“Is that you, Darcy? Come closer, lad. My eyes are not what they used to be.”
Darcy had not been called a lad for a very long time.
“Yes sir. I would like to thank you for voting in my favor earlier.”
“Voting in your favor? Did I vote for you? Were you nominated for a position?”
“No, it was about the Janus Mage.”
“Ah, yes. I remember.” Pickering made a dismissive gesture. “Waste of time.”
It occurred to Darcy that if anyone knew if there was a precedent to Bingley’s illness, it was Pickering, whose breadth of knowledge in such matters was legendary.
“Have you by any chance encountered a situation similar to that of Mr. Bingley?”
“The Warder with the affliction? Funny that you ask. There was a young lady here earlier who asked the same question. She helped me find a book I was looking for. I do recall a similar case. Let me search for it. Yes, here it is.”
Darcy watched hopefully as the old man looked through an old manuscript, licking his thumb to make it easier to turn the pages. He pointed at a passage with a trembling finger.
“There it is.”
Darcy came around to Pickering’s side of the table so he could read it. As far as he could tell, it was a spell that raised fog. Darcy read through it twice, puzzled.
“I do not quite understand.”
“It is possible that his wits are befogged.”
Darcy sighed. That was not helpful at all. A child could have told him the same.
“I cannot judge whether that is the case or not, but I would appreciate it if you could let me know if you find anything else.”
“Yes, yes.”
It was obvious that Pickering had already forgotten about him and was lost in his reading.
As Darcy turned to leave, he caught the scent of lavender in the air. Traces of Elizabeth. He needed to go and find her to tell her the good news. They would be training together again, at last.
***
IT WAS EASY TO TRACKElizabeth down. Her magic signature was very clear to him. She was in the bedchamber he had chosen for her. Bingley trailed behind him, looking increasingly fatigued. Darcy would need to take him back to the Healer’s Hall after this, but he did not want to delay relaying the news to Elizabeth.
He found her seated near the window, reading. Her face brightened when she saw him. She smiled, then sat up straight when she spotted Bingley behind him.
“You have chosen the best bedchamber possible for me, Darcy. I have been delighting in the view. Come, let me show you something. Do you see that hill over there? That is Oakham Mount. It is a place I have walked hundreds of times with my sisters.”
He came to stand next to her, and she leaned her head on his shoulder. He inhaled deeply, drinking in her own unique scent, mingled with lavender and roses.
“I have been daydreaming, you know,” she continued. “I was imagining what it would be like to stroll there together.” Her eyes danced. “Do you think we could sneak out one of these days together?”
She looked so mischievous he simply had to kiss her.
“I would love to walk there with you,” he murmured, his lips close to her ear.
If only he could grant her such a simple wish!
She drew back and cast a pointed look at Bingley. A rush of heat flooded his cheeks. What must poor Bingley think?
Recovering from his embarrassment, he looked out onto the tempting landscape that was so out of reach. “Youhave been thinking of walking with me, whileIhave been imagining attending a cricket game with you.”
