Colonel Fitzwilliam strode purposefully back towards Longbourn. His day had given him much to think about, and he was glad he had not been making the journey entirely alone. Mr Bennet had given him the information of a man in Meryton, a lawyer, who would offer his assistance to Richard as he had done to many of Mr Bennet's acquaintances, and that gentleman himself, in visiting a number of local properties and securing one for Colonel Fitzwilliam and his wife's first home. The number of houses they had viewed that day had given Richard a great deal to consider. Ought he to stretch to the very limits of what his modest income could afford, and secure a house to rival Netherfield Park? Such an estate would require a good deal of maintenance but would secure their position in Hertfordshire society. Ought he, instead, seek for something more modest, where they might be comfortable, but not risk ruin in maintaining? He leaned towards the latter, grateful that the wife he had married was a modest, sensible creature and not one who wished for the best and the biggest property in order to impress their new neighbours. I will discuss it with her this afternoon, he promised himself, already settling on one or two of the properties that were his favoured options. If she agreed with his assessments they might ride over together tomorrow to view them, for he was reluctant to make a final decision without his wife's canny gaze having passed over the property and giving her a chance to offer her own opinion. She would be living their alongside him, after all, and ought to be consulted upon the place they would call home.

This idea cheered him, and his pace increased in energy as he drew closer to Longbourn. A movement in the shadow of the house caught his attention, however, and he slowed to a sudden stop, before recognising the figure and waving, with a cheerful "Good afternoon Miss Bennet!" to Jane, who was hovering in the shade of a tree.

"Oh, Colonel Fitzwilliam!" she said, not appearing disappointed to have been thus disturbed, and by him. "I thought you were inside."

"I am surprised to find you not indoors!" He drew level with her, concern colouring his face. "There is no problem, I hope?"

"No," Jane smiled, ruefully. "No problem! I merely needed to escape." Her smile faded as she perceived Colonel Fitzwilliam attributing rather more seriousness to her words than she had intended. "To escape Mama, I mean. Her head is filled with the wedding and she can barely let a moment pass without some mention of it." She sighed. "I needed a few moments' respite."

"I trust you have enjoyed your snatched freedom?" Richard said, gallantly offering her his arm. "And as I return from viewing a number of properties, all of which your mother will doubtlessly enquire upon as to the particulars of their size and location, we might return together and you can consider yourself freed from her scrutiny for at least, at least an hour!"

Jane laughed, and took his arm, as they made their way up the steps towards the entrance of the house. They had not even crossed the threshold when Mrs Bennet's voice reached them, tempered with a calm that must have been artifice, for both Richard and Jane exchanged a surprised glance.

"Jane! Oh, here you are, returned to us at last! Where have you been about? Were not you aware that dear Mr Heatherington intended to call upon us this very hour?"

"I was not!" Jane relinquished Richard's arm and hurried down the corridor, shedding her pelisse and bonnet as she did into the arms of a waiting servant. "Oh, forgive me!"

Richard followed close behind her, eager to see this Heatherington fellow for himself, for, whilst he assumed a manner of polite disinterest, he could not help but be curious to see who it was that had so completely eclipsed Charles Bingley in Jane Bennet's affections, and to see if he could glean some true insight into the gentleman's nature. Darcy would undoubtedly wish to know, although he would never own as much.

"And Colonel Fitzwilliam too!" Mrs Bennet crowed, as he entered the parlour. "Well, now, this is providence indeed! Come and be introduced to Mr Heatherington." Mrs Bennet's voice had become little more than a reverential breath as she uttered the gentleman's name, and Colonel Fitzwilliam was amused to see a flare of embarrassment creep up the stranger's neck at being so admired. A hearty handshake endeared him to Richard still more, and his good opinion was sealed when Heatherington warmly endorsed Richard's own wife in his hearing.

"I have been introduced to Mrs Fitzwilliam and had hoped I might yet meet her husband. I have it on good authority that we are to be friends, Colonel, and so I would like to offer my services to you in securing your property hereabouts. As someone who has but recently undertaken such a task, I fancy I have some ideas as to its scope and scale. I trust your enquiries are enjoyable and have not yet become an unenviable chore?"

"Not yet," Richard said, with a grim laugh. He was not fond of business and had precipitously glazed over when his agent began throwing figures around. He was no fool, but he lacked Darcy's mathematical brain.

"What business are you in, Heatherington?" he asked, as more tea was fetched and the group broke down into smaller twos and threes.

"Commerce," Heatherington said. He exchanged a glance with Mary. "I was lately in the military, but as you may gather, His Majesty has little use for troops that are lamed."

Richard's features drew down in compassion. He knew well enough the trials of fellows maimed by war, and it was on the tip of his tongue to enquire after Heatherington's well-being, forgetting for a moment that they were not alone, and recalling himself to the present in time to prevent such a personal inquiry in the presence of the ladies.

"Where do you lodge, sir?" he asked, eager to offer some alternate conversation, and curious to know, now, whether this fellow and they might be neighbours. Country living would certainly not be stultifying with a companionable fellow nearby. They could not ride, of course, but there might be shooting, perhaps, for Heatherington did not seem unduly fazed by his injury. And it would serve Mary well to have one sister she might confide in.

Heatherington named a place, and Richard attempted to assimilate it into his widening picture of Hertfordshire. He did not recognise it, but that was to be expected, for he was still learning his new locality.

He exchanged a glance with Mary and saw she was won over by their new acquaintance. He would be too, he was sure, and cast a grateful thanks that there would be at least one sensible fellow living nearby.