Page 146 of Triumph at Pemberley

His uncle Jack snorted. “You have your own dragon and spend more time with fae than anyone else in England, and you are complaining?”

“Jenny bonded to her dragon when she was six, but they’re making me wait until I’m eight!”

Darcy said sternly, “Jenny’s case was different.” They had not liked the idea of letting her bond so young, but a dangerous magical outburst had convinced them – and all the terrified staff – that Jenny needed to have her Talent harnessed until she was older. He would be forever grateful his other children would not come into their Talent before they reached the age of reason.

The boy whimpered as he tried to move. “Where is Coquelicot? This hurts!”

“Coquelicot is busy at the hospital with people who need her more than you do,” Darcy said. Jack did not seem to be in any danger. He needed to learn about the consequences of his reckless behavior, or one day he would break his neck. All the children assumed their injuries would be healed immediately.

It was a constant worry. There was a marked difference in judgment between the younger children who had always known Coquelicot would be there and the older ones – Alexandrine and Heinrich – who remembered life without the healer dragon.

And Pemberley was full of children these days. Darcy and Elizabeth’s second son was still in the nursery. Jack and the former Mrs. Hartung had two little girls, along with Alexandrine and Friedrich. His half-sister, who helped Coquelicot with her patients along with her midwifery, had surprised everyone by accepting a proposal from the doctor who had come from London to work at the hospital. Their daughter had just turned four, and would soon be old enough to start lessons with the rest of the Darcy children. Every winter, Frederica brought her ever-increasing brood to Pemberley for two months, in accordance with her marriage settlement. And for her own pleasure, since no matter how much she loved Gwynedd, Frederica sometimes missed her friends and elegant life in England. She was always eager to return to her Roderick, though.

Jack moaned again. “Could you not take me to Coquelicot, if she is too busy to come?”

Darcy wavered. Carrying the boy to the hospital might damage his arm more. More importantly, Elizabeth would insist on calling the healer dragon the instant she came home and found her son in pain. She could not bear to see her children suffer.

And he hated seeing her unhappy. After all she had been through during those years of fighting Napoleon and the Wicked King, she deserved all the peace and happiness he could give her.

“Oh, just give in.” His brother sounded amused. “You know you are going to eventually.”

With a sigh, Darcy reached out to Coquelicot. I am aware you are busy, but when you have time, would you be able to help young Jack? His arm is broken. Despite how he had worded it, he knew she would drop everything to help. Dragons might have no attachment to their own offspring, but Coquelicot had a particular soft spot for her Little One’s little ones.

Surprise came down his link to her. I am almost there. The nestling called me.

Darcy glared down at Topaz. “Interfering, are you?”

The little dragon peered up at Darcy, his aura full of puzzlement. “Of course I am taking care of my future companion.”

“Busybodies,” his brother said. “Dragons are the worst busybodies.”

Darcy could not agree more. Nor could he imagine life without them.

Frederica held up a folded paper. “I received a letter from Jasper today.”

Roderick pulled her into his arms. “Nothing your brother has to say could be as important as kissing you.” He proceeded to act on his words.

Once she could catch her breath, Frederica said, “That is definitely true, my love, but it is rather important. The two of them are planning to visit, with all that entails.”

His eyebrows shot up. “Princess Charlotte and Jasper? That is going to be…interesting.” The relationship between Gwynedd and Britain was improving, but it had been rocky for several years. As expected, the British had tried to invalidate the treaty establishing Gwynedd’s independence. Roderick and his father had deemed Frederica was the least likely to be arrested for setting foot in England, especially as her brother was married to the heir to the throne, so she had the pleasure of traveling to London to explain sweetly why this was a very bad idea indeed.

“Indeed. It is apparently Princess Charlotte’s idea. Her father forbade it, so naturally she is now absolutely determined to do it. Jasper, of course, is hoping to meet your best swordsmen.”

Roderick snorted. “None of them will have a chance against him. But that is the least of our problems. Princess Charlotte will expect better than our spare bedroom.” Roderick’s new financial duties as an official leader of Gwynedd meant they now spent much of the year in the town of Caernarfon rather than in his beloved valley.

“Already taken care of.” Frederica picked up the second letter and waved it in his face. “My mother is planning every detail. She says it is time England had a proper embassy here, and she plans to choose and furnish it. We are to expect her modiste’s assistant with patterns and fabric samples soon.”

“That will cost a fortune!” Roderick exclaimed, frowning.

“I seriously doubt we will ever see a bill. What did she say? Ah, here it is. “I will not tolerate my daughter’s family looking shabby on such an occasion.” Just think how ecstatic your stepmother will be to see her particular friend again!” Angharad lived in awe of Lady Matlock, who had charmed far more substantial opponents than Roderick’s stepmother. And Lady Matlock could not be happier than to have her two most intractable children married into royalty. She persisted in claiming it had been cleverness on Frederica’s part to spot the potential in Roderick, no matter how inappropriate a suitor he had appeared to be.

Then again, Frederica had gained the affection of the people of Gwynedd by encouraging them to correct her Welsh pronunciation. The Welsh apparently loved nothing better than correcting anyone who was English.

Probably better not to tell Roderick yet that her mother was planning to bring a painter to make an official portrait of this grand occasion.

Roderick groaned, rubbing his forehead. “Could we just say no?”

She eyed him with amused patience. “Refuse the most popular members of the royal family?” It was true; the madcap princess was beloved by the public, and Jasper, to his family’s surprise, easily matched her in that regard. Who would have known that people would adore having a scatterbrained prince who showed no interest in ruling? It was a mystery to her. “I think not. Besides, Jasper has never met our children. He will probably try to teach Llywelyn to use a sword.”