Page 37 of Master of Himself

“Naturally, I thought he was insane and didn’t believe him, but he couldn’t have been more accurate. As a precaution, I travelled to Ramsgate and found a fortune hunter attempting to court her,” Darcy said, then stopped abruptly to face the bench. “Then I saw him again in the gardens that night in September. I’m absolutely certain it was the same man. In both occasions, he was accompanied by thunder and lightning, and he vanished in an instant.”

A cold shiver ran through Charles’s spine. “Just like the night we changed places.”

“Did you see him that night, Henry?” Darcy inquired.

“I couldn’t see anything with the rain pelting my face.”

Charles perfectly remembered the elderly man, who had uttered some type of warning. The gravity of this information hit him with full force. This entire fiasco is Darcy’s fault. “Do you mean to tell me that you twice angered an ancient sage and ignored his advice?” Now in a rage, he shoved Darcy, who stumbled backwards. “Why did you drag me into your troubles?”

When Charles advanced on him, Darcy held up his hands in self-defence. “How was I to know what he meant to do? If I knew how to appease him, I would have done so by now.”

Henry stood between them. “Steady on, Charles.”

Charles could scarcely believe that he ever wanted to be like Darcy. “And now I’m stuck in the body of a man whom everyone loathes.”

“I’m highly respected in town, as you well know,” Darcy said in a curt tone.

Charles scoffed at his self-important friend. “You made a terrible impression on my neighbours with your high and mighty conduct at the assembly. Didn’t you see how hesitant everyone was to approach me this morning, thinking I was you?” He cringed at the memory. “How am I to make a home in this community when everyone has a poor opinion of me?”

Darcy merely stared, further enraging Charles. How can he be so blind?

Henry pushed him back to the bench. “Don’t be cross, Charles. Darcy couldn’t have known the old man was a wizard, and he hasn’t offended anyone since that first night.”

“You can’t even remember our neighbours’ names,” he said, still infuriated at Darcy. “We even dined at some of their homes.”

“How can I be expected to remember so many peoples’ names?”

“What a bag of moonshine!” Charles said in disbelief. “I’ll wager you remember all of your tenants’ and neighbours’ names in Derbyshire.”

“Of course.”

“And what’s more, I daresay you know every merchant in your village – and their families.”

“Well…yes.”

Charles continued, entirely out of patience with Darcy’s carelessness. “But here in Meryton, you won’t give yourself the trouble because once you leave here, you’ll never see them again.” Darcy made no answer to this charge. “But they are my neighbours. They have welcomed us into the community, indeed, into their homes, and the least we can do is remember their names.”

“You make an excellent point, Charles.”

At least Darcy had the decency to appear contrite. “You must make proper amends for embroiling me in this sorcery.”

Darcy blew out a long breath, then sat beside him. “I’ll do whatever you require.”

“We will all attend the next assembly, and you will dance every set.”

Darcy groaned, and Hurst doubled over with laughter. “I must say that this is the most fun I’ve had in an age.”

“And you, too, Henry,” Charles said, without a trace of amusement. “Every set.”

Henry clapped Darcy on the back. “Don’t worry, old man. It won’t be so bad.”

Knowing his friend’s disgust of dancing, Charles took comfort in the prospect of watching Darcy pay his penance for involving him in this farce.

Although Darcy was a great fellow and the best of friends, his behaviour at the assembly had been abysmally rude. Charles had enjoyed the evening, but he supposed that Darcy was accustomed to mingling in only the first circles.

“Look on the bright side,” Henry said. “At least now you know who cursed you. You can appeal to him to reverse the spell.”

“How is that in the least helpful?” Darcy said in an irritable voice. “The man appears and disappears at will.”