Chapter 12 #3
Darcy stared down at the ring in his hand. Such a small thing to make such an enormous difference. He might be able to sleep now without all those basins of water. If only he had known this years ago! But even this could not protect him from the machinations of his fellow mages. “Thank you,” he said abruptly. “I never thought of that. When Elizabeth told me her cat was fay, I thought it might have done magic on me, but it never occurred to me it could be the cat itself.”
“I am glad it can help. I am sorry to have brought bad news along with it. I will do my best to protect you, and I only wish it could be more. ”
“I know.”
Eversleigh snapped his fingers. “I almost forgot. There is one other thing I wished to ask you. I have somewhat reluctantly agreed to take Lord Matlock to Faerie tomorrow. Would you be willing to join us? I would feel better with two of us to curb his over-enthusiasm, and he does tend to listen to you better than to me.”
“Certainly. It should be interesting.”
After Eversleigh departed, Darcy spun the ring in his hand. He needed to think. If the mages decided against him, one thing was certain. He would not accept the punishment for something he had not done, even if that meant giving up the life he led and going into hiding.
Perhaps there was another option now. Leaving England had never been a possibility before. The sea was too dangerous for him, and the risk he might accidentally swamp a boat full of innocent people had kept him on terra firma . But if he could use something like the ring to keep his powers in check, perhaps it would be possible. The Collegium had no power outside of England. He could leave until he was able to clear his name. He did not know how he would do that, but do it he would.
But if he left England, he would leave alone. He could not ask Elizabeth to share his disgrace. The Board of Inquiry threatened more than his good name and safety. It was the end of his hopes for a future with Elizabeth.
Since walking her back to Matlock House, he had been in an elated dream of a future together. Now it was gone. He had to stay away from her, just as he had thought to start wooing her in earnest. It was too late.
ELIZABETH HAD TAKEN particular care with her appearance, even borrowing Frederica’s maid to do her hair. Tonight Darcy would be dining with them, and she wanted to look her best. She might not have much opportunity to speak to him, but she could look at him and know he was in the same room.
The butler brought Lady Matlock an envelope.
She took it, opened the seal and frowned as she read it. “It is from Darcy. He will not be joining us for dinner tonight after all. He has received word the Collegium investigation into him has been reopened, and the Board of Inquiry is very hostile to him. He thinks it would be wiser to keep some distance from Lord Matlock during this time.”
All of Elizabeth’s pleasure turned to ashes. A lump in her throat kept her from speaking, even as Frederica denounced the stupidity and evil of the Board of Inquiry.
She did not want either Lady Matlock or Frederica to know that her future had just been destroyed. Darcy was keeping his distance from her, not from Lord Matlock. It no longer mattered if she became respectable, not when any shade in her past could bring Darcy down. Even if he were acquitted again, the suspicion would linger even longer this time. He could not afford to marry a witch with fay connections. The dream had ended.
She could not bear it. “My head has started to ache. I think I will lie down for a few minutes.”
Lady Matlock said, “A good idea. There is still time to rest before dinner.”
There was plenty of time. Elizabeth had nothing but long, empty months and years ahead. Plenty of time.
She made it halfway up the stairs before the first sob tore through her.
DARCY GAZED DOWN THE corridor to Oberon’s chambers. They had left Lord Matlock there half an hour ago. Did conversations with the Sidhe not tend to be much briefer than that? “I hope it is going well.”
“There is no reason why it would not,” said Eversleigh. “Lord Matlock has always been half in love with the mere idea of Faerie. Oberon will be able to tell his motives are good.”
“Yet you seem concerned.”
Eversleigh straightened his cuffs. “Not about that. Something is odd, though. When I brought you to meet Oberon, he spoke little to me and dismissed us quickly, although it had been months since my last visit. Today he sent us away so he could speak to Lord Matlock alone. I would have expected him to keep me there. Perhaps he has his reasons, though.”
“Or it could be mere coincidence.”
“I suppose so.” But Eversleigh’s expression remained troubled. “Ah, Lord Matlock is finally coming. He looks pleased with himself.”
“Smug,” Darcy muttered. “He looks smug.”
Eversleigh laughed. “That, too.”
When Lord Matlock reached them, he announced, “That went very well. Very well, indeed.”
Under his breath, Darcy said, “Modest, too.”
By the quiver of Eversleigh’s lips, he knew it had been heard.
Eversleigh bowed. “What happened, if I may ask?”
“He deserves his epithet. Cunning Oberon, indeed! He asked me a great many questions designed to reveal any prejudice against Faerie. Finally I told him the only thing I held against Faerie was not being allowed to visit years ago.”
“I imagine he liked that,” said Eversleigh.
“Then I asked him some questions about obscure Faerie lore. I would kill for some of the books in his library, but he says they are not for mortals.” Lord Matlock held his hand out as if to admire it. “He gave me a ring. ”
Eversleigh reached out to touch the silver band. “I should warn you that ring is bespelled.”
“I know it is,” said Lord Matlock with pride. “He put a blood spell on it so I could communicate with him if there should be a crisis. He has one for contacting me as well. He said my spell work was most satisfactory for a mortal.”
Definitely smug. At least he was not dancing with glee from having the Faerie king’s blood spell on his hand. “I assume he must have a reason to wish to communicate with you.”
Lord Matlock waved his hand. “It is nothing. A little plan we came up with to deal with the faerie ring problem. I cannot reveal the details.” He was clearly enjoying the mystery.
“I wish you good fortune,” said Eversleigh mildly, but there was something bleak in his eyes. “Do you still wish to see the Great Spell before we return?”
“I would not miss it! Our Great Spell tree was lost to the sea centuries ago.”
“It is but a short walk. The King’s Hall was built here to honor it.” Eversleigh led them down a stone path into the forest.
After a few minutes, the dense wood opened into a clearing. An enormous oak towered over the center. Its size was unnatural, at least twice as tall as the other trees in the forest. Standing under its branches was like walking into a great cathedral.
“Nearly two thousand years old,” breathed Lord Matlock. “Magnificent.”
“This is where the Sidhe Caerdic and his mortal brother Alber, may their names live in blessed memory, spilled their heart’s blood to split Faerie asunder,” said Eversleigh.
“Can their presence still be felt?” asked Lord Matlock.
“Yes. They will be there as long as the tree stands. They are vague and have forgotten who they were after all these centuries, but you can still converse with them if you wish.”
“What would I have to do?” Lord Matlock’s excitement was palpable.
“Go to the tree and place your palms against the bark. You will understand what to do from there,” Eversleigh said.
“Have you done it?” asked Lord Matlock.
“Oh, yes. It is traditional for a child coming of age to ask their blessing. I did it when I returned here after university. Go ahead, if you wish.”
Lord Matlock hesitated. “The Great Spell,” he murmured. He walked forward and rested his hands on the tree.
Darcy asked quietly, “Do they give advice?”
“Not now,” said Eversleigh. “Oberon says his grandfather could converse with them for the first century or two. Now it is but a sense of their spirits that remains.”
Darcy gazed up into the branches. The giant tree made him feel very small. “Why did they want to split Faerie?”
“The same reason as the lost Great Spell in the mortal world, the one that broke England from Europe and drowned an invading army led by sorcerers. In Roman times, many fay were practicing dark magic. The Sidhe here are the descendants of those who had spent their lives fighting the evil fay. This spell was created to divide Faerie with the dark magicians on the other side. It also gave the Sidhe the ability to determine if someone is lying, which exposes most sorcery.”
“Were there other Great Spells?”
“The legends speak of one thousands of years ago, but nothing of it remains. During the Black Death, two mortal mages attempted a Great Spell to halt the illness, but it failed. Most likely it was because they were both mortal instead of having a Sidhe and a mortal, but I suppose they were desperate enough to try anything.”
“Then it is thanks to the Great Spells that England and English Faerie are mostly free of sorcery. What happened to the other half of Faerie?”
“No one knows. The Great Spell also blocked anyone of our part of Faerie from traveling to the other side. Given that parts of Europe are strongholds of sorcery, I suspect the dark magicians in the other half of Faerie are still up to their old tricks.”
Lord Matlock dropped his hands and made his way back to Eversleigh and Darcy. “Astonishing,” he said reverently.
“Were you able to understand them?” asked Eversleigh.
“Yes. I tried to ask about the construction of a Great Spell, but they could not remember. Then I explained that we were fighting sorcery in the mortal world and asked for their blessing.”
“Apparently they gave it.” Eversleigh pointed behind Lord Matlock, where small white flowers had blossomed in his footprints.
Lord Matlock’s eyes widened. “How...”
Eversleigh clapped a hand on his arm. “You cannot expect magic to follow its usual rules this close to a Great Spell. Accept their blessing and be glad of it. We need all the help we can get.”
“THIS IS IT.” ELIZABETH gestured to her uncle’s house.
Frederica’s gaze moved up and down the facade of the townhouse. “It looks very pleasant.”
“How kind of you,” said Elizabeth wryly, wondering if Frederica had ever been inside a tradesman’s house.
“You look worried,” said Frederica.
“A little.” She did not know how her mother would react to her, but suspected it would not be pleasant. Still, Elizabeth could not leave London with this undone, and she could not bear remaining at Matlock House any longer than necessary .
The manservant admitted them, and Elizabeth introduced Frederica to Mr. Gardiner in the front hall of the house on Gracechurch Street.
“It is an honor, Lady Frederica. Lizzy, you are welcome, although my conscience is not completely clear in this matter,” her uncle said quietly. “I feel as if I am working behind your father’s back.”
“But only in the best interest of your own sister,” said Elizabeth.
“That is true.” Mr. Gardiner sighed. “I have been talking with her about the time before her marriage, trying to help her recall how different she was then. She seems to enjoy the recollections, but as usual, she cannot stay on any topic long.”
“Did you tell her I was coming?”
“Only that you had written to say you might be in London for a few days and would call if you could.”
“Good. Is she in the drawing room?”
“Yes. Come, let us begin.” He preceded her along the corridor to the drawing room. “Look who is here! Our Lizzy has come to call, and she has brought a friend.”
“Oh, my poor nerves,” cried Mrs. Bennet shrilly. “I do not know how you dare show your face here after shaming us in front of the neighborhood with your horrid magic. Why, I had to come here because I could no longer stand it in Meryton. Oh, you do not know how I suffer!”
Not a promising beginning. “I am sorry it has been difficult for you. Lady Frederica, may I present Mrs. Bennet, Mrs. Gardiner, and my sisters, Miss Bennet and Miss Mary Bennet? Mama, aunt, permit me to introduce Lady Frederica Fitzwilliam. Lady Frederica’s father is the Earl of Matlock.”
Mrs. Bennet’s mouth opened but no words came out. Her awe at being in the presence of an earl’s daughter was apparently more powerful than her nerves.
Frederica paid all the proper courtesies to Mrs. Gardiner and Elizabeth’s sisters. Turning her attention to Elizabeth’s mother, she said, “I hope you will not let this nonsense about Elizabeth’s magic upset you. The ban on women using magic is nothing but old superstition. Why, my father, the earl, has said that Elizabeth did excellent work in healing Lady Catherine, and he was Master of the Collegium of Mages for many years. If he did not object, why should anyone?”
Since Mrs. Bennet remained dumbfounded, Mrs. Gardiner replied, “I am happy to hear Lord Matlock holds such enlightened ideas. It is unfortunate that most people still think it a sin for a woman to have magic.”
Frederica shook her head sadly. “How foolish is that, when there are as many women with magic as men? Are we to ostracize every mage’s daughter in England? Why, since Mrs. Bennet has fay blood and Mr. Bennet is a mage, I imagine all their children have some degree of magic, as does Mrs. Bennet herself.”
Mary, her face a mottled red, said stoutly, “I fear you may be misinformed, Lady Frederica. We have no fay blood.”
Frederica put on a creditable mask of confusion. “But I thought... Mr. Gardiner, did you not tell Elizabeth this?”
“Yes,” said Mr. Gardiner dryly, apparently not fooled by Frederica’s act. “We do have fay blood, but Mr. Bennet prefers it not to be spoken of.”
In the silence that followed, Mary said flatly, “Papa says Faerie is not a real place.”
Elizabeth took a deep breath. “He would like it not to be real, but he does know better. Do you remember Faerie at all, Mama, sitting on the soft moss by Titania’s side with the sprites combing out your hair and decorating it with flowers, and the faerie wine that tastes of apple blossoms and elderflowers in the moonlight?”
Mrs. Bennet wore a look of bewilderment. “I had a dream like that once, but Mr. Bennet said it was not real. ”
Lady Frederica said calmly, “I assure you Faerie is quite real. I traveled there with Elizabeth, and I heard Titania speak of you.”
“Then why can I not remember it?” Mrs. Bennet began tugging at her handkerchief.
Carefully Elizabeth said, “Do not let it worry you, Mama. You cannot remember Faerie or your magic because you are under a binding spell.”
“A spell?” asked Mrs. Bennet querulously. “How could I be under a spell? Your father would have noticed it.”
This was the moment. “I am sorry to say that my father is the one who cast the spell. He admitted it to me.”
“How can you tell such a lie, Lizzy?” burst out Mary. “Or is Lady Frederica again going to tell us that she heard it as well?”
It took more than Mary’s spite to ruffle Frederica. “No, I was not there, but Prince Aelfric, Oberon’s son, was and I can ask him about it if you like. The Sidhe never lie.”
Jane put a gentle hand on Elizabeth’s arm. “Perhaps you misunderstood what he said. I cannot imagine our father casting a spell on anyone, least of all our mother.”
Elizabeth hated to disillusion her tender-hearted sister. “I did not want to believe it, either, or that our mother has been under a spell since before any of us were born.”
“Lord, why must you say these things, Lizzy?” wailed Mrs. Bennet.
Frederica laid her hand on Mrs. Bennet’s arm. “I pray you, do not allow it to upset you. It is not a sin to be under a spell, and you are far from the only one. It takes great courage and strength to accept these things, but I know you have those.”
“I have no courage! Oh, my nerves!” Mrs. Bennet dabbed at her eyes with her handkerchief.
“Forgive me for distressing you,” said Frederica. “I should not make assumptions. I feel as if I already know you because Elizabeth has talked about you so much. Not all to me, of course. Mostly it was to Prince Aelfric, but I heard it, too, since I was there. I forget that you do not know me at all.”
Mrs. Bennet fanned herself frantically. “You are, oh, you are too, too kind, your ladyship.”
“Lizzy,” said Mrs. Gardiner in a voice that was a little too even. “Who is Prince Aelfric and why have you spoken to him so much about your mother?”
Frederica clapped her hand to her mouth.
Elizabeth glared at her. How could Frederica have done this to her? It had to have been deliberate. “Prince Aelfric of the Sidhe is King Oberon’s son. He has taken a special interest in me,” she said slowly. But what was the point in dragging the matter out now? “He was found as a newborn twenty-three years ago in the faerie ring near Longbourn.” She held her breath.
“Nonsense,” said Mrs. Bennet. “No one would abandon a newborn at Longbourn. We take care of our people.”
“He was a Sidhe baby, born to a mortal mother, the first Sidhe baby in fifty years.” Elizabeth’s mouth was dry. “That is why he is so very curious about my mother.”
All the color was gone from Mrs. Bennet’s face. “But he died,” she whispered.
A chair scraped the floor as Mr. Gardiner stood suddenly and went to Mrs. Bennet’s side.
“You were told he had died,” Elizabeth corrected. “He is very much alive.” She glanced around the room. Jane appeared perplexed, while Mary’s face was still red.
Mrs. Bennet burst into noisy sobs. Mr. Gardiner put his arm around her, glaring at Elizabeth.
Elizabeth contemplated killing Frederica .
Jane leaned towards Elizabeth. “What is all this, Lizzy?” she asked reproachfully.
It was hard to hear over Mrs. Bennet’s wails. Elizabeth said, “I will tell you out in the corridor. Mary, do you wish to join us?”
Mary stomped after them. Perhaps that had not been a good idea.
In the corridor Elizabeth took a deep breath. “I am truly sorry. I would not have chosen to tell you this way. As you may have guessed, Mama’s first child, the boy we were told had died, is still alive, and is one of the fay. Our father left him in a faerie ring and told Mama he had died. He used a binding spell to stop her from questioning it. Uncle Gardiner says our mother was very different before the spell, much less silly and nervous.”
“We have a brother? Could it be true?” whispered Jane.
Mary interposed, “Can he break the entail?”
Hysterical laughter tried to bubble up in Elizabeth’s throat. “He is our brother, but he is not human. I cannot imagine the courts even being willing to consider it.” After all, what would a prince of Faerie want with Longbourn?
“How can he be fay when both of our parents are human?” demanded Mary.
“Because his father is Sidhe.”
Stunned silence met her words.
Jane clasped her hands in front of her mouth. “Oh, poor Mama. Poor, poor Papa. He would not have known what to do.”
“He put a spell on his own wife so that we have never known the woman she truly is. I saw a binding spell removed recently and the lady involved was utterly changed.” Elizabeth’s voice shook on the last words.
“He could not have meant to change Mama.” Jane could never bear to think ill of anyone. “Our brother – goodness, how strange that sounds! What is he like?”
“He is –” Elizabeth broke off. It would be unfair to prejudice her sisters against Aelfric. “A friend who has known him all his life says Aelfric has a good heart. Aelfric and I did not start off well, mostly owing to a misunderstanding, and he has improved with further acquaintance.” Not improved much, but it was still true.
“I do not want a fay brother,” said Mary in a low voice. “I do not want fay blood or magic or a different mother.”
Given how hard it had been for Elizabeth to accept those things, it must be overwhelming to pious Mary. “I was devastated when I first found out about him only a few days ago. I still am, for that matter.”
“Why did you hide your magic from us?” said Mary abruptly.
“Why?” asked Elizabeth with a hint of incredulity. “Because I did not wish to be an outcast.”
Jane said soothingly, “Mary, I am sure Elizabeth intended to protect us.”
Mary made a gesture with her hand as if brushing the argument away. “That is not what I mean. Why did you not tell your own sisters?”
“I –” Elizabeth stopped short. Why was Mary asking questions with obvious answers rather than sermonizing? “The same reason. Lydia or Kitty would never remain quiet about such good gossip. I expected you would disapprove and might mention it in confession. Telling you would have been dangerous and would have accomplished nothing.”
Mary looked away, blinking behind her spectacles. “That is not true. If you had told me, I would have known that I was not alone, that it was not because of my personal failings. I tried so hard to be obedient, to pray, to read every book of sermons I could find, all in the hope that if I were only virtuous enough, the stain of magic would leave me.”
Dumbstruck, Elizabeth could only gaze at her sister. At last she said, “I had no idea. Magic has nothing to do with virtue. It is something you are born with, like the color of your eyes. I hid it, but I was not ashamed of it. I wish I had known what you were thinking.”
“Then why is magic forbidden to women? ”
“The mages would prefer women not to have magic, but that is a prejudice on their part. The fay think it is barbaric that mortal women are not allowed to use magic. I had thought no ladies practiced magic, but I have learned that is not true. They learn as much as they can of magic, but very discreetly.”
“Lydia knows how to use her magic.” Mary sounded angry.
Jane gasped.
“Lydia has magic? I had no idea.” Elizabeth said.
“Why do you think Kitty follows her around and all the officers pay so much attention to her? She uses it to dazzle people.” Her words dripped scorn. “Surely that is not something to aspire to.”
“No.” One shock after another. At Longbourn, Elizabeth had an outlet for her magic with the wisewoman; what might she have ended up using her magic for had she not? “Lady Frederica told me once that it was surprising none of my sisters had magic, but I paid no attention. I should have listened to her.”
“Did you assume you were the only one of us to be so gifted, then?”
“Gifted? It sounds more like it was a curse for you. Our father knew I had magic, and I suppose I thought he would have said something to me if any of the rest of you did.”
Mary scowled. “He probably did not notice. He never sees anything he does not wish to see.”
“No, he does not,” said Elizabeth sharply. “It is probably better for me not to speak of him at present, though. I am still very angry about the spell he put on our mother. Have you thought of what you might wish to use your magic for? It can be a force for good.”
“I do not even know what it can be used for! Not to impress other people, that is certain.”
“I do not know all the possibilities either. I learned to use my magic by trial and error, and I have only recently discovered how little I know. Would you mind if I asked Lady Frederica to join us? She can answer your questions about magic better than I can, and she would be very happy to do so. She wishes to see more women practicing magic.”
Mary hesitated. “Would she not think me foolish?”
Elizabeth had never before felt a desire to protect Mary. “Not foolish at all, only untutored, and that is no fault of yours.”
“Then I would like to speak to her.”
It seemed Mary was yet another person Elizabeth had misjudged. She ought to be used to this by now.
“LIZZY!” MR. GARDINER’S voice came from the drawing room. “Come in here. Your mother has a question for you.”
“Oh, dear,” said Elizabeth under her breath, but she obeyed. Standing before her mother, she asked, “What would you like to know?”
Mrs. Bennet blew her nose. “If he is alive, why did he never come to see me?” she asked plaintively.
Elizabeth studied the toes of her slippers. “He knew he had been abandoned in the faerie ring, but not who had done it. Until he met me, he assumed you must have agreed to it, so he thought you wanted nothing to do with him. Once I told him that you believed he had died, he wanted to see you very much.”
“But he still has not come!”
Elizabeth grimaced. “He is angry that you were put under a binding spell. Furious, in fact. He wants to meet the mother who bore him, not the results of the spell.”
“You must take that spell off, then! This minute! Oh, my nerves!”
Elizabeth took a step back at her mother’s ferocity. “I do not have the ability to remove spells of that nature, nor does Lady Frederica. ”
From behind her, Frederica said, “Eversleigh could do it, and he is here in London.”
“Then take me to him!” cried Mrs. Bennet. “I cannot bear this.”
Elizabeth held up her palms. “Mama, I cannot go to Viscount Eversleigh’s house uninvited and demand that he remove a spell!”
“I can,” said Frederica quietly. “I will take you there if you wish, Mrs. Bennet.”
“Oh, you are so very kind! I thank you again and again. But a viscount? Will he be angry?”
“Not at all,” Frederica soothed. “He will be happy to help you. Your son is a friend of his.”
“He knows my...my son?” Miss Bennet’s voice broke.
“He does,” said Elizabeth.
“I want to go this very moment!”
Elizabeth sighed.