I let the glamour I’d been holding for what seemed like forever drop. “It’s true.”
Kitty’s eyes grew round, and she bowed. “Your Highness, forgive me. I didn’t see you.”
“You can call me Darcy,” I said. This was what always happened. This was why I had hidden my identity ever since I’d come to Austen Heights. It had been nice avoiding all of… this.
Mary cast a glance at Lizzy. “How long have you known?”
Lizzy gave a small smile. “A while.”
Kitty straightened. “Yes, Darcy… or Prince Darcy.”
“Just Darcy.” I turned to Mary. “This isn’t a royal edict, but we’d appreciate assistance in healing your father and everyone of Moonrot. You have access to the royal library, and anything that you require to do so.”
Mary eventually nodded. “Okay, but we’ll want Mom’s help. She’s the most experienced with potions, and I’m glad you offered the library because I’ll need books. LOTS of books.”
Mary insisted she needed a few magical ingredients. So I put my glamour back on, and Lizzy and I made our way over toElixir and Ivy, the apothecary shop, to purchase the items. It didn’t seem like my glamour was doing much though, as stares and whispers followed us. After getting the items on the list, we dropped them off at Cupid’s Confections and drove over to Netherfield.
When we arrived at Netherfield, we found Mary sitting among a plethora of books strewn out in Netherfield’s library. When Charles moved in, he’d allowed me to set up a book conduit that would allow us to call any book we needed in the royal library to Netherfield for our perusal. I’d felt it necessary for my research on Moonrot.
At least now it was getting some decent use. Books sat in stacks, and Mary looked through different ones at her will, checking others, and cross-referencing everything.
Every once in a while, she’d take a book over to her mom and ask a question or two. For the first time, I beheld a serious Mrs. Bennet—no gossiping, freaking out about men or her daughters dating. She focused completely on the research to save her husband.
“This has got to be the strangest sight I have ever seen,” Lizzy said, watching Mary and their mom discuss different ingredients and their uses in potions.
They worked and discussed well into the night. Lizzy and I fell asleep in separate large chairs.
Mary shook me awake, and then Lizzy. “I might have something. Mom and I are going to pick up a couple more items and return to Cupid’s Confections, where we’ll start brewing. We’ll need all our sisters and Frank, Riley, and Wickham. Can you call them and make sure they come?”
Lizzy lifted her phone from her pocket. “We can do that. Don’t you have to sleep?”
“Two sofas appeared next to us when we needed them. Mom and I both got a couple of hours of sleep. We should be fine. Have everyone meet in an hour.”
Lizzy called each person on the list, and then we headed over to Cupid’s Confections ourselves, along with Jane and Charles.
Lydia burst in through the door with Wickham close behind. “Is it true? Are we going to heal Dad?”
“We hope so,” Lizzy said.
Soon, Frank, Kitty, and Riley had also arrived.
“I pray this works,” Kitty said, the hope in her eyes a bit less explosive than Lydia’s but still undeniably present. She clutched Riley’s hand so tightly her knuckles turned white.
“I’ll go check on Mary,” Lizzy said, and she left the room. She returned a short time later. “They’re ready.”
We filed into the Bennets’ basement. Jars and potions filled the room. The walls and table were a bit charred from a recent fire. Mary was at a table with a few potion books open, standing with her mother next to a miniature cauldron that sat over a Bunsen burner. Herbs hung from the ceiling, and I breathed in the smells of rosemary and sage.
Frank walked over and gave Mary a quick kiss on the cheek. She peered up at him and smiled sweetly.
Mrs. Bennet looked up from where she’d been focused on the potion, saw me, and scowled. “What’s he doing here? We didn’t ask for him.”
“He let us use his library, Mom,” Mary reminded her exasperatedly.
Mrs. Bennet lifted her chin. “Yes, probably so he could take credit for all of our hard work. You know how these stuck-up types are, right, Lizzy?”
“No, Mom. Darcy literally came up with the idea, and he’s not the type to take credit for anything that isn’t his,” Lizzy said, casting me a warm glance.
“Haven’t you heard the rumors? Don’t you realize who he is?” Lydia asked.
