“Supper. And tomorrow’s breakfast. That’s what we ’ave.”
“Right you are! Grab the lady!”
Darcy thought,Begone!There was a flash of light, and an intense force emanated from him, knocking the miscreants to the ground.
A door opened. “You there. Come! Both of you!” beckoned a woman’s voice from within.
Darcy and Elizabeth hurried through the door into a darkened corridor. The woman closed and bolted the door and turned to them.
“What be a lady and a gentleman like you doin’ in this part o’ London?”
“We are here to speak with Madam Matilda Muttersworth.”
The woman’s features were severe, but her appearance commanded respect more than fear. “That’d be me. And who’re you?”
“I am Fitzwilliam Darcy, and this is Miss Elizabeth Bennet.”
As soon as Elizabeth thought,I wonder what she would look like under better light,the oil lamps flared to life, revealing the grey hair and wrinkled face of an old woman.
“Ah. I received an express this morning that said you’d be comin’. Miss—Elizabeth, is it?—Don’t be usin’ your magic indiscriminately ’ere. It attracts unwanted attention.”
“I do not know…that is, I seem to have forgotten how to control it.”
Madam Muttersworth raised one eyebrow, suggesting that she appraised them and found them wanting. “Come with me.”
Madam Muttersworth led them to a parlour lit by an oil lamp, which provided a modicum of illumination. The furnishings were mismatched and well-worn but appeared clean and well-cared for. She brought them tea made from a collection of herbs. The taste was odd, but not unpleasant.
“The express said there’s somethin’ wrong with your memories. You’ve forgot how to use your magic?”
“It would seem to be so,” replied Elizabeth. “It is as if we are in some sort of dream in which magic is real, and we are able to use it, but know nothing of it.”
“It’s not a dream, dearie. Though those boys in the street’ll be wishin’ they was dreamin’.”
“Can you help us?” asked MrDarcy.
“I’m sure I can. But we’ll have to move up your wedding date.”
MrDarcy and Elizabeth looked at each other, eyes wide. “Ourweddingdate?” they both replied in unison.
“Of course. I could reinitiate each of your magic separately, but reinitiating can cause your magic to go a new direction.The two of you must work together to fight the French, and that won’t work if your magic deviates. Seein’ as you’re to wed anyway, the best way to be sure your magic remains compatible is to entwine it.
“And the only way to do that is to get married. When you consummate your union, your magic becomes permanently entwined. As soon as that happens, I can restore both of your memories together.”
Elizabeth was horrified. MrDarcy was handsome, but… A flood of thoughts suddenly came unbidden into her mind and she turned scarlet. “Surely there must be some other way!”
“None that doesn’t involve a scandal,” interjected Madam Muttersworth. “You’ll need a licence, of course. You can take care of that tomorrow, and then you can wed the next morning. But you’d best be gone in the meantime. Now, send up a burst of magical light to summon your coachman.”
MrDarcy lifted his hands in confusion. “I do not know how to do that.”
“Right. ’Course you don’t. I’ll do it for you.”
Madam Muttersworth opened a window, and a beam of light radiated from her hand. A few minutes later, the coach pulled up in front of the door.
“Come back in three days, after your wedding night,” said Madam Muttersworth as MrDarcy handed Elizabeth into the coach.
After an awkward silence that lasted several minutes, MrDarcy turned to her. “While it is indeed true that I wish to marry you someday, this is not at all how I wish for it to happen.”
“MrDarcy, that is kind of you to dissemble. But I know that is a falsehood. You yourself once said that I was not even tolerable enough to tempt you to dance,” Elizabeth said, her humour having deserted her, “and when you look at me, I see judgement, not love. I am flattered that you wish to marry me someday, butin all candour,Ido not wish to marryyou. I appreciate your wealth and status, and I understand that you are accustomed to attaining whatever you want. But I have always hoped to marry for love.”
