Darcy sputtered. “That is not the issue at all. You cannot leave Netherfield. It is out of the question.”
“Why not? It is the perfect solution to all our problems. It has become more and more impossible for me to accomplish anything here. Youhavea Janus Mage. Lord Redmond is not here now, but he can be conscripted and forced to come here, and with me out of the way, you can form a strong Bond with him. And if I live in Longbourn, I will be close by, and I can become a proper wife to you.”
“How would you become a proper wife when I will rarely see you? You know as well as I that the distance between Longbourn and Netherfield is effectively as far as here and France. We cannot see each other without endangering not only the two of us but your family as well. Besides, even if those blind Council members can’t see beyond their snobbish noses, they need you here.Ineed you here, by my side. You cannot leave. It is out of the question.”
“If you do not listen to reason, I will talk to your uncle. He will see why it is essential for me to do this. With me gone, you no longer have to fight to defend my honor.”
“Is this why you are proposing to leave?” He shook his head and gave a bitter laugh. “It is too late for that. I have challenged Devereux. If you leave, I will still have to fight him.”
“Not if I offer to leave in return for cancelling the fight.”
“You willnotdo that, Elizabeth. It will reflect badly on me. They will say I hid behind a woman’s skirts.”
She would never be able to understand this concept of masculine pride. If he wanted to save face, then she would give him a way to do it.
“What if I really want to leave? What if this is the perfect excuse for me to get away? You know I am not happy here, Darcy. You know there are people here who are trying to have me killed.”
His gaze softened. “If you really want to leave, then so be it. You can leaveafterthe duel.”
“So you want me to stand by and watch you be killed?”
“Aha! Now you are finally speaking the truth. You seem to have very little faith in my abilities.”
“You know very well I respect your abilities. But a duel between a Warder and an Elemental mage?”
“Some may argue that a Warder is more powerful. I do not have to do anything at all. I just need to Ward myself, and I will win.”
Elizabeth thought of Darcy’s excruciatingly painstaking spells. She was not quite as convinced as he was, but he was going to fight tomorrow, and she had no intention of creating any doubt in his mind.
“Of course. You are, after all, the most powerful mage in the Kingdom.”
He nodded. “Exactly. You have nothing to fear.” He touched his finger lightly to her face. “And please, Elizabeth, whatever the circumstances,do not interfere. It is very important.”
Why was masculine pride so blind?
***
ELIZABETH HAD PLANNEDto keep to her room, but she could not stand her own company for a moment longer. As she entered the Great Hall, she looked towards the dais, hoping to see Darcy there, but he was not, and neither were Matlock and Grayson.
She supposed they must be still occupied with going over the rules of a magical duel. How typical that Darcy would spend all his time before a duel thinking about the rules. Did it not occur to him that he should spend his time withher? He was willing to die to defend her honor, but did he even care about her? Or was it all about his own pride?
Even the sight of Jane sitting in her familiar place with Mr. Bingley next to her did not inspire much of a reaction. A cold numbness had gripped her. She was going through the motions, but all she could think of was the duel, and the horrible possibility that Darcy could be injured, or worse.
“I see you are feeling better, Jane?”
“Yes, and I see they have not put you in chains, as Lady Mary was convinced they would do. They are angry at her for agreeing to work with me, and she has been confined to her bedchamber as punishment. But I ought not to talk about such things, not when you must be feeling so wretched. Is it true what they are saying? That Mr. Darcy and Mr. Devereux are to fight a duel? Tell me it is not true!”
“It is perfectly true.” Elizabeth took up a slice of bread, tore it into tiny pieces then tossed them onto her plate.
Jane put an arm around her shoulders, but Elizabeth shrugged it off. She did not want the other mages to see her as an object of pity, or worse, an object of derision. She decided to pretend nothing was wrong. She would not let them have the satisfaction of seeing her distraught.
She ought not to have come. But to leave without eating would feel like they had driven her out.
She took up her knife and fork. The very idea of food made her stomach rebel, but she forced herself to put some boiled potato into her mouth. She almost gagged on it. It was all she could do to continue to chew and force herself to swallow. She listlessly pushed around the rest of the food on her plate.
“Try to eat, Elizabeth. The matter will be resolved. I am sure of it.”
Elizabeth shook her head. “I cannot eat until I know that Darcy has desisted from this foolish course of action.”
