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Elizabeth knew he would ask her eventually, but it took him quite a while to cut through the bunch of suitors who were not put off by her new engagement. When he bowed politely and asked her to dance, Elizabeth agreed with pleasure, and also with some sadness. She had dreamed so long of the day when Richard would arrive at a ball, see her, ask her to dance, and things would progress happily from there. Never in all her dreams had he been engaged to someone else, and never had she just accepted the proposal of another man.

"I do hope you shall not let the fact that Sabrina is Miss Bingley's friend to affect our friendship," he said as the dance began.

"I would not consider doing so, but I fear I must ask if we are still truly friends," she replied.

"Of course we are! Why would we not be?"

"To begin with, it has been nearly six years since I have had a letter from you."

"Ah...well, I have no defense for that, except that I thought you would be happier if you forgot about me. Darcy said that I was not being a good influence by helping you to forget--"

"Darcy told you what? That I needed to learn my place?"

"This was six years ago, Elizabeth. I think he has changed in his thinking, otherwise he would not be considering marriage to Caroline Bingley."

Elizabeth scoffed, "I think they would suit quite well, although I know your aunt Lady Catherine would never forgive him."

Richard smiled, for he could not deny the truth in this matter. "Yes, I suppose you are correct."

"You may think that six years have changed your cousin, but I have heard reports that contradict you."

"You have? What have you heard?"

"You are acquainted with Mr. Darcy's valet, Bingley, are you not?"

"As much as one can with another man's personal servant, which is to say, not well." Richard frowned. "Although I do recall Darcy saying that he had helped Bingley with a problem he had concerning marriage."

"Oh? And how was Mr. Darcy able to be of assistance?"

"Well, Bingley was in love with someone, though the girl's name escapes me. It was Jean or Joan or--Jane! That was it. Her name was Jane. Bingley talked the matter over with Darcy, who did not think it was a good idea."

Elizabeth bristled. "Why did he think that?"

"Darcy did not speak of the particulars, but I think there was a strong objection to the girl."

"And yet he keeps her employed," Elizabeth said coldly.

"Yes, as the head cook these past three months--how did you know that?" Elizabeth did not answer, but Richard then remembered. "Oh...Jane is your elder sister."

"Yes, she is. And I do not see what business it was of Mr. Darcy's to keep her apart from the man she loved, or what sort of objection he could have had against her! My sister is the sweetest person I know."

"Elizabeth, I did not agree with him when he told me of Bingley, and he was unable to defend his position to my satisfaction. Please do not think I would ever presume..." Richard broke off, wondering why he was defending himself to her. Wondering why he was so desperate for her to continue her good opinion of him.

"Oh, Richard, I would never think you would..." Elizabeth cringed inwardly to hear herself gushing so. He was another woman's fiancé, for heaven's sake! "There are several things that Mr. Darcy has done which have upset me. I would never think badly of you because of your relations. I am hardly in a position to do so."

Richard smiled. "You soon shall be," he said. "You have my sincerest congratulations on your engagement to Lord Robin."

"Thank you. And I wish you every happiness in your future life with Miss Tysen."

"Well...things are not entirely set between us." Now what made him say that? Aside from her father, who had wished his daughter to marry Richard's brother, Viscount Castleberry, rather than a younger son and an army man to boot, there was little holding back an announcement in the Times of his future happiness.

"They...are not?" Oh Lord, please do not do this to me!

"No. Her father, I believe, is against us." Well, he supposed that was true.

"How dreadful," Elizabeth said quietly, "that two people who love each other so much could be kept apart by circumstance."

Richard could not lie to her. "I do not know that I am as in love with Sabrina as I thought," he murmured.

Elizabeth looked into his eyes, startled. But she could say nothing. Even if he were to break his engagement to Miss Tysen tomorrow, she could not go back on her word to Robin. She had agreed to marry him and if she cried off she would humiliate him and break his heart.

Their dance ended and Elizabeth made her bow to Richard, then returned to her fiancé's side. Robin smiled at her and said, "You looked as though you were not enjoying that as much as you may have anticipated."

"The dreams I may have carried were doomed to fail in the face of reality."

"So Richard is not the same man you remember?" Robin was delighted to hear her speak of him so neutrally, without any sort of lingering disappointment. But then, he supposed that if she were still interested in Richard, she would not have agreed to marry him, would she?

"No, he is much the same as he was. We were speaking of his cousin, and...well, you have heard my opinion of the man on any number of occasions. I shall not bore you by repeating it yet again." Elizabeth resolved to put her unsettling discussion with Richard behind her, and smiled brilliantly. "Robin, now that we are engaged, I was wondering something."

"Yes?"

"Is it permissible for us to dance more than two dances now?"

Robin laughed and swept her out to the dance floor, reminding her, "We have actually danced three already, but I shall never object to partnering you on the floor."

Toward the end of the evening, as the older guests retired for the evening, proclaiming to their host that this years' ball was the best yet, Elizabeth found herself in a position she had scrupulously tried to avoid since she had heard him announced. Unfortunately, Lord Robin had gone to see his mother off, as the events of the evening had exhausted her, and Elizabeth had no recourse but to accept the offer of a dance with Mr. Darcy.

The orchestra struck up a tune that had, before then, been one of Elizabeth's favourites. "Mr. Beverege's Maggot" would cease to be so after this, she swore to herself. Bowing to her partner, the dance began.

She had thought Mr. Darcy had asked her to dance in order to threaten her, or censure her audacity in accepting an offer of marriage from an earl when she was just a common girl. But the dance had progressed nearly two minutes when she realized that he had not spoken one word at all.

"I believe we must have a little bit of conversation, Mr. Darcy," she said, doing her best to keep her voice level. "Just a little would suffice, I should think."

"Do you talk by rule, then, while you are dancing?" he finally asked.

"For the most part. I find that it keeps things interesting, and I rarely find someone that I cannot spend half an hour conversing with in some manner or another."

He smiled. "I can see why you have Society so enraptured."

What sort of reply was she to make to that? "I do not talk merely to enrapture people. I talk because otherwise I might become bored, or be considered boring. I try not to sound like a chatterbox, and I try not to become too opinionated. The latter is the more difficult of the two."

"I should imagine so, for I remember quite well how you love to speak your mind."

"I should wonder why you asked me to dance, if all you wished to do was insult me."

"Forgive me, Eliza--er, Elizabeth. I did not mean any insult. After all, you were the one who made the comment. I merely agreed with you because I had personal experience. As to why I asked you to dance, it is because I did not get the chance to finish our conversation about your presence in London."

"I considered the conversation finished, Mr. Darcy, for I had nothing to say to you on the subject. As I have explained to a great many people, Lady Grace was kind enough to take me in after discovering that we were relatives of some sort."

"That is utter nonsense and we both know it. Your family has been in service to mine for five generations. There is no possible way you could be related to the Bennet woman who married Mad Jack Hamilton. I have heard that it is your connection to her."

"And you think I told Lady Grace that to fool her?"

"As I said before, Elizabeth, I do not know what to think."

"Then here is the plain, unvarnished truth, though I do not know why I should be telling you this. I was working in my uncle's shop when Lady Grace came in one day with her pug. Pug got free and ran out the door, and nearly run over by a carriage. Had I not grabbed him in time, he would be dead. Lady Grace thought me worthy enough to invite to dinner, and then worthy enough to take in and present to Society. I had my doubts then, but no longer. Lord Robin fell in love with me, and I am in love with him, and we are to be married. Now I dare you to expose me, Mr. Darcy, for surely that was your sole purpose in coming here tonight."

Mr. Darcy remained silent for a minute. "What made you think I would expose you?" he finally asked.

Elizabeth managed to keep a smile on her face, for she saw that Lord Robin had returned. "It was the oddest thing," she said, "but when I was in Meryton last fall I had the opportunity to speak to an old friend of yours."

"Who might that be?" Darcy asked.

"George Wickham. It surprised me that he knew who I was, as we had not really seen in each other in so long."

Darcy frowned. He had not heard much about George Wickham since the day he had left Pemberley following the reading of George Darcy's will. He had only seen the man a few times, and only in passing. He seemed to recall that Mr. Tysen had asked him about the man, and Darcy had given him his honest opinion, but that was the last time Darcy could remember even thinking about him.

"What of him?"

"He told me that what you did nearly killed him."

Darcy was quite confused about that statement. What had he done? The only thing he could think of was the settlement the two had reached when George left Pemberley six years ago, but that had been rather amicable. "I am afraid I am at a loss as to how I damaged George Wickham, or why you would believe him. If I recall correctly, you were never in his good graces, or he in yours."

The dance ended, and Elizabeth regretted that there was not more time to talk to him about what he had done. "That is the strange thing about maturing. You find that you have more in common with some people than you thought. Thank you for the dance, Mr. Darcy."

"Miss Bennet?" He called to her. Elizabeth turned back. "When we were at university together, George was rather good at coming up with tales. I would suggest you look at his character before believing everything he says."

The remark, coming at the point where Elizabeth was weakest to defend George, silenced her altogether and she was in a foul mood when she rejoined Robin.

"I am sorry I was not here to protect you from having to dance with him," Robin said swiftly.

"It is all right, but I am dreadfully tired. Do you think we could go home?"

"Yes, of course. I shall call for my carriage immediately."

"No, not just away from here...Robin, I want to go home. To Pemberley. I am so tired of pretending to be someone I am not, and of...all this. I want to go home for a while and...and I have not seen my father in nearly a year. I have not seen my sister Jane or my horse or anything and...and..."

Robin smiled warmly. "Of course you shall go home. I shall instruct the servants to begin preparing your things, and you must go first thing in the morning. Spend as much time as you like there...well, within reason. I would not wish to spend my life living at Pemberley when I have just as nice an estate in Sussex."

Elizabeth laughed. "Thank you, Robin. Thank you so much."

"No, Elizabeth...thank you. For making me the happiest man in all of England tonight."

Coming Home

Posted on Sunday, 3 October 1999

Immediately upon her return from the Duke of Eddington's ball, Elizabeth dispatched a courier to Pemberley to give her family the news that she was returning home. She felt guilty about waking up a servant who had clearly worked hard all day, but she did not want to shock her family by returning unexpectedly. The servant was a bit brusque to be awakened for such a purpose at first, but when Elizabeth handed him a sum for his trouble that he could not earn in a month, he was much more cordial to her.

The letter she sent announced her imminent return, and not the enormous news she would have to tell them upon her arrival. Elizabeth felt that her engagement was a matter far too personal to disclose to her closest family in such an impersonal manner as a letter, though when she thought of her mother's reaction to the news that her daughter's engagement to an earl, she gave it serious consideration. In the end, Elizabeth decided that it would be best to tell them in person, and deal with things as they came.

She parted from Lady Grace and Lord Robin with no small degree of sadness. Lady Grace promised to come to Pemberley so that the arrangements for the wedding could be made, but both Elizabeth and Robin agreed that nothing special had to be done. A simple wedding would suit them best, and though Robin wanted to marry before the start of the next Season, good sense overcame his desires. A swift marriage would make some people think that a child would soon follow. To be certain, those who suspected that Miss Bennet was not all she appeared would cite a hasty wedding as evidence of some wrongdoing. Robin did not want anyone to think badly of his fiancée, and so he agreed to wait and make it the event of the next Season. With many promises of writing daily, and a swift, stolen kiss when there was no one looking, Robin bid good-bye to Elizabeth.

Dear Papa, Mamma, Jane, Kitty, and Lydia,

I hope you shall be pleased when I tell you that I am coming home. The Season has ended, and Lady Grace has been kind enough to allow me to use her carriage for my return. Quite different style than when I left, would you not say? I have news which cannot keep, for you are sure to hear it soon, and it would be best to hear it from me rather than from someone else.

Forgive the shortness of this letter but I shall, as I have said, tell you of all my London adventures when I return. I leave London quite early in the morning and I expect that I should be at Pemberley by late afternoon, barring any unforeseen circumstances.

Love, Elizabeth.

"Well!" Sandy exclaimed as her husband finished reading the short missive Elizabeth had sent. "There can only be one thing she has come to tell us, and that is of an engagement."

"Sandy, I would not be so certain that Elizabeth is to be married until you hear it from the girl herself," Tom said calmly, though he was as certain as his wife that Elizabeth was engaged. He had not the first clue of who it could be, for Elizabeth never mentioned anyone other than Lord Robin Hamilton in her letters, and never in any way which made him think she had feelings for him.

"What else could it be? 'News which cannot keep.' I somehow doubt she would say that if she were merely going to return to Edward's shop to work. No, Tom, she is engaged. But to whom? I cannot understand why the girl never wrote to me, not once while she was in London. Perhaps if she had had the decency to write to her own mother, I would know who the gentleman is and--"

"Even had Elizabeth chosen to write, you cannot read," he reminded her.

"Still, she could have had you read them!"

"I did read her letters."

"All of which were addressed to you!"

"Because I was the only one who--Sandy, this is a ridiculous argument. You know just as much about Elizabeth's life in London as I do, and she has never mentioned any particular gentleman by name."

"She mentions Lady Grace's son a great deal," Jane said quietly as she looked out the window, her joy at her closest confidante's return mingling with her sadness that Charles was gone with Mr. Darcy to London, and even should they return soon he would still treat her with the same indifference that he had before he left. No, not indifference, she thought. Indifference would indicate that he did not care, and Jane felt that he did, for he looked at her when he did not think she noticed, and she saw the sadness in his eyes.

"You do not think she is engaged to an earl, do you?" Lydia snorted. "Earls marry women of equal rank. Earls do not marry girls who talk of nothing but books and horses, no matter what their rank. As Elizabeth is not of his station and talks of nothing but books and horses, I doubt that she is engaged to him."

Tom looked at his youngest daughter, amazed that she had said something sensible for a change, rather than her silly rambling, but before he could say something, she continued.

"If I were Elizabeth, I would have done everything in my power to win him. He would have become so captivated that he would not have cared that I am a mere peasant. No doubt Elizabeth bored the poor man to death. I would have shown him--"

"Thank you, Lydia. I believe we all know what sort of things you would have done." Tom frowned, for Lydia was at an age where all she thought about were young men, and he had more than once suspected that she was sneaking out to meet them in the stables. He had found evidence one morning of a couple being in one of the empty stalls, and little bit of lace with the initials L.B. etched on it, but there were several other young women with those initials and he could not accuse Lydia without direct evidence.

Lydia bit her lip and worried about what her father knew. When he said nothing further, she relaxed somewhat.

"An earl," Sandy breathed softly, thinking of it. Naturally, were she to choose a daughter to be married to an earl, it would not have been Elizabeth but rather Lydia or Jane. But life does not give one perfection, and Sandy did not ask for it anyway. If Elizabeth, with her lack of beauty and charm and good social graces, could marry an earl, well who knew how highly her other daughters could marry! And now they would have someone to introduce them to society!

Sandy was so wrapped up in her dreams of a future in which she became the mother of a countess and perhaps a duchess or princess that she did not notice when Tom left the room and retired to his library to think on what Jane had said. He thought it as likely as Lydia that Elizabeth was marrying an earl, but it was possible. Elizabeth had only mentioned Lord Robin in her letters, and he wanted to reread them, to see if there was something he had missed before.

He did not leave the room until he heard the sound of horses' hooves and carriage wheels coming up the path to the main house. Tom looked out the window, from which he had a wonderful view, and saw a stately carriage, with a number of trunks piled upon it, approaching. His first thought was that Mr. Darcy had returned, for he knew that Elizabeth had not had that many trunks when she left. However, when he looked at the driver, it was not John Iverley, the young man he had sent to London with Mr. Darcy to be his coachman. And when a solitary female figure alighted from the carriage, Tom instantly recognized his second child.

A moment later, he heard Sandy shouting, "Tom! Tom! Elizabeth is here! Elizabeth has returned! Tom! Jane! Kitty! Lydia! Elizabeth is here!"

Sandy and the girls ran outside and toward the carriage, where Elizabeth was calmly instructing the driver where to take her belongings. If the servant thought it odd that the young lady was not a member of the family who lived in the great house, he said nothing. In fact, all of Lady Grace's servants knew the truth about their future mistress, and it only served to endear her to them, for deep in their hearts they all held the dream of marrying someone important, and that one of them had gotten the dream did not stir envy as much as it did longing and respect.

Sandy enveloped her daughter in a great hug, which surprised Elizabeth. Sandy had been almost jubilant when Elizabeth had left. Elizabeth did her best to return her mother's over-enthusiastic greeting, but reserved her genuine happiness for Jane. "We shall talk in great detail about Bingley later," she whispered to her elder sister. Jane nodded and said nothing more. Elizabeth greeted her two younger sisters, inquired after Mary, and finally, waiting just outside the doorway, was Tom. Elizabeth practically hurled herself at her father, so great was her joy in seeing him. Tom laughed as his held his daughter in his arms.

"Hello, Papa," she said quietly.

"Elizabeth, it is good to see you. And you look...." Tom looked over his daughter in amazement. The Elizabeth of old would have been wearing an old riding habit, bedraggled hair, and scuffed shoes peeping from a hem that was usually two inches too short. Now she wore an elegant dress of peach muslin, with perfect hair and lovely shoes hidden by the hem of her dress. She looked every inch a lady. "You look lovely."

"Thank you, Papa. It is wonderful to see you, too."

Elizabeth tried to give the driver a small sum for bringing her home, but he maintained that Lady Grace or Lord Robin would see to his wages, bid her good day, and left. Elizabeth wanted to put her things away, but her letter had caused too much interest for her to take the time to go to her room for a few minutes. Elizabeth was practically dragged into what passed for a sitting room. She sat in her old chair and looked at her family. It was strange how they did not change. Her father still looked as though he would rather be outdoors. Her mother was even now pressing her to tell them what urgent news had brought her home "so suddenly." Kitty and Lydia were giggling already in anticipation of hearing that Elizabeth was marrying an attorney or perhaps a country doctor or rector.

Only Jane, who was so subdued, had changed. Elizabeth knew why, and she knew who was responsible. She did not intend to tell Jane that their suspicions had been correct, that Mr. Darcy had discouraged Bingley from marrying her, but she did want to help Jane plan to win him back.

"Elizabeth!" her mother snapped.

Elizabeth blinked several times, for she had allowed her thoughts to travel away from the conversation, which had stalled when she had not answered the question of what had brought her home.

"Sorry, Mama, I was...I was just thinking of how good it is to be home."

"Well, we are certainly glad to hear you say it. Now, what was it you had to tell us?"

Elizabeth smiled. "I wanted to tell you about my Season in London. It has ended, and now I am come home."

This was not what Sandy had anticipated. "You...you mean you are home...for good?"

Elizabeth's smile grew. "I am home, though for how long...I cannot say."

Tom could tell that Elizabeth was deliberately baiting her mother. He supposed he should put a stop to it, but he was enjoying it far too much to take action.

"B-but...but I thought you were so excited to come home because...well..."

She knew she should have just said she was coming home. "Because of what?"

"To tell us you were engaged," Lydia finally said, rolling her eyes. "What else?"

"Then I would not be permitted to come home because I missed my family?"

"Well of course you would, but..." Sandy saw her dreams of being the mother of a countess fading.

"I see. Then I suppose it is just as well that I have become engaged, for I would fear my reception otherwise."

Sandy shrieked in delight, while Jane smiled serenely and Kitty and Lydia giggled to each other. Tom could tell by the look on his daughter's face that there was something she was not telling them, and so he said, "To whom?"

Rather than continue to tease her mother, Elizabeth calmly said, "To the Earl of Denby. Lord Robert Hamilton."

Elizabeth had expected more of what she had just heard, but upon her announcement silence fell in the room. They had thought about it, joked about it, dreamed about it. But Elizabeth had made it more than a thought, joke, or dream. It was real. Elizabeth Bennet, the daughter of a cook and a coachman, was going to be a countess.

"When did this happen?" Sandy asked, looking as though she were about to faint.

"Just last night. We were at the Duke of Eddington's ball--"

"Oh! A daughter of mine at the ball of a duke! Oh, Tom! Oh, Elizabeth! I'm so proud of you! But...but you did not look a fool, did you?"

"Of course she did not!" Jane exclaimed. "For how else would she have succeeded in society if she had been foolish. Mamma, I am certain Elizabeth deported herself as a lady at all times."

Sandy was not certain if it had been possible of her second child, but it appeared that it had been.

"I believe Elizabeth was speaking about how she became engaged," Tom said quietly.

Elizabeth looked closely at her father, who looked a bit saddened by the news. Elizabeth felt his pain far more than she had thought she would. She had planned on telling him everything--about how she thought Mr. Darcy had been close to exposing her, Miss Bingley's rudeness, Robin saving her from them, the sudden proposal while they were waltzing. But now she did not know if she should tell him, for fear that he might have some objection.

For fear that he might figure out that she was uncertain about whether or not marrying Robin was the right thing to do.

"It was a bit sudden," she said. "We were dancing, and...and then he asked me to marry him."

"He proposed while you were dancing?" Lydia asked incredulously. She and Kitty fell into a burst of giggles.

"And what was wrong with that?" Elizabeth felt duty-bound to defend Robin. "Robin had never proposed to a woman, and I had never been proposed to. If you can find a better time to ask someone to marry you, by all means do so. But I would not have had him do it any other way."

Tom coughed to cover up his laughter. There was something wrong with this whole engagement matter, no doubt about it, but seeing Elizabeth defend Lord Denby warmed his heart. His little girl had come home, and she was as tenacious as ever.

"Mr. Darcy was at the ball," Elizabeth added.

"Not our Mr. Darcy!" Sandy exclaimed. "You attended a ball with him?"

"No. I attended a ball that he also happened to be attending. We did not go together."

"Was Miss Tysen there? Was that handsome Fitzwilliam boy with her? Kitty heard from Mrs. Reynolds that he proposed to her while she stayed with Miss Darcy. What about that awful Miss Bingley, who was here only a couple of times and was quite rude to Jane? Some friend she was, not coming until Miss Darcy was well again, though she claimed that she was concerned about her welfare and could hardly sleep due to worry. Was--"

Elizabeth sighed. "Yes, Mamma, they were all there. Miss Tysen and Richard were there, and I heard the same thing you did. Unfortunately, Miss Bingley was there as well." Elizabeth smiled at her younger sisters.

"Did you wear beautiful gowns when you went to balls? Did you get to see the latest fashions? Did you wear smart bonnets and--" This was from Kitty, who loved fashion.

"Yes, I did. I brought all of them home so you could see them, Kitty." Elizabeth fully intended to let Kitty and perhaps even Lydia have some of them, for she had little use of them now that she was home again. "I came home because I did not wish for you to learn of this through some other manner. I do not know when Mr. Darcy plans to return home, but I knew how quickly gossip would spread, and the news of an important, titled gentleman marrying a commoner was going to spread quickly."

"Does Robin know the circumstances in which you live?" Tom asked.

"Of course he does," Elizabeth said. "He knows everything."

"Does Society know of the truth?"

Elizabeth wished he had not asked that question. "We told as few lies as possible. The only thing we told people about my family was that I was forced to work in my uncle's shop to earn my keep--and that is the truth. Most people think that I am of..." Elizabeth was going to say 'good breeding' but decided that it might hurt their feelings. Though she had lied by omission about them, she was proud of her family.

Or at least, she was proud of her father and Jane.

"...noble background," she finished. "They think I am related to Lady Grace."

Tom sensed that there was a great deal more that Elizabeth was not saying. He knew all about the deception, but for the life of him he could not understand why there had been so little mention of Lord Denby in a manner which would suggest she wanted to marry him.

"You look tired, daughter," Tom said. "I think perhaps we should allow you to get settled in your room and rest for a while."

Elizabeth turned grateful eyes toward her father. "Thank you, Papa."

"I shall help you put things away," Jane said.

"I want to help as well," Kitty exclaimed, jumping up from her seat.

"No," Tom said. "I believe, Miss Catherine, that you have duties up at the house. You were only allowed a short break to welcome your sister and must return to them. You may see your sister's treasures later."

A disgruntled Kitty allowed Lydia to lead her back to the main house, where the two giggled and talked about how exciting it was that their sister was marrying an earl. Sandy finally allowed herself the pleasure of practically swooning, and thus Tom was only able to say, "It is good to have you home, Elizabeth," before having to tend to his wife.

Jane and Elizabeth walked to the bedroom they had shared for so long. Jane shut the door and looked at her sister. "Tell me everything, Elizabeth," Jane said. "Everything you left out of your version to our parents and sisters."

And so she did. When the tale was finished, Jane merely shook her head and asked, "What are you going to do? If you are not certain you love Lord Robin, you should not marry him."

"What can I do? Richard is engaged to someone else. Even if it has not been announced yet, it would be considered a grievous breach of etiquette for him to change his mind, not to mention breaking Sabrina Tysen's heart. She is a very nice young woman, and I would feel terrible if I were the cause of unhappiness to her. I would feel terrible if I were the cause of unhappiness to anyone, with the exception of Caroline Bingley."

Jane rolled her eyes. "You should consider yourself lucky that you only met her twice, and when you were considered her equal. Every time she came here she had a look of presumptive ownership. It has been rumoured that she is desperate to marry Mr. Darcy."

"I think that would be a perfect match," Elizabeth said with great venom. Jane looked at her with surprise, for she thought that the animosity between Pemberley's master and her sister had faded a bit. "Though Miss Bingley is in for a surprise. Mr. Darcy is the property of Miss Anne de Bourgh of Rosings, remember?"

Jane had to chuckle. "I almost feel sorry for Miss Bingley."

"I knew that you had a soft spot for her, even though you said that I was lucky to have met her but twice. You tend to never find fault with people."

Jane smiled. "I do not know that it is a soft spot or if I merely feel a sense a kinship to her. After all, I...I know what it is like to..."

Elizabeth knew what Jane meant. Miss Bingley hopelessly pursuing Mr. Darcy, however, was hardly the same as Mr. Darcy ruthlessly tearing apart two lovers who wanted to be together. Only Jane did not know who was responsible for her broken heart, and Elizabeth did not wish her to know.

Why should she not know? Why should you protect Mr. Darcy in such a way?

Elizabeth knew the answer before she thought of the question. She did not wish to hurt Jane any more than she was already hurting. Finding out that Bingley's defection was due to objections her own employer had against her could damage her to no end.

"Jane, it is good that I have come home, for I have a plan to reunite you with Bingley."

"Elizabeth, it is sweet of you to want to help me, but if he does not love me then I do not wish--"

"Nonsense. I am positive that the man loves you. He just needs a little reminding, and I think I have just the plan to make him remember."

Although Jane protested that she did not wish to trick Bingley into loving her, she listened to her sister's plan and it gave her hope. Now all they had to do was wait for the return of the master and his manservant.

Neither anticipated how soon that would be.

A Momentary Lapse of Reason

Posted on Tuesday, 19 October 1999

Within three days of coming home, Elizabeth felt Pemberley to be home once again. She had ridden her horse, which, compared to the London nags, was absolutely magnificent. She had taken a tour of the grounds, and had nearly wept with joy to see her favourite reading spot by the pond again. London may have become the place where she belonged, but Pemberley would always be home, no matter that it was actually someone else's home, and she was soon to have a real home of her own.

Elizabeth wrote a grateful letter to Lady Grace, thanking her for everything she had done for her and promising that she would be ready to return to London on September 1. In the letter she wrote Lord Robin, she told of how happy she was to be back at Pemberley and how she had missed everything. At first she tried not to sound too happy, for if she did he might become offended, but halfway through the letter she tore it up and rewrote it, being completely honest with him. She felt he would appreciate it more.

She had long talks with many of the servants who could spare her a minute, Mrs. Reynolds in particular, for she knew she would need to learn how to take care of a great house such as Lord Robin was bound to have. The Pemberley servants were thrilled (if rather shocked) at Elizabeth's engagement to a member of the peerage, and were more than willing to give her what advice they could.

"Lord knows her mother will be more than useless in that category," Mrs. Soames, the gardener's wife, told Mrs. Reynolds one day as Elizabeth walked through the gardens and listened to the wisdom of Mr. Soames.

Elizabeth told of her "whirlwind romance" with Lord Robin so often that she was ready to scream. Much of it was made up and what was the truth went so well with the lies that it was enough to make every female who heard it swoon. But worse than having to tell the tale was her mother. Sandy had seized upon her daughter's imminent rise in rank and was already planning a lengthy visit to Robin's country estate next summer, with her other daughters in tow.

"Mother, we shall only be recently married," Elizabeth said when she heard. "The wedding cannot be held until next spring."

"Nonsense! Why, how can such a long engagement be tolerated by two people so in love with each other? Your father and I were engaged but two months before we married. Should you have a long engagement, people shall talk."

"People shall talk if we have a short engagement, Mamma. Robin wished to be married at the end of the summer--"

"You should defer to his wishes, Elizabeth. He is to be your husband."

Elizabeth grit her teeth and said, "Just because we are to be wed does not mean that I shall obey his every command. I was joined in my opinion by Lady Grace, and Robin saw the wisdom in waiting."

"Elizabeth Bennet, if you ruin this one chance to marry well and marry rich by being stubborn, I shall never see you again! That man has done you a great honour and saying that you shall not obey him is so insulting. I have no idea how I could have raised a daughter like you. Your sisters would know what to do with him!"

"All the same, I do not think it would be wise for you to stay with us so soon after we are married." Elizabeth could not resist adding, "And I think Robin rather likes it when I do not obey him. If he had wanted a wife with no spirit, he would have married long ago."

Sandy's mouth was agape as her daughter took her leave, wandering to the stables to talk to her father. Shaking her head with frustration, Sandy wished that it had been any other of her daughters rather than Elizabeth who had won the heart of an earl. Lord knew, poor Jane deserved it, and Lydia was certain to be precocious enough to charm a man such as Lord Robin. Yet it was Elizabeth who was soon to marry him.

Elizabeth had put off talking seriously with her father since she had returned, but the time had come and she knew it had to be done. Sure enough, Tom was in the stables, gently talking to one of Mr. Darcy's horses. Although he did not look away from the horse, Tom knew his daughter was present.

"How have you been, Papa? Honestly?"

Tom smiled and turned away from the horse. "Quite well, Elizabeth. Lonely, of course, without you to talk with. Bored senseless, with only your mother and sisters to talk with. Jane has hardly spoken to anyone since the debacle with Bingley."

"Does everyone know that sad business?" Elizabeth asked, fearing that the Bennet family had inadvertently made a spectacle of itself, for Jane would never do it deliberately.

"I do not think so. Perhaps Mrs. Reynolds, but it is her duty to know everything. Jane never said anything one way or another, and although it was clear that she had some feeling for the young man, no one could ever be certain how much."

"I feared that to be the case. I wrote Jane back before I met Lady Grace, telling her that she should be more direct. I could have sworn that she said she had been."

Tom shook his head. "Not Jane. She is too modest. She never had your outspoken nature, though she might have wished it when Bingley's affections faded away."

"Or were persuaded away," Elizabeth said coldly.

Tom frowned at the harsh voice his daughter used. "What do you think happened?" he asked.

"Oh, Papa! I have been wanting to tell someone what I learned in London. If I tell, you must promise not to tell Jane, for it shall break her heart if she learns that..."

"Of course I shall keep any confidence of yours, my dear. Now tell me without fear of repetition."

Elizabeth told her father of what George Wickham had said, admitting her own doubts about his complete honesty or what his motives might have been. She told him of what Richard had told her concerning Bingley and Mr. Darcy, and Mr. Darcy's denial of doing anything that would have injured George Wickham.

"You are correct in doubting what George told you," Tom said when she finished. "Mr. Tysen would never have allowed his daughter to marry so low with or without Mr. Darcy's interference. I cannot fathom what made the boy come up with such a story. I always thought he was a good friend of Darcy's, but now that I think on it, I seem to recall that there was some sort of rift between them when they came home for the late Mr. Darcy's funeral."

"If Mr. Darcy is possibly innocent regarding George Wickham, he still can have no defense for what he has done to our Jane."

Tom knew Elizabeth was correct, but he had to ask her something. "Did you ask Mr. Darcy what he had said to Bingley to discourage the young man's feelings for Jane?"

Elizabeth looked down at her shoes. "No, I did not."

"Then you think Mr. Darcy guilty because of what his cousin said."

"Papa, you can hardly think that Richard would make up a story like that. Richard is the complete antithesis of George Wickham. He is honest, forthright, morally upstanding--"

"You know, if I did not know better I would think you were in love with Richard and not Lord Denby."

Elizabeth did her best to keep her face neutral. She laughed and said, "Nonsense, Papa! My feelings for Richard are as a friend. I love Robin." She hated having to lie to her father, but she did not wish to tell him the truth for fear of his disapproval. "If I did not love him, I would never have agreed to marry him."

"I do hope you are certain of that, Elizabeth. I would not wish for you to make your father's mistake and marry for something other than love. I would not wish for you to go through life with a partner you could not respect."

"You have no fear of that, Papa." It was all Elizabeth could do to keep tears from forming in her eyes, and so she turned away before her father saw anything.

Yet Tom, ever observant, did see the troubled expression on her face and worried. Never before had Elizabeth kept anything from him, and certainly never about something as important as this. It hurt him, but he knew that Elizabeth must have her reasons for keeping silent. If she told anyone, he knew it would be Jane. For the moment, knowing she had someone to trust would have to be his comfort.

Tom was about to change the subject when he heard the sound of hoofbeats, followed by excited voices and carriage wheels. "Who on earth could that be?" he murmured, for he was not expecting Mr. Darcy and his party for another two weeks. He walked out of the stables and headed for the main house.

Elizabeth brought herself under control and followed her father outside. Tom had immediately approached the visitors, calling, "Welcome home, Mr. Darcy!"

Elizabeth stiffened. Mr. Darcy had returned. Although it meant good news for Jane, Elizabeth had not anticipated having to see her nemesis so soon after leaving him behind in London. But her anger at his returning was suddenly gone when she saw who else was with him.

Richard sat upon his horse, looking absolutely magnificent to her eyes. She hid herself out of his sight, wanting nothing more than to see him unobserved.

"We did not expect you for another two weeks--I fear you shall upset Mrs. Reynolds!"

Mr. Darcy laughed. "I dare say she keeps my home looking as tidy as it is when I am in residence, Tom. It is good to see you."

What a hypocrite! He is so friendly to my father when he rejected Jane as a wife for his servant! What audacity! What pride and vanity and...

"It is good to see you as well, sir."

Oh, Papa! How can you possibly be civil to the man, after what I have told you? How can you continue to do his bidding? Five generations be hanged, it is time for the Bennets to stand on their own! If I do one thing as the Countess of Denby, it shall be to get my father away from this...this tyrant.

"You may be surprised to hear that I saw your daughter in London," Mr. Darcy was saying. "She was--"

"Oh, Elizabeth is here, sir. She arrived but seven days ago."

"She did?" Mr. Darcy sounded surprised to hear this.

Where else would I have gone? Elizabeth bit her lip to keep from saying something in anger.

"Yes, sir. It does her mother good to be near her, especially since it shall not be long before she leaves us forever."

"Yes. Please accept my congratulations on your daughter's imminent marriage."

"Thank you, sir. Good afternoon, Colonel Fitzwilliam. Are you to be staying long?"

"I believe I shall have a lengthy visit with my cousin."

"Though I dare say that it is not merely our company he is eager to have while he is here in Derbyshire," a voice called from the carriage--Georgiana's. She was reprimanded by Mrs. Younge, who muttered, "For goodness' sakes, I know you have better manners than to be shouting from a carriage window."

Elizabeth rolled her eyes, and was a bit surprised to hear Mr. Darcy say, "Mrs. Younge, my sister was merely making an observation and could not be considered to be yelling."

Well, he always was considerate of Georgiana's feelings. It made no difference to Elizabeth, for she had too much resentment of the man to change now.

Although she thought no one had noticed her, she was the first sight that had greeted Richard's eyes. Darcy's surprise at hearing she was at Pemberley was genuine--they had both thought her to be in Sussex with Lord Robin and his mother. To Richard, who had just left the cloying sweetness of his intended, she was a breath of fresh air.

She was dressed in the simplest gown she had in her wardrobe, a blue muslin. Her dark hair was tied back with a ribbon and flowed down her back. She looked much as he had imagined her to be dressed before he had seen her in London. The Elizabeth Bennet he was seeing was more like the girl he was used to. But underneath it all, he could tell how she had changed. And it was those changes that he had been thinking about for a week.

Richard had tried to tell himself that he could not think about her. She had just announced her engagement to another man. His engagement to Sabrina would be announced to start the next Season. He was not technically an army man anymore, for he had resigned his commission. He would have no need for it once he married Sabrina, or so everyone had told him. Sabrina came with a great fortune, after all, and it would be selfish of him to continue to serve in the army when less fortunate men than he could use the benefits of his rank. If he were to change his mind and pursue Elizabeth, he would have nothing.

He did not know why he thought about her so much, for she would not be marrying Lord Robin if she did not love him. He knew that much about her. Yet he could not help but remember the look in her eyes when he had said things were not completely settled between Sabrina and himself. It was almost wistful...longing...regretful.

Richard had never thought of Elizabeth having feelings of any sort for him, except as a friend. Now he recalled the last time they had seen each other, when she had said she was in love with someone and had not named him. She had had something to say to him but had said nothing. At the time, he had thought it meant they were drifting apart. Now he wondered, if he had listened to her, what might have happened.

"Richard? Richard, is something wrong?" Darcy asked.

Richard shook his head. "Nothing at all. Just woolgathering," he replied. "Forgive me, it was most rude."

"He gets like this whenever anyone mentions Sabrina," Georgiana said from the carriage, again earning her a reprimand from her governess.

Elizabeth's heart sank at Georgiana's words. He gets like this whenever anyone mentions Sabrina. She had spent the past week thinking about how he had said his engagement was not set. Perhaps he had been teasing her, for obviously he thought about Miss Tysen a great deal. Enough so that he walked about in a fog and ignored people.

Elizabeth turned and left the scene without greeting anyone of the party. She had to get away before she did something to disgrace herself.

Richard watched her disappear suddenly, wondering why she had not bothered to make herself known. He wondered why she had looked so stricken.

It was no matter for now. He knew where he could find her so they could talk in private.

He gets like this whenever anyone mentions Sabrina.

Elizabeth sat with her shoes and stockings off, her bare feet swirling around in the mud of the lake. She was not foolish enough to strip down to her undergarments and swim, as she might have five years ago or perhaps even last year, especially not with Mr. Darcy in residence. She wished she could be a young, innocent girl again. She wished she had never met Richard Fitzwilliam. She wished she could be smart enough to put her feelings for him away and marry Robin with a clean conscience.

But she could not.

"Elizabeth," she heard him whisper behind her. She knew he would be coming here, for he knew she would be here.

This is wrong. You are wrong. He loves Sabrina. He is here to tell you that he loves Sabrina, that you are a fool. He is here to tell you to stop making a spectacle of yourself in front of everyone.

"Hello, Richard," she said quietly. "I think this is a private enough setting that you do not have to whisper."

He raised his voice and said, "Yes, you are right."

Elizabeth suddenly became away of her disheveled appearance. In running away, her ribbon had fallen somewhere and was lost forever. Her blue dress was snagged in a couple of places. Worst of all, she was not wearing her stockings or shoes. Most unladylike.

Lady Grace would be ashamed of me.

"I--I think perhaps I should--" Elizabeth looked down at herself.

Richard immediately realized the problem. He wondered if she knew that her hem was about six inches deep in mud from the pond, as she had not bothered to hike it up to keep it out of the way, as the Elizabeth Bennet of old would have.

He suspected that she did not know, and it only endeared her more to him, and he was in grave danger as it was of being completely enamoured.

Richard chuckled and removed his boots. A moment later, he had joined her at the water's edge, his feet stuck in as much mud as hers.

"Between friends, I think a little familiarity of manner is allowed," he said.

"Of--of course," she stammered. "I fear, however, that our respective...er, well, I do not think Miss Tysen or Lord Robin would approve if they were here."

"They do not know us as we know each other."

"Richard..."

"I saw you earlier. Why did you not come forward?"

Elizabeth looked down at her feet, noticing her skirt for the first time. "Oh, Lord! Mamma shall never let me hear the end of this. She is forever grumbling about how I do not care for everything Lady Grace gave to me, including my wardrobe."

"You are avoiding my question, Elizabeth."

"I did not think your cousin would approve. In fact, I am certain he would not have approved. He never has approved of me."

"My cousin should not matter. He is not your friend--"

"Truer words were never spoken."

"I am your friend. Saying hello to me is permissible when you see me, regardless of who is present."

"Even Sabrina Tysen?"

"Unless she is with Miss Bingley, in which case you probably would not wish to approach me."

Elizabeth smiled, recalling the young woman's reaction to seeing her in London. "I cannot imagine what I have done to earn her dislike. I was polite to her the first time we met, and said very little of importance the other time."

"You can well imagine why she dislikes you. You represent what she fears."

"What is that?"

"Herself. Caroline Bingley's fortune comes from a bequest three generations back, from Lord Darling to her great-grandfather, who was his butler. It was an extremely generous sum, which Bingley invested in a trade and insured that his young wife and son would want for nothing. It makes her respectable, but just barely. Her attitude does not help, however, and there are many bachelors in London would use her as an excuse never to marry--if you marry, your wife might turn into another Caroline Bingley."

Elizabeth laughed. "I can see where that might scare them."

"It is good to hear you laugh. You did not laugh during our dance in London, and I wondered if you had forgotten how."

"I laughed a great deal in London. You were not there to see me."

"I am here now." Richard realized how close he was to her. If he wished, he could lean just a bit further and kiss her.

Elizabeth leaned away. "I think we should both remember that we are engaged--to other people."

"Yes, of course." Richard felt a keen sense of loss. "You have your Lord Robin."

Elizabeth frowned at the sarcastic way he said that. "What have you against my fiancé?"

"Absolutely nothing. Excepting one thing."

"And what is that?"

"The fact that he has you." His boldness surprised Richard, but nothing could have anticipated what he did next. Grasping her shoulders so she could not turn away, he kissed her.

Elizabeth had thought that being kissed by Richard would be the moment in which everything went right. But from the moment his lips met hers, she could not help feeling that everything was wrong. She should not be doing this--that much was certain. She did not know what else was bothering her about it, but she attributed those feelings to an extended sense of wronging Lord Robin and Sabrina Tysen.

She pulled away, her breath coming in sudden gasps. "I--I think I should return to my parents," she said quietly. "This cannot happen again."

"Elizabeth--"

"No! I shall not betray my fiancé in such a fashion. This was...was a momentary lapse of reason, and it cannot happen again."

"You would betray him with every word of love you said, because you do not love him." Richard knew this to be the absolute truth, for she would not have responded to him otherwise.

"It does not matter how I feel about him. I shall marry him, and you shall marry Sabrina and that is the end of it."

"I told you in London that I do not love her. I know you do not love him."

"Yet we are both betrothed. My engagement was made before all of London Society and cannot be taken back. After all he and his mother have done for me, I shall not return their kindness by doing this."

"Better to betray yourself than to hurt them? The only thing you do is hurt everyone."

"We do not know each other anymore, Richard!"

"Yet you have loved me for so long. Almost fifteen years."

Elizabeth rose, grabbing her stockings and shoes. "Yes, I have. I shall not attempt to deny it. But there is nothing I can do."

And with that, she fled, before she gave in to temptation and did something she would regret for the rest of her days.

Richard stared after her, realizing now that he was in love with her and had been for some time. Despite what Elizabeth said about this being a "momentary lapse of reason," he knew she was still in love with him. And he knew that they belonged together.

There was no way he could marry Sabrina now. Not after this discovery.

A Confrontation

Posted on Tuesday, 1 February 2000

Elizabeth had once thought she would never want to avoid Richard, but their troubling kiss by the pond made her do just that. She discovered that it was relatively easy to do. She told her mother that she was feeling unwell, which immediately sent Sandy into a state for fear that her daughter would catch a deathly chill and die. She insisted that Elizabeth go to bed and stay there for at least a week. Elizabeth did not argue, much to her father's confusion. And the following day, when Richard stopped by the Bennet cottage, he was informed by Lydia, who was shirking her duties as she normally did, that Elizabeth was unwell. Richard was suspicious but said nothing.

By the time Elizabeth had "recovered," Richard was too involved in plans for the upcoming annual masquerade ball his cousin held at Pemberley. Although Pemberley had more than enough staff to handle the three-day event, Darcy always liked to be involved in the planning and in deciding what things were to be done. In his zest for perfection he had enlisted his cousin's assistance.

The first day there would be all sorts of amusements for the guests during the day, followed by a formal dinner and informal musicale, of which young Georgiana would undoubtedly be the star. Richard smiled at the thought of his lovely young cousin, who was such a proficient at the piano and yet had to be dragged to the instrument in front of guests. Richard wondered if Elizabeth played the piano as well. He had heard her sister Mary play once, so he suspected that she might have picked up something.

The second day, the gentlemen would hunt or fish, whichever of the pursuits they preferred. Darcy would lead the hunt, of course, as he was an expert marksman. Richard had opted for fishing, as he preferred the sport. It was a much quieter pursuit than hunting, though he was as expert a shot as his cousin. The ladies would have gossip and parlor games to keep them occupied. Georgiana was not out yet and still far too young to be her brother's hostess, and therefore it would be necessary to invite Lady Catherine de Bourgh and her daughter Anne to the party, as always, to fulfill that duty.

Richard was not looking forward to seeing his aunt again, although it would be nice to see Anne. Even though his cousin was rather sickly, she was a sweet girl and it was a shame that she had such a mother. Richard hated to say anything like that about family, but he could not lie. Richard's only bit of satisfaction in the party from Rosings' arrival was that it would discomfit Caroline Bingley. As everyone knew, Lady Catherine trumpeted her daughter's imminent engagement to Darcy whenever his cousin was mentioned. And as everyone knew, Caroline Bingley had her heart set upon him.

The second evening would end with another formal dinner, and then the guests would be free to do as they wished. There would likely be card games and a bit of dancing. It would be an informal evening, and likely rather dull.

The third day would be the day of preparation for the masquerade ball, and very little would be done until the evening. The men might go out again, but mostly things would be quiet. Ladies would probably spend the day resting. Then the ball would come, and everyone would have a splendid time, as they always did.

Darcy tried to insure that there were plenty of things for his guests to do, and Richard was pleased to be able to help. It gave him something to do other than obsess about how he was going to manage to break his unannounced engagement to Sabrina without seeming like the worst of cads, and somehow manage to convince Elizabeth to cry off from her extremely public engagement to Lord Robin without people gossiping that there was a less-than-innocent reason for it. He could think of no possible solution, but it did not stop him from hoping.

Richard was also grateful for the diversion of party planning because like Elizabeth, he was also busy avoiding certain people--his fiancée and Miss Bingley, to be precise. He managed to succeed up until the day of the party, when Sabrina, along with her father and Miss Bingley, were the first to arrive. Richard had seen them arriving and had disappeared out a side entrance, heading toward the pond to think.

As he sat, staring at his reflection in the smooth, murky surface, Richard remembered what had happened years earlier, when his uncle had died and Elizabeth had brought him here, saying there was something she had to tell him. Richard knew in his heart that Elizabeth had intended to tell him she loved him, and he wished he had realized it then. Perhaps if he had, this mess with Lord Robin could have been avoided. He knew Elizabeth, and he knew it would not be easy for her to break off her engagement to the earl.

"Cousin?"

Richard turned at the sound of Darcy's voice.

"Hello, Darcy," he said.

"Whatever are you doing here? Did you not see Mr. Tysen and his daughter arrive?" Darcy joined his cousin in sitting beside the pond.

"I..."

"I saw you leave just as they were arriving, Richard. Why did you not wish to see them?"

"I was...trying to avoid Miss Bingley. She has been positively shrewish ever since Robin Hamilton announced his engagement to Elizabeth Bennet. I cannot stand her, even in Sabrina's presence."

Darcy knew Richard was lying, at least in part. He could see it in the way he would not look at him. Richard had always been a lousy liar, and he seldom resorted to lying. He knew Richard was telling the truth about not abiding Miss Bingley--Lord, who could?--but there was more to it than that. If he were the one in love and planning to marry a woman, he knew that no one, no matter how annoying, would make him avoid wanting to see her.

"Something has been troubling you," Darcy said quietly. "You have been this way since we returned from London. Perhaps even before."

"Perhaps I have."

It was also not like Richard to be secretive, and this troubled Darcy, for he could not figure out what his cousin's trouble was.

Richard stared out at the water for a moment before asking a question of his cousin. "Darcy, why did you prevent Bingley from marrying Jane Bennet?"

Darcy frowned at the question. "Who said I did that?"

"You did. Do you not recall that we spoke of it before leaving for London? I commented that your valet seemed to be in poor spirits, and you said that he had female troubles. When I asked, you said that he was in love with a woman and that he had asked you whether or not it would be advisable for him to marry her. You told him it was not. You said that there was some sort of objection to the girl."

Darcy reddened a bit. "I did not think she was in love with him. Bingley said he thought she was, but there were times he was uncertain. I said that I did not spy marks of love in her, and that if he was uncertain then perhaps it was best if he not pursue the matter. But I never once said that he could not marry her, as you have made it sound. Indeed, when he first mentioned that he was considering it, I was rather pleased. Jane is a very sensible girl, for all that Sandy Bennet is her mother. I sometimes think that God gave the first three Bennet girls all the sense and the remaining two had to make do with whatever was left."

"But you made it sound as though you did not approve of her when you told me." Richard was beginning to feel guilty, because he had a suspicion he had made Darcy's role in the situation sound far worse than it was to Elizabeth.

"I do approve of her. I just wanted Bingley to be certain that he was going to marry someone who loved him."

"Did you ever stop to consider that Jane might not be the type of woman who is able to reveal her feelings easily? She might have loved Bingley very much, and was just too shy to show him."

"I did consider it, but even someone extremely shy shows some sort of sign. A longing look, a sense of anticipation when the other is near...something. I spotted nothing with Jane." Darcy hesitated before asking, "Do you think I did something wrong?"

"I just do not understand why you took it upon yourself to determine in what manner your valet was to be happy."

"What was I to say, Richard? Bingley asked for my opinion, and I gave it to him. It is not as if I deliberately set out to break up the couple. Had Jane Bennet shown any sort of inclination towards Bingley, I would have told him. As she did not, I merely told him what I observed."

"You might have said that it was for Bingley to decide."

"Why do you show such an interests in the affairs of two of my servants, Richard? I have never known you to take such care, except when we were younger and you took offense at my treatment of Eliza Bennet."

"Elizabeth is furious with you because she feels you intervened unfairly in her sister's affairs, and having given it some thought, I quite agree with her. When Bingley asked you if it would be advisable to marry Jane, you should have said that he was a grown man who could make his own decisions. You should have realized that if you said it was not advisable, he would not marry her. You have made them both miserable. And I am observant, Fitzwilliam. You may not have seen what you call 'marks of love' in her, but what you did has hurt her deeply. She loved him. She loves him still. And he loves her as well."

Darcy looked down at his feet. "I did not realize that--"

"I know you did not." Richard looked at his cousin. He knew Darcy did not mean to hurt anyone deliberately, and he had not set out to do it this time. But he did not realize sometimes what the consequences of his words or actions were. It had gotten him into a small spot of trouble now, and Richard could only hope that it was not something that would soon be repeated.

"Richard, I noticed that be bringing this up you have managed to ignore my original query. I do not believe that Bingley's troubled romantic entanglement is the cause of your troubles."

Richard sighed. His persistent cousin was not going to let him forget why he had come to talk. He knew that his earlier answer had not fooled his cousin.

"I am having second thoughts about marrying Sabrina," Richard admitted at last.

Darcy's eyes widened in surprise. "Second thoughts? Why?"

"Because I do not think I am in love with her."

"Nonsense. Granted, you fell in love with her rather quickly, but I was here the day you came home after talking with her in the park. Your eyes were bright and excited. You looked like a man who had just discovered the greatest treasure in the world." Darcy smiled. "I envied you that night. No woman of my acquaintance had ever made me look that way."

"Did I look that way? I can hardly remember." Richard looked at the water. "It seems like such a dim memory to me."

"It only happened a few months ago, Richard. What has happened to make you..." Darcy frowned, as though suddenly something clicked together. "It could not possibly be...no."

"What?"

"Richard...you have not...I mean, you are not...interested in Eliza, are you?"

"Her name is Elizabeth."

"Good God, man! Not Elizabeth Bennet."

Richard felt his temper stirring at his cousin's horrified reaction. "What is wrong with Elizabeth Bennet? You yourself said she was a sensible girl."

"For one thing, she is engaged to another man. For another, she may be sensible, but she is also the daughter of my coachman and my cook. The Earl of Denby can be forgiven for such a lapse, especially since no one seems to believe a word about her origins. That, I think, can be attributed to Lady Grace's influence more than anything else. But there is no way that you could...forgive me for speaking plainly, Richard. I do not mean to hurt you but I must say this."

And here I had just been thinking that you do not deliberately set out to hurt people, Richard thought with a touch of irony.

"She would ruin you. You do not have enough influence or money to make people forget who she is, and make no mistake about it, should she jilt Robin Hamilton, people will believe she is who she is. Plus, you have resigned your commission and such a scandal as this would make it extremely difficult for you to ever get another. And have you even considered how Sabrina Tysen might feel? You may not love her, but I know she is in love with you. She has spoken of it often to my sister. You could not even consider doing this."

"I have thought about the consequences! I know that I would become an outcast, that Society would think the worst of both of us. I know that I would break Sabrina's heart, though I think it would break her heart worse if we were to marry and I were to never love her. She would know I did not love her, and that would hurt far worse." Richard glared at his cousin. "And I think the advice I gave you about Bingley should hold true in this case, Darcy. You should let me decide for myself what is to be done. And unlike Bingley, I did not ask for your advice."

"Richard, I did not mean to interfere. I am merely being rational. And I must ask if Elizabeth returns your feelings."

"Of course she does."

"Then why, on the night you saw her again, did she announce her engagement to another man?"

"Undoubtedly because she thought I was lost to her. I did accidentally mention that Sabrina was my fiancée."

"Meaning that had you not, she might not have agreed to marry Lord Robin?"

"Perhaps."

"I do not think you should end your engagement to Sabrina merely because you think Elizabeth is marrying for the wrong reasons. There is quite a difference between a childhood infatuation and mature love."

Richard sat thunderstruck for a moment. Darcy knew? Darcy knew that Elizabeth was in love with me all those years? How could he have noticed if I did not?

"For heaven's sake, Richard, it was as clear as the freckles on her nose that she had some sort of feelings for you when she was younger. She trailed after you like a puppy. You were her hero because you stood up to George Wickham and me. I think she still has some affection for you--she would be most unnatural if she did not--but I do not honestly think it can be called love. I am certain that if you were to tell her that you loved her, she would make it clear to you."

"You do not know Elizabeth as I do. You see her as a fortune hunter, like Caroline Bingley. You think she took advantage of Lady Grace's generosity to make her bow in Society, then managed to secure herself a place far above her station by agreeing to marry Denby."

"I think nothing of the sort. While I had my reservations upon hearing of her being in London, Eliza herself put them to rest. She was rather adamant about the details of her relationship with Lady Grace. But while in the past I have thought the girl to be rather foolish in refusing to learn a skill she could make a living at, I do not think she shall squander this chance to escape the servant class. Not even for you."

Richard had had enough. "You are wrong. Elizabeth is in love with me, I know she is. She said she'd loved me all this time. And she shall prove you wrong."

"Richard--"

"No! I shall hear no more!" Richard rose abruptly and disappeared. Darcy did not chase after him, for he knew to argue was useless.

Darcy sighed. He did not know when Eliza Bennet had managed to capture Richard's attention. For all he knew, Richard had been in love with her from the age of fourteen, when they had first met. But he loved his cousin dearly, and he knew he could not stand idly by while he made a disastrous mistake.

Darcy considered his options. He had extended an invitation to Lord Robin and Lady Grace to come visit Elizabeth at Pemberley, stating that they were more than welcome. He had hoped they could attend the party, but Lord Robin had sent his regrets at being unable to attend, but his mother was unwell. He did, however, accept Darcy's invitation to visit, saying that as soon as Lady Grace's health permitted, they would call upon the Darcys and of course upon Miss Bennet.

But that might not be for weeks. Darcy knew that he would have to act quickly, because Richard would not hesitate. As he headed back toward his house, where some of the guests were beginning to arrive, a plan began to form in his mind. It would require bribing a doctor...but that should be no trouble. Doctor McClain owed him a favor or two. But he knew that keeping Richard from Elizabeth was only half the battle.

Keeping Elizabeth away from Richard was another matter. If Richard was correct, Elizabeth loved him. Though Darcy had his doubts, he would be the first to admit that when it came to the Bennet girls, he was less than perfect in his observations. Richard could be right, and Elizabeth might love him dearly, and the reason she had avoided him for the past couple of weeks was due to her own guilt at what she was going to do to Robin Hamilton.

And if Richard was right, Darcy was going to need more than the plan he had now. One thing was set in Fitzwilliam Darcy's mind, and that was the simple fact that he could not allow Richard to marry Elizabeth Bennet.

He was determined that it would never happen.

The Masquerade Ball

Posted on Monday, 14 February 2000

Elizabeth looked at her reflection in the mirror. Outwardly, she looked every inch a lady. Her hair was fashionably styled. Her dress was modish, a beautiful dark blue gown with lace trim. On the table sat a mask dyed the same shade of blue as her dress. Her slippers had come from her uncle's shop, as had her gloves, but Lady Grace had often remarked that his store had the nicest gloves and other accessories. Outwardly, no one would ever have guessed who she really was.

But if anyone saw her leaving the cottage...

She had refused Richard's invitations to the musicale, the picnic, and the previous evening's entertainments. She had refused to see him altogether, in fact. But the masquerade ball was too much for her to pass up, though she did not respond to that invitation, either. Better to simply appear, enjoy herself for an hour or two, then leave. Perhaps next summer, after she was married to Robin, she would join the entire three-day event. For now, just a short time of enjoying herself at the event she had spied upon for so many years would be enough.

Elizabeth picked up her mask and went into the library. Her father was in the stables, finishing his duties for the night before retiring early. He would be quite busy in the morning, with all of the guests departing. Elizabeth decided it would be best if she were gone before he returned. She knew his opinion of her attending this ball.

From the cottage, Elizabeth could hear the orchestra playing a lively tune. The ball had just started, and from past memory she could well guess what was happening within the ballroom. Men in daring masks were dancing with ladies they knew, trying to figure out whether the pretty young lady they had been courting was wearing the blue or green gown and matching disguise. Shy men made bolder strides toward the ladies they had interests in, while bold men...well, their actions often led to trips to the garden. Ladies giggled to friends behind their fans and pretended they had no idea which gentleman was their beau, when they knew quite well who was behind every mask. Most of the guests were in the ballroom already.

She dearly hoped Caroline Bingley was among them.

For reasons Elizabeth still had trouble fathoming, the woman seemed to have a vendetta against her. Richard had said it was because Elizabeth reminded Caroline Bingley of what she might have been, if not for an inheritance a few generations back, but she got the feeling the woman's feelings went deeper than that. Robin and Lady Grace had made mention of the fact that Miss Bingley had attempted to win Robin's affections (and therefore his title and estates), but had gotten nowhere. She had then turned her attention to Mr. Darcy, and it had not wavered since.

Had Elizabeth become engaged to Mr. Darcy, she would be able to understand and perhaps relate to Miss Bingley's enmity; however she had no interest in the man. She detested him, in fact, and she was certain the man returned the favor. She was no threat to Miss Bingley's matrimonial interests at all, unless Miss Bingley actually loved Robin.

Elizabeth had to scoff at the notion. She did not know Miss Bingley well, but she knew the type. She had seen enough of them while in London, those who loved no one save themselves and nothing but money and position. Had Miss Bingley actually loved Robin, Elizabeth believed she would still be pursuing him. Her single-minded determination to marry Mr. Darcy proved her tenacity.

Yet what could explain her frequent "walks" past the Bennet cottage and Pemberley stables? Miss Bingley was looking for Elizabeth, determined to prove her a fraud, it seemed. She had met Sandy and asked after Elizabeth. Sandy had shown a rare bit of sense and had denied having a daughter by that name. Later, when talking of the incident with her family, Sandy added that Miss Bingley had been most rude and insistent that there was an Elizabeth Bennet who was her daughter.

"But I could not possibly ruin my dear daughter's chances for marrying an earl," Sandy said.

Miss Bingley had also cornered other members of Elizabeth's family as well. When she came to criticize a dish that she claimed had made her nauseous, she asked Jane how her sister Elizabeth did. Jane merely apologized for the meal, and took little offense at Miss Bingley's complaint, for Mr. Darcy had liked it quite well. Miss Bingley had gone to the stables and asked to ride a horse. The one she chose was Liar's Gamble, though Tom could not figure out how she knew to whom that horse belonged. Tom informed her that she could not ride that one, for the horse belonged to him, not to the Pemberley stables, and more specifically, it belonged to his daughter.

It added greatly to Miss Bingley's frustration that Tom would not tell her which daughter it was.

Miss Bingley's attempts to reveal her origins puzzled Elizabeth, for she needed no proof of them. She was certain someone had told her about them, and if she was looking to humiliate her in front of Mr. Darcy's guests, she was to be disappointed. Elizabeth was not about to make herself a spectacle for Miss Bingley's amusement.

Which was the other reason she had not attended any of the festivities. She figured that tonight, under cover of a mask and dim lights and a brief appearance, she should be able to slip in unnoticed by Miss Bingley. And hopefully, to slip away in the same fashion.

She had but one wish to fulfill before she married Robin, and this would be her only opportunity to make it come true. Ever since Mr. Darcy began holding these parties, and this ball, and ever since Elizabeth had sat up in the tree watching it all unfold, she had dreamed of dancing one dance with Richard. Just one dance in the Pemberley ballroom was all she wanted, one moment in which there was no Sabrina Tysen, and no Robin. There would only be the two of them.

Perhaps, after fulfilling her last dream, she could marry Robin with a clear conscience.

Darcy slowly let out the breath he had been holding. His deepest fear had been for naught.

Eliza was not at the ball.

Darcy had anticipated her appearance all through the party: at the musicale, where Sabrina had performed and Richard had not even bothered to pay attention; at the pond, where there had been an impromptu picnic yesterday; at the stables, helping her father.

Darcy had already spoken to Dr. McClain, just in case something happened and it was necessary to take care of Richard. Dr. McClain owed too much to Pemberley's patronage to refuse him, even though he would not be happy to participate in Darcy's plan. Darcy was pleased that it seemed the good doctor's services would not be needed, for it was absolutely certain Richard had been mistaken.

Richard might love Eliza Bennet, but she did not love him in return. She had stayed at home in order to avoid him, so she would not have to deal with his unrequited love. It seemed almost out of character for the girl he knew, but perhaps it was a technique Lady Grace had taught her. If so, he would have to remember to thank that good lady after Richard and Sabrina Tysen were married.

Darcy looked over the dancing couples. Richard was dancing with Miss Tysen, though he was not enjoying himself as he had in the past. Darcy frowned. Had he not known better, he would have thought that Eliza had bewitched Richard, and that she had done it deliberately.

Nonsense. Someone who would do such a thing would have attended all the activities as though she had belonged there all her life, and would not have remained in seclusion.

"This is a grand occasion, sir. You should be pleased," he heard a voice behind him say.

With a polite smile, Darcy turned to face Caroline Bingley. "Yes, it is," he said. "And I am most pleased."

"Miss Tysen, dear Georgiana and I spent all of our energies making this evening particularly special for you."

"I would not have you do so simply on my behalf."

"It was no trouble at all, Mr. Darcy! I was pleased to help." Miss Bingley looked over the scene, centering on the shy fifteen-year-old standing against the wall. "Miss Darcy is certainly going to be a beauty in a couple of years." When Darcy turned to look at her with an odd expression, she hastened to add, "Not that she is not all loveliness now. She is, but...I mean to say...when she is out, I have no doubt she shall steal every young man's heart."

"I am not certain Georgiana would wish for that to happen."

"Well, she is a bit shy. I can see that it would quite overwhelm her, but as my mother always told me, a girl's first duty is to get married." Miss Bingley gave him a coy look which indicated a subliminal meaning to her statement.

As Caroline Bingley tended to be as subtle as a blow to the head, Darcy did not mistake her meaning. He dearly wished he could be truthful with the woman. He longed to tell her that he did not love her and had no interest in her, for all her beauty and fortune. She was vain, shallow, materialistic, and he had seen in her attempts to expose Eliza Bennet that she was also petty. Vindictive, he would say, if he knew her reasons for doing it.

Darcy, however, had grown up with the principles of a gentleman. Gentlemen never insulted a lady. They never revealed their true thoughts or intentions when they would not be flattering. They never hurt a lady's feelings, which is what telling Miss Bingley his true feelings for her would do.

Anyway, he doubted she would care if he did tell her he would never marry her. She would undoubtedly escalate her pursuit.

"I do not wish for my sister to end up marrying without love." He would not give her a pointed look. She would misinterpret it. "Georgiana should have her mother's good fortune in matrimony."

"If I may be so bold, I dare say you wish to have your good father's fortune in matrimony."

"I do."

Caroline smiled becomingly, then noticed that he was staring at his cousin. Her smile wavered a bit, for she wondered why he would stare in such a fashion. "I must admit that I envy my dear friend Sabrina. She is so fortunate to have a man who loves her."

"By the same token, my cousin is fortunate to have her."

"Yes. In practical terms as well as more personal ones." Caroline knew she was being rather bold; however, as Mr. Darcy did not seem to object, she thought he rather enjoyed women who were forthright.

The dance ended, and Darcy watched as Richard returned Sabrina to her father and asked another young lady to dance.

"Miss Bingley, would you do me the honor of dancing this set with me?"

Caroline's face lit up. She was his first choice! A marked preference! She wanted to crow in triumph, especially to all those people who she knew mocked her behind her back.

"I thank you, yes." She allowed him to lead her to the dance floor, her smug face looking around at many young women's envious stares and their mothers' murderous glares.

The music began, and Darcy performed his duty most adequately. He secretly enjoyed dancing; his distaste was in the occasional lack of young ladies whom he could bear to partner. Miss Bingley had the amazing ability to remain silent when he danced with her, though whether this was out of awe, reverence, or a complete lack of topics, he could not say. Miss Tysen was an utter delight to partner, funny and sweet. A bit naive, but Mr. Darcy did not find it annoying. And the Misses Caldwell were nice, though the mother was a terror.

The thought came, unbidden, of his dance with Eliza Bennet at the Duke of Eddington's ball. While she had been rather hostile, he could not help recalling how expertly she had danced. And now that he thought about it, he recalled how graceful she was, how she talked, how much enjoyment she received from the exercise...

He looked over at Richard, who had almost stopped dancing altogether. Darcy frowned, wondering if something was wrong with his cousin. Richard's eyes were not on his partner, but on a young woman in dark blue. Darcy had not heard her being announced nor had he seen her enter the ballroom, and as she was masked, he could not be certain...

...but he knew who she was.

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