“And I wouldn’t be surprised if Mr. Darcy was beside himself with jealousy.”
Mary had said the same and Elizabeth had dismissed it. “What do you mean?”
“Well, with someone like Mr. Riquer – those dark eyes of his! They get me every time. And you spend a lot of time with him, if you see what I mean.”
Elizabeth was dismayed. “Are you telling me there has been gossip? Come, Emily. Youwilltell me if people have been talking.”
“I wouldn’t call it gossip. Not really. It’s just some of us have been saying we wouldn’t mind being in your shoes, with two very handsome young gentlemen at our beck and call.” She grinned good naturedly, then, seeing that Elizabeth was looking distressed, she put her hands to her mouth. “Oh, no! I did not mean—I would never imply—that is not what—” She shook her head then drew her shoulders back. “No one believes you would do anything with Mr. Riquer. It is just that he is a charming gentleman and—”
She was now looking pale. “I promise you, I would never in a hundred years imply anything that would blacken your name, Mrs. Darcy. It was just something to laugh about. Nothing more.”
Elizabeth sighed. “Are you certain?”
“Absolutely, ma’am. I would not have spoken of it so lightly if I thought there was anything to worry about.”
Elizabeth’s eyes searched Emily’s face. The maid was looking crestfallen, but she showed no other signs of being uncomfortable.
Reassured, Elizabeth nodded. “You would tell me if there was any serious gossip circulating?”
“Of course,” said Emily.
Elizabeth still felt uneasy. How long before others started saying the same thing, this time with more malicious intent? She had come to trust Emily’s view of things, and if Emily thought that way, others would think the same. She did not want to be the subject of gossip again. She had enough of being doubtedand questioned, and with so much at stake, she could not afford for her decisions to be questioned based on a perceived intimacy with Riquer.
Then she remembered Emily’s original words. “Do you really think Mr. Darcy is jealous?”
“Of you? Yes. That is hardly surprising. Mr. Darcy is powerful, but your magic is new and exciting.”
When she had first arrived, new and exciting would have been frowned upon and regarded with suspicion, even by Darcy himself. Elizabeth was happy that people were starting to accept her unusual magic. But that was not what she wanted to know.
“What I meant to say is, do you think Mr. Darcy is jealous of Mr. Riquer?”
“It would be natural if he did. You spend so much time with him.”
As Emily finished helping her and left the room, Elizabeth crawled into bed, expecting to fall asleep immediately. But sleep eluded her. She had been so busy preparing for the exhibition, she had not sought out Darcy. Now she realized how much she missed him, and suddenly she wanted to be with him more than anything else in the world. Despite her exhaustion, she knew she would not be able to sleep until she spent some time with him. She could not bear to think that he might be unhappy in any way because of her.
She had to see him. At once. She got out of bed and considered what to wear. Without Emily's help, she could only wear her training clothes. She threw them on quickly and slipped out of the room through the quiet hallways. She knew where to find Darcy. His familiar magical signature beckoned.
Darcy was Bonded with Redmond when he unexpectedly felt the tug of Elizabeth's signature. Why was she looking for him? Had something happened? Alarmed, he quickly withdrew from his Bond and searched for her.
Unexpectedly, the door opened, and Elizabeth entered. He scanned her face for signs of tension, but she was smiling. Her hair was loose, flowing over her shoulders in soft auburn waves. His breath hitched. She was like a ray of sunshine, lighting up the whole area with her presence.
Redmond took one look at Darcy’s face and smirked, then excused himself. “I—um— have to—”
Darcy barely registered what his Janus Twin said. He was too busy luxuriating in her presence.
“To what do I owe this surprise visit?” he said, wondering if she had a specific purpose here, and hoping there was not.
She came up to him and put her arms around his neck. “I was not able to sleep. I needed to see you.”
Her statement set him on fire. "I have needed for too long," he said, hoarsely.
He pulled her to him and pressed his mouth to hers. He lost himself in the feel of her, the scent of her. Her skin was so soft against his lips. He dug his fingers through her curls. Her hair – it was so silky, so inviting—
“--is this what you do when you are supposed to be guarding the Wards?” said Lord Matlock. His voice was hard. “Is this the example you set for the younger generation?”
His uncle’s words were like a bucket of icy water. Darcy drew back, setting Elizabeth at arm’s length. He looked towards Redmond and flushed. It had been many years since he had felt like a schoolboy, caught in a prank.
“I was just—”
