Miss King urged Elizabeth to go to get herself something to eat, and offered to watch Jane for a while.
“You need to keep up your strength, in case we need to use magic for some reason. You must eat and sleep.”
“I slept in the carriage on the way to Rosings.”
“I must insist, Mrs. Darcy. This is no time to let your guard down. You owe it to your sister. And also to Riquer, in case he contacts you. You will need to use your Mirror magic, and who knows how much it might drain you to communicate over such a distance?”
Elizabeth was shocked to realize she had forgotten about Riquer completely. What if he had tried to communicate last night? She could not allow her agitation over her sister’s condition to overtake her duty to the Kingdom.
“Thank you, Miss King. It is a timely reminder. You are quite right. I will do my best to do both, though I do not promise I will succeed.”
Miss King nodded. “I will send word if anything in your sister’s condition changes, I promise, so you need not worry on that score.”
Elizabeth had no idea where anything was in Rosings. She had to ask one of the footmen to help her find the breakfast room.Lady Catherine had certainly meant it when she said they were not welcome.
When Elizabeth entered the breakfast room, there was only one person there. It was a hunched, thin young lady with pale skin and dark circles under her eyes. The young lady looked her up and down in a manner reminiscent of Lady Catherine. This then must be Miss Anne de Bourgh.
Elizabeth curtseyed and was about to say something when the young lady spoke first.
“So, you are the young lady who stole my fiancée away from me.”
Thank heavens Darcy had forewarned her. It did not make Miss de Bourgh’s words any easier, but Elizabeth at least understood the sentiment behind them.
“I am sorry you were deprived of the choice of marrying your cousin, Miss de Bourgh, but it would not have gone very well if youhadmarried in any case. You would not have seen much of him.”
“Choice? What choice? Darcy did notchooseto marry you, any more than hechoseto break the engagement. Sometimes the dictates of duty demand unpleasant choices.” Miss de Bourgh stared at her in a disconcerting way. Her blue eyes were large and round in her pale face. “I hope you are making him happy, at least.”
The question took Elizabeth by surprise. It brought back all the issues that were facing them. Happy? What was happiness in the midst of war?
Elizabeth met Miss de Bourgh’s gaze steadily. “If you are asking me if I love him, then the answer is simple. Yes, I do.” It was none of Miss de Bourgh’s concern, really, but Elizabeth was tired, and she had no intention of shifting through her words. She’d had her fill of sorting out her emotions and worrying about stepping on people’s toes. She hated being so vulnerablewhen Miss de Bourgh wished her nothing but pain, but at the same time, she wanted his cousin to know. Darcy was hers, and she felt it with a fierce protectiveness. She was not going to let anyone come between them, come what may.
She braced herself for an onslaught.
Miss de Bourgh gave a little smile and sighed. “Good. I might have hated you if you did not, but I cannot begrudge Darcy the affection he needs.” She paused. “However, I wish you had not come here. I was resigned to imagining you as a hag, but now I know that you are tolerable.”
Elizabeth was taken aback, and for once had no idea how to respond. When Darcy spoke about Miss de Bourgh, Elizabeth had received the impression that Darcy’s former fiancé was timid and reserved, and completely under her mother’s thumb. It was hard to reconcile that image with the forthright and direct person in front of her.
“Um.” Her mind scrambled to find the right words. Clearly Miss de Bourgh was offering an olive branch. Elizabeth did not want to ruin it by saying the wrong thing. “I am glad to hear I have earned your approval, even if it is reluctantly given.”
It was an absurd situation. If Mr. Bennet had witnessed it, he would have been amused. For the first time since Jane was injured, she wanted to laugh. She put out her hand.
“If we cannot be friends, let us at least not be enemies. We are cousins now, after all.”
Miss de Bourgh looked at her hand quizzingly, then took it. “Who said we cannot be friends? It remains to be seen. And since wearecousins, you may call me Anne.”
It was far more of a concession than Elizabeth would have expected.
Luckily, Elizabeth was spared from having to answer when Colonel Fitzwilliam entered the room and Miss de Bourgh’s gaze shifted to him.
“Oh, Richard. I did not expect you! I am so glad you have come!”
“Hello, Anne!” he said, with a pleasant smile. He bowed to Elizabeth. “I came as soon as I received Darcy’s letter. I believe my father is making his way here as well, though Lord Grayson and Lord Harcourt are not. How is your sister faring?”
His question brought all her grief and worry back. “Not well. Her situation is grave. We have not yet found an appropriate Healer. Maybe you can assist us in finding one quickly.”
She was suddenly afraid something might have happened to her sister while she was away. “If you will excuse me, I need to take some food to Bingley, who has not left my sister’s side.”
Elizabeth hurried to Jane’s room, and almost ran straight into Darcy as he emerged.
