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Chapter 16 "Sunday Morning"

Elizabeth stirred in her sleep. She was trying to get back to a pleasant dream she was having about William, but she could not. The more she tried go back to sleep, the louder the noise grew. She listened for a moment and realized someone was knocking on her door.

A drowsy voice attempted to respond. "Mrs. Reynolds? Come in." She dropped her head back onto her pillow. She heard the door open, but felt sleep beginning to overcome her again.

"Mrs. Reynolds couldn't bring you breakfast this morning."

Elizabeth turned around in her bed at the familiar voice. "William?"

He walked towards her with a tray in his hands. "I hope you're not disappointed."

She sat up and rubbed her eyes. "Wha-?" She looked up at William who stood at the edge of her bed. Instinctively, Elizabeth pulled the bed sheets closer to her chest. He hesitated before he put the tray down next to her. She looked at the tray then at him. "Have you had breakfast already?"

William nodded.

Elizabeth looked back at the tray and at William several times again. Then a small smile spread on her lips. "Would you like to sit down?" She moved her legs.

He smiled and sat at the foot of the bed.

She sipped some orange juice before she asked, "So, why couldn't Mrs. Reynolds bring me breakfast?"

He looked down. "She had. . . something else to do. . . and since I. . . I was already up. . ."

"I see." She bit into her bagel to hide her smile. While she chewed it, she looked down at her tray. "What's that?"

William looked down at the dish she pointed to. "It's Nutella."

Elizabeth's brow creased.

He looked at her in disbelief. "You've never had Nutella before?"

"No." She picked up the small dish and sniffed it. "It smells like chocolate."

"It is, but it's also made with hazelnut."

Elizabeth scrunched up her nose and put the dish down. She picked up her bagel and continued eating it.

"You're not going to try it?"

"I don't like nuts."

"I thought it was only peanuts."

"It started there."

"It's actually quite good. There aren't any nuts in it." He picked up a strawberry, dipped it in the Nutella, and held it up in front of Elizabeth. "See."

She looked at it, not fully convinced.

William put the Nutella covered strawberry in his mouth and ate it.

When he did not choke or keel over from it, the look of distrust on Elizabeth's face faded away.

He picked up another strawberry and dipped it again in the Nutella. He held it out for her to take.

Elizabeth looked at the offering, not sure if she should take it. When William held it out closer to her, instead of taking it from him, she ate it from his fingers.

After last night, William did not think his weekend could get any better. But, this. . . he was never so envious of a piece of fruit before.

She ate it, waiting for a nut to surface and choke her. When none surfaced a smile appeared on her lips. "Oh, you're right." Before she could say anything else, William already had another piece ready for her to eat.

Elizabeth ate it from his fingers again. He swallowed hard when her lips grazed his fingertips like a kiss.

When she was finished with that, he had another ready for her and she ate it the same way as before. When there were no more strawberries, he used sliced bananas. When there were no more sliced bananas, he used the sliced apples. When the Nutella ran out, they both looked at the empty dish with disappointment, but each were disappointed for different reasons.

"That was good. I enjoyed that very much." She laughed. "I can't believe I ate it all."

He reached out and caressed her cheek. "I'm glad you enjoyed it."

Elizabeth felt the back of her neck grow warm. "But, you didn't get any." However, she had a sneaking suspicion he did not mind. When his thumb, grazed her lower lip, her realizations were confirmed. She could not help smiling.

I want a Sunday kind of love.
A love to last past Saturday night.
And I'd like to know it's more than love at first sight.
I want a Sunday kind of love.

William took this as an invitation and leaned closer to her. He drew her lips to his and gave her an ardent kiss. The sweetness of the Nutella that lingered on her lips emboldened him to kiss her again.

Elizabeth was not sure if she was still dreaming. She reached up and touched his cheek. When she felt the faint stubble on it, her senses were awakened to the fact that it was indeed not a dream.

William moved closer to her, but bumped into the breakfast tray. "Oh. . . sorry."

She laughed. "I wouldn't want Mrs. Reynolds coming in here and finding a mess."

He looked down, the top of his ears burning. After a few moments, he slid the tray away so it was no longer in between them.

Elizabeth waited for him to pick up where he left off, but he did not.

I want a love that's on the square.
Can't seem to find somebody, someone to care.
And I'm on a lonely road that leads to nowhere.
I need a Sunday kind of love.

She reached out and held his hand. She was about to ask him what was wrong, but he spoke.

"I. . . I came here up here because I wanted to see you." He squeezed her hand. "I hope. . . I hope you don't think I came up here because. . ."

She tugged at his hand, making him look up at her. A playful smile pulled at the corners of her lips. "You can stay if you promise to remain outside of the covers."

William chuckled. "Alright." The amusement in his eyes was replaced by an intensity that caused her to grip the sheets tighter. He reached out and traced one of the straps of her nightgown. "So, is this what you wear when we talk on the phone at night?"

She steadied her breath when his fingers stopped where the strap ended, but where the top of her nightgown began. "Maybe."

A small smile appeared on his lips. "It's lovely."

I do my Sunday dreaming, my Sunday scheming,
every minute, every hour, every day.
I'm hoping to discover a certain kind of lover who will show me the way.

Unable to stop herself, Elizabeth yawned. "Oh, gosh. Sorry." She shook her head. "What time is it?"

William withdrew his hand from her nightgown. "Uhm. . ."

"Do you have the time?" She looked around the room for a clock. "Is that the time?"

"I know it's not after 10, but-"

"William, it's 8:20."

He looked down and traced the stitches on the blanket. "You said you wouldn't mind waking up a little earlier."

"When I said a little earlier. . . it's not even 9:00 o'clock." She raised her eyebrow in a playful manner. "Did you even sleep?"

"Well. . . I. . ." He rubbed the back of his neck. "A little."

Elizabeth was quick to close her gaping mouth. "So, what do you usually do when you're awake this early?"

He cleared his throat. "Read the paper. Maybe get some work done. But, it's Sunday." He looked up at her. "I don't usually have any work on Sunday mornings."

"You could take a walk through the gardens or go horseback riding through the grounds."

"I suppose." Elizabeth thought she saw a pout on his lips. "What do you do?"

"What do I do?"

"Yes. On Sunday mornings."

Elizabeth thought for a moment. When the answer entered her mind, a smile spread on her lips and a light blush appeared on her cheeks. "You already know."

When he remembered her morning ritual, William chuckled. "Right." His voice was timid. "Should I leave then?"

She shook her head. "Have you ever tried it?"

He shook his head.

She bit her lower lip. "Would you like to?"

William swallowed hard. "Alright."

"Put the tray on the floor."

William did as he was told.

"Remember, you promised to stay outside of the covers?"

William nodded. "Of course."

Elizabeth looked at him for a moment before she turned and looked at the empty space beside her on the bed.

He walked around the bed and sat on the empty space. He watched Elizabeth slide back under the covers, resting her head on her pillow. William followed suit, but remained outside of the covers. They both lay on their sides, facing each other.

They stared at each other for a moment. Then William spoke up.

"So, you just lay here?"

Elizabeth nodded.

It was quiet for a few minutes before he spoke again. "How long do you lay here?"

Elizabeth shrugged. "Until I have to get up or when Jane tells me to get up."

William let out a small laugh. He looked at Elizabeth laying next to him. She had the sheets pulled up and tucked under her arm, but the strap of her nightgown hung loosely on her shoulder. Her curly hair spilled behind her onto her pillow. One of her hands rested on her hip and the other near her face. "So, this is what it's like."

And my arms need someone, someone to enfold.
To keep me warm when Mondays and Tuesdays grow cold.
Love for all my life to have and to hold.
I want a Sunday kind of love.

"Did you say something?"

William blinked, unaware that he had just revealed his thoughts. "Uh. . . this is nice."

Elizabeth nodded in agreement. "It's the perfect time to think."

"What do you usually think about?"

She lay back and sighed. "Usually I think about what happened the day before."

William raised his eyebrow. "And what are your thoughts about yesterday?"

Elizabeth hesitated. "So much happened yesterday." She stared at the ceiling. "It started off nice. I like Mrs. Reynolds. Oh, and the grounds were lovely. Truffle is beautiful." Elizabeth blushed at the thought of William riding that horse towards her. "The walk back to the house was. . . interesting."

"Interesting?" William touched a strand of hair that had fallen in front of him and began rolling it between his fingers.

"I was surprised you asked me to save you a dance."

"How could you be surprised?"

Elizabeth turned to face him. "I didn't think you'd remember."

He looked at her for a moment. "After the way I convinced you to dance with me at least once, there's no way I could forget."

Elizabeth looked down and blushed. "Right."

William brushed away a strand of hair on her forehead. "Did you like the way the evening turned out?"

She smiled. "Yes." Then she studied his expression. "Did you?"

His smile was warm. "Absolutely."

Elizabeth looked at him. The genuine warmth in his features caused her heart to beat faster. Then a thought about something else that happened last night crossed her mind.

"William?"

He caressed her cheek. "Uh-huh."

"Can you. . . can you tell me more about Isabella?"

He pulled his hand away and lay on his back.

Elizabeth propped herself up on her elbow. "I'm sorry if I-I just wanted to know. If you don't want to talk-"

"No, it's not that." He turned his head toward her. "What do you want to know?"

She looked down. "Did you love her?"

William took in a deep breath and let it out. "I thought I did. Well, at least I thought I was falling in love."

Elizabeth waited for him to continue.

"We'd been going out for almost a month when I thought I was falling in love with her. It was the summer when I had just finished at Cambridge and came home. We actually knew each other since we were children. But when I came back that summer, she was different." He snuck a glance at Elizabeth. "I was captivated."

"So, what happened?"

William's brow furrowed. "When I look back, it was so obvious. . . one night, we were celebrating D&D's anniversary. I went out to the balcony and overheard her talking to George. . . the way her voice sounded. . . I can't believe how blind I was. Isabella had been seeing George when she was with me. I don't think she cared for me at all."

Elizabeth placed her hand over his hand that rested on his chest. "I'm sorry." Then after a few moments, she said, "I remember meeting a man named George last night. Is he the same one?"

An alarmed look overcame his expression. "Yes. Did he-"

"No. Richard came before anything happened." William's shoulders relaxed. "Why was he there?"

"It's not a coincidence that he and my father have the same name."

Elizabeth's brow furrowed.

"George is my father's godson. His father was good friends with mine."

"You have to put up with him because of that?" Elizabeth steadied her voice. "You're more forgiving than I ever could be."

William chuckled. "I didn't think it was something to make a big deal out of." He turned back on his side to face Elizabeth. "I think my father also knows something about George's behavior too."

Elizabeth's brow relaxed. "I suppose." She raised her eyebrow at him. "You've never wanted to kick his," she cleared her throat, "cause him great bodily harm?"

William let out a hearty laugh. "Maybe at first." He touched her face, his thumb drawing gentle circles on the spot below her ear. "But, then I realized, Isabella wasn't worth the fight."

I don't want a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday,
or Saturday, nothing but Sunday, Sunday.

Elizabeth smiled, but her eyes felt heavy because of the gentle caressing from William's fingertips. "William?"

"Yes?"

"Are you going to leave if I fall asleep?"

"Do you want me to?"

"No."

"Then I'll stay."

Elizabeth gave him a warm smile before settling deeper into her pillow and falling asleep.

William took her hand and held it while he watched her fall asleep. The sleep that evaded him for most of the night overcame him and soon he was asleep too.

I want a Sunday kind of love.
Sunday, Sunday kind of love.*

*A Sunday Kind of Love sung by Etta James from her CD Love Songs

"So, is everything finally settled with the caterers?" Mr. Darcy waited for a response. When he received none, he peered over his Sunday paper. Anne sat across from Richard. They were not saying anything, but the looks they gave each other could not be missed. Mr. Darcy cleared his throat.

Anne shifted in her seat. "Uh. . . did you say something, Uncle George?"

Mr. Darcy stifled his amusement. "I had asked about the caterers."

"Oh, right." Anne snuck a glance at Richard who continued to watch her in a most unsubtle manner. "Last I heard, they wanted to speak to William about something." Anne became unusually preoccupied with her toast.

"And why aren't you out running around playing football?"

Anne cleared her throat which made Richard look away. "Football?"

Mr. Darcy rolled his eyes. "Yes."

"Oh. Well . . . I- Charles is out with Jane this morning." He exchanged knowing glances with Anne. "And William . ." Richard's brow wrinkled. "I don't know where William is."

"Good morning." Georgiana entered the breakfast room, still glowing from the previous evening.

Mr. Darcy turned to Georgiana. "Have you seen your brother?"

Georgiana sat down. "No. Why?"

"Strange. He's usually down for breakfast by now."

"I think he had a late night." Anne shot a look at Richard and Georgiana kicked him under the table.

Mr. Darcy grinned. "I see."

"Dad, don't do anything to embarrass Elizabeth or William this afternoon at tea."

"Me? What have I ever done-"

"Dad." Georgiana gave him a warning look.

Mr. Darcy chuckled. "Alright. Alright." But, he crossed his fingers under the table.

Charles rubbed the back of his neck. "Did you have enough breakfast? I can have something made for you if you didn't have enough earlier."

Jane smiled. "I'm fine, Charles."

"Are you sure?"

Jane looked at him. "Charles, what's the matter?"

"Nothing." He took in a deep breath. "Nothing."

"Alright." She did not pursue it any further. "So, what is it that you wanted to show me?"

Charles blinked several times. "Right." He ran his hand through his hair. "It's out in the garden."

He lead her outside, concentrating on the ground. Jane looked at him from time to time. She had never seen him so. . . agitated.

They walked out to a grand willow tree that was secluded from the rest of the garden. He took her hand and lead her to a bench. Jane was about to sit down, but he held her back. "There's something I want you to see." He pointed to the back of the bench.

Jane read the inscription. "Thomas and Caroline Bingley." She looked up at him, her eyebrow raised.

"My grandparents." He pointed to another bench a few feet away.

When they reached the next one, Jane read the inscription on this one too. "Charles and Emily Bingley."

"My parents." He hesitated before he took to the last bench.

The wood was fresh and the carving on the back was easy to make out. She blinked several times and looked at Charles.

Charles' brow was wrinkled. "Was I being presumptuous?"

Jane blinked back tears and let her fingers trace the names carved in the wood. Charles and Jane Bingley. It took a moment before Jane could respond. "No."

He motioned for Jane to have a seat on their bench. Charles kneeled in front of her. "Then you'll marry me?" He took out a small black velvet box.

"Yes, of course."

Charles wiped away her tears. Then he took the ring from the box and slid it on Jane's finger. He cupped her face and gave her a soft kiss.

At that moment, Caroline had walked out into the garden, searching for her brother. She wanted to know when they were going to the Darcys' and if she would have enough time to get her hair done. When she saw Jane and Charles in intimate conversation, she rolled her eyes and went back in the house. I have all the time in the world. She left a message with the butler giving strict orders for her brother not to leave for the Darcys' without her. In her mad dash to beautify herself, Caroline did not notice that there were no longer just two benches by the family willow tree.

Elizabeth stretched out, her hand searching for the wonderfully masculine arm she was becoming familiar with. When she could not find it, she reached for the wonderfully masculine chest she was so fond of. Not there. When she opened her eyes, she blinked several times at the empty spot next to her. Was it a dream? No. It couldn't have been. She checked the floor for the breakfast tray. Gone.

She pulled her knees to her chest and hugged herself. That couldn't have been a dream. He was here. She looked around the room for any sign that he had been there. She smiled at the daisy and note on the empty pillow next to her. She smelled the daisy before she read the note.

Elizabeth,

I know I promised that I would stay if you fell asleep, and I did. But, for some reason, I didn't hear Mrs. Reynolds come in at first. It wasn't until she was halfway to the door with the breakfast tray that I heard her and woke up. I don't know who was more embarrassed. Mrs. Reynolds, because she was trying to make a stealthy get away or me, getting caught like a young boy with his hands in the cookie jar.

After she left, I thought it would be best if I went too. I'm sure everyone is up by now and have noticed that we're both missing. Of course, I don't mind, but I know you're very particular about things like this.

I'm rambling. Well, I suppose it's because I'm having a hard time concentrating because you're only a few feet away, sleeping. I think you have a smile on your face. Were you dreaming of me? Probably. That's alright because I'll have to leave soon. That way, when I'm downstairs doing god knows what, but thinking about you the whole time, I'll know you woke up with a smile on your face.

I hope you're not too angry with me for leaving you. I promise if you give me another chance, I won't leave again.

Hurry downstairs.

William

Chapter 17 "Afternoon Tea"

Elizabeth was ten minutes late when she left her room. Not normally so keen on choosing what to wear, she had a hard time deciding what kind of top to wear with her khaki capri pants. When she had finally decided on a sleeveless white turtleneck, she then double checked her hair and make-up. Elizabeth felt silly taking so much effort in her appearance, but she hoped a particular gentleman would appreciate the effort.

When she descended the stairs, she looked around the hallway for any signs of where tea was being held. She saw Mr. Reynolds standing outside of the sitting room.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Reynolds." She looked into the sitting room, but saw no one.

"Good afternoon, Ms. Bennet. Tea is being served on the veranda today."

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. "Where is it usually served?"

"In the sitting room." A corner of his mouth pulled up. "Mr. Darcy, William, thought tea on the veranda would be nice today since the weather was so. . . agreeable."

Elizabeth blinked. "Oh." Then she walked towards the French doors to the tea party. When she stepped out onto the veranda, she understood.

The sky was clear. She felt the sun's warmth on her arms. A gentle breeze blew across her face, blowing some of her curls away. She breathed in the faint smell of jasmine drifting from the garden into the veranda. Yes, she thought, it is a nice day to have tea on the veranda.

She walked further out onto the veranda to meet the rest of the party. Soon she was accosted by two young boys.

They both shrieked. "Elizabeth!"

She took them in her arms. "James! Harry! Oh, it's so good to see you!"

The boys went into their trademark back and forth style of communication. Harry started first.

"Elizabeth, did you know there were horses here?"

"There's a pond with ducks and stuff too."

"Yeah, and Uncle George says that there's a lake with fish."

"Uncle George says that we can go fishing if we wanted."

They both gave Elizabeth expectant looks.

"Oh . . . who's Uncle George?"

James wrinkled his brow. "He lives here."

"Yeah, this is his house."

Elizabeth thought for a moment. "You mean, Mr. Darcy?"

Harry and James looked at each other.

Then James looked at her. "No, not him. He's the serious one."

Harry nodded in agreement. "Uncle George says that Mr. Darcy wouldn't know fun if it bit him-"

"Harry!" Madeline Gardiner walked up to them. "Don't talk about Mr. Darcy that way." She hugged and kissed Elizabeth.

"But, mom I didn't say that. Uncle George did."

"Uncle George?"

The boys rolled their eyes at these two silly women. James turned around and pointed. "The one with Austen."

The ladies looked. There was Mr. Darcy senior, with a large dog, talking with their father, Edward Gardiner.

Their mother smiled. "Did he say it was alright for you two to call him Uncle George?"

They both nodded. Harry said, in a most earnest tone, "He said if we didn't call him Uncle George, he wouldn't let us play with his dog and horse."

Elizabeth held back her laughter. "It's a good thing you listened to him because his horses are very nice."

Their eyes widen. "Horses?"

Elizabeth nodded. "I've seen at least two."

The two boys looked at each other with mouths agape and a "Whoa" escaped their mouths. Then just as quick as they had appeared, they were gone, off to confirm the latest information.

Elizabeth laughed and turned to her aunt. "I didn't realize the boys were on a first name basis with Mr. Darcy."

"I'm just as surprised as you are." She looked at her niece for a moment. "He's been so friendly since we arrived."

They began walking towards the rest of the party. "He's generally friendly with everyone." Elizabeth snuck a look at her. "Have you met William?"

"Do you mean the one the boys refer to as Mr. Darcy?" A light blush spread on Elizabeth's cheeks which did not go unnoticed by Mrs. Gardiner. "Yes, we've met him. He doesn't have his father's open manners, but he seems like a nice man."

"He is. Once you get to know him."

"Elizabeth!" Mr. Darcy called them over. "James and Harry seem to be under the impression that I have more than one horse."

Elizabeth greeted her uncle and then turned to Mr. Darcy. "I might have said that I've seen at least two horses."

He looked at Elizabeth than at the two boys. "Well, I suppose there might be more than one horse." At this, the boys' features brightened.

"Can we see them?"

"How many are there?"

"Boys." Mrs. Gardiner shot her boys a warning look.

Mr. Darcy let out a small laugh. "Maybe we'll look at them another time." When he saw the boys pout, he felt something stir in him, and he offered to appease them. "Austen here knows a few tricks, would you like to see?"

The eager smiles on the boys' face was enough proof that they were appeased. They ran off with Austen following in their wake.

Mr. Darcy turned to Elizabeth. "It's nice to see you this afternoon. Did you sleep well?"

Elizabeth felt the back of her neck grow warm. "Yes. Very well."

He gave her a knowing smile. "Good." He excused himself and joined the boys.

Her uncle and aunt looked at her with curiosity which made Elizabeth shift in her spot. She stammered. "Are-So, are you having a good time so far?"

"Yes. Although at first we felt like we were intruding because neither one of our nieces were here to introduce us to anyone." A smile pulled at the corner of her aunt's mouth.

She blinked several times. "Jane's not back yet?" She looked around the veranda.

Her aunt shook her head. "The young lady, Georgiana, I believe, mentioned something about her leaving this morning with Charles, but should be back anytime."

"Oh." She gave her aunt a half smile. "Charles is Jane's boyfriend." She hoped that would be sufficient explanation, but realized that this information probably increased their bemusement at the whole situation even more. "Uh. . . Charles is a good friend of William's. . . they've been friends for a long time. . ."

Mrs. Gardiner raised her eyebrow at her niece. "And that's how you met the Darcys?"

"Well, actually I was introduced to William first."

"I see."

"Then his sister invited us here for her birthday."

"Oh."

"And William suggested that we invite you all to tea since we hardly ever get to see you."

"How thoughtful."

Elizabeth was not sure what else to say. She could tell by the curious look in her Aunt's eyes that she was surprised by the whole situation. But, to Elizabeth's great relief, a welcomed interruption prevented any need to explain herself.

"Elizabeth!" Young Laura Gardiner moved to hug her, but stopped herself and smiled.

Elizabeth smiled at the girl. "What no hug?"

Laura looked around. "There are other people around."

"That's never stopped us before." She kneeled down and took the girl into her arms. "I don't care what other people think." Then she planted a kiss on the girl's cheek.

Laura's cheeks turned a crimson color. "Elizabeth!" Then she rubbed the spot on her cheek Elizabeth had kissed. "I'm not a baby anymore."

She resisted the urge to laugh. "I'm sorry. You're right." She stood up and looked at Georgiana who had watch the entire display. "Did you make a new friend?"

Laura grinned. "Yes. This is Georgie."

"Oh, I know Georgiana."

"She's been showing me around the garden. Did you know that her great, great, great, great grandfather planted her great, great, great, great grandmother's favorite flowers in it?"

"No, I didn't." She looked at Georgiana who blushed.

Laura took Elizabeth by the hand. "C'mon. I'll show you. I think the fox paws are my favorites."

"Do you mean fox gloves?"

Laura's brow wrinkled and she looked back at Georgiana who nodded. Then she looked back at Elizabeth. "Yes. Fox gloves." The two walked passed the other guests to the garden.

Georgiana stood with the Gardiners. "Laura is a lovely girl."

"Thank you." Mrs. Gardiner looked at Georgiana. "She likes you too."

Georgiana smiled.

Mrs. Gardiner hesitated before she said, "How long have you known Elizabeth?"

"Oh, I met her a few weeks ago when I was in California. I had dinner with her and William."

Her eyebrows shot up.

Georgiana continued with caution. "I was very pleased to meet her."

Mrs. Gardiner gave her husband a bemused look.

Mr. Gardiner turned to Georgiana. "We're just a little surprised by our niece's acquaintance with your family. We had no idea."

"Oh." Georgiana was surprised by this admission. "I wonder why she didn't mention it."

Mrs. Gardiner heard some disappointment in her voice. "Well, knowing Elizabeth, she was probably afraid no one would believe her."

Georgiana's disbelief was soon gone when she saw the smiles on both Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner's face. She let out a small laugh. "Sometimes I forget we're not like the average family."

Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner gave her an approving smile for her candor.

She looked down at the ground before she asked, "May I introduce you to the rest of our family?"

"That would be nice." The Gardiners followed Georgiana who was walking towards the Fitzwilliams.

At another part of the party, Elizabeth and the children were getting acquainted with the talents of Mr. Darcy's Great Dane, Austen.

"Can he really catch fish in the lake?"

"Can you show us?"

Mr. Darcy tried to keep a straight face. "I don't think Austen feels like catching fish today."

Laura raised a wary eyebrow at him. "I've never heard of a dog that can catch fish."

A corner of Mr. Darcy's mouth was upturned. "Well, he doesn't catch a fish every time."

Laura looked at Mr. Darcy then at Elizabeth. "I think Mr. Darcy's teasing us."

James piped up. "It's Uncle George."

Harry added. "Yeah. Mr. Darcy is the serious one."

"I am?"

The boys jumped up at the sound of his voice.

Laura looked up at him with wide eyes. "I don't think being serious is so bad."

He smiled at the little girl which caused her to smile in return. "Thank you." He kneeled besides Austen and patted him down. "You know, fish isn't the only thing he can catch."

The boys crowded next to him. James rubbed the dog's head. "What else can he catch, Mr. Darcy?"

He snuck a glance at his father. "You can call me William." The boys looked at each other. Then Harry asked, "What else can he catch, William?"

"Hmm. . . well, I can't say that he's actually caught some, but Austen's found a good share of squirrels and rabbits."

Laura bit her lower lip. "Rabbits?"

William saw the distress on her face. "He doesn't hurt them. He'll bark at them, but he wouldn't hurt them."

"Oh." But, she looked at the dog with a wary expression.

Harry turned to his brother. "Let's go look for some now!"

"Yeah!" The boys were off again, beckoning Austen to follow them.

Laura ran after her brothers. "No! Don't hurt the rabbits!"

Mr. Darcy called after them. "The best place is near the thicket." He whistled and soon Austen was by his side and they ambled towards the thicket of trees.

Elizabeth sighed and began to follow them, but her arm was held back. She turned to look at him. "Shouldn't we help your father watch the kids?"

"Probably." He took her hand and lead her in the opposite direction his father had taken the children.

Elizabeth let herself be lead away. "I hope your father can manage them by himself."

"Austen's there to help him." They walked towards the veranda, but just before they reached it, William stopped in front of one of the columns that flanked the steps leading up the veranda, hiding them from everyone at the tea party.

Elizabeth arched an eyebrow at him. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say that you were trying to hide."

"Trying?" He walked towards her, causing her to stand against the column.

"What would people say if they found us here like this?"

"Well, let's hope no one finds us." He brushed away a curl off her shoulder.

A playful smile pulled at the corners of her lips. "If someone does, you're not going to leave again, are you?"

He let his fingers trail down her bare arm. "I thought I told you I wouldn't leave if you gave me another chance."

She braced herself against it, trying to act unaffected. "Do you always break your promises?"

His eyebrows knitted for a moment and he looked down. "No."

Elizabeth took his hand. "Well, you'll have to make it up somehow then."

He looked at her and a slow smile spread on his lips. He squeezed her hand and drew her closer to him. "I suppose I'll have to figure something out ." He reached for her face and kissed her. When they parted, he nuzzled the spot below her ear. His voice was low. "Do you have any ideas?"

"My mind seems to be drawing a blank." She swallowed hard when she felt William's lips trace a trail down her neck.

"Nothing? You can't think of anything I can do to make it up to you?" He became a little miffed that his favorite mole on her collarbone was inaccessible due to the collar of her turtleneck. However, William was a resourceful man.

"I . . . uh . . ." Elizabeth's mind was really drawing a blank. The only thing that registered was the extraordinary sensation from William's lips on her shoulder, now working their way to her collarbone. She put her hand on his chest for support. "William. . ."

"Mm-hm. . ." He managed to gain access to the part of her collarbone that connected to her shoulder. He waited for her to continue, but heard a low "Mmm" emanate from her instead. The sound caused William to look up at Elizabeth. Her breathing was unsteady, her lips parted, and the look in her eyes made him moisten his lips.

Elizabeth reached for him, her fingers becoming entangled in his hair. She hesitated before she brought his lips down on hers.

To say that William was pleased would be an understatement. He often wondered if Elizabeth could ever feel as fervent as him and last night and this moment showed great promise of the possibility. He encircled her in his arms, deepening their kiss.

At this moment, this is what Elizabeth knew. She knew that Willliam's warm embrace would keep her safe. She knew that his kisses were meant only for her. She knew she did not want to be anywhere else.

"Mrs. Reynolds, do you need something?"

"Oh. Well . . . I was looking for Elizabeth."

"She was here. Richard, have you seen Elizabeth?"

"Uh. . . she was with the children, talking with Uncle George."

"I don't see her."

"William would know."

"Mrs. Reynolds, is it very important?"

"She's got a phone call."

"Where's William?"

By this time, the couple in question had ceased their intimate activities.

Elizabeth whispered. "Maybe we should go back to the party."

He let go of her. "I suppose."

Elizabeth smiled and brushed away the hair from his forehead. "We can't hide from everyone the whole time."

William drew circles on her shoulder with his fingertips. "I know."

Elizabeth took a deep breath, trying to fight the impulse to throw William against the column and reciprocate the feelings he stirred in her. With a lot of effort, she took his hand and walked towards the stairs to the veranda.

"I'm glad one of us has enough sense to get us back."

Elizabeth noted the slight disappointment in his voice. They walked up the steps, their voices low. "Sense? It was for your own good."

William leaned closer to her. "Was I that bad?"

Elizabeth chuckled. "No. Quite the contrary." She gave him a look that made his temperature rise. "I was saving you from me."

William looked at her with his mouth agape. He was quick to recover when Mrs. Reynolds approached them.

"Elizabeth, you have a phone call."

"Thank you." She turned to William. "I'll see you in a bit."

He nodded and watched her walk away with Mrs. Reynolds. When she disappeared through the doors, it was then he realized that everyone was staring at him. He cleared his throat and walked towards Anne and Richard.

"Good afternoon, William."

He looked at his cousins who wore knowing looks on their faces. "What?"

Richard shook his head. "Nothing."

"It's just . . ." Anne smoothed down a tuft of hair on the back of his head. "You look like you'd rather be somewhere else at the moment."

William felt his face grow warm and ran his fingers through his hair.

"I can't blame him." Richard snuck a furtive glance at Anne which made her blush.

William looked at Richard and then at Anne. Something had changed.

"We better join the rest of the party." Anne walked away.

William turned to Richard. "What was all that about?"

A small smile appeared on his lips. "Just trying to get to know Anne." He left William and went to Anne who was talking with the Gardiners.

William stood there for a moment, taking everything in. Richard and Anne looked quite comfortable together, talking with the Gardiners. Georgiana was sitting with Laura, showing her how tea is served. And his father, he was never one for social events, so he was not surprised to see him with Harry and James, playing fetch with Austen, just off the veranda. There were other people at the tea party. Aunts, uncles, and friends of the family, but William did not notice them. He walked over to the Gardiners. He had this feeling he should try to get to know them better.

"You can take the call in here." Mrs. Reynolds had lead Elizabeth into the sitting room.

"Thank you. Do you know who it is?"

"It's Jane."

"Oh."

Mrs. Reynolds saw the look of concern on her face. "I'm sure everything's fine. She sounded . . . very happy."

Elizabeth smiled. "Maybe there's good news then."

Mrs. Reynolds returned her smile before she left her to answer the phone.

"Hello? Jane?"

"Elizabeth? I was beginning to wonder if you were alright."

A light blush overcame Elizabeth's cheeks. "Everything's fine." She cleared her throat. "So, how come you haven't come back yet? The Gardiners are here."

"Oh, that's right! It's just-Charles and I were talking then he-then afterwards we-"

"Jane, slow down. What happened?"

"He proposed. He was so sweet."

"What did you say?"

"I said yes!"

"Oh Jane!" A grin spread from ear to ear on Elizabeth's face. "Well, I suppose that's a good enough reason to be late."

"We lost track of the time. We'll be there soon."

"Alright. I'll try not to give anything away."

They said their goodbyes. After Elizabeth hung up the phone, she stood there for a moment, savoring the news before everyone else found out. However, her private reverie was cut short by a most unwelcome interruption.

"Judging from the look on your face, I would say it was good news."

Elizabeth turned to look at the source. She eyed him warily. "Yes."

He walked towards her, his steps were slow and deliberate. "I'm glad to hear it." His eyes took in her form which made Elizabeth shift in her spot. "By the way, I don't know if you remember me from last night, I'm George." He extended his hand out.

Elizabeth crossed her arms. "I remember."

Unfazed by her obvious disapproval, he gave her one of his dashing smiles. "You've certainly made an impression on everyone."

"Thank you for that insightful observation. Excuse me." She walked towards the veranda.

"Especially William."

Elizabeth stopped and then turned towards him. "I don't see how that has anything to do with you."

A small smile appeared on his lips. "You're right it doesn't have anything to do with me." He walked towards her. "It would just be very unfortunate to see someone like you get hurt."

Elizabeth stared at him for a moment. "I'm sure you know a lot about other people getting hurt."

"I might know something about it." He stepped closer to her and brushed a curl away from her shoulder. "That's why I thought I should warn you."

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow at him.

"You're not like the other women of his acquaintance."

She put her hands on her hips. "You got that right."

He placed his fingertips on her shoulder. "It's just. . . do you really think you have a chance with William?"

Elizabeth felt her cheeks grow warm. "I don't think that's any-"

"I mean think about it." His fingers slid down her arm. "Look where William comes from. Do you think he'd risk this all for. . ." He looked at her lips in an unabashed manner.

Elizabeth turned around. "Is this how you won over Isabella?"

George hesitated. "Not quite, but . . ." He placed his hand on her shoulder. "He was ready to share this all with her. Can you say the same thing about yourself?" When Elizabeth did not answer, he continued, "Like I said, you're not like the other women of his acquaintance."

It was a few moments before Elizabeth turned around to face George. He thought the look on her face conveyed pain and he was ready to comfort her. However, it was not pain Elizabeth was feeling.

Elizabeth looked at him. She felt the back of her neck burn and her heart beat faster. She could not believe what he was implying about her. This fact stoked a fire in her that made her clench her fists. When she saw a smile, a knowing smile, appear on George's lips, it was enough to make her forget herself.

Before she knew what she was doing, her fist connected with George's face.

George hit the ground with a thud. He blinked several times. "What the hell-"

Elizabeth's voice was low and she spoke with care. "You're right. I'm not like the other women of William's acquaintance." She walked towards him, making him shuffle on the floor away from her. "I don't take insults very well."

George managed to get back on his feet. "Look, I don't want any-"

She continued walking towards him. George backed away and then fell onto a sofa. She looked directly at him. "If you ever come near me or talk to me like that again. . ."

George instinctively shielded his crotch. "I understand."

"Is everything alright?"

Elizabeth turned to see William with Caroline at his elbow. "Yes. Mr. Wickham and I were just clearing up a few things."

George stood up. "Yes. It seems I've. . . misjudged her." He snuck a look at Caroline. "I just remembered I have another appointment." He walked towards the doorway. "William, you'll give my regards to your father." He did not even wait for a reply before he left the room.

"I'll see him out." Caroline did not look at Elizabeth when she walked passed her and out the doorway.

William walked over to Elizabeth. "Are you alright?"

She looked at the doorway. "Uh. . . yeah."

He took her hand and examined it. "I don't think so."

"I'll be fine."

He looked up at her. Her eyes were on the doorway, but she was not really looking at it. Her brow was furrowed, giving her a pensive look. Before he could ask her anything, she turned to him.

"I'm sorry."

His eyebrows shot up. "Sorry? I should be the one apologizing."

"I shouldn't have lost my temper like that."

"I should've been there to-"

"I know I can't just go around hitting people-"

"He probably deserved it-"

"I'm a teacher for goodness sake!"

"Maybe you could teach people that right hook."

Elizabeth blinked several times. When she saw the beginnings of a smile on his lips, she could not help laughing.

Relieved that her humor was intact, he squeezed her shoulder. "Elizabeth, we really need to take care of this."

She looked down at her hand. The gentle way he held her hand made her forget about the throbbing in her knuckles. "I'll just run it under some cold water."

He shook his head. "We have to get some ice."

"No. I'll be alright. I don't want to make a big deal out of it."

He stepped closer to her. "It's not a big deal." He looked down, not meeting her eyes. "I'm sorry I wasn't there to. . . I should've been there. . ."

Elizabeth lifted his face to meet her eyes. "I'm alright."

He looked at her and knew she did not need any help or protection. He was not sure how to feel about that. He wondered if she would ever let him take care of her. "It's just that. . . if anything ever happened to you. . ." He kissed her forehead.

She caressed his cheek. "But, nothing did."

After a moment, he asked, "What did George try to do?"

She pulled away from him. "Nothing."

William raised an eyebrow at her.

Elizabeth let out her breath. "He was just all talk." He opened his mouth to ask her what he talked about, but she cut him off. "I'm going to run upstairs to run my hand under some cold water. Can you let the Gardiners know Jane and Charles will be here soon?" Her brow wrinkled when she mentioned the couple.

"Of course." He studied her expression. He felt like she was holding something back.

"Thanks." She kissed his cheek and then looked at him for a moment before she turned away and walked to her room.

He stood there for a moment before he walked to the doorway of the sitting room. Elizabeth was no where to be seen, but at the entrance he could see two people in hushed conversation. When he approached them, they parted.

"Make sure to get some ice on that, George." Caroline shut the door and turned to face William, but she did not meet his eyes.

"You came here by yourself?"

"Yes. I was out on an errand, running late, and thought Charles and Jane would be here already."

He took slow steps towards Caroline and waited until she looked at him. "Caroline, you're my best friend's sister. I've always taken that into consideration with the way you're treated."

Caroline was not sure how to react. However, William stepped closer to her, and leaned down to whisper in her ear. She had to catch her breath when he rested a hand on her shoulder.

His voice was low. "But, if you tried to hurt the woman I love. . . any consideration will be forgot."

Caroline blinked several times. In a forced whisper, she said, "Love?" She hesitated before she said, "You can't be serious."

William pulled away from Caroline and looked at her. She was resistant at first, but she finally looked at him. He wore a serious expression on his face, but there was something in his eyes. There was an intensity that bore into her soul and caused something in her to ignite. She looked away for a moment, afraid of being consumed by this intensity. When she did look back, it was no longer there. Instead, it was the usual William, staring back at her, no fiery intensity, no warmth. It was then she realized she never had a chance with him. It caused her pain to admit it, but she had seen that look. It was always directed at Elizabeth.

William saw tears welling up in her eyes. "Caroline?" He reached out for her.

Caroline waved his hand off and took a step back. "No. Don't." She blinked back tears. "If you had yelled at me, told me to get out-" She took a step back. "But, this-this . . . you really do love her."

William looked at her for a moment, then nodded.

Caroline looked down, shaking her head.

They stood there for a while, each unsure of what to do or say.

Then Caroline took a deep breath and looked at William. "I understand." She took a few steps, but turned around. "May I just say one thing? I will never say anything about this again."

William was reluctant. "Alright."

"Both of you come from different backgrounds. Even though love should be a part of a relationship, it can't be the only thing. She doesn't know anything about our way of life, who you are, and the type of family you come from." She hesitated before she said, "How could she possibly improve anything?"

With a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth, he said, "She already has."

Caroline closed her eyes and let her head hang down. She breathed in and then looked up at William. "I hope you don't mind that I have to leave. I forgot I had plans with Louisa."

"Of course."

"Please give my regards to your father and sister."

William nodded.

Caroline looked at him for a moment. Then she walked away and out the door.

William looked at the door and then up the staircase. He could not believe he admitted his feelings out loud, and to Caroline no less. He shook his head. Well, at least I won't have to put up with her games anymore. He looked up the staircase again. He had to suppress his desire to run up the stairs and check on Elizabeth. She obviously could take care of herself and judging from her behavior before she left him, he thought maybe she needed some time alone.

He walked back to the party, remembering his message for the Gardiners. Even though he delivered the message and appeared to be listening to the conversations around him, his mind was replaying the scene he had witnessed between George and Elizabeth.

When he saw George, touching her in such an intimate manner, a rush of panic had washed over him, quite similar to the feelings he had the night he found George and Isabella together. Caroline had told him that Elizabeth was looking for him and at the time he found it odd that she followed him into the house, but did not question it. Now, it was clear what her motives were. William wondered what would have happened if he had followed his initial assumptions about George and Elizabeth. He was sure Caroline would have been pleased with the results.

He let out a quiet sigh. Just when he was about to interrupt their tryst, Elizabeth delivered a clean punch onto George's jaw. His surprise was great. She did not look like she was in trouble, but yet her actions conveyed that George had crossed a line and she took it upon herself to let him know that. He was not sure what exactly transpired between them, but he hoped whatever happened, Elizabeth would be alright.

He excused himself from the conversation to look for Mrs. Reynolds. Lucky for him, Anne and Georgiana did not think anything of his abrupt behavior. He knew Elizabeth could take care of herself, but if she was not going to accept his help directly, he would find other ways.

Chapter 18 "Consequence"

Elizabeth held her hand under the faucet and let the cold water run over it. The water soothed the abrasion on her skin, but barely did anything for the throbbing of her knuckles. She had taken injuries similar to these after kickboxing class, but those were due to repeated contact to a punching bag. This was the first time she had actually struck a person. So used to the feeling of a punching bag against her fist, she was surprised by how much George's jaw gave way to it.

She sighed and turned the cold water knob so that more water spilled out onto her hand. Maybe I should've put it on ice like William said. When the thought crossed her mind, there was a knock on her door.

Elizabeth shut off the faucet and dried her hand with care. She checked herself in the mirror before she left the bathroom to open the door.

"Who is it?"

"It's Mrs. Reynolds."

Elizabeth opened the door, not meeting the matron figures' eyes.

"William thought you could use this."

Elizabeth looked up and saw her holding an ice pack. Despite her embarrassment, she smiled with relief. "Thank you." She took the ice pack from her and stepped aside to let her enter.

Mrs. Reynolds hesitated at first before she walked in. She watched Elizabeth cross the room and sit at the edge of her bed. Then she placed the ice pack on her hand and let out a deep sigh. "Does it help?"

Elizabeth nodded. "Very much."

The two ladies were silent for some time. Mrs. Reynolds struggled between her concern for Elizabeth and maintaining her role as housekeeper. She decided to stick with the later, feeling more confident in that role. "Is there anything else I can get you?"

"No, thank you." Elizabeth looked up at her, trying to see any disapproval in her expression. She did not know her well enough to judge her expression, so she ventured a question, "Did William tell you what happened?"

"No. He just said that you had an accident." She took a step towards her. "He's very concerned."

Elizabeth looked down at her hand, the throbbing becoming numb. "That was kind of him not to mention. . . I'm afraid I did something
that. . . I let my temper get the best of me. . ."

Mrs. Reynolds waited for her to continue. One of the butlers had said that Mr. Wickham had left in a very agitated mood and she wondered if Elizabeth had anything to do with it.

"I was so angry at the way he-I mean who does he think he is? If William hadn't come when he did, I would've-" Then Elizabeth saw the alarm on Mrs. Reynolds' face. "I hit George Wickham on the face."

Mrs. Reynolds blinked several times in astonishment. This woman had the courage to stand up to that George Wickham? When the thought set in, Mrs. Reynolds raised a hand to her mouth.

Elizabeth, misunderstanding her action as a sign of disapproval, said, "I know it was a very impetuous thing to do, especially here." She stopped when Mrs. Reynolds waved her hand at her.

"No. No." She tried very hard to hide her amusement.

"But, I thought-"

"Ms. Bennet." Mrs. Reynolds looked at her with a kind expression. "Elizabeth."

She smiled and began to feel at ease by the familiar way Mrs. Reynolds addressed her.

"You have no reason to feel like you did something wrong." Elizabeth was about to disagree with her, but Mrs. Reynolds cut her off with a wave of her hand. "Mr. Wickham probably deserved what he got."

A smile pulled at the corner of Elizabeth's mouth. "That's what William said."

She let out a light laugh. "The Darcys are well aware of Mr. Wickham's. . . behavior towards women."

Elizabeth's brow creased. "Then why do they tolerate it?"

Mrs. Reynolds sighed. "Do you know about the relationship between him and the Darcys?"

Elizabeth nodded.

Mrs. Reynolds sat next to Elizabeth. "Although the Darcys don't approve of his behavior, they're honorable people. Mr. Darcy had a great respect for the elder Mr. Wickham and even though his son can be so undeserving, Mr. Darcy will do everything he can to honor the memory of George's father and that includes keeping his promise as his godfather." She looked down. "Sometimes that includes overlooking some indiscretions."

"Oh." Elizabeth let the information sink in. She did not think that such a code of behavior still existed. It was another point of William's way of life that showed how different she was to him.

"Are you ready to come back down?"

Elizabeth's mind came back to the present. "Uh. . . I don't know."

"Do you need something else for your hand?"

"No. It's not that. . ."

Mrs. Reynolds put a hand on Elizabeth's shoulder. "You don't have any reason to be embarrassed."

Elizabeth looked down. "If you say so."

Mrs. Reynolds tried a different approach. "There's a fairly decent punching bag in the gym if you still have a few punches you'd like to let loose."

Elizabeth could not help laughing. "That sounds like a good idea. Is the gym very far?"

"No. I can show you where it is."

"Oh, I don't want you to have to leave."

"We won't have to go very far."

Elizabeth gave her a curious look.

"I was referring to the Darcys' personal gym."

"Oh." Of course. "Give me just a couple of minutes to change." She stopped midway to the bathroom. "Oh, I forgot about the Gardiners and Jane."

"It's alright. Jane is with them now and the Gardiners are staying for dinner."

Elizabeth smiled.

"I'll just tell them you. . . needed to lay down for a nap."

Elizabeth laughed. "Thank you." She soon disappeared into the bathroom.

Mrs. Reynolds picked up the phone and called her brother downstairs. "Henry? Will you open up the gym?"

"Of course. Should I have it ready for William or Richard?"

"Uh. . . neither."

Henry was silent.

"Just make sure the punching bag is available."

"Alright." He held back his questions, knowing full well that his sister upheld a strict rule about discretion.

"We'll be down shortly." She hung up.

Henry Reynolds looked at the switchboard before he hung up the phone. The call had come from Elizabeth Bennet's room. He did a double take to make sure. There was no mistake. He could not remember if a lady had ever been in the gym before. He shrugged. It was not his place to question such things, but then again, ever since Elizabeth Bennet had arrived, things had not been quite the same.

"So, what happened?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing? Elizabeth doesn't seem like the type who would do nothing."

William gave him a wary look. They were in the sitting room. Everyone had gone home except for the Fitzwilliams and the Gardiners. Anne's parents declined the invitation to dinner, Aunt Catherine claimed the day's events had worn her out. After a few moments, William said, "She. . . she didn't like the kind of attention George was giving her, so. . . she. . . she showed her disapproval . . ."

Mr. Darcy raised an inquisitive eyebrow at him.

"Quite rightly on his chin."

The hearty laugh Mr. Darcy let out caused the whole room to turn their attention to him.

"Dad."

Mr. Darcy sobered up. "Excuse me."

When everyone returned to their conversations, Mr. Darcy asked, "Did you see it when it happened?"

William gave him a curt nod.

It took all of his will not let out another laugh. "Oh, I wish I could've seen it. Did he land flat on his-"

"Dad."

Mr. Darcy chuckled. Then after a moment, he said, with a seriousness that was uncharacteristic of him, "It should've been me who set him down, a long time ago." Then a look of concern overcame his features. "Is she alright?"

"Yes. Although. . ." He knew there was something else, but he was not sure what. "I sent Mrs. Reynolds to check on her."

"Good." He sighed. "I'm heartily ashamed that this happened here. I'm sure her opinion of us is not very favorable at the moment." He looked at William. When William did not respond, Mr. Darcy knew the thought had already crossed his mind.

The two gentlemen stood in silence, observing the others. Mr. Darcy wondered if the Gardiners were aware of what happened to their niece. He had a feeling they would not be pleased if they knew and might ask Elizabeth to stay with them instead.

He observed the Gardiners. He liked them. They were kind and acted with such warm sincerity. It troubled him if they left that evening with a bad impression of him and his family. Mr. Darcy did not usually care for other people's opinions, but the Gardiners were not just any other people. He cared for their opinion, not just because they were good people, but because he did not want there to be reasons for them and Elizabeth to discontinue any relationship with his family.

Even though Mr. Darcy did not voice these concerns, William shared them as well. However, William's thoughts were occupied by Elizabeth. His anger over George's behavior had subsided and in its place a growing concern for Elizabeth's welfare had taken place. He was relieved that she was able to walk away with just a bruised hand. When he talked to her after the incident, she told him she was all right, but he could tell she was not.

He was also troubled by how Elizabeth did not seem to need his help, or protection for that matter. He knew Elizabeth was an independent, strong woman, but he did not realize the true meaning of those characteristics until today. The idea that Elizabeth could live, quite easily, without him, struck a deep part of him because he believed he could not live so easily without her.

Just then, Mrs. Reynolds entered the sitting room to check on the guests. She approached the Gardiners first who were talking with the Fitzwilliams. "Is there anything I can get for you all?"

They all declined, saying they would be fine until dinnertime. Then Mrs. Gardiner asked, "Have you seen my niece, Elizabeth?"

Without so much as a flinch, Mrs. Reynolds said, "She's upstairs laying down for a nap. I think she was still a little tired from the late night we all had last night."

"Oh. That's understandable."

"She'll be down for dinner though."

Mrs. Gardiner thanked the housekeeper. They resumed their conversations and Mrs. Reynolds went to the others in the room to see if they needed anything. Before she reached Mr. Darcy and William, one of the children had an outburst.

James huffed and crossed his arms. "Why can't we go back outside?"

Harry looked at Georgiana. "I want to play with Austen."

A faint blush spread across Laura's cheeks. "My brothers like being outside."

Georgiana's warm smile eased the little girl's embarrassment. "I understand. It's hard being cooped up." She thought for a moment. "I know. Would you like to see the rest of the house?"

Laura smiled, showing her approval, but the boys were not won over so easily.

It would be some time until dinner was ready and Georgiana thought giving a tour of the house would be perfect to keep them occupied. But, how was she supposed to get the boys interested in it?

"You know there's a room here perfect for sliding across the floor with your socks on."

The two boys looked up at Mr. Darcy. James' brow wrinkled. "I don't think Mom would like that."

He hid his smile. "Well, it's a good thing this is my house then, because I don't mind it so much."

Harry stood up. "Where is this room?"

Mrs. Gardiner stepped into the conversation. "Boys, you can look at the room, but I don't want you playing in the house."

James and Harry were about to protest, but Mr. Darcy was quick to put in, "I'll keep an eye on them."

Mrs. Gardiner, although she hoped Mr. Darcy would keep an eye on them, could tell that he had developed a soft spot for her boys and would probably let them do as they pleased. Well, they probably won't get another chance to skid across the floors of Pemberley again. "Alright. Boys, I want you to mind your manners."

With a "Yes, mom." The boys tore out of the sitting room with Mr. Darcy following in their wake.

Laura turned to Georgiana. "Can you still show me the house?"

"Of course." Georgiana turned to Mrs. Gardiner. "Would you and Mr. Gardiner like to see the house too?"

"That would be lovely." Mrs. Gardiner walked to her husband and told him about the tour Georgiana was going to give. He was happy to join them and even though the Fitzwilliams were well acquainted with the house already, they joined the tour at Georgiana's request.

"My Aunt and Uncle know so much more about the house's history than me."

"Georgiana, you don't give yourself enough credit." Aunt Elli turned to the Gardiners. "She's being modest. Georgiana's knowledge on the history of this house is quite impressive."

Georgiana blushed. Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner gave her a warm smile.

Before they started, Mrs. Reynolds pulled Georgiana aside. After a moment, Georgiana looked at the housekeeper with a curious expression, but nodded her understanding and soon they walked off to tour the house.

Richard, Anne, Jane, Charles, and William stayed behind. Mrs. Reynolds approached them.

"Is there anything I can get for you before I return to the kitchen?"

They all declined. However, William saw that Mrs. Reynolds attention lingered on him. When Mrs. Reynolds began to walk out of the sitting room, he excused himself from the rest of the group and followed her.

"Mrs. Reynolds, is there something you wanted to see me about?"

"Oh." She looked at the rest of the group and then lowered her voice. "I was just telling Georgiana that the gym would not be available for viewing."

His brow wrinkled. "Is there something wrong with it?"

"Uh, no." She hesitated, thinking of how to be discrete. "It's occupied at the moment."

The wrinkles on his brow grew deeper. The people who usually used the gym were in the room at the moment. Unless. . . "Perhaps I should check it out."

"If you think that would be best." She excused herself, but not before she gave him a smile that showed her approval.

William turned to the rest of the group. "There's something I have to check on. I'll see you guys at dinner." He walked out of the room before anyone could ask him what he had to check.

When William was gone, Anne said, "Something's going on."

Richard shook his head. "What makes you think that?"

"I don't know. . ."

Richard changed the subject. "So, have you two set a date?"

Charles and Jane looked at each other, still reeling over their recent engagement. They both started at the same time.

"We haven't talked about it yet."

"In a year."

They all looked at Charles because of his In a year comment. After a moment, they all laughed.

Charles, ready to shift the attention away from himself, said, "What about you two?"

Richard's and Anne's laughing came to an abrupt stop at the sound of Charles' question. They both started at the same time.

"Me and Richard?"

"I'm working on it."

Now everyone's attention was on Richard for his comment. He shifted in his spot. "So, what about William and Elizabeth?"

Anne turned to Richard. "What about them?"

"Well. . . it seems like they're. . . getting along."

Jane smiled. "Yes." She turned to Charles. "I remember how reluctant she was to go on the date."

Charles nodded in agreement. "William was the same way."

Anne raised her eyebrows. "You two set them up?"

Charles let out a light chuckle. "Yes. I know how much Will hates being set up and even more so blind dates."

Richard sat up in his seat. "He went on a blind date?"

Richard and Anne looked at the couple in front of them with astonishment. After a few moments, Richard remembered himself and spoke up. "He never ceases to amaze me."

Anne agreed. "Indeed."

Soon, the couples were talking about another subject. An unspoken agreement was made that they would stay away from any further talk about relationships and they enjoyed conversations ranging from the weather to the type of tea served that afternoon.

Continued in Next Section