Fitzwilliam Darcy, Rock Star (45 page)

Slurry’s attention locked on the screen when the last act of the pre-show was announced. Their personal feelings were too intense to share with each other, but each was glued to a woman taking the stage.

LBS had changed their look for the VMAs. Richard’s jaw dropped when he saw Charlotte. Gone was her short blue hair. She had let it grow out slightly and it was now dyed a soft black with a slight purple undertone. Her makeup was different too. It was softened and the overall effect was pretty, where before it was hard. She wore her trademark black, upgraded to a neat top and slim pants.

Elizabeth’s long mane had been carefully dyed, so her rich brown now had a coppery sheen. She was wearing a white, textured vest and white jeans with brown sandals.

Jane was the least changed. Her platinum locks were shorter and arranged in beautiful curls that fell around her face. She wore a white leather mini-dress that showed off her flat stomach and long legs.

The spell that the women’s appearance worked on the men was broken with the first notes Elizabeth played. Instead of the quick, light melody they were expecting, a slow, dark song began. Charles’s smile was wiped away and he looked on in confused horror as Jane sang.

It seemed so good when it started.

I gave my trust to you.

I came to you open-hearted,

Hoping it was true.

Now I’ve gotten smart.

Now I’ve learned some things.

Now I know that what once was a start,

Is just an ending.

The longest good-bye

I ever knew,

The longest good-bye

Was the day

I said hello to you.

Darcy closed his eyes against the vision before him, but it didn’t block the song from reaching his ears. Their playing was perfect; he had never heard them better. He opened his eyes against his will, and again he saw the deep sadness in his Elizabeth’s eyes.

He grew sick with the knowledge that he had done this. Only the harsh curse of Anne sitting nearby could reach him.

“Those bitches!” she spat. “I don’t know what those whores think they are doing, but they just ended their career!” Her cell phone rang and she answered it. “Yes, Mother. I will, don’t worry!”

“Anne, wait!” Darcy spoke suddenly. “Let me talk to Lady Catherine.”

Anne glared at him, but reluctantly passed over the phone. Darcy took it and spoke quickly, “Lady Catherine?”

“Darcy?”

“Yes, it’s me. Don’t terminate them. It’s my fault they are doing this. Don’t blame them.”

Catherine’s voice was clearly surprised. “Darcy, I don’t understand what is going on here, but the fact of the matter is those girls are not performing what they were told to do.” She clicked her tongue. “I cannot tolerate that.”

“Lady Catherine,” Darcy said, his voice becoming desperate as Charles’s horrified eyes focused on him. “Please don’t terminate them. We need them for our tour. We cannot get another opening act; you know that.”

Catherine mulled. “I don’t like this, Darcy. Not at all.”

“I know you don’t, Lady Catherine. But I promise I’ll make it right. If I have to, I’ll guarantee De Bourgh’s investment—out of my own pocket. You won’t lose money on this.”

“You will what?”

“I will buy Long Borne Suffering’s contract myself. Don’t terminate them.”

Charles looked back to the horrific image on the screen while he listened to Darcy and everything clicked into place. “I’ll buy half,” he told him in a firm voice.

“Charles?”

“Oh no, Will. I have no idea what you did, but I don’t want you owning anything of Jane’s.”

Richard watched and then quietly announced, “I’m in too.”

Darcy looked at the men and then turned his attention to the phone. Catherine was listening carefully. “I heard that. And I will hold you to it.”

“Put it in writing. We’ll sign it,” Darcy growled.

“Oh, you will. Trust me on that, Darcy,” Catherine said in a clipped voice and hung up.

Jane’s song was over, and the two-minute warning was given for the main show. Slurry was out of their seats, and from their position, they watched Long Borne Suffering enter the room and take their seats toward the back. The women looked at Slurry with resolve as they took their place, knowing this might be their last time there.

Charles tried to go back to Jane, but Caroline and Darcy stopped him. “Wait for the break,” Caroline said.

Charles turned angrily on Darcy. “Tell me what happened, everything.”

As the show opened and the host sang and made jokes, Darcy softly whispered the story of the previous night, of that morning, and of the song that triggered LBS’s reaction.

Charles listened, his face expressing the betrayal he felt. “You told Elizabeth about my father? No wonder Jane—damn it!” His eyes narrowed with anger. “I should blame you for all of this, but I was the fool who trusted you!”

Darcy swallowed hard. “I’m sorry, Charles. It’s my fault. I let my temper get control of me. I fucked up. I shouldn’t have had us do that song.”

Charles was struck by Darcy’s apology and the genuine regret he heard in his friend’s voice. “I just hope I can make things right with Jane.”

Darcy nodded. “I’ll do anything I can to help.”

“You’ve done enough.”

***

At the break, Slurry lost no time following LBS out of the theater and into the crowded lobby. The girls stood together, posing for pictures. A pretty woman approached Alex as he stood nearby.

“Alex Lucas? I’m Kristin D’Andrea, MTV News. We would like to have Mark Cole interview LBS when the show is over.”

Alex nodded. “That’d be fine.”

Kristin smiled as she recognized Anne de Bourgh approaching them. “Anne, you must be happy.”

Anne smiled and lied through her teeth. “We are so proud of all our artists, and LBS has certainly proven themselves tonight.”

“I heard,” Kristin said confidentially, “that management wants to work out a deal with De Bourgh to have the footage of the pre-show made into a video.”

Anne smiled and winked, and then laughed as Kristin moved off. “You’re damn lucky, Lucas,” she breathed coldly under her breath.

“Don’t I know it,” Alex replied while he smiled to the crowd.

***

“Elizabeth.”

Elizabeth froze as she heard his voice. A chill raised goose bumps along her arms. She wished she could be angry with him, but she couldn’t. At this point, she just felt sorrow about everything. She turned to Darcy and smiled politely.

Darcy’s heart contracted painfully with her polite smile. “I wanted to compliment you,” he told her. “Nice show.”

“You too,” she said coolly.

Darcy understood her perfectly. “We’re not done yet.”

“I am,” she replied quietly and moved off.

***

They watched each other as Richard slowly moved closer to her. Richard had an open smile on his face, revealing his clear admiration for her new look.

“Hey, Char,” he said easily. “You look great.”

Charlotte leaned forward and without thinking about it, lightly kissed him on the lips. “Thanks, Richard.”

As the words left her mouth and she pulled back, they were both stunned as they became aware of their actions. Suddenly all the easiness between them was gone.

“How was your week off?” Richard asked nervously.

“Good,” she answered automatically, then smiled quickly. “It hasn’t really been much of a break. We’ve been doing appearances almost every day.”

Richard nodded, suddenly very aware of his hands, which wanted to touch her again. He was so focused on controlling them he almost missed her question.

“How have you been?”

“I’ve been good,” he replied. “I’ve been doing some thinking.” He looked down at his feet, then back into her face, laying his emotions bare to her. “When we get back together for the tour, maybe you and I could talk.” He paused and smiled uncertainly. “There are some things I need to tell you.”

Charlotte looked at him, unable to accept the open affection in his face without breaking down. “
If
we go back on tour,” she said lightly, trying to hide in humor.

“Oh, you’ll be there. Your performance was a huge hit. You’re now De Bourgh’s latest discovery.” His voice emphasized the last word.

“Oh,” Charlotte said, her surprise evident.

“That is, if you want to come back to the tour. I…” he paused and shrugged. “We would all be very sorry to see you and the others leave.”

Charlotte thought a moment, completely stunned by the change in their fortunes. “We’ll have to see what happens, won’t we?” she replied cryptically and walked away. As she returned to the theater, she found she couldn’t erase the vision of Richard’s face, of his open affection and admiration, from her mind.

***

Charles came up to Jane and stood next her, handing her a drink. He tried to talk to her, but when he opened his mouth, he found himself speechless. He could only stare at Jane, his eyes overflowing with emotions.

“Not now,” Jane said quietly, all the while maintaining a pleasant expression. “Not here, Charles.”

“Jane,” he choked out.

“No.” Her eyes looked into his, and for a second the curtain lifted and Charles could see the ruined emotional landscape she was hiding from everyone. “No, Charles,” she told him as the curtain fell and Jane returned to her bright and smiling mask.

Charles felt like his soul was being ripped from his body as he watched Jane and Elizabeth walk back into the auditorium.

He spoke to Darcy, who was standing next to him like a shadow. “We are singing ‘Feel Me’ tonight.”

Darcy nodded in complete agreement. “Charles, I’m sorry.”

“Don’t talk to me, Will,” Charles said, holding up a hand. “Just don’t talk to me. In fact, after tonight, I don’t want to see you again.”

“Ever?” he asked softly.

Charles exhaled a long breath. “We’ll see after the break is over.”

***

The introduction was made. The audience applauded and the lights came up. But it didn’t matter that thousands of people were cheering for them; the three men played only for three other people in the house. With an expression of intense earnestness, Charles sang:

In a world full of lies,

I don’t know what’s my own.

Passions I can’t understand and

Feelings I can’t control.

When confusion buries me,

You reach out your hand.

And when I look at you,

The chaos fades away.

You alone, is what’s real to me.

You show me the way.

Touch me.

Hold me.

Feel me.

Heal me.

Let me be with you.

As Jane watched them play, she felt her heart break. What was happening? She had started the day thinking that Charles was about to dump her, and now she was breaking off from him and he was begging her, in song, not to turn away.

As Darcy played, Elizabeth felt it again: his power, his strength. It was the third time he had played for her, and each time he moved her profoundly.

She couldn’t look at him anymore, so instead she turned to Jane and watched as her sister’s face crumbled. Elizabeth put her arms around her, and they held each other up, as Darcy’s deep voice joined Charles’s in the chorus, surprising Elizabeth even more than she already was.

All three women were stunned by the message they knew was for them. Slurry was not going to let them go without a fight. Their lovers were pleading with them to not leave, to come back.

It was a bizarre reversal of events, and all Elizabeth knew for certain, as she looked at Jane’s shattered face, was that they needed to pull back, and get some distance, before they could move forward.

***

Caroline stood alone watching the scene before her. Darcy and Richard had left as soon as the VMAs were over. Caroline would have been happy to escape with them, but Charles insisted on going to the De Bourgh party. She felt pity as she watched Charles hovering around Jane, who was ignoring him.