“Tell him what?”
“That you can see the fay!”
Jasper looked bewildered. “He never asked. You went to Faerie, too? You have all the luck!”
Elizabeth smiled. “Mr. Jasper, if you would like, I would be happy to take you on a visit to Faerie.”
His eyes lit up. “Would you? Oh, that would be marvelous!” His face fell. “It might not be a good idea, though. I always say the wrong thing, and someone will be offended.”
Elizabeth laughed. “Definitely Sidhe! You would be welcomed there. The Sidhe men think it is a great virtue to blurt out whatever happens to be in their minds. Do you like horses?”
He beamed. “I love horses.”
“Then I definitely must introduce you to my Sidhe brother.”
IT WAS AFTER CALLINGhours when Phipps announced Viscount Eversleigh.
Finally! Elizabeth had been wondering and worrying about what might be happening at Rosings Park for the last three days. Perhaps now they would get some answers.
“Lord Eversleigh, it is a pleasure, as always,” said Lady Matlock. “Do sit down. I hope your journey back from Rosings Park was an easy one.”
“It was uneventful, thank you, which was a great relief after my overly eventful stay there. I hope you are all in good health?”
Bother. They would have to sit through a quarter hour of social niceties before she could ask about Lady Catherine’s fate.
“Very well, I thank you. The weather has been a bit dreary, but we have entertained ourselves with plans for the revel. I am happy to report Lady Jersey has agreed to join me in hosting it,” said Lady Matlock.
“That is excellent news. I trust she will be handling the royal invitation, then?”
“Yes, although I will, of course, send the Prince Regent a card.”
“You are inviting Prinny?” Frederica blurted out.
“Do not worry; it is unlikely he will bestir himself for an event that is not in town,” said Lady Matlock. “He must be invited, though. It would be most improper to have visiting royalty and fail to invite our own.”
As if it were not difficult enough to deal with the constant mentions of this and that aristocrat, now they were bandying about royalty! At least this was better than discussing the weather.
Eversleigh said, “I have news from Titania. She says Oberon does not wish to attend the revel, but as a gesture of good faith, he will halt the attacks on mortals until then.”
“That is excellent news,” said Elizabeth. But it still did not tell her what had happened to Lady Catherine. Was she to be executed? Had italready been done?
Eversleigh ostentatiously placed his hand over his ear and directed a mock reproachful look at Elizabeth. “Lady Matlock, could I ever hope for forgiveness from you if I rudely proceed to a matter of business? I fear Miss Bennet may deafen me with her silent questions otherwise.”
Elizabeth’s cheeks grew hot under Lady Matlock’s quizzical gaze. “You must forgive me, Viscount Eversleigh. I fear I have been thinking too loudly.”
Lady Matlock turned back to Eversleigh. “Doubtless there is some explanation for that odd interchange.”
“Forgive me, your ladyship,” said Eversleigh. “Among the fay, it is possible to communicate a thought simply by directing it at a certain person and putting a degree of force behind it, or, as Miss Bennet so aptly puts it, thinking it loudly. She shows a particular aptitude for it. Because of our bond through Prince Aelfric, I am susceptible to her thoughts, with the result that I am aware my life may be in danger if I do not quickly assure Miss Bennet that Lady Catherine is alive and as well as any strong-willed lady who is forced to submit to being blindfolded and having her hands tied.” He inclined his head towards Elizabeth.
Lady Matlock did not appear amused. “You are able to have conversations which exclude the rest of us completely?”
“Not conversations as such,” said Elizabeth hurriedly. “Only very general concepts. If I were thinking hard about being hungry, Viscount Eversleigh might be aware of that, but not what I was planning for my next meal.”
Eversleigh nodded. “In this case, I perceived Miss Bennet as pounding at the door of my mind with both fists because she was desperate to know something. I was able to guess what that something was, but she could not have told me that. It is much like our mortal ability to tell when someone is angry with us, but not necessarily why theyare angry or what they wish us to do about it.” He nodded to Frederica, even though she had said nothing.
Frederica met his gaze without flinching. “It is quite possible that I might become angry if you do not tell us what has happened at Rosings Park. I assume you have already informed my father.”
“I did, but I thought you might like to hear directly from me rather than secondhand, hence my presence here.”
