ButJack?
He stared at his brother in disbelief. “What did you say?”
“I babbled something about not being worthy to be in the same room with Princess Charlotte, and that she deserves a royal prince. He said that his first concern was to keep her alive and capable of holding the throne. Good God, Will, I like to think of myself as a brave man, but I am terrified. He is theking.”
“I cannot blame you, but if you do not want this, we will find you a way out. Starting with Gentiane – not that you need his permission to marry, but he might well break your bond before agreeing to live in London.”
“Already tried it. He asked if the marriage would do anything to stop Napoleon. I said it would make it harder for Napoleon to win if we kept Princess Charlotte safe. And he told me I should do it.” The whites of Jack’s eyes were prominent. “Tell me, are there any other unmarried male dragon companion mages? The only one I know of is Roderick, and Frederica would murder me if I even mentioned his name.”
Darcy could not believe they were even discussing it. “I have heard of one from Scotland who is at least tolerably well born, and there may be more. None likely to match your birth and connections, though.”
“But I simply cannot do it!” Jack cried.
Darcy studied his brother. Certainly marrying into the royal family, to eventually become the prince consort, would be a tremendous strain to anyone. But this seemed like something more. “It would be a burden, there is no question of that. And it would put you in grave danger, at least while Napoleon lives,” he said cautiously.
Jack leaned forward, his hands splayed on Darcy's desk. “Do you think I care about danger?” His eyes were wild. “I could face Napoleon tomorrow without a qualm. But London society? The court?” His voice rose on the last word.
“That would be a bit much, I suppose,” Darcy said. He preferred the quiet of Pemberley himself, but Jack had always wanted to go out into the world, to be among people.
“You do not understand!” Jack spun away, taking a stride to stare out the window at the fog rolling in over the hills. Facing away, his voice muffled, he said, “I was in London for a month when I took up my commission, and I hated every second of it. Too many people everywhere, all of them expecting something from me, all of them judging me. I felt sick the entire time. Literally sick, as if I might collapse at any moment. I cannot count the number of times I cast up my accounts, like a puking drunk. I wasgratefulto ship out to Spain where I could live in a rough army camp. To spend my entire life in court? I would truly rather die.”
Darcy blinked in surprise. “I thought you could not wait to get away from Pemberley, after all the years our parents insisted on keeping you here.”
Jack's shoulders dropped, and he collapsed into a chair. “I thought that was what I wanted,” he said hollowly. “But it was already too late. Everyone else knew how to deal with strangers and crowds, but I never learned, because I had been trapped here all my life.”
“You liked the army, did you not?” Or so he had claimed in his letters.
“Better than London, but even that was unpleasant. It was a relief when I woke up in the dragon Nest. At least there were no crowds there.” Defeat weighed down his voice. “How can I get out of this?”
Darcy had no idea. “What about pleading a secret engagement? Perhaps a woman in France?”
Jack sank down in a chair. “It might come down to that.”
“Or we could ask Mother. I cannot imagine she would like this idea, given how she prefers to keep you swaddled in cotton wool.”
“I assume she already told him it was a bad idea, and that is why he did not want me to mention it. I am not yet desperate enough to ask her for help, though. Not that I think she could dissuade him.”
Chapter 23
Darcywouldneveradmitit to anyone, but he was enjoying this adventure. Even if he was disguised as Roderick's valet - and doing quite a poor job of it, as his brother kept pointing out, telling the Welshman in jest that he should dismiss his do-nothing valet without a character. No one looked twice at servants. Wearing a valet's costume rather than fine linen was a small price for being free to leave Pemberley.
He missed Elizabeth, it was true, and his visits to the nursery to see Jenny, but he had been trapped at Pemberley for months now. Even if it was his favorite place, being unable to leave for fear of assassins or arrest was a bitter pill.
Heading off to London dressed as a servant to fight one of the most dangerous mages of all time seemed like a grand holiday. Especially since Cerridwen had told him that he would survive this mission, something she had not guaranteed last time.
But he was worried about Jack, who had grown uncharacteristically disgruntled as they traveled south, both earlier in the stagecoach and now as they gathered in Lady Anne's sitting room at the coaching inn. Hers was the only one with enough space to hold the four dragon companions, since Frederica had chosen to travel as an impoverished gentlewoman to remain with Roderick, Darcy, and Jack.
The walls at the inn were thin, so Darcy pulled out the Artifact Coquelicot had given him, the one that would prevent anyone from overhearing them. He pricked his finger on the sharp point inside and let a drop of blood fall into it. Once upon a time, he would have been appalled by the blood magic. Now he simply waited until the air filled with the odd thickness that told him the spell was working.
Jack crossed his arms, his expression pinched. “So, where will we find the evil witch?”
Lady Anne cast a disapproving look at Jack. “We will not know her location until we arrive. Most likely Carlton House, I would guess, but if she is trying to keep up appearances, she might be staying at the de Bourgh townhouse in Mayfair.”
Frederica exclaimed, “You think she would actually belivingwith Prinny, even while he is in mourning?”
Lady Anne's expression was grim. “As King's Mage, she can claim she is there to protect him.”
Roderick asked, “Does she know King George is at Pemberley?”
