A/N: Thank you to those who reviewed, just thought I'd give a reply to those who did:
Ctc: I'm glad you liked it, I hope you will continue to like what I write each week.
Nesciamema: You'll get a little bit of a POV within this chapter about Georgiana and Laura in London but it will be the next chapter that you'll see what they did exactly get up to.
Saralee: In terms of Mrs. B for this story, I didn't want to change the character too much in the way she always thinks of her own interests ahead of others. There is a lot more to come with Fran in this chapter and further on in the story because eventually, Elizabeth, Lydia and Jane will come face to face with their absent mother. But you're correct, in this story, Elizabeth and Jane are much better for Lydia as they've always been there for her.
Lily Draco: You should be worried for Georgiana, apologies if that makes you feel a little angsty about Georgie. Will is trying his best to adjust to being the parental figure in his little sister's life as well as adjusting to the pressures of being the head of the Darcy business and family. I'm glad you liked the sisterly bonding, there is definitely more close moments to come when it comes to the Bennet girls.
Dizzy Lizzy.60: I loved your comparison of Fran to an ageing starlet, this chapter will see her have a conversation with Ed but it will be later in the story that you readers will get the full explanation behind why she left Thomas and never got in touch with her daughters. I wanted to do something different with Lydia in this story as I have done in NWTS and AC and it's almost like Lydia and Georgiana have done a role reversal but the two teens have gone through the same loss of their only parental figure and over the course of the story you will see the two girls bond. Elizabeth will definitely be there for Lydia when her little sister wants to talk more and get closure over what happened after the death of their father but I won't be revealing that just yet J. As for what Georgie gets up to in London, you'll find out in the next chapter the full extent and her big brother's reaction to it.
Hongkongphooey63: Lydia is carrying a lot of guilt over their father's death and you'll find out just how much guilt she felt when I reveal the full extent of Lydia's trouble from the aftermath of Thomas's death. I'm glad that you like it so far and hope you continue to enjoy each chapter that comes.
Now, enjoy this one.
Chapter Six
It was the bank holiday weekend and it seemed that Portsmouth was busier than it normally was. Deciding to make the most of their last weekend of the summer holidays, Elizabeth had decided to treat Lydia to tickets for the Victorious music festival that took place on Southsea Common every August bank holiday weekend for the last few years. The festival started on the Thursday and ran through to the Monday. But while Ed was happy that his nieces were enjoying their last week of freedom before settling into their new roles at Rosings, he couldn't say he was particularly looking forward to where he was heading.
It was Friday and he'd rather be spending some time with his wife but his sister needed to be spoken to. The week before he and Maddie had managed to speak about Fran turning up out of the blue but he needed to stop her unexpected visits. Steering the car into an empty parking space, Ed switched off his car engine and unbuckled his seatbelt before getting out of the car and stepping on to the pavement. He sighed heavily as he locked up the car and walked up the front door, knocking three times before the door opened and he came face to face with his sister.
He and Fran had the typical brother and sister relationship, they argued, they disagreed but they were family and he did love his sister; even if she turned up uninvited to his house when he wasn't even aware she was back in the country.
"Edward." Fran greeted coldly.
"Fran, shall I invite myself into your home?" Ed asked.
Not waiting for her answer, Ed walked past his sister and into the kitchen; picking up the kettle and turning on the tap to put some water in it. He heard the front door close and Fran enter the kitchen behind him. Turning off the tap and placing the kettle back on its stand, he pressed the boil button and turned to face his sister.
"You have some nerve turning up here after that wife of yours was rude to me. Has Maddie sent you on her behalf to apologise to me?" Fran asked dramatically.
Ed rolled his eyes. One of Fran's many flaws was her selfishness and absolute refusal to see any situation than from her own point of view.
"No, I didn't come here to apologise. Fran, I came here to tell you that you if you want to come to my house then you need to call me first." Ed replied.
"Oh so now I need permission to visit my own brother!" Fran shrieked.
"Firstly, it's rude to turn up unannounced, Maddie and I may have had plans. Secondly, there's a good reason why I'm asking you to call me first before you plan to visit." Ed sighed.
The kettle finished boiling, with the boil button clicking and Ed made them both a cup of tea and then the siblings went into Fran's living room.
"I didn't know that you were back in the country." Ed stated.
Fran tutted, taking a mouthful of her tea before setting the mug down on the coffee table.
"Peter wanted to come back early, his daughter was missing him."
"Fran, can you honestly not see how inappropriate it is to turn up unannounced? We thought you were still away with Peter, and then your last visit was three months ago. Then before that visit you spent the past year and a half in Dubai with him. So much has gone on and you never bothered to get in touch, no postcard, no emails, no phone calls." Ed scolded.
"Okay Ed, I get your point." Fran grumbled.
"Now, there's something else that you need to know."
Fran rolled her eyes but met her brother's gaze and raised an eyebrow as she waited impatiently.
"I tried getting in touch with you but I each time I tried, I couldn't. But Maddie and I have agreed that it's time you knew-"
"Knew what?"
"It's about Thomas-"
"My ex-husband? What about him?" Fran asked, with a hint of annoyance.
Ed's face softened and he took hold of her hand.
"Thomas died last July."
Fran's eyes widened slightly.
"He…he's…he's dead?" Fran asked, slightly shocked.
Ed nodded, "There was a fire at Longbourn and Thomas ran back into the house thinking that Lydia was still inside and he inhaled too much smoke." He explained.
"And the girls?"
"They weren't hurt; Lydia wasn't even home. But Thomas died in hospital, there was nothing that they could do. Initially, they thought he was going to get better but he wasn't observed closely enough and he passed away."
Fran retracted her hand from her brother's and stood, walking around the room in silence for a few minutes before turning back to face her brother.
"And why would you tell me? Thomas and I divorced fourteen years ago."
"Because he was still your husband for twelve years, Fran, that means something."
"It doesn't. I walked out on him remember?"
"That's true. But another reason why Maddie and I want you to call before a visit is because Lydia and Elizabeth are staying with us for a while." Ed said.
"My daughters are living with you?" Fran asked.
"Yes. Lydia needed a change of scenery, a new start because she got into some trouble. Elizabeth and Jane did try some counselling with Lydia back in April after they discovered the depth of trouble that Lydia was in and the aftermath of that trouble also brought on more trouble for Lydia, she had to drop out of her school. Elizabeth and Jane called Maddie and I in June and we all agreed that a new start for Lydia is what she needed." Ed explained.
"Well…what kind of trouble?" Fran questioned.
As Ed explained what his nieces had been through since their father's death, Fran continued to walk around the room; trying to process what she was being told. Ed watched his sister's actions, hoping that she was listening to what he was telling her.
"I have to agree, from the sound of it they have had a tough year." Fran muttered.
"They don't know that I'm in contact with you, and Maddie and I have agreed that they aren't ready to know that you live in Port Solent. We need to let them adjust to this new life, let Lizzy get settled in as the nurse at Rosings and Lydia settled in as a student. When things are more settled and the time is right, then we'll tell them that you're in Portsmouth." Ed explained.
The air between them was tense and silent before Fran said the words that Ed didn't expect to hear.
"I don't want them to know."
Ed frowned in surprise.
"What do you mean, you don't want them to know?" he questioned.
"They don't need to know that I live here, they don't need to know that you see me from time to time." Fran said quietly.
"Hang on a minute-"
"No, Ed," Fran interrupted, "They had a much better life without me and I haven't seen them in fourteen years, they don't need a mother right now. They don't need a mother at all."
"Whatever you might feel about the situation, Fran, you still owe them an explanation as to why you just left them. Elizabeth and Jane were getting to an age where they could have used a mother's influence and shoulder but you left them to fend for themselves. As for Lydia, she was barely walking when you left and she's always had to rely on her sisters and her father."
"They don't need me. Don't tell them anything about me." Fran pleaded desperately.
Ed stood from his seat, slamming his mug down on to the table angrily. He had at least thought that Fran would agree to give her daughters some space and time to adjust to living in Portsmouth before they were informed of their mother's presence in the city but to hear his sister refuse to even give his nieces an explanation as to why she left, made him angry.
"I've never known a more selfish person, Francine." Ed growled.
"Ed-"
"I get that you were in a low place, that your life wasn't going the way that you wanted it to go but that's life. Life doesn't always go the way you want and you either do something to change it for the better or come to terms with it. You had three beautiful girls who needed their mother and you just abandoned them." Ed shouted.
"I wasn't happy, Edward! We've been through this. Thomas couldn't give me what I craved, what I needed."
"That was Thomas, the girls were blameless for what happened in your marriage."
"I think you should leave." Fran shrieked at the top of her lungs.
Sighing heavily, Ed left Fran's house without saying goodbye to his sister. He had hoped that she would eventually want to come face to face with her daughters again but he had been wrong, Fran never thought about anyone but herself.
ooOoo
After spending Friday and Saturday at Victorious, Elizabeth had been looking forward to a much quieter Sunday. She and Lydia had spent the morning painting each other's nails whilst listening to the music channels. Maddie and Ed had gone out for breakfast and when they had returned back to the house, they announced that Ed would be taking them to Toby Carvery for a Sunday Roast.
The rest of the afternoon had gone by quite quickly. She ate a light sandwich for lunch and took Trip for a short walk with Lydia before they returned to the house. The family then got into Ed's car and made the short journey to Toby Carvery, parking up the car and walking into the restaurant.
The restaurant was quite busy for a Sunday, there was a thirty-minute wait on a table. Maddie went to the bar to get them all something to drink for the four of them whilst Ed, Elizabeth and Lydia heading outside with their table pager and sat on one of the picnic benches.
"So, four more days until you both start at Rosings, how do you feel?" Ed asked.
"Nervous." Both sisters replied in unison.
"Lydia, there is something I thought I'd tell you ahead of receiving your schedule. I've arranged for you to have a session with the school counsellor once a week." Ed informed.
Lydia's eyes widened.
"Is that really necessary?" Lydia asked.
"I think it is." Elizabeth said.
"And how long have you known about this?"
"Only a few days."
"Lizzy and I discussed the idea. It's a big change, starting over in a new school, in a new city and after the tough year you've had, the counsellor just wants to make sure that you're settling in well. Making friends, talking about any problems or issues that you may have." Ed explained.
Lydia sighed heavily but nodded her agreement that a counselling session once a week might be good for her in the beginning of starting at Rosings Park.
"Ah, Edward, I thought that was you!" a man called to them.
Elizabeth and Lydia turned around to see a man, a teenage boy and a woman walking towards them. The man who had called out to her uncle only looked a few years older than her, his light brown hair was long on the top and the bottom half shaved. His blue eyes sparkled when he stopped in front of them and he had a wide, charming smile.
"Hello George, how are things?" Ed asked.
"Could be better, I've had my hours cut at the gym." The man replied, his smile fading.
"That's a shame."
"Still at Rosings, Ed?"
Ed chuckled and nodded, "I'll be there until retirement most likely. How are you enjoying your summer Dennis?"
The teenage boy mumbled something about his summer being okay and sat down on a bench next to theirs.
"George, these are my nieces Elizabeth and Lydia Bennet. Elizabeth starts at Rosings next month as the school nurse and Lydia has a place there in year eleven. Girls, this is George Wickham, his mother Harriet and his brother Dennis. George used to teach P.E and Dennis is in your year Lydia." Ed introduced.
"Lovely to meet you all." George smiled, catching Elizabeth's gaze.
"You used to teach, is that right?" Elizabeth asked.
George nodded.
"Just going to help Maddie with the drinks." Ed said, getting up from his seat and heading back inside the restaurant.
"I left Rosings five years ago, I do miss it from time to time but due to a rivalry with the son of one of the school governors, I had no choice but to leave." George sighed.
Elizabeth frowned.
"A rivalry?" she asked, slightly confused.
George sat down in Ed's empty seat and nodded. Lydia was checking her Facebook app on her smartphone, leaving the two of them to talk.
"It's quite a horrible story really, but I was friends with a man named William Darcy. We were friends since childhood, we even attended Rosings in our teenage years. After we finished sixth form, we went our separate ways and at the age of nineteen I met a woman who I fell deeply in love with. To cut a long story short, I proposed and we booked the wedding. Everything was arranged, down to the person I asked to be my best man."
"William Darcy?" Elizabeth asked.
George nodded.
"Correct. Well the day of the wedding came about and the love of my life looked more beautiful than I had ever seen her. We got to the part where we were asked if we knew of anything that could prevent us from getting married and she confessed it all. She confessed that she couldn't marry me because it had been a setup the whole time with the man I had always considered my best friend."
"A setup?"
"I wasn't always…. sociable, I suppose you could say. Darcy met with this woman and paid her quite a lot of money to get me to come out of my shell, to become more confident and to give me a little more experience when it came to women," George explained sadly, "I really loved her and everything that we had, had been a lie the whole time."
"That's…that's just…cruel." Elizabeth stammered in shock.
George nodded his agreement.
"And the aftermath of that saw me lose the woman that I loved, I had to move back home with my mother and brother and because Darcy's father was a school governor and his aunt is the headmistress, I had no choice but to leave the last thing I loved; my teaching position. So now, I work on minimum wage at a gym to make ends meet; all the while living in my childhood bedroom at my mother's house."
Elizabeth took in George's tale of the cruelty he had suffered because of William Darcy and concluded that he was, indeed, a selfish, rude and horrible human being who picked on those who were nothing but good natured. She couldn't believe that someone would do that to another person and it made her feel more angry and hateful towards the man who had, only a few weeks ago, called her plain and a gold digger.
"I can't believe that someone who you had once called your friend would do something like this to you. I've only met him on two occasions and considered him to be rude and snobbish, but this just proves how much of a horrible character he is!" Elizabeth said angrily.
George smiled sadly.
"Don't feel badly for me, Elizabeth. Not all things in my life are bad."
"Just because not all things are bad for you, it still doesn't excuse his behaviour towards you. You lost everything because of that man!"
"But I still have a mother and brother who I love and who love me and I'm still interested in sport and physical activity, I'm just in a different job prospect within that field. And I'm still on good terms with old colleagues like your uncle." George smiled.
"How can you be so positive?" Elizabeth asked.
George shrugged.
"I guess I've just learned to let it go, to some extent anyway." He replied.
There was a brief moment between them where the conversation ceased and they saw Elizabeth's aunt and uncle walk back to the table; chatting to George's mother. Just as Elizabeth looked back at George, the table pager started vibrating on top of the table; indicating that the Gardiner table was ready for them.
"It was nice talking to you." Elizabeth smiled.
"Likewise. You seem like a lovely woman, Elizabeth. Would it be too hasty if I asked for your number?" George asked.
Elizabeth blushed slightly but nodded, handing him her phone so he could type in his mobile phone number as he passed his over to her to do the same.
"Tables ready." Lydia informed their aunt and uncle.
Handing back George his phone and accepting hers back, she said goodbye to George and followed her sister, aunt and uncle back inside the restaurant, feeling slightly giddy as she saw a text message from George telling her that he couldn't wait to take her out, if that was what she wanted.
Joining the queue to pick out what she wanted from the carvery, she texted him back that she would like to go out with him, that she wanted to get to know him better because he seemed like a nice guy.
Where shall I pick you up? What day, time? G x
How about the second Tuesday night in September around 7? I'm staying with my uncle; do you need the address? E.
Tuesday at 7 is great! And I know where Ed lives, see you then. G x
Putting her phone back inside her jeans pocket, she smiled happily that she had a date. It wasn't something that she usually did, all her past relationships she had known them for a little while before agreeing to a date which then developed into a relationship. But she figured that moving to Portsmouth was a new start for her and Lydia so there it wouldn't do any harm in trying something new when it came to her dating approach, could it?
ooOoo
The music was playing at almost full blast in the living room, makeup was cluttering up the floor around where two girls were sitting and a pair of curling tongs were heating up on the heatproof pad on the coffee table. Georgiana finished applying a thick layer of mascara on to her eyelashes as Laura picked up the hot curling tongs and began to curl strands of her newly dyed, blonde hair.
"I'm so jealous of your natural curls, Gee." Laura complained, holding the tongs as tight as she could for a few seconds before unwinding the strand of hair and letting it go.
"It's a nightmare to brush through sometimes." Georgiana muttered.
Laura picked up the half full bottle of flavoured vodka with her free hand and took a swig from it before handing it over to Georgiana.
"Drink up, we're supposed to be having a good time." Laura giggled.
Georgiana took the bottle from her best friend and copied Laura's actions by taking a swig, swallowing the strong alcohol before placing the bottle on the floor next to her. It had been surprising for Georgiana just how their plans to have a good time had gone. They had packed their bags on Friday night and had gotten a good night of sleep before Will had taken them both to the train station. Laura had managed to hide her sister's ID and went to her local newsagents and had bought two bottles of flavoured vodka for the two of them to share whilst they were getting ready for the show.
"What time is the car coming?" Laura asked, continuing to curl her hair tightly.
"In an hour." Georgiana replied happily.
Finishing with the curling tongs, Laura switched them off and applied the finishing touches to her makeup as Georgiana took a large mouthful of the flavoured vodka, causing Laura to giggle when she tried to stand up to put her heels on when she toppled on to the sofa, feeling rather lightheaded and giddy from drinking.
Georgiana put on her heels as Laura finished her makeup and watched as her best friend continued to drink the flavoured vodka and dance about to the song playing on her mobile phone. She didn't feel that great, her head was spinning and she felt a little sick.
"Laur, I don't feel so…" Georgiana said weakly.
But Laura simply laughed and pulled Georgiana to her feet.
"Come on Gee…" Laura giggled merrily.
But before the two girls could do anything, there was a knock on the door. Laura let go of Georgiana's hand and stumbled into the hallway, laughing like mad as she opened the door to the driver of the car that Richard had arranged to take them to and from the Hammersmith Apollo.
"Come on Gee, time to go." Laura sang.
Picking up her clutch bag that contained her phone, keys and purse, Georgiana slowly walked (holding on to the furniture in the hallway) and locked up the house with some difficulty before getting pulled into the car by her best friend.