She had to fight the urge to run to him. Instead she ignored him, making her curtsy to Mme. Hartung.
“Ah, Mme. Dubois, there you are,” she said to Elizabeth. “I have had a change of plans which might prove of benefit to you. A friend of mine in Strasbourg is ill, and I will be leaving tomorrow morning to visit her, along with my children. Kapitan Kupillas will escort us.”
Elizabeth swallowed. Strasbourg was near the mountains where the French Nest was located. It could not be a coincidence. But she had to be careful; the spying maid was standing beside her. “Yes, madame. I hope your friend recovers quickly.”
“Thank you. Now, I do not know where you are headed, but you would be welcome to ride into town with us. I will give you fare for the diligence to your uncle’s house; I hate to see a woman in your condition traveling on foot.”
Definitely not a coincidence. “Madame, you are too kind! May the saints bless you for your generosity.” It would make Darcy’s travel much safer ina private carriage with the protection of Mme. Hartung, but why was this woman risking so much to help Darcy?
“Excellent. It is settled, then. We will leave first thing in the morning.” She rubbed her arms as if she felt cold. “Colette, pray fetch me my shawl.”
The maid curtsied and left, and they were alone together.
Mme. Hartung smiled at her warmly. “I am sorry I cannot offer you better accommodations, but Colette will insist on coming with us, and I could not explain taking you with us the entire way. I hope this will be helpful, though.”
“Very much so,” Elizabeth said fervently. “You have done so much for…” she could not bring herself to say the false name.
She gave a light laugh. “For my dear cousin Ernst? How could I do any less?”
Darcy said in a low voice, “I owe her a great deal. She taught me how to use a German accent and gave me her late father’s identification papers with the birth year altered. I have been Ernst Kupillas this last month. They would have arrested me long ago without her help.”
Elizabeth could not help a little surge of jealousy at the warmth in his voice. “I am very grateful to you, Mme. Hartung.”
“I had hoped to do more. I wrote to the emperor requesting his permission to return to Prussia. Ernst… pardon, your husband, could have returned to England more easily from there, but it was not allowed.”
“I thank you for your efforts.”
Mme. Hartung smiled up at Darcy. “He has been good company, and he has been helping my children with their lessons.”
Darcy gestured to his bad arm. “It was the only way I could be of use.”
“The little ones will miss you.” But her eyes said they were not the only ones.
How could she be angry at this brave, kind woman who had risked so much for Darcy? “I will remember you in my prayers. And should you ever find a way to England, you will always be welcome at Pemberley.”
Then the maid returned with the shawl, and nothing more could be said.
Chapter 30
Frederica was out inthe garden, wrestling with using dragon magic to cast illusions, when Georgiana’s companion, Belinda Lowrie, approached her. “Lady Frederica, may I have a moment of your time?” the young woman asked, valiantly ignoring the illusory unicorn Frederica was attempting to cast.
“Of course.” Frederica blew her energy through pursed lips until the unicorn faded away. “How may I be of service?”
“Mr. Darcy expects me to report to him when Miss Georgiana does something unusual. In his absence, I would normally go to Mrs. Darcy…”
“But she is away, too,” Frederica said briskly. “If you have a concern, I hope you will share it with me.”
The young woman looked down at the toes of her half-boots. “Some of the lesser fae have convinced Miss Georgiana that she ought to learn to defend herself against the High Fae,” she said in a low voice.
“That seems eminently sensible.” Especially since no mortal could do anything to stop a High Fae bent on destruction.
Miss Lowrie’s eyes widened. “But they are teaching her to use knives and daggers, and she has asked me to purchase one with iron in it. I cannot imagine Mr. Darcy would approve.”
Darcy most certainly would not approve of his little sister learning to fight, so it was a good thing Frederica was here in his place. “I will take care of this. Thank you for telling me. Now, do I understand that congratulations are in order?”
Miss Lowery’s cheeks grew pink. “Thank you, Lady Frederica.” Her longtime suitor from a neighboring family had finally come up to scratch, and there would be wedding bells soon.
It was good news, but who could possibly replace her as Georgiana’s companion, given the girl’s unusual situation? That was a problem she was happy to leave for Darcy and Elizabeth. Knife fighting was much simpler.
