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Chapter 16. Sisters and Daughters.

Posted on 2010-08-26

May 1818

Thomas Bennet sat silently at his desk. There were things that he should be doing; even a relatively small estate such as Longbourn was constantly generating work for its master. Over the last two decades, he had become particularly adept at ignoring all but the most critical. However, since a particularly intense discussion with his second daughter earlier that spring, he was attempting to mend his habits (to varying degrees of success).

My dear Lizzy. He thought wistfully, his eyes drifting to a letter that he had tucked under the corner of his blotter in an effort to remove it from his sight (and thus his mind). She had sounded happier in that letter than she had in months, but his melancholy had increased with every line. His favorite daughter was coming back to him this afternoon, but she was not coming alone.

His favorite daughter was bringing home a man.

Elizabeth's letter had described the various dinners and outings that she had enjoyed while staying with her Aunt and Uncle Gardiner in London. Normally he would have been amused by her witty observations of the audience at the opera or the odd young man who had guided them around the botanic gardens.

However, her descriptions were littered with mentions of a certain gentleman from Derbyshire. In April, Mr. Bennet had comforted his daughter after she had rejected Mr. Darcy's marriage proposal and then discovered that much of her ill opinion of him was based on misconceptions and misinformation. He had even encouraged her to give the man another chance should she ever meet him again.

However, that had been when Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy was merely a signature on a letter and a vague memory of a tall, serious young man standing in the corner of a drawing room. In truth, Thomas had felt exceedingly virtuous after counseling his daughter and that feeling had buoyed him through the past month. He had improved his relationship with his wife and his two middle daughters had required surprisingly little effort on his part to diminish the worst of their silliness. Mr. Bennet had to admit to feeling a certain degree of pride in their improvements.

Mary still held what he considered to be an overabundance of enthusiasm for theological tracts, but she had expanded her interests to include the memoirs of various missionaries and their experiences with the natives of distant lands. She had taken to studying his atlas of maps so often that her father now left it out on the table in his book room so that she might examine it at her leisure.

Kitty had devoted herself to drawing with a passion that had stunned Mr. Bennet, although he had had to reassure her several times that he really didn't mind if she used up paper, as long as it was in an honest effort. The solution had proven remarkably enjoyable for both; they had agreed that each Sunday afternoon, father and daughter would sit together and she would show him her week's progress in her sketchbook. Her trust in him had increased as had his pride in her.

Mr. Bennet's reveries were interrupted by the sound of what he could only describe as loud female noises in the hall. He frowned. For all the improvements he saw in Mary and Kitty, he had yet to reach Lydia. To prevent her from following the regiment to Brighton, he had enlisted the help of her mother. The unfortunate byproduct of that action had been the deterioration of that lady's relationship with their youngest daughter.

Lydia seemed to regard Mrs. Bennet as some sort of turncoat from her cult of personality. She alternated between coaxing and lashing out at her mother and had lately begun to spend more and more time visiting her Aunt Phillips in Meryton. Now that Lieutenant Wickham and the militia were removed from Hertfordshire, Mr. Bennet was not particularly concerned that his youngest could get into any trouble worse than overspending her allowance on lace and ribbons. He could proclaim any number of rules (and he felt he was becoming better at enforcing them), but nothing seemed to reach Lydia.

The rumble of approaching carriages trickled through his open window with the summer breeze, bringing Thomas back to the present. Sighing heavily, he attempted to put on a happy face before leaving his study.

When Mr. Bennet reached the front door, most of his family already stood outside, waiting for two large coaches to come to a halt. The first was one which he was moderately familiar with; a brown, four-wheeled chaise that the Gardiners rented whenever they traveled beyond London. Thomas was amused to see his youngest nephew leaning half out of the open window to wave madly at his cousins before being pulled back to safety by his mother.

The Gardiners' carriage was followed by a larger, closed coach pulled by four matching Cleveland Bays. There was nothing ostentatious about the vehicle, but it was clearly well-made, well-maintained, and expensive. Mr. Bennet was intrigued when its owner opened the door himself and jumped down before the footmen could reach it. Intrigue was succeeded by amusement when the young gentleman immediately turned around and the youngest Gardiner daughter launched herself straight into his arms.

Although Elizabeth's father had not yet convinced himself that he was happy to see Mr. Darcy at Longbourn again, he could not but be charmed by the man's easy manner with the children. Having caught Amelia, Darcy swung her around before setting her gently on the ground, only to turn and bow deeply to eleven-year-old Rebecca in the manner of a courtier to a grand lady. Of course, the moment Miss Gardiner set foot on the ground, all pretenses were forgotten and she raced her sister to hug their cousins.

Mr. Bennet was forced to divert his attention from the Darcy carriage for a moment when his nephew and namesake, Tommy Gardiner, ran over to greet his uncle. When he finally turned back, it was to see an unknown young lady emerge, followed by Elizabeth.

Longbourn's master watched as his second eldest went directly to Jane; when the two sisters clung to each other for many minutes, he was reminded of just how much time they had spent apart since Christmas. Mr. Bennet was distracted from this train of thought when Mr. Gardiner was finally able to extract himself from his own sister's fluttering embraces. The two old friends shook hands, saying little but understanding how glad they were to see one another.

"Well, Edward. I'm happy to see that you all arrived safely. Lucky you have two carriages; this is rather a mob that you and Madeleine are traveling with!"

The other man smiled indulgently. "Yes, indeed. We were quite appreciative when Mr. Darcy volunteered his carriage--I suppose we might all have fit in one, but it would not have been a particularly comfortable voyage!"

Mr. Gardiner had just ascertained that Mr. Bennet should like to be reintroduced to that gentleman when Elizabeth finally reached them. Gathering his favorite daughter in a hug, Thomas kissed her forehead and blinked rapidly to suppress the tears he felt welling up.

"My dear Lizzy… It is good to see you, daughter." He stepped back but retained hold of one of her hands. "Let us look at you. No great changes that I can see… still a bit of mud on your dress, I see."

"Oh, Papa," said Elizabeth with a slight blush. She brushed at her skirt with one hand but rolled her eyes at the bit of mud that had splattered at the hem. "Just dirt--it will come out in the wash. Nothing a good country girl would worry about!" She caught her father's eye and they both laughed easily.

Mr. Bennet caught a hint of amusement on both of the visitors' faces. Elizabeth turned and gestured for them to come nearer. "Speaking of country girls, may I introduce you to Miss Darcy, Papa? And you remember Mr. Darcy, of course? We have spent much of the coach ride from London speaking of their home county of Derbyshire."

Thomas made the appropriate noises but all the while he was observing the Darcys carefully. He was about to speak when the high-pitched tone of his wife's agitated voice reached him.

"Mr. Darcy's carriage? But why didn't you come with Mr. Bingley? We've all heard that he has returned to Netherfield but it has been two days and none of us have seen him!"

Mr. Bennet was uncertain whether to be diverted or disturbed when Elizabeth squeezed Miss Darcy's hand and winked. He decided to be amused when the action appeared to ease the girl's anxiety-- she was obviously extremely shy. He turned toward his wife before looking at the girl's brother; he felt he was not sufficiently calm to endure young Mr. Darcy's notice of Fanny's impropriety.

He quickly stepped to his wife's side. "Mrs. Bennet, let us thank Mr. Darcy for his generosity. Now, have you met Miss Darcy yet?"

After the appropriate greetings were exchanged, Mr. Bennet took control. "I am sure that all of the travelers wish to clean up and rest, but perhaps Mr. Darcy and his sister would like to return to Longbourn this evening and join us for dinner? Mr. Bingley is welcome as well, of course."

Mrs. Bennet began bubbling about soups and fish before all the words were out of his mouth. Even as he noticed Jane's blush and Elizabeth's pleased smile, Mr. Bennet watched the two Darcy siblings. He suspected that the young lady was good-humored beneath her timidity and he was pleased to see her brother shield her slightly from the view of the others and speak to her quietly.

Seemingly reassured by his sister's response, Mr. Darcy turned back and met Mr. Bennet's eye. "Thank you, sir. We would be delighted to dine with you, if our host does not already have plans for us. I shall ask Mr. Bingley as soon as we arrive at Netherfield and send a note."

Thomas nodded agreeably and then began herding his flock indoors, leaving Mr. Darcy to help his sister back into their carriage. The dust from their wheels was still hanging in the air as the seven Bennets and six Gardiners flooded into Longbourn. Its master paused a moment in the foyer and, for once, found enjoyment in the sounds of his house filled with a happy, bustling family.

Some time later, Mr. Gardiner found his brother-in-law contentedly reading in his book room. After the two exchanged greetings again and talked for some minutes about day-to-day issues--the condition of the London road, the state of Mrs. Gardiner's health, the procurement of Lord Byron's latest volume of poetry--Elizabeth's uncle brought the conversation around to the topic he particularly wished to discuss.

"As you know, we have had to alter our travel plans somewhat. Madeleine's morning sickness forced us to delay our departure and I still need to return to London by the end of July; we have a shipment coming in from the Orient and I must be there to check it over before it goes into the warehouse," Mr. Gardiner began.

Mr. Bennet merely nodded, most of his attention still on the new book that his brother-in-law had procured for him in London. "Yes, yes. You are for the Lake District, correct?"

Edward smirked; some things never changed. His old friend was never so distracted as when he had a new book in his hands.

"Actually, we changed our destination somewhat. Did Maddy's letter not reach you?"

Thomas looked up distractedly. "Fanny might have spoken of it. Something about taking the children on a pilgrimage to her childhood home, was it not?"

"Lambton." Mr. Gardiner nodded and his eyes twinkled in amusement; clearly Elizabeth's father had not yet made the connection. "In northern Derbyshire."

Mr. Bennet squinted at the other man, wondering why that should mean anything to him. "Yes?"

Edward suppressed the desire to laugh out loud. "When we met Mr. Darcy and his sister in London, we discovered that we had a most surprising connection." He paused, letting his explanation draw out.

In a flash, Thomas made the link between the Darcys and Derbyshire… and his favorite daughter… who was accompanying the Gardiners on their trip. He grunted in irritation. "Speak plainly, Edward. What connection?"

This time, the other man allowed himself to chuckle out loud. "Oh, 'tis quite astonishing, really. You know that Madeleine's father cut ties with his family before he died? She was living with her mother's brother when we met."

"Yes, yes… the Churchills. Your letters were full of them for months; I am not likely to forget the name." Mr. Bennet was feeling decidedly tetchy.

Gardiner smiled. "Well, as you may remember, when Maddy was about six, her father resigned his parish in London to move the family to the country… to Derbyshire, in fact. They were tempted north by the offer of a living in a small market town called Lambton. The offer was made by Mr. George Darcy, our acquaintance's father; Lambton is but five miles from Pemberley, the Darcy family's estate."

Bennet was beginning to suspect what was coming. "How… coincidental. Did Mr. Darcy condescend to acknowledge her?"

Elizabeth's uncle knit his brows at the sarcastic tone. "Indeed, there was no condescension involved; he greeted her as an old family friend. He has fond memories of her parents; they both died in the same epidemic as his own mother, when Mr. Darcy was ten and Madeleine was eighteen."

Mr. Bennet grunted but did not speak.

Mr. Gardiner wasn't quite sure if the other man was pleased or not. He decided to stop stringing his friend along. "In short, when Mr. Darcy heard that we were planning to travel to the north but would not have time to tour the Lakes as we'd hoped, he invited us to stay at Pemberley."

Edward sat back in his chair to see what the other gentleman's reaction would be. He was not disappointed. Mr. Bennet's mouth opened and shut several times before he was able to frame any words.

"Are you telling me that my Lizzy shall be staying in that man's house? For how long--a week? A fortnight?"

"Actually, we are planning a month."

"A month!" Mr. Bennet burst up from his chair and began pacing his study while Mr. Gardiner sat watching him.

"Thomas, she shall be chaperoned by myself and Madeleine, not to mention our five children who are quite attached to her and will, no doubt, trail at her heals even should she wish to be alone."

Mr. Bennet returned to his seat and collapsed into it with a huff. "Mr. Darcy has expressed an… interest… in my Lizzy."

Edward thought it safe to smile. He had two daughters himself and was not looking forward to the years ahead when men came courting. "Thomas, the gentleman is completely besotted with your daughter; observe him at dinner, if you do not believe me. And Lizzy is beginning to realize that he is just the man who would match her in temperament and understanding."

Thomas sighed and rearranged himself in his chair, although it did nothing to relieve his discomfort. "She did not think very much of him during the winter," he grumped, still feeling peevish.

"I understand that there were some misunderstandings."

When his brother-in-law only grunted, Mr. Gardiner continued. "Really, Thomas! I had understood from Elizabeth that she talked to you about her associations with Darcy before she came to us in London, and that you had encouraged her to revise her opinion of him!"

The two men were silent for some moments until Mr. Gardiner's confusion was lifted by a spark of intuition. "Ah… You did not expect her to see him again."

Mr. Bennet shrugged and settled further into his chair with a petulant look on his face.

Edward chuckled. "Oh, Thomas. If I didn't dread my own daughters coming out, I would find you hilarious. Do you know of any specific flaws in Mr. Darcy's character? Not his personality, mind you; he is a quiet man and has developed a rather forbidding mask to protect himself from unwanted attention. Having seen Society's attention to him in action, I cannot say that I blame him."

Thomas was forced to shake his head. When it was clear that he was not going to speak, Mr. Gardiner continued.

"I have seen a good deal of the young man over the last fortnight. Mr. Darcy is clever, well-educated, and cares deeply for his responsibilities. Really, Thomas, I should think that you would find a great deal to like in him! Just show him your book room and the two of you shall be lost from the rest of us for the remainder of the day!"

Mr. Bennet shrugged.

"Oh, come now, Bennet. Have you even had a conversation with him? He is deeply uncomfortable in large groups, especially when he is the center of attention (which he often is, as a single gentleman in possession of a large fortune). Really, I would think that you should have a great deal of empathy for the young man; losing his mother at a young age and then his father when he was but twenty-one. He has not had it easy, for all his wealth and connections, and he is not the sort to rattle around like some I could name."

Finally Elizabeth's father was prompted to speak. "Yes, yes. I have heard all the praise; Mr. Darcy is an intelligent, honorable gentleman, well regarded by peer and servant alike. But she is my daughter and I am not ready to give her up."

"Thomas…"

Mr. Bennet gestured at a letter sitting on the corner of his desk. "When Elizabeth wrote to me of meeting Mr. Darcy again, I made some inquiries."

Mr. Gardiner's eyebrows rose.

Thomas chuckled sardonically. "Nothing terribly strenuous, I assure you. I merely asked Mrs. Hill to find out what the Netherfield servants had to say of their former guest…" He looked slightly embarrassed. "And I wrote to Tristan Beverley--he's teaching at Cambridge now, you know?"

Edward nodded and encouraged his friend to continue.

"You will be happy to know that he had nothing but praise for young Mr. Darcy. Apparently he was an excellent student; clever, thoughtful and diligent in his studies. He was even on the chess team; Beverley encouraged me to challenge the lad to a match."

When Bennet looked up, he found his old friend considering him thoughtfully. He shrugged. "I had my eyes opened to the perils that threaten my daughters at this age… I am attempting to become a more attentive parent."

Mr. Gardiner's expression had become completely serious. "I must say that I am happy to hear you say that, Thomas. I admit that Madeleine and I were worried when we left after Christmas. We both love Fanny, but her enthusiasm for marrying off our nieces seemed to have reached a fever pitch."

Thomas grimaced. "It is my own fault. I should have set aside a monthly sum to provide for her and the girls after my death, but, well… you know the story. We expected to have a son, who would inherit Longbourn and support his mother and sisters as necessary. By the time it became clear that he was not going to appear, it seemed too late to begin making economies." He sighed. "I cannot tell you how much I despise the idea of Wilberforce Collins' son inheriting Longbourn."

Mr. Gardiner's face matched his brother-in-law's. "I have not met the young man, but I will admit that Lizzy's description was not encouraging."

The two men sat silently for some minutes, both remembering the elder Mr. Collins with distaste. Finally Edward blew out his breath. "Well, let us remember that this William Collins is the son of your dear sister, as well." He forced a grin. "And we may hope that perhaps you shall outlive him!"

Bennet smiled bleakly. "Yes, and even if he does manage produce a son, I cannot imagine any child with Charlotte Lucas as a mother would not have at least a smidgen of good sense."

They chuckled softly for a few moments before Mr. Gardiner commented. "Well, I should go check if Madeleine and the children have settled in." Levering himself out of the comfortable old armchair, he paused a moment before speaking in a more serious tone.

"Thomas, give Mr. Darcy a chance; talk with him. I do not think you could find a man better suited for Elizabeth in all of Britain, and you understand me well enough to know that I am not speaking of his wealth or consequence." Seeing that Elizabeth's father had become grim again, Edward grinned. "And if you are worried about him being too forward in his courtship, perhaps you should take advantage of the fact that he is the very conscientious guardian of a sixteen-year-old sister!"

Mr. Bennet blinked and then a pleased and, to be honest, mischievous smile spread across his face. "Thank you, Edward."

Elizabeth's uncle left Longbourn's study laughing.

Dinner that evening was particularly interesting, not so much for the food or conversation, but for all the undercurrents among its participants.

Mr. Bennet could not help but appreciate it when Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner seated themselves on either side of Fanny at the foot of the table. With the ease of long practice, they kept Longbourn's mistress chatting on appropriate subjects and minimized her interference with the rest of the party's conversations.

In the middle of the table, his younger daughters seemed pleased to chat quietly with Miss Darcy. Well, Mary and Kitty were talking and gradually drawing the timid girl out with questions about her studies in music and art and experiences in London. Lydia was sulking; she had tried to dominate the other girls' attention but had been admonished sharply by Kitty to stop interrupting. The youngest Bennet daughter was scowling at her plate, mashing her food together and sticking her lower lip out. She only became more peeved when no one bothered to notice her pout.

Thomas sighed. Something would have to be done with Lydia, but he had no idea what. His attention was drawn back to the present by a deep voice at his right elbow.

"Mr. Bennet; Mr. Gardiner mentioned that he was bringing you a volume of Lord Byron's latest verse. Have you had a chance to peruse it?"

Mr. Bennet turned to the young man from Derbyshire, about to make some quip and return to his observations of the table when he noticed Elizabeth's expression. She was seated at Mr. Darcy's other side and her face showed her pleasure at seeing him attempt to know her father. Mr. Bennet sighed and rapidly revised his words.

"I had a bit of time this afternoon to skim some pages and I must say that I liked what I saw very well indeed. I know the man is somewhat hedonistic in his personal life, but that does not diminish his obvious talent as a wordsmith."

Darcy nodded, taking a sip of wine. "I agree. We are none of us without fault. Lord Byron's talent is irrefutable and, though I cannot approve of his lifestyle, I dislike the idea that his work should be dismissed because of it."

"The baby thrown out with the bathwater, so to speak?" Mr. Bennet chuckled.

"Papa," Elizabeth spoke from Mr. Darcy's right. "Mr. Darcy and his sister have been reading Mary Wollstonecraft's essays."

Thomas' eyebrows rose. "Ah, that takes courage these days. Another example of Society getting on its high horse. Have you read any of those newspaper reviews condemning her? Clearly not a one bothered to actually read any of her books--they were just going on hearsay, and Society has decided to condemn her and her ideas because she did not manage her personal life according to their strictures." He smiled at Elizabeth. "I wonder how many live in glass houses?"

Before Elizabeth could respond, her elder sister spoke. Jane disliked controversy and was concerned that the dialogue was becoming too risqué for proper dinner table conversation. "Papa, did you not once say that our Aunt Jane went to hear Mrs. Wollstonecraft speak in London?"

Mr. Bennet turned his attention to his eldest. Jane had been fidgety all afternoon and barely able to speak when Mr. Bingley finally arrived with the Netherfield party. Elizabeth had stood at her side, holding her hand reassuringly while he had greeted his hostess. Once the Gardiners had successfully distracted Mrs. Bennet, the young man had moved directly to Jane's side and they had spoken quietly until the dinner bell had been rung. Jane had blushingly accepted Mr. Bingley's arm and he had escorted her to sit immediately to his left.

Knowing what Jane was about, Mr. Bennet smiled and allowed her to shift the topic. "She did indeed." He went on to summarize some of his sister's comments on the feminist icon and then conversation shifted to a less controversial scientific lecture that Lizzy had attended with the Gardiners the week before.

Elizabeth's father couldn't help but be impressed by Mr. Darcy. The younger man's contributions to the discussion were well-reasoned and insightful; though he had not attended that particular lecture, he had read several of the scientist's papers and was clearly comfortable discussing the issues.

While Mr. Darcy debated some point of logic with Elizabeth, Mr. Bennet sipped his wine and observed the two couples. To his left, Jane and Bingley sat smiling and, though they made small comments, they did not contribute anything substantive to the discussion. In direct contrast was the couple to his right; Elizabeth and Darcy were energetically debating some of the professor's finer points and referencing other works. They clearly derived pleasure from their disagreement. At one point the gentleman even laughingly accused the lady of espousing an opinion which couldn't possibly be her own.

There was a hint of flirtation, but on the whole, Mr. Bennet could not fault them. Clearly, the young man from Derbyshire had discovered Elizabeth's fine mind and was reveling in it; something that her father could certainly appreciate. Elizabeth herself was sparkling with happiness and Mr. Bennet saw that her heart had been touched, even if she did not yet realize it.

He sighed and Elizabeth turned to catch a flicker of sadness in his eye. "Papa?" She asked softly, breaking off her conversation with Mr. Darcy.

Luckily, Mr. Bennet was saved from making up an excuse when Mrs. Bennet announced that it was time for the ladies to withdraw. Thomas smiled weakly and waved a hand at his favorite daughter. "Nothing to worry about, Lizzy; run along."

He pushed out his chair and stood. "Well, gentlemen. If you will accompany me to my book room, I shall see if I have anything that might tempt you."

With a smile, Mr. Gardiner protested that Longbourn's master couldn't possibly have finished all of the port that he had been given by his brother-in-law at Christmas. Laughing, the two old friends led the way, followed by the two younger gentlemen.

After pouring the port and passing out the glasses, Elizabeth's father stood quietly, listening to Mr. Bingley chatter on to Mr. Gardiner about various business matters. He gathered that the younger man had discovered his brother-in-law's excellent business sense and was implementing some advice he had been given when they met in London.

Mr. Bennet's attention wandered and he noted that his other guest was examining the bookshelves. He moved in that direction with a determined air.

"Do you see anything that you like?" Thomas took a certain amount of pleasure when the younger man jumped slightly in surprise.

Mr. Darcy turned serious eyes on Elizabeth's father and reminded himself to be as open and amiable as he was capable. "You have an excellent collection, sir."

Mr. Bennet nodded agreeably at the compliment.

Rather than fall into silence, Darcy exerted himself to continue the conversation. "You have the complete series of Linnaeus' Systema Naturae… I have not seen all the editions together outside of a university library."

Thomas couldn't help but be pleased. "I found them at a bookshop in Oxford when I was a student; apparently a professor had passed away and his widow needed the money." He smiled and pulled the first volume off the shelf and showed it to the younger man. "Many people only read his tenth edition because, of course, that is where he introduced the binary naming system which has become all the rage."

Thomas was even more pleased when Mr. Darcy nodded, obviously comprehending the reference, so he continued. "I admit that theories on the classification of living organisms are not as interesting to me as studying how the man's mind worked. By publishing thirteen editions, Mr. Linnaeus provides me with windows on the progression of his thinking over several decades."

Mr. Darcy was clearly intrigued. "I had never considered it in such a way. I remember first learning of his binomial system from a tutor. I appreciated its logic; the grouping of morphologically similar organisms together as 'species' and then the grouping of similar species as a 'genus,' and so forth."

Mr. Bennet nodded. "Yes, his final system is elegant in its simplicity, yet I believe that every student should read all of his revisions from first to last. It gives you an excellent sense of how even the most brilliant mind does not produce such a complex theory fully formed. Take the whales for example; in his earlier editions, Linnaeus considered them to be fish, yet subsequent studies of their anatomy prompted him to remove them to the mammals in his tenth edition."

The two men spoke on the subject for some minutes until Mr. Bennet noted that his guest's glass was empty and offered to refill it. When he returned, there was a moment of quiet as both men sampled the wine. Finally Elizabeth's father cleared his throat.

"Mr. Darcy, I find myself in an odd position. My daughter shall be spending several weeks in the home of an unmarried gentleman, yet I know next to nothing about him except from… letters."

Mr. Bennet was rather pleased to see that he had immediately captured the young man's complete attention. He also caught a flicker of what might have been amusement in Mr. Bingley's eye before that man turned back to his conversation with Mr. Gardiner. Thomas decided to tuck that observation away for future consideration and continue on with his current purpose.

"I wonder if you might like to come riding with me tomorrow morning? If Mr. Bingley does not have a horse for you, I am sure that we could arrange something."

Mr. Darcy was looking at him with the sort of absolute focus that always made Elizabeth's father desire to do something comical and totally improper, like jump up on his desk and imitate a rooster. Luckily, the other gentleman responded before Thomas gave in to the imp whispering in his ear.

"Thank you, sir. I should enjoy seeing more of the area. While I appreciate your offer of a mount, I have my own."

"You brought Icky? Oh, of course--you shall be riding back to Derbyshire and leaving the carriage here for Miss Darcy…" Mr. Bingley's attention had been caught at the mention of his own name. It took him a moment to figure out why his comment had been met with a grimace from his friend and bemused curiosity from Mr. Bennet and Mr. Gardiner.

Charles suppressed his natural laughter with mock formality and bowed slightly toward William. "I beg your pardon Mr. Darcy; of course I meant to inquire about 'Icaris.'"

Bingley could no longer quell his chuckles and Mr. Gardiner and Mr. Bennet both turned inquisitive eyes at the other young man.

After a baleful look at his friend, Darcy rolled his eyes. "As a colt, he would run madly about the pasture, kicking and bucking as though trying to launch himself into flight… then he would fall to the ground and sleep like the dead until he was rested enough to go at it again. Also, he is a dapple grey and when he sheds in the spring it looks like ash; I was reading Greek mythology at the time and Icaris seemed an appropriate name. Unfortunately, he also enjoys rolling in mud; once he nuzzled dirt all over my sister's new frock. She declared that he would be called "Icky" forevermore."

Darcy joined the others in laughter and Mr. Bennet was pleased to see that Elizabeth's admirer did indeed possess a sense of humor.

After several contributions from his other guests, Mr. Bennet spoke. "I had a somewhat similar experience many years ago. When Jane turned ten, I decided that we needed a nice, gentle saddle horse for my daughters to learn to ride on. I consulted with Mr. Brady--Netherfield's former owner--and we found a lovely little chestnut mare with what I considered to be the rather elegant name of 'Eunomia.' However, within a week, the girls had nicknamed her 'Nelly,' and Nelly she remains."

Mr. Gardiner chuckled--it was a story that he had heard before and he had perfected the accompanying punch line. "Ah, Thomas… did you really believe that you could get the goddess of good order and lawful conduct to remain at Longbourn?"

They all laughed and when the four gentlemen returned to the ladies some minutes later, all were in an excellent humor.

When Darcy entered the drawing room, he shared a smile with Elizabeth but also saw that Georgiana looked happy but tired. After a few quiet words with his sister, he signaled Bingley that it was time to depart.

Mr. Bennet was distracted for a minute by Mrs. Gardiner and when his attention was returned to the departing guests, he was somewhat irked to see that Jane and Elizabeth had accompanied the gentlemen outside alone. He made a mental note to speak to Fanny about chaperoning their daughters properly.

When he joined them, Jane stood with Mr. Bingley by the carriage, her eyes downcast as he spoke to her quietly. Some feet away, Elizabeth was listening to Mr. Darcy, Miss Darcy at her side. His daughter looked to be equal parts worried and amused. When she shot a look at her father, Thomas guessed that her admirer had relayed their plan for the next morning.

He cleared his throat and his two eldest daughters moved obediently to his side. Gratitude for the Bennets' hospitality was repeated by the guests and farewells exchanged by all. When Mr. Bingley's carriage finally pulled away, Mr. Bennet turned to his second daughter. "Well, that was an entertaining evening. I suppose that your young man informed you that we are going riding tomorrow morning?"

Elizabeth smirked and, taking Jane's arm, led them toward the door. Speaking over her shoulder, she called to her father. "He did indeed; I informed him that he was lucky it wasn't hunting season."

Chuckling, Thomas followed the pair into the house. It was only later when he was readying himself for bed that he realized his favorite daughter hadn't protested his reference to Mr. Darcy as 'hers.'

The next morning, Mr. Bennet sat down to breakfast with three of his daughters. Lydia was still abed and Elizabeth had departed at dawn for an early morning walk. He was just reaching for a second cup of tea when she blew in to the room with pink cheeks, windblown hair, and sparkling eyes. He couldn't help but smile.

"Good morning, Lizzy. Have you been reacquainting yourself with all your favorite trees and rocks?"

She smiled back. "Yes, Papa. I walked up to Oakham Mount; there was a beautiful sunrise--all oranges and pinks with mist rising up off the fields… Oh, and I found a patch of early purple orchids in bloom!"

Mr. Bennet was pleased when Kitty responded to her sister's enthusiasm. "Oh, that sounds lovely. Are they far? I would love to try to sketch them…"

Elizabeth beamed. "Not far at all--perhaps a fifteen minute walk. They are just beyond the fork in the path to Oakham Mount, the one that leads to those old plum trees near the stream? I would be happy to show you, if you'd like."

Jane and Mary had just agreed to accompany Kitty and Elizabeth on their walk when Mrs. Hill announced visitors.

Mr. Darcy had arrived precisely on time and the Master of Longbourn was not terribly surprised to see him accompanied by Mr. Bingley.

Kitty peered beyond the two gentlemen. "But Mr. Darcy; where is your sister? Have you left her all alone at Netherfield?"

The gentleman looked slightly embarrassed. "I left her with her companion; she said that she wished to spend the morning practicing a new piece on the pianoforte."

"Hmmm…" Elizabeth arched an eyebrow. "Perhaps Georgiana felt that she should not visit us so soon again without a specific invitation?" The look on Mr. Darcy's face confirmed her guess.

She smiled and turned back to her sister. "Kitty, why don't you write a note inviting Miss Darcy to spend the day with us; perhaps she might like to join our little expedition this morning?"

The younger Miss Bennet looked her question at the tall, intimidating gentleman. She blinked when he smiled broadly.

"I believe that my sister would appreciate that very much, Miss Catherine."

Kitty nodded faintly and left the room, thinking that she might need to revise her opinion of Mr. Darcy.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Mr. Bingley had seated himself beside Jane during this exchange. As soon as he confirmed that she was planning to walk out, he enthusiastically agreed to join the ladies.

There was a moment of silence in the breakfast room when shrieks could be heard from another part of the house. Those who called Longbourn home pieced together the words fairly easily.

"He is here?!? Oh, Hill! Hill! Why didn't anyone tell me!?! Where is Jane?!? Lydia--my dear! What are you doing still in bed?!? The gentlemen are here!!" Fortunately, Lydia's response was too low to be distinguished by those in the breakfast room.

Quickly ascertaining that Mr. Darcy had already broken his fast, Elizabeth's father set aside his teacup and stood. "Well, then, sir. Shall we be off?"

Understanding what he was about, Darcy followed suit. While Mr. Bennet was waiting for the maid to retrieve his riding coat and sending word to the stable for his horse to be brought around, Elizabeth spoke quietly with her sisters. After giving Mr. Darcy an encouraging smile (which warmed the young man's face significantly), she stood, intending to go upstairs and check on the Gardiners.

However, at that moment, Mrs. Bennet entered the breakfast room. That lady was significantly calmer than her earlier shrieking might have suggested, probably due to the presence of her brother just behind her. Calm or not, she looked like a cat presented with a bowl of cream when she caught sight of Mr. Bingley at Jane's side.

After a look from Elizabeth, Mary claimed her mother's attention, offering to prepare her tea just as she liked it. While Mrs. Bennet was effectively distracted, Lizzy and Jane spoke quietly to Mr. Gardiner. It was quickly arranged that the Gardiner children would spend the morning with their cousins while he and Mrs. Bennet visited their Sister Phillips and Mrs. Gardiner took advantage of the quiet at Longbourn to rest.

When Mr. Bennet finally extracted Mr. Darcy from the breakfast room, the two men made their way to Longbourn's stables in a companionable silence. While Davey was saddling Mr. Bennet's gelding, Elizabeth's father inspected Darcy's grey.

"So you are the mighty Icarus, are you?" He said, letting the horse sniff his hand before patting him on the shoulder. "Or do you prefer to be called Icky? Not quite so mighty, that!" The big grey snorted and shook his head, causing his long mane to flop around ignominiously and prompting both men to chuckle.

Darcy rubbed the horse behind one ear affectionately. "He's a big lug; sometimes I think that he's more canine than equine."

Mr. Bennet chuckled, watching as the horse lowered his head and began to wiggle his lower lip in ecstasy as his master scratched just the right spot on his neck. "Well, as long as he doesn't try to crawl into my lap, I can't fault his temperament."

True to form, Icarus pricked up his ears when the stableman led out Mr. Bennet's bay. Darcy smiled. "I've never seen the attraction of flighty horses that spook at the slightest sound in the bushes. It's one of the reasons that we've been cross-breeding thoroughbreds with other, calmer breeds at Pemberley in the last decade."

As Mr. Bennet stepped away to take possession of his own horse's reins, he glanced back at the other man's gelding. "Larger breeds, as well, by the looks of him. What is he, sixteen hands?"

William smiled and adjusted the girth before mounting. "Seventeen hands, two inches at the withers. Icarus came from crossing an Irish hunter that I bought from my cousin--he had been given the mare in payment for a debt--to one of Pemberley's thoroughbred stallions."

In a few minutes, both men were mounted and headed out of the paddock.

They rode silently for some minutes, Mr. Bennet following his usual route to check over Longbourn's more distant fields and pastures. Thomas made some slight comment, pointing out the hedges that marked Longbourn's boundary to the adjoining estate.

Mr. Darcy nodded but remained silent. When the gentleman finally spoke, Lizzy's father was immediately concerned by the younger man's serious tone.

"Mr. Bennet, I cannot go any longer without expressing my most profuse apologies to you. Miss Elizabeth has indicated that she spoke to you of our… interactions… at Kent. As I am certain you already know, your daughter's behavior was impeccable in every way; I am wholly to blame for our misunderstandings."

When the man paused to take a breath, Thomas sighed before responding. "Mr. Darcy, I had hoped for a pleasant ride with a bit of easy conversation, but I see that you are not one to put off a matter simply because it is likely to be uncomfortable."

"Mr. Bennet, I…"

"No, no. It is not a bad thing; quite the contrary." Mr. Bennet waved off the other gentleman, who looked ready to begin apologizing again.

The conversation faltered for a moment as the two men reined their horses to maneuver through a gate. Once it was latched behind him, Mr. Bennet turned his attention back to the original topic.

"I don't know if Lizzy told you, but Lydia was going to travel to Brighton with the regiment, as the companion of the Colonel's wife. I don't know what I was thinking; Mrs. Forster is worse than a featherhead." Mr. Bennet thought carefully, deciding on what he needed to say and what details he wished to keep private.

"Lizzy came to me and counseled against it. I am afraid that I still think of my girls as, well, girls… not young ladies; the thought fair curdles my blood, to be honest."

Darcy nodded seriously. "I feel the same about Georgiana; she is ten years my junior and I still remember holding her in my arms for the first time as though it were yesterday."

Mr. Bennet turned and looked at the man appraisingly, then nodded. "Yes, though wait until you have daughters of your own; it is far, far worse!" He chuckled at Mr. Darcy's look of abject horror.

"Yes, yes. Well, you should know that Lizzy shared your letter with me." His eyebrows rose at Darcy's unsurprised expression. "She told you that, did she?"

Mr. Darcy nodded, adding, "I was glad to hear that she did so. It was completely improper of me to have written her."

The older man eyed him. "Do you regret it?"

William looked discomfited for a moment, but then squared his shoulders and spoke honestly. "No, sir. I know that in handing that letter to your daughter, I disregarded your authority and put Miss Elizabeth's reputation at risk, but… I…" William took a deep breath and fiddled with his reins before continuing in a rougher voice.

"I care for your daughter a great deal, sir, and it leaves me inarticulate at the best of times."

Bennet couldn't help but snort slightly, causing the younger man to glance at him and redden. "You have heard of my many offences, obviously." He sighed.

"For much of my life, I have been selfish and overbearing, caring for none beyond my own family circle; thinking meanly of all the rest of the world and wishing to think meanly of their sense and worth compared with my own. As an only son, and for many years an only child, I was spoilt by my parents and not taught to correct my temper." He sighed again.

"My parents taught me good principles but lately I have come to see that I was left to practice them in pride and conceit. Your daughter taught me a lesson, hard at first, but most important."

The two men rode in silence for several minutes until Darcy recalled the point he still needed to make. "In truth, I left Kent expecting that I would never see her again. I admit that I was stunned when she refused me, and then furious when she told me why. Though I believed myself to be perfectly calm when I wrote that letter, I now shudder to think of how bitter I must have sounded."

Mr. Bennet shrugged and spoke for the first time in some minutes. "It sounded remarkably calm to me, given the preceding event."

William only shook his head. "I cannot agree, but regardless; I was up all night, trying to understand what had gone so horribly wrong… how I could have so completely misconstrued her opinion. I had no hope of being able to explain myself in her presence; I… I felt too much to speak easily. So I wrote it all down."

Mr. Bennet's bay startled slightly when a quail burst out of the grass by his nose. Once the horse settled down, several minutes passed during which the only noise was the creaking of saddle leather and the jingle of the horses' bits. Finally, Elizabeth's father stirred himself to speak.

"The reason that I mentioned Lydia was that I feel the need to thank you, Mr. Darcy. Had you not shared the information of Lieutenant Wickham's perfidies, I would have allowed her to go to Brighton, and God only knows what trouble she could have gotten into there. I am afraid that living in the country has dulled my sense of the dangers that face my daughters as they grow up and enter society."

Darcy nodded. "I cannot criticize your preference for the country over town. I myself would spend all my time at my estate in Derbyshire, if I could."

Mr. Bennet caught the younger gentleman's wistful tone and they spent the remainder of their ride in easy conversation about the northern countryside and comparing stories of Pemberley's management to that of Longbourn.

When the pair eventually rode back into Longbourn's stable yard, they were met with the pleasant sight of Mrs. Gardiner sitting on a stone bench, enjoying a bit of sun and knitting baby booties. Even as she greeted the two gentlemen, her sharp eyes noted the companionable air between them. Her husband had told her of his conversation with Elizabeth's father and she was pleased to see Thomas making the effort to know the younger man better.

Mr. Bennet handed the bay's reins off to the stable boy and smiled at his sister-in-law. "You look to be very happily situated, Madeleine!"

Mrs. Gardiner returned his merry greeting with a contented look. "You find me all alone, sir. I had difficulty knowing what to do with myself!"

Longbourn's master chuckled. "So the merry band is still out botanizing?"

She smiled back. "Yes, though I expect them back soon; it is almost time for luncheon and Tommy and Jonathan seem to have perfect time pieces in their tummies." Madeleine turned to the other gentleman who had just joined them after seeing to his horse. "Hello, Mr. Darcy! Did you have an enjoyable ride?"

William replied agreeably and after they had discussed the route that the two men had ridden, he inquired about his sister.

Mrs. Gardiner smiled again. "Ah, yes; the two of you absconded before her note came. Miss Darcy shall be joining us for luncheon and staying for the afternoon, as will Mr. Bingley. We hoped that you would be agreeable to such a plan; Mrs. Hill is preparing a picnic so that the children can join us."

Mr. Darcy had just confirmed his willingness when the three turned at the sound of voices.

Jonathan and Tommy burst out of the shrubbery and came running across the yard toward their mother, trailed by Amelia, who was making a valiant effort to keep up despite her shorter legs. The boys brought flowers for their mother who fussed over them despite the somewhat bedraggled appearance of the blooms. Amelia added her own to the bouquet but then turned her blue eyes to peer up at the tall gentleman from Derbyshire.

Without a thought, Will dropped down on one knee so that he was at eye-level with the little girl. "Did you have a nice morning, Miss Amelia?"

She grinned. "Oh, yes! Lizzy told us the names of ever so many flowers. Spring is so much prettier at Longbourn than home. Is it spring at your home, too?"

Darcy smiled. "Indeed it is, and we have many flowers there too. Perhaps your cousin shall know their names as well?"

The little girl nodded with all seriousness. "Lizzy likes all flowers--I'm sure she'll like yours special." She then held up a daisy. "This is for you. Do you want it in your button hole? That's what Papa does… he likes me to put it in; he says I do it just right."

Will's warm eyes reflected his easy affection. "Thank you very much. I should be honored if you would do me the service; I must admit that I wouldn't know the proper method."

With absolute focus, little Miss Gardiner carefully threaded the daisy through and arranged it at a precise angle upon his collar.

Such was the sight that met Elizabeth's eyes when she emerged from the shrubbery, Rebecca at her side. William blushed slightly at her warm glance even as her father rolled his eyes and muttered something acerbic about "young lovers" before Mrs. Gardiner shushed him.

When Mr. Bingley followed carrying young Ernest, Mr. Bennet noted that Jane was walking at the gentleman's side and seemed significantly more comfortable than she had on the previous evening

After the children's eager descriptions of their walk dissolved into yawns, Mrs. Gardiner gently herded them all upstairs to wash up and have a short lie down.

While the ladies went upstairs to wash up, Mr. Darcy tracked Elizabeth's father to his study. That man had retreated to his bookroom for a moment of quiet and, though he had come to like the younger gentleman after their morning ride, he was not particularly pleased to have his peace interrupted; even less so when he saw William's serious expression.

The younger man stood before him, eyes on the rug and hands clasped behind his back. Thomas settled back in his chair and let the silence stretch out. Finally Mr. Darcy seemed to reach a resolution; he took a deep breath, squared his shoulders, and looked Mr. Bennet in the eye.

"Sir, I wish to ask for your permission to court your daughter." The sentence came out in a rush.

Though he should have known it was coming, Thomas wasn't particularly pleased. "You have spoken with Lizzy already?" The young man's smile was enough to confirm it.

"Yes, sir. I asked Miss Elizabeth if her… feelings… had changed when we were in London, before I invited the Gardiners to stay at Pemberley. I did not wish her to be made uncomfortable and I feared that if her opinion of me was unchanged since Kent..."

"And she agreed?" Mr. Bennet had to ask, though it was painful to him.

"Yes, sir." The look on Darcy's face showed clearly that he appreciated the second chance he had been given. He was about to speak further but Mr. Bennet waved him off, not interested in hearing the excessive ravings of a young lover.

"I shall have to speak with Lizzy, you understand." The young man's confident nod made her father feel older than ever. He stood and turned to stare out of the window. "Well, well. She should be in the drawing room by now. Please send her in to me."

William stood, looking at the older gentleman's back for a moment. His pride had been ruffled for a moment by the curt dismissal, but he quickly brought it back under regulation by reminding himself that Elizabeth was this man's favorite daughter.

"Of course, sir." He paused for a moment before adding a few soft words. "Should your daughter ever accept my offer of marriage, I would consider it to be the greatest honor of my life."

Mr. Bennet could not speak, but a slight nod acknowledging Darcy's words was enough and the young man departed. When Elizabeth knocked on the door some minutes later, he had himself under better control and the conversation was expeditious. Lizzy agreed that, now that her misconceptions had been put aside, she found that the effort of getting to know Mr. Darcy was very rewarding indeed."

"I find that I like him very much, Papa, and I should like to know him better." She paused and Mr. Bennet gave her the time to frame her thoughts.

"He is a very good man, but I still feel as though there is much I do not understand in him. When he speaks of Pemberley, it is almost as if it is a part of him, like a leg or a heart, not just some grand estate to brag about or impress people. Somehow, I feel that if I can see him there, at his home, I may finally understand him… see him complete and unmasked." Elizabeth flushed slightly. "I am sorry, Papa. Am I speaking nonsense?"

Mr. Bennet sighed and took both of his daughter's hands in his own. "No, my dear. I believe that you are very sensible, indeed." He kissed her forehead before stepping back. "Now then, run along; I am certain that your mother has much for you to do for our picnic this afternoon!"

After exchanging a few more affectionate words, Mr. Bennet shut the door behind his favorite daughter before she noticed the tears that threatened to leak from his eyes. He treated himself to a small glass of port and sat in the chair by the window, sternly reminding himself that Elizabeth would be loved and respected, should she continue along her present course.

When Georgiana Darcy arrived an hour later, her carriage deposited her on Longbourn's front steps, but she was drawn toward the gardens before she had even set foot in the house. When she rounded the corner, the sound of voices that had drawn her was revealed to be the entire Bennet-Gardiner-Phillips clan bustling about, moving things out to a little copse for a picnic. Georgie was particularly amused to see her brother carrying two chairs and being directed as to their placement by Mrs. Bennet.

"Ah, Miss Darcy. I'm glad that you were able to join us."

Georgie turned to find Longbourn's patriarch approaching. She curtsied and tried a small smile. "Mr. Bennet." She had not quite figured out the older man, yet.

Thomas nodded back pleasantly, reminding himself that the girl was probably not accustomed to the rambunctious tenor that characterized his own household. "Come, come, no need to stand on ceremony. As you can see, the girls have organized a picnic luncheon so that the children may join us. You met the Gardiner children in London, I understand?" Mr. Bennet had exchanged little beyond greetings with the young lady on the previous day and was curious to know Mr. Darcy's sister better.

Georgiana exerted herself to respond. "Yes, sir. We spent the day at the Kew gardens together." She smiled when little Amelia Gardiner came running out of the house in a flurry of skirts and launched herself at William. "My brother has always had a way with children."

Mr. Bennet had turned in the same direction and could not help but be amused when the tall, serious young man from Derbyshire bent over so that he might converse with Miss Gardiner at eye-level.

Soon after, Miss Darcy's arrival was noticed by Kitty and she found herself drawn into the happy mob. There was no ceremony or artifice and Georgie found herself relaxing as she would never have imagined possible in a crowd of relative strangers. When her brother caught her eye and raised an eyebrow, silently asking after her welfare, she broke into a sunny grin that had been rare in the months after Ramsgate.

The party was soon settled happily in a grassy corner of the gardens; the Bennets had clearly done this before and there was an easy order to their chaos. Two lawn chairs were set beneath an old oak tree for Mrs. Bennet and her sister, Mrs. Phillips. Before them, the servants set up a simple trestle table low to the ground that provided a flat surface for the foodstuffs and the others arranged themselves on blankets around them. There was little ceremony; just a great deal of happy laughter and comfortable teasing.

The children were full of energy after their late morning nap. After being pelted by a poorly aimed grape, Mr. Bennet recruited Tommy and Jonathan to help him bring out the wickets and cricket bats. Once Mr. Bingley and the Darcys had been educated as to 'Longbourn House rules' (which seemed to consist primarily of dire consequences should a fielder step off the grass lawn and onto the flower beds), a pleasant afternoon was had by all. William was amazed to see his own sister step up to bat and cheered loudly by her side when she scored a run on her first try.

The remainder of the afternoon was spent in relaxed amiability. Even Lydia was convinced to join in the cricket game and showed that, when her energy was directed in a more positive direction, she was quite an exceptional wicketkeeper.

When the Darcys and Mr. Bingley finally returned to Netherfield, it was nearly dark and they stood for a few minutes on the front steps, admiring the colours of the twilight sky.

Georgiana squeezed her brother's hand and looked up at him with eyebrows raised. William glanced over to see a similar expression on Charles' face and couldn't help laughing. A happiness that he had never felt before seemed to settle over him like a warm blanket.

"Yes. Mr. Bennet has given me permission to court his daughter."

Chapter 17. Getting to Know You.

Posted on 2010-09-02

June 1818

Fitzwilliam Darcy was not having a good day, which was odd because he had every expectation that the morrow would bring one of the very best of his life. Tomorrow, Elizabeth was to arrive. The very thought of having her at Pemberley made his chest tighten with hope. Today, however, was not turning out as he had wished. Long before dawn, he had been woken with news of a fire at one of his tenant's cottages. He had ridden out immediately and then spent hours with the men, hurling buckets of water and dirt to put out the flames and keep them from spreading.

The tenants had escaped with their lives but Mr. Greene had been badly burned while attempting to save some of his family's possessions. Darcy had immediately sent for the doctor in Kympton; that man had taken one look at the distraught farmer's back and hustled him off to clean and bandage his wounds.

The wooden structure itself was a complete loss. Pemberley's master spent some time reassuring the family that it would be rebuilt promptly and making arrangements for them to stay in an empty pensioner's cottage in the meantime.

When William finally returned to Pemberley House, it was nearly mid-afternoon. He had dunked his head in a water trough before leaving the scene of the fire but still felt grimy from the smoke and ash. Exhausted, he slid down out of the saddle and handed the reins to the stable boy who met him. Patting the equally exhausted horse on the neck, Will said quietly, "Give him a double measure of oats, for he surely earned it today."

After the boy led his horse away, William stood for a moment by the stable, staring out at two ducks that were swimming contentedly on Pemberley's lake, the sun glinting off the ripples. It seemed surreal that such peace could exist not five miles from where he had so recently witnessed such destruction and misery.

After a few minutes of contemplation, Darcy's attention was brought back to his present situation by the sound of voices. Not wanting to be caught in such a grubby state by tourists visiting Pemberley, Will turned and was about to head toward the kitchen door when a wholly unexpected voice froze him in place.

"Mr. Darcy?"

Rounding the corner of the stables was, horror of horrors, the very lady whom he most wished to impress; Miss Elizabeth Bennet, accompanied by two of the Gardiner boys.

"Mr. Darcy, are you well?"

Her worried voice reminded William of his manners. "Miss Bennet," he said softly and bowed correctly, although such formality seemed a farce given his current state. For an instant, he considered trying to pull his coat back on over his grimy shirt, but as it had been dunked in a dirty pail of water after catching fire itself, he decided absently that it probably wouldn't do much to improve his appearance except to make him smell like damp, burnt wool.

Vaguely, he heard Elizabeth send the boys inside to tell Mrs. Reynolds that Mr. Darcy had returned and would need a bath and food immediately. He was still standing in exactly the same place when she turned back to him and took his hands, examining them one by one.

"Are you hurt? Mrs. Reynolds said that there was a fire and you had gone to help."

Though exhausted, the sound of Elizabeth's concern sang in his ears. He smiled and the resulting expression was almost goofy. "I am well, just tired." He squeezed her hands in his. "When did you arrive? This is not the welcome I had planned, I am afraid."

Elizabeth studied him for a moment, her blue eyes searching. Seemingly reassured, she nodded and then tugged his arm to begin walking toward the house. "We arrived just after noon; the roads were good and we made excellent time. We considered stopping for an extra night in Nottingham but Georgiana assured us that it would not be a problem if we arrived a bit early." She did not add that Miss Darcy's eagerness to return to her ancestral home had been equaled by her obvious desire to see Elizabeth reunited with her brother.

"Was anyone hurt?"

It took William a moment to realize that she was asking about the tenant family. He summarized the situation and she nodded, asking a few questions about their circumstances that he found himself quite happy to answer. By the time they reached the front steps, he was feeling less overwhelmed and more certain than ever that if the woman beside him should ever agree to become Mrs. Darcy, he would be the happiest man in the world.

Elizabeth delivered William to Mrs. Reynolds who bustled him off to his rooms before he had a chance to greet the Gardiners.

"They are perfectly well, sir. Miss Bennet has the right of it--you need to let Hawkins clean you up and see to that cut."

Will touched his forehead and found his fingers smeared with blood; a smallish scrape on his forehead had prompted a great deal of concern from Elizabeth and his housekeeper. They reached the door to his rooms and he stopped for a moment, hand on the doorknob.

"I assume you will wish to come down and take tea with your guests?"

Mrs. Reynolds eyed the young master with a sharp eye. She had known him since he was four-years-old and the moment she had seen him looking at Miss Bennet she had known who would be Pemberley's next mistress. From what little she had seen of the young lady thus far, she was polite, kind, and intelligent, all of which made for a promising beginning. Her unaffected actions in looking after Mr. Darcy just now, however, had done the most to win the old housekeeper's heart.

After a pause, William looked up at her and smiled, tired but happy. "Yes, but could you send up a plate of sandwiches? I haven't eaten anything but an apple for breakfast and it would be embarrassing if I left nothing for our guests to eat at tea!"

The housekeeper assured him that she would arrange it immediately and departed, her serious demeanor breaking into a smile the moment his back was turned.

When Darcy descended the stairs nearly an hour later, there was no hint of his travails except for a bit of sticking plaster on his forehead and a tiredness around the eyes. His eyebrows rose at the site of Mrs. Reynolds scolding two young maids in the hall. When she caught sight of him, the girls were sent on their way with a final remonstrance.

Mrs. Reynolds turned to him, hands still on her hips, but William could now tell that her lips were tight to keep from laughing rather than from irritation.

"Problem, Mrs. Reynolds?"

She couldn't quite stop a chortle. "Fighting over who is to look after the youngest Gardiner lad. One would think that none of the staff has ever seen a child, the way they are all a flutter! Hauling out all the old trunks of toys and cleaning the schoolroom…" She paused, intrigued by the soft look on the Master's face.

"It has been a long time since there were children at Pemberley," he said quietly.

"Yes, sir." She replied in a similar tone, understanding that he was thinking of the times before his mother had died, when the Darcys had often entertained other families and Pemberley had been full of the sound of laughter and young voices. Both of the Darcy children had become quiet and serious beyond their years after the death of their mother and later their father.

William sighed before looking up at the woman who had been much like a surrogate mother. "Well, let us hope that this is a sign of times to come."

Master and housekeeper smiled at each other in perfect understanding. "Yes, sir. I shall make certain that everything possible is done to make our guests comfortable."

"I know you will; I have every faith that they shall love Pemberley." He sighed slightly and, looking at the floor, spoke under his breath. "If only I had as much faith in myself."

Mrs. Reynolds studied the young man with understanding eyes for a moment before squaring her shoulders and giving him the little push that he clearly needed. "Miss Georgiana asked me to send the tea tray in to the Rose sitting room when you were ready to join them. Shall I do so now, sir?"

Knowing just what she was about and appreciating it, William smiled. "Yes, and thank you, Mrs. Reynolds."

"Of course, dear." The housekeeper bustled off, unaware of the endearment that had slipped out.

Darcy watched her for a moment before squaring his own shoulders, reminding himself of a litany of things that he must and must not do, and then heading in the direction of his guests.

When William entered the sitting room, his eyes were immediately drawn to the sight of Elizabeth standing at a window looking out across the gardens, her creamy yellow gown looking like an extension of a sunbeam. There was no telling how long he might have stood in the doorway staring had not Georgiana jumped up from her seat to greet him with a hug.

Looking down at his sister, Will managed to gather his wits and kiss her on the forehead. "Hello, Georgie-girl." He turned to the other occupants of the room and bowed slightly. "Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner, Miss Bennet. Welcome to Pemberley. As I said to Miss Bennet earlier, I apologize for not being here to greet you properly when you arrived."

Elizabeth's aunt and uncle easily assured him that he had nothing to apologize for; their every comfort had been seen to by Miss Darcy and Mrs. Reynolds. Georgiana looked pleased at the praise and William smiled at her proudly.

After discussing their travel for several minutes, Georgie and the Gardiners were distracted when two maids arrived with trays of tea and cakes. As they were setting things out, Darcy moved to stand by Elizabeth who had remained quiet since exchanging greetings. William bowed slightly over her hand.

"Miss Bennet."

"Mr. Darcy."

"And how do you like Pemberley?" He asked softly after a pause.

"Oh, 'tis beautiful, sir. I have never seen a place where nature has done so much and man has allowed the natural beauty of the landscape to compliment his structures. I like it very well, indeed."

Darcy beamed, love for his estate shining in his eyes. "I am glad." He paused, searching for something to say that would not be too forward. "When I met you at the stables, were you returning from a walk?"

Elizabeth smiled. "You understand me very well, sir. Having caught a glimpse of your beautiful woods, I could not remain inside for long. Tommy and Jonathan were wild to get outdoors after so long in the carriage so I happily offered my services as equerry."

They spoke companionably for several minutes about the woods, walking paths around the park, and Pemberley's gardens until Georgiana called for their attention and they rejoined the group.

Once they were all seated and sipping tea, Elizabeth made some small compliment on the room.

William looked around for the first time, his attention having previously been on its occupants. "I cannot remember the last time I was in here." His eyes caught several signs of disuse; some of the old wallpaper was pealing in a corner and there was a bit of water damage in the plaster ceiling above. Though the room was clean and neat, the furniture was outdated and there was a general feeling of desuetude. "This was Mother's favorite sitting room."

Mrs. Gardiner smiled. "Yes, I asked if we might see it; I remember Lady Anne redecorating it just after she was married. Lady Edna had moved into the Dower House and insisted that the new mistress put her mark on the manor, as she termed it."

The two Darcy siblings were looking around at the room with new eyes. "It is very like Mother's private rooms," said William softly.

Madeleine smiled kindly. "She adored the new floral patterns coming from Paris--big pink cabbage roses, violets and ivy, and so forth. I can remember coming with Mama to visit her; Mrs. Darcy would have those tables littered with swatches of fabrics and wall hangings, trying to match and choose." Her eyes twinkled at the memory. "She had a very different style than your grandmother; Lady Edna had tended toward solid, bold colours and plainer furnishings."

William smiled back. "Grandmother was always very practical."

Mrs. Gardiner laughed. "I remember once your mother wished to rearrange a room but was worried that her new mother-in-law might be offended. Old Mrs. Darcy just laughed and told her to change whatever she wished; it was a relief that her son had married a woman who enjoyed such things, because she herself did not!"

"Yet the Dower House is decorated much as you describe--simple yet elegant, with brighter colours than… this…" Will waved his hand around at the contrast between what he described to the pastels and florals that saturated his mother's room.

Madeleine smiled. "Yes, well… I suspect that old Mrs. Darcy was quite set in her own tastes, but she was a wise woman and understood that a new wife must be encouraged."

William was only barely able to control his desire to look toward Elizabeth and see what thoughts her face might reveal. Luckily, Mr. Gardiner made a comment about the architecture of the house that turned the conversation to the history of various wings. Seeing that his guests had finished their tea, Will invited them to view the house from the outside so that he might better explain the history of the various additions.

This proposal was quickly agreed upon and the remainder of the afternoon was spent outdoors, joined by the Gardiner children who had taken tea with their nurse, supervised by a coterie of Pemberley maids.

They wandered easily around the perimeter of the house and the nearest gardens, William pointing out particular features.

"The land was originally granted to John d'Arcy for his aid to King Henry VIII in the Italian Wars. He married Kate of Hartwick and then left again for France, leaving her with a great deal of land but no home beyond a small manor. As legend has it, the young Mrs. d'Arcy oversaw the design and building of the first Pemberley House--you can still see the stone ruins up on the west hill there. Her husband returned after surviving the Battle of the Spurs, just in time to settle in at the new manor house, father a son, and promptly die. Kate never remarried; she raised her son by herself and kept his inheritance intact until he came of age… not a simple task for a woman in that day and age."

After some discussion, the party agreed to explore the ruins at some point during their visit. A question from Mr. Gardiner returned the conversation to the current Pemberley House. By then, they had wandered to the side of a sunken garden and could look back at the Palladian structure, limestone glowing in the late afternoon sunlight.

William gestured to the stone walls of the garden. "This was the site of the second Pemberley House--those walls formed the foundation. According to family legend, Grant Darcy married a wealthy Scotswoman that he met in Paris. The first time she saw Pemberley was as a newlywed and she was shocked by the ramshackle dwelling, bare of even the most basic of amenities. She flatly refused to live there and the only way her husband could convince her not to return to her father in Edinburgh was to agree to build an entirely new, modern house."

The group laughed when Mr. Gardiner raised his hand to his brow theatrically. "Ah, the things we husbands do to keep our wives happy!"

Madeleine shot him a look. "If you were the one seeing that the cooking and cleaning got done, you would be eager for modern facilities as well!"

After some further banter, Darcy continued his story. "Unfortunately, neither ever lived in the completed house. They were both more interested in society and politics than farming, so the family split their time between London and Edinburgh; years went by before an architect was even hired. Apparently their son, Gowan Darcy, didn't see his birthright until he was fourteen-years-old and he accompanied his father on a visit to confer with the architect and check on the construction. Supposedly Gowan fell in love with the land at first sight and begged his father to let him stay, even if he had to camp in the woods and forage for his food."

Elizabeth's eyes sparkled. "I can easily understand his sentiment, especially if he had been raised in the City."

Will smiled fondly. "Unfortunately, his father did not share our sentiments; young Gowan was sent back to school. However, as soon as he finished he came back to Pemberley and took up residence in the old manor house. He began overseeing the estate and even introduced some new breeds of sheep that vastly increased its revenue.

Darcy looked out across the hills and woods, eyes shielded from the low sun by his hand. It was difficult to explain how this land pulled at him when he was away, but telling the history of his ancestors was the closest he could come to sharing it. He looked at Elizabeth and her bright eyes and intent expression told him that she understood.

"Although the elder Mr. Darcy had never spent much time in Derbyshire himself, he had made all the decisions as to site and architectural design and was influenced by the intricate Gothic styles that were so popular in France and Italy during his youth." Seeing that Mr. Gardiner looked particularly intrigued, William added. "We have the architect's original drawings and plans in the library if you would like to see them." When the gentleman nodded decisively, Pemberley's current master made a mental note before continuing his story.

"Gowan was not here long before he decided that the architect's design was wholly at odds with the landscape. In one letter to his father, he described it as 'like a French nobleman in all his finery, lace and heels, stranded amidst the natural wildness of the Peaks.' He also pointed out that the new manor was being built on the river's floodplain."

Mr. Gardiner choked back his laughter and William nodded sardonically. "You may guess what happened. Mr. Darcy senior stuck stubbornly to his plans but rarely visited the place, preferring the city. The son was enamored by the more modern designs of the Italian Renaissance--Andrea Palladio, Inigo Jones and so forth. Their relations became increasingly strained. By the fall of 1607, construction of the house was nearly complete but work was stalled by a month of heavy rains."

Guessing what was to come, Elizabeth shut her eyes and whispered, "Oh no."

William smiled. "You have guessed; the River Derwent topped its banks and flooded the valley. When Grant Darcy came to view it a month later, the water had only just receded, leaving behind a thick layer of muck everywhere. The roof and upper portions of the building had collapsed when temporary wooden support beams were washed away, and the cellar was filled almost to the top with sediment.

"Family legend has it that within an hour of his arrival, Gowan's father was back on his horse. They went directly to the nearest solicitor and Grant Darcy signed over the entire estate to his son, telling him, 'Do what you want with the place, for I never wish to set foot here again.'

"Gowan Darcy threw himself into the project. He was able to engage Inigo Jones himself to design a house that would compliment the landscape and by spring the workers had begun the building you see today. They salvaged much of the stone from the flooded ruin but left the foundation walls to form this sunken garden. To prevent a repeat of the flood, they enlarged the lake and used that dirt to raise the knoll for the new structure.

Elizabeth and the Gardiners looked around at the park surrounding Pemberley House with new eyes. The landscaping had been done with such attention to its context that the lake and its surroundings looked perfectly natural and the house, though large, seemed to balance with the surrounding peaks and woods rather than command them.

"Your ancestor did very well, indeed," murmured Elizabeth and the others made similar compliments.

Though usually uncomfortable when people praised his estate, William felt an unaccustomed warmth at their words. Where so many would have waxed lyrical over the mansion because of the wealth it represented, Elizabeth and her family did not truckle to him with empty tributes. They truly understood the sentiment he felt for the house and the land; a physical manifestation of his heritage that was as much a part of him as his brown eyes or tall stature.

Clearing his voice slightly to loosen the emotion that tightened his throat, Darcy brought the tale to its conclusion. "Being on site, Gowan Darcy was able to move along the construction much more efficiently and the main building was completed in three years. He then promptly married a local girl, Miss Margaret Manners of Haddon Hall, and they settled at Pemberley and proceeded to make the house into a home. It is supposed to have been a great love match; when she was eighteen they eloped from her elder sister's wedding breakfast. Her father disapproved of Gowan Darcy because he was 'rich in land but poor in everything else' and his parents disagreed with the Manners' politics."

William chuckled at a memory--his grandmother had loved the story of Meg and Gowan Darcy and had told it often. "Naturally, the couple lived a long, blissfully happy life together and raised their eight children at Pemberley, rarely venturing beyond Derbyshire."

He turned to Elizabeth who was listening intently. "Tomorrow I hope you will allow me to take you on a tour of the house. Their portrait hangs in the gallery and is one of my favorites. I would go to stare at it even as a child; in the midst of all those severe paintings of my ancestors, they looked so… content."

Elizabeth took his arm as the party turned and began to walk slowly back to the house. Mr. Darcy's story had affected her deeply; she felt as if she had been given a precious gift and was beginning to realize that to be Mistress of Pemberley would be something, indeed.

Mr. Darcy had said little about his parents as a couple. His memories of his mother seemed to be those of an adoring, only child and what little was said about his father seemed laden with a sort of distant reverence; a barely concealed desire for approval that was rarely given. The vision of young Fitzwilliam Darcy peering up at an old painting and imagining warm and loving parents made her want to hug him. It was little wonder that he had reacted so oddly to her big, bustling family

Elizabeth's thoughts were brought back to the present when her aunt reminded Mr. Darcy that the morrow was Sunday. They quickly settled on a plan to attend services at the Lambton church in the morning. Darcy offered to send a note to Mr. Jessop, requesting that the rector announce the presence of his predecessor's daughter so that any old friends might seek her out after the service.

Madeleine hoped to reconnect with her childhood acquaintances and happily thanked him when their host offered to invite Mr. Jessop for dinner as well. The current occupant of her father's living was most likely to know all the goings on in the parish without devolving into unpleasant gossip.

Elizabeth listened quietly while Mrs. Gardiner bubbled with plans. Eventually that good lady turned to eye her niece knowingly. "Lizzy, you must not feel that you are required to attend us at every moment. I plan to do a great deal of visiting and reminiscing that will quickly become dull to anyone who did not share my childhood. I know that Edward plans to take the children fishing and I hope that you shall be able to find something to occupy your time, as well." The twinkle in her eyes left Elizabeth suspicious that her aunt was turning matchmaker.

"Well, my dear aunt, if you do not wish my company, I suppose I might be able to find a path or two interesting enough to explore." Her smirk belied her dismissive tone and the others laughed, well aware that the second Miss Bennet was already itching to walk the woods and peaks that she had viewed from the carriage. "And I have heard from an excellent source that Pemberley's library is among the finest in the land, for its owner is always buying books."

Darcy rolled his eyes and grumbled, "Miss Bingley has only visited Pemberley once, for less than a week, and spent but an instant in the library when Mrs. Reynolds gave them a tour."

"Ah, well. At least she is cognizant of its value, even if her estimation is based on a volume's purchase price rather than its contents," responded Elizabeth gaily. She was well pleased with her witticism when a happy giggle bubbled up from Miss Darcy. Georgiana was so happy with the company that she was beginning to feel light-headed.

After checking their watches, it was agreed that the Darcys would take their guests on a brief tour of the first floor, ending with the library (the ground floor being dedicated to the kitchens and servants' quarters) before they all retired to dress for dinner.

William guided them from the central courtyard into the north wing of the U-shaped building. He looked slightly uncertain when Georgiana commented that a proper tour should start from the front portico rather than a back door, but the Gardiners soon reassured him that they were perfectly pleased with his approach, having already experienced the main entrance.

Opening one of a set of massive double doors, he waved them into a grand ballroom with windows along three walls, many opening out onto the terrace beyond. Once the Gardiners and their niece had expressed their admiration, he spoke softly.

"I remember when I was a child, our parents hosted some grand balls here. I would watch from the windows of the schoolroom," he gestured toward the south wing on the opposite side of the courtyard. "The courtyard was lit with torches and those who were not dancing would spill outside to drink and talk in the moonlight. It was a magnificent sight."

Darcy took note of his sister listening to him with wistful eyes and reprimanded himself for not having shared more of his memories of their family in happier times.

When they were satisfied, William guided the party down the hall, pointing out the billiards room, the formal dining room, and the formal parlor, among others. The hall turned to the left and they passed a waiting room before finding themselves back in the front foyer with its grand double staircase wrapping around above them.

Elizabeth laughed, her face showing admiration for the graceful lines of Pemberley's entrance hall. "This, I remember! I was beginning to think that I will need a ball of string in order to find my way around!"

Darcy raised his eyebrows and asked, "And do you fear finding the Minotaur roaming our halls at night?"

This quip prompted much laughter, though when William led them off to explore the south wing, Elizabeth took his arm and squeezed it reassuringly. Though he had been jesting, it was still nice to know that she did not consider him to be anything like a half-man, half-bull creature searching out innocents to maul.

Walking through the south wing, Darcy showed them his study (the desk piled with ledgers and correspondence waiting to be dealt with), the mistress' study (currently uninhabited), the Rose sitting room (where they had taken tea), and the music room (Georgiana's favorite). After Miss Darcy had received many compliments on the new pianoforte that her brother had given her for her birthday, William guided them to a final door and opened it with a slight flourish.

"Miss Bennet, allow me to present… our library."

Elizabeth preceded him into a room of equivalent size to Pemberley's ballroom, but with tall oak bookshelves arrayed around the room like a well-ordered regiment of soldiers.

"Oh!" she breathed. With all her concentration on the literary riches before her, Lizzy did not notice her host beaming at her. Her simple, unaffected enthusiasm was just what he had dreamed.

Barely hearing the keen comments and questions from the Gardiners, Thomas Bennet's daughter walked slowly along the wall of books, running her fingertips along their spines even as her head swiveled from side to side, trying to take it all in. Several comfortable chairs were half hidden in nooks created by the arrangement of the shelves, and elsewhere there were convenient tables if one wished to spread out large monographs or examine a set of maps.

At the end of the room, Elizabeth found nirvana. A large fireplace faced with the native golden limestone was surrounded by comfortable leather sofas. Several rather battered cushions and piles of books on the low table made it clear that the area was used often.

Hearing footsteps, Lizzy turned and was unsurprised to see that Mr. Darcy had followed her. Smiling up at him, she said softly, "I suspect that if we ever need to find you, this is the first place we should look."

Darcy returned her smile. "Perhaps you as well?"

In an easy camaraderie, he showed her how the library was organized and pointed out several volumes that he thought she might particularly enjoy. Lizzy restrained herself to a new book of Dorothy Wordsworth's poetry and a copy of Hawkins' 1760 edition of the Compleat Angler.

William grinned when he saw her pluck the latter from a shelf. "I had not realized that you were so interested in fishing."

Elizabeth smiled. "Papa would take me when I was little; with no son, he treated me as the next best thing. Actually, he recommended Charles Cotton's book to me when I told him that we would be visiting Derbyshire; he said that it was a true nature lover's description of the Peak District. I did not know that there was a revision."

"Indeed--your father is quite right about Cotton's narration of traveling through the region. I admit that it is an old favorite of mine; I have a copy in London that I read whenever I am homesick." Darcy took the book from her hand and flipped it open. "This newer edition is prefaced with a short biography of Charles Cotton by William Oldys. It is fairly well done, although Oldys seems to have been more fascinated by Cotton's flair for the burlesque than his love of Derbyshire."

William handed the volume back to her and their gloveless fingers brushed. His breath caught but he quickly gathered his wits and inquired, "Do you ride, Miss Bennet?"

Realizing from her raised eyebrows that his question might have sounded disconnected from the previous topic, he hurried to add, "I simply meant that, having witnessed your love of the outdoors and your interest in the written descriptions of the Peaks… there are many beautiful prospects that are too far to reach on foot and cannot be accessed by any wheeled vehicle. I would be happy to show you, or Georgiana could…"

Elizabeth smiled broadly and touched his arm. She was still uncertain why such a gentlemen would be so desirous of her good opinion, but she had to admit that his occasional babbling in her presence was endearing. "Thank you, Mr. Darcy. I should very much appreciate your guidance. My sisters and I all learned to ride when we were young, but I admit that I have not sat on a horse in quite some time. Longbourn has only one palfrey in the stable--my father does not like us to ride his gelding--and old Nelly has been growing increasingly… elderly. To be honest, I feel guilty even mounting her--she groans as though she is about to collapse in agony!"

They shared a smile. "We have several horses that would probably suit you. Shall I give you a tour of the stables?"

Elizabeth beamed at his boyish enthusiasm. "I should like that very much." Then she nodded toward the approaching Gardiners who were now accompanied by both Georgiana and Mrs. Reynolds. "However, I suspect that we will have to delay our outing until another day."

"Mr. Darcy?" Though phrased as a question, Mrs. Reynolds tone was one he remembered from the schoolroom.

"Ah, Mrs. Reynolds. Have I lost track of the clock again? Is it time for us to dress for dinner already?"

"Yes, sir. Cook has a special menu planned and it would be best if it is not kept sitting."

Mr. Gardiner chuckled good-naturedly. "Well, it sounds like we have our marching orders, friends." He smiled at Pemberley's housekeeper. "What time should we assemble, ma'am?"

Mrs. Reynolds pursed her lips and assumed a serious demeanor, though her eyes twinkled with amusement. "Half-past seven, sir."

With some joking, the group obediently dispersed to their rooms.

Having dressed for dinner with her usual efficiency, Elizabeth was guided by a footman to the parlor on the first floor. Her eyes betrayed her surprise when she realized that they were to dine in Pemberley's most stately dining room.

"So formal, sir? You do us great honor."

Darcy saw the question in her tease and shrugged self-consciously, explaining, "We use it so rarely… and I thought that it would be appropriate for your first dinner at Pemberley."

Not quite certain if he was using 'your' in the singular or plural sense of the word, Elizabeth blushed slightly. In a flash, the import of her visit struck her. The man standing before her wished to spend his life with her… of all the ladies he must have met in London and beyond, he had chosen her… fallen in love with her.

For Elizabeth could no longer doubt that the gentleman was deeply, ardently in love with her; a love that encompassed both passion and friendship, just as she had always dreamed. She sighed and a little shiver ran through her when she realized that they had been staring at one another silently for several minutes.

Before either could speak, the Gardiners were shown in, led by Miss Darcy. After some easy conversation about the comfort of the guest chambers and satisfaction with the care being shown to their children, dinner was signaled. Mrs. Gardiner moved cunningly to her husband's side and, taking his arm, she was pleased to see Mr. Darcy obediently offer his own to Elizabeth and his sister.

They were seated with all pomp and circumstance possible for a party of five, none of whom had much preference for the pretensions of formal dining in general. It was soon clear that Pemberley's staff, having been without their master for some months, were eager to please. The food was superb, wine glasses were kept full as if by magic, and, when the dessert course was brought out, both William and Georgiana sighed with pleasure.

The guests began laughing as the siblings eagerly examined the dishes; Georgiana coloured slightly but it was a sign of her comfort in their company that she also managed to smile.

William grinned widely, showing his dimples. "You may laugh all you like but I shall not apologize for our eagerness. Our cook knows that shortcake with strawberries and cream is our favorite."

Georgiana added. "It is a simple, country dish but I am convinced that there are no better berries on Earth than those at Pemberley." She took a bite and sighed with contentment.

Moving his spoon towards Elizabeth's plate, Darcy offered puckishly, "I would be happy to eat your portion for you if you do not want it."

Laughing, the young lady slapped away his hand. "Oh no, your assistance is quite unnecessary, sir." With one eyebrow raised, she brought her hands protectively over the dish. "And do not forget that I have four sisters; I am well practiced in defending my sweets, Mr. Darcy!"

The dinner ended in good humor, the guests easily agreeing with the Darcys' assessment of the dessert. The evening ended soon after. The travelers were tired from their time on the road and Darcy was feeling the effects of his morning's travails. Although both he and Elizabeth had separately expected to lay awake thinking of the other, both fell asleep (also separately) within moments of their head touching the pillow.

Sunday passed quietly. After breakfast (this time in a smaller, more comfortable family dining room nearer their chambers on the second floor), the party divided among two carriages and made the scenic drive to Lambton.

At Mrs. Gardiner's inquiry, Darcy admitted that Pemberley's chapel was currently vacant. "Mr. Venton passed away last year and I was not satisfied with any of the candidates who applied for the position." Seeing the question in Elizabeth's eyes, he explained further.

"Our family supports a rector at Lambton and a vicar in Kympton, a small market town to the north of the estate that you have not yet seen. There is also a chapel associated with Pemberley House. However, the curate there occupies such an intimate position within the household that I am perhaps over-careful in my requirements for a replacement." He shrugged helplessly but the other occupants of the carriage were nodding in understanding.

Madeleine spoke with authority. "That sounds like a perfectly reasonable course of action. You are absolutely correct; it is one thing to take on a cleric for the local parish, and another entirely to invite a stranger in who will be ministering to your servants and staff every Sunday, often without your presence."

William appreciated her reassurance and was happier than ever that he had had the opportunity to become acquainted with the Gardiners. He could easily understand why Elizabeth loved them so.

After the carriage stopped at a pretty, well-kept stone church and they were handed down, Elizabeth noticed several wagons with servants that she recognized. When she questioned him, Darcy explained that he had made arrangements for the staff to be transported to town for services until a new curate was found for the Pemberley chapel. He shrugged modestly when she praised his thoughtfulness.

"They can return in the wagon directly after services, or a second is sent out at five so that those who wish to visit family or so forth can stay the day. It is nearly eight miles back to the main house; I used to race my cousins to the horse chestnut tree on the green by the smithy when I was a boy." He grinned in remembrance. "I can't quite expect that of some of our older staff, however."

Elizabeth smiled. "Distances are rather different here. At Longbourn, it is but a few minutes to walk to the church; even Mama would not consider calling for the carriage. And of course we girls think nothing of walking in to Meryton, as you are well aware."

William clearly enjoyed her teasing but his sister approached with the Gardiner children before he could reply. Elizabeth turned to the younger woman.

"Miss Darcy; you have become quite a favorite, it appears!"

Little Amelia tugged on her cousin's skirt to get her attention. "Lizzy--look! Miss Georgie let me wear her hair ribbons! Aren't they a pretty blue?"

Elizabeth was just agreeing when Mrs. Gardiner appeared at their side, taking charge of her flock with the easy composure of an experienced mother. "Now Amelia, we are about to go to church. What does the bible say about little girls fishing for compliments?"

The youngest Miss Gardiner scrunched her face in serious concentration for a moment before brightening. "But Mama, I wasn't being vain… I was telling Lizzy of Miss Georgie's great sacrifice!"

The little girl stumbled over the last word but it only made her sincerity more adorable. Her mother swept her up and kissed her forehead. "My dear girl, I stand corrected."

In good spirits, the group walked the short distance to the church. As the foremost members of the congregation, Mr. Darcy and his sister were greeted with respect and his party eyed with curiosity. Elizabeth decided that Lambton was not so different from Meryton after all. Among the strangers filing into the pews, she easily recognized characters that she suspected were quite similar to those she knew from her home county.

When the congregation had settled, the Darcys and their guests in the front row, Mr. Jessop stepped to the pulpit and proceeded to deliver an excellent sermon on the importance of practicing daily kindness to one's neighbors. "For, though generosity in times of great catastrophe is certainly necessary and appreciated, we must remember that the little kindnesses that are practiced each day, to neighbor and stranger alike, can have even greater impact."

The sermon was relatively short but it was obvious that the congregation listened closely to the elderly cleric and considered his words with great respect. Elizabeth was impressed and said so to Darcy when the service was concluded.

William nodded seriously. "Mr. Jessop is an excellent man and I shall be very sorry when he decides to retire; a time I fear is rapidly approaching. My father appointed him to the living soon after the epidemic that took Reverend Jonathan (Mrs. Gardiner's father) and so many others. When the bishop heard of the tragedy our neighborhood had suffered, he recognized that some young, inexperienced curate would not be adequate to the task. Apparently Mr. Jessop was an old friend of the bishop and agreed to come north, though he had planned to retire that year from his own parish in Devon."

Mrs. Gardiner spoke from behind them. "That was a wise decision. Having lost so many, I can only imagine how much the melancholy must have weighed on the survivors."

Darcy nodded seriously, thinking of his father. After that terrible summer, George Darcy had fallen into a depression and never really revived.

Seeing that they had reached the front steps where the reverend himself was farewelling a parishioner, William gestured them forwards. "Please, allow me to introduce you."

After exchanging greetings with Mr. Jessop and sincerely complimenting his sermon, Elizabeth stepped back and listened as her aunt eagerly conversed with the man who had assumed her father's pulpit. As they spoke of people Lizzy had never met, her attention turned inward.

More than ever, Elizabeth was fascinated by the many sides to Mr. Darcy; he seemed like a precious gem in that the more she studied it, the more facets she discovered to be admired. She smiled to herself at the fancy; it was not a wholly accurate metaphor for he was not a hard man, whatever she had thought upon their earliest acquaintance.

She was impressed by his obvious consideration for the other parishioners; he had waited patiently while an elderly woman finished speaking with Mr. Jessop, unlike many of his position who would have taken their precedence for granted. When his turn came, his respect for the older man was obvious as he greeted the Reverend and then presented the Gardiners.

At the moment, Mr. Darcy looked every inch the Master of Pemberley, acknowledging other churchgoers and listening carefully to two men who seemed to be discussing the need for a new bridge along some local road. Yet, it was with little effort that Elizabeth could also see the young man, alone and overwhelmed after the death of his parents but determined to do everything in his power to do right by his responsibilities.

Elizabeth watched as a dark brown curl flopped down William's forehead and he brushed it away absently. She suddenly wished that she could tuck it behind his ear and run her hand through his wavy locks; a vision of what that gentleman might look like when he had just woken up in the morning, hair mussed and face not yet troubled by his many duties, shimmered into her mind.

Miss Bennet blushed and turned to look out across the cemetery. She was struck by her intense desire to protect this man, to make him happy, to give and return his love.

She loved him. Had the sky been suddenly filled with fireworks, Lizzy would not have noticed; the fireworks in her heart were far brighter than any black powder could manage and the revelations in her head were equally dazzling.

When they had resumed their acquaintance in London, Elizabeth had worried that her feelings might be only a sort of gratitude; a reaction to the great compliment she felt at such a gentleman's continued attentions, as well as his assistance after her attack in the park. Once she had finally put away her old prejudices, she had easily recognized him as a man whose looks and intellect attracted her.

However, it was only when she had seen him on his beautiful grounds at Pemberley that her heart had recognized its other half.

Hearing familiar footsteps behind her, Elizabeth smiled and turned, unsurprised to see Mr. Darcy behind her.

For a moment, William forgot what he had been about to say; the soft look in Elizabeth's eyes was one he had never beheld there before. However, before either could speak, Amelia and Ernest appeared at their cousin's elbow.

"Lizzy! Have you met Mr. Jessop? He is coming to dinner, did you know? He is a very nice man--he knew Mama's Papa, did you know?"

This last comment came from Amelia.

Allowing the children to draw them back to the group, Elizabeth and William shared a resigned smile and thought contentedly of the coming weeks. With Elizabeth staying at Pemberley, they had every hope of spending time together.

The remainder of the morning was spent introducing the children to their mother's childhood home. Mr. Jessop guided them past the cemetery to the parsonage. Mrs. Gardiner paused briefly but acknowledged to her husband that she was not yet ready to visit the graves of her parents and three siblings so soon after sitting in the church where she had once listened to her father speak so often.

Mr. Jessop kindly took them all to his home and served tea. Though it was early in the day for cake, he could see that his predecessor's daughter could use a bit of comfort and he knew from experience that the two Darcys would never turn down a sweet. After talking about the neighborhood for some time, Mrs. Gardiner was able to show her children the room that she had shared with her sister and the garden in which she had played as a girl.

It was past noon when they all climbed back in the carriages and returned to Pemberley. The adults were quiet and the children caught their elders' mood. Little Ernest fell asleep, cuddled in his mother's arms; she was comforted by the contact as much as her son.

After a cold dinner (most of the servants had Sunday off), the afternoon was spent in quiet conversation and reading. Neither the Darcys nor the Gardiners were excessively religious, but obeying the Sabbath seemed appropriate to all that day.

When William woke Monday morning he was full of plans, but one look out the window made him grimace with irritation. He had hoped to tempt Elizabeth out for a walk that day, but a heavy rain had begun falling during the night and showed no sign of letting up.

After breakfast, William received a note from his steward regarding some estate business that could not be delayed. Before retreating to his study, he apologized to his guests but they waved him off. Mrs. Gardiner was eagerly looking forward to spending some time with Mrs. Reynolds looking through Pemberley's attics for some old trunks of her parents' belongings; the housekeeper believed they had been stored there after the parsonage was cleared for Mr. Jessop. Mr. Gardiner was pleased to spend a few hours with his children and Miss Darcy happily claimed his niece as her companion for the morning.

It took several hours, but Darcy finally finished the paperwork and immediately went searching for his guests… for one particular guest, if he were to be honest.

Taking a guess, he made his way to the music room and was rewarded by the sound of laughter even before he stepped through the doorway. His heart was warmed by the sight that met his eyes. Elizabeth was seated with his mother's violin and Georgiana appeared to be giving her instruction. Or had been. Currently both were giggling so hard that tears were forming in their eyes.

"Ladies, am I interrupting?"

Georgie's eyes goggled somewhat when she caught sight of her brother watching them from the doorway. She squeaked, then covered her mouth with her hands and looked toward Elizabeth. That lady's laughing eyes only prompted Miss Darcy to collapse back into giggles.

Elizabeth shook her head good-naturedly at the younger girl and then stood and carefully set aside the violin and bow.

"Yes, Mr. Darcy, you are interrupting, but it does not necessarily follow that an interruption is undesired." She grinned at Georgiana, eyes twinkling. "I have been entertaining your sister with my masterful musical skills."

William's eyes were warm and he stepped toward her, unable to keep his distance. "I did not know that you played the violin." He looked sharply at Georgiana when his sister burst into fresh gales of laughter. Seeing that he would get no answer from that direction, he turned back to Elizabeth who rolled her eyes.

"I do not, but your sister very kindly offered to instruct me." She reached to run her fingers across the strings, creating a soft ripple of sound. "It is a truly beautiful instrument."

Miss Darcy seemed to be gathering her wits about her. "Oh, Wills, I am sorry. Elizabeth was just telling me a story about…" Suddenly she recalled herself and looked back to Miss Bennet, who rolled her eyes again.

"It is all right, Georgiana. Your brother has had the very great pleasure of seeing my cousin for himself." She turned back to the gentlemen and spoke with heavy emphasis. "Mister Collins."

Darcy pretended to look for someone hiding behind a sofa. "Here?"

As Georgie gaped at the sight of her brother making a joke, Elizabeth smiled broadly, pleased to see him display his wit openly. "Thankfully not, although I am sure that he would be on the first post chaise from Kent should he hear that you were inquiring after him."

William pretended to shiver with horror and moved closer to Elizabeth, motioning for her to sit and joining her on the sofa.

Attempting to keep her mind off his proximity, Elizabeth spoke quickly. "Actually, I've just received a letter from my sister."

"And is your family well?"

She smiled. "Exceptionally well. It seems that Mr. Bingley has been calling at Longbourn quite regularly."

"I am very glad to hear it." The two shared a warm look of understanding.

"Have you not heard from your friend?"

"I…"

Whatever Darcy was about to say was cut off by a loud crash from the next room. Elizabeth jumped to her feet and followed William to a different door than that which opened to the hall. Seeing relative darkness beyond, Lizzy picked up a small lamp from the mantel and held it up when she stepped through the doorway.

With the additional light, Elizabeth recognized the chamber to be Mrs. Darcy's Rose sitting room, though its condition was vastly different from the last time she had seen it. Apparently, some leak from above had weakened the plaster and now most of the ceiling had fallen in a gray, dusty mess all over the furniture and floor.

"Bloody Hell." Darcy's voice echoed oddly. Suddenly realizing that he had spoken aloud, Will glanced back and coloured slightly at the sight of Elizabeth and his sister. "Please pardon my profanity… it is just that I thought we had this leaky pipe fixed last fall but it appears to have weakened the plaster again. Georgiana--will you go tell Mrs. Reynolds, please?"

Miss Darcy disappeared at once and William gingerly made his way across the room to another door that was well camouflaged in the woodwork and wallpaper. Elizabeth followed him with the light and they carefully climbed up a narrow staircase that hugged tight to the wall of the house. When they reached a small landing, Will opened a simple door to the left and she followed, taking note that the stairs continued spiraling upwards.

Stepping into what appeared to be an unused lady's dressing room, Elizabeth lit a candle with the lamp she held in her hand as Darcy examined some dampness on the floor and wall. After thanking her when she handed the second light to him, William spoke absently.

"My grandfather installed a system of cisterns on the roof to collect rain water which is then piped down to basins in the primary apartments, supplemented as necessary from water pumped up from the well. He was a great believer in regular bathing and it was much more convenient than having the poor servants jogging up and down the stairs from the kitchen each time water was needed. Unfortunately, one of the pipes developed a crack last winter. I thought that it had been repaired but it appears as if the entire section shall have to be replaced."

While William looked through a disguised door into the large closet set up for a lady's maid, Elizabeth opened a larger door to the left and stepped through. Holding the lamp high, she caught her breath at the sight. It was certainly the largest bedchamber she had ever seen, but its size was made comfortable by the presence of large windows along two walls and a pleasant sitting area formed around the fireplace on a third.

Elizabeth had just noticed the cabbage rose wallpaper (so similar to the sitting room below) when she felt Mr. Darcy come to stand just behind her.

"This was my mother's room." He spoke quietly but his deep voice vibrated with feeling.

Elizabeth turned to meet his eyes and shivered at the intensity in them.

"'Tis a beautiful apartment." She moved slightly and her shoulder brushed against his chest. Suddenly she was keenly aware of his proximity.

Blinking, William spoke breathlessly. "Father had all of her things packed or given away after she died. I barely recognize it." He leaned forward ever so slightly so that her upper arm was lightly touching his chest. The colour in her cheeks told him as much about her feelings as the fact that she did not move away. All thoughts of leaky pipes disappeared from his mind.

"Elizabeth…" He whispered and his hand came to rest at her waist.

Looking deep into his eyes, Lizzy felt the heat of passion flash through her body, from her brow to her toes. "William…" She breathed and her hand rose to cup his cheek. He turned his head slightly and kissed her palm.

Gentle hands at her waist pulled her closer to him and his eyes flickered between her mouth and her eyes. Elizabeth was just about to go up on tiptoes in order to meet his lips half way when the most unfortunate thing happened.

"Mr. Darcy? Are you there, sir?" The sound of Mrs. Reynolds' voice brought both back to reality in an instant and they jumped apart like a pair of frightened rabbits.

Will gulped a breath and closed his eyes tightly for a moment, desperately trying to pull his wits together. With an apologetic look to Elizabeth, he stepped back into the dressing room and called to his housekeeper, voice rough with emotion barely under control.

"Yes, Mrs. Reynolds. We were just checking for water damage in Mother's chambers." He cleared his voice slightly. "It looks like the same pipe is leaking in the same place. Have you sent for Mr. Jenson?"

The older woman reached the top of the stairs and looked around, seeing everything. "I will do so immediately, sir, although he may not be here until later tomorrow. I believe he was called out to work at Haddon Hall this past week when their own man fell ill."

Darcy gestured to the ceiling of the closet which also showed signs of water damage. "As long as he comes tomorrow. I'm afraid that most of the plasterwork shall have to be redone, as well."

Mrs. Reynolds nodded and after a last look around, she moved back to the stairs, followed by her master and his guest. Over her shoulder, she called, "It is lucky then that we did not bother much with redecorating the Mistress' chambers after the dressing room was re-plastered last September. 'Tis a clean slate for some nice girl to make her own."

Darcy very nearly missed the next step.

William and Elizabeth were both blushing slightly when they entered the music room and found the Gardiners talking with Georgiana. After discussing what needed to be done immediately to minimize further damage, Mrs. Reynolds excused herself and headed toward the door.

Just before departing, however, she spoke over her shoulder, "If you ask me, that ceiling falling 'tis a sign from God; Pemberley is in want of a new mistress." And with that pronouncement, the venerable housekeeper sailed out of the room, leaving behind several people stifling their laughter and one couple blushing deeply.