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I marched into the house and immediately called for Edward and James. "They are not home at present," Henry told me. I felt all color drain from my face.
"Did they at least come home? The Throckmorten's assured me they had left."
"No, they haven't."
"Henry, have Walter saddle up Willow. I'm going back to look for them."
"Yes, Miss Elizabeth," Henry replied, immediately heading to talk to Walter. I was pacing outside when Walter brought Willow up front. He also had a second horse ready.
"I'm coming with you," Walter told me.
"Thank you, Walter," I replied as he helped me mount.
"Elizabeth! There you are!" I heard James's voice before I saw him. "You gave us quite a scare, leaving without a word like that. Mr. Throckmorten told us you had mentioned not feeling well, and that Adelaide took you home. You should have told us!"
"Oh, James!" I said, jumping down from Willow and throwing my arms around him.
"Hey now, what's this for?" James asked pushing me away. I turned and hugged Edward.
"Mouse, why did you leave like that?"
"They told me you both had left already, and Adelaide did bring me home. I was so surprised when you weren't here."
"Slow down a moment. We were there the whole time with you until you left us! I remember we were having dinner, and then the women left so the men could have port and cigars," Edward said.
"And it was odd, time seemed to slow. I can't recall everybody leaving the room. Then Mr. Throckmorten was telling us that you had left."
"We rushed straight home," James added.
I burst into tears. Everything was wrong.
***
I did manage to eventually pull myself together. I was totally stressed out. I had not done anything to lead Mr. Throckmorten on. Yes, I had gone to the opera with him. And yes, I had gone to Hyde Park with him. However, he is the one that intruded on my trip to the museum. He seemed to be so frequently present. Yet, all the time I had spent with him was due to Aunt Pen's meddling. I could not refuse, any more then I could have encouraged him. I merely did what was required of me, and that was listening to my elders.
I was not sure how to fit the puzzle pieces together, those being what the Throckmorten's had said about my brothers leaving, and what my brothers said about my leaving. Something odd was going on, and to say it frightened me was an understatement. It unnerved Edward and James as well. We were pretty sure that magic was involved—it had to be. What did this make the Throckmortens? Sorcerers? Magicians? I didn't know. I had gone from pretending fairies existed, to being thrust into a world steeped with magic. What else was out there?
I thought of the other night when James had mentioned my engagement to George. I had taken a blow to my stomach. The strength of it was so strong, I nearly passed out. I was sure that at least Mr. Throckmorten possessed some kind of magic. And if that was true, I needed to be especially wary of protecting my family from him. I also needed to confront Nathan Throckmorten.
"I'm going for a ride," I called to Edward and James as I walked into the room where they were talking. I caught that they too were trying to determine what could be done to keep me safe.
"I'll come with you," James said.
"No, I'll be using my dragon charm. I'll be quite safe," I assured him and explained how it worked.
"I don't think that is a good idea," James protested.
"Please, I just need some air." That was partly true, I did need fresh air. I was suffocating.
"Then just go out in the gardens, so we can easily find you," Edward told me.
"Fine," I mumbled. I would just use my dragon and sneak off from the garden.
"Mouse?" Edward held out his hand. "The charm."
"Edward," I protested.
"Mouse," James chided. "We can't risk you sneaking off."
"Fine," I grumbled, and I took off my charm and dropped it into Edward's hand. "Remember that it's mine."
"As soon as you come back in, you can have it back."
I went outside and went to the stables. Fine, I'll stay home I grumbled. I grabbed a curry brush and went to brush Willow. After I brushed Willow and had her stable blanket back on her, I went back inside. I was no closer to having answers, or knowing what to do.
"Thank you for staying close to home, Mouse." Edward ruffled up my hair with his hand as he gave me my charm back.
"Hey, don't do that!" I protested with a grin, swatting at his hands.
"Oh, you mean this?" James grinned as he stole one of my garnet hairsticks.
"James!" I tried making a grab for my hairstick, but James kept it out of my reach. With a devious grin, he grabbed the other one and my hair unraveled from its bun. I tried again to grab them. James was laughing, staying just a step away from me. His laughter was contagious, though, and soon the three of us were laying on the floor breathing heavily, and laughing.
"I love you guys," I said.
The laughing stopped, and my brothers turned to look at me.
"We know, Mouse," came the reply. "And we love you too."
***
We sent word to the Marquis in London, telling him of our suspicions about the Throckmortens being sorcerers. We weren't sure if it was one or both.
I felt like I was going to explode waiting for his reply. I imagined that upon reading our letter, George would immediately rush here, and he'd assure me that everything was going to be fine. I didn't know how things would be all right, but if George told me they would be, then I would have faith in that.
The days turned into weeks. A month later, I was ready to go to London to find my George, I mean the Marquis, myself. I was frantically looking for my unicorn when Edward finally agreed with me that we would go. I had just resumed packing when Henry announced that the Throckmortens had arrived.
"It's been awhile Throckmorten, Miss Throckmorten," Edward said as we joined our guests.
"Would you care for some chocolate?" I asked as Alice brought in a tray. I really wanted to dump the hot liquid on our guests. I had never felt such hatred for proper etiquette as I did that moment.
"That would be nice," Adelaide said.
"What brings you to Pendington?" James asked, crossing his arms over his chest. He stood near me, bless his heart.
"We had some business in London, and ... Oh dear, this is most distressing," Mr. Throckmorten paused to accept the cup of chocolate I offered him.
"I take it you have ill news?" I pressed. My heart felt like it was in an icy grip.
Adelaide seemed concerned. "Have you heard the recent news at all?"
"I came as soon as I heard myself," Throckmorten was saying. "Out of deep concern for you, Elizabeth."
"What news?" I pressed again, but no one seemed to hear me.
"As you know, there's been those grisly murders in town," Adelaide prompted.
"I was just getting to that," Throckmorten told Adelaide, as he set his cup down.
"We are aware of that. Did they finally catch the killer?" Edward asked them.
"On the contrary no, it's just, oh this is much harder to say than I thought it would be." Mr. Throckmorten sighed.
I wanted to scream ‘out with it.’ Edward laid a hand on my shoulder.
"Here," Adelaide said as she opened her reticule and took out a familiar wooden unicorn. I took it from her, fingering the rich wood. I looked at the bottom where the word faith was written in hangul.
"How did you get this?" I asked, my voice barely audible.
"It was on one of the victims. We had heard that the Marquis Moonspire was ... Well, we had gone to the constables to identify the victims. I'm soo sorry, Elizabeth, but..." Adelaide's voice broke in sympathy.
"I'm sorry for your loss of the Marquis and his son, George. I know how much you cared for them," Mr. Throckmorten offered, reaching for my hands.
"It can't be," I replied, pulling away. "I lost my unicorn. How could George have had it? He couldn’t have had it all this time."
"Perhaps he took it," Adelaide shrugged.
"It can't be," I repeated. Please let me wake up from this nightmare.
***
I don't remember much of the following hours. Somehow I made it up to my room. I don't know how, but instead of Alice, Adelaide was there with me. She tucked me in and sat by me. I would sleep between bouts of tears. I heard that Edward had rushed to London to see if he could confirm the news.
The next morning, I did not feel like breakfast. Adelaide had soup brought up to my room, and she insisted I drink it.
"I can assist her, Miss," Alice offered meekly as she brought in the tray.
"That's all right, Elizabeth and I need to have a talk," Adelaide replied as she took the tray. Alice nodded and left. I heard the door click. "Now, for some privacy from prying ears," Adelaide smiled at me as she ran her fingers along the door. I thought I heard a faint hum. "There, that's better."
"You magicked my door," I accused.
"Oh Elizabeth, so many things you do not know. It is amazing how stupid you really are. Yes, your door will only unlock when I let it. And no sound is getting out, so no use screaming for help. I thought it best this way. Oh, and one more thing, none of that." Adelaide answered, grabbing my dragon charm and pulling it free from my neck.
"Give that back," I tried to grab it, but Adelaide dropped it into her pocket.
"We can't have you using enchanted objects. You need to listen and listen very carefully. For not only does your life hang in the balance, but those of your brothers.
"As you may have guessed, George did not have your unicorn."
"So he's still alive, I knew it." I breathed in relief.
"You are not paying attention, Elizabeth," Adelaide replied coldly. "I did not say he was not dead. I simply said he was not the one that took your unicorn. I took it. It is so finely crafted." Adelaide picked up the unicorn from my night table as she sat down at the foot of my bed. Then to my complete shock, Adelaide closed her hand around the unicorn, and when she opened it, my unicorn was a pile of dust. "Now listen, this is important. Make no mistake that I will kill those you love, if you do not do exactly as I say."
"Why are you doing this?" I barely whispered.
"I told you, my brother has an attachment to you. If my brother desires you, then it's you he'll have. Since you had the bad sense to not agree to call off your engagement, I had to do it for you." Adelaide gave me a small cruel smile.
"Now," she continued, "there's this problem of the letter you Pendrys wrote to the Marquis. He was snooping around, connecting the dots so to speak. So you left my brother and me with no choice. That's why he had to die as well. So you see, it is your fault, Elizabeth."
"So, eat your soup, get up and finish packing your trunk. We leave within the hour. Try anything and your brother, his name is James right, will pay the price."
***
I managed to pack. I did write a quick note to James and Edward. I was brief. I simply asked them to forgive me for what I was about to do. I thought of my unicorn, and quickly added the word faith in hangul. I hoped that they would get word to Tristan, and know that I wasn't giving up.
"You are not taking my sister with you!" I heard James yelling in the foyer.
"She's already agreed to it, Mr. Pendry, there isn't much you can do," Adelaide said. "Ah, there you are, Elizabeth. Nathan's outside seeing to the carriage."
"Are you serious, Mouse, you're leaving with them? With him?" James pulled me to the side as Adelaide stepped out of the house.
"I have to go, please don't make this harder than it has to be," I begged, my lips trembling. How I wanted to tell him to not let me go. To tell him everything.
"Well, I'm not letting you go until Edward gets back. He will talk some sense into you. I told him not to go, but he was insistent. I reminded him that the papers would confirm it if—Don't believe what they said, Mouse. Just don't. If this is because of that, don't."
I took his hands in mine.
James drew in a sharp breath. "Your hands are like ice, Mouse."
I breathed slowly to steady myself. I wondered how much could I say.
"I left something in my room," I whispered, blinking back tears. "Let me do this right now for you."
"Elizabeth darling, do come along," I heard Mr. Throckmorten's voice call from the doorway, where I noticed he was now standing. "It's a long trip. And Pendry, I will take good care of your sister."
"My sister is not going with you." James moved me protectively behind him. "Do you want to go with him, Mouse?"
I wavered. The staff was gathering, there was enough of us to overpower them wasn't there?
"If I truly had a choice, no I would not go," I answered.
"Leave our property, Throckmorten, or I'll have the sheriff summoned at once." James gave a nod to Henry.
Henry nodded, and I noticed for the first time a pistol on him.
Walter entered from the parlor, also with a pistol.
And then all hell broke loose.
Henry's pistol rang out as Mr. Throckmorten moved to grab me. It exploded and Henry was thrown back against the wall.
Walter shot his pistol, and the bullet hit Mr. Throckmorten in the shoulder. He cursed, and pointed his walking staff at Walter.
Walter went flying up into the chandelier and then crashed back down.
I screamed as Mr. Throckmorten slammed James up against the wall.
The few strands of gray that had come to touch Mr. Throckmorten's hair the past few times I had seen him began to darken. And I noticed with alarm that James's hair was starting to gray at the temples. I had a sickening feeling of what was happening. Mr. Throckmorten was sucking the very life out of my brother.
"No, stop!" I yelled. "Please!"
"Is this what you want, Elizabeth? I told you if you went with us no harm would be done to your family." Adelaide purred.
"I'll come with you, just please, don't hurt him!" I begged. Mr. Throckmorten turned to eye me, but he kept his hands on James.
"I'm not sure we can trust you," Adelaide said. "Finish him off, Nathan, and let's be gone. I grow tired of England."
"Mr. Throckmorten ... Nathan please, don't hurt my brother," I begged, desperately trying to put myself between them. There was a very scary look to Mr. Throckmorten's eyes, almost animalistic. Out of the corner of my eye, I thought I saw tails on Adelaide as she was knelt by Henry. I didn't have time to think. "Nathan," I pleaded. I wasn’t getting through to him, so I took his face into my hands and, good Lord help me, I kissed him.
To my immense relief, that broke whatever spell was happening. James slumped to the floor. I tearfully checked, and he was still alive, but I could tell he was very tired.
"Elizabeth," Mr. Throckmorten said. "Let's go."