DarK

CHAPTER 1

Fitzwilliam sat at his desk, staring pensively out the window. Although he was at work, he didn’t have any actual work to do; he almost never did. In fact, he didn’t even know why he showed up. As head of the London division, he was present only because his father had decided to retire and had insisted that someone occupy the top floor office. Again, William did not know why.
He had his own private entrance which led to his own private elevator. The elevator could stop at any of the 36 floors, but was the only one that opened into the plush office turned penthouse. Fitzwilliam Sr. had insisted on every convenience and amenity, claiming the Darcys had to "Keep up appearances." But because less than five people, and all but one of them family, had ever seen the opulent space, William knew his father had built it for no further purpose than to brag about it. The large conference room had never been used, the refrigerator sat unplugged and he had never even napped in the king sized bed. The only rooms William ever used were the mini gym, where he worked out for most of the four hours a week he was in his office, and the study where he currently sat.
So lost in his thoughts, William almost didn't hear his phone ring. Coming out of his musings, he smiled; it was probably Anna, calling because she was board, or an important business associate. He was quite willing to talk to either, the former because he always enjoyed talking to his sister, and the latter because it would have justified his being in the office. Whoever it was, they were either family or important; otherwise his personal secretary would not have bothered him.
He picked up the shiny black receiver of his seldom-used work phone. "It is Mrs. Reynolds, sir," the confident but respectful voice of his secretary told him. "She sounds agitated."
"Put her through, please." And when she did, William was grateful for the warning.
"FITZWILLIAM GEOFF DARCY! What the bloody hell do you think you're doing..." Quickly pulling the phone away from his ear and taking his feet from his desk, William sighed. He should have expected this call. He had known it was coming, but hadn't thought the news would be in the papers so soon. By the time he put the receiver back to his ear Ms. Reynolds had calmed down slightly. "It's bad enough that I have to pretend to be my sister-in-law in order to get a hold of you!" Mrs. Reynolds was the manager of his estate and her husband's sister Ms. Reynolds was the manager of DarK. People would of course think it odd if a financial CEO often talked with a band manager, so whenever Ms. Reynolds called, she had to pretend to be Mrs. Reynolds. This usually put her in a bad mood. Today, however, she was more than just miffed. "But this, Fitzwilliam, how COULD you!"
"I suppose you are talking about the American tour?" He said, calmly interrupting her tirade. Deciding to accept the offer to do a three-month, fifteen-stop, costal tour of the United States had been an impulsive decision, one he obviously should have talked out with his manager first. And since he hadn't, he should have at least called her so she got the news from him instead of the media, but he kept putting it off, knowing how badly the conversation would go. Well, too late for that now...
In a somewhat more normal tone of voice, Ms. Reynolds replied, "What else would I be talking about? Did you even think about what this means? And how hard it will be to pull it off?" The problem was that he hadn't really thought at all about it. "You and Charles can disappear for months at a time and no one cares or gets suspicious, but The Right Honorable Lord George can't just go missing! What if a session of parliament is called?" William hadn't thought of that, had only been excited that DarK had been asked to tour, and known his fellow band mates would be just as excited.. "He's got enough against him as it is! But if he misses a session, there will be talk!"
William put his head in his hands. The tour had sounded like a great opportunity to promote the band, and he had promised he would take Georgiana to the United States before she started college. "I'm sorry, I really am," he spoke slowly, knowing that more than an apology was needed for the way he had thrust this upon her, "but I know you will sort it all out perfectly. You always do," That is why you are our manager."
"No, Fitzwilliam," Too stunned at her tone of finality to say anything, William leaned forward at his desk, mouth open. She was quitting? And when the band needed her the most? "I am your manager because I am the only one who could put up with both you and the horrible noise you call music," and with that, Ms. Reynolds hung-up on him.

AN: Anna is pronounced ON-na, and Georgiana is pronounced georg-i-ONN-na, with a British accent of course! Elizabeth will be in the next chapter.