flexing as he processed what she revealed.
“I know it’s not much, but Jane was telling me the other day how Charles has been putting out fires between his parents and sister and I just have a feeling that Jane either knows or could easily find out why she is here, why she wants you back so suddenly.”
This time he didn’t respond, his eyes closed as he rubbed the bridge of his nose.
“What do you think? Do you think she could be after your money?”
“Honestly, I have no fucking clue,” Darcy laughed harshly. “I mean, you know their family; they aren’t poor by any means but then again Caroline doesn’t really have a job aside from her art so, if she has a falling out with them, she may be left without anything, and although I can’t see them doing that to her, you never know.”
“Well, she did move to Italy and live there for years only by selling her art - that I know of, so she must have been getting funds from somewhere for living expenses; most likely I would assume her family.”
“I was never privy to much about her relationship with her family before she left. She was with me for one reason, and one reason only,” he said acidly, disgust contorting his gorgeous features as he remembered how foolish he had been.
Beth stood and walked over to kneel in front of the chair that Darcy sat in, pulling his fisted hands between hers, forcing them to open so that she could hold them.
“I’ll ask Jane,” she replied calmly, squeezing his hands supportively. “I have to tell her about Caroline and I just have this feeling that there is more to Caro’s return. If you could have heard the way that her mom talked about her…trust me, I’ve heard my mother insinuate about my sister and me enough times to know when there is something serious hidden behind a critical and sarcastic comment.”
“And if it is money, then what? How is that going to help, knowing that she doesn’t actually want me, again?”
“I don’t know,” Beth replied honestly, not having thought that far through her plan yet.
After a moment of thought, she continued, “Well, if that is the case, then maybe Charles would be able to talk to their parents, tell them what Caroline is doing and convince them to give her whatever she must have already asked them for?”
His eyes flared at her suggestion.
“Darcy, it’s ok to need help, to ask for help. Some things are more important than making sure you are the one in control,” Beth continued, hitting on exactly what his silent frustration was stemming from.
“I know, just…fuck,”he whispered, his head dropping for a moment before rising to catch her eyes, “you are the most important thing to me. So, whatever needs to be done to make sureyouare ok, I will do.”
To emphasize his point, or to seal his promise, Darcy leaned forward and captured her lips in a tender kiss, assuring her that no matter how hard it was for him, he would follow through on whatever course of action they decided on.
“It’s going to be ok,” Beth whispered, pulling back from his embrace. “What if even Charles could just talk to her and get her to see that what she is doing is crazy? I mean, he can’t… won’t… approve of her actions once he knows.”
“Maybe.”
“Or maybe he will have another idea on how to handle this - it is his sister, after all,” Beth concluded, biting her lip before continuing. “So, you never told Charles about your relationship with Caro?”
“No,” Darcy said flatly, his eyes darkening.
