Page 50 of Fitzwilliam Darcy Undone
As though he’d called to her with his mind, she turned and flashed a brilliant smile. Pain free, he stood and moved to meet her on the terrace. Without any thought of propriety, or who may be in the area, he hauled her up against his chest and captured her mouth with his. She met his demands with her own and they remained locked together for minutes, hours, days. He had no concept of time except this exact moment with his Elizabeth.
“My love,” he murmured into her hair, holding her close to his chest. “I thought I’d lost you.”
She stepped out of his embrace and when he would have protested and dragged her back, she took his hand and tugged.
“We have much to discuss and we have all the time in the world to love each other.”
With a slight flick of her hand, two chairs and a small table appeared, along with an aromatic brew. He allowed her to lead him to the chairs, where she sank gracefully into one of them and indicated with a light nod for him to take the other.
“I’d rather you summoned a couch, or better yet a massive bed, dearest Elizabeth.”
A slight blush graced her cheeks and she took a sip of her drink.
“Naughty Fitzwilliam. We need to talk before we proceed further.”
“Very well.” He sat and reached for his own drink. Honey and lemon soothed his throat. “I do have many questions, the first being, where are we?”
“We are in Miathara.”
“Miathara! I thought that was nothing but a place of legend.”
“No,” she laughed out, “our origins are from an actual place, even if it is out of time with the human realm. Mama has been telling me our history while you slept.”
“Your mother?” The silly Mrs. Bennet was magical. How could that be?
“Oh, Fitzwilliam. There is so much to tell I scarce know where to start.”
“At the beginning, my love. That’s where all good stories begin.”
He reclined further in his chair and listened as Elizabeth shared how her mother is Ellorian, the other magical race which still reside in Miathara. Their magic follows the maternal side, unlike the Miatharans, which follow the male line.
“When did you find out your mother was magical, that she was Ellorian?”
“When Lady Catherine demanded I give you up.”
“She what?” He straightened in his chair.
“Oh yes, she arrived at Longbourn in all her glory and stomped about the garden saying you were in a peculiar type of engagement with her daughter−”
“I never would have married Anne.”
“I know that, my love. Our soul marks are living proof. However, in the middle of decrying that the shades of Pemberley would be polluted by our union, Mama entered the carriage to speak with Anne.”
“Anne?” His brow furrowed. “Why would your mother speak with Anne?”
“This is where it gets interesting, yet convoluted.” Lizzy huffed a small breath. “When your aunt and Sir Lewis were first married, they happened across my mother and her brother. An altercation of some sort occurred which resulted in Mama’s brother using his magic in anger.”
“Your Uncle Gardiner is magical as well?
“You are getting ahead of me, Fitzwilliam,” she reprimanded him in a prim voice, reminding him of his first governess. “Now, where was I? Oh yes, my uncle and Lady Catherine. Due to his anger, Sir Lewis and Lady Catherine were sent back in time to their wedding day, which resulted in your aunt losing the child she carried and she was unable to have another. Mama’s mother, Queen Aurolea−”
“Queen?” Darcy whispered. “Your grandmother is a Queen.”
Elizabeth grinned. “Apparently. Do you think Lady Catherine will accept me now?”
“Oh, Elizabeth. I’d marry you no matter what rank you held. You were my equal as a gentleman’s daughter. My better as a daughter of a Viscount, now, as a princess, I’m the one who is completely unworthy.”
“Nay, you are not. I am well aware your blood is royal and still pure. As such, you are my superior. Papa’s father did marry a Romany gypsy, so there are touches of Fae in me and my sisters, mingled with Ellorian and Miatharan. We are a mixed bag of magic, the Bennet sisters. Except Lydia, Mama stripped her of her powers when she turned thirteen. Lyddy has no control over her emotions and Mama feared she’d behave as her brother did.”
