Chapter Two #3
Bingley examined the gash anxiously. “At least let me bind it.”
“Very well,” Darcy said between gritted teeth.
Bingley whipped off his cravat and wrapped it around the wound on Darcy’s arm.
Darcy thanked his friend absently. “Now we should take you to a healer.”
When Bingley made no move to leave, Darcy glanced again at his friend’s troubled countenance. “What is the matter, Bingley?”
Bingley was staring at the hall. “Why did a hobgoblin appear in the first place? And why did it desire entry to the assembly hall?”
Darcy peered up at the clear night sky. “It certainly was not the result of lightning. There have been instances of spontaneous goblin appearances.”
Lightning was the most common reason portals between their world and the goblins’ would open.
But there were many documented cases of spontaneous goblin appearances—and just as many theories about what caused them.
Some were silly, such as shifts in barometric pressure or the cutting down of trees.
Others were more plausible. Darcy particularly liked Thornhill’s theory that the goblin realm and the human one existed parallel to each other, drifting together and apart at random like two rafts upon a river.
Thornhill believed that when the two realms were close together, it was easier for a random portal to open between them so an occasional goblin could slip through.
But, of course, there was no proof for that theory or any other one.
“It could be a summoning,” Bingley said, worry creasing his forehead. It was possible for mages to summon a goblin—usually compelling it to perform a task for them. Such spellcasting was illegal and required a lot of power, but it did happen upon occasion.
“I suppose,” Darcy said dubiously. “But why would a mage summon a goblin to enter the assembly hall? If he desired to rid himself of a rival, he would do so in a less public place.”
“Perhaps the mage wished to disrupt the ball for some reason?”
“There are far easier ways to do so.”
“True.” Bingley blew out a breath.
“And, as Sir William observed, Hertfordshire is not awash in powerful mages. I would wager Mr. Bennet is the most capable one in the neighborhood.”
“Aside from his daughter,” Bingley murmured.
“We must report this event to the Convocation.”
Bingley groaned. “I knew you would say that.”
“It is the right thing to do.”
“Yes, but the paperwork….And the secretary always complains he cannot read my handwriting.”
Darcy sighed. “I will do the paperwork.”
Bingley brightened considerably. “You are a true friend.”
Darcy stared at the hall’s entrance where Miss Elizabeth had long since disappeared.
Should he mention her to the Convocation or the archmage?
She was known in London as the woman who wished to study magic, but he doubted the Convocation understood how much magic she practiced.
Of course, the illusion spell might be her only trick.
Hurst sauntered out of the assembly hall, having taken the time to don his greatcoat.
Typical of him to emerge well after any danger was past. He was issuing orders to the footman at his elbow—also typical.
As his father had served as the archmage before Darcy’s uncle had taken the position, Hurst keenly felt the importance of his family name in Convocation history.
He still believed that he should have been elected archmage after his father’s death—even though his powers were meager, and the Earl of Matlock was far better qualified.
The footman scurried back into the hall to do Hurst’s bidding, but the man himself approached Bingley and Darcy. His languid gaze made Darcy even more self-conscious of the mud coating his breeches. “I heard the attack was by a hobgoblin, but that is impossible of course….”
“It was a hobgoblin,” Bingley said.
“Impossible,” Hurst said in a disdainful voice. “Who in Hertfordshire would possess the power to summon—?”
Darcy interrupted. “It was unmistakably a hobgoblin. Six arms, dense blue fur, and quite powerful. It was the largest hobgoblin I have ever encountered.”
“But why would someone send a hobgoblin to attack a ball? It makes no sense. Perhaps you mistook a hogboon for a—”
“I assure you, I did not,” Darcy said in icy tones.
“And it is a mystery as to why any goblin would attack a ball.” He gave Hurst his haughtiest stare until the man averted his eyes.
He tried to tolerate the other man since he was married to Bingley’s sister Louisa and Darcy’s fiancée did seem to like him.
But there were times when Hurst’s arrogance was simply too much to bear.
“If you had been out here, you would have observed—”
“I remained in the ballroom so I could protect the others,” Hurst said in portentous tones. “I cast a shielding spell.”
Darcy would have been more impressed if Hurst’s shielding spells were worth anything.
“Charles, what are you—? Your suit! It is ruined!” The shrill, slightly nasal voice emanated from behind Darcy, but he did not need to turn around to identify its owner.
Caroline approached the three men with rapid strides, a pinched, disapproving expression on her face.
“And Fitzwilliam!” she exclaimed as she drew closer.
“You are quite disheveled!” Her disdainful gaze raked over both of them.
She pulled her shawl around her shoulders.
“And goodness knows why we must all stand about in the frigid air!”
Bingley heaved a sigh. “We were fighting a hobgoblin, Caroline.”
“That is no excuse!” she snapped. “You can fight a goblin and still take care with your appearance! You are a gentleman, after all.”
“Caroline—” Bingley started, but he was no match for his sister.
“I was in the ladies’ retiring room. When I emerged everything was in an uproar and you two had disappeared, leaving me alone in the ballroom!”
“We are paladins,” Darcy said sharply. “Our first duty is to protect the people of England.”
Caroline sniffed. “Of course. I am only your fiancée.”
“Hurst was there,” Bingley pointed out reasonably.
Darcy was exhausted and his forbearance was wearing thin.
If he remained with Caroline, he would say something he regretted.
“Bingley needs to visit the healer,” he said hastily before she could raise another objection.
“I must take him there at once.” Pulling his friend’s elbow, he drew them both back toward the hall.