Chapter 6
You can do this , I told myself as I rang the doorbell. Mrs. Bennet answered the door, looking cheerful and radiant in a red turtleneck sweater and pair of black slacks. She’d styled her hair differently too, with a little more bounce and a lot more volume.
“I’m so happy to see you, Charles,” she said, wrapping me in a big hug. She smelled of cinnamon and rising bread and all things maternal. I couldn’t help but feel buoyed. She might not be Darcy’s cup of tea, but to me, Mrs. Bennet was perfect.
I handed her the bouquet of hydrangeas and she beamed at me.
“Thank you, Charles. Do come in. We’re almost ready with dinner. You can go on into the dining room.”
The large dining table was beautifully set with drippy wax candles and gold plates.
Kitty sat next to her boyfriend, Riley, an outgoing and charismatic reporter who worked at the newspaper with Lizzy.
He wore a cream henley with the sleeves rolled up, revealing part of a tattoo curling up his arm.
Kitty wore a green jumpsuit and a mischievous expression as she gave me a knowing look.
Clearly, her sisters had told her about the whole truth-potion situation. My cheeks heated.
Lizzy paused from her task of filling water glasses when she saw me. “Hi, Charles. It’s nice to see you.”
She shot Kitty a quizzical look, and Kitty shrugged subtly in reply. They didn’t know I was going to be here. And if they didn’t know I was going to be there, that meant…
“Charles?” Jane entered the room, looking beautiful in a blue sweaterdress. My mind blanked out, as it often did around Jane.
“Hi,” I said, relieved when my voice came out sounding normal, though I felt as though I were standing on the edge of a cliff. “Your mother invited me to dinner. I hope I’m not imposing.”
“Not at all.” Kitty came over and pushed me into an open chair. “You should sit here.”
The silence stretched for a moment before Jane came over to where I sat, her eyes resting on me for a moment.
My brain whirred, trying to interpret her expression.
Was she happy to see me, or resigned to my presence?
Her cheeks were tinged pink, but that could mean she was overwarm as easily as it could mean she was pleased to see me.
Or maybe she felt exasperated that I could waltz back into her life so cavalierly after the way we’d parted.
She placed one hand on my shoulder. “I’ll be back,” she said, jarring me from my thoughts. “I just have to take a tonic to my father. I’m sorry that he’s not feeling well enough to join us.”
“May I help? I can’t cure Moonrot, but maybe I could ease some of his symptoms.”
She paused before responding. “I’d appreciate that; thank you.” I watched in fascination as the blush spread down her neck.
Kitty wrinkled her nose at the cup Jane held. “You’re not giving it to him cold, are you? He hates cold drinks.”
“I can warm that up,” Riley said, putting his hands around the cup. Steam rose from the liquid as he handed it back. Jack had a similar ability, but he was fae and Riley was not. I wondered what magic enabled him to do that.
“Thank you,” Jane said. “I’ll lead you up to his room, Charles.”
I followed her to a cheerful, if a bit frilly, bedroom. Mr. Bennet was propped up in bed reading, a sheen of sweat on his brow.
I’d seen dozens of Moonrot patients throughout the past few years, and unfortunately there was still no cure for it.
Darcy had even gone so far as to defer taking his rightful place as king until he found the answers he was seeking.
Hopefully in finding the cause, he’d also be able to find a cure to the disease that had plagued so many of the fae.
“Dad, I’ve brought Charles Bingley,” Jane said.
Mr. Bennet straightened and shook my hand, though his grip was very weak.
“I’m a healer, Mr. Bennet. I’d love to see if I can ease any of your symptoms,” I said.
“Thank you.” He didn’t sound very hopeful. Jane adjusted his pillow and refilled the water behind his bed. I loved watching her kindness in action, it was one of my favorite things about her.
I held Mr. Bennet’s wrist lightly as he brought the cup to his lips and took a tentative sip. As I delved into his soul with my magic, I saw the Moonrot manifesting as a dark, swirling presence, similar to smoke.
I tried to get rid of the smoke, as I’d done countless times with other Moonrot patients, but the darkness didn’t react to my magic at all.
As Mr. Bennet took a sip of the tonic, a dim golden light appeared, flickering faintly before it was overwhelmed by the swirling darkness. I waited until Mr. Bennet took another sip of the draught. The dim light appeared again, and this time I was ready.
Rather than attacking the darkness directly, I focused on strengthening and protecting the source of light. I wrapped my power around it, allowing it to glow.
The darkness buffeted against the light for a few long minutes, but I kept my shield up while Mr. Bennet sipped from the cup.
The light strengthened, filling more of his spirit with light.
The darkness didn’t completely disappear, but by the time he finished the cup, it had retreated into the corners of his essence.
I let go of his wrist and brought my attention back into the room. The color was back in his face, his cheeks tinged a healthy pink, and the sweat that had beaded his brow was gone. His eyes were clear and alert. He even sat straighter.
“Dad, how do you feel?” Jane asked.
“Better than I have in months. Thank you, Charles.”
I grinned, happy to see him looking so hale. “It was Jane’s tonic that did the real work. I just held the disease at bay long enough for it to work its magic.”
“Well, I thank you. I feel so well I think I’ll join you all for dinner.”
I offered him my arm, and he swung his legs over the bed and stood. His pajamas were loose on his thin frame, but he was steady as he walked over to his closet. “I’ll just change and meet you downstairs,” he said.
We left his room, and Jane closed the door softly behind us. “Thank you, Charles.” She wrapped me in a tight hug.
I wrapped my arms around her. We’d already shared plenty of hugs. We’d even embraced before, but that was before I’d admitted to myself that I loved her. Holding her now, with that knowledge, made everything feel different. Did she feel it, too?
The smell of pot roast and the murmur of conversation drifted up the stairs, but I was in no hurry to rejoin the party. Not with Jane seemingly content to stay in my arms.
“Thank you so much.” Jane’s voice broke. “It has felt like he has been slipping away from us.”
“I’m glad I could help.” I kissed the top of her head.
“I’d do anything for you, Jane.”
Her arms tightened around me. “I missed you. I didn’t know if you would ever come back.”
“I’m so sorry,” I said. I took a deep breath, about to release the avalanche of words that were begging to burst forward.
Words like I missed you and I love you and I’ll never leave again if you want me to stay.
But the creak of the door announced Mr. Bennet.
I reluctantly pulled back, not liking how empty my arms felt with Jane’s absence.
I’d find the right moment to tell her. Soon.
I pulled out my phone and sent a quick report to Darcy, telling him about the healing. While tonics had been well studied, as had magical healing like what I was able to do, I’d never seen results this promising before.
Darcy texted back quickly, telling me that he wanted to talk more about it and examine Mr. Bennet in person, and that he’d be here for the Saints and Sweethearts festival in a little over a week.
I tucked my phone in my pocket, hopeful for the first time in a long time about the possibility of curing Moonrot.
When we rejoined the group, I saw that Mary and her boyfriend, Frank, had joined the party. Mary smiled politely but regarded me thoughtfully as I sat next to Jane.
Everyone gasped when Mr. Bennet came to the table. He now wore slacks with a button-down shirt and a big smile on his face. Mrs. Bennet was the first one to embrace him, but Kitty, Lizzy, Mary, and Jane all scootched in for a giant group hug.
“Are you healed?” Mrs. Bennet asked in a whisper.
He shook his head, unbuttoning the top of his shirt to show her that the telltale swirl from Moonrot still marred his chest. “I don’t feel completely well, though I do feel much improved,” he said.
“I wasn’t able to get rid of the illness,” I said, wishing I had better news for them. “But I was able to keep it at bay, at least temporarily.”
Lizzy sat at her father’s left. “We’re so grateful you were able to do this much, Charles.”
“It’s a shame Lydia wasn’t able to come tonight,” Mrs. Bennet said. “She had prior plans with her husband.” Mrs. Bennet shot a meaningful glance at each of her daughters. “Such a fine example our Lydia has set.”
I couldn’t stop my eyes from straying to Jane. She caught my eye and looked away, blushing.
Dinner was cheerful. I didn’t say much, I just basked in being in the family’s presence as they bantered and laughed and smiled. The Bennets all seemed to glow with happiness at seeing their father looking healthier than he’d been in a long time.
Eventually, the conversation came around to the murder.
“Did any of you know Jeanine?” I asked the Bennets.
“Not really,” Mrs. Bennet said. “I’ve seen her around now and then, usually at the pet store.”
Jane frowned. “Jeanine had a pet?”
“A cat,” Mary said.
“Did she keep it inside? What if it couldn’t get out and doesn’t have food or water?” Jane stood up from the table. “I’m going to go check on it.”
“Do you even know which house is hers?” Kitty asked.
Jane looked to her mother, who preened. “I know every house in Austen Heights.” She pulled out her phone and sent Jane the address.
“I’ll join you,” I said, standing. “I’d be happy to help.”
“Okay,” she said with a shy smile. “Let’s go.”
“Be careful,” Mary said. “A couple of detectives came by the house earlier today looking for you.”
Jane’s smile faltered. “Did they say why?”
“No, but I’m sure it was about the murder. They said they’ll be by again tomorrow.”
“Okay, thanks.” Jane kissed her dad on the cheek and grabbed her coat, but I could tell she was worried.
“We’ll find out who did this,” I promised as we hurried out into the night.