Page 3 of The Magic of Pemberley (Fitzwilliam Darcy, Mage #2)

Chapter 3

E lizabeth could hardly wait to see Granny’s dragon again. Fortunately, Sycamore was already waiting in the oak grove at Pemberley when they arrived. Elizabeth alighted from the small open carriage and ran to him. His elegant form, with wings of metallic black and amethyst highlights, dominated the cleared area. How enormous he looked to her now, compared to Cerridwen! No wonder he preferred to sleep away from the house where he had more space.

She raised her hand to rub his shoulder in the way he had always liked. “Dearest Sycamore, it has been too long!” How she had loved spending time with him as a child in Wales! Playing together in the garden of Granny’s house, whispering her secrets to him late at night, hearing Sycamore argue with Granny on Elizabeth’s behalf when she had been caught in some mischief. He had even once let her ride him, with the thrill of the wind on her face and the patchwork of countryside rushing by far below her. Those memories had been hidden from her all those years, but now they were back, vivid with delight.

A joyous warmth flowed from his aura. “Little Lizzy, all grown up! And now Companion Elizabeth.”

She beamed up at him. “And we are together again.” A cause for celebration! She was looking forward to spending time with him while he was here.

But Darcy’s expression was studiously neutral as he helped Granny down from the carriage. Was this difficult for him? He had struggled with accepting Cerridwen, and meeting a full-grown dragon was enough to trouble even the bravest of men.

Regardless of his feelings, he helped Granny to the waiting chair. He did not even flinch as Sycamore padded across the clearing to join his elderly companion, towering over Darcy.

Granny’s expression softened as she reached out a gnarled hand to stroke Sycamore’s side. He leaned his head against her arm with clear affection. Then suddenly the dragon stiffened and swung his head towards Darcy, sniffing the air.

Darcy stood his ground, though his fingers curled inwards as if readying for a fight.

Sycamore shifted his weight to face Darcy directly, lifting the tips of his wings in a manner that reminded Elizabeth of a dog raising its hackles. The dragon spoke in a husky growl. “That one. He reeks of the blood of the High Fae.” This was a side of Sycamore she had never seen before.

Granny turned her head to stare at Darcy, but Elizabeth was already rushing to his side. “I assure you my husband is purely mortal,” she said.

The dragon studied him. “Mortal, but blood-bonded to a woman of the High Fae. And one who bears the blood of the King of Faerie, may his bones rot while he yet lives.”

“There must be some mistake,” Elizabeth blurted. “My husband disapproves of blood bonds. I do not know what you are sensing, but—”

Darcy held up a hand. “The dragon is correct. I am blood-bonded to a fae,” he said in a haughty, remote voice. “I know nothing of any connection to the High King, though.”

Elizabeth stared at him as if he had suddenly turned into a stranger. “But everything you said about blood bonds—”

“I did not like doing it, but I deemed it necessary.” His tone made clear this was not open to further discussion. “It has nothing to do with any of this. ”

He had a blood bond with a highborn fae lady – and he expected her to simply accept it without complaint? Anger and betrayal threatened to choke her. She turned to Sycamore. “Forgive my intervention, then. Clearly I do not know whereof I speak,” she said icily, humiliation churning her stomach.

How could Darcy have done this to her? His distrust of dragons was bad enough, but this was worse, far worse. She dug her fingernails into her palms until it hurt.

“A bond to the blood of the Wicked King, may his flesh be cursed in eternity, is not a matter easily dismissed,” grumbled the dragon.

Darcy looked taken aback. “I know nothing of her connections. She is not…” He straightened. “This is not something I can discuss except to say it is completely unrelated to the matters at hand.”

The dragon set back on his haunches. “I require an explanation. A connection to the Wicked King, may his name live in infamy, cannot be set aside so easily.”

Darcy lifted his chin. “These are secrets which are not mine to share.”

Tension thickened the air, and it was not eased when Darcy’s lynx padded out of the forest to stand by his side. Battle lines had been drawn.

And Elizabeth, heaven help her, no longer knew where she stood.

“Enough of this nonsense,” Granny said irritably. “This is a major setback, it cannot be denied, but your posturing will not help. Darcy, the dragons harbor deep hatred for the High King of Faerie going back thousands of years, stronger than your enmity for Napoleon. Sycamore cannot ignore this anymore than you could if the dragons in Spain were his fellow nestlings. If you refuse to explain your bond, we cannot continue these discussions.”

Darcy raised his chin, every inch the haughty aristocrat. “I regret that I cannot oblige you, but I will not break my word.”

He might as well have drenched her in ice water. “But we need their help!” she cried. And if the dragons blamed her for Darcy’s choices, they might not allow Cerridwen to stay with her, nor could she get a boon to save his life. Then she would have nothing but a faithless husband whom she had foolishly trusted. She shivered. How could a few words have destroyed everything she believed?

In sudden decision, she turned her back on Darcy, pressing her shaking hands together. “Sycamore, I will tell you everything I know about the attacks in Spain and Austria. Darcy’s knowledge is more complete, but I daresay I am aware of most of it.”

Darcy blanched. “Elizabeth, I told you those things in confidence!”

Sycamore’s irritated snort sent out smoke and the acrid smell of newly forged metal into the center of the grove. “This is a waste of time. Lizzy, I am sure you mean well, but he has deceived you. Do you expect me to believe stories of violent dragons from a man who shares blood with the Wicked King? He is trying to trick us.”

“Stop it, all of you!” Granny’s voice echoed in the clearing. “Lizzy, not another word until I have spoken privately to Sycamore, and that goes for you, too, young man.”

Now Granny was angry with her on top of everything else. Elizabeth could not bear it, standing exposed in front of all of them as her heart was ripped to shreds. She choked out the words, “Excuse me.” Then she turned and walked into the woods, forcing herself to take one measured step at a time, rather than fleeing as she ached to do.

Away from Darcy and his pretense of affection. Only last night he had promised not to hide things from her, and now this. There was no possibility of recovering from what she had learned today.

This was the end of her life at Pemberley. Once again she would have to leave behind a land that was alive under her feet, whose power ran through her body. All because Darcy had chosen to bond with a fae lady and deliberately kept it hidden from her. Nausea gripped her.

She had never truly known him.

She stumbled down a narrow path along the stream, but even among the trees, there was no sanctuary for her. She could not return to the house like this, facing the servants when she could barely breathe or control the tears springing to her eyes. There was no point in hiding, either; Darcy’s land bond would tell him where she was, no matter how she tried to disguise her presence. There could be no escape. Instead, she clambered down to the stream’s bank.

All those tales of beautiful fae women who bonded human men to be their lovers – she would never, ever have imagined Darcy would be one of them. Her husband, who shared her bed and called her his love, while belonging to a woman whose extraordinary loveliness would never fade with age.

She would never have believed it, had she not heard the words come from his own mouth. What a fool she was!

How long had it been going on? She sank down on a rock that jutted out over the water, pulling her knees to her chest and wrapping her arms tightly around them as if it could ease the gnawing pain inside her or relieve the agony of betrayal. But nothing could do that. She could not even reach into the rich life of the land for comfort, because Pemberley was his. She had left her own land and her family behind to help him, all unknowing that he belonged to another woman.

Had all his warmth and affection been just a show to keep her supporting his mission? It must have been. She bowed her head to her knees.

How dare he keep such a thing from her, after his promises to tell her everything?

She closed her eyes, letting the burbling of the water fill her ears. It flowed from the Dark Peak, she knew that much, but where did it go from here? She would have to ask Darcy.

Darcy. Everything came back to him. Damn him!

“Elizabeth?” It was his voice.

She stiffened. The sound of the stream must have covered his footsteps. “Where does the river go from here?” she asked flatly.

Silence for a moment. “Into the Derwent, which flows into the Trent, and eventually the North Sea.”

Of course he knew. She did not trouble herself to reply or even to pick up her head .

“We have come to an agreement. I shall explain my bond to Lady Amelia, who will then advise the dragons on whether I can be trusted.” He sounded almost hurt. “I thought you might wish to hear my explanation, too.”

Slowly she pushed herself to her feet, her joints aching. “I suppose I might as well listen.” She did not try to sound anything but displeased.

“I am sorry I could not tell you sooner. I did not mean to take you by surprise.”

She turned her head to look at him in disbelief. “Surprise? How would you feel if you discovered I was bonded to a fae lord? Never mind; you likely would not care, as long as it did not interfere with your precious mission.” She spat the last word.

“Elizabeth, no! It is not that sort of bond!”

“ Not that sort of bond ?” she mocked, fury burning in her throat. “Then why keep it a secret? I gave up my entire life in Hertfordshire, my birth-blood bond to Longbourn, my sisters, my parents, my friends, all for you. I have been dedicating myself to saving your life. I showed you my Arabic books and taught you magic from them. I told you Cerridwen was a dragon. I nearly died bonding to Pemberley for your sake. And you could not even be honest with me! All that time you scorned my blood bonds, and you – you had your own secret one to a fae !”

He paled. “I am sorry. I swore an oath never to reveal this secret.”

“You made a vow to me at our wedding, too! One which I clearly took more seriously than you did. Trusting you is not a mistake I shall make again.”

He reached out a hand to her, but she ignored it. “Elizabeth, I can understand why you are angry–”

“Anger does not begin to describe it,” she snapped. “Betrayal. Humiliation. I trusted you. I defended you to my great-grandmother, and you made me look like a fool. How could you do this to me?”

He looked away, appearing to study a nearby oak, taking a deep, harsh breath. “That was never my intention, as you will see when you understand more of my situation. If you wish to hear my explanation to Lady Amelia, you are welcome to join me. The rest will have to wait until later. ”

He turned to climb back up the riverbank. She followed, seething. Did he truly expect her to forgive him even for this? Did he care if she did?

She rested her hand on her abdomen, over the new life beginning in her. No, it would not matter to him. He already had what he wanted from her.

Even inside the small cottage, Elizabeth could not bear to look at Darcy. Instead, she watched Granny, who was ensconced on the chair by the hearth, the quilt from the bed over her knees.

Despite being the very image of a weak old lady, Granny’s voice was strong. “This had better be good, young man. And I will remind you I am a truth-caster, so pray do not deviate from the facts.”

“I would not have done so,” he said coldly. “I may have kept a secret, but I hold my honor close.”

His honor. Elizabeth curled her lip. What honor had he shown her by hiding this? She crossed to stand in front of the small window, where the light behind her might hide her expression in the dimness.

Granny snorted. “Then tell me about it.”

Darcy folded his hands behind his back. “It begins with my sister, who is more than ten years my junior. When she was four, my mother visited her and then disappeared immediately afterwards. When she never returned, Georgiana believed herself to have been at fault. My father’s main interest in her was the eventual royal dowry she was expected to bring. When she failed to develop a Talent, he considered her a complete loss. She had no playmates, just a series of nurses and tutors, and she became very attached to me. Since my father’s death, I have been her guardian.” His voice was clipped.

“I fail to see what this has to do with a fae lady,” said Granny crossly.

“After ten years, my mother reappeared alive and well, with the shocking news that she had gone to Faerie on discovering that Georgiana was not her daughter, but a changeling. ”

Elizabeth sucked in her breath. It could not be. “Impossible! She is the very image of your mother!” The words burst out of her.

“A glamour set on her at birth, at a guess,” he said. “My mother went to Faerie to rescue her true child, but failed. She disowned Georgiana completely, although at my insistence, she kept the matter private.”

“How very like a Fitzwilliam,” sniffed Granny.

Darcy ignored her words. “Georgiana went into a decline, withdrawing into herself, unable to sleep or eat. Our father was dead, she had been rejected by the only mother she had ever known, and she expected me to do the same. She could see no reason I would stand by her when we shared no blood, and she was not even human.”

Granny narrowed her eyes. “She did not wish to return to Faerie?”

“To the people who had sent her away at birth, exchanging her for a different child? To a world she does not understand, where she knows no one? No. But she thought I would throw her out on the streets.” A haunted look crept into his eyes. “To my mind, she was still my sister, the same girl she had always been, and nothing had changed. She did not believe me, saying I would eventually discard her as everyone else had.”

It was a tragedy for Georgiana, without question. But it also meant heartbreak for Elizabeth if it had brought Darcy into the way of the hauntingly beautiful ladies of Faerie.

He cleared his throat. “I became sufficiently concerned for her well-being that one night, in a moment of incomplete rationality, I offered to swear blood brotherhood. I knew boys at school who had done such things on a dare, and, while I disapproved, I could think of nothing else to reassure her. She seized on the idea, and we exchanged blood. It helped, in that Georgiana recovered from her decline, but I also learned how very dangerous blood magic is. I was fortunate to survive. I swore never to touch blood magic again.”

The bond was to Georgiana ?

Or so he claimed. Could she even believe anything he said?

Granny snorted. “Good Lord, where is your sense of proportion? A blood bond to a high-ranking fae is dangerous. So is leaping off a cliff, but that does not mean it is dangerous to jump from a chair to the floor. Well, except at my age, perhaps. It does not mean all blood magic is a risk.”

He looked down his nose at her. “Regardless, you wished to know how I came to have a blood bond with a fae, and you can see it has nothing to do with dragons or Napoleon.” He turned to Elizabeth, his eyes narrowed. “Or with another woman.”

Granny tapped her finger on her knee. “The question, then, is how your sister is connected to the High King of Faerie.”

He turned up his hands. “This is the first I have heard of it. She does not appear to hold any loyalty towards Faerie. If anything, she seems afraid of it.”

“Why?”

“I have not asked her, as she prefers to avoid the subject. I hope I may depend upon you to keep the matter of her birth between us.”

Granny narrowed her eyes. “I will need to tell Sycamore, but dragons keep secrets better than any human.”

Elizabeth could stay silent no longer. Her outrage would not permit it. “Did you intend ever to tell me?”

He gave her a pleading look. “I planned to do so before leaving on my mission, since you will be her guardian if I do not return. I wanted you to come to know her as a mortal first, as I did.”

She was not ready to forgive him yet. Not even close. “You think you know everything, and you know so very little. Granny, what will Sycamore make of this?”

The old woman’s eyes became unfocused. “Sycamore will speak to you, but he wishes to learn more about the changeling.”

“Her name is Georgiana,” snapped Darcy.

The discussion with Sycamore did not go well .

At least the dragon spoke directly to Darcy now that the matter of the fae bond had been explained, but it was clear Sycamore still did not trust him. His many questions about the dragon massacre dripped with incredulity. Darcy had no patience for it, not when Elizabeth was standing there with hurt and anger in her eyes. And he did not even want to think about how she would treat Georgiana now that she knew the truth. Most people feared and detested changelings.

Finally Lady Amelia interrupted. “Sycamore, I understand your reluctance to believe any dragon could behave in such an unnatural manner as to fight in battle, but there have been mad dragons in the past. Yes, humans can lie, but I assure you that the government would never admit to such a thing unless they were absolutely certain of their facts, and they are quite skilled in intelligence-gathering.”

The dragon made a snorting sound. “The Wicked King, may his eyes be pecked by vultures, is fully able to perform a deception of this level. Why should I believe this man’s word when he is no friend to dragons and unwilling to have his thoughts read?”

It was beyond enough. Darcy said, “Why should I believe yours? My brother was killed by dragonfire in the charge at Salamanca, and you think I should allow you to rummage around in my mind?”

Sycamore sat back on his haunches. In a gentler tone, he said, “I am sorry about your brother. I assure you no dragon in their right mind would ever commit such a horrendous crime, but that does not change your loss. If you are so certain of the truth of your story, why will you not allow me to read you so that I can see the evidence?”

He should not say it. He absolutely should not. But Elizabeth was angry at him and the dragon was calling him a liar, and he had no restraint left. “Because other dragons and sea serpents are working for Napoleon, and I have no reason to believe you would not report to him as well. The information in my mind could cost thousands of lives. I will not risk it.”

A small puff of smoke escaped from the dragon’s nostrils as he swung his head towards Lady Amelia. “This man does not understand dragons,” he growled .

Had Jack seen similar smoke coming from the dragons in the moments before he was lashed by dragonfire?

“Of course he does not,” she said irritably. “That is what happens when you hide your existence for hundreds of years. People are left ignorant of what you are.”

The dragon turned back to Darcy. “I answer to no human except my companion, and certainly not to one who wages wars. Since you will not be read, I cannot assess the truth of your claims. If you require a more personal motivation, should you persist in this attitude of hostility to dragons, no Nest will allow your wife to take her final vows.”

A gasp came from Elizabeth, and she turned her face away.

Lady Amelia made a clucking noise. “Enough, both of you. I am tired. We will try again another day, when feelings are not running so high.”

Darcy drew in a breath to protest, but it was pointless. What difference did it make if the dragons did not believe him? There was no point in wasting time on this when he needed to talk to Elizabeth. Alone.

“Ah, I hoped I would see you tonight,” said Granny with satisfaction as Elizabeth entered her bedroom. A small table was set up in front of the fireplace, and two footmen were carrying in trays of food.

“So Cerridwen told me,” Elizabeth replied. “I had assumed you might be too tired for company, but I am happy to be proved wrong.” As if the word happy could even apply to her now. Was it only that morning, in this very room, that she been delighted by the prospect of a dragon boon that could save his life?

“Dining in my chamber is one of the few benefits of extreme old age. Spending two hours over a formal dinner making social chit-chat is a waste of time and energy. I hope your husband will not object to your abandoning him to join me?” There was a touch of challenge in her words .

Elizabeth shrugged as she took a seat at the table. “I did not ask him.” She had not the least desire to hear his opinion on the matter. Or on anything else. She helped herself to several dishes.

“Good for you! Do not let him dominate you.”

Not a lesson she was in any danger of forgetting at the moment, nor one that she wished to discuss. “Are you certain this is not too tiring for you?”

“Not at all. I pleaded fatigue as the only way to stop those two ridiculous males from posturing at each other like a pair of peacocks. Truly, Sycamore should be outgrowing some of this impulsive behavior by now.”

“Outgrowing?” Elizabeth asked. “But he is far from young, is he not?”

“He is well past his century mark, since the Dark Peak Nest does not allow dragons to bond as early as your Cerridwen did. That is still young for a dragon, though. Wisdom comes with age. He is troubled, too, by his worry about me. It is always a hard passage for a dragon when they lose their Companion.”

Elizabeth dropped her fork, her heart sinking. “Is there something you are not telling me, Granny?”

The old lady waved her hand. “Nothing of note, but I am ninety-three years of age, and it would be foolish to think I will be on this earth much longer. Dragon companions are long-lived, thanks to our bondmates’ healing abilities, but even that can only go so far. Sycamore would wrap me in cotton wool to keep me safe, but he knows I will not tolerate it, and it makes him cross.”

Elizabeth took a bite of pheasant pie and chewed it thoughtfully. Would she, too, live to a very old age? “I never thought about what it would mean to Cerridwen if something happened to me. Or if we could not complete the bond.”

“That is what I wished to speak to you about – this unfortunate situation with your husband. His attitude will stand in the way of your final companion vows. Leaving aside the question of the boon, Cerridwen is running out of time. She must either complete the bond to you or return to Wales. If we cannot find a way out of this mess, you may have to choose between giving up your bond to her or leaving your husband .

She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and opened them. “Is it truly that serious?”

“I fear so. It is too risky for the Nests to allow so much knowledge to someone who is hostile towards them, especially with that odd connection to the High King.”

Her chest tightened. Cerridwen had been her trusted friend all these years. She could not stand losing her, too. And how could anyone expect her to give up being a dragon companion? It was the stuff of her childhood dreams.

But Darcy, for all his faults, was the father of her child. “How long do I have before Cerridwen would have to leave me?” Her voice shook.

Granny appeared to consider this. “Given how stubborn Cerridwen can be, perhaps six months, or even a year, assuming the Nest allows her to stay here that long. The problem may resolve itself if your husband does not survive this mission of his. Then there would be nothing standing in your way.”

Nothing except a broken heart and a memory of betrayal. If he came back alive, would she have the courage to leave him? Would she ever be able to forgive him if she lost Cerridwen on his account?

Tears filled her eyes. “I am not yet ready to give up. If the problem is his connection to Georgiana, would it help if I convinced her to let the dragons read her? She knows no state secrets.”

“Would she do that? I thought she did not want dragons near her.”

“I do not know, but it is worth a try,” Elizabeth said determinedly. “I doubt my good opinion means much to her, but she loves Darcy dearly. If I can convince her it is in his best interest, she might agree.”

“It cannot hurt to ask. What of your husband? He seems to care for you. I know how hard it is to get a Fitzwilliam man to listen to sense, but can you attempt it? He does love you, you know.”

Elizabeth grimaced. “He says so, but at times like this I wonder if he means it.”

“Oh, he does. His magic would not entwine with yours otherwise.” She took a sip of wine .

“What does that have to do with anything?”

Granny patted her hand. “Entwinement only happens when a mage starts falling in love with a dragon companion. Your stronger Talent pulled his into alignment with yours, like a magnet with iron filings. That is why you can affect his magic.”

“But I could alter his illusions before he ever thought about marrying me!” And then she remembered what he had said about being fascinated with her even before that, when he was so proud and aloof. Could it have been true?

Her anger softened, but just a little. “Well, I will speak to him, but not yet. I would only say all the wrong things and make matters worse. Tomorrow I may be calmer.”

“Perhaps I will try in the meantime.” Granny winked at her. “I imagine Darcy is too well trained to be rude to his elders, even if he wants to.”

Darcy scowled as he strode through the corridor. First Elizabeth was nowhere to be found, and now Lady Amelia had summoned him to her private sitting room, likely for another lecture. And he was in no mood either to be summoned or lectured.

Still, he owed a certain respect to his great-grandfather’s sister, so he did his best to greet her politely. At least her damned dragon was nowhere to be seen. “I hope you have recovered from our excursion earlier.”

“Thank you, yes. Lizzy was kind enough to dine with me here so I could rest.”

So that was where she had been, leaving him to eat with Roderick and a tearful Georgiana, still distressed over the revelation of her great secret. “How may I be of service to you?”

She waved to the chair across from her. “You can start by sitting down instead of looming over me. Then you can tell me why you oppose letting the dragons read you. Making them see the attacks are real would benefit us all.”

“Or they might simply find another way to disbelieve me,” he said coolly. “Cerridwen seems good-hearted, but she is very young. Of the four adult dragons who have touched my life, three of them massacred tens of thousands of Englishmen, including my brother, and then your dragon turned on me the instant we met, with threats and curses. You will forgive me if this does not incline me to believe dragons are trustworthy.” For Elizabeth’s sake, he had tried to overcome his hatred of dragons and to believe they could be honorable, but today’s meeting had shattered that possibility.

She nodded. “Sycamore behaved badly; I cannot deny that. The shock of your fae connection was the reason, but it is no excuse. What you are presenting is any dragon’s worst nightmare, that someone could force them to become killers, as the High King did to their ancestors. Regardless of your sentiments, we need their knowledge if we are to construct adequate defenses and stop what is happening in Europe.”

“Obviously it would be better to have them as allies, but until I can absolutely guarantee that they will not give my information to dragons sympathetic to Napoleon, it is simply too dangerous.”

“You do not understand. That is the last thing they would do.”

“No, it is you who do not understand. If I knew fewer secrets, it would be simpler. As it is, I cannot permit the dragons free access to my mind; it would endanger far too many people. I cannot in honor do that.” He was tired of explaining this.

“Men! How they always use honor as an excuse to avoid doing unpleasant things. Tell me, is it honorable for you to force Lizzy to break her bond to Cerridwen, after you have already taken her from her home and family?”

He gritted his teeth. “I am not the one insisting on breaking the bond. You must blame the dragons for that.”

“They have offered you a compromise which you have refused.” She shifted in her chair. “What do you think will happen when you force Lizzy to choose between you and Cerridwen? ”

He lifted his chin. “She will be unhappy, but I am her husband.” But he did not want her to be unhappy.

“Let us suppose Lizzy insisted you break all ties with your sister, which she would be justified in doing under the circumstances. What would you do?”

He would talk her out of it, but that was not an answer the old lady would accept. “I, too, would be unhappy, but my wife would come first.”

“Would you ever forgive her for driving your sister away?” The words shot out like a knife. “Would you still trust her? Would your marriage still be as loving?”

No. It would never be the same. He opened his mouth to say they would learn to move past it, but the words would not come out.

Of course. The old lady was truth-casting, damn her. He could not speak a lie in front of her.

What could he say that was true? “Elizabeth would never request such a thing unless she had a good reason, and I would try to respect that reason.”

Her upper lip curled. “A nice try. But listen carefully, because this is why Lizzy will choose Cerridwen. If some outside power forced her to choose between you, I suspect she might take you. But Lizzy is clever enough to realize that your marriage can never recover if you force her to make that choice. If you value her affection, you must start acting like a man who deserves her love.”

His mouth went dry. “You think very little of me.”

“I think you were raised by a Fitzwilliam mother who puts a ridiculous sense of abstract duty ahead of everything else, and you learned your lessons too well. She would tell you that your secrets are more important than your wife’s love. I, however, have not yet given up on the possibility that you may have a heart under that overdeveloped sense of duty.”

She was right about that. He did have a heart, and it was breaking.

After leaving her great-grandmother, Elizabeth followed the tinkling tones of the pianoforte to the music room. Now she wished she had spent more time with Georgiana, but as Darcy had warned her, the girl preferred to keep to herself. She rarely spoke much at dinner, although she seemed happy enough to chat with Darcy at other times or with Miss Lowrie. But she had always been reserved with Elizabeth.

It must be hard to keep a secret as monumental as hers.

She waited until Georgiana’s fingers stilled on the keys before she said, “Good evening.”

The girl straightened her shoulders, but she did not lift her eyes from her music. “My brother tells me you know the truth now,” she said flatly.

“A bit, at least.” No thanks to Darcy, who would have kept it a secret as long as he could.

Still avoiding her gaze, Georgiana asked, “Do you want me to leave Pemberley? I have no desire to impose myself upon you.”

At that moment, she bore an undeniable resemblance to her brother, blood tie or no. “Nonsense,” Elizabeth said briskly. “You are my husband’s sister, and this is your home. Nothing has changed.” Nothing she could admit to, anyway. It was disconcerting having a fae in the house, but that was not the girl’s fault.

Georgiana’s fingers danced up and down the keyboard in a rapid series of arpeggios, filling the room with a waterfall of notes. “Yet you clearly have something to say. What do you want of me, then?”

The girl’s bluntness took her aback. “Yes, I came to ask something of you, but it is a complicated matter.” So much to tell, and all of it so strange! Still, she did her best to summarize the events of the day.

To her credit, Georgiana took it calmly, her fingers continuing to move fluently over the keyboard as she listened. “I assume you have a reason for telling me this,” she said .

Elizabeth took a deep breath. “I know you do not like the idea of seeing dragons, but it would mean a great deal to me if you would be willing to speak to them about your heritage. They have certain questions, and my ability to remain as Cerridwen’s companion depends on the answers. That, and more.”

Her playing paused. “I need not avoid them anymore, now that you already know the truth. I was only afraid your dragon would discover it. Does my brother wish me to do this?”

Elizabeth shifted from one foot to another. “He has not stated an opinion. He refused to let Lady Amelia’s dragon read his thoughts about you because he is afraid of giving away secrets of his mission, which is why I am asking you to answer them directly instead.”

Finally the girl raised her eyes to Elizabeth. “Why? If my brother does not wish it, why should I subject myself to questions from these dragons?”

“Because your brother is a stubborn fool,” Elizabeth snapped. “His life is at stake, and I will leave no stone unturned trying to save him. The dragons may be able to help him, but unless we answer their questions, they will not do so.”

“You mean his mission?” She gazed down at the keyboard. “He does not expect to survive it, does he?”

Elizabeth shook her head. “No, he does not.”

“I thought as much, when he told me you would be my guardian if anything happened to him.” Her voice trembled. “If that happens, I promise to be as little trouble to you as I can. To stay out of your way, if you wish it.”

“No, I do not wish it! What I want is for you to do the one thing that might save your brother.” Even if she was furious with him.

Georgiana’s eyes were wide as saucers. “How can talking to the dragons possibly help him ?”

She would have to spell it out, the thing she had been keeping secret. “When I take my final vows as Cerridwen’s companion, the dragons will grant me a boon of my choice. I plan to ask them to bring your brother home safely. It is nearly my only remaining hope. But the dragons will not allow me to take the vows unless they can resolve the matter of his bond to you. No final vows, no boon. Darcy has refused to allow them to read his thoughts. Perhaps if you will speak to them… I ask this for his safety, not for my own sake.”

Georgiana lifted her fingers from the keyboard and lowered the cover with exaggerated care. “Then I will answer their questions.”