“You have been everything that is kind and welcoming, your ladyship, and I am very grateful for your hospitality. I have been fretting over my promise to Titania. I especially do not want her to feel I have forgotten her, especially when we have the revel coming in a few weeks.”
Frederica nodded. “Perhaps I should stay there for a few days as well.”
Elizabeth held her breath. She liked Frederica very much, but she needed time away from Darcy’s family. Time to heal.
“Nonsense,” said Lady Matlock. “You may pay a call to Titania, but I expect you to return here afterwards. I need your help in planning the revel.”
“Yes, Mama,” said Frederica with a sad lack of enthusiasm.
“THERE IS A FAERIE RINGin Hyde Park?” exclaimed Frederica. “How can it possibly remain hidden in such a crowded place?”
Eversleigh said, “It is between two of the paths. You have probably walked past it a dozen times and never noticed it. Miss Bennet, can you tell where it is?”
Elizabeth closed her eyes and let the air play over her face. She pointed to the southwest. “Over there. I can sense them, but I do not know how. Mr. Darcy once said that he thought he knew every inch of the grove at Rosings, but he had never seen the glade with the ring until he was led there. Now he sees it easily.”
“Lord Eversleigh, have you heard anything from Darcy of late?” asked Frederica. “We have not seen him since the day you removed the spell from Mrs. Bennet. He sent a note telling us there was more trouble with the Collegium.”
Elizabeth silently blessed her friend for asking the question she could not.
“The Board of Inquiry has re-opened his case, but so far nothing has happened,” said Eversleigh, carefully not looking in Elizabeth’s direction.
“Why can you not simply stop the Board of Inquiry? You are Master of the Collegium,” said Elizabeth determinedly.
“Acting Master, and no, I cannot. Neither the Master nor the Council of Mages can intervene in Boards of Inquiry. They have to be independent in case the leaders of the Collegium are suspected of sorcery. Otherwise there would be no method to remove a sorcerous Master.” Eversleigh sighed. “No one ever expected to see inquiries misused this way.”
Frederica folded her parasol. “My father grumbled about Darcy’s Board constantly. He was furious with them.”
“I know. But Darcy seemed well enough when he accompanied Lord Matlock and me to Faerie two days ago. I assume you have heard about that visit?”
Frederica sighed dramatically. “Repeatedly and in great detail,but my father did not mention Darcy was there. He is always touching the ring Oberon gave him as if he cannot believe it is on his finger.”
Eversleigh laughed. “I am not surprised. I do not think he cared if either Darcy or I were there after he spoke to Oberon. Darcy appeared in relatively good spirits, though part may have been that Faerie relieves the pressure of the elements on him.”
Elizabeth looked away. Thoughts of Darcy had been keeping her awake at night and haunting her days, and he was in good spirits? Did he not feel the pain of their separation? Her throat grew tight with unshed tears.
“Miss Bennet, if you were not myshurinn, I should have said that you seem in relatively good spirits,” said Eversleigh with a degree of exasperation. “I do not have the same insight into Darcy.”
She glared at him. “You are becoming altogether too good at this.”
“What are you talking about?” asked Frederica.
“Nothing,” said Elizabeth firmly. “I am looking forward to spending time in Faerie where nothing ever changes and there are no surprises. Well, fewer surprises,” she corrected. Aelfric had been a surprise, but it was the mortal world that kept turning upside down until her life was completely unrecognizable. What had happened to Elizabeth Bennet of Longbourn, the country gentleman’s daughter who loved her father and looked down on her mother, who lived in a country free of sorcerers, and who despised Mr. Darcy and feared any mage who might be part of the Collegium? She should certainly not be walking through fashionable London with an earl’s daughter and a viscount who was also Master of the Collegium, on her way to hide her broken heart in Faerie. It had been so much easier to be that country girl.
“That is one of its advantages,” Eversleigh agreed.
“I wish I could stay there, too,” grumbled Frederica.
Elizabeth said kindly, “The revel is only a fortnight away, andthen you can visit Faerie to your heart’s content.” And she would have a fortnight of peace and quiet in the meantime.
TWO HOURS AFTER BRINGINGElizabeth and Frederica to Titania’s bower, Eversleigh found Aelfric in the stables saddling one of the Sidhe horses. “Going for a ride?”
“They need exercise. Apart from the hunt, they are hardly ridden now that we no longer ride through the mortal world. It is much easier to travel through the rings.”
“I have been speaking to our father.”
Aelfric developed an intense interest in the silver rivets of the bridle. “What did you discuss?”
“Many things, including the upcoming revel, but mostly I wished to discover the truth of the rumors that you had influenced him into the war on the mortals. The rumors made no sense to me. While you might wish for war, I could not see our father following your advice. I gather he has spent little time with anyone but you recently.”
