What if Lydia hadn't gone to Brighton with the militia and never eloped with Wickham? What would have happened if Jane's letters didn't bring bad news?

"If you please mum, the post jus' come" Hannah, the serving maid said coming into the room.

"Thank you" Lizzy said, taking the letters. "Two letters from Jane. I had been beginning to wonder…and no wonder, for she wrote the direction very ill indeed on the first one." She turned to the Gardiners. "Would you be very angry if I postponed our outing?"

Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner smiled at their niece. "Of course you want to read your letters. We'll walk down to the church and call back for you in an hour." Mrs. Gardiner said, walking through the door Mr. Gardiner held open.

Lizzy flashed them a grateful smiled, and waited till her aunt and uncle had disappeared from sight before going to sit at the table, hurriedly slipping open the seal from the first letter.

Dearest Lizzy,

You will find us all well here at Longbourn, although Kitty and Lydia seem less cheerful since the regiment left.

Here Lizzy snorted. "Less cheerful, indeed," she said to herself.

Our little cousins have been taking up much of my time, and I confess it took no small amount of sweets and promises of going to Lucas Lodge in order to write you this letter.

Mama is doing well, though she may have you believe otherwise. Lady Lucas and our Aunt Philips have called twice, and we have been to dine at Lucas Lodge just three days ago. Mary has learned a new concerto, which she hopes to play at the next neighborhood gathering. Papa asks me to write his wishes that you are having a lovely holiday at his expense.

The letter continued on in a similar manner for a page and a half more, before ending with From your affectionate sister, Jane.

Lizzy smiled. It was comforting to hear of life going on at Longbourn, as if nothing had happened, all the while her little holiday was becoming quite interesting.

Sitting back in her chair, leaving Jane's second letter unopened on the table, Lizzy thought back to the previous day when she and her aunt had called at Pemberley. The visit had been a pleasant one, despite Miss. Bingley's allusion to Wickham. Miss. Darcy, Lizzy had decided, was not proud, rather, extremely shy. Lizzy let her thoughts drift towards Miss. Darcy's brother. When Mr. Darcy had entered the room the previous morning, Lizzy could not but help and wonder at his civility towards her.

Indeed, Mr. Darcy was quite attentive towards herself and her aunt and uncle. Lizzy blushed to herself; she certainly did not expect an invitation to dine at Pemberley, yet they were to dine there this very evening. He surely could not love her still?

Shaking off her musings, Lizzy bent forward to open Jane's second letter, dated not five days after the first.

My dearest Lizzy, began the letter

You will be surprised, dear sister, when you hear of our news. Four days ago, we were all at home, when Hill announced a visitor. To our astonishment, it was Mr. Denny! We expressed our surprise to his not being with the regiment in Brighton. He gave us to understand that he had an unfinished matter of business to attend to before joining the rest of the regiment. After staying for tea, he left, asking leave to call upon us the next day.

The next day Mr. Denny called again, this time staying for over two hours in our company. When our mother asked him how his business went, his response was quite curious. He said that he was not sure how his business went, but if we were to allow him to call upon us tomorrow, he would be able to give a better answer. Mama, of course, gave him leave, and he left.

When Mr. Denny came the third day, only Kitty and I were home, as Mama and Lydia had gone into Meryton to visit our Aunt Philips and Mary was reading outdoors. I expressed to Mr. Denny our hopes of his business being finished to his satisfaction. He turned quite pale and stammered out his sincere wish that it was so. Mr. Denny then turned to Kitty and asked if they could join Mary outdoors, for it was a lovely day. Kitty assented while I excused myself to check on our cousins, who were with Papa in his study.

Not half an hour later, Mr. Denny entered the study and asked for a private audience with Papa. By the time Mama and Lydia came home that afternoon, it was settled that Mr. Denny and Kitty were engaged!

You must be surprised, Lizzy, when you hear of their engagement. No one suspected anything, though perhaps Lydia betrayed less than she saw fit. They are both very happy, though they must wait a year until they marry, seeing as Denny must make the proper arrangements with Colonel Forster.

I hope that you may extend our good news with the Gardiners. Everyone, including Mr. Denny, sends their greetings. I hope your trip is pleasant, and that you are enjoying yourself immensely Lizzy. We will be so happy to have you home once again to share in our joy. Your ever affectionate sister, Jane.

Lizzy sat in surprise for a long moment before smiling to herself. So Denny and Kitty were engaged. It was a surprise, but a happy one. Denny was an amiable gentleman, deceived by Wickham's lies, to be sure, but kind and agreeable. Hopefully he would be able to tame Kitty's wilder tendencies by taking her from Lydia's company, and they would be very happy together. Yes, he would make Kitty a fine husband.

Her musings were cut short by a knock on the door and Hannah the servant entering saying, "If you please mum, Mr. Darcy is here to see you," before stepping out of the gentleman's way.

Lizzy was shocked at the mention of Mr. Darcy's name and became flustered when she saw that he indeed was coming to call. Recalling manners, she swept into a curtsey as he made a bow.

"Mr. Darcy."

"Miss. Bennet. I am sorry for the intrusion."

Lizzy looked up from her curtsey to see a slightly anxious Mr. Darcy before her.
"Not at all Mr. Darcy. My aunt and uncle went out walking to the church not ten minutes ago. I must say, sir, we were not expecting to see you until this evening at Pemberley."

Mr. Darcy seemed to relax at her forgiveness for intruding, but seemed to scramble for words at her last statement. After a short pause, he said, "My sister and the Bingleys are out on a picnic at the moment, and I had no pressing matter of business before me, so I sought good company and rode here."

"And you cannot find good company with your sister and your guests?" Lizzy asked, arching an eyebrow.

"I will have the pleasure of their company for the next two or three weeks, whereas I have the pleasure of your company and the Gardiner's for a matter of a few more days," Mr. Darcy clarified hastily. "Your aunt and uncle are very agreeable, and all of you provide refreshing conversation after entertaining Miss. Bingley."

Lizzy laughed at Mr. Darcy's outright opinion of Miss. Bingley. "Indeed, sir. Miss. Bingley is one of few who I deem a little goes a long way."

"Exactly." Mr. Darcy said, smiling.

Lizzy felt her stomach flutter a bit at Mr. Darcy's smile. He is quite handsome, she thought, thinking back to the conversation with the Pemberley housekeeper, Mrs. Reynolds only three days ago.

She suddenly felt the impropriety of being with an unmarried gentleman, and with the town's wealthiest patron, no less. Mr. Darcy must have sensed her unease, and immediately remedied the situation by suggesting they walk in quest of the Gardiners.

Assenting eagerly, Lizzy picked up her bonnet and followed Mr. Darcy outside.

Once outside, Lizzy felt the stares of the people of the small trading town. How it must look, the so-called proud Master of Pemberley, taking a walk with a young lady who was just visiting in the area and staying at the inn!

They had not taken five or six steps from the inn door in silence when Mr. Darcy spoke.

"Have you received any communication from home, Miss Bennet?" he asked. "I could not help but seeing that you had a letter in your hand when I entered."

Lizzy, glad for an excuse to talk, replied, "Yes, Mr. Darcy. I just received two letters from my sister Jane." She looked at him out of the corner of her eye slyly, to see if he reacted.

To Mr. Darcy's credit, he did not blush, but grew slightly red. "Indeed?" he asked. "And is your family all in good health?" He winced at his question, clearly remembering how, only a couple of days ago, he had rambled the same question in a state of confusion and embarrassment.

Lizzy smiled at this and said, "Yes. They are all in good health, especially as a result of some good news that has just recently come to my knowledge."

"And may one ask what this good news is?" Mr. Darcy asked, smiling.

Lizzy bit her lip and decided to see how good in humor Mr. Darcy was that day. "One might." She said airily, trying not to let the smile that was threatening to escape show.

Mr. Darcy noticed this and matched her playful tone. "Well, might I enquire, fair lady? Or must I beg on my knees for an answer?"

Fighting to keep from blushing from his playful compliment (Fair lady, what does he mean by that?), Lizzy laughed and playfully replied, "Now now, Mr. Darcy, we cannot have the Master of Pemberley disgraced by being seen kneeling on a public road in the middle of a town, begging."

Mr. Darcy stopped walking, and though the playfulness had not gone from his voice, his eyes were all seriousness. "I can assure you, Miss. Bennet, that my pride has been censured quite thoroughly enough for me to feel comfortable to beg on my hands and knees, whatever street I am on."

Blushing furiously and feeling mortified at her own blunder, Lizzy stared at Mr. Darcy's boots, gathering courage. "Mr. Darcy," she began hesitantly. "I did not mean…that is I meant to…"

"It is quite all right Miss. Bennet. I should be the one apologizing for making you feel uncomfortable." Mr. Darcy said gallantly.

Elizabeth looked up at his face. There was apology written across it, as well as an eagerness to please. She felt overwhelmed by his civility. Here was the same man who she had refused in the most unforgivable manner asking her forgiveness. The same man who had been used injuriously by Wickham though she, not knowing, had accused him of being cruel to Wickham instead.

"Mr. Darcy, sir." She started hesitantly. "I must insist on taking the blame for my actions, not just for my comment earlier, but for my abominable treatment of you this past spring. I cannot help but feel mortified by my manners and accusations, especially those pertaining to Mr. Wickham. I hope that you can forgive me."

Mr. Darcy looked startled, to say the least. After a short pause, he answered, "I thank you, Miss. Bennet, for your apology. Though it was not needed, I accept." He took a breath. "Our conversation last spring, if I may call it that," he said, smiling a little into her nervous face, "taught me more about my faults and pride than I would care to admit. That I was prideful and conceited at times has been brought to my attention, and these past months I have tried to become more agreeable to those around me. I hope that you can forgive my abominable behavior from my past actions."

Lizzy, still very pink in the face, answered softly, "Of course, Mr. Darcy."

The two looked at each other for a moment before resuming their walk down the street. Neither spoke, each too busy replaying the past conversation in their mind, trying to understand the other.

It was not five minutes, however, that they noticed the Lambton parish church looming ahead. Mr. Darcy saw it, and stopped walking. Elizabeth looked up questioningly, almost worriedly, at him, curious as to why they had stopped.

"Now that we have both apologized profusely," Mr. Darcy said with a smile, easing her fears, "I hope that we can be good friends, Miss Bennet."

Lizzy smiled back shyly. "I believe we shall, Mr. Darcy. I believe we shall."