Page 130 of Miss Bennet's Dragon
I had never liked Lady Catherine, and after I learned she owned slave plantations, that had deepened into active distaste. Even so, this surprised me.
“You hold Rosings as a woman alone,” I replied. “You have faced prejudice. Would you strip away our estate because my father had no son?”
“Without a moment’s hesitation. You have drawn this upon yourself with your pretensions. No Darcy would lower himself by marrying a common woman. Despite your arts and allurements, my nephew will marry whom I intend. My daughter.”
I looked down at myself in a well-worn, plain white dress. Allurements?
“You do not know my brother!” shouted Miss Darcy. “You do not knowDarcys!”
I held out a cautioning hand. There was no need for her to fracture her relationship with her aunt. Lady Catherine’s threat was empty. Jane and Charles would arrive within an hour for their week stay at Longbourn, and their wyvern would fend off any challenger.
But now, I was angry.
I thought,Will you come, please?
Lady Catherine was gloating. “I expected to find a reasonable young woman. Instead, I find a selfish social climber in a fallen family. Do not deceive yourself that I will waver out of pity. I will use every tool I have to end this.” Her smile widened. “I am no stranger to the particulars of your youngest sister’s infamous elopement. I will share that information with my nephew. And with the papers. Darcy will be disgusted.”
“I am rather disgusted by Lydia myself. But you will be disappointed by your nephew’s reaction.”
A shadow flashed, then Lady Catherine’s wyvern winged to a neat landing at my feet, blowing leaves and twigs across the ground and flapping my skirts.
Lady Catherine retreated several steps.
I said musingly, “If the prestige of draca is so important to you, I should replace our drake. Perhaps I shall take your wyvern. That would be a pleasant elevation of our status.”
I had no intention of stealing anyone’s draca; I had called Lady Catherine’s wyvern for show. But it was nice to meet her again. I reached out and rubbed her scaly head. She pressed her crest into my hand, then threw her head back in a silly pose so I could scratch under her chin.Not now, I thought.
“You are like her!” Lady Catherine had thrown out a hand to ward me off. “An unnatural woman! Have you come to boast like she did?”
“Youcame tome,” I pointed out. “But what do you mean, I am like her?”
“My sister! Arriving when we had finally bound, after trying for weeks, then brazenly displaying her witch’s skills. Stroking our wyvern. Speaking to the animal.”
Trying for weeks? One did not try to bind for weeks.
I closed my eyes. My anger fell away—it was irritation, really. My breathing settled. The world of draca revealed itself.
The bronze wyvern shone. I could sense much more now than when wehad last met. With my fingers on the wyvern’s skin, I searched for the silver link of binding to Lady Catherine.
There was nothing.
Are you not bound?I asked in silent disbelief.
the great wyfe summoned me for her sister. the sisters of great wyves are revered, so i remain
I opened my eyes, astounded.
Lady Catherine de Bourgh—the sole widow to hold a wyvern—had never bound. It had been Mr. Darcy’s mother, a great wyfe with extraordinary power, who summoned a wyvern. Who created a pretense of binding.
Lady Catherine’s raised hand was trembling. Her dominating persona had shattered. The person exposed before me was cringing and insecure.
do you wish me to leave her?the wyvern asked.
I looked at this woman, whom at first I had respected for her independence, then came to dislike, then condemn. Her life was built on a fraud. No, fraud was the wrong word. Lady Catherine herself did not know. This was another Darcy intervention, unasked for and concealed. Lady Anne Darcy had acted in secret to save her sister’s reputation.
Are you unhappy?I asked the wyvern.
i am content
