“That will be enough from both of you,” said Lady Matlock disapprovingly. “Lord Eversleigh, might I hope that you could be prevailed upon to relieve our ill-bred curiosity about the recent events?”
Eversleigh shifted uncomfortably in his chair. Frederica looked as if she would have run from the room if she had not been even more eager to hear the news.
“I would be honored to do so.” Eversleigh’s words were polite, but his voice had gone flat. “The three mages who were to examine Lady Catherine arrived shortly after you left Rosings Park. We searched Lady Catherine’s rooms thoroughly, but the only incriminating item found was another spell written in Sir Lewis’s hand which she had hidden inside her pillowcase. She apparently took the precaution of removing it from her bedside table but was unwilling to destroy it. It appears to be a spell to insert a particular thought or belief in someone’s mind.”
Frederica’s indrawn breath was audible, and even Lady Matlock paled.
“From questioning her, they believe she has no knowledge of how to develop sorcerous spells on her own. The mages have determined that the sorcery of Sir Lewis and Lady Catherine should not be made public to prevent a general panic about sorcerers living among us. Certain influential members of the Collegium and the government will be told. No doubt rumors will spread, but they hope to limit that.” It sounded as if Eversleigh did not agree.
“What will happen to Lady Catherine?” asked Elizabeth.
“Since she has not actively pursued sorcery, they feel execution is inappropriate, not to mention difficult to explain. They cannot prove she does not know any other spells, so she will need to be kept away from people. Initially she will be sent to a remote hunting lodge where she will be guarded and warded at all times, but eventually they wish to find an isolated island where she would have less opportunity for contact with innocent people.”
Lady Matlock raised her delicate eyebrows. “She will be very unhappy about that.”
“She shows no remorse over what she did, only regret that she was caught. This sentence is extremely lenient. They are not only allowing her to live, but also to keep her vision. Blinding her would be the best precaution, since she cannot cast spells if she cannot see.”
“Has Miss de Bourgh expressed an opinion about it?” asked Elizabeth.
“Miss de Bourgh continues to believe execution is the appropriate option, but she has agreed to accept the judgment. The blood wards we set are still working, so those people Lady Catherine had bespelled are free from her influence. The servants – well, they appear to be taking it calmly. The only difficult case has been Miss Bennet’s cousin, Mr. Collins.”
Elizabeth’s mouth went dry. “What has happened to him?”
Eversleigh straightened his cuffs. “When the spell stopped affecting him, he became furious at himself for submitting to Lady Catherine’s demands and angry at his wife for doing the same. Knowing of your concern for Mrs. Collins, I spoke to them both and told them the truth.” He paused. “I cannot say it went well. Mr. Darcy brought Mrs. Collins back to London with him, but I think she would prefer to tell you the rest of the story herself.”
Elizabeth’s hands flew to cover her mouth. “Where is she?”
“At Darcy House. If you would like, I can take you there on myway home. It is but a short walk.”
“I would be most obliged.”
EVERSLEIGH STEEREDElizabeth into Grosvenor Square. “Sit on the bench,shurinn, and tell me what is troubling you.”
“Do notshurinnme! I am in no need of assistance. I just want to see Mrs. Collins.”
“Perhaps you do not need assistance, but I suspect you will help your friend more if you are calmer when you reach her.”
Elizabeth huffed, but sat down without her usual grace. “Does it not become dull, always being wiser than everyone else?”
He hooted with laughter. “Shall we ask Lady Frederica if I am always wise? I defy you to outdo my ability to say the wrong thing in her case.”
Elizabeth’s lips twitched. “You were indeed impressively unwise.”
“She does not seem to have forgiven me.”
“She still believes you proposed only as a matter of honor.”
Eversleigh’s lips formed a straight line. “Well, I will simply have to persist until she realizes that is not true.”
“A little wooing might not go amiss.”
Eversleigh groaned. “The one skill I have never learned. But you are distracting me from the question of what is distressing you.”
She could not tell him it was the prospect of seeing Mr. Darcy made her stomach churn, but she could explain the rest. “Mrs. Collins’s suffering is my fault. Had I refrained from showing my magic when healing Lady Catherine, none of this would have happened. Charlotte would still be contentedly married. I would still trust my father, and I would still have my family and my reputation. I would not know of my mother’s infidelity or my father’s use of binding spells. I am wellpunished, but Charlotte does not deserve to suffer for my error.”
Eversleigh folded his hands over his knee. “You have suffered for it, but Miss de Bourgh has her life back because of it, and the servants at Rosings are no longer slaves. Mrs. Collins’s marriage has been damaged, but that would have happened eventually at Lady Catherine’s death when the spell died with her. You simply moved the date forward. You are now caught between your parents, it is true, but we have a chance to stop the war with Faerie before more people die. And that is without considering the most important benefit of your choice.”
“What is that?” she asked guardedly.
