Restraint be damned. He teased her lips apart and claimed the delightful taste of her. This close together, he could feel her desire washing over him and intensifying his own.
Elizabeth.
MUCH LATER, DARCY RANhis fingers through Elizabeth’s hair. “I hope you were not too shocked, my love.”
Elizabeth giggled. “The feelings engendered were a surprise, but as for the rest – well, I have spent time with Titania and her dryads. One learns quickly not to be shocked.”
“I suppose that is true.” Darcy kissed the corner of her lips.
“Besides, I think both of us have grown accustomed to experiencing the unknown. Do you recall the first time I introduced you to Pepper in her raven form, before you had been to Faerie? You looked as if your entire world had tumbled upside down.”
He smiled. “Birds are not supposed to meow.”
“And now you ask my cat to identify sorcerers for you and you let my Sidhe half-brother pull snakes from your sister’s head. Why, you barely blinked an eye when your uncle slit his throat and turned into a tree!”
“I did blink my eyes several times at that,” said Darcy with mock austerity. “But you are right. Magic which shocked me a few months agonow seems almost routine. You had the advantage of knowing about it all your life.”
“I had other things to learn.” Elizabeth ran her hand down his chest. “I remember telling Charlotte once that nothing would ever change. Magic would always be forbidden to women, and I was sure you were looking for an excuse to put a binding spell on me. I could not have conceived of a time when the Collegium would disband or the Sidhe would come out of the shadows, much less that I had a brother among them. And the idea I could consider Eversleigh a friend when he was Master of the Collegium! Compared to those earth-changing things, your uncle turning into a tree was barely worthy of notice. Everything has changed, and I have no idea what tomorrow will bring. I cannot imagine a world free of sorcery and the Collegium where women are safe to use their magic.” She sounded wistful.
“Our world will be different, at least for those of us with magic, but as long as I have you, I am happy.”
“Good, since you cannot get rid of me.” Elizabeth laid her head on his shoulder. “I wonder if anyone has ever been both married andeliarinnbefore.”
Darcy wound his fingers in a lock of her hair. “I cannot say if there have been any in the past, but, as Lady Matlock asked Mr. Cox to return tomorrow, I think we will have company soon.”
“Without a doubt.” Elizabeth yawned, her eyelids drifting down. “I always did want to start a fashion.”
Epilogue
One month later
“It is not too late to turn around if you wish,” Darcy said to Elizabeth. “I can go to Longbourn alone to speak to your father.”
Elizabeth cast an amused look at him. “My wishes do not change the fact that we were married almost a month ago, and I have yet to mention that fact to my family. It cannot be put off forever, and if I do not go now, there will be no hope of forgiveness from Jane or my mother.”
“Just from them?”
“I doubt my younger sisters will ever forgive me for revealing Aelfric’s existence, so it hardly matters on their account,” she said lightly.
“Of course,eliarinn.” His tone made it clear he was not taken in.
Elizabeth sighed. “I am still not accustomed to having you see through my efforts to make matters light.” It was in some ways the most difficult part of theeliarinnbond. She had never before realized how often she disguised her feelings.
“Do you regret telling them about Aelfric?”
Elizabeth looked down at her hands. “Sometimes I regret not telling my mother about him privately as I originally planned. My sisters would have been happier not knowing, but my mother likely would not have kept it a secret in any case.”
“It was Frederica who forced the issue, was it not?”
“Her intentions were good. I do not think she understood thatmy family was not as liberal-minded as hers.”
“Not all that liberal-minded. Lady Matlock has not yet forgiven her for the hurried wedding,” said Darcy. “At least she is no longer angry at us.”
“Did I tell you I asked Eversleigh why Lady Matlock did not seem affected by the blood binding? He laughed and said it was because she was a very good actress.”
Darcy smiled. “He understands her well. I believe Lady Matlock could be hit by a bullet without wincing or changing her expression.”
“It will serve her well in the coming weeks.” London society was still in a dither over the events at Rosings Park. The revelation of the fay, sorcery, and a Great Spell in quick succession had been a shock, and more than one newspaper had flatly denounced it as a trick. A delegation of disbelieving mages had descended on Rosings to inspect the tree and interview everyone who had been present. Fortunately, it was hard to deny the evidence of a talking tree, nor could anyone ignore the reports from all over the countryside that people who had not seen the fay since childhood were now catching glimpses of them. “How was your meeting with Cathael this morning?”
