Why had he not noticed it earlier? The answer was simple. He had assumed the worst of her.
He reached out quickly with his magic to try and sense her. There were lingering signs of her that his magic could pick up, but nothing to reassure him. She was not at Netherfield, as far as he could tell.
“Could she have gone to Longbourn to consult with Mr. Bennet?”
Jane’s face was crumpled up in worry.
“She would not go out without telling anyone. I am certain. Lydia might do such a thing, but not Lizzy. She would know we would worry.”
His heart started pounding at the very real possibility that something terrible must have happened. He had no idea what, but Elizabeth was missing. The idea that somehow someone had been able to break into Netherfield and capture Elizabeth might seem like madness, but it was the only logical explanation that sprung to mind.
Jane was looking as white as a sheet. He sought to reassure her.
“It is unlikely that the French have abducted her. If they were able to break through the Wards, they would not have hesitated to attack us all.”
He could have kicked himself when he realized that he had spoken his thoughts aloud and that, far from reassured, Jane had gone even whiter, and looked like she might faint.
“My conclusion must be that she is on the grounds somewhere. Perhaps she was trying a new spell and overtaxed herself. We will simply have to find her.”
Jane nodded, the light of determination coming into her eyes. Darcy was relieved. He had not lost his ability to rally the troops in an emergency.
“We will form a search party and we will find your sister.” He noticed now that his hands were trembling. He was also trying to rally his own spirits. He could not bear to consider any alternative.
Jane pushed back her chair and stood up. “I will go and talk to the apprentice mages. Perhaps someone saw something that will be useful.”
Darcy nodded. “Please find a way to do it without alerting them she is missing. We do not want to alarm anyone.”
The last thing they needed was widespread panic.
“I will do my best.” She was still in shock. Darcy wondered whether she should do anything, but surely it would be better than leaving her to worry about Elizabeth.
Darcy would of course have to inform the Council so a search could be mounted. They would determine whether and how to inform everyone else. He did not care at this point. His only concern was finding Elizabeth.
Seeking out his uncle, Darcy found his signature. He was in the breakfast room. Within minutes, Darcy had apprised him of the details of the situation.
“Are you absolutely certain she is not in the building?”
“She did not sleep in her bed, and there are no recent traces of her anywhere.” Darcy could feel the tug of her magic everywhere in the building, but the traces were weak and fading fast. They were several hours old.
Despite Darcy’s assurances, Matlock sent tendrils of his magic to find her, which was absurd, and a waste of time. Darcy was much more in tune with Elizabeth than his uncle could ever be. Still, part of him hoped he was mistaken, and Matlock would find her.
“Anything?” he asked, his heart in his mouth.
“Nothing.”
Any hope he might have had shriveled up and died.
“I had better call for a meeting.”
“Our time would be better spent looking for her. You know the Council will just argue.”
“Leave it to me. I will give orders for a search,thenI will call for the meeting. This concerns us all. We must discover what happened.”
Footmen were dispatched to find the members of the Council. Darcy wanted to go outside in case Elizabeth had been outdoors and taken ill, but Matlock would not hear of it.
“We had better organize a search of the grounds. If she was injured outdoors, unable to return—”
Imagining Elizabeth in pain and stuck outside all night in the cold wrenched his heart, but it was far better than the alternative.
