Page 63 of Triumph at Pemberley

Jasper said, “And I will go accomplish the Herculean task of making myself fit for human company. Camping for all these weeks, with only marsh water to wash in. Uncivilized, I call it.”

Darcy paused and looked at his cousin. “I cannot thank you enough for staying there, so someone could help Georgiana come home.”

“I would not be alive except for her,” Jasper said, as if that explained everything. And perhaps it did.

Darcy and Georgiana finally made it up to the nursery, after a delay when Mrs. Reynolds came to greet her. Apparently Georgiana’s arrival could not be kept secret from the housekeeper even for a minute. His sister seemed pleased by her warm welcome, though.

Jenny was sitting on a blanket in the sunshine, her little hands waving in the air as if trying to catch a sunbeam. Agate, beside her as ever, raised his head to examine the new arrivals.

Then the dragonet sprang to his feet and jumped in front of Georgiana, the scales on his back raised. “Stay back!” he said in his high, wavering voice. “Stay back!”

Darcy frowned as the prickle of an invisible sending moved over his skin. “What is the matter?”

“She cannot come near!” The hatchling reared up on his back legs, his little talons extended in what would have been a threatening manner if he had been larger than a fawn. “She reeks of the Wicked King.”

“So did I a few weeks ago, and that did not trouble you! Why is this different?” But he had a bad feeling about this.

“The other dragons had cleared you. And she is changed somehow.” Agate sniffed the air. “More fae.”

“Ba-ba-ba-ba!” Jenny gurgled, holding out her arms to Georgiana.

Georgiana said softly, “If you do not want me near her, I understand.” But her eyes had grown suspiciously shiny.

Darcy glared at the dragon hatchling. Enough was enough. He was tired of dragons dictating his every move.

With deliberate steps, he walked around Agate, collected Jenny, and deposited her in Georgiana’s arms. The baby’s wide smile was proof that he had been right.

Georgiana rocked Jenny gently. “I am sorry I was gone so long, dear one,” she murmured, her voice trembling. “I missed you.”

“Ba-ba,” agreed Jenny.

Agate slunk back towards the bed he shared with Jenny.

Darcy could not feel the tell-tale prickle, but he was certain Agate was calling the other dragons. Well, let him. This was his land and his family. If they thought Georgiana should not be here, that was their problem.

His sister held the baby up to her shoulder, humming a lullaby, pleasure radiating from both of them. It was good to see, but at the same time, there were many questions he needed to ask her.

The nursery was not the place for that. He could track down Jasper and see what he knew, but if the dragons were coming for Georgiana, he should not leave her alone. He would have to swallow his curiosity for now.

Then Coquelicot spoke in Darcy’s head. What is this, Little One? Your sister has been in Faerie? We must learn if it is safe for her to be inside the wards.

This is her home, he retorted. She has the right to be here.

But what if the Wicked King has affected her? What if—

For the first time ever, Darcy closed his mind to her.

Half an hour later, Darcy led Georgiana back to his study. “The dragons are hovering outside. I am sorry, but I need to tell them something about what happened to you.”

Georgiana said softly, “The High King let you go at my request. By fae tradition, that meant I owed him a favor. He asked me to spend a year in Faerie with him. To learn my heritage, he said.” She looked up at him. “It could have been much worse.”

“How difficult was it?”

“It was hard being so far from everyone and everything I know. I missed my music. I had to be careful of every word I said, for in Faerie I could not lie.” She hesitated. “I learned a great deal. Some of it I wish I had not.”

He studied her. “Do you want to talk about it?”

She shook her head. “No. Except…William, it would be best if you did not tell me about your plans. Especially any that involve leaving Pemberley.” She shivered.