Mr. Darcy’s Enchantment

Epilogue

One month later

“ I t is not too late to turn around if you wish,” Darcy said to Elizabeth. “I can go to Longbourn alone to speak to your father.”

Elizabeth cast an amused look at him. “My wishes do not change the fact that we were married almost a month ago, and I have yet to mention that fact to my family. It cannot be put off forever, and if I do not go now, there will be no hope of forgiveness from Jane or my mother.”

“Just from them?”

“I doubt my younger sisters will ever forgive me for revealing Aelfric’s existence, so it hardly matters on their account,” she said lightly.

“Of course, eliarinn .” His tone made it clear he was not taken in.

Elizabeth sighed. “I am still not accustomed to having you see through my efforts to make matters light.” It was in some ways the most difficult part of the eliarinn bond. She had never before realized how often she disguised her feelings.

“Do you regret telling them about Aelfric?”

Elizabeth looked down at her hands. “Sometimes I regret not telling my mother about him privately as I originally planned. My sisters would have been happier not knowing, but my mother likely would not have kept it a secret in any case.”

“It was Frederica who forced the issue, was it not?”

“Her intentions were good. I do not think she understood that my family was not as liberal-minded as hers.”

“Not all that liberal-minded. Lady Matlock has not yet forgiven her for the hurried wedding,” said Darcy. “At least she is no longer angry at us.”

“Did I tell you I asked Eversleigh why Lady Matlock did not seem affected by the blood binding? He laughed and said it was because she was a very good actress.”

Darcy smiled. “He understands her well. I believe Lady Matlock could be hit by a bullet without wincing or changing her expression.”

“It will serve her well in the coming weeks.” London society was still in a dither over the events at Rosings Park. The revelation of the fay, sorcery, and a Great Spell in quick succession had been a shock, and more than one newspaper had flatly denounced it as a trick. A delegation of disbelieving mages had descended on Rosings to inspect the tree and interview everyone who had been present. Fortunately, it was hard to deny the evidence of a talking tree, nor could anyone ignore the reports from all over the countryside that people who had not seen the fay since childhood were now catching glimpses of them. “How was your meeting with Cathael this morning?”

Darcy smiled. “I am a sad excuse for an ambassador. I am much more in sympathy with Cathael’s directness than the hemming and hawing of the Foreign Office. A meeting with Cathael takes ten minutes. The foreign office drones on for half a day.”

“Was he angry they did not agree to have the groves replanted?”

“No, because I had warned him that nothing would happen quickly. We came up with a plan, though. He will tell the lesser fay to stop working around any destroyed grove, and he will send extra workers to the adjacent rings. When there is a circle of failed crops around each destroyed grove and the crops in the very next field are rich and thriving, the Foreign Office may be more willing to replant the groves.”

Elizabeth laughed. “You are indeed a sad excuse for an ambassador! You are consorting with Cathael against our government.”

“Well, Cathael is right,” said Darcy reasonably. “I explained to the Prime Minister that you could not have normal negotiations with someone who makes instant decisions and can sense any deception, but he seems not to understand. Cathael mentioned Titania has been missing you.”

“How can she be missing me?” Elizabeth exclaimed. “Last week when I visited she had her two new followers, Rowan and Honeysuckle, not to mention Mr. McKee doing another painting of her, a poet she called Buckthorn, and, of course, Mr. FitzClarence. How many mortals does she need?”

Darcy leaned down to caress her lips with his. “None of them are you. She has known you all your life, not just a week or two. I am in full sympathy with Titania on this. No one else could take your place for me, either.”

DARCY TOOK ELIZABETH’S hand as the carriage turned into the lane leading to Longbourn. “Are you ready, my love?”

“No,” said Elizabeth with a breathy laugh. “But I doubt I will ever be.”

He brushed his lips over her knuckles, turned her hand over and repeated his action on the inside of her wrist.

She shivered. “You are trying to distract me!” she accused.

Darcy smiled, that slow smile she had never seen before the last few days. “Is it working?”

“How vain you are!” she teased.

The carriage drew to a halt. Darcy stole a quick kiss before the door opened. As he handed her out, he held her gaze warmly.

Elizabeth took a deep breath at the sight of her former home. Had it grown smaller in her absence? She smoothed the silk of her skirt, a rose silk dress Frederica had given her. Elizabeth no longer felt like the same girl who had left Longbourn in March, so she had chosen to wear a dress that would make her look different as well.

The familiar butler opened the door, his expression changing from surprised pleasure to wariness. “Miss Lizzy!”

“Is my mother at home, Jenks?” asked Elizabeth in a businesslike manner.

“She is in the drawing room. Shall I announce you and... Mr. Darcy, is it not?”

“It is.” Darcy handed him a calling card.

“No need to announce us, I think,” said Elizabeth.

She paused outside the drawing room and drew a deep breath. “Very well,” she said, more to herself than to Darcy, and walked in.

Mrs. Bennet jumped to her feet. “Lizzy!” She hurried forward to embrace her. “What a happy surprise! Oh, just look at you! If you try to tell me that this dress did not come from a London modiste, I will not believe you! And those beautiful cuffs! You look like a faerie princess.”

Elizabeth, breathless from this enthusiastic greeting, said, “Your new style suits you very well.” As she had in London, Mrs. Bennet wore a simple dress with only a small amount of lace and no flounces at all, but with elegant lines.

Jane appeared beside her mother. “Oh, Lizzy! I am so glad you have come! I received your letter but did not know where to write to you.”

Elizabeth kissed her sister. “Once Mr. Gardiner told me you were engaged to Mr. Bingley, I could not stay away.” It had been the final impetus for this trip, especially since Elizabeth wanted any unpleasantness with her father over and done before Jane’s wedding.

“You will come for the wedding, will you not?”

“I would not miss it for anything! ”

Bingley was shaking Darcy’s hand. “It is good to see you, my friend.”

Mrs. Bennet appeared to notice him for the first time. “Mr. Darcy, forgive me for allowing my pleasure at seeing Lizzy to overtake me. You are welcome to Longbourn.” Her voice held puzzlement.

Impulsively Elizabeth took Darcy by one hand and her mother by the other, joining all their hands together so Mrs. Bennet’s hand covered theirs. “Mama, Mr. Darcy and I have claimed blood right.”

Mrs. Bennet’s jaw dropped. “Blood right? You... and Mr. Darcy? Oh, my goodness! Mr. Darcy! I cannot believe it! You and Mr. Darcy! Oh, you have been a sly one, Lizzy! Blood right! Oh, my!” She fanned herself with her free hand.

Elizabeth laughed, for the first time seeing something of the mother she had known in this new Mrs. Bennet. She was improved even in her rapture, though: she had not said a word about Darcy’s riches. “It happened rather suddenly, but I am glad you are pleased.”

“Pleased? I could not be happier! Blood right! I suppose that means Mr. Darcy must have been to Faerie as well.”

“I followed Elizabeth there.” Darcy sounded amused.

“True, the first time he followed me there,” said Elizabeth. “The second time, the king gave him the freedom of Faerie. And now Cathael, the new king, has asked the Prince Regent to name Darcy as the ambassador from St. James’s Court to Faerie. The Sidhe have taken quite a liking to him.”

Darcy flushed. “He asked for me because I am the only mortal man he knows well.”

Mrs. Bennet clapped her hands together. “Ambassador to Faerie! How well that sounds. And you shall be an ambassador’s wife!” Her face fell. “Or do I assume too much? Are you engaged?”

Darcy said firmly, “Mrs. Bennet, you need have no worries. We came here today so that I could ask Mr. Bennet’s permission. If he is at home, I will do so right now.”

“Certainly! Mary, pray show Mr. Darcy to the library.”

“Good luck,” Elizabeth told him as he followed Mary out of the room.

Lydia, who had been sitting with Kitty by the window, said sullenly, “You just wanted to be the first of us to marry, even if it meant marrying a man you hate! But it did not work. Jane will be the first.”

Mrs. Bennet said sharply, “That is enough, Lydia. Apologize to your sister and go to your room.”

Lydia’s eyes flashed. “Sorry, Lizzy,” she snarled. “I hate you!” She fled from the room.

Mrs. Bennet sighed. “It is a good thing you had the spell removed when you did. Lydia needs to be taken in hand, and I did not even realize it before.”

Stunned, Elizabeth could think of nothing to say. For years her mother had encouraged Lydia’s bad behavior. This change was overdue.

Jane said quietly, “Lydia dislikes the changes in our mother, and she blames you for it.”

“I see,” said Elizabeth faintly.

THE BUTLER ANNOUNCED Darcy’s name as he entered the library.

Mr. Bennet stood to greet him. “Mr. Darcy, this is a surprise. I had not realized Bingley invited you to Netherfield.”

What did Bingley have to do with it? Did he still think of Darcy only as Bingley’s friend? “No. I came here today with your daughter Elizabeth. I would like your permission to marry her.”

“Lizzy? You want to marry Lizzy? Is she here?” Mr. Bennet rose half way, stopped, and slowly lowered himself back into his chair.

“She is visiting with her mother and sisters to allow us time for this discussion.”

His face grew cold. “I assume then that you are part of this business with the fay? I suppose you must be.”

“I am. I believe at this point I am supposed to assure you that I hold your daughter in tender regard, which I do, and that I have adequate resources to care for her, which I also do. By the laws of Faerie, Elizabeth and I are already married, and we have been through a wedding service with a curate so we would be married in the sight of God and of English law. However, because of events beyond our control, I could not seek your permission then. I hope you will give it now.”

“A fay marriage means nothing to me, but if Lizzy has her heart set on marrying you, I will not stand in the way.” The words sounded bitter.

“Thank you.”

“How much of this sad story do you know, Mr. Darcy?”

“If this sad story refers to binding spells and Prince Aelfric, I believe I know all of it.”

“Tell me, of all the men you know, how many of them, if their wife were delivered of a Sidhe baby, would not strangle the infant in his cradle?”

“Very few, I imagine. You are to be commended for choosing not to do so.”

Mr. Bennet removed his spectacles and set them on his desk. “It was not an easy decision, and I am rather tired of having Lizzy paint me as the villain of the piece because I attempted to keep my marriage intact.”

“Having not been in your position, I cannot judge. Elizabeth is the one you need to convince. Incidentally, there is a slight possibility she and I may have a Sidhe child because we were bound together with Sidhe blood. I hope we do not, since I would not like to give up a child to be raised in Faerie.”

Mr. Bennet’s lips curled with distaste. “You will have to forgive me if I believe any fay ritual is meaningless.”

Darcy inclined his head. “You are entitled to your opinions. In my experience, the ritual we underwent is quite binding, and in some ways more so than a traditional mortal marriage.”

“You do not find mortal marriage binding?”

“It is different.” Darcy closed his eyes and focused his attention on Elizabeth. “Right now Elizabeth is sitting in the arm chair next to the hearth. She has her right arm raised like this as she explains to her mother – I cannot quite catch it – no, it is about the wedding of Lady Frederica Fitzwilliam to Viscount Eversleigh. She is shocked at your wife’s manner of disciplining your younger daughters, and she is pleased because she can feel my attention on her.” He opened his eyes. “That comes with the fay binding of blood right.”

“You gave up your privacy? I am glad to be spared that.”

“Only when we choose to have it so. I can block her from seeing what I am doing when I wish for privacy.”

“That will only be trouble. She will wonder what you were doing and suspect the worst.”

Clearly there was no moving Mr. Bennet from his prejudices. “In any case, I thank you for your permission. I will rejoin Elizabeth now. I suspect your wife may have more questions for me.”

“Perhaps I will accompany you.”

“HOW HAS IT BEEN HERE since your return, Mama?” asked Elizabeth. “Are the neighbors acknowledging you?”

“Some still do. No one is aware of Aelfric’s existence, only that I was spellbound. People who knew me long ago have accepted the change fairly well. Others, like that silly Lady Lucas, do not know what to do with me. At least it has stopped the gossip about your magic, since my situation is more scandalous. It will be a long time before the people of Meryton accept a woman with magic.”

Her mother truly had changed if she now saw her dear friend Lady Lucas as silly!

“I am sorry there has been gossip about you,” said Elizabeth. There had always been gossip about Mrs. Bennet, but before it had been about her lack of manners.

“It is nothing. Oh, Lizzy, I was so worried for you! All that frightening news about sorcery and Great Spells and mages dying, and I knew you were likely in the midst of it. I wrote to Matlock House asking for your whereabouts, and Lady Matlock herself sent me the kindest note, despite her own bereavement, that you were quite well and would no doubt contact me soon. But she did not tell me where you were, and that worried me even more.”

“I did not mean to worry you. I was in Faerie while the sorcerers were at Rosings, but I returned as soon as they were dead. All I saw was the aftermath of the Great Spell. Most of the time since then I have been at Rosings relearning how to manage my magic without accidentally setting anything on fire. All of us who were present in the aftermath of the Great Spell were caught up in its magic, and Viscount Eversleigh would not let any of us leave until we mastered the changes. It was quite the magical muddle.”

A shadow crossed Mrs. Bennet’s face. “The newspaper said one of the sorcerers was a Mr. Wickham. We have all been wondering if that could possibly be our Mr. Wickham, but none of us could believe it.”

“I fear it was him. He fled the country after seeing the other sorcerers die. He apparently thought sorcerers would be safe outside England, but the Great Spell did not stop at our borders. He died the first time he tried a spell.” None of them had thought to consider what might happen outside England, but reports had come quickly of sorcerers dying across Europe. Italy was in turmoil after the loss of their ruling sorcerers, and there had been interesting rumors about sudden deaths among Napoleon’s aides.

“Viscount Eversleigh – is he Aelfric’s brother, then? I cannot think of another way you could be shurinn .”

“That is correct.”

Miss Bennet dropped her voice. “How is Aelfric? I have heard nothing.”

Elizabeth smiled. “He is presently enamored of a young woman and is busy with her. There is no cause to worry.”

“But he lost his father to the Great Spell...” Mrs. Bennet went silent. Even after all this time, she apparently was not indifferent to the memory of Oberon.

“Aelfric is as well as anyone can expect. Oberon had already gone into his decline, so Aelfric had lost him already.” Aelfric was still badly shaken by his experiences with the sorcerers, but he would not thank her for sharing that information.

“Are you still living at Rosings?” asked Jane, clearly eager to change the subject away from Aelfric.

“No, I went to London a fortnight ago. Viscount Eversleigh, Mr. Darcy, and Colonel Fitzwilliam, Lord Matlock’s son, had to meet with the Prime Minister and his cabinet to tell them about the sorcerers and the Great Spell. Aelfric was with them part of the time because Lord Eversleigh felt they would be more inclined to believe him in the face of Aelfric’s evidence. Then they had to inform the Collegium, which was very difficult, especially after two more mages died while performing sorcery. Now the Collegium is disbanded, and Lord Eversleigh has started planning a new organization of mages.” Most of the planning was being done by Frederica and Lady Matlock, but it was better not to mention that. “Darcy continues to meet with the Foreign Secretary about the new relationship with Faerie.”

Mrs. Bennet frowned. “Where have you been staying? At Matlock House?”

Elizabeth met her mother’s eyes with a level look. She could not keep the fact of their wedding hidden forever. “I have a confession to make. Lady Matlock insisted on having an immediate marriage service after we claimed blood right. Lord Matlock managed to get us a license even though I was underage, but we decided we would not announce the marriage until after my father gives his permission.” Her purported adoption by Lord Matlock was another thing better left unmentioned. “I have been staying at Darcy House, naturally. We came here as soon as Mr. Darcy could get away.”

Mrs. Bennet clasped her hands to her heart. “Married already? Mrs. Darcy! Does that not sound fine?”

At the sight of Jane’s shocked face, Elizabeth said, “I wish all of you could have been there. It all occurred so quickly, and the wedding itself was so unusual, that it is hard to believe it actually happened. Lady Matlock announced it would be happening, and ten minutes later I was standing before the curate! It was during all the madness after the Great Spell. Someday, when we have a great deal of time, I will tell you the entire story.”

“Was Aelfric there?” Of course, Mrs. Bennet’s thoughts had gone immediately to him.

“As my only male relative present, he gave me away. We had a remarkably understanding curate. We had intended to have a second ceremony in the usual manner in the Longbourn church, but, well...” She turned to her mother and whispered in her ear. “Two days later, Titania told me I was already with child.” The idea of having another wedding when she would be three months along had no appeal.

“Already? Oh, oh, oh! Oh, my dear! Is it true? I am so pleased! I shall be a grandmother! And Titania herself told you? Such an honor! Oh, my!”

So much for keeping that a secret from her sisters until the ordinary time! “Titania said so, and I have no reason to doubt her, but it will be months before I show the usual signs.” She had just started feeling a little queasy in the mornings.

Jane was the first to congratulate her and kissed her cheek warmly. Elizabeth took advantage of her closeness to whisper, “You must come to visit me in London. I have so much to tell you!”

Mary asked abruptly, “Is it true that Miss de Bourgh is opening a school at Rosings for women with magic?”

“That is her plan.”

Her sister’s knuckles whitened. “I would like to go there, if I may.”

Mrs. Bennet’s expression brightened. “A delightful idea, Mary! Just what I would do if I were your age.”

Elizabeth said, “I can see no reason why you should not. I will ask Miss de Bourgh about it if you would like. I will likely be spending a good bit of time at Rosings myself as Mr. Darcy’s younger sister is there.” Georgiana had a long road ahead of her. Her undeveloped magic, suddenly augmented with Sidhe magic and elemental magic, seemed to be blossoming into new, unknown magical powers.

“Thank you.” Mary ducked her head, looking as uncomfortable with maternal approval as Elizabeth felt.

A change of subject was clearly overdue. “Jane, I am longing to hear all about your wedding plans. The Gardiners knew nothing but the date.”

Before Jane could even respond, Mrs. Bennet jumped in. “Is it true what your aunt wrote to me, that you took two of her children to Faerie?”

Elizabeth laughed. “I did borrow them for a day to soothe Titania. She has missed having mortal children to fuss over, and she needed the distraction after all that had happened. She was most taken with young Maddy and wants her to return. My uncle favors it, since he has been taken with the notion of selling fay jewelry to mortals.” She glanced down at her wrist cuffs.

“Those are lovely cuffs. I always wished for some of my own, but they never gave them to mortals in my day.” Mrs. Bennet looked more closely at the cuffs and her eyes widened. “Are those diamonds?”

“Paste,” said Elizabeth firmly. If she had to wear them every day, she had no intention of allowing anyone to believe she was flaunting that sort of wealth.

“Still, they are beautiful,” said Mrs. Bennet with a sigh.

“Cathael, the new king of Faerie, gave them to me on the occasion of my wedding, and I must wear them every day to avoid insulting him. A few ladies in London have ordered similar ones. I hope they will become fashionable, since it is difficult to explain them to people with no knowledge of Faerie. At least they fit over long gloves.”

The safe chatter continued until the tea tray arrived, with Darcy and Mr. Bennet just behind it. Elizabeth was relieved to see a small smile on Darcy’s face.

It was comforting to have Darcy beside her again, but her father’s unusually grim visage made her stomach churn. What right had he to be angry? Her mother might have forgiven him, but Elizabeth was not ready to do so.

Mrs. Bennet gestured to the chair nearest her. “Mr. Bennet, do join us. I am about to pour the tea.”

“I thank you for the invitation, but whether I stay or not depends upon Lizzy’s wishes,” said Mr. Bennet.

That was unexpected, not to mention treacherous. What could she say? That she wished him far away, and even more wished he would be the man she once thought he was? After so much time in Faerie, polite lies no longer sprang quickly to her lips.

Mrs. Bennet said reproachfully, “Lizzy, you may disagree with his choices, but he is still your father. You owe him respect and courtesy. ”

Fury choked her. How could her mother say that, after everything they had all suffered? She should not have come here today. But she managed to say, “I hope you will join us.”

Darcy murmured, “Elizabeth, the tea.”

The tea? He was concerned about tea? Then she realized the teapot was trembling as the water within it churned wildly. Quickly she chased her anger away as Darcy had taught her, focusing only on the moment and calming herself with slow breaths and happier memories. This was nothing more than a social call where they would share polite niceties.

The teapot stopped trembling just in time. Mrs. Bennet picked it up and began to pour.

ELIZABETH WAVED FAREWELL to the Bennets until they were out of sight, and sank back into the seat. “I do not suppose we could travel by faerie ring instead and send the coach back to London empty.”

Darcy smiled sympathetically. “I do not think that would qualify as discreet usage. If other people knew how easily we could travel around the country, they would all be demanding the ability and would overwhelm the rings.”

“I suppose so. I hope Jane will be able to accept my invitation to visit us in London. I hardly had any opportunity to speak to her, and my mother kept bringing the conversation around to Faerie, Aelfric and magic, leaving poor Jane out. So much has happened since I last spoke with her alone that I feel like we are practically strangers. How did it go with my father?”

“Well enough. He could see I was not feeling friendly towards him. He was not happy that I was also involved with Faerie, and he seems to feel misunderstood by us. ”

“By me, you mean.”

“I told him he should explain himself to you, not to me, but I think I did start to see something of his position. What he did cannot be justified, but I can see better how his situation could have led him to make a poor decision. I am sorry. I do not mean to pain you.”

Her throat tightened. “What did he say?” She was not sure she wished to hear the answer.

“He asked me what I thought other men would have done in his position, and...”

“And what?”

“I saw myself in his place. A young man, very much in love with his wife, just as I am, and excited to become a father. If, at the very moment I expected to have my child placed in my arms, I instead learned you had been unfaithful to me, had likely only married me to give your baby a name, and that the true father was a godlike being I could never compare to – I cannot even imagine how devastated I would be. And if you were proud and excited about this infant who just destroyed everything for me...” He shook his head. “Not to mention worrying about the scandal should anyone discover it was not just an odd-looking baby. He might have killed the infant. He could have sent your mother away to live alone in poverty, or even to an asylum. But he loved her enough to keep her with him, and he did what he had been taught to do when a woman meddled with magic. I would not have done that, but my father and my uncle told me all my life that binding spells were wrong.”

Tears rolled down Elizabeth’s cheeks.

Darcy quickly put his arms around her. “I am so sorry, dearest love! I should have said nothing. I beg you to forgive my clumsiness.”

She buried her face in his shoulder, choking back sobs. “No, you were right to tell me.”

“Even so, he should have asked another mage to cast the spell. It is forbidden to use spells within one’s family. ”

“Eversleigh said my father had tried to remove the spell later, but failed. If so, why did he not seek out another mage to help him?”

“I can guess at that. He would have been too embarrassed to admit that not only had he cast the spell against the rules, but then he could not even remove it.”

“It was easier just to drift away from the Collegium and do nothing,” said Elizabeth bitterly. “He always chooses the easiest way.”

“If the spell were removed, he would have had to explain to people why she was suddenly changed.”

“Still, I have been unfair to him. I saw only what his actions had done to Aelfric, to my mother, and to me. Mama even said I was unfair to him. It was her actions that brought it all on.”

“And his actions that kept it from ending,” said Darcy. “If his embarrassment had not been greater than his desire to right his errors, this would have been over years ago.”

“True. Neither of them is without fault. I suppose I should speak with him when we come for Jane’s wedding.” She snuggled closer to Darcy and slid her hand inside his coat to rest on his waistcoat.

“You seemed to do well with your mother.”

“Tolerably so. I think she will be easier to deal with now that she is no longer so silly, but we may never have much in common. Even when it comes to Faerie, she idealizes it in a way I do not.”

“You need see your parents no more than you wish. It seems we shall be busy between Pemberley, London, and Faerie. I am looking forward to showing you Pemberley. I think you will like it.”

“As long as I am with you, I will be happy. I look forward to seeing Charlotte at Pemberley, too. I have so much more family now than I used to – your relatives, Eversleigh, and Aelfric. To think I disliked both of you so much when I first met you!”

He gave her an edgewise look. “You still get annoyed at Aelfric regularly. ”

“He often deserves it! But his heart is good.”

The carriage slowed to a stop. Elizabeth peered out the window to see fields of grazing sheep. “Is something wrong with the carriage?”

“I do not know.”

The footman opened the door and flipped down the steps. His expression impressively inscrutable, he said, “Mrs. Darcy’s brother and her raven.”

Pepper swooped past him into the carriage, transformed into a cat, and curled up on Elizabeth’s lap.

Darcy stepped out of the carriage and gripped wrists with Aelfric. “It is generally easier to find people at the beginning or end of their journey, you know.”

Aelfric scowled. “London is full of iron, and I have too many sisters at Longbourn. It is simpler to find Libbet wherever she is.”

“Well, now that you are here, come sit with me,” said Elizabeth, patting the bench beside her.

He picked up a covered basket and ducked his head low to step inside. “What an odd way to travel.”

Elizabeth exchanged an amused glance with Darcy. “Is this just a social call, or did you have a reason for tracking us down in the middle of Hertfordshire?”

Aelfric thrust the basket at her. “Bluebird asked me to give this to you. She said it is for the baby.”

Elizabeth pressed her lips together to stifle the laugh that threatened to emerge. “You do realize the baby will not be making an appearance until next spring.”

Aelfric shrugged. “She wanted you to have it now.”

“Very well,” said Elizabeth resignedly. She opened the cover of the basket and exclaimed, “What is this?”

A black cat opened its eyes and stuck its head out of the basket. One eye was green and the other was amber .

Darcy laughed. “Another phouka? Is one not enough?”

“This one is for the baby,” Aelfric explained patiently.

“I suppose every baby needs its own phouka,” said Elizabeth in a droll manner.

Pepper meowed loudly in agreement.

“That is all,” said Aelfric. “I will leave you to finish your journey in this odd contrivance. Oh, Libbet, Titania is asking for you.”

“Good heavens, does everyone know?” asked Elizabeth.

Aelfric looked puzzled. “Yes, of course.” He carefully stepped out of the carriage, looking disproportionately tall on the steps.

After the footman shut the door, the black cat crawled out of the basket and sniffed at Darcy’s leg.

Aelfric’s face reappeared at the window. “I forgot to tell you.” He pointed at the black cat. “Bluebird says her name is Snowy.”