Argh. no time today. sorry. Just the one chapter. but it's long!

thank you to all my reviewers and readers for sticking with me!...

Chapter 21

...

After a few minutes of thought, Elizabeth decided she had little choice. She formed a shield under both men and lifted them from the ground. She had to concentrate to keep them both up in the air but once she had them steady she made her way down the slope, there was no sign of the woman so she turned and made her way towards Pemberley. She knew from a quick glance around that she was maybe a mile away from the house, over uneven terrain, or maybe a mile and a half on the more trodden paths. She decided that concentrating on uneven ground would be difficult whilst holding this shield, which was effectively lifting two grown men.

About fifteen minutes later she was nearing the edge of the woods and could hear shouts of people who were obviously setting off to look for someone. She lowered the men and called for help, stepping out of the tree line and seeing some of the footmen gathering ahead of her. She called them over

"Mrs Darcy, are you well?"

"Indeed, I am well, but I have two men here who tried to attack me."

It was a credit to their training when not a single person looked surprised at this pronouncement, or the truth that she had defeated both men.

"Were you looking for me?"

She was confused, although she was likely late for luncheon.

"Miss Darcy sent us out after yourself and the master."

Elizabeth looked up in surprise "Mr Darcy has not returned?"

They exchanged glances and confirmed this to be the case.

"Please gather these two men, see they are restrained and find a suitable location for them, we will likely need to speak to them about what their plan was." She turned but then turned back "Oh, they are magical." She quickly moved to the two men and pulled some of their magic, enough to make them weak and to think twice about using it to attack her staff.

They nodded and Elizabeth hurried towards the house, heading for the study and sending for Georgiana.

Elizabeth pulled out a map of Pemberley's grounds and was pouring over it when Georgiana entered.

"Oh Elizabeth, I am so pleased you are well."

Elizabeth smiled "did you know aught was amiss?"

Georgiana looked bashful "I was aware you were afraid, my brother also. Was I misled? I often misinterpret these emotions. Or at least the intent behind them."

"No dearest, I have had an unhappy encounter. I am well now, as you see. What do you feel about your brother?"

Georgiana frowned and turned her eyes down, as if thinking about something.

"He was scared also, and angry. I can feel the emotions more clearly when someone is in danger. But then they disappeared."

"You no longer think he is in danger?" Elizabeth needed to know.

"Well it is strange, I can still feel the danger, but it is like he no longer feels the anger or fear."

Elizabeth knew she likely looked very pale and she felt dizzy, she did not wish to ask the next question, but knew she needed to. She thought for a minute, trying to figure a way to soften the question, there was none. But she decided to ask it of Richard, Georgiana did not need this kind of concern.

Instead she turned her attention to the map, she spoke the incantation she had learned last year and focussed on Darcy. There was nothing on the map. Her heart sank, he was not at Pemberley, she was sure of it.

"Georgiana, does your brother have maps of Derbyshire? And England? Even just basic road maps would be helpful"

"We have an England atlas in the library."

Elizabeth smiled a strained smile. "Would you fetch it for me?"

Georgiana hurried away just as Richard entered.

"Elizabeth, what is the matter? I was off for the search, due to Georgiana's warning, but it got called off."

Elizabeth spoke quickly.

"I will explain, but I must ask first. If someone was rendered unconscious, do you know what would happen to the feeling Georgiana gets?"

He frowned and asked "why would you wish to know?"

She looked quickly at the door "I will explain, but I need Georgiana to not hear your answer."

He nodded "she would feel the emotions preceding, then they would cease. She would continue to feel the danger, just no feelings from the person."

"And in the case of them no longer being in danger?"

"She usually describes the niggle disappearing but lingering feelings of relief and fear after the danger has passed."

Elizabeth nodded, swallowing against the dry throat and the fear at was coursing through her once again.

Georgiana entered "I have it here Elizabeth, what is wrong? I can feel your fear."

Elizabeth knew she could not hide it.

"I am sorry to say this, but I think Darcy has been taken."

"Taken?" Georgiana looked confused "taken where, by whom?"

Richard looked like his mind was rolling fast, assessing the facts.

"I was attacked in the woods. They were either members of this cult or accomplices of Mrs. Forster." She described the attack on her, glossing over how she escaped, by the end Georgiana looked horrified. Richard looked impressed.

"Georgiana" Richards voice was calm, the soldier was in control "you need to gather some men together and send them here. We will find him."

Richard thought for a moment then named two of the footmen and two groomsmen and a gardener, all whom had magical power and were loyal to the Darcys. Elizabeth suggested Peters and he nodded, looking at Georgiana, who nodded and hurried away.

"Elizabeth, can you find which way he is heading on this map?"

She nodded and spread the atlas out on the desk, the incantation flowing easily from her lips. Immediately her eyes were drawn to the road which skirted Pemberley, heading south. Darcy being loaded on to a cart, none too gently, hands flopping lifelessly. Elizabeth would have staggered if she had not been supporting herself. She let her eyes be drawn further south and she saw Darcy, still on the back of the cart, groan and roll over. The laughter from the men about him was not kind, she saw one lean over and the unmistakable signs of magic being drawn away. She snapped her attention back to Richard.

"He is on a cart, heading south. They are not moving fast but I fear is was just a temporary conveyance. They likely have a carriage or some such waiting for them on the south road."

Richard nodded "I thank you, perhaps you should see that Georgiana does not worry herself overly. I will send word when we have found him."

Richard turned away, consulting the maps and called the footman, issuing orders for his valet and to be sent to the stables for horses.

"Colonel" Richard looked up.

"I am sorry Elizabeth, but we have little time. I must arrange the search party."

"I will be part of the search."

Richard just stared at her "I do not have the pleasure of understanding you."

"You are not leaving me behind."

Richard just looked perplexed

"You will be unlikely to find him without my being able to continue to follow him. You also know I am powerful. I can help, this will not end without a fight, Darcy has been teaching me." She cursed herself, she sounded too whiny, too pleading and Richard had that look of annoyance when a man felt a woman was being silly. She recognised it from the many times her father had worn such a look.

"We will find him, we cannot travel by carriage, I understand you have limited experience riding horseback. We must travel fast. We cannot delay"

"I am a perfectly competent rider" Richard raised an eyebrow "astride."

Now he looked somewhere between horrified and amused. Elizabeth just continued.

"I learned to ride astride. I was more than competent, once I reached thirteen my mother felt it was too unladylike and forbade me from riding like that again. My father did not argue and so I did not do so. I could barely tolerate learning to ride sidesaddle when I knew what was possible astride and so I never bothered."

"Still, a lady travelling by horse astride will cause all sorts of gossip. You will be ruined and Darcy will not thank me."

"I will wear trousers. I can tuck my hair under a cap, it will be dark soon and I can hide in a group of men. If we come across anyone I will not speak and keep to the back. No one here would risk my reputation by exposure, they will protect me."

"We will ma'am" Peters, and the other two footmen, walked in.

Elizabeth turned and smiled at Richard.

"Darcy will not be happy."

A brief look of pain crossed Elizabeth face and Richard felt the urge to comfort her, he squashed it of course.

"He is unhappy with me anyway, but his safety is what is important. You know it will be easier if I come along."

Richard looked resigned. He could talk with bravado, but tracing a man who has been captive would not be easy, Elizabeth was right, it would be easier with her tracking powers.

"Very well."

The next half hour was spent discussing strategy and possibilities whilst the horses were readied.

They considered waiting to question the two men but a brief discussion revealed that whilst both were awake neither seemed to know much, both claiming that the woman had been in charge of their group and had not shared their destination. They had admitted to Peters that they had come from London, but there was no base of operations to return to. Their meetings this far had been in taverns.

Elizabeth managed to get a rough copy of a map of England drawn and removed a few of the pages of the atlas to ensure she had areas like London covered. They deemed this the most likely destination. She then left to change and re-joined the group dressed as a working man, hair twisted and pinned and hidden below a cap.

Richard gave her one last pleading look but she shook her head and mounted the horse in front of her. Sitting comfortably in the saddle. Most of the men around her tried not to look at her clad in trousers and they immediately formed a loose grouping around her which would shield her from most causal glance. Elizabeth nodded her appreciation and the group set off at a brisk pace, heading south across the property.

...

The small group of determined individuals travelled fast and quietly. They avoided towns when possible, although they sometimes sent a scout to ask after a horse and cart.

Elizabeth stopped periodically to check the map. The people who had Darcy, she couldn't make out much from the visions she had, had switched to a carriage. They were moving fast, but not as fast as riders on horseback. The carriage also had to stop due to the darkness at one point, the riders did no such thing.

By mid morning the riders were tired but Elizabeth could confidently say they were close. They stopped to give the horses a proper rest and to decide how to proceed. The carriage had pulled in to a dilapidated Manor House about an hour previously. Elizabeth had wanted to track Darcy further, but had not wanted to spare the time to see the details. She could find out more once they reached the house. They approached cautiously, then stopped to confer.

...

Elizabeth stood, part of the group but slightly back from it. Partly due to her awareness of her relative state of undress, her trousers were loose fitting but women did not display their legs like she was doing. Partly due to the men folk excluding her. That was the part that rankled. They would not have caught up so fast if not for her. She knew she had more magic than each man here, she surveyed the group, it was possible she had more magic than all of them combined. She huffed in annoyance and turned her attention to Richard, who looked more like the military colonel than ever before.

Two of the gardeners and Richard had skirted the run-down property on a reconnaissance mission on their arrival. Elizabeth and the other men had settled the horses in to a nearby field, after relieving them of their tack and giving them a quick rub down. The tired animals were now happily grazing on the lush grass. Out of sight of the road, the building that Darcy was being kept in and the shed they were hiding in.

When the scout team had returned, Richard had taken charge, pointing out possible entry points and areas that were guarded. He had counted almost ten men and there were likely one or two more inside that had not ventured out. The men were not military but there was someone who had trained them in the ways of military men. They rotated guards and were quite vigilant.

Elizabeth listened as Richard laid out the attack plan. She frowned, not convinced.

She wandered to the door of the barn. The house was just visible, if she extended her senses she could feel the magic from the witches and wizards in the area. She also wondered if there were some non magical beings. As there had been the last time she had been in such an unusual situation.

Richard was talking about concentrating on the kitchen entrance, but Elizabeth could see there were many people on that side of the house. Likely the kitchen was in the best state of repair, and containing a place to cook and any leftover food stores. Certainly if the house was the pre planned rendezvous then someone may have stocked the kitchen.

There was a broken set of Windows to the side of the house, which would allow a person to enter and then infiltrate the house from the inside, without the people within noticing.

She jumped as something rubbed against her legs. She looked down at the black and white cat that had snuck up on her, it's green eyes piercing in the dark. A wave of realisation shook her and the gypsies words rushed through her.

'... Don't let the soldier lead the charge...'

She frowned at the cat. Then sighed and rolled her eyes, she was not sure she would ever look at a cat the same way.

She turned back to the group of men, who were just agreeing to the plan.

"I am sorry to interrupt."

The group turned to look at her, several averting their eyes from her clothing.

"I know you have the military know-how Colonel Fitzwilliam, but I can sense most of the magical bodies are situated in the kitchen. If we entered there, we would only serve to alert the whole group to our presence"

The men shifted uncomfortably, no-one particularly meeting her eyes, all looking to the Colonel.

"Mrs Darcy, you cannot mean we as in, you also?"

Elizabeth just blinked at him.

"There is no way this is going to be anything other than a fight. I cannot allow a woman, my cousin's wife, to enter such a situation. It would be insupportable."

Elizabeth frowned, she looked around at her staff, all of whom were loyal to the Darcy house and whom she trusted.

"There is no chance I am allowing you men to enter a house, with over ten magicians in it, to rescue my husband. Can you imagine such a scenario if the roles were reversed? My gender has no place in consideration of who is the most talented. I have more magic than most here combined and I have actually had training in combat thanks to my husband, who is in danger. I would be a poor wife indeed if I did not do all I could to help, and our chances are far better with me. It is not a question of if you will allow me to join you, it is if you will join me!"

The Colonel looked aghast, but all the others nodded in agreement.

"There is a Ley line running by the river. I suggest I pull some magic and pass it to each of you. You Samuel, Tanner and Carter" she pointed to the gardeners "you have earth magic, you need to circle and find the outside guards, and disarm them, can you pull magic?" Two nodded "if not just get them out of the way, or immobilised until someone can drain them. Work as a team." She nodded at the rest "we need to get inside quietly and pick off the outliers. My best guess is Darcy is in the food closet. I can just about see the familiar aura slightly to the side of the kitchen. That would make the most sense. I cannot distinguish auras clearly at this distance so I cannot tell if this is the work of Mrs Forster, who I have had dealings with before, or if it is some other group who means us harm. But be assured they mean us harm. We have the element of surprise and I can ensure we have the magical advantage."

The colonel now just looked impressed, he sighed "Darcy will kill me if I get him out of this."

Elizabeth smiled, "Better than me putting you out of action before the fight starts!"

He grinned back at her and gave in, gesturing for her to continue.

Elizabeth led the group to the Ley line, which was not far behind their hiding place. She drew and passed as much as she could without dimming the line, she did not want to affect the plant life further away. She looked around at the considerably brighter auras around her. Knowing that they would be more visible if any of the guards could sense auras, which some likely could.

She shrugged, 'Twas better this way.

...

The three gardeners started off in a circuitous route to try to remove the outdoor guards whilst Elizabeth led the group towards the side windows.

She used earth magic to lift herself in to the room and gestured to the men behind her to follow.

A shout went up and she knew that their presence was now known. She readied a shield and moved quickly towards the door opposite, a few men breaking off to go through the door to the right with Richard.

She was through the door and halfway across the next room, a parlour in another life maybe, when she was hit by a bolt of fire magic. Two men jumped out from the door frame, one sustaining a bolt of fire directed at her, the other using wind to send dust and debris towards the group.

Elizabeth checked on her shield, it was holding steady against the wind, fire and earthy debris. She saw the wizard in front of her frown in confusion and start shooting balls of fire from different directions. She used her own magic to redirect them and send them back toward their source. The wizard threw up a hasty shield to deflect them and then ran toward her.

Magical training aside, Elizabeth could not physically fight a man twice her size, she momentarily froze as he ran toward her. Enough time for him to close the distance and grab both her wrists.

The physical contact sent a jolt of fear through her but it also shocked her in to action. She immediately pulled on his magic and also caused the floor board under his feet to distract him. He let out a shocked shout and then crumpled.

She turned and saw that Peters had subdued the other attacker, the blossoming bruise on his face evidence of exactly how. She smiled grimly and they nodded at each other and then moved on in tandem.