Chapter 6
T he following afternoon, Richard examined the Dower House drawing room from the armchair in which he was sprawled. “Pleasant place, this. I should visit you more frequently. There is a delightful absence of Lady Catherine here.”
A footman stepped into the room and bowed. “There is a caller for Mr. Darcy. I regret that we have not yet located a salver for calling cards. I hope you will forgive the impropriety.” He handed a card to Mr. Darcy.
“Naturally. One can hardly expect a household to be fully set up on such short notice.” Darcy’s eyebrows rose as he read the card. “Show him in.”
The footman left and reappeared a minute later. “Viscount Eversleigh for Mr. Darcy.”
“Eversleigh!” cried Darcy. “I had been wishing you were here. What brings you to Rosings?”
“Lord Matlock told me about your recent encounter in Faerie, and I wished to know more about it. You had already left London, so I had to follow you. The butler at the main house directed me here, saying Lady Catherine was indisposed. I hope she was not the one screaming, ‘Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.’”
“Not again,” groaned Richard. “I was so enjoying the respite.”
“Miss Bennet,” said Darcy, “May I present Viscount Eversleigh? He is a distant cousin on the Darcy side and a rising star in the Collegium. Miss Bennet is the one who led me into Faerie.”
Elizabeth curtsied. “I am also the witch thou shalt not suffer to live, so you might wish to deny my acquaintance should you speak to Lady Catherine.”
“It is a pleasure, Miss Bennet. Lady Frederica, Colonel Fitzwilliam, I am glad to see you again. Darcy, why were you wishing to see me?”
“I would like your opinion on whether a particular spell can be broken. You are ten times the spellmaster I am,” said Darcy, “but first I should ask what your position is on forbidding women the use of magic.”
“It is a barbaric rule,” said Eversleigh promptly.
“How odd,” said Elizabeth slowly. “The Sidhe lord also called it barbaric.”
Eversleigh bowed to Elizabeth. “I suspect most Sidhe would say precisely the same. Miss Bennet, you have nothing to fear from me.”
“I am glad to hear it,” said Darcy. “The spell to be removed is a binding spell.”
“I will be happy to help if I can,” said Eversleigh. “But first I would like to hear more about the situation in Faerie. Matlock seemed to think you might be out of your depth, not that he could offer anything better. I have some small knowledge of Faerie, and given the gravity of the situation, I thought perhaps I should put myself at your disposal.”
“Odd,” drawled the colonel. “I do not recollect hearing about your interest in Faerie before.”
Eversleigh looked amused. “Of course not. It is no secret that I harbor political ambitions. Being a mage is already a strike against me, and a connection with the fay would be a killing blow. However, war with the fay would be even worse. I would not have mentioned it were the situation less grave.”
“What sort of knowledge do you have?” asked Darcy.
Eversleigh flicked open his enameled snuff box and took a pinch. “ Perhaps this is something you and I can discuss in private. Although I have the greatest faith in the discretion of both Lady Frederica and Colonel Fitzwilliam, I do not wish to put them in the situation of having to keep a secret from their father.”
Frederica said, “If you are willing to trust me, I would be pleased to be part of your discussion. It would not be the first thing I have kept from my father.”
“Having been in this from the beginning,” said the colonel, “I would feel it rather odd to be excluded at this stage. I will, however, bow to your wishes, Eversleigh.”
“Then perhaps we can all discuss it.” Eversleigh stopped to straighten his already perfectly aligned cuffs. “I hope you will forgive my hesitancy. I have never discussed this matter with mortals before.”
Darcy eyed him suspiciously. “That sounds as if you have more than a slight knowledge of Faerie.”
Eversleigh bowed to him. “You are quite correct. To put it bluntly, something I am generally at great pains to avoid, I am half mortal, half fay.”
The colonel’s eyebrows shot up. “You have kept that a very close secret.”
“That was my intention,” said Eversleigh dryly. “My mother took me on several occasions to Faerie to visit a gentleman of the Sidhe who – how shall I say it? – bore more than a slight resemblance to me. Those visits stopped when I went off to school, but I retained a certain curiosity about Faerie. In due course I went off on my Grand Tour and returned with stories of all the usual attractions. Those stories came from reading books. I had actually spent those two years in Faerie.”
Richard chuckled, shaking his head. “And my father, so desperate to gain even the least knowledge of Faerie, knew nothing of this, despite working closely with you?”
With a cool smile, Eversleigh said, “I have never had an interest in becoming the subject of academic research. My goal, apart from pure curiosity, was to position myself should there ever be the need for an emissary between Faerie and the mortal world.”
Frederica nodded. “And now the time has come when the Sidhe are so desperate for an emissary that they are willing to accept any mortal who crosses their path.”
“Precisely, Lady Frederica. As it happens, I am not likely to be well received by those who disagree with their king, as my fay connections are strongly tied to him. However, as a mortal, and therefore on the opposite side of the war, I must naturally support whichever side is working for peace.”
Darcy said, “A convincing argument, I would think. Miss Bennet and I are to meet with the Sidhe lord tomorrow at sunset, and while he insisted no one else should accompany us, any insight you can give us into the politics of Faerie would be greatly appreciated. I know nothing of even the basic laws of nature there.”
Elizabeth smiled. “Mr. Darcy is kindly trying to avoid saying that I am somewhat useless as well. I do have some knowledge of Faerie, but I am not aware of what I know. If he had asked me the proper address for a Sidhe lord, I could not have told him, but faced with one, I knew what to say.”
Darcy looked at her soberly. “You have a great advantage over me in that you are comfortable with the fay. They do not strike you as frightening, foreign, and incomprehensible.”
Elizabeth considered this. “I suppose that is true. I am no more troubled by them than I am troubled by cows or dogs.”
“Rrowr.” Pepper jumped up onto Elizabeth’s lap and began to wash her face.
“Or cats,” said Elizabeth with a laugh, stroking Pepper’s back.
Eversleigh raised his quizzing glass to inspect the cat. “Odd. I have never seen a white phouka before. ”
Elizabeth shared a surprised look with Darcy. “How can you tell she is not just a cat?”
The viscount furrowed his forehead. “The same way I can tell she is not a cow or a dog, I suppose.”
Elizabeth laughed. “That is fair enough, I suppose, but you have just given away my secret. The colonel and Lady Frederica were not aware Pepper is fay.”
Wide-eyed, Frederica asked, “Is she truly a phouka? Does she change shapes?”
Elizabeth nodded. “She can change into a white raven in our world, but in Faerie she became a horse.”
Richard chuckled. “Do you suppose my father would be more horrified or pleased to discover that it was a fay cat that attacked him?”
“Pleased,” said Frederica without hesitation. “It is the closest he has ever managed to come to one of the fay.”
“YOU SPENT A LONG TIME talking to Miss Bennet after dinner.” Darcy tried not to sound jealous, but watching Elizabeth and Eversleigh’s heads leaning together as they conversed had been enough to spoil his digestion.
“An interesting girl.” Eversleigh accepted the glass of port.
Darcy could not help himself. “She is not unprotected.”
Eversleigh turned a surprised gaze on him. “I am not planning to seduce her, if that is your concern. I simply wished to know more about her.”
Richard shot Darcy a warning look. “We feel rather responsible for her. If she had not tried to heal Lady Catherine at our request, no one would be calling her witch, and her cousin would not have thrown her out of his house. ”
“I confess that is where I am mystified,” said Eversleigh. “I understand she does not wish to return to her father’s house, but she has an uncle who would take her in. Instead she is staying here with Lady Frederica whom she has just met. You are an acquaintance of a few weeks standing, and Darcy only slightly more. It is an odd situation in which to find a gently bred young lady.”
“I agree. It is not an ideal situation, but with the Sidhe lord insisting on her involvement, it seemed simplest to keep her here,” said Richard. “After Beltane, I expect she will go to her uncle.”
“Unless he continues to insist on her involvement,” said Darcy flatly. Was it wrong for him to hope for that?
“I could give you better advice if I knew which Sidhe this is,” said Eversleigh. “Miss Bennet spent ten minutes telling me every detail she could remember about him, but I can think of three or four Sidhe who would match that description.”
“Perhaps he will give his name when we meet.” Darcy was looking forward to this meeting even less after hearing Eversleigh’s views on the convoluted relationships of the Sidhe.
“It would be a poor idea to ask his name if he does not offer it. I will make some suggestions to Miss Bennet about identifying signs to look for.”
Was Eversleigh manufacturing opportunities to speak to Elizabeth? “Perhaps I can help you with that.”
Eversleigh set down his glass of port. “Darcy, I assure you I have no designs on Miss Bennet. In fact, I feel rather protective of her. Are you concerned that I will be giving her expectations?”
“Possibly,” said Richard.
Darcy said, “No. She does not think in those terms.”
“I am glad to hear it, but I will make a point of indicating to her that I am not on the marriage market. Will that satisfy you?”
It would have to, but Darcy intended to keep a close watch on him in any case.
“YOU HAVE MADE QUITE a conquest,” Lady Frederica told Elizabeth.
How had she guessed about Darcy’s interest in her? “I do not know what you mean.”
“The elusive Viscount Eversleigh. He is always careful to avoid the appearance of interest in any single young lady, yet he spoke to you for nearly half an hour,” said Lady Frederica coolly.
Eversleigh? Elizabeth gave a disbelieving laugh. “Only to ask me questions, I assure you! His manner was not in the least bit flirtatious. I doubt he even noticed what I looked like.”
Lady Frederica’s fingertip traced the gilded carving in the arm of her chair. “You do not know how unusual that behavior is for him.”
“Doubtless you are well acquainted with his habits in the ton , but this is different. Most likely he simply enjoyed being able to speak about Faerie with a mortal woman.”
“Yes, he would like that.” Frederica’s voice was flat.
This was ridiculous. Clearly Lady Frederica had an interest in Eversleigh herself. Elizabeth said, “Even if he had an interest in me, which I doubt, I am well aware that a viscount could never offer me an honorable connection. If he were to flirt with me, I would assume his intentions were dishonorable and pay no attention.”
“Wise of you.” But Frederica did not sound mollified.
THE NEXT DAY WAS BELTANE . Elizabeth awoke with a frisson of excitement. Tonight she would see the Sidhe lord again.
Lady Frederica had already finished breakfast when Elizabeth arrived. “Oh, good, you are awake. I thought we might go into the village this morning to see the maypole dancing.”
Elizabeth’s pleasure in the day faded. She had always loved May Day celebrations. “I had best remain here, but I hope you will go and tell me all about it later.”
Lady Frederica’s brow furrowed. “Do you wish to rest in preparation for your meeting?”
“No.” A little distraction would be welcome, but not this. “I am known in the village, and I have treated a few of them when they were ill. Now I have been named a witch, and their clergyman has thrown me out of his house. I do not wish to put the villagers in an uncomfortable position with my presence.” She had to learn not to let this hurt; it was a price she would be paying for the rest of her life.
“That is horrid!” declared Lady Frederica. “How could they accept your help and then reject you for the very help you gave?”
Elizabeth helped herself to a roll and jam on the sideboard. It gave her a moment to get her expression under control. “It is always that way. Many of the common people suspect that wisewomen use a little magic, but they are happier being able to pretend it is not true. Some wisewomen employ smoke, rabbit’s feet, and the like to give their patients the comfort of thinking they were healed by charms, not by magic.”
“Do you do that?”
Elizabeth managed to smile. “Until quite recently, I was the quiet apprentice in the background and did nothing. Sometimes I have one of the family rub lavender oil on the patient’s temples to draw out the evil humors. Lavender oil does nothing of the sort, but it exerts a calming influence and distracts attention from what I am truly doing.”
“How interesting. I wish I could watch you someday.”
“There is little to see since I cannot use spells, only wild magic. May I ask how you managed to learn so many spells? Do your father and brothers ignore the rules against teaching women magic? ”
“Oh, no, they will not violate Collegium rules, even if they find them ridiculous. My youngest brother will sometimes leave spell books open where I would be likely to come across them. He always says it is an accident, but Jasper enjoys mischief like that. I have a circle of lady friends who have managed to learn a spell or two from observing their husbands and fathers. We pool our knowledge and teach each other. All very discreetly, of course.”
“How fortunate you are to have friends with magic! Wisewomen are usually lonely.” Elizabeth would have loved to have a confidante with magic.
“And none of your sisters have magic? That is unusual.”
Elizabeth shrugged. “Perhaps they do but are unaware of it, or I suppose they might be hiding it as I did. My eldest sister knows enough about my activities to guess, although she never said anything, but my younger sisters must have been surprised to hear I am a witch.”
“I wish you would not use that word! It is so ugly and has been used so cruelly.”
“I do not like it either. I never used it before, but I cannot pretend that other people are not calling me that. But I am enjoying the freedom to use my magic now. I always had to check carefully before using it, and it was easier to do things without magic than to hide it. Being exposed has been freeing. I light candles with my fingers and ask a breeze to blow away smoke from the fireplace. I have even been experimenting with new skills. Shall I show you my favorite?”
“Pray do.”
“I need a stain. There – do you see that yellowed spot on the damask chair?”
“Yes.”
Elizabeth licked her forefinger, wrapped it in her handkerchief, and rubbed her covered fingertip over the stain.
“Good heavens! It is gone! ”
“Not gone. It has moved to my handkerchief.” Elizabeth held out the square of fabric to show a yellow stain on it. “As you can see by the number of spots, I have been hunting down stains to practice on.” She was quite proud of her accomplishment. If only she had known how to do it before the ill-fated Meryton Assembly, she would have worried less about Darcy discovering her magic.
“That would be an extremely useful bit of magic. How did you figure it out?”
“The same as always. I wanted to remove a stain from my dress, and I let the magic show me how to do it.”
“Do you think you could teach me how?”
“Why not? It will help to pass the day.”
AFTER brEAKFAST AT Rosings, Eversleigh asked Darcy and Richard, “What is the spell you wished to ask me about?”
Darcy flushed. “I should not have said anything. While I would like your help in removing the spell, Matlock is the one who placed it, and he does not want it removed. He is your colleague and friend, so I cannot ask you to go against his will.”
“Remove one of Matlock’s spells against his wishes? No. I am not prepared to do that, and I am surprised you would consider it, Darcy. I trust his judgment.”
“I would have said the same until I discovered he had cast a binding spell on his niece.”
“A binding spell? Ridiculous! Matlock opposes them, and he knows better than to cast a spell on a family member. There must be some misunderstanding here.”
“No misunderstanding,” said Richard. “He admitted it in front of both of us. He did it. ”
Eversleigh stared at them in disbelief and began to pace the floor. Finally he said, “If what you say is true, the spell should be removed. I am almost more shocked that he would break the rules against using magic on a relative than the binding spell itself. One of my duties on the Council of Mages is to deal with improperly set spells, usually ones set on a family member. Matlock often sends those cases to me. He knows the rules.”
“Still, he seems to think he did the right thing in this case. He even warned me against trying to remove the spell myself. He said it was unbreakable.”
“Unbreakable, is it? We will see about that.” Eversleigh seemed offended by the idea of a spell he could not break. “I will not try to remove it behind his back, but I will do this much. I will check the spell to confirm it is of his making and to judge if I would be able to break it. If it is his, I will speak to him about it. He will see reason.”
Darcy was not as certain about that. Lord Matlock could be quite obdurate when he set his mind on something.
DARCY MANAGED TO PERSUADE Anne to join them in the drawing room, but he could not convince her companion, Mrs. Jenkinson, that there was no need to follow her. Mrs. Jenkinson reported most of Anne’s activities to Lady Catherine, so their efforts would not remain secret long.
Anne seemed perfectly willing to listen to Eversleigh, whom she had met at dinner the previous evening.
“Darcy has told me you are frequently subject to fainting spells and that doctors have been unable to find a reason,” said Eversleigh. “I have some expertise in the matter. Would you consent to allow me to see if I can find the source? It would only involve touching your wrist and possibly your neck where I can feel your pulse. ”
“If you wish, I have no objection,” said Anne.
Mrs. Jenkinson said, “Miss de Bourgh, I cannot permit this without Lady Catherine’s knowledge. We must wait until she is recovered.”
“I do not want to wait. I hate swooning.”
“Lady Catherine must make that decision,” Mrs. Jenkinson insisted.
Darcy said, “I am Anne’s guardian, not Lady Catherine, and I give my permission. Mrs. Jenkinson, you may leave.”
“I cannot leave poor Miss de Bourgh alone with three gentlemen!”
“The doors are open. She does not need a chaperone. Now go.”
“Lady Catherine will hear of this!” Mrs. Jenkinson gathered her shawl and shuffled away.
“I’m sure she will,” Richard muttered.
Anne actually smiled. “Thank you, Darcy. She never listens to me.” She held her hand out to Eversleigh.
Eversleigh carefully wrapped his fingers around her wrist. “I will be using magic.”
Anne swooned, of course. Darcy gently laid her back on the fainting couch.
Eversleigh moved his hand to her neck and began murmuring the Latin words of a spell. After a few lines, his speech began to slow. With a puzzled look, he held out his free hand towards Richard.
Richard jumped up and put his hands around Eversleigh’s wrist. If a mage as powerful as Eversleigh needed help, he must be using an enormous amount of magic. Darcy stepped out of the room and asked a footman to bring food immediately. They would be ravenous when this was over.
With Richard supplying power, the words of the spell were flowing easily again. When Eversleigh’s chant finally stopped, he removed his hand from Anne’s neck.
“What happened?” asked Darcy. “I thought you were only assessing the spell.”
“That is what I thought, too,” said Eversleigh grimly. “I suspect I know why Matlock refuses to remove the spell. I do not believe he has the ability to do so.”
Richard whistled. “Are you certain? Poor Anne!”
“I cannot be certain. The standard binding spell incorporates a method for removal. It appears he excised that portion of the spell and wrapped the remainder in a strong defensive spell. I had to penetrate the defensive spell to see the actual binding spell, and I would not have made it through the defenses without Fitzwilliam’s timely assistance. The actual spell would be extremely difficult to remove. Matlock is unmatched at creating spells, but I do not boast when I say I am better at removing spells than he is.”
“It truly is unbreakable, then?” asked Darcy.
The footman brought in a tray of food, and Eversleigh took a piece of bread and cheese before he had even set the tray down. He bit into the bread, and when he had swallowed it, he said, “I might be able to break it, given sufficient time and several sessions. Then again, I might not. I was able to remove part of the defensive spell so it would be easier next time. The spell itself is a masterpiece. No one but Matlock could manage a two-layered spell without creating a hopeless tangle. But I will have words with him when I see him next.”
“A cruel masterpiece,” said Darcy. “If, after speaking to him, you are willing to try to remove it, I would support that.”
“It will have to wait until we know the outcome of your meeting tonight,” Eversleigh said. “But it is possible Miss de Bourgh may feel some slight relief from the weakening of the defensive spell. Usually a binding spell does not cause as much impairment as she has, which inclines me to think the defensive spell has an effect as well. ”
Darcy remembered the look on Anne’s face when he asked her whether her thoughts drifted away. “Let us hope so.”
“WHAT DO YOU THINK?” Darcy gestured to the table laden with a wide selection of cold meats, pastries, bread, cheese, and fruit. The servants had arranged it under the whitethorn with three chairs, believing it to be a picnic for the three ladies.
“Excellent,” said Eversleigh. “Given how much the Sidhe value food from the mortal world, you could serve breadcrumbs and he would happily eat those, but this does him honor.” He peered into one of the jugs. “Good. You have milk. That is better than wine for them.”
“Elizabeth’s suggestion,” Darcy said. “But if the Sidhe crave mortal food so much, why do they not simply take it?”
Eversleigh smiled. “It must be freely given, or it will not nourish them. In the old days, food was left out as tribute for them. Now it is in short supply.”
Elizabeth shaded her eyes and gazed into the grove. “I wonder if he will even come. Perhaps he has thought better of it.”
Eversleigh said, “He will come. If he offers you food from his hand, be aware that eating it will create a bond between you. Refusing it would be an insult, though.”
“He has already bonded us,” said Elizabeth calmly.
Darcy stared at her in shock. “He did?”
“When he gave us the faerie cakes before we left his keep.” She sounded completely undisturbed by it.
Darcy rounded on Eversleigh. “What is this bond?”
“Nothing to worry about. It creates a certain amount of shared loyalty and trust, but it is not a strong bond. It is a good sign that he offered it to you. It means he will not betray you. ”
He had taken on a bond without knowing it? It was a sickening sensation. “What else creates bonds?” He did not want to make that mistake again.
“Food is the weakest bond. Sharing a cup is somewhat stronger,” said Eversleigh. “Mingling your blood in a spell will augment your magic and form a strong loyalty tie. Beyond that is only claiming blood right, and you need not worry about that.”
Sharing a cup. The dryad had given them wine from the same cup. “What if two mortals in Faerie share a cup?”
Eversleigh looked thoughtful. “I do not know if it would work for two mortals.”
“It does.” Elizabeth sounded certain.
“Does it? Interesting,” said Eversleigh. “I wonder if food binding would work between mortals in Faerie. That is hardly relevant to tonight, though, and it is time for us to go and leave you to your meeting.”
Frederica gave Elizabeth a quick hug. “Good luck.”
After the others left, Darcy sat with Elizabeth by the whitethorn, Pepper in his lap, remembering how the dryad had offered the cup first to Elizabeth and then to him. When the dryad had returned the cup to Elizabeth, she had hesitated before taking it, then drank from it and offered it directly to him. She must have understood what she was doing, and she did it anyway. Why? And what did the bond mean? They had not quarreled since then, and he had been more aware of what she might be feeling. He had thought it was only from knowing her better. Before that day, it had seemed impossible that he and Elizabeth could work together in harmony as they were now. Something had definitely changed, and Elizabeth had been willing to make that change.
The sun neared the horizon. Darcy drummed his fingers on the table, but Elizabeth seemed quite at ease. Was she truly relaxed, or was she merely pretending?
“I wonder how the fay celebrate Beltane,” Elizabeth said idly. “ The stories speak of dancing and music, but there must be more. Do you suppose they have maypoles?”
They had spent so much time planning for this meeting, and now he could think of nothing but why Elizabeth had accepted the bond with him. If only he could ask her! But instead he had to make appropriate conversation. “I cannot say. When all this is over – and no, I do not know what I mean by that – I hope to journey to Oxford and search through the Collegium library for references to the fay. It will be interesting to see how much truth there is in the old books.”
“I have just been contemplating all the possible definitions of sunset. Is it when the sun first touches the horizon or when it disappears completely? Perhaps it is somewhere in between.”
“An interesting philosophical –”
Out of nowhere the Sidhe lord appeared in front of them, accompanied by a Sidhe lady dressed in diaphanous silks that fluttered around her legs. Instinctively Darcy averted his eyes as he rose to bow. Like the lord, she wore wrist cuffs of silver filigree.
“I am pleased to see you followed my instructions.” The Sidhe’s voice chimed like a bell. “If you are carrying a firearm, be aware that it will not function in my presence.”
As if a pistol could somehow protect him against the Sidhe! “I am unarmed.” Darcy stepped away from his chair. “Honored lady.” Since there were only three chairs, he would stand. A bit awkward but –
The lady waved her hand and a fourth chair appeared, a match to the other three. She gracefully sat in it. “You honor us with your preparations.”
To think Darcy had once been proud of his prowess as one of the most powerful mages in England! Compared to the Sidhe, he was no more than a child playing with toys.
Elizabeth said, “We are honored by your presence. We hope you may enjoy these small tokens of our appreciation. May I offer you a plate?”
The two Sidhe did not hesitate to heap their plates high. Their manners were elegant as they ate steadily, making no conversation. Darcy and Elizabeth preserved the silence as they nibbled at their cake for the sake of politeness. Darcy refilled the milk glasses twice and wondered if he should have asked for a second pitcher.
Finally the Sidhe finished their food.
“Will you be able to stop the destruction of the groves?” The Sidhe lord wasted no further time on niceties.
“By ourselves, no,” said Darcy. “I have spoken to the Master of the Collegium of Mages, our most important mage, and he also wishes to stop the destruction. Unfortunately, according to a government minister, it could be detrimental to our cause if we instruct people to leave the groves alone.”
The Sidhe scowled. “They will not listen to you?”
“Honored lord,” said Elizabeth. “First, permit me to say that Mr. Darcy and I do not agree with the position I am about to explain. Because of the recent attacks on humans, the government fears people will see the faerie rings as a danger rather than something to protect, and some might believe they can prevent the attacks by destroying all the rings.”
Darcy braced himself for a thunderous explosion, but instead the Sidhe lord exchanged a perplexed glance with the lady.
The lady tittered. “How remarkably foolish of them.”
“Why?” asked Darcy urgently. “We have lost the memory of why the groves are important. Forgive our ignorance. What would happen if all the groves were destroyed?”