Awwww, thanks guys. Jenga, this is for you!...

Chapter 17

Darcy was not sure how long he sat there for, just staring at the letter. After a time, it may have been a few minutes it may have been hours, Richard entered.

"Darcy!" The smile faded from his face as he saw the expression on his "is something wrong?"

Darcy did not reply, just held up the letter.

Richard frowned over it "whose..." He trailed off "I assume you recognise the handwriting?"

Darcy nodded.

"I doubt it is a maid."

A shake of the head.

"Mrs Darcy?"

Another nod.

Richard drew in a deep breath "I realise what you are assuming here, but have you spoken to her?"

Darcy looked up "I have only just found it."

"Maybe you should consider speaking to her before assuming the worst?"

"Maybe."

"I know that face Darce, why are you not going to speak to her about it?"

Darcy looked up and his eyes were haunted.

"Come cousin, let us go to your study, we shall not be interrupted."

Darcy nodded and allowed himself to be led, the first brandy barely touched the sides as he drank it down, the second he took more slowly.

"Come now, there is something not right here. You are flinching every time I tell a joke about the bedroom, you barely touch your wife, I have yet to catch you kissing. Come to think of it I do not believe you have been alone since I have arrived. And now you are presented with a letter suggesting your wife enjoys the embrace of someone called Sam."

"Aunt Rachel mentioned Mr Mitchell was knows as Sam, although I believe his name is Samuel."

The colonel's lips thinned "that does not explain why you look more resigned than angry, not that I am suggesting you get angry and confront Mrs Darcy, I am still in favour of asking."

"It is my fault she has turned to him."

The colonels eyes narrowed "how do you come to that conclusion?"

Darcy sighed and drank another drink, maybe it was time to tell his cousin the whole story. He had been holding on to it for so long now, he could hardly remember why he had been so fixated on secrecy.

"I was so happy, everything was perfect. The engagement was perfect, the wedding beautiful, she was just perfect. I could not wait to get my wife alone. In the carriage ride I could not help myself and we shared some very deep kisses. When I reached home I wanted nothing more than to take her to our chambers and get lost in her embrace but there was a message waiting for me. It was from Wickham, I would have ignored it but it implied that Elizabeth would be exposed."

Richard nodded in understanding, remembering their conversation some months earlier about Elizabeth's power.

"I knew you had heard from him, you only told me he said something about Mrs Forster searching for Elizabeth, I am assuming there is more to the story?"

"I went to see him in gaol...

...

"Darcy! How pleasant to see you again" Wickham was doing a good job of affecting a normal demeanour though the whole side of his face was covered in bruises and dried blood and there were dark circles under his eyes. The cell he was in was dank and dark and the smell was almost overwhelming. Darcy felt the faintest flutterings of sympathy, which were doused not long in to their conversation.

"Wickham" Darcy hissed "this better be worth my time."

"Well I am sure a newly married man like you wishes to be enjoying his delicious wife!"

Darcy made a move as if to hit him and Wickham flinched and held up his hands.

"I assure you, unless you wish to fail in protecting her on your first day as her husband, this conversation is important."

"I don't trust you."

"I know, but you'll listen" a pause with no move to leave was all Wickham needed "your wife is in danger, the group that Harriet and I were a part of are called the seekers. They seek more power and will stop at very little to gain it. They are people in positions of power and they recruit the most powerful wizards to their cause. Women have to have immense power to be allowed in, or ambition like my Harriet. If they find a person they wish for and they refuse, well they will usually drain them completely and then send them on their way. They have perfected spells to alter memory, don't ask me how."

"What has this to do with me? Why should I care what sort of criminals you spend your time with?" Darcy growled, wanting to just leave but finding himself unable to.

Wickham knew he had his attention so leaned nonchalantly against the grimy stone wall of the cell. "As I said, they will find anyone with true power and they have the scent now. There have been rumours of a true magician, a thunder storm in Kent?"

Darcy had been restless, not wishing to listen to this, but at those words he froze. He was not facing Wickham and he was grateful for that, his face would give away all.

"They know about a woman that fought off Harriet and her little band also, they are looking for information."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"I was hoping you would be grateful enough to make my stay here a little more comfortable."

"You've not told me anything that has changed anything though, Elizabeth is safe. This concept of a true magician is ludicrous. She is powerful but she knows how to hide her true power." He kept his face impassive with the strongest will.

"Ah, but can she really hide that much power?" Wickham smirked.

Darcy looked confused "what do you mean?"

Wickham held his hand out for some money, Darcy got up and made to move away.

"Enjoy your wedding night, I am sure the earthquake will not draw attention!"

Again Darcy froze and turned, looking in to the smug face of Wickham.

Wickham's smile grew and his hand once again held out for money. Darcy pulled out the twenty pounds he had on him and handed it over, a small fortune to a prisoner.

"I thank you sir" the mocking tone was unmistakable "I am sure I am right that every time you have been physical there has been a magical outburst?"

Darcy did not say anything but he thought back to their kisses, fireworks and earthquakes, he knew his face was giving it away.

"She won't be able to control it, not while you are" he winked suggestively.

Darcy thought for a moment "why would you care?"

"Elizabeth may be my best chance at becoming a wizard, I do not wish to see her under this groups protection, or drained for that matter."

Darcy growled "you'll never get to her."

"That may be the case, but I still would rather have the chance in future."

Darcy slammed him against the wall "it will never happen." He growled.

Wickham merely smiled "alright, whatever you say."

Darcy dropped him and turned away muttering to himself "what am I to do?"

Wickham chucked "I can give you some advice." He said suggestively.

Darcy looked scornfully at him and turned and left.

...

Richard cleared his throat, bringing Darcy out of the memory.

"I assume you believed him?"

"I had no choice but to, at least for the time being. I resolved to look in to matters, both the group called the seekers and magical outbursts from true magicians and what they were related to. But I kept thinking of Elizabeth, the only time she had lost control was when she was angry at me, or when we kissed. The fireworks were my doing but at the time I had felt fire surging through me, had that fire actually come from her? I am still not certain."

"So what did you do?"

"I had a few choices, try anyway, not go to her room or talk to her."

"And you chose.." Richard prompted, although he suspected he knew the answer.

"Well I tried to delay, I tried to suggest we not, well you know, that first night. You should have seen her face Richard, she looked so hurt and shocked, like it was unfathomable for a man not to come to his wife on their wedding night."

"Oh Darcy, it is unfathomable, even for a gentle woman!"

Darcy nodded "so I made a decision to try, we kissed and I could see fire spreading through her, her magic positively shone out, I had to stop it. So I asked her what she knew of the wedding night and she told me her mother had given her advice to lie still and be quiet."

Richard scoffed "gentlewomen have no education about this, it goes against what is proper! No wonder so many men have mistresses if that is what they are faced with at home!"

Richard noticed the look on Darcy's face "you didn't?" He sounded aghast.

Darcy looked up "I saw an opportunity, I did not want to upset her again, if we did not consummate there would be gossip."

"So you told her to lie still and not make a noise?"

Darcy hung his head and nodded.

"Why did you not talk to her?"

"I did not have enough information, I didn't want to worry her or make her feel guilty about the storm back in Kent, or our kisses. I knew she would argue that Wickham was lying, trying to drive a wedge."

"She would have had a point!" Richard's voice was rising.

"Every time we have been physical without restraint; magic floods out of her. I could not take that chance!" Darcy knew his voice was desperate, his arguments sounding paltry, even to himself.

Richard stayed silent for a minute "I am assuming it went well enough?"

Darcy scoffed "it has been awful, all I want to do is kiss her, treat her how she deserves to be treated, but I cannot. I know she talks to the other wives so I have had to visit her every few days. It is torture. I know it hurt the first time but I could not do anything to make that better, I have to keep myself under tight regulation to not deviate from what I am there to do but I can smell her and feel her ..."

Darcy drank down another drink, was this the fifth? He was certainly feeling some effects now.

Richard put a hand on his shoulder "I can imagine that making love that way is difficult, especially to someone you love."

Darcy looked up, grateful that someone understood, but Richard was not finished.

"That explains why you have not bonded with her. You are both passionate people and are repressing your natures. A marriage of true affection without a proper coupling would not work, your auras must recognise something is not right. You do realise that your aura does not recognise that you are married?"

Darcy nodded "at first I did not realise how important that part of the marriage was for the magic, but it makes sense. I have had to keep myself under tight regulation, my magic also, likely so has she. If my aura has not merged with hers; then her magic has not realised she is a Darcy and has not received the Darcy legacy."

Richard nodded, "I understand, but that does not explain why you are still miserable four months later. What have you been doing since then?"

"I have been looking in to matters."

"Explain!" Richard was showing his exasperation at his dull witted cousin.

"I have people investigating the seekers. I think I was approached at university but showed no interest and so I never learnt more, they clearly felt it was not worth pursuing me for whatever reason. I don't have much political clout; the only claim I have is socially, given my wealth, but everyone knew I was not an active member of the ton. I think that saved me. I have found out some people that refused were persuaded, by nefarious mean, to join. There are rumours of stealing powers but they are hard to substantiate. Can you remember the Crawford boy?"

Richard shook his head

"You might have left Cambridge, he was a year or two behind me. Charles would remember him" Darcy mused, then looked back up. "He was tested and showed two full affinities, more than my second in fire. But then, suddenly, about a year later, he had only minimal power. No one could explain what happened, he could not remember having anything more than a spark. It was baffling. I am beginning to think he was targeted by the seekers and refused to join."

"Why would they take his and not yours?"

"His family was very involved with the ton. And I believe there were rumours of him being likely to marry a daughter of a duke, they had been friends since childhood or some such. And the Crawford family was wealthy enough to aspire to such a match."

"They also had some political aspirations if I remember." Richard mused.

"Exactly, that all changed after the boys change of circumstance. I believe a lot of money was spent trying to figure out what happened to him, the match never happened or fell through. You know how these things go."

"Card houses" Richard muttered, then catching Darcy's eye explained "everyone's position in society is a card house, remove one support and the whole thing comes tumbling down."

Darcy nodded impressed at the insight.

"I could not risk that for Elizabeth! They are dangerous and powerful and well connected!" He sighed "As to the other matter, Unfortunately information about this sort of thing is scarce. I have limited people that I trust with this type of information and they are spread as far as I can. The only useful lead I have found is leading me to America. I am not sure it is even possible to send someone there at this time with the war raging, let alone the time it would take."

"And so you have just carried on, pretending disinterest in passion and hurting your wife in the process?"

Darcy winced.

"I can see something is wrong there. She has been born a gentle woman but the way she used to look at you" Richard sighed, "well I wish there was someone to look at me that way. But lately the look is different."

"What are you saying?"

"You are pushing her away Darcy, surely you can see the effect you are having?"

Darcy closed his eyes remembering the time in the study.

...

She had looked at him with wide adoring eyes after their discussion of what she was to do with regards to her magic, he was lost in the depths of those expressive pools. As she came toward him he felt completely under her spell and the tingle as she pressed her lips to his. His nose filled with her scent and desire shot through him. He knew he let out a guttural sound and when she pressed against him again he could not help but respond. Her lips so soft and response, he tasted them and his head swam with pleasure. When she gasped and his tongue dipped through the opening it was like falling. He heard her moan as he pulled her towards him, crushing her body against his, wanting nothing more than to take her there, properly. Her felt the warmth of the fire magic flood through her body, the sudden heat penetrated the fog and he jerked back, realising what was happening and knowing it couldn't.

He had stepped away and paced telling himself to cool down and not behave so. When she had spoken again he could hear the tremor in her voice. He looked up just as she spoke her last apology before running from the room.

...

"Please tell me you went after her to explain why you acted so?"

Darcy shook his head, eyes downcast and away from the accusation in Richards gaze.

"What must she have thought?"

"It seemed easier to just allow events to proceed as if nothing had happened. We were to a ball that evening, I made sure she knew that I held no ill will."

"How big of you, easier you say? Easier for you I believe!" Richard scoffed, a note of true annoyance in his tone.

There was silence as the truth sank in, Darcy had not though about what Elizabeth must have felt to be so rejected. Ashamed? Guilty? He groaned as he considered how she must have suffered.

"So now you see why I cannot be angry with this" he waved the letter in the air.

"No, angry you cannot be. But still Darce, she is not a conniving member of the ton, she is not likely to do this just to punish you. She loves you, or at least she did love you!" Richard do not care that pain lanced through Darcy's gaze, he deserved it. "There is likely some misunderstanding here, you need to talk to her, about more than just this I'll wager."

"You are right" Darcy lept to his feet after downing his drink and swayed precariously.

Richard laughed "I think now is not the time old man" he checked his fob watch, time had flown by and the rest of the party were likely at dinner. Richard sent a message saying they would not be joining them.