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Chapter Thirty-Eight

Posted on Tuesday, 21 March 2000

Brian leaned back in his chair and propped his feet on his desk as he stared out of the window at the cold rain skidding down the glass. His desk was strewn with papers, file folders, and books. His laptop sat open in front of him, but dancing toasters appeared where there should have been neatly typed pages of text. The expression on his face was not a scholar's grim frown of concentration, but a dreamer's distant smile. From time to time, the soft light in his green eyes would dull as he snapped his attention back to the work before him. Soon, however, his attention would waver, and his eyes would sparkle as he gazed back towards the window, his handsome face glowing with a smile brought on by pleasant daydreams.

Brian was nearing the end of his internship. While all of his fellow interns were weighted down with work, Brian was utterly swamped. The past few months had been particularly tumultuous and, as a result, Brian had to put in extra hours at the hospital and studying to make up for time lost. At the moment, he was trying to prepare a report for the department on several of his more extreme cases, but he was having a very difficult time of it. He spent more time staring out of the window then he did organizing his notes. Brian was more inclined to sketch lines of poetry in the margins of his field journal than to type detailed medical diagnoses, to imagine the soft caresses of a warm body than to visualize the outline of his presentation.

The hourly toll of church bells finally brought Brian back to reality. He rubbed his neck with one hand and tapped the keyboard to bring his document back to the screen. He scooted his chair forward, the light of the screen reflecting in his green eyes as he added a few more lines to his work. Just as he had saved his work with a satisfied smile, he heard a car stop in front of the house. Brian raced from the study, dismissed the doorman, and went to open the front door himself. He had been unable to reach Georgiana all morning, but he just knew that she would stop by to see him. Their farewells had been utterly inadequate, carried out in the presence of confused family members and a disapproving aunt. He just knew that Georgiana would want a proper goodbye as much as he did.

His eyes danced as he opened the front door, but his sunny smile faded when he saw the face of his visitor. It was not Georgiana that stood before him, but Elsa. Pale and grim, with a black scarf over her bright hair, she closed her umbrella as she stepped into the doorway. Brian reluctantly invited her inside, but Elsa refused to enter.

"I came to say goodbye. Your coldness when I saw you in the museum..." Elsa lowered her head to hide her face. "Here," She mumbled, pulling something from her pocket and handing it to Brian with a trembling hand. Brian took the small velvet bag from Elsa and spilled an ornate diamond ring into his hand.

"I didn't realize that you still had this." He smiled gently and placed a hand on her shoulder. So it was finally over. Although she had hurt him terribly once, they had shared some nice memories. Brian hoped he could end the situation more amiably than with a hasty goodbye in the rain. "Come in from the rain, Elsa."

She shook her head. She drew some strange comfort from the open door, a ready escape. "I'm sorry, Brian."

He reached out to squeeze her hand. "So am I, Elsa."

Georgiana had been in much the same state as Brian all day. She had proven utterly useless in packing, more inclined to drink tea while she stared out of the window, or to sigh and lose herself in a novel in front of the fire. Anne laughingly took over the preparations for their departure, leaving her cousin to dream.

Near mid-morning, an hour before their departure, Georgiana's restlessness reached a head, and she told Anne that she simply had to get out of the flat, despite the rain. Georgiana claimed that she had not really planned to stop by the Waterpool home, but somehow they ended up there. Georgiana realized that she desperately needed to see Brian once more before she left, to prove to herself that she had not dreamt the warmth of his embrace and the sweet fire of his lips on hers. Anne, of course, knew exactly what Georgiana was up to, although the young woman denied it emphatically. But Anne had no arguments; she had been yearning for an excuse to share another delicious goodbye with Alex.

The girls' cheeks were pink with heightened emotion and giddy laughter as they stepped from the car into the rain. From the cover of their large black umbrella, the refined Waterpool home seemed to be a castle in the clouds. As they neared the house, they noticed a pair standing on the front stairs. Anne suddenly felt Georgiana stiffen beside her. She glanced at her cousin in confusion. All felicity was gone from Georgiana's face as she tightly clutched Anne's arm.

"Look-" She gasped. "Look at his hand."

Anne did so, and saw something sparkling in the rain. She stepped closer, glad for the anonymity offered by the shielding umbrella. It was Brian, holding what looked like a very large diamond ring. He was holding it out to a slight woman who seemed to be crying. Anne's eyes widened as she guessed the identity of the dark little form in front of Brian. She watched as he took the girl's hand...and then Georgiana ran. Anne had a difficult time chasing after her cousin down the wet sidewalk, in heels, with an open umbrella. When Anne finally reached the car, Georgiana was sitting stiffly inside, staring into space.

Anne was out of breath as she slipped into the automobile. "There must be some explanation. Surely Brian wouldn't...not after yesterday..." She took Georgiana's hand. "Please, let's go back. We have to find out what is going on."

Georgiana's voice was flat and her eyes were dull as she glanced at her cousin.

"I knew all along that it would come to this. Take me home...to Pemberley."

She buckled her seatbelt and turned her face towards the window. Anne stared at Georgiana for a while before she finally told the driver to take them back to the flat. Perhaps she should have tried harder to get Georgiana to confront the situation, but her cousin was an adult. Anne patted Georgiana's hand and decided to call Alex as soon as they got home. There must be more to this than what they had seen on the steps of the Waterpool home. Brian was not the kind of man who would make love to a good friend the day before he planned to propose to another woman.

Within fifteen minutes of returning home, Georgiana was in the hall with her coat on, surrounded by her luggage. She paced restlessly as she waited for Anne. Her eyes snapped fire when Anne came out of her room with the portable phone in her hand, but she said nothing. Anne shrugged sadly and returned the phone to its cradle. Master Alex was, the housekeeper had said, in a meeting for the rest of the afternoon. Brian had left the house only a few minutes earlier, headed for an unknown location. Anne admitted temporary defeat, but was certain that she could sort out this unexpected mess once she spoke with Alex. She helped Georgiana and the doorman haul their luggage down to the waiting limousine. The car pulled out just as a sleek black BMW stopped in front of the building.

The BMW had barely come to a stop before a young man dashed out, heedless of the rain. He stood arguing with the doorman for several minutes before he slowly walked back to the car and slid inside with disappointed frown on his face. His expression was not, however, as bleak as that of the young lady who had left only minutes before. A naturally merry person, Brian's smile returned before the car stopped before his own house. After all, he reflected, he did have a lot to look forward to. He would just have to wait a little longer than he would have wished...but doesn't anticipation make success all that much sweeter? His cheerful mood had returned completely by the time he greeted his elder brother on the stairs of their home. What would Alex think, he asked, of a weekend excursion to Derbyshire, sometime after Christmas? Alex laughed and agreed heartily as he led his younger brother into the study for a brandy. There was, he admitted, no place he would rather be.

Chapter Thirty-Nine

It was nearly dark by the time the dark silver limousine turned onto the final road leading to Pemberley. The gloomy shadows of skeleton trees clothed only in the last web of hazy dusk and a few ghostly feathers of snow hunched over the car. It had been a silent drive, as everyone was exhausted after a busy couple of months, and more than ready for a few weeks worth of leisure in the country over the holidays. Several pairs of eyes were closed in slumber, but the rest gazed outwards at the fading twilight. As is usually inspired by long roadtrips, each vaguely alert face held the roadsigns of a different troublesome path of thought: puckered foreheads, bitten lips, flushed cheeks, or downcast eyes.

And then they came over the last curve in the road and out of the woods.

Pemberley lit up the darkness like a brightly burning candle, reflecting softly in the semi-frozen stillness of the pond. The snow that had gone unnoticed in the forest protected the gracefully curvaceous open land around the property with a blanket of thick, fluffy down. The house itself was decorated with garlands and wreaths made of fragrant boughs that were gathered from the forest just that morning by the staff in anticipation of the family's arrival that evening. Candles burned in every window.

After the staff had been greeted, after cookies and cider were consumed and the luggage had been removed to various bedrooms, Georgiana took her brother aside. As per her request, a large ladder had been placed in the gallery. Georgiana gave William a bright smile as she slit the tape of a long, thin packing box. She carefully removed padding and several layers of brown paper wrapping and tissue to reveal her prize in its gilt frame.

Georgiana supported the painting as William climbed the ladder and lifted it onto the hook on the wall. It had taken years, but the masterpiece was finally back where it belonged. As they stood admiring the work, Will pulled a small package from his pocket and gave it to his sister.

"I found it several years ago. I haven't opened it...I thought that I would save it for you to read."

Curious, Georgiana slipped the wrapper from a small book. Her eyes widened when she realized that the drawing that had been pasted on the front cover was a fairly good sketch of the painting. Under the drawing, The Journal of Anne Fitzwilliam was written in an elegant script. After the name, in an angular, masculine hand, one word had been added: Darcy. It was the diary of Georgiana's mother.

Georgiana read the book all through the night, and didn't finish until the first rays of dawn crept across the carpet to touch the afghan that covered her feet. It seemed that George Darcy had been somewhat of a rake in the years before he married Anne. The diary contained several long entries in which Anne lamented his inability to commit to any one woman. When Anne realized that she loved the dashing, good-natured George, the entries became more tormented. How can I love a man, no matter how charming, she wrote, who sees women as merely decorative objects? And how could I expect such a man to be satisfied with me, who cannot compare to the exquisite jewels he has romanced?

But George, as it turned out, was not as cold-hearted as it seemed. Once he realized that his old friend Anne was the one woman he could imagine spending his life with, he pursued her with relentless energy. Time and time again, Anne's worries that she was but one pearl in a long string made her pull away. But George gave her no reason to doubt his devotion, which seemed to grow daily. George had become so dear to Anne, that his sincerity finally overcame her fears. She married him, she said, with more joy in my heart than any other woman has experienced, or ever will.

The last few pages of the journal contained several stories that Anne and George made up about the characters in the lovely painting that they had received as a wedding present from Anne's parents. From time to time, the same masculine hand that had penned Anne's married name on the front cover sketched amusing anecdotes in the margins. Georgiana's favorite was the following: If my beautiful wife does not close this silly book immediately and give up on her descriptions of our Puck and Oberon, I promise not to kiss her again until this book burns cheerfully in the kitchen hearth. There was a scribble, which Georgiana imagined to mean that her mother had snatched the pen from her father. This particular story did not continue after that point.

Georgiana realized that she was making the same mistakes as her mother. "Perhaps Brian has renewed his engagement to Elsa. But if so, was it only because he had sensed my fears and his own inability to erase them completely? After all, he told me that he loved me. Maybe, unlike father, Brian gave up, feeling that he had failed..." Her eyes narrowed. "But that night I told him to kiss me. Surely that..." Georgiana shook her head confused. "Maybe I hesitated when he kissed me. Maybe my expression when my Aunt accosted us...no. Something is terribly wrong. Brian is not at all the type to propose to one woman the day after he confesses his love for another."

The Waterpools were invited to the Darcys' annual Christmas party in a week's time. Georgiana decided that she would make her move then. She would pretend that she never saw that scene on his front steps. She had to find out what was going on, and she had to tell Brian that he meant more to her than any man ever would. And, if the engagement were legitimate, she would give Brian something to remember. Georgiana fell asleep with a smile on her face and plans in her head after having vowed to give up her wimpy, passive approach to relationships, her overwhelming inferiority complex, and her unreasonable fear of success. It was time for scared, meek little Georgiana to become a woman.

Chapter Forty

"...There is such a shocking lack of discipline in your servants, the duvet on my bed had a wrinkle, my bath water was tepid..."

Lady Catherine perched on the very edge of her chair and peered down her hawk-like nose at her relatives as she listed every possible complaint she could imagine. Incensed that Anne had chosen to spend the holidays at Pemberley instead of at Rosings, Lady Catherine had arrived in Derbyshire only a few days after the rest of the family. Her presence was an irritation, but Elizabeth had long since learned to deflect the constant barbs tossed in her direction. The only member of the family who seemed to have escaped Lady Catherine's displeasure was her great-nephew Jeffrey. The lady seemed to have conveniently forgotten that Darcy's heir was also Elizabeth's child. She ended her tirade by stating that the house would be ruined by the time young master Darcy inherited it. Anne rolled her eyes. Will and Lizzy exchanged amused and slightly annoyed glances. But only Georgiana went to bat, surprising everyone.

"I'm sorry to hear that, aunt. But if you find my home so offensive, I suggest that you return to Rosings, where you would certainly be more comfortable." Her voice was sweet, but her eyes betrayed the sarcasm of her words.

Lady Catherine glared down her nose at her niece. "I see the marks of coarse influence in you, insolent girl. If only I had taken you when your parents died, you would have turned out just as meek and elegant as Anne."

Georgiana raised her eyebrows. Anne...meek? She grinned when she saw her cousin's wink. When Lady Catherine cleared her throat, Georgiana glanced back towards her aunt with a look of resignation, but she was saved from further scolding when the nurse brought Jeffrey into the room.

Once Lady Catherine was busy picking out the marks of greatness in Jeffrey's toddler play and prattle, Anne and Georgiana managed to slip from the room. It was an unusually sunny day, so they took their horses out into the countryside, and followed a narrow path through the soft snow. After months in crowded London, it felt wonderfully refreshing to ride across the wide hills and through the snowy forest.

Georgiana closed her eyes and inhaled the sharp, earthy scent of cedar as the horse picked her way through the woods. As happened often these days, she started to think about Brian. She had seen him dressed up for formal events, and in casual city wear amongst friends. What would he be like, she wondered, in a setting such as this? Would the beauty of the forest make him hold his breath and scan the trees for deer? Would his green eyes darken to match the pines as he paused to taste the scent of snow in the air? Would his lips curve in a smile...mmm, his lips!

Whump!!! A heavy, wet snowball caught Georgiana square in the back of the neck. She turned to see Anne giving her a wicked, knowing grin.

"Stop pining, and start planning. We've got to find you a dress!" With that, Anne led her horse into a gallop and raced Georgiana back to the stables.

"...I fold."

Brian grinned. "Four Queens. Looks like it's mine." Brian scooped the pile in the center of the table towards him as three other gave him slightly annoyed frowns. Finally, one of them shrugged.

"I'm good for a couple more hands. But I do need some fuel to see me through...especially if lady luck continues to embrace our friend here." He rose to his feet and headed for the bar, followed by Alex.

Brian's friend Tom turned to him with a grin. "Speaking of lady luck, let me tell you about this girl I met last night. Absolutely gorgeous. Midnight hair down to her waist, dark velvety skin and astonishing light eyes, a deep laugh that would set any man on fire. And her body..." He leaned back in his chair with a groan. "Now...if only she wasn't marrying my cousin."

Brian laughed. "You've never let that stop you before, Tom. But seriously, how is Hastings?"

Tom launched into a long story about how his cousin had missed a plane and was rerouted to Bangkok, where he met the girl and ended up staying for four months. Brian was watching his friend, smiling and nodding, but he soon realized that he had no idea what Tom was talking about. His mind was wandering, and he kept seeing visions of a pair of impossibly blue eyes that danced mischievously, and felt the memory of a delicious kiss warm his lips. His brother's teasing voice yanked Brian from his reverie.

"What was that?"

Alex grinned and thrust a beer into his hand. "I thought so. Listen, Brian, I received an interesting phone call this afternoon. It seems that Anne and Georgiana did stop by to say goodbye, after all. Except that they saw a little scene on the front steps that...ah...rather disturbed them. Tell me, Brian, how long have you been engaged?"

Brian nearly dropped his glass. "What?"

Tom and Robert, their other companion, stared at Alex, who laughed heartily.

"Apparently, they saw you proposing to Elsa, and became very distressed. I assume that they happened upon you at the moment the girl returned the ring."

Brian's jaw dropped. "Well, I suppose that explains..." A slow grin crossed his face. "And if she was distressed..." He rose to his feet and clapped Alex on the back. "Come, Alex, we have a party to prepare for. Happy Holidays, gentlemen. Buy something nice for your ladies." Brian tossed his winnings back onto the table and pulled Alex from the club with a highly amused grin on his face.

Chapter Forty-One

Posted on Tuesday, 11 April 2000

Jeffrey Darcy loved bugs. While the family waited in the beautiful front parlor for some of their guests to arrive, Jeffrey surrounded himself with a rainbow of crayons and paper, creating a small artist's studio in the corner, and started to draw a bug zoo. Jeffrey was not, however, the only artist who contributed to the stack of new insect drawings that would grace the nursery walls that evening. At his insistence, everyone who came near him had to create his or her own creature. Lizzy sketched a purple and yellow diving beetle, and Will drew a rather odd yellow and teal bookworm. Georgiana created a silly pink and green bug, and Anne drew an orange thing with wings and a beak.

"That's not a bug, it's a bird!" Jeffrey exclaimed in disgust.

Anne laughed. "Then it's a bird bug."

Jeffrey seemed to be satisfied because he put it in the pile with the rest. There was a minor interruption when Kitty, Richard, Charlotte, and John arrived. After the coats had been put away and many hugs and kisses exchanged, Jeffrey drew the new arrivals into his temporary studio.

"Draw some bugs," he commanded his guests.

While Richard and John struggled to find their inner artists, Kitty leaned over to whisper to Anne and Georgiana. "Show me your dresses."

Trying to escape reprimand from their demanding little relative, the women crept stealthily up the stairs to Georgiana's room. Kitty sat on Georgiana's bed while the girls went into the dressing room to get the dresses. Georgiana and Anne laughed as they tore the plastic from their gowns and held them out to their newest cousin. Kitty smiled, and claimed that she could not possibly make an accurate judgment without live models, so the girls returned to the dressing room to change into their gowns.

While the girls were changing, someone knocked on the door, and a dark head appeared around the doorpost.

"May I come in?"

"Alex?" Kitty rose to her feet. Having been forewarned, she had prepared herself for the awkwardness that could possibly come from their presence in the same house. Alex, however, barely noticed Kitty, and merely gave her a distracted smile as he tried to catch a glimpse of Anne. Relieved, Kitty smiled and leaned on the door to keep him from entering.

"Really, Alex, you know that you can't see Anne before the party. She'd be furious. Besides, she's only in her slip right now."

Alex's face lit up with a mischievous smile. "I don't mind!" When Kitty started to laugh, he finally noticed her presence, which, wonderfully, did not affect him at all. He was still wickedly trying to picture Anne in a sexy satin slip. "Oh! Hello, Kate." He grinned, and tried to push his way around the door again. "Isn't that old superstition only for weddings?"

Kitty laughed again. "Honestly, Alex, if you want to save your hide, I suggest that you leave now." She ignored his protests that he should be rewarded for having to spend twenty minutes drawing insects for a dictatorial toddler, shoved him into the hall and locked the door.

"It's all right, you can come out now!" She called to the girls.

Anne came out first, laughing and blushing. Her white skin and dark hair contrasted beautifully with the deep emerald velvet of her dress. "He's a day early!"

Kitty smiled. "You look gorgeous. Of course Alex is early! You should have seen how eager he was to see you. I think, though, that it won't matter now what you wear to the party. All he will see is the slip he's imagining you are wearing underneath."

Anne grinned, but her smile diminished a bit as she studied Catherine's face. "Do you mind at all?"

Kitty laughed and hugged her cousin. "Not a bit. Things are exactly as they should be!"

Georgiana came out after Anne. Her eyes were bright and her cheeks were even pinker than Anne's. "Was Alex...alone?"

Kitty nodded. Anne grinned. "What she means is...was his delicious younger brother with him?"

Kitty laughed delightedly. "So! Actually, he was alone, but I'm sure Brian is around here somewhere..."

Georgiana's eyes danced. "Well, what do you think? Will I knock him off of his feet?" She spread her arms wide and twirled. Her new dress was designed to be both elegant and alluring. It was made of cranberry velvet with a swingy skirt and a low-cut bodice trimmed with a thin piece of black ribbon that curved up and widened to form the straps. The color complemented her complexion and brought out the golden highlights in her hair.

Catherine smiled. "I'm awfully lucky that you are Richard's relatives. Otherwise, I'd be awfully worried with the two of you to compete with!"

The girls turned as they heard the pounding of a small pair of feet, followed by several heavier, slower footfalls. There was another knock on the door. Anne and Georgiana raced into the dressing room and had just managed to throw their clothes back on when the rest of the group entered. Alex was beaming as he came to stand next to Anne. Kitty and Richard shared a smile as Alex captured Anne's hand and tried to keep his features from forming the silly smile that danced in the corners of his eyes.

Jeffrey ran up to Kitty and grabbed her arm with a determined look on her face. "You need to do a bug!"

Kitty laughed and followed her nephew downstairs. Elizabeth and Will decided to take Charlotte and John to the library for tea and a chat, leaving Georgiana and Anne with Alex. After everyone else had left, Alex gave Georgiana a wink as he took Anne into his arms. Anne was smiling brilliantly as she gazed up at Alex, but she nodded briefly in Georgiana's direction. Alex didn't seem to understand, so she rose on her toes to whisper into his ear.

"Where is Brian?"

Alex glanced at Georgiana's anxious face for a moment, before giving Anne a brief nod. "Brian was unable to accompany me."

Georgiana's features tightened as she tried to swallow her disappointment. She gave Anne a quick smile, then left the room.

Alex watched her go, then gave Anne a warm smile. "Don't worry, it will all turn out well."

Chapter Forty-Two

Posted on Wednesday, 19 April 2000

Brian grinned as he strode into the locker room. It had been a long shift, and he was a little worn, but the events of the evening would more than make up for it. He stripped from his scrubs and jumped into the shower, closing his eyes as the hot water released the knots in his tense shoulders.

"Waterpool!"

Brian quickly scrubbed his hair, and then wrapped a towel around his waist as he answered the summons. Two of his fellow interns were standing in their street clothes waiting for him.

"Long day, wasn't it? We're going for a drink. Join us!"

Brian laughed as he began to scrub his hair with a towel. "Sorry, guys, I have a party to get to."

"A party...and a girl, I'll wager."

"Do you even need to ask?" The other laughed. "Come on, Waterpool. A drink will erase the last bit of stress from this place from your face, and will put you in the right frame of mind to see this girl."

Brian shrugged into his coat. "I suppose one couldn't hurt. I have a good hour and a half before my train leaves."

The three young men joined several other interns and two young doctors at a local pub. They were all in fine spirits at the end of a long Friday shift leading into the weekend. Brian soon found himself in the middle of a cutthroat game of darts. After winning nearly a hundred pounds from his companions, Brian stepped back with a grin.

"I have to go, guys."

Several of his friends protested that he couldn't walk away with their money like that. Another asked what could possibly be so pressing that it would draw Brian from the middle of a party.

"The very best reason." He smiled. "But if you are so put out about my departure..." He threw £50 on the bar and ordered a round for the group. He then stuffed the remainder of his winnings into the shirt pocket of one of his friends. "Maybe this will help to ease your disapproval." After throwing one last dart, Brian grabbed his coat and sprinted outside.

"He must be in love." One of the doctors laughed before returning to his beer.

It was beginning to get dark. A gentle snow had fallen all day long, and it looked as if nature was trying to do her part in decorating for the party. Elizabeth had ordered all main floor lights to be turned off, and lit hundreds of candles in the great chandeliers and wall sconces to create a romantic, festive glow. Already, the house was crowded with guests. Their laughter and the sound of the musicians warming up in the ballroom carried up stairs to the room where the girls were dressing.

"You look gorgeous, Georgiana. It's a good thing that you and Anne are Richard's cousins, or I would be very worried."

Georgiana laughed. "Have you ever noticed how Richard looks at you? I honestly think that he would not notice an earthquake if you were in the room, let alone another woman."

Catherine blushed happily and pressed her wedding ring to her lips. "Oh, Georgiana, isn't he just the most amazing man on Earth?" Her eyes danced as she slipped a jeweled bobby pin into Georgiana's hair. Georgiana grinned at the joy that radiated from Kitty's expressive eyes. At times, Richard and Kitty seemed to be even more in love than Will and Elizabeth, if that was possible. She was still studying Kitty's radiant face when her new cousin laughed out loud.

"Anne!"

Georgiana started to turn her head at Kitty's exclamation, but her cousin stopped her before she could mess up her hair. Kitty was chuckling as she slid the last pin into place. "Ok, now you can look."

Anne had just entered the room, but instead of wearing the pretty green velvet, she was wearing a dress that Georgiana had never seen before. Georgiana started to laugh. "Oh, Anne, is that the dress?"

Anne nodded, laughing herself. "I had to buy it. What do you think?"

Kitty giggled wickedly. "You look like a goddess. Alex is just going to die!"

Anne grinned. "Oh, he's seen it once, already. But he has no idea that I actually bought it."

"Well, Alex won't let you out of his sight, tonight, that's for sure." Georgiana smiled. "The same goes for you, too, Kitty. I doubt that Richard will let anyone else dance with you one he sees you. I wish that I were as lucky."

Kitty took Georgiana's elbow. "Oh, you'll get your chance tonight, even if Brian doesn't show up. Stuart's here, you know."

Georgiana laughed. "My dutiful partner in crime, you mean?"

Kitty nodded. "You can practice harmlessly on Stuart while you wait for Brian to come to his senses."

Alex had been pacing the long hall for quite a while, wondering why women took so long to get ready. While he was waiting, Richard came into the hall and stared anxiously at the stairs. Alex watched his old rival with curiosity as he started up the stairs twice, changed his mind and returned to the bottom step, only to turn to stare longingly back up the stairs. Alex realized that he, himself, must appear equally silly to casual observers. Surprised to feel an odd sort of bond with Richard, Alex laughed.

Richard, realizing that he was being observed, turned towards Alex with a defensive scowl on his face. Alex held his hands out in front of him and stepped forward.

"They take so long, don't they?"

Richard's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "They do..."

Alex glanced back towards the curving staircase. "I will never understand it. Anne could come down in jeans and a sweatshirt, looking all disheveled, and I would think that she was beautiful."

Richard stared at Alex. "Anne?"

Alex nodded. "Who did you think I was waiting for?"

Richard thrust his hands into his pockets. "Ah..."

Alex grinned. "It's an odd circumstance we find ourselves in at the moment, isn't it? Listen, Richard. Catherine is with you now. I pose no threat. You have obviously made her very happy, and I am glad. I've moved on with my life, and I'm devoted to your rather astonishing little cousin, Anne."

Even though he was secure in Kitty's love, Richard had been very uncomfortable to find that Alex was staying in the same house. He was so used to thinking of Waterpool as his rival that he found it difficult to relate to him in a neutral way. Alex's speech only assuaged his fears a little. Richard was so in love with his wife that he couldn't imagine any man being able to get over losing her. Alex's relationship with his cousin worried him a little, too. Was it possible that Anne was Alex's rebound relationship or, even worse, an excuse to get close to Kitty?

As Richard watched Alex, the young man's head snapped towards the stairs and a huge grin appeared on his handsome face. Richard glanced towards the stairs and saw his own beautiful wife. His eyes narrowed as he glanced back towards Alex. He soon realized, however, that Alex was not staring at Catherine, but at Anne, who had followed Kitty down the stairs. Richard watched as Alex stepped forward, his eyes dancing as he murmured Anne's name. Richard smiled suddenly as he observed Alex's rapt adoration for his cousin. No man would look at a woman like that if he were in love with another. Freed from the worry that had plagued him since they had entered the house, Richard turned to his new wife with a smile and promptly forgot that anyone else existed except her.

Alex drew a sharp breath and his throat went dry as he watched Anne descend the stairs. Of course, he recognized the dress. In the shop, though alluring, it had been perfectly innocent. Now, lit only by candlelight, it looked as if Anne was wearing only a web of diamonds. Alex was frozen in place as she moved towards him, but when she reached the bottom of the stairs, Alex regained his presence of mind and dipped a low bow of homage before leaning down to whisper into her ear.

"I'm speechless, Anne. You are a goddess."

Anne's eyes laughed, but she adopted an innocent voice. "Do you like it?"

Alex's voice was hoarse. "Do you even need to ask?" He ran his thumb from her ear to her collarbone. "Must we, seriously, go to the party?"

Anne pretended to be offended. "Alex, you would take away from me the pleasure of seeing my dear friends and family, and of dancing, which I love?"

Alex dropped another graceful bow. "My lady, for you, I'd do anything." He gave her his arm as they followed everyone else towards the ballroom, but he stopped her from entering with the group and pulled her behind the great door so that they were hidden from view.

"I have to steal a moment with you before every hot-blooded man in there gets a good look at you," he murmured into her ear before he kissed her.

Georgiana stood still for a moment as she entered the ballroom behind Kitty and Richard. Having told her cousins to dance and not worry about her, she suddenly felt vulnerable and lonely. It was fairly obvious now that Brian wasn't going to make an appearance. She only alone for a moment, however, before she was joined by a rather good-looking friend.

"Georgiana Darcy, alone? What luck!" Stuart grinned as he gave her a slightly insolent bow. "There's something different about you tonight." He stated, looking at her curiously.

Georgiana found her smile, charmed by Stuart's lighthearted behavior. "I was just asking the good fairy to send me a knight in shining armor," she laughed. "But until she does, I suppose I'll have to settle for you."

Stuart pretended to take offense. "Yes, I'll be your faithful servant and hold the lantern as you wait in the dark for prince charming to arrive. Tell me, Georgiana, where is Brian tonight?"

Georgiana gave him an odd look. "Apparently, he had rounds today. I don't think he'll be coming."

Stuart frowned and muttered under his breath, "the fool." He smiled and held out his hand. "Come on, Georgiana, the dancing is starting. It would be wrong for the beautiful young hostess to miss the first waltz."

It was full dark by the time the car pulled up in front of Pemberley. Brian thanked the driver, grabbed his bag, and jogged into the house. A servant met him at the front door and ushered him through the candlelit entryway. Brian paused for a moment as he heard the music coming from the ballroom. He motioned for the man to wait a moment, and went to steal a glimpse of the dancing.

Kitty Fitzwilliam saw Brian standing at the door and pointed him out to her husband. Richard grinned as Brian raised a finger to his lips to ask them to keep his presence a secret. Richard nodded towards the front of the room, where Georgiana was laughing in Stuart Appleton's arms. Brian felt a white-hot stab of jealousy in his stomach, but he ignored it and waved to Kitty before he turned to follow the servant up to his room.

Chapter Forty-Three

Posted on Thursday, 27 April 2000

Anne was becoming very irritated. Here she was, wearing a gown that should have held Alex's undivided attention. The lights were low, the music was romantic. The Pemberley ballroom resembled a scene from a fairy tale, decked in candles and greenery, and surrounded by huge windows that framed the feathery snowfall. All the makings for an enchanted evening...and Alex was staring at his watch.

The first time it happened, Anne thought nothing of it. But after Alex had dropped her hand to glance at his timepiece for the seventh time, Anne removed his hand from her waist and stepped back with her hands on her hips and a fiery look in her eyes.

"Since you obviously have somewhere else you'd rather be, I release you. I'll find someone who actually wants to be with me!" She stated, only half-teasing as she started to walk away.

Alex laughed and caught Anne's wrist, pulling her back into his arms.

"You're right, I do have something important to do. Something even more important than you at the moment, hard as it is to believe," He grinned as she stuck her tongue out at him. "But I do need your help, vixen. Afterwards..." He pressed his lips to her ear. "I promise to give you my complete attention."

Anne hid her laugh as Alex led her to the edge of the dance floor. Her eyes narrowed in a teasing challenge as Alex's eyes searched the room. "What is it that is so much more interesting than I am?"

Alex grinned as he finally saw the person he was looking for. "Anne, I need you to convince Georgiana to get something from the library for you."

Anne frowned. "The library?"

Alex laughed and stepped closer, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and smiling down into her face.

"The library, my dear. There is something there that I think Georgiana will find most...interesting."

As Anne stared at Alex, her expression slowly changed to a sly smile. "I will do what I can. What reason should I give her for sending her there?"

Alex thought for a moment. "Tell her that you and I were having an argument about Fordyce's sermons, and that I wish to see a copy."

Anne laughed. "She would never believe that!"

"I suppose not." He smiled. "Send her for a book on British history, then. We were arguing over the length of time King Richard the Lionheart was held captive during the crusades."

Anne shrugged, but gave Alex a quick kiss on the cheek. "As you will." She gave him a mock-submissive curtsey and ran off to find her cousin.

"My education has been so interrupted this year, for various reasons, that it will take a little longer than I...Hello Anne!"

Stuart had been asking Georgiana about her progress towards her master's degree when Anne interrupted them. Georgiana was secretly glad for the interruption. Stuart was a wonderful companion, but with every charming smile and compliment he gave her, Georgiana found herself wishing that the words were coming from the lips of another. Every time Stuart pulled her close to dance, Georgiana imagined herself in Brian's arms. It was terribly unfair, and Georgiana felt guilty for not enjoying her friend's company as much as she should have.

"Georgiana, I need you to settle a dispute for me. Alex and I were discussing the crusades, and we couldn't agree on the length of time King Richard was held. Could you find a book that would help us out?"

"You were discussing the crusades at a ball?" Stuart chuckled. "How romantic!"

Georgiana grinned and elbowed Stuart. It confused her too, but then again, Anne and Alex did have an odd sort of relationship. "I know the book you need..."

Stuart winked at Anne as he whirled Georgiana in a circle. "Do you have to settle this now, Anne?"

Anne nodded and grabbed Georgiana's hand. "If we don't, Alex and I will keep arguing about it all night. Please?" She implored.

Georgiana laughed. "I'll do what I can to water the seeds of romance between the two of you...however odd."

"I'll come with!" Stuart declared, starting to follow Georgiana.

"Oh, no you're not!" Anne laughed. "That would ruin...I mean...you're staying right here with me. Georgiana's been monopolizing you all night. I haven't had a chance to dance with you!"

Stuart laughed. "Does Alex know that you sent Georgiana on a mission merely to get a chance at me?"

Anne gave him a flirtatious smile. "He knew that he didn't stand a chance."

As Stuart took Anne into his arms and saw the amused smile on her face, the way her eyes strayed towards Georgiana's retreating form, Stuart began to suspect that Anne was after more than just a library book. He glanced towards the ballroom doors just as Alex re-entered the room and searched around until he met Anne's eyes. Alex stopped to speak briefly with Georgiana as she passed him by, and then shot Anne a triumphant smile.

Stuart chuckled. "It looks like you're conspiring against me, Anne!"

Anne's eyes snapped back to the young man's face. "What...I...what do you mean, Stuart?"

He gave Anne a lopsided grin. "I've known all along that I didn't stand a chance. What American could hold a candle to a British gentleman who spent most of his life in France? We Americans have a lot to learn about romance, I'm afraid."

Anne laughed and gave him a hug. "Oh, Stuart, you're among the best of them. If she would have met you first, I'm sure that you would have had an excellent chance."

The library was dark. Knowing exactly where the book was located, Georgiana made her way to the bookshelves using only the soft light that filtered through the snowy windows as her guide.

As she slipped the book from the shelf, Georgiana was startled to hear someone take a deep breath right behind her. She hadn't heard footsteps. Turning around quickly in the dark, she knocked into a potted plant, spilling it onto the floor. As she bent to retrieve the pot, her unknown companion gave a low chuckle and fell to his knees beside her, taking the book from her hand.

"Hello, Georgiana."

Chapter Forty-Three

Posted on Thursday, 25 May 2000

"Must be a dull party," Brian murmured, "if you feel compelled to brush up on your medieval English history."

"What?" Georgiana's heart leaped into her throat, and she watched in amazement as Brian slowly rose back to his full height and casually flipped through the book. He had stepped back into the shadows, so she couldn't see his face. She wanted to, desperately, but she couldn't seem to make herself move.

"Yes, I do agree that the crusades can be an interesting study..." he continued, setting the book on a nearby table, "Richard Coeur d'Leon was an enigma. But, honestly," he came before her again, and crouched down so that she could finally see his beautiful eyes, "Isn't there anything in that ballroom to draw your interest from your studies?"

"P-pardon?" What was he talking about? Georgiana was too busy rejoicing that Brian had actually arrived, and admiring how well he looked in evening wear, in the moonlight, to pay any attention to his words.

He gave her a wry smile. "I heard that Stuart Appleton was invited. Surely he will be looking for you. I can't imagine that he would let you out of his sight for long."

The delicious sparkle in Brian's soft green eyes told Georgiana that he was teasing her. She took a deep breath as he lifted the broken pieces of ceramic from her hands and drew her to her feet.

Georgiana's voice was slightly shaky as she attempted to tease him back. "Excuse me, Brian, but whatever happened to Hello?"

Brian grinned. "I was wondering the same thing. Isn't the hostess supposed to greet all guests?"

Georgiana tried to hide her smile. "And aren't the guests obligated to arrive before the party is almost over?"

Brian dropped a sweeping bow. "Pardon me, Miss Darcy. I am unforgivably late. May I claim your hand for a few dances? Or did Mr. Appleton already shackle you?"

Georgiana's heart raced as Brian pressed his lips against her hand. Oh, kiss me again...and properly this time! She had to fight the urge to bury her hands in his thick hair and draw his lips to hers. Her voice was breathless as she tried to cover her sudden discomposure. "Why, Mr. Waterpool, I believe that the last time I danced with you, I went home with bruised feet!"

The expression in Georgiana's eyes made Brian's throat go dry. He suddenly felt his self-control slipping. Brian dearly wanted to kiss that adorable smile from her lips. But she was so wonderful that he didn't want to take advantage of her. He knew that she wondered if she was just another of his blondes. He wanted to lay all of her fears to rest; and, tempting as it was, such an expression of his feelings would serve little towards that purpose. He smiled warmly and stepped closer, taking her hands.

"Why, my dear Georgiana, you are mistaken. I am a master on the dance floor. Take a chance in my arms and you will think that you are being swept away on a cloud." He slid an arm around her waist and led her in a slow waltz to the music that echoed faintly through the open library doors. With a smile, he leaned down to whisper into her ear, "It must have been your date who abused your tender feet, for I would never harm a hair on your beautiful golden head."

Oh, forget dancing in the clouds, Brian. In your arms, I am already in heaven! She thought, shivering as Brian's eyes darkened and locked with hers. For a moment, as he licked his lips, Georgiana thought that he was going to kiss her. But he didn't. Her heart dropped to her stomach as she remembered the scene in London. What if he was engaged? She pressed her face against his chest to hide her expression. But as she inhaled the scent of his cologne, a slow smile slid across Georgiana's face. Brian was terribly intoxicating tonight, even more than usual. Georgiana's pulse was racing so that she was almost afraid that she would have a heart attack.

Brian had seen the sudden dimming of Georgiana's smile before she lowered her head. He gently lifted her chin and stepped back slightly. "Georgiana, are you all right?"

"What?" Georgiana gulped, finding it very difficult to look away from his eyes. Her eyes widened as she remembered that the last time she spoke with him, she had been firmly wrapped in his arms, having just kissed him. "Yes, I'm fine, really."

Brian smiled. "I'm glad you came."

Georgiana laughed. "Isn't that supposed to be my line?"

"I'm glad that you came to the library," he amended with a grin.

"Anne sent me for the book..." She became distracted again, as she admired how Brian's tousled hair, still damp from a recent shower, lent a disarming charm to his mischievous expression. "You are looking well."

"Right." Brian teased. "Actually," he smiled warmly, taking a deep breath, "I asked Alex to find a way to get you in here..." He raised one finger to brush a stray hair from Georgiana's cheek. He fell in love with her all over again when she traced his touch with her own fingers, leaving a smudge of potting soil on her rosy skin.

Oh really? Georgiana grinned. Her heart was pounding wildly. "And why would that be, Mr. Waterpool?"

Brian was caught off guard. He hadn't really planned what he would say. He had searched for this for so long, and now he was afraid that he would spoil it. How horribly inadequate did the English language suddenly seem when faced with the task of putting his feelings to words. He doubted that even the Italians, who boasted so many words of love, could succeed. All he could do was leap in and hope for the best.

"I heard that you witnessed an interesting scene just before you left London..."

He saw it then, a tiny tear in the corner of her eye. Brian's voice was hoarse as he gently touched her face.

"Oh, Lord, Georgiana, I am so sorry."

Georgiana shook her head. "You can't help things like this. They just...happen."

Brian nodded. "But Georgiana, about Elsa..." He pulled a beautiful diamond ring from his pocket with a great smile. "Does this answer your question?"

Georgiana ran.

Brian was completely shocked. What about the words he had planned? He was going to explain how Elsa had finally returned the ring because at long last she realized that Brian had finally fallen in love, and she was not the object of his affections... Georgiana was.

He dropped the box and raced into the ballroom, but she wasn't there. He finally decided to try her bedroom. A maid reluctantly agreed to guide him to her suite, but when he arrived, the door was locked. And it remained locked. He waited outside her door for nearly an hour before he finally gave up and went to bed. He decided that he would rise early and catch her in the morning.

"Success?"

Anne was grinning wickedly when Alex rejoined her and Stuart. The mischievous look in her beautiful eyes made Alex's pulse race. He reached out to take her hand, and gave her a brilliant smile, mentally calculating how much longer they had to stay before they could make a discreet exit.

"In a matter of speaking..."

The look in Alex's eyes made Anne's heart do backflips, but she tempered her reaction as she nodded pointedly towards Stuart to remind Alex that they were not alone. "I gather that the meeting is in progress?"

Alex's eyes danced as he lifted Anne's hand to his lips. "It is. He arrived safely, and they are together in the library."

Stuart gave Alex an appraising look. "Do you think that Brian will have better luck this time?"

Alex addressed his answer towards Anne. "If things go well, we may end up as cousins-in-law..." He leaned in closer and whispered for her ears only, "but I hope that we end up as infinitely more to each other."

Seeing that his presence was slowly being forgotten, Stuart decided to toss out one more question before he left the couple. He took a deep breath. "Do you think that Brian will make her happy?"

Anne raised an eyebrow. Alex stared at him.

A slight blush crossed Stuart's handsome face. "Well...Georgiana and I have become good friends, and I was just wondering..." He paused and saw the pity on Anne's face. He frowned slightly and nodded. "If you will excuse me, I am supposed to leave early tomorrow. I should call it a night." He kissed Anne's cheek, shook Alex's hand, and turned to leave.

After watching the young man walk away, Anne turned to Alex. Her eyes were sad. "He loves her."

Alex gave her a startled look, but then shook his head and smiled. "He doesn't stand a chance, poor man. Brian is so besotted by Georgiana that he told me tonight that he will not let anything stand in his way this time...save the lady, herself. But I think that we both know where Georgiana's heart lies." He wrapped his arms around Anne. "And I hope that you know where my heart lies."

Anne smiled. 'I think that the party is starting to die down. Maybe this would be a good time to make our exit."

Alex nodded. "That is a wonderful idea." He and Anne discreetly left the ballroom and headed upstairs. Anne noticed that Alex seemed nervous, and she smiled when he paused in a moonlit alcove off of the main stairway.

"Anne," his voice was serious as he twined one of Anne's thick, chestnut curls around his finger. "You are...the most amazing woman I have ever met. You are intelligent, and witty, and kind, and beautiful." Here, Anne lowered her head. Until Alex came along, no one had ever really called her beautiful.

Alex smiled softly and lifted her chin, forcing her to meet his eyes. "Our relationship started under strange circumstances, and I know that you have doubted...me." He took a shaky breath. "But you have become so dear to me that I cannot imagine my life without you. You have come to mean more to me than any other person ever has, or ever will." His eyes clouded momentarily as he heard Anne's sharp breath. "You must believe that. I would be lying if I said that I'd never loved before...but, honestly, I've never loved this well before. You make my soul dance with joy. I've never felt happier or healthier than I do when I'm with you. Which is why..."

Anne's heart was breaking with joy as Alex professed his love for her. She knew him well enough to know that he would never lie to her. And his eyes told her that he was being utterly honest. It must be true. He hadn't looked at Kitty once all night. All of his attention had been focused, intensely, on her...and her dress, she thought to herself with a private smile. She felt like she could leap from the tallest building and fly. So when Alex began fumbling in his pocket, Anne did the only thing she could do...she started to cry.

Alex was so shocked to see Anne crying that he momentarily forgot what he was doing. He handed her a handkerchief and started to ask her if she was all right.

Anne laughed through her tears, smiling up at Alex. "I swear, Alexander Waterpool, if you are going to leave me hanging like this, I will shove you down the stairs."

Alex's heart showed in his smile. "I don't doubt it." He slipped the box from his pocket, and pulled out a lovely, simple diamond ring. "Oh, Anne, my crazy, sexy, gorgeous, darling girl, please relieve my suffering and consent to be my wife."

Anne sniffled loudly, blew her nose into his handkerchief, then wiped her eyes. With a blindingly brilliant smile, she threw herself into Alex's arms and nodded her consent as he claimed her mouth.

Georgiana couldn't sleep. She was too tormented by questions. And she was too disgusted with herself for running away again. Stupid, stupid! Besides, they had seen a ring in Brian's hand that day in London. If he was giving it to Elsa then, why did he have it with him here? Maybe she was mistaken...maybe...

Terribly restless, Georgiana slid from bed, threw a light robe around her shoulders, and went downstairs for a glass of hot milk and honey to help her sleep.

The lights were off, but the kitchen was flooded by moonlight. As she started towards the refrigerator, Georgiana heard a movement behind her. She turned around to find Brian standing right behind her. Her heart was pounding wildly, and she didn't know what to say. So she just stared at him. She had never seen Brian looking so disheveled and so utterly delicious. There was something just so...sexy about a little bit of stubble on a usually clean-cut man. And the flannel pants, white T-shirt, tousled dark hair, and...glasses?

Brian smiled at her expression. "What is it?"

"You wear glasses?"

He laughed. "My inner nerd peeking through. Sorry, I didn't know that I'd have to impress a beautiful woman at five AM this morning."

Georgiana smiled. "Actually, they're...sexy."

Brian raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Oh, yes. Very. Smart and sexy." Although they made his warm gray-green eyes slightly less visible, they were very definitely sexy.

"I must still be dreaming. What brings you into the kitchen, Georgiana?"

She was suddenly uncomfortable. "Would you like some tea? Milk and honey?"

Brian laughed and took her arm. "Tea sounds good." They sat on stools by the kitchen counter, sipping tea and eating chocolate chip cookies.

Brian had been studying Georgiana intently. "So...now that you are here..."

"Um..." How on Earth am I going to do this? "Yes, I would like to talk to you..."

"About what?"

"About earlier..."

"Yes, I know. I am horrible...for showing up so near the end of your lovely party." Brian knew that he was teasing her, but he couldn't help it. She looked so cute and bewildered. Especially when she blushed. And when she chewed her lip. Oh, her lips! Brian smiled to himself as he forced himself to look away, to collect himself.

Georgiana shook her head. "Well, no. Actually..." She took a deep breath. "It's about that ring."

Brian pushed his tea aside and leaned across the table to take her hands. "I'm sorry, Georgiana. I didn't mean to startle you. That is the ring Elsa returned to me the day you saw us in London."

Georgiana smiled. "I'm glad."

"Why?" His heart was beating quickly, he was hanging on her next words.

"Well, I care about you a lot, and I..." She frowned.

Brian grinned and came around the table to stand in front of her. "You what?" His smile teased her, his eyes were warm with feeling. His voice was soft. Georgiana suddenly felt as if she was perched at the top of a very high waterfall, ready to dive into the beautiful, perilous depths.

"I was just wondering..."

Brian laughed softly. "About what?"

"Since you are done with Elsa, do you think that you might...um..."

Brian grinned. "What?"

Georgiana took a step back. "Love somebody?"

Brian grinned. "Oh, most certainly." He ran a hand through his hair. His expression became that of a naughty young boy dangling a carrot just out of the reach of a hungry pony.

"And...who might she be?"

Brian shrugged, gave her a teasing grin. "What about you?"

"I asked you first."

"I refuse to answer until you do."

Georgiana groaned. "You are impossible. It should be a simple question."

"Exactly."

"So answer it."

"You first." He crossed his arms in front of him and leaned casually against the window.

Georgiana shook her head and frowned at Brian. But as she did, she couldn't help but admire his mischievous grin, the challenge in his eyes. She took a deep breath. Her voice was soft, and slightly shaky.

"You."

"No, my dear, you first."

Georgiana's stomach fluttered as she shook her head. "I answered your question, Brian. It's your turn."

Brian laughed softly. "Excuse me, young lady, I think we missed a step somewhere. I never heard an answer."

"I believe, sir, that I most distinctly answered...but if 'you' is not an acceptable answer, well, then I will just...leave."

Brain stared at her. Then he began to laugh. Georgiana was furious.

"It's not funny. You wanted to know. Now you can add another notch to your belt and return to Elsa."

Brian's laughter cut off sharply. His eyes darkened as he grasped Georgiana's hands. "Oh, Georgiana," he said sadly, "Do you really think so ill of me?"

Seeing the sadness in his beautiful eyes, Georgiana quickly shook her head. "No, of course not! I'm so sorry, Brian. I spoke hastily. I just don't believe that I could possibly be the one woman who could capture your wild heart."

Brian shook his head slowly. "Oh, how you have underestimated yourself, Georgiana." His green eyes held an earnest expression as he lifted a hand to her face. "It's true that I haven't had the most stable relationships, but I've never felt this way before, either. You've done something to me...When I kissed you that once, I finally felt utterly and completely happy. And I told you then..." his smile was ironic, "I told you that I thought I loved you. But I was tempering the truth because, Georgiana, the truth is...I began to fall for you almost from the first moment we met. I knew for sure that I was completely lost when you disappeared with George." He pressed his lips to her forehead, "I've wasted so much time."

"Well," she smiled shakily. "We all have our weaknesses."

He laughed, pulled her into his arms and spun her around and around. "And you are mine. So..."

Georgiana took a deep breath. "So?"

He grinned and ran his fingers through her golden hair. "May I kiss you now?"

Chapter Forty-Four

Posted on Tuesday, 26 September 2000

Lady Catherine's world had turned upside down in the months since her daughter announced her engagement to the Waterpool boy. For the first time in the twenty years since her husband died, she had their London house opened and readied for an extended stay. Anne had reluctantly allowed her mother to take charge of the planning for the December wedding, and the lady intended to see to it that the event suited the importance of the union between the heirs to the de Bourgh and Waterpool fortunes.

It was true that at first Lady Catherine had looked down on the growing attachment between Anne and Alexander Waterpool with scorn. Her initial indignation at Anne's announcement was, in truth, only felt because the match had formed with none of her influence. Once the engagement was certain, Lady Catherine had to admit that she could hardly arrange a better match for her daughter than Anne had done for herself. Waterpool's lineage was impeccable, and his family fortune had endured through times when many of the finest houses had collapsed under financial strain. The boy even seemed to have a good head on his shoulders, although Lady Catherine would die before she admitted as much to her daughter.

So, all through that following spring and summer, a never-ending stream of designers, bakers, tailors, florists, and musicians had flooded the town house. Lady Catherine blatantly ignored her daughter's plea to keep the wedding simple, and sat down with the most exclusive wedding planners to design a ceremony and reception that could only be called simple in comparison to a royal wedding.

The lady also ignored Anne's increasing frustration. Wanting only to spend her free time with her fiancée, Anne was so harassed by constant fittings and late-night meetings with her mother that she began to lose weight, much to the distress of the designer of her wedding dress. She began to find increasing reasons to avoid the house during the day, often returning after dinner only to retire to her room. Lady Catherine did not seem bothered by Anne's absence. At least, she thought, Anne had stopped second-guessing all of her ideas.

One rainy night in late September, Anne actually did arrive home in time for dinner. Lady Catherine immediately piled a stack of glossy photographs and brochures on the table next to her daughter.

"I just found out that our original florist actually lowered himself to decorate the wedding of Lord Fitzhugh's daughter to that little sales clerk at Harrods. No matter how they tried to hide it, the girl was extremely pregnant by the time they were married. Her husband has no money. They cannot hope to be accepted into decent society. So," She tapped the photographs with a finger. "I have decided to hire Rawlington's. They have done at lest four royal weddings. The top three in this stack are the best possibilities for your bridal bouquet. Chose one by tomorrow." She paused to take a breath, "Now...about your honeymoon trip. Everyone goes to Italy, so we won't do that. The best families have started to send their children to an island in the Philippines that has been turned into a terribly exclusive resort. Let me see..." She began to search through the brochures to find the one she was looking for.

Anne had remained quiet through Lady Catherine's irritatingly snobbish florist argument, but when her mother started in on the honeymoon plans, Anne could not hold her tongue any longer. She threw her napkin on the table, gathered the brochures up in her arms, and pranced into the kitchen to dump them in the trash. Returning to the dining room, she stood before her mother with her hands on her hips and her eyes blazing.

"I understand your reasons for planning this huge wedding, but I have had enough! All I want is to marry Alex. I don't want to worry about which florist is the most exclusive, and I certainly am not going to plan my honeymoon around the current trend among nobility when, in all likelihood, we will not be leaving our hotel room." Anne blushed slightly at her last statement, but ignored her mother's outraged gasp. "I am not going to let my wedding turn into some circus event to show to the world how vain and important we are. So far, you have spoken of impressions and importance more times than I can count, and I don't remember you saying anything at all about love!" She turned around and stalked from the room.

After giving her daughter several hours to cool off, Lady Catherine sent a servant to order her daughter back downstairs to continue the discussion about the florist. The servant returned with a fearful expression on his face, and without Anne.

Upon entering Anne's room, Lady Catherine saw that her worst fears had been realized. Clothes were strewn about the room, and Anne's suitcase and favorite dress were missing. Lady Catherine had a sudden revelation and opened Anne's jewelry box. The bracelet that had belonged to Alex's great-grandmother, the one that Anne had decided not to wear until her wedding day, was also missing. Lady Catherine's outraged shout echoed through the halls as she ran to the telephone and began to frantically call around town. Anne was nowhere to be found. In fact, Lady Catherine's nephew informed her calmly, it seemed that Alex, Georgiana, and Brian had disappeared, as well. She guessed that William knew exactly where they were, but she could not squeeze a bit of information from him.

Alex and Brian were watching a game on television when Anne burst into the room, soaked to the bone, and threw herself into Alex's arms. The two brothers exchanged a smile before Brian flipped off the television and left the room. This scene had happened too often lately to surprise either of the young men.

Alex settled Anne next to him on the couch by the fire, and lifted her chin so that he could see her eyes.

"What has gotten you so upset now, sweetheart?"

Anne buried her face in his chest. "I hate my mother!"

"And what has she done this time?" Alex tried to hide his smile as he wiped Anne's tears away with a handkerchief and drew a blanket around her wet shoulders.

"It's not just this time! This has been happening since we told her about our engagement. She is so obsessed with planning the perfect wedding that she is driving me into the ground. It is no longer about celebrating our love," she shook her head at Alex's warm smile, "This wedding is becoming nothing more than a headache. It has gotten to the point that I no longer want it."

The smile vanished from Alex's face. "You no longer want to get married?"

Anne's face crumpled as she tightened her arms around Alex. "Of course I do! I want to marry you more than anything in the world. It's the wedding that I don't want." She wiped her eyes and leaned back in Alex's arms with an intense expression in her eyes. "In fact, I have everything I need in the car. I want to elope."

Alex laughed and fondly ran his fingers through her dark hair. "Darling, you are not thinking clearly. Every woman I know dreams of a wedding like the one your mother is planning. You are just worn out." He kissed her forehead. "Stay here for a couple of days to get away from it all. You will change your mind in the end."

"No." Anne shook her head. "This is not a spur of the moment decision. I have been thinking about this ever since mother announced that she was inviting five hundred on our side alone. How could she possibly know that many people?" She squeezed Alex's hand. "Honestly, how do you feel about the wedding?"

Alex laughed. "I only wanted it because I thought that it mattered to you."

"If you had your choice, what kind of wedding would you prefer?"

Alex smiled. "You, I, and a few close friends in some beautiful, quiet place."

"That is exactly what I was thinking. Richard's family has a gorgeous estate in Ireland. We could go there..." She smiled hopefully up at him.

Alex's face held a mixture of laughter and uncertainty. "Are you serious about this?"

"I love you more than life itself. This wedding has dragged us both down. Haven't you noticed?"

Alex nodded. "We have been fighting lately," he said thoughtfully, "and I hate what this thing is doing to you." He smiled suddenly. "If you are absolutely serious about this...if you honestly will not regret missing your fairytale wedding...then I'd love to run away with you."

Anne laughed and shook her head. "No regrets. And I will get my fairytale wedding. After all, I am marrying the man of my dreams."

Alex laughed and rose to his feet, twirling her around the room. Then he set her back on her feet and kissed her soundly. Hearing a low chuckle, they drew apart and turned around with guilty expressions on their faces.

"By the looks on your faces, one would think that you two were planning some sort of conspiracy." Brian grinned as he leaned casually against the door.

"As a matter of fact..." Alex began, giving Anne a silly grin.

"We are!" Anne finished, walking over to grab Brian's hand and pull him into the room. Brian was not particularly surprised at their decision, and wholeheartedly agreed to help them with their plan, and to serve as a witness.

"Just one thing," he said, giving his brother a hopeful smile, "you do need two witnesses."

"Yes, I know. Do you think that Will would come with?" Alex grinned at Brian's disappointed expression. "Don't worry, Brian. I'm sure that Georgiana would be delighted."

She was. Georgiana agreed that her aunt had gone overboard in preparing for the wedding. She assured Anne that since the wedding was still three months away, there would be plenty of time to cancel the arrangements. The only shame was that beautiful wedding dress...but Anne teased her cousin that perhaps another young relative would find use for it someday.

While they waited for Georgiana to arrive, Anne changed into dry clothes and made two more phone calls: to Richard and Will. As soon as Georgiana walked through the door, the group left for the train station. Within an hour, the four young people were on a train, speeding through the stormy night towards Ireland.

Chapter Forty-Five

Posted on Saturday, 23 December 2000

Brian threw open the large, ornately carved oak doors that guarded the entrance to the main house and took a deep breath of the chilly air, fragrant with the scents of apples and dried leaves. He worked his way through several deep stretches, then jogged down the stairs and broke into an easy run onto a path that ran through the forest and around the lake.

Only the occasional call of sleepy songbirds and the sound of dry leaves crunching underneath Brian's feet broke the morning stillness. He lengthened his stride as he reached the water's edge, following the shoreline until he reached a smooth slab of stone that pointed into the water. Here, he sat for a moment, staring into the water's glassy surface, and letting the tension slip from his shoulders. Compared with his horribly stressful residency schedule, the perfect serenity of the Irish countryside felt like a piece of heaven. As the sunrise bloomed over the hills, Brian headed back towards the grand house at a slower pace, taking the time to absorb the fresh beauty of the early autumn morning.

After a leisurely walk around the magnificent grounds of the estate, Brian went back into the house to see if anyone else was awake. The breakfast room was empty when Brian entered, but delicious smells were coming from the kitchen. He managed to charm a sweet roll, fresh from the oven, and a cup of hot tea from the cook before he decided to head upstairs for a hot shower.

Anne began to stir as the early morning sunlight slid across her face. Groggily, she slid her legs over the edge of the bed, only to jump back with a gasp as her bare feet made contact with the chilly floor. The clock on the nightstand read six-thirty, so Anne felt justified in stealing a few more minutes of sleep beneath the toasty eiderdown comforter. She closed her eyes as she rolled back into bed, pulling the covers around her with a sigh of contentment, but she received another shock as her feet collided with a warm body. She rolled over, smiling to herself at the sight of Alex's muscular back.

It seemed that Anne woke Alex just by thinking about him. He stretched his arms above his head with a groan, then rolled over and kissed Anne's nose with a sleepy smile. "Good morning, beautiful. A bit chilly, isn't it?"

Anne snuggled into Alex's arms with a smile. "Mmmm...It can get as cold as it wants."

"Mmm hmmm." Alex smiled drowsily as he wrapped his arms around Anne and closed his eyes.

A tender smile crossed Anne's face as she watched Alex's dark eyelashes flutter against his cheek. She lightly traced a finger along his firm jaw, shadowed by rather sexy stubble.

"I wonder what you will look like when you are fifty?"

Alex's chest rumbled with a low laugh as he opened one stunningly blue eye. "Will you still love me when I'm fat and bald?"

"I don't know, blue eyes..." Anne smiled mischievously, "I just might leave you for your gorgeous younger brother."

"He's not that much younger than I am. You might be disappointed..." Alex murmured lazily, rolling onto his back and folding both arms behind his head. "Besides, you might have to fight Georgiana for him."

Anne laughed. "I suppose so. But will you love me after I've had several children, and lost my waist?"

"Not if you are having an affair with my brother!"

"Hmm...maybe I should just go after Brian now, and get it over with..." Anne started to climb out of bed.

"Get back here!" Alex threw his arms around Anne's waist and pulled her back down by his side. "Brian only likes blondes. I, on the other hand, much prefer my little brunette..." Alex murmured into Anne's ear, pulling the covers back over them. "And I'll love you even more than I do now once you've had our children."

Georgiana's door was still closed when Brian came back into the hall after a long shower. He knocked on the door and hesitated for a moment until she called for him to enter.

Georgiana was propped up in bed with a box of tissues next to her. As Brian walked over to her, she let out a huge sneeze.

Brian grinned. "Feeling a bit under the weather?"

"It's nothing to smile about, and yes, I am." Georgiana muttered, sneezing again. "I have caught a cold, and a vicious one at that. It came on so suddenly! I was fine yesterday."

"Did you sleep poorly?" Brian asked, pressing his hand against her forehead to check for fever.

"I didn't sleep. And now my head is terribly fuzzy." She leaned back into the pillows with a sigh. "I was so looking forward to this weekend. Anne and Alex's elopement...you...and now I've ruined it."

Brian smiled. "Nonsense! You haven't ruined a thing." He grabbed her quilt and a couple of pillows. "You'll feel more alive if you leave this room."

Georgiana was soon settled comfortably on the library sofa in front of a roaring fire, with a cup of chamomile tea, and a warm, lavender-scented cloth over her eyes. Brian spent some time examining the books on the shelves before he returned with an armload of reading material.

"Which would you prefer: The Wind in the Willows, Byron, Shakespeare, Alice in Wonderland, ..."

"Oh, The Wind in the Willows! I haven't read it since I was a child."

Brian set the rest of the books aside and sat down next to Georgiana with a grin. "I'll try to do all of the voices." Brian flipped through the pages until he reached the first chapter. He leaned back and slipped his arm around Georgiana's shoulders as he began to read. Georgiana laughed as Brian deepened his charming British accent until he spoke in the posh tones of the Queen's English.

"...Spring was moving in the air above and in the earth below and around him, penetrating even his dark and lowly little house with its spirit of divine discontent and longing. It was small wonder, then, that he suddenly flung down his brush on the floor, and said, "Bother!" and "O Blow!" and also "Hang spring-cleaning!" and bolted out of the house with out even waiting to put on his coat."*

Lady Catherine always rose with the sun, and insisted that her household do the same. As she sat in the grand breakfast room of her London house, she stirred her tea angrily, splashing some on the tablecloth. Immediately, a servant appeared to place a pristine white cloth on top of the stain. Lady Catherine waved the girl away with irritation, and called for another maid.

"Run up and wake Miss de Bourgh." She commanded.

Moments later, the servant returned alone. "She is not there, my lady."

A scornful frown crossed her face. "What do you mean? Explain at once."

"It seems...it seems that her bed has not been slept in, my lady."

Lady Catherine rose from her chair and advanced threateningly towards the cowering servant, but at the last minute, she turned with frustration and left the breakfast room, determined to seek her daughter out herself. Where was Anne? Yes, the girl had disappeared last night after supper, but she had done that before, and always returned late at night, never missing a breakfast.

After searching the room, Lady Catherine saw that it was, indeed, in the same condition as it had been just after Anne left. Her eyes narrowed with sudden understanding. With clenched teeth, the lady stormed back downstairs into the study, and sat down at the telephone stand.

"Hello?" Will growled into the receiver as he extracted his arm from underneath his sleeping wife and rolled onto his back.

"Where is she?"

Will swore softly to himself as he swung his legs over the edge of his bed and rose unsteadily to his feet. He leaned down to pull the sheet back over Lizzy's sleeping form and dropped a kiss onto her forehead before he carried the phone into the hallway.

"Good morning, aunt." Will yawned, trying to be civil. "What can I do for you on this beautiful Saturday morning?"

"Where is she, William?"

Will carefully closed the bedroom door behind him and leaned back against the wall with a sigh. "Where is whom, exactly?"

"Anne. She is not here."

"Did you check Georgiana's apartment? The girls were roommates before you came to town."

"Neither of them is there."

"Did you check with Alex?"

"Both of the Waterpool boys are gone, too."

"I am afraid that I can't help you, Aunt Catherine."

"Cannot...or will not? Your cousin Richard acted in the same impertinent manner."

Will wearily slid to the floor and rested his forehead on his knees. It would only be so long before Lady Catherine realized that Alex and Anne were at Richard's estate in Ireland. He understood Anne's need for a break from the wedding plans and, therefore, decided to let his aunt do her own detective work.

"Anne is an adult. I am sure that she will be just fine. You needn't worry about Alex. He will take good care of her. Honestly, I think that it is high time that she took a break from London. The wedding isn't until December. Her appointments can be rescheduled."

"Impossible."

Will groaned, knocking his head back against the wall. He was not in the mood for an argument with his formidable aunt.

"If I hear anything important, I will let you know. Goodb-"

"You cannot fool me, you know. In fact..." Will could almost hear the wheels turning in his aunt's mind. "I do not even need your help. It occurs to me that there is only one place Alex would take Anne. Goodbye William. I will be on the next available train."

"Will?" Lizzy rolled over and gave her husband a sleepy frown as her husband came back into the room. "What time is it?"

"Seven." He sat on the edge of the bed and smoothed Lizzy's hair back from her face. "I have to go to Ireland. Lady Catherine knows where they have gone. I hope that I may soften her attack somewhat...Anne deserves that much." He smiled at Lizzy. "She nearly tore you and I apart. I won't let her do that to Anne and Alex. If they are planning to elope, as I suspect, Lady Catherine will have Alex's head. I know that Anne would go through with the wedding despite her mother's protests, but it would tear her up inside to have to choose between Alex and Lady Catherine."

Lizzy's face melted into an expression that was a mixture of wonderful pride and love for her husband. She threw her arms around Will, kissing him soundly. "I am coming with you."

Will smiled against his wife's cheek. "She is taking the train...we can fly. Which means..." he reached over to turn out the bedside light, "We don't have to leave just yet."

*From The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame, p. 1

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