by Maria Grace
“Are Quincy and Blanche spending a great deal of time below stairs?”
“They and Wellsbey, and several of the barn tatzelwurms come by regularly as well.”
“I was told you had a way with dragons. It seems it was not an exaggeration.”
“I admit I do like them very much. It is always a pleasure to meet more of them.” She glanced up into the trees. Was that a fairy dragon’s twitter? “Do you find it common on great estates to have so many Dragon Friends and minor dragons?”
“I think it is largely up to the preference of the major dragon. Rosings seems to like having many minor dragons look up to her.”
“Longbourn barely tolerated any minor dragons larger than fairy dragons. I wonder what Pemberley will prefer. She does seem to like the company.”
“It is a good thing then, that Darcy tolerates draconic company with great equanimity.” He sniggered, leaves crunching under his boots. “I think he may like them better than people.”
“I think he would be hard pressed to deny Pemberley what she wants, considering how much he likes to have his way. I do not know anybody who seems more to enjoy the power of doing what he likes than Mr. Darcy.”
“He likes to have his own way very well. But so we all do. It is only that he has better means of having it than many others because he is rich, and many others are poor.” He tapped his chest. “A younger son, you know, must be inured to self-denial and dependence.”
“In my opinion, the younger son of an earl can know very little of either. Now, seriously, when have you been prevented by want of money from going wherever you chose or procuring anything you had a fancy for?”
“I cannot say that I have experienced many hardships of that nature. But in matters of greater weight, I may suffer from the want of money. Younger sons cannot marry where they like.”
“Unless they like women of fortune, which I think they very often do.”
Fitzwilliam shrugged. “Our habits of expense make us too dependent, and there are not many in my rank of life who can afford to marry without some attention to money.”
Was he referring to her lack of dowry? Had Darcy warned him against interest in her?
Her cheeks heated, but she forced her voice to remain lively. “And pray, what is the usual price of an Earl's younger son? Unless the elder brother is very sickly, I suppose you would not ask above fifty thousand pounds.”
Fitzwilliam threw back his head and laughed heartily. “Perhaps I might be willing to settle for just thirty thousand.”
“I wonder that Mr. Darcy does not marry. It seems it would be great convenience to him. But, perhaps his sister does as well for the present, as she is under his sole care—”
“No, that is an advantage which he must divide with me. I am joined with him in her guardianship.”
“Are you, indeed? And pray what sort of guardians do you make? Does your charge give you much trouble? Young ladies of her age are sometimes a little difficult to manage, and if she has the true Darcy spirit, she may like to have her own way.”
He looked at her, expression darkening.
Gracious!
She edged back several steps. “You need not be frightened. I never heard any harm of her. I dare say she is one of the most tractable creatures in the world. Pemberley adores her, and the minor dragons are becoming equally fond of her. I find dragons an excellent judge of character.”
“Indeed they are, Miss Bennet, indeed they are.” He fell silent for the next dozen paces and kicked a clump of dirt. “Forgive me if I am too bold, but you do not seem to be a great admirer of my cousin.”
“On that point, I fear, I should remain silent.”
“But if you did not, you would agree with me?”
“Yes, she would!” Where had April come from? She was supposed to stay with Pemberley for her tea party with Georgiana and the minor dragons.
“Your little friend reveals an uncomfortable truth?” Fitzwilliam stopped and offered a finger for April to perch upon.
“You do not have leave to speak of my opinions.” Elizabeth clenched her fist behind her back.
April flapped her wings. “Then I shall speak of mine. I think she is a fool for what she holds against him. I am certain there is a misunderstanding, and she does not know the truth of the matter.”
“I know he can be offensive. It seems he offered you great affront at the ball you mentioned the other day. But those do not seem deep enough infractions to earn such great resentment.” All amusement faded from his features.
“I like to credit her with better sense than that!” April said. “At least she has the wit to imagine substantial offenses, not addle-pated ones.”
“I see your Dragon Friend thinks very highly you of. Pray tell me, what has my cousin done to offend?”
How honest an answer should she offer? Clearly he would not permit her to avoid one altogether.
“He is a very perplexing man, Colonel, and I do not know what to think of him. Here, he is all charm and consideration. Mr. Bingley said that is true of his character. However, he is not that way universally. What am I to make of a man who can be two different men in different company?”
His eyebrows knit as he addressed April. “What did he do?”
Elizabeth stamped her foot, narrowly missing his. “If you insist upon knowing, sir, then you will at least have the courtesy to address me.”
“Very well, madam, I put the same question to you. What did he do?”
“He has left a trail of harm in his wake, both to me and to one I consider a friend.”
“Wickham is no friend!” April growled.
“Wickham? What do you know of him?”
“He is part of the militia stationed in Meryton and has become a friend of my family. He did me a tremendous favor—”
“Which was dangerous and foolhardy to accept.” April flitted to her shoulder and nipped her ear.
Elizabeth covered her ear with her hand. “For which I am very grateful. Mr. Darcy has done him great harm.”
“And that is what you hold against him? No, you said that Darcy had harmed you as well ...”
“Not just me, but Pemberley, too. Through his incompetence, he permitted her egg to be stolen away, endangering her. She hatched alone and could easily have failed to imprint! Then, he tore Pemberley away from me without consideration of her—or me.” She pressed her fist to her mouth.
Fitzwilliam pinched the bridge of his nose. “I have warned him. Walker has warned him. He has been a fool to ignore us. There is a very great deal you do not understand about this entire situation. Darcy’s pride has prevented him from sharing some very important information that I believe will entirely change your opinion of him and of the situations you describe.”
“I do not see how that can be.”
“Pray, come with me to Rosings’ lair. April, would you gather Walker and Cait? I think you will be happier to hear the tale directly from the dragons. Whilst you might accuse me of favoritism toward my cousin, you know the dragons will be entirely forthright.”
“Very well.” But what could the dragons possibly tell her that would change her mind?
***
Walker and Cait were already perched just inside Rosings’ lair when they arrived. Rosings sat nearby, a vague expression of annoyance on her face. The tip of her tail flicked slowly like Papa tapping his foot whilst he was angry.
“I have heard you are in possession of a number of very foolish notions.” Rosings huffed a hot breath in her direction. Firedrakes’ breath was always hotter than that of other dragons’. “Ordinarily I care little for the ignorance of warm-bloods, but since in this case your foolishness could have a direct influence on Pemberley, I cannot sit idly by and allow you to continue to be stupid.”
Elizabeth bit her lip. She did not appreciate being called stupid, but it was not wise to argue with a cowntess.
Rosings turned about twice and settled back down. “I have been told that there are two offenses of very
different natures, and by no means of equal magnitude, you laid to Darcy’s charge. The first, that he detached Pemberley from yourself, considering nothing for the welfare of either of you. The other, that he willfully and wantonly he threw off the companion of his youth, the acknowledged favorite of his father, a young man who had scarcely any other dependence than on the Darcy patronage, and who had been brought up to expect its exertion, ruining the immediate prosperity, and blasting the future prospects of Mr. Wickham. Am I correct in my understanding?”
“I am not sure I would have put it in those terms.”
Considering Rosings expression, she did not actually expect an answer.
“Yes, you would.” April peeked out from behind Walker.
“Dodging the truth.” Rosings snorted. “Your human affectations of politeness do not impress me. I am known for my directness, and you shall find me to be no other way.”
That was something she usually appreciated about dragons, but perhaps not so much just now.
“Darcy went to Hertfordshire in search of Pemberley’s egg—”
“Which was placed in jeopardy due to his carelessness!” She probably should not have taken that tone.
“Another point upon which you are sorely deluded, but I will come back to that. You will refrain from further outbursts until I have finished speaking.” Rosings breathed sulfurous fumes on her face.
Her eyes burned. “Yes, Cowntess.”
“Upon his arrival in Meryton, Darcy consulted with your father who failed to extend appropriate courtesies and aid to him. There is some thought he was even working at cross purposes to him.”
“What has my father to do with any of this?”
“Everything when one considers that it was because of his lazy Dragon Keeping that Longbourn was permitted to throw Pemberley off his estate.”
“Pray excuse me?”
“That is precisely what happened.” Walker glided to the cavern floor beside her. “Darcy would have stayed at least another month. Longbourn insisted that he remove Pemberley immediately because of you.”
“Me?” Chills coursed down her neck and shoulders.
“He told Darcy that Pemberley was not good for you, was exhausting you.”
“But that was not true.”
“Darcy knew that. But he is smarter than to try and argue with a jealous wyvern.”
April flew to her shoulder. “Longbourn cannot abide the notion of sharing you with anyone.”
“Then why did he try to persuade me to marry Collins?”
“You despise the man! What better reason?” Cait squawked from her perch near Rosings’ shoulder.
She braced her hands on her hips, more to hold herself up than for a show of bravado. “That is not usually considered a good reason for marriage.”
“But if his desire is not to share your affections with another, it is an excellent one.” Cait accentuated her point with wing flaps.
“Marrying Collins would keep you at Longbourn estate and lonely for company which Longbourn would be happy to provide.” Walker paced in front of her.
The edges of her vision blurred. No, she would not falter, not in front of Rosings.
“Typical wyvern reasoning. They are a despicable lot. Selfish, lazy creatures.” Rosings snorted.
Surely Rosings had to be mistaken. She swallowed hard. “How exactly did he reason I would be available to meet his demands if I had a self-centered boorish husband to attend?”
“Wyverns are also not very smart. I doubt he even considered it.” The side of Rosings’ lip curled back. “The material point is that it was not Darcy who separated you from your dear Pemberley. It was your own dragon.”
Her knees wobbled like jelly. Fitzwilliam caught her elbow. Walker dragged an old log near for her to sit.
She covered her face with her hands and drew in ragged breaths. It had been Longbourn’s doing the whole time? Bad enough that she had wrongly blamed Mr. Darcy, but that the dragon she Kept should have turned on her so? Bile burned the back of her throat. If he had already betrayed her so thoroughly, no wonder he was willing to try to persuade her as well.
Horrid, hateful creature!
“So you see, you did not know as much as you thought you did. If that bothers you, you will be horrified to discover how wrong you have been about Wickham.” Now Rosings was just gloating.
She squeezed her eyes shut and rocked back and forth. “Pray, do not say. I fear I cannot bear it.”
April trilled softly in her ear, just enough to ease some of her tension, but not enough to put her to sleep.
“Mr. Wickham, is the son of a respectable man who had for many years the management of all the Pemberley estates, and whose good conduct naturally inclined Darcy’s father to be of service to him. George Wickham was named for Darcy Senior and was his godson, thus his kindness was liberally bestowed.” Her tone suggested Rosings did not approve.
Elizabeth covered her mouth and bit her lips.
“Darcy Senior supported Wickham at school, and afterwards at Cambridge.” Walker folded his wings behind him like a school master. “Though I warned him otherwise, Darcy Senior was not only fond of young Wickham’s society—you have seen how engaging his manners can be—he also had the highest opinion of him and hoped the church would be his profession, intending to give him a family living when the time came.”
Rosings lashed her tail, nearly knocking Walker off his feet. “But old Darcy died before he could see it done. He left a legacy of a thousand pounds upon young Wickham. Shortly thereafter, he received another three thousand from Darcy when he declared he had no desire to go into the clergy but would study the law instead. Of course, by this time, Darcy had begun to see through Wickham, his debts, his gambling, his—what you call—debaucheries. Darcy was glad to have all ties cut and intended to have nothing more to do with him. Good riddance, I said. Especially since Old Pemberley found him poking about near the lair, more than once.”
“Are you suggesting—”
“That Old Darcy had permitted Wickham some knowledge of dragons? In his dotage, it is entirely possible.”
“You see! You see!” April shrieked, “I told you he was dangerous. He was asking indirect questions about dragons, encouraging her to tell him myths and stories—”
Elizabeth covered her face with her hands, throat almost too tight to speak. “He is not a deaf-speaker is he?”
“We do not know certainly. He stole Pemberley’s egg, but then had it stolen from him by someone unknown in Meryton.” Walker said.
“That came after Darcy thwarted his attempt to elope with Georgiana when she was just fifteen,” Cait cut in.
Fitzwilliam cleared his throat. “On that point, I must own my part of the blame. We both trusted Mrs. Younge, her companion, and thought going to Ramsgate would be good for her. But her dowry of thirty thousand pounds proved sufficient inducement to Wickham to put him in collusion with Mrs. Younge. Darcy arrived just in time to prevent the scheme.”
“On Earl Matlock’s suggestion, Darcy packed Wickham off into the militia to keep him away from his sister and Pemberley.” Walker snarled. “I should rather have pecked his eyes out.”
“Any reasonable creature would have thought that enough to keep them both safe from the villain.” Rosings thumped her tail.
Elizabeth jumped to her feet, shaking. “Wickham tried to steal Georgiana and succeeded in stealing Pemberley’s egg? To what end?”
“It is hard to say.” Walker dug his talons through the dirt. “He might have been trying to sell it not fully knowing what it was. There are those—on the continent where the Accords have no bearing—who would pay handsomely for such a prize.”
“It is also possible, if he is a deaf-speaker, he was going to try to befriend her himself and convince her that he was her Keeper,” Rosings said.
“Without being able to hear her?”
“He might have made the ruse work when she was newly hatched. More importantly though, it is possible he would h
ave tried to make a claim on the estate through Pemberley.” Walker glanced back at Rosings who nodded.
“The Blue Order would never uphold such a claim.”
“No, I grant you that. But they might have found something to placate him, a small estate somewhere—he has always tried to lead a gentleman’s life. Even as a small boy, he wanted to leave the sphere to which he had been born.” Walker shrugged his wings.
“The Duge Cornwall could have eaten him instead! Would he not suspect the risks whilst dealing with dragons?” She threw up her hands.
“He has always been willing to gamble with very high stakes. The four thousand pounds given him by the Darcys lasted him only a few years. How do you think the fortune was lost?”
She began to pace, nearly tripping over Rosings’ tail. “This must be false! This cannot be!”
But dragons did not often lie. And they also confirmed April’s suspicions. And Aunt Gardiner’s.
What a fool she had been! An arrogant, prejudiced fool!
“Pray excuse me! I must consider all you have said.” She dashed from the lair, barely able to breathe.
***
A sick headache kept her to bed all the next day. Only fear of causing Pemberley anxiety roused her for her typical walk the following morning. Naturally it was a cold, drizzly day, exactly designed to reflect her mood and remind her of what a buffle-headed, shallow-pate she was.
How could she have been so entirely mistaken? Perhaps one could forgive her blindness regarding Longbourn. A Keeper was supposed to be partial to their dragon, patient and forgiving, that was after all the foundation of dragon-human relations. Both species had to choose to endure the peculiarities of the other. It was only natural that she should fail to see Longbourn’s real flaws until his transgressions became very heavy, indeed.
But to be so wrong about Mr. Wickham?
The account of his connection with the Darcy family was exactly what he had related to her himself. The kindness of the late Mr. Darcy, though she had not before known its extent, agreed equally well with his own words. What Wickham had said of the living though–his gross duplicity! Resigning all pretensions to the living in lieu of so considerable a sum as three thousand pounds! More than Papa had in a year! And a thousand pounds at old Mr. Darcy’s death beyond that!