First Pride and Prejudice fic, though certainly not the first fic that I have ever written. I simply wanted to explore the idea that perhaps Darcy didn't get to Ramsgate in time to stop the elopement and look at how that might affect his interactions with the Bennetts. It's probably been done to death but it's going to keep me occupied while I'm on maternity leave and waiting for the baby to turn up.

Disclaimer: I only wish, but no, not mine.

A Turn of Fate.

"Such a shame," Caroline Bingley commented to her companions as her brother led his guest from the parlour, "to see such a great man humbled and humiliated so."

The eyes of both women turned upon her, both inquiring, both curious. It was the older of the two, however, who responded.

"How so, Caroline?" Jane Bingley asked her sister of nearly a year. "Mr Darcy appeared perfectly amiable."

"You would not know, of course," Miss Bingley responded, her tone condescending and her eyes sparkling with a malice which was missed by the elder but not by the younger woman. "This is your first season and it happened before we were acquainted.

"Mr Darcy, you see, is a gentleman of no small fortune from Derbyshire, a man whom I once could have quite happily set my cap for. If not for the disgrace that his sister brought upon him eighteen months ago I still would. I had always thought Georgiana Darcy to a dear, sweet, girl, if a little shy, and I had been certain that a continued friendship with Louisa and I could only serve to benefit her. We truly had no idea what lurked beneath that darling exterior. Nor, I believe, did Mr Darcy, though how her guardian could miss such a vital defect of personality I shall never understand." She looked at her audience. Both women were watching her, one with sorrow and compassion and the other with a measure of disbelief and contempt. "It is my understanding that Mr Darcy sent his sister to Ramsgate to recover from a nasty cold in the hopes that the sea air would revitalise her spirits.

"While there she met with a childhood friend, a Mr Wickham, and was seized with such a love for him that within days of their re-acquaintance they had eloped together. Mr Darcy, naturally, tried to smooth over the whole affair but not even ten thousand a year and the support of his uncle, the Earl of Matlock, could prevent the wagging tongue of Georgiana's companion."

"Poor Mr Darcy," Jane sighed, "to be so let down by someone so dear."

"Indeed," Caroline sniffed. "The shame of it. I should dearly hate for such a thing to happen with one of your sisters," her gaze was pointed. "Especially the younger."

"It is my hope that Lydia and Kitty would show greater sense than that," Jane replied with a glance at the still silent third occupant of the room.

"Of course, one should always believe the best of one's own family, but as this unfortunate event shows even the best of us can be tempted," Miss Bingley shook her head and sighed. "Had Mr Darcy only seen sense and taken a wife, a woman who could be a sister to Georgiana and who could have provided her with proper friendship and guidance. All for nothing his time spent looking for a loving and equal wife for now even a woman of lesser standing would have to refuse him or be tarnished by his sister's reputation. Not even his wealth can recover his position in society now."

"Perhaps not," the third woman finally spoke, her tone flinty and her green eyes hard, "but all his standing in society and all his wealth should not matter to a woman who truly loves him. Forgive me, I do not know the gentleman at all, but I should imagine that he has more to recommend him to a young lady than his wealth, looks and position."

"Mr Darcy has a great deal to recommend him, Eliza," Miss Bingley replied coldly, "but surely even you cannot be so naive as to believe that a marriage under such circumstances would not be strained."

"From my own observations, Caroline, I would say that all marriages go through periods of strain," Elizabeth got to her feet. "If you'll both excuse me, I think I'll take a turn about the garden before dinner."

oOo

"Has there been any word of her?" Charles Bingley asked his friend. Darcy stared down at his brandy, his eyes distant and his face marked with lines that had not been present eighteen months before.

"Nothing," he sighed. "My sources lost her about six months ago and have not been able to locate her since."

"I cannot imagine what you must be going through," Bingley muttered, his cheerful persona melting away to be replaced by a rarely seen more serious mien. "If there is anything I can do you have only to ask."

"Thank you, Bingley, though I would not wish for your continued association with me to impact upon your life."

"Nonsense," Bingley smiled, "at a time such as this a man needs all the friends that he can get. Besides, I am of too little consequence in the grand scheme of things for it to affect me too badly."

"What of your sister? Surely association with me will impact upon her prospects." To his surprise his friend laughed heartily.

"This whole affair has already damaged her plans my friend," he peered over the rim of his glass with an uncharacteristically sly smile. "Surely her rather marked attentions towards yourself had not gone unnoticed?" Darcy's scowl prompted another laugh. "I thought not. I am positive her attentions will change direction, just as I am certain that you are far more pleased to hear it than you are willing to admit."

Darcy's reply was prevented by a light tap on the door of his study. Upon Bingley giving his permission to enter the door opened to reveal the beautiful blonde he had married. Though not strictly to Fitzwilliam Darcy's tastes he could see much of that classical beauty which would have attracted Charles to her in the first place.

"Forgive my interruption," her words were accompanied by a smile as gentle as her voice and Darcy found himself becoming intrigued by this woman who had so completely captured the heart of his friend.

"Not at all, my love," Bingley answered with a smile of his own as Jane came into the room fully.

"I had a feeling you would still be here, sir," she turned her attention from her husband to his friend. "Would you join us for dinner this evening? It is only a small family meal but I would feel truly awful turning any friend of my husband's out into the night."

For a long moment Darcy struggled with his answer. His words to Charles earlier had been sincere, he had no desire for his friend to be negatively impacted by continued association with a man so disgraced by his family. Good and true friends, however, were hard to come by and Charles Bingley had proved himself to be one of the best.

"I would be delighted, Mrs Bingley," he formed a half bow.

"Then if you gentlemen will excuse me, I must instruct Harris to set another place at the table."

oOo

Dinner was distinctly less uncomfortable than Darcy had feared a meal with Caroline Bingley and a woman unknown to him to be. Caroline's behaviour he could predict and marshal his defences against. It was the attitude of Elizabeth Bennett, whom he had only met when Bingley had introduced them that afternoon, which left him more than a little apprehensive. Accustomed to being a target of fortune hunters he knew that even though his position in society had diminished there were some who would view his money as an adequate compensation for his tarnished name. He had no idea whether or not Elizabeth would fall into this category of woman.

From his initial meeting with her Darcy had already acknowledged that she was an attractive woman, if not in the same classical way as Mrs Bingley. Dark haired where her sister was fair and possessed of more curves where both Caroline and Jane could be better described as willowy. It was her eyes, however, that had first caught his notice. Though the same emerald green as that of her sister they sparkled with a wit and liveliness that he had never seen in a woman before. He found himself curious to know her better in a manner he had not been for many years.

"I understand you are from Derbyshire, sir," Elizabeth broke his from his thoughts from her seat next to him. Across the table he could not help but notice that Miss Bennett's words had drawn the attention of Caroline Bingley and unconsciously he braced himself for an onslaught of her unasked for opinions.

"Yes, although I have not had the luxury of returning to Pemberly for some time."

"Pemberly?" Mrs Bingley also joined the conversation. "Is that estate not near Lambton?" He nodded. "Why, Lizzie, that is where our Aunt Gardiner grew up."

"I believe you are right, Jane," Miss Bennett laughed. "Our aunt, Mr Darcy, has told us many tales of her home and the surrounding countryside. From her words I would imagine it quite beautiful."

"You would not be disappointed," he assured her politely as he began to wonder if this talk of his home and estate was once more an attempt to secure his interest.

"I am glad to hear it," replied she, "but I confess that I have a far greater desire to see the Lakes over the hills of Derbyshire. I have read so much of the paths and lakes that I find that other options pale in comparison."

"Eliza, you see, is a highly accomplished walker," Miss Bingley cut in with a grin of her own that Darcy could only call vicious. "I once knew her to walk above three miles in the mud the morning after a terrible storm."

"Caroline would have you believe that I did such a thing out of a desire to simply be difficult and not abandon my usual habits and enjoyments." Elizabeth's own tone had become icy. "In actuality I was visiting Jane who had fallen ill at Netherfield while dinning with Caroline and Mrs Hurst the night before."

"Come, Lizzie," Mrs Bingley stepped in, preventing Caroline from uttering the sharp retort that was doubtless on the tip of her tongue. "You must admit that you got a great deal of enjoyment from the walk. As you always have."

"Indeed I did," Elizabeth agreed with her sister, "and I confess that it is one of the things that I miss the most about being in town. Of course there are the parks, but I find that I miss the untamed beauty of the countryside."

"There is, however, a greater amount of society in town, would you not agree, Mr Darcy?" Caroline drew him back into the conversation.

"Indeed, country society can be viewed by many as confined and unvarying."

"I would not disagree," Elizabeth turned her attention to him once more, her eyes sparkling with the spirit of the discussion. "Certainly since I have been visiting my sister I find myself with an ever increasing number of acquaintances. Occasionally, however, I find myself longing for the familiarity and close friendships of my home. As I am certain that there are many who would feel the same way."

After that the conversation had become more trivial and dinner had passed in that less than easy manner which always occurs when near strangers dine together for the first time.

Since it was only a small family meal the sexes did not separate afterwards, instead retiring together to the drawing room. Once seated Darcy was startled to hear Caroline pressing Miss Bennett to open the pianoforte and grace them with a performance. Accustomed to ladies who would not hesitate to grasp at the opportunity to display their talent he was somewhat surprised by her reply.

"I am certain that Mr Darcy is used to being in the presence of far better performers than I, Caroline. Why do you not favour him with a song or two instead?"

"Nonsense, Eliza," Caroline scoffed. "Mr Darcy has heard me play dozens of times in the past. I absolutely insist. Jane, do you not think Eliza should favour us with a performance this evening?"

"Oh please, Lizzie," Mrs Bingley's face seemed to light up at the idea. "It has been too long since I heard you sing."

At the urging of her sister Miss Bennett had agreed to the request and chosen a song from the music available. Sparing a poorly concealed glare at the instigator of the activity she played the first bars and began to sing. Though pleasing, her performance was not to the standard that he was accustomed to hearing. There was, however, something about the unaffected way that she played and sang that gave him more real enjoyment than such a performance had since Georgiana's elopement. The wave of grief and longing for his sister hit him so hard and so suddenly that he knew it must have shown on his face for the briefest of moments before he managed to conceal it again.

Not long after he excused himself for the night and returned to his too empty town house.