Some familiarity with my other stories are probably best to explain the change in character surnames as their marriages were covered previously and background to my own characters.

In short:

Georgiana, Countess of Cresthope = Georgiana Darcy (Camilla Morris is her sister-in-law)

Kitty Calder = Kitty Bennet

Lady Mary Calder = Mary Bennet

1808

Chapter One

Lady Camilla Morris was an accomplished woman. She was also known as a beauty amongst society. When added to that a noble family and pleasant disposition, a young lady becomes quite eligible. Now Lady Camilla found her girlhood behind her and so her thoughts turned to marriage. It was a natural progression for unmarried ladies of a certain situation. They must make arrangements with gentlemen similarly placed. It was this fact that played on Lady Camilla's mind.

When she mused upon her close friends and family she found a decent number of happily married couples. It was a strange occurrence and she hoped her luck would be equally fortuitous. She was well aware her future husband was a popular topic of conversation. There were many young men with matching-making mothers and sisters watching her every move. She found that particularly annoying. It seemed everyone had an opinion on the matter. It did not help that she was in no hurry to find a husband. Recently, though, she had seen the happiness of her special friends and family. Perhaps she was now ready for such an important commitment.

Growing up she was often talked with her sister, Lucy, about the men they would marry. Their parents had been so unhappily married that they had feared the same would happen to them. They were, after all, daughters of an Earl and history was not exactly overburdened with accounts of loving marriages amongst the nobility. It was at a young age that Camilla had decided that she simply wanted a husband to be pleasant - that and a requirement that he must not be anything like her father. There had been a previous engagement with a so-called gentleman from a good family. A man called Mr Spencer but he had called off the engagement after his family demanded that he do so. It had soured her towards some of the men she met and she now wanted a man that knew his own mind.

Just how she was going to achieve that was currently on her mind. The gentlemen in her acquaintance did not exactly inspire her and it seemed that every agreeable man she met already had a wife. Her duty was to marry well and she was afraid that obligation was at odds with her desire to marry for love.

That revelation was the cause of her present musing in the library of her London home. She was using the room as a place to escape. As her brother, Peregrine, and his wife lived in the country her only company was her mother and sister. They were social butterflies and she was finding their endless search for fun very tiring. At least they were unlikely to come across her in the library. It was not high upon their list of amusements. She pulled out a pile of letters and started to read.

The first few letters were from old acquaintances. They were now spread all around the country but each had news of a very similar nature. The ladies in question were either newly married or newly engaged. Camilla gave a small smile at each piece of news. It was all very apt considering the recent theme of her thoughts. She put the letters aside intending to send her congratulations later.

The last note brought a genuine and wide smile to her lips. She recognised the handwriting to be her dear sister-in-law, Georgiana. Eagerly she read the contents of the letter. It was just as she hoped. Peregrine and Georgiana were to arrive in London within the next day or so. That was very welcome news. She had missed them dearly.

"I am glad you are in London," Lady Camilla Morris looked at her sister. The Earl and Countess of Cresthope were currently enjoying a small stay in Town. In the year since their marriage they had found life at Cresthope Abbey to be far preferable to any time spent in London. They were only undertaking this visit because Lord Cresthope had wished to attend the House of Lords. However, it did give them an excuse to see their friends in Town. "Dear Georgiana, I am quite desolate without your company at times."

"I am sure it is not that bad," Lady Cresthope said as she studied the other woman. Camilla was no longer the silly girl she had been when they had first become acquainted. She was calmer and probably considerably more sensible.

"Perhaps I do exaggerate," Camilla replied. "But I have missed you. Sometimes I am quite alone."

"But Lucy..." Georgiana began.

"My sister has an endless supply of amusements, usually in the form of social gatherings," Camilla finished for her with a smile. "I have no objections to attending on occasion but she is insatiable. Given the opportunity we would never see her."

"What about your mother?" Georgiana asked though she was sure that she could guess the answer.

Camilla still smiled. The ex-Lady Cresthope was beginning to rival even Lucy's sociability. She had rediscovered the confidence her late husband had destroyed, along with many friends formally estranged. "She never rests. I did not think that I would become the 'reserved' one. Apparently that is how I am described now."

"You are perfectly welcome to stay at Cresthope Abbey," Georgiana reminded her. She enjoyed having guests, just as long as the quantities were limited and their status dear. "We are not so desperate for peace and quiet."

"I know but I do like London," she said. "I simply prefer quieter pursuits now. I am fortunate that Lucy has other victims."

"Mrs Calder?" Georgiana asked but with some confusion. Kitty's second child was only a few months old. Although not a mother yet, Georgiana was sure that when it was her turn she would not be even considering merrymaking. "Is she not still resting?" She paused. "But I suppose this is Kitty." Camilla smiled again and nodded.

"When will you see her? I think Lucy is thinking of paying her a visit," Camilla told her. "If you accompany her at least then you will find Kitty at home."

"True. I have not seen Cecilia since she was a few days old," Georgiana said. "She will be much changed."

"She is a pretty baby," Camilla told her. "Quite...calm," she finished and Georgiana laughed.

"She possesses more sense than both her parents, I should think then," Georgiana decided. "I must visit the Bingleys as well. I hear they have happy news. There must be something in the London air, Camilla, as the rest of the family has no such additions."

"Then 'beware' now you are here, or you might find your peace shattered," Camilla teased. Georgiana had confided that she had no worries over the lack of an heir and it was obvious that she and Peregrine were enjoying their time alone. She then frowned and looked at the door. "Lucy is coming," she whispered.

"How do you know?" Georgiana also lowered her voice but felt rather clueless.

"I am well trained in the art of detecting the changing sound of footsteps from a normal pace to creeping along. She is trying to surprise us," she explained. Nineteen years of having Lucy as a sister had given her many opportunities. "Unfortunately for her, she has the subtlety of a sledgehammer. Lucy!"

Lucy did come through the door, attempting to appear nonchalant but unable to hide her annoyance at being detected. "Oh, I was just passing. On my way to the…library," she tried but was entirely unconvincing.

"At least try to be believable," Camilla told her.

"Why should it be implausible that I…" Lucy started to protest but stopped after seeing Camilla's raised eyebrows and Georgiana's knowing smile. "Oh fine then!" she complained.

"Are you here for a reason?" Camilla asked.

"I have come to see Georgiana," Lucy replied, forgetting that she apparently only 'passing by'. "She is my sister as well as yours."

"I am glad to see you, Lucy," Georgiana put in hastily. She knew what was likely to occur if she did not interrupt – Camilla would tease Lucy, who would then become defensive.

"As am I!" she replied with a wide smile. "And I do hope that you intend to stay for a while. You never pay us a proper visit."

"You will have to speak to your brother about that," Georgiana told her, deftly avoiding having to deal with Lucy's effusions on the matter. She was often very overdramatic in her grievances on the length of their visits. However, she would now be unpopular with her husband.

"Oh I will!" Lucy decided. "Are you likely to be busy today?"

"It would be a joy to accompany you to the Calders," Georgiana replied, anticipating what was to come next. Lucy smiled.

"Good!" she exclaimed. "I am sure that Kitty is longing to see you. You are barely in town! Camilla? Will you come?"

"I may. It depends how excitable you and Mrs Calder are likely to be," Camilla said.

Lucy just rolled her eyes and turned her attention back to Georgiana.

"I have a great amount to tell you and I fully intend to cover everything," she said, putting particular emphasis on 'everything' as if it was a threat. As it was Lucy then it very likely was some sort of revenge. "And if that bores you then you will have to come to London much more frequently to minimise the amount of news I have to tell you," she finished with some amount of triumph.

"An increase in your letter sending would also achieve the same aim," Georgiana reminded her. She was often very lax in writing to her siblings in the country.

"Pah!" she exclaimed. "I have no time for writing letters. It is tedious and I have so much to do."

"Camilla manages," Georgiana pointed out.

"Camilla has become dull and spends too much time at home," she said. "So you must come with me, not her, for your amusements. I know of a great many assemblies and gatherings and balls and, oh, anything you want!"

"And if Peregrine and I would prefer peace and quiet at home?" Georgiana asked.

Lucy looked genuinely puzzled at this. Such a notion would never have occurred to her. "But then why come to Town?"

"Your brother has certain responsibilities as earl and Parliament is in session," Georgiana reminded her. "It was Peregrine's idea to come."

Lucy groaned. She had forgotten about that. She doubted that their late father even knew where the House of Lords was; let alone when he should attend. She loved her brother but he became quite dreary when he started considering his position as a peer of the realm. "Oh! I have no hope of persuading him to do anything interesting!"

"Lucy! Peregrine has to…" Camilla started.

"Oh, no, Camilla!" her sister interrupted, "Not again! I have heard all about his duties before. Georgiana please, please come to visit Kitty with me. It will be such fun."

"Now?" Georgiana asked.

Lucy nodded, looking hopeful. "She will be expecting us."

"She is unaware that I am here," Georgiana pointed out.

"Georgiana, please," Lucy was not above begging and she had a very effective whining tone in her arsenal.

"Just give me a minute to get ready," Georgiana told her. She was eager to see Kitty anyway.

Kitty Calder watched her baby daughter leave the sitting room with her nurse. She had spent a very pleasant last half hour showing off little Cecilia to her dear friends. The pleasures of motherhood were now over for the time being so she turned to the aforementioned friends.

"Oh Georgiana, it is nice to see you!" she exclaimed. "You are practically a stranger to us."

"I keep telling her that," Lucy put in.

"I am kept busy at Cresthope Abbey," Georgiana protested. "I doubt my presence is missed much anyway considering your wide social circle."

"Oh Georgiana, you are one of my very special friends!" Kitty told her. "I will always mss your presence. And Camilla!" she turned to her next victim. "You are also sadly absent nowadays."

"I have found other occupations," Camilla said. She enjoyed Mrs Calder's company, of course, but she was almost as excitable as Lucy.

"Other occupations?" Kitty raised an eyebrow. She believed there were very few pleasant activities that involved being alone. "Please tell me you have not turned to books and other such studies."

"She has!" Lucy answered before her sister had the chance.

"How do you know?" Camilla challenged.

"You are always in the library," Lucy replied. "What else would you be doing?"

Georgiana met Camilla's eyes with a small smile. She knew why her sister spent so much time there. It was a very peaceful room and one rarely frequented by other members of the household.

"Avoiding you, Lucy?" Camilla offered and her sister pouted.

"Well, you shall not do it any longer," Lucy told her. "Now Georgiana is in London you simply must start going out with me and Mamma again. All of us." She looked meaningfully at first Camilla and then Georgiana. They were not going to escape her that easily.

"I think of a few assembles with could attend. And perhaps a ball or two," Kitty said. "Ooh, a walk in the park would be fun and a little trip to see if there is anything interesting happening at any of the meeting rooms. We are bound to find something exciting."

"Mr Calder must come, Kitty, and Mr and Mrs Bingley because Georgiana is longing to see them – do not protest, Georgiana, I know you," Lucy said as Georgiana opened her mouth.

"I doubt my Mr Calder will be hard to persuade," Kitty said with a smile. "And, Georgiana, he is seeing Mr George Blair a lot lately. I think he is in need of friends." Everyone was in need of friends in Kitty's world. "He is a very lovely man though very, very shy."

"I would be very pleased to see Mr Blair again," Georgiana said. He had once been a potential suitor but it had only ended in friendship. She was still very fond of him.

Lucy looked at Camilla. She was trying to gauge her reaction. They had been acquainted with Mr Blair in the past and she knew that Camilla had found him very amiable.

"Mr Blair, friend of Sir Felix Calder? The one with the stutter?" Lucy asked. "That Mr Blair? We met him a few times last year, I think."

"Yes," Kitty replied. "I think he would like to see familiar faces. I believe he finds it difficult when faced with new acquaintances."

"Would he come to an assembly?" Georgiana asked.

"I am not sure," Kitty replied. "I will ask Mr Calder later. Now, we must find an assembly to attend. What fun!"