A/N: Hi, this is the sequel to Prejudice and Pride, my previous Pride and Prejudice fanfic, the story through Fitzwilliam Darcy's POV. However, if you are not inclined to read that story you may read this story. It picks up where the original work leaves off.
Summary: This is the story of the young ladies yet to be married: Kitty Bennet, Georgianna Darcy, both of whom are the main characters. There will also be some stories involving Mary Bennet, Anne DeBourgh and Amy Fitzwilliam, a cousin of the Darcy's I introduced in my previous fanfic. I do not know how long this fic will take to tell, nor if it will involve any or all of the girls getting marriage. I do have some plot lines in my head, and it should be interesting. I will try my best not to do anything cliché, but sometimes you can't help it. I post the summary here because every time I post a new chapter I will put a small summary of that chapter in the summary headline next to the title of my fic on right, on with the show!
Chapter One
Miss Georgianna Darcy was on her way home to Pemberly. She had spent an entire month at Rosings with her Aunt, and cousins Amy and Roger Fitzwilliam and Anne. She never really enjoyed her visits to Rosings, but this particular visit was more upsetting than all the others put together, even though Amy and Roger were there part of the time. The reason being her brothers new wife, Elizabeth.
Georgianna dearly loved Elizabeth, and it wasn't Elizabeth, per se, that was the cause of the unpleasantness at Rosings. It was Lady Catherine's, her Aunt, remarks about Elizabeth that made it so.
"She will ruin us all." Were the first words about the newest Darcy that came out of Lady Catherinen's lips. "She has managed to cause a wedge to be put between the family. You need not go home, Georgianna, dear. You may stay here as long as you like."
Lady Catherine thought she was being of some usefulness to Georgianna when saying things like that, but the complete opposite was true. Georgianna loved her brother and trusted his judgment when choosing a bride. She had heard nothing but positive things about Elizabeth from her brother and Roger and when meeting the lady herself there was nothing improper about her. She was a well bred young woman, nothing more or less.
"Do not mind her." Amy would say after such conferences when they were alone together. "If she does not have us all by the strings like puppets she feels the world will crumble. She'll come around. She was like this when my Mother married my Father."
That is why Georgianna Darcy was most impatient to get home. Georgianna had never heard Lady Catherine mention either of Amy's parents, at least not in her presence. And had heard that all three sisters were quite close when they were younger. To have to live the rest of her life without being able to mention her brother or her new sister when visiting Rosings would be unbearable.
The journey lasted the rest of the afternoon and by the time the sun began to make it's daily descend from the sky, the carriage rolled onto Pemberly grounds. Once the carriage was stopped the footman opened the door and handed Georgianna out. She walked as quickly as decorum would allow up to the house and opened the door.
"Are my brother and his wife within?" She asked the maid who took her gloves and bonnet.
"Yes, ma'am, they are." She curtsied, then hurried off.
Georgianna smiled and took a few moments to look around. For some reason she expected Pemberly to have changed along with the major family change. But it remained the comfortable home it had always been. She smiled, then headed into the sitting room, which was occupied by Darcy, reading a book to Elizabeth, who was occupied with some needlework.
"Have I missed tea?" Georgianna asked, causing both people to look up in surprise.
"We weren't expecting you 'till later this evening." Darcy said, standing.
"Do not keep her waiting," Elizabeth said, also standing, setting her needlework down on a small table. "Tea is almost ready. What good timing you make."
They all three sat down to tea on the balcony which looked over Pemberly. How Georgianna loved this house.
"Did you enjoy your visit?" Darcy asked.
Georgianna hesitated a moment before saying, "I had a good time with Amy and Roger, before they left."
"I am surprised Lady Catherine allowed you to leave." Elizabeth smiled.
Georgianna felt a little uncomfortable speaking about her Aunt and the comments she had made. She was, after all, family and the matron.
"We are glad you have come home." Darcy changed the subject. "I am impatient for the two of you to get to know each other better. After tea you shall have to play for me, Georgi, and you, my darling wife, must sing."
"Sing!" Elizabeth nearly shouted. "Why must you make me sing? You know I am horrible."
"As your husband I command it." Darcy teased.
"Very well, your lordship." Elizabeth gave a mock bow, which went so low her nose touched the whipped topping on one of the cakes, and she came up frosted.
Georgianna looked shocked. Was this how husbands and wives treated each other, with such incivility? And what was Darcy thinking, wiping the frosting off with his fingers, then licking it clean? Georgianna, embarrassed at the scene, cast her eyes down at her tea cup. Perhaps her Aunt was right, just a little.
Georgianna asked to retire early that night having acquired a headache shortly after returning home. By the time the sun broke through the curtains Georgianna's headache was all but gone. She quickly washed and dressed herself at made her way down to the dining room. She was about to enter through the doors when she heard her brother's voice, very serious, and then Elizabeth's.
"I do not think she is ready." Will said.
Georgianna peaked through the crack in the door and saw Elizabeth seated with Will standing beside her.
"She is nearly seventeen. How much longer do you expect to keep her locked up?" Was Elizabeth's reply. "I went to my first ball when I was sixteen."
"There is a difference."
"And what, pray tell, is the difference? Your sister is a priceless ornament whereas I was nobody to worry about?"
"That is not what I mean, I just feel one more year and she'll be ready."
"Why don't you ask her?"
"Because I am her guardian! She does not know how to make up her mind yet."
Realizing that she was eavesdropping on her brother and new sister, Georgianna quickly entered the door and made as if to not have heard a word that had been said. She greeted her brother and Elizabeth, and sat down to the table and began to eat.
"Did you have a peaceful rest?" Will asked, also seating himself at the table while.
"Yes, it was wonderful. I'd like to take a nice long walk around the grounds, perhaps collect some flowers for my room." Georgianna said smiling up at her brother.
"If you don't mind, I should like to join you." Elizabeth looked hopefully up at Georgianna.
It was agreed upon that shortly after breakfast the two ladies would traverse the grounds while Will wrote letters of business and spoke with the steward. When Georgianna came down the stairs with her bonnet on and parasol in one hand she saw that Elizabeth was waiting for her by the doors.
"I hope I didn't keep you waiting." She said, looking apologetically.
"A mere few seconds, is all." Elizabeth opened the doors and led Georgianna down the steps and onto the grounds.
The sun was shining brightly in the sky with a few wispy clouds lazily floating by. Georgianna took a deep breath and breathed in the scent of blooming flowers and the trees surrounding the park. They walked in silence for a few minutes, neither one feeling the need to speak, until Elizabeth broke the silence as walked along side the lake.
"I am glad you are home." Elizabeth said. "I felt horrible by pushing you away from her home for a whole month."
"It was no trouble, you and Will need some time alone."
"I am glad you feel that way. You brother can be unconscious of how his actions affect others at times." There was a short pause before Elizabeth spoke again. "Your brother and I have spoken about this coming season and whether or not you should make your debut."
Suddenly Georgianna's heart began to beat wildly. Make her debut? In front of numerous concourses of people? Be made to dance with strange men?
"You brother feels that you should wait a year but I see no reason to wait."
First instinct told her to trust her brother. He always knew what was best when it came to herself. But a little part of her did long to be presented in society. She had many acquaintances from her school days that had their season last year or were about to have theirs this year. She did long to become a lady and put her youthful indiscretions behind her. She also wished to show her brother she was an adult now. She had seen her mistake in trusting Wickham and she wished to redeem herself in her brother's eyes.
"I should very much like to go to the London season." Georgianna gave what she hoped was a confidant smile, and Elizabeth gave her a quick little hug.
"Do not worry, dear sister, you shall not be left to the wolves. I will be there and possibly even my sister, Kitty. Do you remember Kitty from the wedding?" Georgianna nodded her head. "She is to visit us soon and I shall write to my Mother that we are kidnapping her and taking her to London. Would you like that?"
"Yes," Georgianna said, "I should like that very much."