“Where are your brothers now? Are you in contact with them?”
A shadow crossed her face. “I have not seen them since we were children, but we write occasionally. Robert’s last letter mentioned he had met the other Darcy boy, Jack, in Spain. Said he was a surprisingly decent sort, given his upbringing.” Her face paled. “That was his last letter. He was at Salamanca, in the massacre.”
“I am so very sorry,” Elizabeth said softly. “Jack Darcy died there, too.” Jack, whose father had refused to buy him a commission because it was too dangerous, but he had sent his two base-born sons into the Army. Now the two half-brothers had died together.
“They met the same fate.” She looked up. “There will be talk, you know, if I am attending you.”
“As if there has not been talk about me since I arrived! That strange Mrs. Darcy with her books and old clothes and now her dragon,” Elizabeth said ruefully. “Unless it troubles you, I do not care about a little gossip.”
“It does not bother me. No one here minds my oddities, since they are useful, and everyone loved my mother.” She shrugged. “I understand you can feel the power in the cloth I make. I wonder if you would be willing to test something for me, purely for my own curiosity.”
“Of course. At home I used to grow my own flax and spin it into yarn with my Talent.”
The midwife got up and opened a chest, pulling out a small pile of fabric. “Would you mind closing your eyes? I would like you to hold two pieces to see if you can tell the difference between them.”
It seemed harmless, and now she was curious, too. “Happily.” She closed her eyes and held out her hands, palms up.
Bits of fabric settled in them. Wool, by the feel, with magic in each. She raised her left hand. “This one is stronger. What is it?”
“Open your eyes.”
Elizabeth looked down at her hands. Two identical scraps, except one was blue and one white. “The color?”
“They are from the same looming, but I dyed that one with woad I grew in the garden.”
She nodded slowly. Another step for adding in the power from the land. It made sense. “Would you teach me how someday? I know nothing about dyeing.”
The midwife smiled for the first time. “If you wish.”
Chapter 13
Aweek. Only aweek. Just seven days alone at Pemberley since Darcy had left, but it felt like forever to Elizabeth. Fear for him was her constant companion, since she had few others.
She had hardly seen Cerridwen, who was always at the Nest these days, getting to know her new nestmates. Elizabeth missed their closeness, but she could not beg Cerridwen to come back simply because she was lonely and sad. Not after all the years Cerridwen had spent alone, without any other dragons for company, for her sake. It was Elizabeth’s turn to bear that burden.
Mrs. Sanford had called on her once, with more herbal teas and a tonic to help the baby’s growth, and Elizabeth saw Georgiana every day at the breakfast table and dinner. Her sister-in-law was still shy of her, and had plenty to occupy herself between her music, the lesser fae, and her companion, Belinda Lowrie, who had returned from her visit to her family now that Georgiana planned to remain at Pemberley instead of returning to London. The two always had their heads together, chattering and laughing in a way Georgiana never did with Elizabeth.
There were always her books, but every morning had an empty space which had been taken up by her lessons in magery with Frederica. Even though she had rarely succeeded in learning much, she had enjoyed thatstimulating time. Now Frederica was in London, and likely to remain there.
She spent the time instead taking long walks through the recently planted fields of Pemberley, sending her Talent down into the earth to encourage the crops to grow. She was still learning the land’s needs here, but she could sense how it welcomed her attention. Her spirits were lifted when the tenants were happy to see her, knowing she would improve their harvest. But she gave the oak grove and cottage at the heart of Pemberley a wide berth, with all their memories of Darcy.
When she finally trudged back to the house, there was a carriage in front of the portico, a plain one of the sort that could be rented at any coaching inn. It had come to the main entrance, though, so it had to be a visitor for her or Georgiana.
Could it be news from London? She hurried her pace and practically ran up the steps and into the hall, where a familiar golden-haired figure was handing her bonnet to the butler.
Frederica had returned!
Tears rose to Elizabeth’s eyes as she embraced her friend. “I am so glad to see you!” What a relief it would be to have her friend there again!
Frederica untied her bonnet and handed it to a servant. “I apologize for failing to warn you I was coming. I left in rather of a hurry,” she said with a laugh.
“Not at all! I am delighted you are back. I hope you will stay here in the main house, since Darcy is away.” The reminder of his absence left her hollow inside.
“Gone already? I had not realized that. I am so sorry.”
“Just a few days ago. You may have passed each other on the road,” she said, trying to make light of it. “Come in and have some tea. I am eager to hear all about Granny in London.”
Frederica flounced into the drawing room and flung herself onto the sofa. “I can tell you less than I would like. Granny thought it could damage my reputation to be seen as her ally, so she toldeveryone it was all Darcy’s doing that she was there and pretended to barely know me. I had to call her Lady Amelia!” This last seemed to have added insult to injury.
