Mister Fitzwilliam Darcy, the master of Pemberley, had taken breakfast with his delightfully beautiful and brilliant wife everyday since they were newlyweds. He had made exceptions at the birth of each of their children, though he was there the next day to share breakfast in bed with his recovering wife. The servants from the very beginning had been told never to interrupt and he knew he had taught both his staff and his children to follow orders, which is why the knock on the door was so worrying.

"Papa? Mamma? May I come in?" Their eldest called from the other side of the door

"Yes, my star, of course." Darcy answered, nothing had brought him more joy than his baby girl, even some eighteen years after anyone could properly call her a baby. In his eyes she could do no wrong, even if she interrupted breakfast.

"I have a guest with me, it's rather urgent."

"No matter, bring them in as well, we're ready for the day." he beamed as his daughter entered the parlor followed by a young man who looked the spitting image of his father-in-law in his early years. The resemblance of her father, dead now for twelve years, silenced Lizzie, a rare occurrence that was something of a bad omen in Pemberley.

"Good day sir, I'm sorry for bothering you so early, but my sisters have been pestering me to see you as soon as we reached Derby."

"Never you mind all that, tell him what you told me and Malcolm." Esther urged eager to end this anticipation.

"Sir, I am your nephew, Lydia and Wickham's son and I am not proud of my father, you have seen how he treated women, you can only imagine how he treated children. My mother disappeared nearly a month ago and you are the only family we have left. I do not want money or social standing, simply a place for my sisters to stay while I find a place for us." Somehow Mr. Wickham managed this all in one breath giving Mr. Darcy no time to interrupt, his face turned from it's loving form to the steely countenance Mrs. Darcy had first seen him wearing.

"Leave. Now. I promised my sister and myself a long time ago that no Wickham would be welcome in this house."

"Please Sir, I am as much a Bennet as Esther..."

"You will not refer to my daughter by her Christian name. You will call her Miss Darcy if you address her at all."

"Of course sir, but still I am as much a Bennet as Miss Darcy or any of your other children and my sisters have nowhere else to go."

"No, a rotten apple does not fall far from it's tree, I will not have a Wickham in the lives of my children or nephews."

"Very well Sir, I am sorry to have wasted your time." George turned and without Esther's guidance left the parlor to find his sisters.

"Wait, come back." Lizzie finally spoke raising from her settee a rushing to the door and running after her nephew and returning moments later with him in tow and sat him down next to her. "You have not even told us your name."

"It's the same as my father's ma'am, but you can call me by my middle name if that would put you at ease."

"I think it would, thank you."

"Then it's Edward ma'am." Esther watching with mounting excitement as she knew that her mother was up to something and that Edward seemed to have regained some sort of hope.

"I insist you call me Lizzie," Mrs. Darcy smiled, "How old are you, and your sisters how many are there?"

"Well Aunt Lizzie I am twenty-one and I have eight sisters, the eldest is twenty and the youngest is barely thirteen."

"And their names? I'm sure they are beautiful, Lydia was always so creative."

"By age they are Julia, Frances, Abigail, Sophia, Clara, Susanna, Celia and Evelyn."

"Well I am certain we can find rooms for all of you, though some of the girls may have to share when we have guest." Lizzie grinned at the joy on her nephew's face.

"Lizzie what on Earth are you doing." Darcy growled, "He's a Wickham."

"And a Bennet, he is my sister's child and I will not force him and sisters to live of scraps when I have the power to help him."

"Lizzie, it's not that simple."

"Of course it is. Had you not been able to stop Georgiana, had she run off with that- that blackguard, could you honestly say you would refuse her children the safety you have refused Edward and his sisters."

"No." Darcy sighed and pulled his chin to his neck, the ultimate sign that he was beaten

"So we can stay?" Edward asked standing up and facing Mr. Darcy

"Yes, Lizzie could you and Esther see how Edward's sisters are getting on." Mrs and Miss Darcy took their cue and left the Darcy with his nephew. "You are here due to the kindness of my wife and daughter and I am willing to humor them, but if you for a single second make me think that you live up to your name you will leave this house immediately."

"Yes, Sir."

"Is there anyway that Lydia could be alive?" Darcy questioned, his wife's argument had softened his view, but he still didn't like them here.

"In the circles she ran in there was no gray area, you were alive and here or dead and gone, she vanished for all intents and purposes my mother is dead."

"Fine, you and your siblings may stay here. Your sisters will be taught proper behavior for women of gentle birth and in time may be allowed their coming out if they do well. I will teach you or have you taught for what ever profession you wish, but I will not make my father's mistakes, he was never able to discipline a child that wasn't his so your father never knew the consequences of his actions. You will know the consequences."

"Of course sir, may I go see to my sisters now." Darcy nodded and Edward gave a short bow. "Thank you sir."

"You had better not let me regret this Wickham."