It had been five months since her father passed and Elizabeth realised that the paltry income from her mother's funds would not allow them to live in a small respectable home in the country let alone one that they were accustomed to, she knew she had to seek some other income to be able to keep her family safe. She had cut back on the spending and stopped each of the sisters allowances but this did not make the situation much better. She realised that her lack of formal education would not sit well if she was to seek employment as a governess. She was intelligent and well read but she had no proper training in the necessary subjects, so that was out of the question. Aunt and Uncle Gardiner were finding it difficult to make ends meet, the wars had meant their trade had taken a severe nosedive in recent years, so they were unable to provide any support.

All the worries had started to make her ill, she could see no other course of action other than to do what she had thought she would never ever consider. She had to accept her fate, she would become a gentleman's mistress, a kept woman, a concubine. She felt sick to her stomach at the thought but it was either that or the whole family be homeless and destitute within a matter of a few months, who knows what would happen then. She realised that London was the best place to seek this connection and as Mr Collins would be expecting them to leave the following month, Elizabeth started the process of finding a new home.

Her search initially proved hopeless, prices of rent were greater in town than the country but Elizabeth expected that. Just as she was about to give up hope, she found a small but practical house in an unsavoury area of town. It was still outside of their financial means but as it was the cheapest by far, she had no option than to take the lease.

After paying the rent, it left nothing to live on, there would be no servants, no allowances and all other expenses had to be cut back, even then they were still a few shillings short each week. Luckily it was agreed that some of the family possessions had to be sold, but this would not last long. Lydia, in her usual state of being selfish, was not too happy to have to part with some of her jewellery, which she had bought whilst at Brighton, but soon quietened when Elizabeth said that it was either jewellery or not eating.

Elizabeth had taken to walking in the park not long after they had moved to town. On one particular morning she encountered Colonel Fitzwilliam, "Miss Bennet, what a surprise to see you here, I hope you are well?"

"Colonel Fitzwilliam, I am well as to be expected, how fare you?" said Elizabeth, happy to see a familiar face.

"I am grand, I had heard about your circumstances, please accept my condolences, I know it must be hard for you all now that your father has gone. What brings you to this neck of the woods?"

"We have moved to London as we are no longer able to stay at Longbourn, my cousin is now residing there."

Elizabeth fidgeted, the Colonel could see that she was preoccupied, "Are you alright Miss Bennet? You seem a little..."

"I am worried Colonel, I know I speak out of turn when I say this but I have no-one else to confide in other than my family and I do not wish to worry them. I have been over our finances and we are in a bad way, we cannot sustain a roof over our heads for long and there is no other course of action other than to…." at this Elizabeth hesitated to complete what she was saying.

"To what? Miss Bennet?"

"Please do not think bad of me, we are in such a dire straits that I have no other course of action other than to become a gentleman's mistress, a kept woman I suppose. That way at least, I am hoping, that I am given an allowance to supplement our funds."

Elizabeth looked down in shame with tears threatening to fall. She did not see that Colonel Fitzwilliam was stunned, "But surely there are other means? This cannot be the only solution."

"For a gentlewoman with no education to speak of, no dowry and little else to promote herself, there is no other course. I have been over and over it again trying to think of other sustainable means, but there are none. We are selling what little possessions we have to make ends meet at the moment but this will not last long. The issue I have now is how to find such a man, I do not wish to be a kept woman, but our situation, as I have said, is dire."

"I wish I could help, my army salary does not leave much in the way of spare cash, maybe if you were to have a benefactor?" the Colonel said, clutching at straws.

"A benefactor of six women? That is absurd, I cannot see why anyone would want to do that. No, my mind is made up, it will mean I will be ruined but at least I will not be frozen to death along with the rest of my family," she said pulling her cloak around her as a gust of wind run through her body.

"If I cannot move you to change your mind, at least let me ask around at the men's club, a lot of the members brag about all this sort of stuff," the Colonel said with an air of hesitation.

"Thank you Colonel, you may find me here most mornings as I do not like to be in that house, it is far too small to stay for any amount of time with a nervous mother and 3 silly sisters."

"I will ask tonight and hopefully see you in the morning then," with that the Colonel left.

Later that day, Colonel Fitzwilliam was at Darcy House, "Darcy, I met with an old acquaintance of yours this morning, a Miss Bennet?"

"What! Elizabeth? She is here? Where is she?"

"Calm yourself, she is now residing in London, I saw her in the park, deep in contemplation. She had discussed with me a grave matter that is now forced upon her," the Colonel looked sad as he reflected on what Elizabeth had told him that morning.

"Are you going to disclose this issue?"

"Please do not explode as to what I am about to say, it is not my words but those of Miss Bennet's."

"Richard you are worrying me now, what has happened?"

"She said that they are financially ruined and she has no other course of action than to become a kept woman. She was so upset that I had to step in and say that I would help and ask at the club tonight."

Darcy was so shocked he could not speak or move, finally he asked in disbelief, "She is to be a mistress? No! This cannot be!" He stood up and pace the room, turning to Richard, "Are you sure she meant that?"

"Yes, she said initially and I quote 'to become a gentleman's mistress, a kept woman' those are her exact words."

"Did she mention me at all, Richard?"

"No, she didn't mention anyone other than her family, they are her main concern right now. I don't think she is herself at all, she has lost an awful lot of weight and the sparkle has gone from her eyes, her spirit is broke. She does not wish this but has no other choice, it is either that or be on the streets."

Darcy's heart was beating in his chest, How could she do such a thing? Things must be so bad that she is willing to ruin herself. God! If Bertie gets his hands on her she will not survive, I cannot let my darling Elizabeth do this, he thought.

"I did suggest a benefactor, but she almost laughed at me, she shut me down on that idea pretty quickly, she is certainly headstrong."

"Richard, you will not ask at the club, I will have to be that gentleman, I cannot allow her to be sullied by another. Can you imagine the likes of Bertie Davenport pawing her, he is rough with his women, I cannot allow Miss Bennet to be subject to the likes of him, besides I love her too much for another to lay with her."

Richard understood how his cousin had felt about Elizabeth earlier in the year, after their abrupt departure from Rosings, Darcy had confided in his cousin.

"You still love her, don't you?"

"Yes, with all my heart, even more so than at Rosings. We had met up at Pemberley for a short time in the summer, she seemed a lot more genial towards me. I believe, by the end, we had a silent understanding of how the other felt. I was about to propose again when she departed due to her father being ill. I have not seen her since, I had thought she was still at Longbourn, but obviously not."

"But will she accept you as her lover?"

Darcy thought about this for a few moments, "Probably not, I am not sure how she feels about me now but our last meeting was very amicable. It will be awkward for her though, I need to see her, see if there is any chance she will marry me."

"And say what if she turns you down? She will know that you are in town and that I have told you everything. Darcy, if your plan to woo her backfires and she will not accept you, then she will continue with her original plan and you will not be a contender as a lover. If she will not accept your hand, she certainly wont accept you any other way." Richard sat there for a few moments, "What about if she didn't know it was you?"

"How can that work Richard, I am to bed a woman in silence? No communication! She is to keep her eyes closed for the whole time?"

"Yes and no," the Colonel said, confusing Darcy.

"Which is it?"

"If you were to have a sort of verbal agreement that states that she is to visit you but be blindfolded during the entire time, then you will be able to keep her as your mistress and she will be none the wiser."

"That may work but I doubt she will agree to it, I mean who would bed a stranger?"

"Someone who is desperate, someone like Miss Bennet. She is not doing this lightly and if I say you are the only option she may agree."

"If she did..." Darcy pondered, "It is all too deceitful though, she will never forgive me if she found out," Darcy said shaking his head, "I don't know if I can do it."

"Well the decision is yours, cousin, you or some other chap will take her innocence. Think of Bertie and his women, how many he gets through in a year, he has a new one every time I see him so the odds of him being there in the running is pretty high."

"Looks like I have no choice. If I do this at least I will be able to meet up with her in the park, I can say I have just arrived in town, that may just work." Darcy hoped that eventually it would lead to them marrying, but in the meantime it would keep her safe.

"I will be meeting with her in the morning, I will put your suggestion to her, I will name you Mr A for the time being. I will say you require anonymity as you are in the public eye and therefore she cannot see who you are. If you employ a lady's maid, she can take care of bringing her to the house and then getting her ready for you."

"Yes, that would be best, she cannot know that she is being brought to Darcy House, she will recognise the family crest above the door. She needs to be blindfolded before she reaches the area, maybe the maid can do that as soon as they are in a closed carriage, which I will have to arrange, maybe I can have an account with a local hackney."

The gentlemen carried on discussing the matter until one in the morning, Richard having drunk half a bottle of brandy, took to one of the guest rooms rather than return home."