“Good Lord. Faerie. I need a drink if I am going to digest that.” Richard crossed to the sideboard and poured a generous glass of brandy. “Any for you? Remind me next year to bring my own brandy to Rosings, or better yet, some of yours. Even mine would be better than this swill.”
“It would not take much to be an improvement.”
Richard set a glass on the desk where Darcy sat. He peered at the spell book. “That does not look like enjoyable reading.”
“I raided Sir Lewis’s library, hoping to find something about Faerie. I never paid much attention to the subject at Cambridge.”
“Nor I.” He took a sip of his brandy and made a sour face. “If that is where she is, is there anything we can do besides wait?”
“That is the question. I plan to write a letter to her and leave it at the circle for her to read on her return. If she returns.” He also planned to spend as much time as he could at the faerie ring.
“If she returns there, you mean. There are faerie rings all over England. Would she not be more likely to appear somewhere else, perhaps nearer to her home?”
“That is one of the answers I am trying to find, whether the stories tell of anyone who disappeared at one ring and reappeared at another. In the meantime, since we cannot be at every faerie ring, I can but hope she will return through this one.”
“I suppose so.” Richard gazed moodily into his brandy. “What spell did you use to find her? I do not recall any spells for finding things out of sight.”
Now was Darcy’s turn to stare into his brandy. He had hoped his cousin would not ask that question. All his possible answers were bad. He did not like to lie, and if he refused to answer, that would only make Richard more curious. He said in a low voice, “Green grass, green grass.”
“Green grass, green grass, floating in the air?Thatgreen grass?” Richard’s voice was edged in disbelief.
“Yes, that green grass.”
“That is just an old nursery rhyme! And it is only for finding your true love, not a missing girl.”
“I am well aware of that,” said Darcy sharply. Surely Richard did not need him to explain.
“But she... Oh.” Richard fell silent. “I’m sorry, Darcy.”
“I would prefer not to speak about it,” Darcy said stiffly. “But I do wish to tell you about a very interesting conversation I had with Cousin Anne.”
DARCY SPUN IN A SLOWcircle. Where would Elizabeth be most likely to notice his letter when she returned through the faerie ring? Placing it in the thorn bush beside the ring was as good as anything. Perhaps he should write more letters and hang them from every tree like Orlando inAs You Like It. He snorted at the image.
He balanced the letter on two branches. That would have to do. Now for the embarrassing part. He crouched down beside the ring and rubbed his hand over his mouth.
At least no one would ever know about this. A good thing, as any sane person would think him ready for Bedlam. Still, the grass spell had been ridiculous, but it had worked. And last night’s muddled dreams had been haunted by white cats and white ravens. It might have been some sort of fay sending, or more likely his fatigue-addled brain trying to tell him something. In any case, here he was.
“Pepper,” he called softly. “Pepper, can you hear me? I need your help, Pepper. I am here beside the faerie ring.” Yes, he was beside the faerie ring begging for help from a fay cat who was not there. How far themighty mage had fallen!
He pictured the cat in his mind and called again. Nothing. “Pepper, if you can hear me, I beg you to come to me. I am worried about Elizabeth. Help me, Pepper.” This was ridiculous. He rocked back and sat on his heels, covering his eyes with one hand. How would he ever find Elizabeth if this nonsense was the best he could manage?
“Mrrow.”
Darcy’s eyes flew open. “Pepper! You came! Where is Elizabeth? I have been out of my mind with worry. Is she in Faerie? Is she safe?”
Pepper began to groom her already immaculate white fur.
Darcy said ruefully, “Perhaps the correct question is why I am asking questions of a cat who may be able to turn into a bird, but who has never given any evidence of being able to speak.”
Pepper stopped washing herself and gazed at him balefully.
“Yes, I am a very stupid mortal. I do not know what to do. Can you help me?”
The cat stretched and ambled towards him. He reached out to pet her, and she bumped her head against his knee.
“What is it? Do you want me to stand up?” Feeling utterly foolish, Darcy stood and allowed the cat to herd him into the center of the ring. “Pepper, I think you want me to go to Faerie, but I do not know the spell. I have no power over faerie rings.”
Pepper meowed and gave him an assessing look.
