Fitzwilliam Darcy, Rock Star (17 page)

“Okay, I think we can begin,” Caroline said. Before she could say another word, Jane opened the door of her room, and dressed in shorts and a fresh T-shirt, she joined the group.

“Good morning,” she smiled to everyone.

“How are you feeling, Jane?” Caroline asked.

“Better, thanks.”

“You look better,” Alex said, and the group agreed.

Jane took a seat next to Elizabeth. “Charles isn’t here yet?”

Caroline smiled and shook her head. “He’ll be late to his own funeral. Let’s continue; the show for tonight is cancelled, but we’re performing tomorrow.” Caroline reviewed the next week’s schedule while Elizabeth studied her sister. Jane was still plainly injured, but Elizabeth could see a change in her eyes. Jane was glowing, and Elizabeth was filled with a curiosity to know exactly what had happened.

“Jane’s doctor has said that she is not to perform for a week. So the question is: What are we going to do for the warm-up act?”

Elizabeth spoke up. “I can do the show.”

Caroline looked doubtful. “Are you sure, Elizabeth?” While she was talking, Charles quietly entered the room and sat down next to Jane, taking her hand. “We all know you can play, but can you get a set together in a day?”

Elizabeth considered. “It’s only three more songs. I have that many on the CD. I’ll need time to rehearse, but yes, I think I can do it.”

“She can do it,” Alex said confidently.

“What about bass?” Darcy asked. “You’ll need someone to play with you.”

Elizabeth nodded, conceding his point but not having a ready answer.

“What about one of the guitar techs? I think Simon can play bass,” Caroline said.

“I can play,” Charles volunteered.

“Are you sure?” Caroline asked in a tone that was much more appropriate for a sibling than a manager.

“I don’t like it,” Darcy said darkly. “Playing the warm-up set and then our show. I think that’ll be too much.”

Charles looked at Jane, who squeezed his hand, then turned to the others. “It’s not too much. It’s just for one set and it’s only for a week.”

“I don’t know, Charles,” Caroline frowned. “Maybe we should find someone else.”

“We don’t have time,” Charles insisted. “I can do it. I know half the songs already.”

“Excuse me,” Rachel spoke up loudly. “That was Anne,” she announced, as she closed her phone. “She’s on her way with Collins.”

A mass of groans and rolled eyes accompanied this statement. “Did you tell her not to come?” Darcy asked impatiently.

“I didn’t get a chance. Her plane just landed.”

Darcy swore softly.

“Let me play for Lizzy,” Charles insisted. “If it turns out to be too much, we can try something else.”

“Maybe in a few days, Jane could start to transition back in by just playing and not singing,” Elizabeth suggested. Jane nodded in agreement.

“Jane is not going back on until the doctor says she is ready,” Darcy said firmly. “Charles, if you really think you can do it, then go ahead. I’m not going to fight with you on this.”

“It’ll be fine, Will,” Charles said easily.

Richard, as usual, had nothing to add. “When are we going to have time to rehearse?” Charlotte asked.

Lizzy shrugged and looked at Alex and Caroline. “That will depend on our travel schedule,” Alex said.

“I’m going to work that out, and I will have some answers at breakfast, if that is all right with everyone,” Caroline told them.

The meeting broke up to regroup ten minutes later in the dining room. Elizabeth found herself alone with Darcy as the room emptied out.

She noticed the hard set of his jaw. “You’re not happy with this, are you?”

He shook his head.

“What would you have done?” she asked, wanting to know if there was an option she didn’t know about.

“When we had a problem before, I stopped the tour,” he told her flatly.

“Yes, well, that was fine for the
Slurry
tour. But being that this is not the
LBS
tour, I don’t think that’s the answer.”

He looked away. An idea sprung up in Elizabeth’s head that she knew could not be right. “You would have stopped the tour for us?” she asked incredulously.

“I did, didn’t I?”

“But that was just for one night. You can’t stop the whole tour for a week, not for us; that’s crazy.”

“I know,” he said simply. “That is why we are going on. But I don’t like it.”

Elizabeth studied him openly. “Can I ask you something?” Her curiosity was risking more trouble, but she had to know.

Darcy’s head moved down and up once, slowly in response as his eyes held hers.

“What is your problem with Charles and Jane?” she asked calmly. “I understand being concerned,” she explained. “I know I am, but you seem so virulently opposed to them. I just want to know why.”

Darcy’s eyes expressed his surprise and interest in her question. “You’re concerned?”

“Certainly,” Elizabeth affirmed. She paused for the right words. “Jane only sees the best in people. She doesn’t have a healthy sense of doubt. And she and Charles seem to be going really, really fast. I don’t want to see her getting hurt.” She looked up to Darcy challengingly. “But I don’t glare at them every time they are sitting together. Jane is an adult, and unless she asks for my advice, I’m keeping my opinions to myself.”

“Are you suggesting that I am not?”

Elizabeth buried the spark of anger that flashed at his words and replied politely, “I’m not suggesting anything. I’m asking why you seem to object to their relationship so strongly.” Her eyes held on to his, not giving an inch.

Darcy looked away, staring at a distant point while he answered thoughtfully. “Charles is… impulsive when it comes to his relationships with women. He falls in love quickly and he falls hard. It’s no secret that some of his relationships have ended quite badly.”

“And you think Jane is playing him?” she asked softly.

“No,” he answered quickly. “But I do worry that this might not last and that we have a very long tour ahead of us. Frankly, Lizzy, I don’t want to lose another opening band.”

Elizabeth thought carefully. “So you don’t object to Jane herself?”

“I don’t know Jane,” Darcy answered honestly. “I only met her a month ago. Jane seems like a good person. She’s a pretty girl with a nice voice. But in this business, girls like that are a dime a dozen, and many of them are ambitious enough to do something more to get ahead.”

His candor surprised Elizabeth. “Is that how you see her? A pretty girl with a nice voice?”

“At this point, yes,” Darcy answered easily. “The important thing is that even if Jane isn’t in this to advance her career, if she gives off the appearance that she is it could be damaging to both of them.”

Elizabeth was silent for a long moment. She realized that an answer was required, but she really didn’t want to continue the conversation. “Thank you,” she said, “for answering my question. It’s… thank you.”

“Do you want to go down for breakfast?” Darcy asked, not understanding her reaction.

“No,” Elizabeth shook her head. “I’ll wait for Charlotte and Jane,” she said with a weak smile. “Thanks.”

Darcy looked at her again, his dark eyes searching hers, then he turned and left the room without a word.

Elizabeth sank to the couch, drew up her knees, and put her head down. She felt like crying, and she had no idea why. She had asked Darcy the question and he had answered her honestly. He was worried about the tour. What more did she expect? He thought of them as “pretty girls with nice voices.” When had she ever believed there might be something more? She was simply a performer, an employee. It was important for him to maintain a good working relationship, but nothing more. When had she ever wanted it to be something more? She detested him, didn’t she?

It didn’t matter. She hated to admit it, but Darcy was right. They had a long tour in front of them, and a friendly, respectful, and distant relationship was best for everyone. And frankly, she realized as she recalled his interactions with his staff, she was lucky to be getting that, rather than the arrogant way he treated most of the people on the tour.

***

Richard smiled attentively at his companion. Charlotte had frequently found herself sitting beside him. The rest of the tour members were quite willing to leave the drummers alone so that they could eat without the table rattling from Charlotte’s and Richard’s never-ending rhythms.

This morning was no different from the others, with the exception of a knowing look being exchanged. As Richard ate, Charlotte reported on the morning’s events.

Richard looked from his plate to the subject of their conversation. “Poor Lizzy,” he commented. “Well, it makes sense she would be a little cranky this morning. After all, she was probably more upset than Jane about the accident.”

Charlotte nodded. “Plus, now she has the solo show to worry about.”

“Yeah,” Richard agreed. “She needs to get laid.”

Charlotte almost spit out her coffee in shock at what she heard. She looked at him and she started laughing, covering her mouth with her hand.

“I’ve heard it’s very good for relieving stress,” Richard continued, his voice casual.

Charlotte had to bury her head against his shoulder, she was laughing so hard. When she finally calmed down enough that she could look at him, she said in a forcibly subdued voice, “I’ve heard that.”

He nodded.

“Are you volunteering?” she asked saucily.

“Do you think I should?”

Charlotte shrugged. “Might help.”

“If the situation gets desperate, I will. But frankly, I think she would prefer someone else.”

As one, Richard and Charlotte looked at Darcy, who was ignoring Rachel, who was sitting beside him and talking, and was instead staring at Elizabeth.

Charlotte nodded in agreement. “And the sad thing is, I don’t think that either of them knows.”

Richard lifted a single eyebrow. “Oh d’uh! Of course they don’t know.” He paused for a sip of coffee. “And, my dear Charlotte, they would be deeply offended if anyone tried to tell them.”

“It’s sad, isn’t it? How some people will let feelings get in the way of a good fuck?”

He looked at her long and hard. “Yeah.” Then he smiled. “That’s what I like about you, dear Charlotte. You know exactly what you want.”

“Thank you,” she said, pleased.

“Anytime,” he replied.

***

The breakfast meeting had gone well. Caroline had shown her skill and efficiency as she explained the plans and gave out directions. The tour would be moving out in two hours, and Elizabeth needed to get herself and Jane packed to go.

Elizabeth was exiting Jane’s room when the suite door rattled with the force of someone knocking on it. She could hear loud voices from the hall as she crossed to the door and opened it. Standing there was a quartet of angry-looking people.

“
You!
You don’t look hurt!” Mr. Collins snapped at her as he barged into the room, forcing her out of the way.

“Jane was the one who was injured,” Elizabeth answered, too shocked to be angry.

“It was your picture I saw!” Collins challenged her. “With him,” he jerked his thumb back at a glowering Darcy. Alex and Caroline followed them in and shut the door.

“Bill, I told you. Jane was injured and Lizzy will be filling in for her,” Alex said through clenched teeth.

“And just who are you to be making those decisions?” Collins turned on him. “Did you even consult Ms. de Bourgh? I’ll have you know she is very upset by this.”

Collins turned back to Elizabeth. “I’m very disappointed in you.” He looked at her disgustedly. “I thought we had an understanding that you would do whatever it took to get ahead.” He glared meaningfully.

Elizabeth’s mouth dropped open. She looked first to Alex, who was already beginning her defense, and then to Darcy, whose mouth was drawn into a thin line.

“Damn it,” Alex swore. “Lizzy is doing everything she can. She is saving the show. What more do you want, Collins?”

“What’s wrong?” Jane asked sleepily, coming out of her room, still clad in her T-shirt and shorts.

“
You!
” Collins rounded on her. “You’re the clumsy fool who got us into this mess. What have you to say for yourself? Have you no shame? Couldn’t you have ducked?”

Jane looked completely at a loss by Collins’s attack. Collins was drawing breath for the next round when Charles joined Jane. Collins observed that Charles, who had just emerged from Jane’s bedroom, took her hand and kissed it, and he stopped short.

“Of course she couldn’t have ducked,” Charles said lightly. “What? You think she wanted a concussion?”

“Oh! Oh! Of course not!” Collins smiled hastily. “You are correct. Of course, poor Jane.” He transferred the smile to her, and then back to The Star who had his arm around her. “I just want to be sure Jane is all right and back onstage as soon as she is able.”