Chapter 14
When the ladies at Matlock House retired to the drawing room after dinner, Lady Matlock produced a piece of fine notepaper. “I received this shortly before we sat down to dine, and it concerns the two of you. Would you care to hear it?”
Elizabeth sent up a silent prayer that it would not be yet another invitation. She had already attended more soirees, Venetian breakfasts, and musicales than she cared to remember. At each one, she had been introduced to so many people she could hardly recall their names, but most of them either preferred their friends of longer-standing or spoke exclusively to Lady Frederica about balls Elizabeth had never attended. Lady Matlock had carefully introduced her to a number of marriageable gentlemen, but none of them could compare to Darcy, and he was not an option.
“Yes, Mama,” said Frederica.
Lady Matlock unfolded the paper. “It is from Viscount Eversleigh. After the usual niceties, he says, ‘I pray you will be so kind as to inform Lady Frederica and Miss Bennet that tomorrow morning I plan to walk through Hyde Park to visit some mutual acquaintances with a fondness for nature. In case the young ladies might be inclined to an outing, I will call at Matlock House after breakfast to see if they would honor me with their company. Our marigold-loving friend has been asking about them, and I promise not to bore them with discussions of horses.’ I understand the significance of marigolds, but the horses are more mysterious.”
“He is hinting that he will not expect me to spend time with my horse-mad brother,” said Elizabeth. “I think I must go. I promised Titania that I would return and stay with her for a time, and this is a good opportunity.” And it was the excuse she had been looking for to leave Matlock House. It was hard enough knowing she could never have Darcy without being thrust into the bosom of his family where she was forced to hear his name frequently and had to pretend she did not care. In Faerie, no one would take it badly if she seemed sad. Perhaps she could tell Bluebird about her woes.
“We would be sorry to see you leave us,” said Lady Matlock. “You are very welcome to stay. Frederica has enjoyed having another young lady here rather than the usual male procession of mages and her brothers.”
“You have been everything that is kind and welcoming, your ladyship, and I am very grateful for your hospitality. I have been fretting over my promise to Titania. I especially do not want her to feel I have forgotten her, especially when we have the revel coming in a few weeks.”
Frederica nodded. “Perhaps I should stay there for a few days as well.”
Elizabeth held her breath. She liked Frederica very much, but she needed time away from Darcy’s family. Time to heal.
“Nonsense,” said Lady Matlock. “You may pay a call to Titania, but I expect you to return here afterwards. I need your help in planning the revel.”
“Yes, Mama,” said Frederica with a sad lack of enthusiasm.
“THERE IS A FAERIE RING in Hyde Park?” exclaimed Frederica. “How can it possibly remain hidden in such a crowded place? ”
Eversleigh said, “It is between two of the paths. You have probably walked past it a dozen times and never noticed it. Miss Bennet, can you tell where it is?”
Elizabeth closed her eyes and let the air play over her face. She pointed to the southwest. “Over there. I can sense them, but I do not know how. Mr. Darcy once said that he thought he knew every inch of the grove at Rosings, but he had never seen the glade with the ring until he was led there. Now he sees it easily.”
“Lord Eversleigh, have you heard anything from Darcy of late?” asked Frederica. “We have not seen him since the day you removed the spell from Mrs. Bennet. He sent a note telling us there was more trouble with the Collegium.”
Elizabeth silently blessed her friend for asking the question she could not.
“The Board of Inquiry has re-opened his case, but so far nothing has happened,” said Eversleigh, carefully not looking in Elizabeth’s direction.
“Why can you not simply stop the Board of Inquiry? You are Master of the Collegium,” said Elizabeth determinedly.
“Acting Master, and no, I cannot. Neither the Master nor the Council of Mages can intervene in Boards of Inquiry. They have to be independent in case the leaders of the Collegium are suspected of sorcery. Otherwise there would be no method to remove a sorcerous Master.” Eversleigh sighed. “No one ever expected to see inquiries misused this way.”
Frederica folded her parasol. “My father grumbled about Darcy’s Board constantly. He was furious with them.”
“I know. But Darcy seemed well enough when he accompanied Lord Matlock and me to Faerie two days ago. I assume you have heard about that visit?”
Frederica sighed dramatically. “Repeatedly and in great detail, but my father did not mention Darcy was there. He is always touching the ring Oberon gave him as if he cannot believe it is on his finger.”
Eversleigh laughed. “I am not surprised. I do not think he cared if either Darcy or I were there after he spoke to Oberon. Darcy appeared in relatively good spirits, though part may have been that Faerie relieves the pressure of the elements on him.”
Elizabeth looked away. Thoughts of Darcy had been keeping her awake at night and haunting her days, and he was in good spirits? Did he not feel the pain of their separation? Her throat grew tight with unshed tears.
“Miss Bennet, if you were not my shurinn , I should have said that you seem in relatively good spirits,” said Eversleigh with a degree of exasperation. “I do not have the same insight into Darcy.”
She glared at him. “You are becoming altogether too good at this.”
“What are you talking about?” asked Frederica.
“Nothing,” said Elizabeth firmly. “I am looking forward to spending time in Faerie where nothing ever changes and there are no surprises. Well, fewer surprises,” she corrected. Aelfric had been a surprise, but it was the mortal world that kept turning upside down until her life was completely unrecognizable. What had happened to Elizabeth Bennet of Longbourn, the country gentleman’s daughter who loved her father and looked down on her mother, who lived in a country free of sorcerers, and who despised Mr. Darcy and feared any mage who might be part of the Collegium? She should certainly not be walking through fashionable London with an earl’s daughter and a viscount who was also Master of the Collegium, on her way to hide her broken heart in Faerie. It had been so much easier to be that country girl.
“That is one of its advantages,” Eversleigh agreed.
“I wish I could stay there, too,” grumbled Frederica.
Elizabeth said kindly, “The revel is only a fortnight away, and then you can visit Faerie to your heart’s content.” And she would have a fortnight of peace and quiet in the meantime.
TWO HOURS AFTER brINGING Elizabeth and Frederica to Titania’s bower, Eversleigh found Aelfric in the stables saddling one of the Sidhe horses. “Going for a ride?”
“They need exercise. Apart from the hunt, they are hardly ridden now that we no longer ride through the mortal world. It is much easier to travel through the rings.”
“I have been speaking to our father.”
Aelfric developed an intense interest in the silver rivets of the bridle. “What did you discuss?”
“Many things, including the upcoming revel, but mostly I wished to discover the truth of the rumors that you had influenced him into the war on the mortals. The rumors made no sense to me. While you might wish for war, I could not see our father following your advice. I gather he has spent little time with anyone but you recently.”
“That has been his choice,” Aelfric told the bridle.
“He has begun his decline, you know,” Eversleigh said gently. “He should be stepping down, not starting a war. Why have you allowed it to progress so far?”
Aelfric leaned his forehead against the horse’s head. “He is not far into the decline. There is no reason he cannot rule.”
“He is dragging Faerie into a pointless war because he is becoming volatile and angry. You must know this, with all the time you spend with him. It makes me wonder if you have been hiding his decline by taking responsibility for his war.”
“I do not want to lose him so quickly,” said Aelfric, his voice low. “He will not wish to see me once he goes into retirement. I always knew you would not live long. Now I will be losing both of you, and I will be left alone. The other Sidhe see me as a child. If being a Sidhe means watching everyone you care about die while you still have centuries to live, I wish I had been born mortal.”
Eversleigh laid his hand on Aelfric’s arm. “Until today, I always assumed our father would outlive me, still hale and hearty when I am growing old and frail. I do not like discovering that is not true. You are not alone in this.”
“You do not know what it is like here when you are away. I have no one apart from him.”
Eversleigh leaned back against the stable wall. “Brother, have you ever wondered why the other Sidhe are so fond of mortals? Why they seek out mortal poets and lovers, and why Titania lavishes her affection on mortal children?”
“Foolishness, that is why,” said Aelfric bitterly.
“Mortals, being short-lived, give affection freely, especially mortal children. They do not wait a century or two to judge whether you are worthy of their respect. The Sidhe are cautious. How many of them seem to truly care for each other? Parents and children, yes, but even couples who claim blood right live separate lives. When did you last see our father show particular warmth to Titania? He respects her, and he is not unkind to her, but they have been pursuing the same quarrel for ten years, or is it fifteen? There is no hurry to resolve things when you live for centuries. And what was the quarrel about? Titania losing one of the mortal children she favored.”
“But I do not like mortals.”
Eversleigh chuckled. “Except for me, Colonel Fitzwilliam, Darcy, Libbet – you have liked almost every mortal you have met of late. What Sidhe apart from our father has ever shown you the sort of casual acceptance Colonel Fitzwilliam did?”
“But mortals die,” Aelfric said bleakly .
“Yes. I will die long before you. But you will have my children, grandchildren, and my grandchildren’s grandchildren. There is a sort of immortality in that.”
“But you have no children.”
“As my mother reminds me at every opportunity! But I will someday.” Someday when he had managed to forget Frederica Fitzwilliam. “You will have Libbet, too. I hope she will provide you some comfort and company when our father chooses to retire from society.”
“Are you going to tell him he should?”
“Yes, although with a heavy heart. He would say it is my duty. I will also speak to Titania.”
Aelfric picked up the curry comb and began to brush the horse. “Perhaps I should join you when you speak to our father.” He did not meet Eversleigh’s eyes.
“Good. That will do him honor.”
“YOU HAVE TAKEN MARVELOUS care of Augustus,” Elizabeth told Bluebird. “His fur is so silky and shiny now. I am glad I did not have to leave him alone at Rosings while I was in London.”
Bluebird scratched the tabby cat under his ears. “We have been happy to have him here, and Titania has grown fond of him. Now we can all be together.”
Elizabeth said, “He seems happy here, though it is a mystery how I came to have a fay cat who lives in the mortal world with me and a mortal cat who lives in Faerie. I think they are as confused where I belong as I am!”
“You belong here,” said Bluebird firmly, wrapping her arm around Elizabeth’s shoulders .
“I do not seem to belong anywhere else, now that Longbourn is lost to me,” said Elizabeth ruefully.
Bluebird looked up at the entrance to the bower. “Prince Evlan is back already! Titania will not be pleased to lose Marigold Meadowsweet so soon. It is good you are staying.”
Elizabeth frowned. “Something is wrong.” One look at Eversleigh’s face was enough to tell her that much, even before he walked straight past them to sink to his knees before Titania. He said something quietly to her.
Titania looked puzzled but shrugged. “Away, all of you! I would speak with Prince Evlan alone. Libbet and Marigold Meadowsweet may stay if they wish.”
Elizabeth glanced at Bluebird before moving forward to stand near Eversleigh. Somehow it felt right to be beside her shurinn in a time of difficulty.
When all the sprites and dryads had vanished into other parts of the bower, Titania said, “I am always glad to see you, Prince Evlan, but what is so important that we must speak privately?”
“When was the last time you were alone with Oberon?” Eversleigh’s usual flowery compliments seemed to have vanished.
Titania pursed her lips. “It has been quite some time. We are quarreling, as you know, so we are only together in public.”
“Have you noticed a change in him?”
The Faerie queen covered her eyes with one hand. “A change? Oh, no. Do not tell me there is a change.”
“I met with him earlier today. He is irritable and distrusts everyone. This war on mortals appears to be part of it.”
“Not the decline, I beg you! Perhaps he was simply out of spirits today.”
“I fear it is more than that. Prince Aelfric has known for some time and has been attempting to hide the changes, as very young Sidhe are apt to do. I plan to speak to my father tonight, but I thought it only proper to inform you first.”
Titania picked restlessly at the embroidery on a silk pillow. “I will go to him now and attempt to resolve our quarrel. I would not have him leave us with a quarrel between us.” Her voice quavered.
“If you are able to resolve it, that would be a kindness.”
“It should be simple. I will tell him that he is forgiven now that Libbet has come back to me.”
Elizabeth’s eyebrows shot up. How had she entered into this mysterious discussion?
“Was Libbet the child he took?” Eversleigh sounded surprised.
“Of course. He found Aelfric and Libbet playing together. He did not wish Aelfric to attach himself to a member of his human family, so he sent Libbet away and blurred her memories. I was particularly angered since when he took her mother, he said I could have her first child, but that turned out to be Aelfric. Then he brought me her second child, but she was terrified of Faerie, so I had to wait for Libbet, and he took her away, too.”
Elizabeth froze. The reason Oberon had altered her memories was to keep her away from Aelfric? And the queen had been quarreling with him for years as a result? It was inconceivable. Elizabeth instantly resolved that if the king wished to keep her away from Aelfric, she would somehow become a friend to her despicable brother. How dare he?
“But now my Libbet is back. I hope you will bring your own children to me, sweet Libbet. I have always had a particular fondness for your family. My mother’s brother fathered your grandmother, so you are like my own children.”
“I...” Good heavens, how could she begin to answer all that? “Honored lady, I do not expect to have children, but if that should change, I would be pleased for you to meet my child.”
“Not have children? Why not?” Titania sounded as shocked as if Elizabeth had threatened to murder someone.
Elizabeth would never grow accustomed to Sidhe frankness. “I do not expect to marry, so I will not have children.”
Titania’s delicate winged eyebrows drew together. “But what of the man you are always thinking of? I have sensed your desire for him.”
How utterly mortifying! Had Titania truly perceived her improper feelings for Darcy? How could she refer to them in front of Eversleigh and Frederica? If only she could sink down into the soft moss until it closed over her head!
Frederica said in an amused voice, “As a rule, mortals consider their desires to be a very personal matter, and we never speak of them.”
“How very odd mortals are! Does that mean you and Evlan have never spoken together of it either? And he was so pleased to see you dressed as one of us!”
“I must insist we leave this topic,” said Eversleigh, his voice strained. “I came here to speak of the king.”
Titania’s face fell. “I had forgotten for a moment. I wish I could forget it again.”
Elizabeth wished she could forget the entire conversation. How could she ever look the other two in the face again?
“I am sorry to bear such sad tidings,” said Eversleigh.
“I must go to him.” Titania’s silks swirled around her as she hurried from the bower.
Frederica’s face was flushed. “I wonder if I shall ever grow accustomed to the quick comings and goings among the fay.”
“One does become used to their mercurial nature and their disconcerting frankness,” said Eversleigh, but he did not look at either woman. “There are few secrets in Faerie. I am surprised Aelfric was able to keep one this long, but I suppose it is because the other Sidhe pay little attention to him.”
“I thought Titania has had many mortal followers over the years. How can she be so unaware of what subjects embarrass us?” asked Elizabeth.
Eversleigh said ruefully, “Mortals who come to Faerie are often seeking to escape society’s rules. They are attracted by that same openness.”
“Were you?” asked Frederica abruptly.
“I visited here as a child, and I simply accepted the rules here were different. It never seemed odd to me. Sometimes I miss the frankness of Faerie in our mortal world where so many people wear false faces and hide their motivations behind shields of secrecy.”
“That kind of frankness would make it impossible for sorcerers to hide their work,” said Elizabeth. Since Frederica still appeared distressed, Elizabeth changed the subject. “What is this about Oberon entering the decline? How do you know?”
Eversleigh hesitated. “Forgive me. I do not feel comfortable answering that before I have spoken to Oberon. But...”
“But what?”
Lines appeared between Eversleigh’s brows. “I had not known he was the one who interfered with your memories. That is very odd. It suggests the disturbance of his mind has been going on much longer than I believed, and he was simply cunning enough to hide it.”
“But he is the king,” said Frederica. “Did that not give him the right to do it?”
He turned a pained look on her. “The right, perhaps, but Libbet is his shurinn . He should have not been able to bring himself to harm her.”
“He did more than blur my memories,” said Elizabeth abruptly. “He did something to make me wish to stay away from Faerie.”
He frowned. “What do you mean?”
Elizabeth rubbed her hands together, suddenly cold despite the warmth of the bower. “I have always loved to explore. I cannot see a footpath without having to discover where it leads. I explored every path near Rosings, even in the short time I was there. Bluebird gave me my talisman and told me I could go to Faerie whenever I wished, but I never did. It is completely unlike me. Until I drank Titania’s Faerie wine, I had no desire at all to come back. The only reason I returned the first time was that I was desperate for a refuge.”
Eversleigh drew in a deep breath. “You have known that all this time, shurinn , and never said anything of it to me?”
She shrugged helplessly. “He is your father. I did not wish to make you think ill of him.”
He seemed to look off into the distance, but there was no distance inside the bower. “I should have spent more time here. I might have seen it sooner and saved us from this war.”
“He deliberately kept knowledge of the war from you, so it would not have helped if you had been here,” said Frederica. “I do not understand how it came to be your role to tell him of his decline when you have been absent much of the time.”
“I am not the ideal person for this duty, but it falls to kin or close friends to speak the truth. Aelfric and I are his closest kin. Aelfric is young for this duty, and it is a great loss to him, more so than to me. If I may dare to say it, this is a time when he could benefit from having a sister.”
“One he barely knows and whom he dislikes?” asked Elizabeth dubiously.
Eversleigh’s brow wrinkled. “He does not dislike you, not at all. He likes you.”
“Then why is he always furious at me?” exclaimed Elizabeth.
“Perhaps he does not know how to act towards a sister. Among the Sidhe, siblings are often hundreds of years apart.”
She could not see how that made a difference, but there was no point in arguing about it. “Is it true Titania and Oberon have been quarreling for years over me? What is so special about me? ”
“Nothing.” Eversleigh paused. “That did not come out as I meant it. You are special in many ways, but in this case, you were likely only the pretext. They often quarrel, and as I understand it, Titania was displeased that Oberon finally had a Sidhe child when she did not.”
“She seems to have taken this news about Oberon very calmly. Will it not be a great loss to her?”
“The Sidhe do not grieve long over those who have died, perhaps because they have grown accustomed to losing mortals they care for. They think mostly of the present, and at least for the Sidhe, there is rarely a strong emotional bond between them. They save that for their human followers.”
“How sad!” exclaimed Elizabeth.
“Perhaps it is difficult to remain close to one another for hundreds of years at a stretch,” said Frederica.
Eversleigh nodded. “Titania will likely be distressed for a time, though. From the standpoint of our relationship with the fay, I am glad you will be staying here, Libbet. If Marigold Meadowsweet would be willing to consider doing so as well, it could be beneficial. I would like Titania to be thinking of the effect on mortals when she chooses the next king.”
“She chooses the king?” Frederica sounded shocked.
With a dry smile, Eversleigh said, “Things are different here. The king is chosen by the queen, and often they have no particular affection for one another. Oberon and Titania with their blood right are the exception, and most of the fay would be happy to avoid a similar arrangement in the future. It is widely held that Oberon and Titania’s frequent quarrels are owing to their blood right. It might even be true.”
“If Titania chooses a new king, will he choose the new queen when she goes into her decline?”
“No, but I cannot tell you who does. If you ask any fay, they will tell you the moon chooses the new queen, but if you ask what that means, they simply seem perplexed at such an odd question. It is most frustrating.”
“But how could we influence Titania’s choice of the new king? Surely she would have decided that long ago,” said Frederica.
Elizabeth shook her head. “They do not think that way. They make decisions when they need to be made, with little forethought, and they rarely reconsider them.”
Eversleigh nodded. “I have rarely been so frustrated as the time I attempted to explain what an engagement was to my father and a few other Sidhe. It is inconceivable to them that a man would decide to marry a woman and then dawdle for weeks or months before actually doing it. They would likely flag down the nearest clergyman and be married within minutes of the proposal. As for the calling of the banns, that makes no sense to them at all.”
Elizabeth giggled. “You explain their point of view too well. Now I will always see engagements as foolish dawdling!”
Frederica said suddenly, “I will remain here, Lord Eversleigh, if you are willing to explain to my mother why I am doing so when she expressly told me not to. It might help if you offered to bear any needed messages. With the revel coming up so quickly, she will wish to discuss plans with me.”
“For this cause, I will even brave Lady Matlock’s displeasure. How much harder can it be than telling the King of Faerie that his time has come?” Eversleigh said lightly.
Even if she had not been his shurinn , Elizabeth would have seen the pain underneath Eversleigh’s words. There was nothing she could say that was not a foolish platitude. But he was her shurinn and they were in Faerie where the rules of propriety did not apply. She embraced him. It felt odd, and quite unlike embracing Darcy, but it also felt right.