Chapter four

Part One

"Brother, why must you leave now?" Georgiana Darcy asked her older sibling, Fitzwilliam.

"I have had a most urgent letter from my steward, there is business in Derbyshire that cannot wait even another day." He had not wanted to leave her in London, not even with the most trusted Mrs. Annesley, but it could not be helped.

She looked at him as she had a week ago when she returned to the London house from their cousin Richard's. Her eyes had grown wide and he thought she looked shocked at his appearance, but he could not discern why. He had taken pains not to act in a manner different from the one she knew. He had no desire for her to understand his despair. She had not questioned him as that was not her nature, but he looked up several times during the course of the week to find her staring at him.

"I will join you soon?" she said, bringing him back from his thoughts.

"Yes Mrs. Annesley will bring you down in three days hence, you shall start your journey tomorrow."

As she left to oversee the packing of her trunks, her brother thought of how the return to Pemberley had been planned months ago. It was supposed to be a joyous occasion marked by the presence of friends. Mr. Bingley and his sisters were to have been in the party. Ironically, he was so lonely at the moment that he knew if he saw Caroline Bingley he might actually smile at her. It was probably just as well she is not here, he thought to himself.

His thoughts drifted to his childhood home, Pemberley. How he loved the place, he never felt quite as comfortable any where else. There was a feeling of tranquility there that he so needed at the moment. He hoped that he would be able to sleep again as he was not doing presently. He hoped his appetite might return if he smelled the delicious aroma's coming from his well stocked and well served, kitchen. He hoped that being surrounded by such beauty as his grounds, would prove a distraction from otherwise distressing thoughts. Unfortunately, he had once allowed himself to ponder what it would be like if a certain lady was mistress there. He knew he would have to keep such thoughts at bay if he were to have any peace at all.

Yes, the return would be bittersweet, but he would adapt. After all, he did have business to attend to as well. He was sure if he could just put his mind to it, he would be able to forget all else.

So, it was with that determination that he mounted his horse a few hours later...Mr. Darcy was going home.

Part Two

"My dear, I am simply saying that it would be nice if the ladies of the day had more to do than play the pianoforte or draw pretty pictures!" Mrs. Gardiner said, addressing her husband as the carriage carrying them and their niece Lizzy wended it's way towards the Peak District.

"Do you mean you want your daughter's hands to get dirty?" Lizzy noticed the gleam in his eyes as he said this, clearly teasing his wife.

Mrs. Gardiner ignored him and spoke directly to Lizzy, "Would you not like a more diverting life, my dear?"

"It does get a bit tedious," she conceded, "between jaunts such as this."

"And what do you suppose a lady should do, attend University?" Uncle Gardiner asked

"It is not fair that she cannot!" her aunt answered.

Lizzy quite enjoyed this side of her most beloved relatives. It was so unlike any conversation (if it could be called that) that her parents engaged in. Mostly those talks were one sided, with her mother scheming in one way or another on how to get one of her sisters married before her father passed away. Lizzy knew that her father had learned a long time prior to simply nod in the right places and not really listen. She also knew he was most often finding folly in the actions of others and amusing himself with it. Unfortunately for Mrs. Bennet, she herself was included in this pasttime.

"What do you think, Lizzy?" her uncle addressed her.

Her thoughts had taken her away from the discussion and so was unsure of what he spoke and expected her to answer about. Her questioning look let him in on her quandary.

"Ah Lizzy has not been listening, my dear. Well that's jolly all right." he looked at his wife, smiling. "We did ask her on this trip to relax, did we not?"

"I am sorry, Lizzy. Your uncle and I often wile the time away in what might be, to some, arguing!"

They both laughed and Elizabeth could not help but join them.

Later,as both Gardiners dozed, Lizzy once more reflected on their relationship. If she were ever to marry, it would be the kind that she would want. The playful banter, the heated discussions, the mirth of being in each other's company.

They seemed to revel in getting under the other one's skin, she realized. And yet she knew they respected the intelligence of the other as well. If it had been allowed, her aunt could have gone to University, of that she were certain.

Her aunt Gardiner was more accomplished with less of the standard attributes of the word, Caroline Bingley would not think so, but it convinced Lizzy all the more.

She could not help but think of Mr. Darcy, what would his opinion be? Lizzy smiled as she remembered their discussion of what it took to be accomplished. Caroline had concentrated on the shallow; the way a lady walked, drew and her "air". Mr. Darcy pointed out that she should be well-read.

She could almost imagine him in the carriage with them, contributing to this most interesting topic. He might find their laughter disconcerting, he did seem a bit too serious at times, she told herself. Whereas her father saw too much humor, sometimes harshly so; she thought Mr. Darcy did not see enough of it. She could not even remember seeing him smile!

Her feelings toward the man had started to turn with the sight of his sad eyes when she had so soundly rejected him. 'Never to be prevailed upon to marry', she had said. She cringed now, not at the idea of the sentiments, but the way expressed. Surely she could have been less severe! And then the letter softened her up even more, that and the realization that he was only guilty of having the same opinion as Charlotte. The case could be made that Charlotte did not separate Jane from Bingley, but that was only because her friend knew of Jane's shyness and modesty. A thought then occurred to Elizabeth, what if it had been the other way around, what if Charle's had seemed less interested than Jane? Would she not have tried to dissuade her sister?

Lizzy sighed audibly, why was she thinking of him, anyway? She looked over at her companions as they slept with the rocking of the carriage, and let her own eyes close, hoping to join them in their slumber. It did not come quite as easily as theirs.