Falling For Mr. Darcy Through Time
Get up to date on the released chapters of Falling For Mr. Darcy Through Time!
Chapter One
It was the eyes.
The goddess made flesh staring at me, then the broken vase on the ground.
Right, the broken vase whose shattering echoed down the halls of Merryton Hall.
This was no brown-haired goddess, no Aphrodite of lore gracing our presence, but a woman.
She waved at me, her eyes big like a doe’s. “Er, my bad. I’m gonna go.”
The utterly poor use of the English language was excusable. Perhaps she hadn’t the proper teachings. Running away without making amends or speaking to the hosts of this hall, was abhorrent.
Those thoughts, even fallible in my own mind were what dragged me from where Charles planned to meet me.
The woman hurried down a hall, the unruly curls slipping from their clips swished from side to side as she opened nearly every door she could.
Very rude to invade the host’s privacy like that.
“Wait, miss!” I called out.
She didn’t bother to face me as she answered. “Sorry, I can’t talk right now.” She opened the door at the end of the hall and stepped inside.
The study was dark, with only the moon lighting the room through a large window before us. She stopped and such language I’d never heard expelled from feminine lips.
“I apologize for the abruptness in my tone, however you must speak with our host about the vase. What if someone were to hurt themselves?” Did I sound like an ass? I didn’t mean them too.
“Where is it?” She whispered, but not to me. My mouth opened to speak again, perhaps she didn’t hear me clearly.
Her head turned and I was lost in those eyes for a moment.
“I’ll get on that. You get going, and I’ll be right behind you.” She smiled, the action obviously full of lies.
I lifted my arm and waited for her to accept.
“I’ll escort you.” Without a chaperone, she’d disappear, and I couldn’t have that. She frowned, her posture rising in a defensive manner.
“I don’t need an escort. Just go.” She said through grit teeth, and my eye’s narrowed.
What a wayward woman.
“Miss, I will not leave until-“
The window exploded.
I moved to cover her from the glass but she dodged my arms and stepped in front of me like a guardian angel.
“Here we go.” She said, her delicate fingers lifting the dress over her thigh. I blushed. A highly inappropriate action during this inappropriate moment.
A shimmer of blue light drew my attention from her bare skin to knife in her hand.
Why did she have a knife strapped to her thigh?
“You need to run, like right now.” She didn’t look at me but kept her gaze on the creature rising from the window’s wreckage.
A monster.
Green leather-like skin with veins that glowed in the dim room. It stood nearly seven feet tall, its pointed ears brushed against the ceiling.
Sharp nails dragged along the floor as it stepped forward. Teeth bared, glowing green eyes staring right at us. It was unlike any creature I’d seen or read besides in the holy book.
Was this a demon sent to punish us for our sins?
“Dude, pick up your feet and get out of here. I’ve got this.”
She’s got this? Did she mean that she’d deal with this monster? Not on my watch. I was no coward to let a woman take on such a beast.
She readied herself. The balls of her feet pressed against the floor, ready to run. Her hand gripped the hilt of the blade, poised to attack.
Fear of this creature didn’t drive her away, it motivated her forward.
Quick, Fitz, think.
I saw no useable weapons, but I did see books. Heavy books.
No woman nor creature noticed as I ran for the shelves. Their attention locked on each other as if in a duel.
My actions must be swift yet exact. I grabbed the thickest book and took aim. Right as the monster growled, drool dripping from those razor sharp teeth did the book land directly on its head.
The woman pinched the bridge of her nose with her free hand. “Great, now you’ve pissed it off.”
The creature raised its lanky arms and dagger like nails glowed as it launched toward us. I reached for the woman, to throw her over my shoulder and run. But she was already sliding between its bowed legs, slicing its emaciated belly in her wake.
It twisted and swiped for her torso. She bent low and angled her blade into its chest but long bony fingers wrapped around her hand, lifting her body up and off the floor.
Face to face, the monster glared, blood and drool falling to the ground beneath her floating feet.
I waved my hands and stepped forward. “Vile creature! Over here.”
If I could distract it, then she could get away. Clearly, she was trained like a soldier. She could run and be safe.
When its glowing eyes glanced my way, she took advantage. Her knee slammed into its leaking gut. She crumbled to the ground, and the monster faced me.
I hope Charles will forgive me for not attending the gathering with him. I didn’t want to go, but loyalty was important. I came for him, to help him navigate the move to Netherfield. He’d have to rely on his sister.
“Georgiana.” I whispered my sister’s name as the monster stepped toward me, its arms raised. I was not a match against this. I was no soldier.
All my assets would be left to my sister. She would be well taken care of in Pemberly. Charles would see to it.
I was ready to fight and ready to die if that was heaven’s plan.
My fists were balled up, raised to my face as the monster paused. Its eyes bulged and that’s when I saw the glowing blue blade sticking out of its chest. Right where a heart would reside if it had one.
“Got you, bitch.”
My heart beat rapidly in its cage as I watched the warrior goddess pull the knife out with a sickening sloshing sound. She wiped the blood onto a bracelet on her wrist, and the rest on her dress. Such horrid behavior and I could take this no longer.
She stopped me with a soft smile. “Oh, you were so brave.”
My temper simmered as she placed a hand on my shoulder. I shrugged her off and spoke when her eyes widened.
“Oh no!” She pointed behind me and I whirled around, fists raised.
Not even a second passed before something hit the back of my head. My vision went dark, thoughts vanished, and I crashed to the ground.
~
I dreamed of a warrior goddess who came down from the heavens to fight a monster. A tale that I’d never tell a soul lest they’d assume I’d drank too much. Something I’d never do.
A wind and wooshing noise had my eyelids opening. Were the windows left open again? Such draft would cool the house more than Georgiana preferred.
Rising to my feet, I touched the back of my sensitive head and looked around. I was in the study with the broken window, but no dead, monster and no woman.
Was it truly a dream?
The wind picked up to my right and I stumbled back a step.
A glowing vortex swirled rapidly against a bare wall. Nearly large enough to fit three grown men in its circumference.
It shook for a moment, and I wondered if it had something to do with the woman. Perhaps the monster fighting and this vortex were conjured. I stepped closer, inspecting the edges and daring a look behind it.
If only I’d foreseen that following the unruly woman and continuing to search for her would be my undoing.
If I’d known, I would have stood where Charles was to arrive and ignored the woman. Instead, my body flung outward as the edge of my coat snagged in the whirls, dragging me into the vortex inch by inch until all I saw was darkness.
Chapter Two
All I wanted was a bath and a cheeseburger. Instead, I heard the calm but stern voice of my boss upon returning to the 21st century.
"Johnson, report."
My eyes adjusted as I stepped onto the metal platform of the portal room.
Miles waved his blue nails from the designated command center, his words not mine. "Welcome back!"
Grabby hands already lunged for my knife before I could blink. I instinctually handed it off to Iris for Monster DNA inspection. I knew the procedure after field missions.
Didn't change the fact that I wanted to decompress with some food and hot bat to soothe my throbbing muscles.
"Category four monster. A broken window, messy room, and one neutralized witness."
Messing with time travel was tricky business. A business I was secretly employed to do.
My boss's thin white eyebrow rose and she crossed her arms over her chest. "Neutralized?"
"Alive, unconscious, likely questioning reality. But there's no proof besides the mess." It was a simple enough answer. She didn't need to know that the dude followed me, and sort of tried to fight the monster with me.
So unless a new science fiction novel showed up having been written in 1811, then I think it'll blow over.
"Fair enough. Get the Iris and Miles their details and clean up."
Gerry looked me over, taking in the monster blood, and my disheveled appearance. Sometimes I felt bad ruining her historical creations. As the founder of this secret agency, and a historian, she put utmost care into the details of field agent's time accurate attire. She promised she didn't mind. Our job was to protect the timeline from monsters destroying time and space as we knew it. Not worrying over a costume.
"I'll have Mrs. Wills bring some tea over to the villa. Good work, Liz." She nodded then faced the resident computer nerd.
"Miles, close the portal."
The portal whirled as expected but then it crackled. Crackling wasn't expected unless-
A blur of blue and black flew from the time vortex and landed at our feet with an echo that silenced the room.
My hand reached for the knife strapped to my thigh but then I remembered I gave it to Iris already.
Gerry only took a moment to look at the body on the ground before shouting orders. "Keep the portal open!"
Not even the demand from the boss could stop the portal from winking out seconds later.
Shit.
My blood chilled, and the rest of my body froze.
"Where?" A deep voice asked. The voice, the broad shoulders, and brown hair. I knew who this man was before he rolled over and his gaze collided with mine.
The man from 1811 followed me through time.
Double shit.
His eyes widened, then narrowed.
Triple shit.
Why would he follow me? He should have been unconscious longer. Fuck this wasn't good.
"You." He growled and rolled to his feet, his body swaying to his full height. Time travel wasn't easy, I'd be surprised if he didn't-
His head flew forward, and vomit spewed onto the floor.
Puking, headaches, fatigue were side effects to the portal. The more exposure you had, the more tolerant a body got. I barely felt them anymore.
"What did you do to me?" He hissed as another wave of English dinner burst from his mouth.
Gerry watched the interaction with calculating eyes. I'm glad someone was formulating a plan because I didn't know what to do besides stand there with my hands still raised to fight and a gaping mouth.
The boss watched the stranger stand again and wipe his lips with the back of his hand.
"Miles, have Mrs. Wills bring three teas to my office. Two early grey, and one calming blend."
Normally, Miles and Iris were bickering, music played from sound system in the ceiling, and the clicking of Gerry's high heel boots made this large room feel alive.
Right now, you could probably hear the seagulls above ground it was so quiet.
Was there a protocol for this? I read the book and signed the contracts so long ago, that I didn't remember.
What do you do when a person from a different time follows you through the portal and can't go back?
Chapter Three
The man stared at me, then Gerry who simply arched her brow, and finally noticed the other two in the room.
“Pardon me.” He said while walking straight past us.
What the hell?
He stomped right up to Miles and Iris and harshly pointed his finger at me. “Sir, this unruly woman is a disaster. Breaking things, fighting, then knocking me unconscious.”
What a tattle tale!
Miles was half hiding behind Iris who had the monster slaying knife in her hands. She wasn’t battle trained but I wouldn’t wanna be on her bad side. She made an Iron Man suit for Halloween last year and I’m ninety-eight percent sure it was fully functional. She was a scary nerd.
The twenty-one-year-old genius shook his head. “Uh sorry, dude.” He pointed at Gerry.
“That pirate looking lady is the boss. You’ve got complaints, she’s your.. err.. guy.”
A strong trunk twisted in our direction and those eyes from the past studied us. Would he yell and cause a ruckus about my actions? I couldn’t say I’d blame him if he did. This situation was fucked up and he didn’t even know the half of it.
He didn’t even know where he was, let alone when.
Gerry walked toward him and gestured for him to follow her. “Sir, if you wouldn’t mind, please follow me to the study for a cup of tea and to air your grievances about my employee.”
Perfect. She would talk to him, sort this mess out the best she could, and I’d finish my reports. Iris watched me move toward her, but Gerry stopped me with a grip to the neckline of my dress.
“I called for three cups, miss Johnson. You’re joining us.”
The gentleman stood a little taller and nodded at Gerry.
Great.
“Proceed.” I gave her a thumbs up because there wasn’t a point to arguing with the lady who kept my life stable. She gave me a job when I was fresh out of the service from a knee injury. And after…
Memories I usually denied rushed through my head. I closed my eyes to shut them out.
Point was, I owed her a lot, and this all stemmed from my field mission.
Gerry led the way to the elevators at the back of the room. Miles and Iris waved as we entered and the doors closed.
Out the side of my eye, I watched the handsome stranger’s face as the elevator lifted.
His expression was worth it.
He gasped, and hands gripped the railing on the walls.
“What sorcery-.” He snapped but then we stopped. Basements weren’t common in Florida on the count of the water level being near ground level. But when you had serious funds in the bank, you were able to make below sea magic happen.
The doors opened to the main portion of Gerry’s mansion and she stepped out first.
“This was sir.” She took a right and walked down the hall to her office. Not sure why she called it a study to the guy. Did they not have offices back then?
The floor to ceiling bookshelves always enamored me. It was a beautiful collection of knowledge. All personal favorites from when she attended college and researching time travel with her late husband.
“Please, have a seat.” Gerry’s voice refocused my mind from the books to the vintage leather chairs positioned in front of a large fireplace, with three steaming cups on the coffee table in the middle.
The stranger shook his head while Gerry handed him a cup.
“I’ll stand, thank you.”
I’d been standing and fighting for a while, so I plopped my ass in a chair, and grabbed the last cup of tea.
The house manager, Mrs. Wills knew just how I liked my tea, and I smiled with the first sip of earl grey with a tablespoon of milk inside.
Gerry set her tea onto the table and took a breath before speaking. “Thank you for your patience. My name is Gerry Sinclair. This is my home and the faces you’ve seen thus far are my employees.”
She lifted her hand in my direction.
“Liz is one of my soldiers.” Field agent was on my Wells Agency badge but solider worked too.
The towering male looked at me and chewed on the word. “Soldier.”
Seriously how tall was he? Six foot six?
Even at my five-foot nine height, I had to look up at him, let alone nearly break my neck sitting down at this angle.
He sipped from his cup and spoke to Gerry without any emotion on his face. “Ms. Liz has disrupted my evening, and I wish for a horse, and a guide back to Merryton.”
Yeah buddy that wasn’t happening.
“Yes, we’ll get to that. But first, what is your name?” Gerry asked and I faced him. This handsome yet unapproachable looking man of the past must have an interesting name. Or a boring one.
John?
Charles?
Rupert?
He bowed his head then his torso followed like a male curtsey or something.
“Fitzwilliam Darcy Esquire.”
I held the title as an unruly woman as I spit a mouth full of tea all over my dress and half of the coffee table.
Fitzwilliam Darcy.
“Pleasure to make your acquaintance Mr. Darcy.” Gerry said while handing me an embroidered handkerchief.
Mr. Darcy. Surely not the fictional Darcy. The one from a beloved book, that wasn’t based on real life.
Right?
We didn’t get to find out because the gentleman swayed, the cup fell to the ground, followed by the man himself.
“Is he dead?” I jumped up to check his pulse.
Gerry remained in her seat, sipping her tea without a care in the world.
“He’ll be fine once the sedatives wear off.” She sighed and her words registered.
“You drugged him?”
“I needed time to think.”
I shook my head and looked down at the resting Mr. Darcy.
“You don’t think he’s got anything to do with the fictional Mr. Darcy, do you?” I asked while crossing my fingers that the universe wouldn’t be so cruel.
Gerry took a deep breath and looked me in the eye.
“I’m not sure. Perhaps we will have a celebrity in our care until we can figure out how to get him home.”
We potentially had the world’s first book boyfriend stuck in the 21st century.
Fuck
Chapter Four
I watched as two furry black ears floated by the edge of the bed near the alarm clock.
My best friend, my companion, my sister from a doggy mister, Jane.
The German Shepherd stared at the clock waiting for the alarm to go off. She had a schedule to keep and it started in about thirty seconds.
She didn’t notice I’d been awake for two hours.
A fluffy tail wagged, and I braced myself for a 90lb dog to jump onto the bed to make sure I didn’t just roll back over to sleep.
Jane was mid launch when the alarm blared. I squealed and dodged her wet dog licks to the face while smacking my hand on the clock.
“Morning, Jane.”
I kissed her furry face and tried to snuggle her big body but she wiggled out of my grasp to run out of the room.
And the others say I am rigid… Clearly they didn’t realize Jane was the one running my schedule.
Speaking of running.
Jane barked from the living room, ready to go for our morning run.
I wasn’t ready for the day to start the day.
My impatient diva barked two more times and I rolled out of bed with a sigh. Sometimes I wished Jane was a coach potato type.
But then she wouldn’t be my girl. Jane saved me after Jason died by keeping me in a routine.
With a huff to fuel my momentum, I rolled out of bed.
Thankfully, the summer humidity hadn’t settled in yet so I wouldn’t be soaked being outside for five minutes.
A win is a win.
We ran along the beach, enjoyed the sunrise with some easy yoga, and finished the morning off with breakfast. Well, I got a shower in and Jane tried to grab my sandwich from the counter then acted all innocent. Like I didn’t know what she was scheming.
All in all it was my perfect morning, especially after yesterday.
I eyed the mansion across the blue pool and pergola.
As soon as I entered, everything would change.
Soft snores came from the living room. My pup moved onto the next part of her schedule, napping. Which meant it was time for me to continue with the schedule.
Meeting with the crew, train, eat, exercise Jane, train (unless I had to go into the field) eat, take Jane out, then settle in for the night with a book, and finally sleep.
And I loved it.
What I didn’t love was the gentleman from the past tossing a metaphorical wrench in my well-oiled machine.
The walk to the main house was quick. I’m glad Gerry let me stay in the guest house after Jason. She always took care of me, and I owed her for that. Being so close meant I was already ready to jump time. The other field agents were still close by but it wasn’t the same as being on the property.
Some would say I needed to separate my home and work life, but I liked what I did. It made me happy and I was damn good at it.
I never failed at my job.
Until that fucking guy followed me through the portal.
“Damnit.”
I cursed, taking the steps to the entrance two at a time.
I’d spent all morning thinking how to fix my mistake. But there wasn’t anything I or any of the others could do right now. Time travelling at will wasn’t a thing. We relied on the DNA of monsters and unless a monster appeared the exact moment that jerk left, he was stuck.
The quiet halls gave no evidence to the trouble brewing in the boundaries of these walls.
Then I rounded the corner to the dining room.
Iris and Miles were loud and chatting up a storm over our new guest.
The weapon’s engineer wore a set of overalls, and a pink crop top. It was not a look I could pull off without looking like a toddler. But with her thick curves, and rich brown skin, she looked hot.
Miles wore the same outfit and suddenly I felt the urge to break out into dance like I was on stageof a 90’s boy band concert.
Miles noticed me first and pushed back the blonde hair out of his face. “Liz! We were just talking about you.”
Iris nodded, her curly afro shaking with the movement.
“Oh, whatever about.” I said with sarcastic smile.
Both geniuses weren’t letting me get away with playing dumb. As I made a cup of tea, they looked at each other.
Most meetings started like this, they would pile mountains of food from the variety laid on the table by Mrs. Wills and her second-in-command house manager slash husband. Miles and Iris would gossip or bicker. Sometimes we called them the twins because they acted more like siblings than co-workers.
In another five minutes, 8 A.M. on the dot, Gerry would walk in with the paper, and cup of coffee. We’d all talk about our plans for the day, unless there was something juicier happening.
After Mr. Darcy passed out, Mr. Wills and I carried the nearly two hundred fifty-pound limp man to a spare bedroom. I told Gerry more details about the monster and the happenings in 1811. I doubt she’d told Iris and Miles yet, that would be the topic of today’s meeting for sure.
I was surprised the twins waited until I sat down before demanding the details.
“Spill the tea.” They said in unison.
I glanced at the clock on the wall. “Gerry will update you in thirty seconds.”
Miles whined. “But you have the opportunity to tell it with flair. You used to love telling us all the juicy details.”
His words shouldn’t bother me, but he choice of “used to” stung. Iris elbowed him in the side and his eyes widened.
“Liz, I’m sor-“ He didn’t get to finish apologizing Gerry entered the room.