This is the final Chapter of 'Four Seasons in One Day' although an Epilogue follows below. Thank you for reading and for all your kind comments.

A new day is dawning but what does the future hold for Eliza and Darcy?

Chapter Nine

It was only when Darcy turned off of the main road through a set of tall wrought iron gates that Eliza, glancing behind her into the back seat of the car, noticed that Lydia had fallen asleep. She wasn't sorry. Lydia had continued to chatter and make remarks most of the way here. It had taken about twenty minutes to drive from Michaela Younge's cottage in Lambton to Darcy's place, as he had referred to it. It was only as they had passed through the gates and continued along a tree-lined drive that seemed to be at least a mile long that it occurred to Eliza that Darcy's home was likely to be on a larger scale than her own very modest apartment. He hadn't said much about the place apart from the fact it was nearby but then Lydia had prevented much conversation with her frequent trivial observations on what had passed that evening. These had ranged from commenting on what a long day it had been to disliking the décor at Michaela Younge's cottage and the lady herself, "You should have seen the look she gave me when we arrived. It was well unfriendly!"

Eliza had bitten her tongue to prevent herself giving Lydia a lecture about how stupid and ungrateful she had been. Darcy had been forced to part with quite a large sum of money in order to clear up the mess that Lydia had created and she was not the least bit sensible or appreciative of this fact. Darcy listened to Lydia's chatter in silence. If he was annoyed by the things she said, it didn't show in his face but Eliza was mortified on Lydia's behalf. However, when Lydia wasn't thoughtlessly prattling on, Eliza had a moment or two to engage in thoughts of her own about the day and its revelations.

It had certainly been a day full of surprises. Wickham, in direct contrast to his suave assured performance at Longbourn Designs that morning, had shown himself in his true colours, living up to the character Darcy had painted and it had only served to underline how swift she had been to give credence to Wickham's story and how willing she had been to believe the worst of Darcy. She had taken his professional criticisms personally and allowed them to prejudice her view of him, despite not knowing him at all. She had learned a lesson from today's events; never make quick judgments about people. The truth of both men's characters was reflected in their actions. Wickham's appearance and manner was totally at odds with his true nature whereas Darcy who, judging by this morning's meeting, possibly struggled to be liked by others on first acquaintance, was at heart a man of integrity.

Eliza had also thought about Michaela's words when they had first arrived at the cottage. When she had inferred that Darcy had at one time harboured some kind of feelings for her, Eliza had been shocked. It was obvious to her now that both Wickham and Michaela had been deceitful in the past, hurting both Georgia and Darcy in the process. She remembered Darcy's words at lunchtime and the way he had talked of separating emotions from decision making. He had mentioned Bingley in his email but now she was curious. Had he also been talking from personal experience? It was all the more wondrous to her in these circumstances that he had asked her on a date if his feelings were really so opposed to mixing business with pleasure.

Sitting next to him in the car as it slowly wound its way towards his home, thinking of the moment that had passed between them a short time earlier before Lydia had called out, Eliza was very conscious of the fact that he was attracted to her and for the first time she allowed herself to admit that she felt the same way. She smiled in the darkness, unseen by him. It was astonishing to her that she could have moved in such a short time from detesting him to accepting that he was someone very well worth admiring. However, she also recognised that Darcy was not a man who was likely to act rapidly and thoughtlessly and she must bide her time and allow him to dictate the way events would play out.

They emerged from the tunnel of darkness cast by the trees into a clearing before a collection of buildings. The light was changing. The first hint of dawn could be seen on the horizon and before them Eliza could make out a set of single storey buildings and a clock over an archway which seemed to lead into what looked very much like stables and barns. Darcy brought the car to a stop and turned off the engine saying very quietly, "We're here."

A gentle snore escaped from Lydia in the back seat and Darcy said in a whisper to Eliza, "Let's just leave her to sleep for a bit. It's perfectly safe. We can come back in a while."

Eliza nodded. She suspected that like her, he was glad to escape Lydia's empty-headed chatter. They both got out of the car. Darcy stretched and breathed in the cool, fresh air of early morning. Eliza, despite still wearing Darcy's dinner jacket, shivered a little and he noticed.

"Let's go up to the house, I expect we can find something warmer for you to put on."

"The house?" Eliza queried. "Where are we?"

Darcy turned to look at her, "This is Pemberley."

Eliza looked around the odd collection of buildings in front of her. She didn't know quite what to make of the place.

"Do you live here?" she asked doubtfully pointing to the stables in front of her.

"No," Darcy confirmed, "although we're converting one of the wings into holiday accommodation but it's not finished yet. The main house is up there, to the left." He pointed to a gravel track that Eliza could just about make out in the dim light. Suddenly she began to appreciate the true scale of this place. What she could see before her must be the stables and coach house of a substantial house. This wasn't just a family home it was an estate.

"This is actually where Pemberley Products was born," Darcy said waving his hand towards the stables. "My father started it right here when I was still at school. I was sorry when the business outgrew the place and had to move to a business park. "

He walked towards her and gestured in the direction of the track, "Shall we?"

They started along the track in the dim light with Eliza holding her dress to stop it trailing in the dirt and stumbling a little in her high heeled shoes.

"May I?" Darcy said offering her his arm.

She took it and leaned on him as they continued on their way, grateful for his support "Is it far?" she asked.

"No, only a hundred yards or so."

They walked in silence and as they did, Eliza thought of everything that had happened that day and remembering Lydia's thoughtless remarks in the car earlier said, "I have to thank you for what you did for Lydia, even though she's too stupid to appreciate that you've saved her from a lot of trouble."

They walked on a few steps further before Darcy replied, "You don't need to thank me on Lydia's behalf. I wasn't really thinking about her. I was thinking about a lot of other people who might be affected, people like you, Eliza."

Eliza was touched by his words just as much as his use of her name and she looked up at him with a smile, "Then I'll thank you for all of them, myself included. I appreciate what you've done."

They had reached the end of the track and a vast double-winged house rose up before them silhouetted against the distant glow of dawn on the horizon. Georgian in architecture and built of pale stone it was three storeys high with tall roman columns supporting a portico. Eliza almost gasped in surprise at the size and grandeur of the place and stopped to take it in.

"Goodness," she exclaimed. "How long has your family lived here?"

"About two hundred years," Darcy said in a matter-of-fact voice.

Eliza spoke honestly when she said, "I didn't realise that Pemberley was a real place. I thought it was just a business you'd run."

Darcy shook his head, "Oh no. It was a home long before my father started the business. My sister and I grew up here. It's a wonderful house and the grounds are lovely although it needs work now. That's the problem with these places. Unfortunately, they cost huge amounts to run and maintain and when it comes down to it we're just custodians looking after them for the next generation. My father recognised this and that's why he started the business here in the stable yard. He knew that we needed another strain of income to keep this place together." He turned and smiled at her, "Come on, let's go in. It's a bit chilly out here. Would you like some coffee?"

Eliza tried not to laugh. It was a well-used line but in her experience it had seldom involved being invited into a stately home and from the manner of Darcy's invitation she knew he was entirely genuine.

She nodded, "Thank you. I could use a coffee. It's been a long night."

He reached out and took her hand in his and without another word they walked together to the front door.

X-X-X-X

The coffee was excellent as Eliza knew it would be. She and Darcy sat at the kitchen table facing each other and nursing the warm mugs in their hands. The large modern kitchen on the lower ground floor had surprised Eliza particularly after seeing much of ground floor of the house on their way here which was very distinctly of a different era. Darcy had led her through a vast hall dominated by a grand central staircase, reception rooms with enormous fireplaces and ceiling to floor windows, some shuttered as if seldom used, other rooms draped with tapestries and oil canvasses or with furniture covered in protective dust sheets. There had been a library containing the leather-bound collections of many generations, a room he had referred to as the Music room containing a piano and harp and a long windowed portrait gallery on the south side of the building in which Eliza was able to gaze upon the faces of two centuries of the Darcy family. This in particular had captured her interest. She had paused to look at one portrait of Darcy's great, great grandfather and even in the grey first light of morning she thought she could see a likeness to him and said as much. Darcy had turned back and looked at the portrait with her, "It's amazing how others see you," he said after a minute or so. "I've always thought him rather stern and forbidding but this morning for the first time I think perhaps he's secretly amused. He looks as if he knows something the rest of us don't."

The kitchen was in stark contrast to all Eliza had seen before and the surprise showed in her face prompting Darcy to joke that they had only thrown out the ox spit over the fire last week but adding "The kitchen was in a shocking state and needed replacing. It was the first job of many that needed doing here."

He had made the coffee and they carried it over to sit at the table together.

"It's a lovely house," Eliza said at last, "Do your business interests keep you away from here much?"

"Unfortunately, yes," Darcy replied. "I'm certainly away much more than I used to be before I sold Pemberley Products. It wasn't the wisest decision I've ever made."

Eliza remembered Wickham telling her that Darcy had made a small fortune from its sale and was surprised that he seemed to regret this but said, "I'm sure you must have had good reasons."

Darcy looked a little sheepish when he replied, "They seemed like it at the time but I think I was wrong." He paused before adding, "A few things happened that changed my perception including the death of my father and it just wasn't the same anymore. I'd be lying if I didn't admit that the offer to buy the business was very good but at the time I just didn't feel it was the right thing for me anymore and I've regretted it on occasions since."

Eliza hesitated but had to ask, "Was this anything to do with Wickham?"

He regarded her keenly, "I can see that I'll have to at my sharpest to outwit you, Miss Bennet." He smiled, a self-deprecating smile, "You're right, of course, Wickham played his part and I'm sure you realise from the conversation earlier that Michaela was also involved. I was mistaken in her but a lot of water has flown under the bridge since then. However, it changed things and a few years ago I felt it was time for fresh fields and new challenges."

"That's not necessarily a bad thing, is it?" Eliza said.

He looked deep into her eyes, "No, not at all."

The kitchen door suddenly flew open making both of them jump. Eliza almost spilled her coffee as she looked up to see a middle-aged woman, dressed in a pair of combat trousers, an outsize tee-shirt and trainers burst into the room wielding a broom handle.

"Oh, Darcy, thank goodness," the woman cried her hand flying to her chest in a gesture of relief.

"I'm sorry, Sylvia," Darcy said at once, "It was an unexpected visit. I didn't have time let you know."

"Oh well, that'll explain the girl I saw in the back of your car down at the stables then," the woman replied with a laugh adding, "she was snoring her head off. I knew you must be here somewhere but I didn't realise you were in the kitchen."

Darcy turned to Eliza, "Eliza, this is Sylvia Reynolds, my housekeeper although that title hardly does her justice because she's so much more besides. She really is the fabric that keeps this place together."

Eliza stepped forward and shook hands with the woman, "Hello, sorry about the surprise."

The woman smiled at her, "Well it's a good one. It's always nice to see Darcy here, particularly when he brings friends. You're not here enough you know," she admonished him sounding rather more like a mother than an employee. Eliza could see even from that short exchange what a good relationship existed between them.

"I'll bear it in mind," he replied with a smile.

"How long are you staying?" Sylvia asked.

Darcy shrugged and glanced involuntarily at Eliza, "I'm not sure."

"Well just let me know if you need anything," she said. "I'll be in the gallery. Excuse my appearance but I thought I'd get here early to make a start on the cleaning. The dust is shocking up there and I wanted to see if I could get through it all today." She glanced out of the window, "It's going to be a beautiful day. Mark my words!" She looked at Eliza, "Perhaps I'll see you later, Eliza?"

Eliza nodded, "Yes, hopefully." She watched Sylvia collect cleaning materials from the kitchen cupboard before leaving and they heard her singing in the corridor as she departed

"She's nice," Eliza commented as the door shut behind her.

"Yes, very." Darcy agreed. "She's worked here since I was very young. She knows this house as well or better than I do and I couldn't manage here without her."

"And she's probably right you know." Eliza said with a smile.

Darcy's brow creased in a frown, "About what?"

"I think you should spend more time here, it's such a wonderful place."

He nodded, "Well, I'll try to take the advice of both of you and do that. As it happens, I probably will be here more often soon. I'm looking at new ways of making this place pay for itself. I've been drawing up some business plans with my accountant. We're going to diversify and try to restore this place to its former glory. There's a lot to be done but I'm determined to make it work, whatever it takes."

Darcy glanced to his left out of the window, "Sylvia's right. I think it will be a lovely day and the sun's about to come up. Would you like to see the gardens?"

Eliza nodded, "I'd love to."

They left by the kitchen door and walked around the outside of the building, the rear of the house was still in shadow. As they turned to their right they emerged onto a wide gravelled terrace with a low stone balustrade at the far end overlooking formal ornamental gardens below. The house was set on rising ground affording a view of the valley beyond that stretched for miles.

Eliza walked across the terrace to the balustrade and paused to take in the view. There was a pink glow on the horizon and the first glimpse of the sun as it began to rise. The haze of early morning mist after a cold night, hung in the air. Even in the muted light of early morning she could tell that the aspect over the gardens, the lake and the landscape beyond was breath taking. She paused in silence to admire the view.

"What do you think?" Darcy asked stopping beside her.

She turned to look at him and sighed, "Oh, it's magnificent." He recognised the look in her eyes as she spoke and realised that she saw everything the same way as him.

"Yes, it's special," he breathed, "and I can't deny I love it here." He gazed at her and thought how much he loved her being here as well. She and Pemberley were made for each other.

Eliza heard the intensity of feeling in his voice, saw the expression on his face and thought of something he had told her yesterday. A teasing smile hovered on her lips as she said quietly, "You told me that you don't make decisions based on emotions but you weren't being truthful."

Darcy felt as if she had seen straight through him and his heart quickened, "I didn't think I was so transparent, either," he murmured.

"Well you love Pemberley, don't you?" Eliza continued, "And you told me you'd do whatever it takes to save it. If that's not an emotional decision, then tell me what is?"

She had wrong-footed him. He had thought she was talking about his feelings for her but in the same moment she had shown him just how wrong he had been about all of his assertions.

"You're right," he replied, "I've been caught up in the belief of my own infallibility in business matters and I've forgotten how it feels to stop and think about why I'm doing something or how much more satisfying it would be to work at something I feel passionate about. I think that's why I sold the business after all the trouble with Wickham and Michaela, because I didn't feel anything for it anymore. I've spent the last few years telling everyone not to get emotionally involved in business because I believed that was the person I was but it's not true." He paused, shook his head at himself and gave her a self-deprecating smile. "I do believe you've humbled me, Eliza. I didn't realise what a fraud I was until I met you." He was gazing at her with undisguised admiration and her heart surged with pleasure.

A window opened in the gallery behind them and they saw Sylvia shaking a dusty cloth out. Catching sight of them she waved and Darcy raised his hand in acknowledgment. He looked around him realising that morning was upon them in earnest, it had been a long twenty four hours and he said, "Are you hungry? How about breakfast?"

Eliza couldn't help herself remembering the last time he had invited her for a meal, "Is that a date?"

He pretended to think about this before replying, "Would it offend you if it was?"

She shook her head.

"Very well, then," he confirmed. "It's a date. So, would you feel able to reconsider your opinion of me and accept this time?"

Eliza looked serious, "On one condition."

"Which is?" he asked with trepidation.

Eliza could maintain the look no longer and the corners of her mouth twitched with amusement as she fought to suppress a giggle. "Tell me what your first name is."

It was Darcy's turn to look grave. The professional, humourless Darcy was on display again and for a moment or two Eliza wondered whether she had upset him somehow. Perhaps she had misjudged him and he wasn't ready to be teased by her, at least not yet.

He must have seen the uncertainty in her face because without saying a word he beckoned her towards him. She stepped nearer. He leaned in close to her, so close that they were almost touching. He bent his head towards hers and she felt the warmth of his breath upon her face as his lips grew nearer to hers. She tilted her face towards his. They were only inches away. He placed a hand on her shoulder for a second and then moved it upwards, gently caressing the soft contours of her neck, his fingertips exploring the smooth skin and the curve of her jaw. His thumb brushed against her cheek and all the time his eyes never left her face as if he was searching for an answer. She was hardly breathing, spellbound by his touch anticipating the moment his lips would meet hers when suddenly he moved his head to her right and whispered in her ear. Startled, her eyes flew open in surprise. He moved his head back and surveyed the expression on her face. Her astonishment at his words amused him and a broad smile spread across his face transforming him into the pleasant young man that he had always been beneath the veneer of reserve that she had mistaken for pride. His smile became laughter. It was infectious and she joined him. Relaxed at last, he reached out to her, his arms encircling her waist as he gently pulled her towards him whilst both were still shaking with laughter. He held her close and she lifted her eyes to gaze at him.

"Very well," she said at last, still smiling at the memory of his words, "I suppose I'd better continue calling you just Darcy then."

He nodded, "I think in the circumstances that would be best, Miss Bennet."

She shook her head and whispered, "Oh, no. You can drop the 'Miss Bennet'. Eliza is quite good enough for me."

His lips finally sought and found her own, his kiss warm, passionate and decisive. He was conflicted no longer and her instinctive response, reaching up to pull him closer left him in no doubt that they understood each other at last as oblivious, wrapped in their embrace, the terrace was bathed in the first rays of sunshine on a beautiful spring morning.


Epilogue

"The Rosings Park Foundation announces the establishment of a brand new scheme to promote the development of business skills for young people with challenging health issues. The scheme is to be privately funded by the Foundation's Chief Executive, Lady Catherine de Bourgh. Lady Catherine told our reporter that she was, 'Absolutely delighted to be able to help young people develop skills that will enable them to live independent, productive lives and to be able to draw upon the assistance of local businesses who have so generously offered their time and expertise'."

Eliza looked up from the newspaper she was reading aloud at the breakfast table in the kitchen at Pemberley and caught Darcy's eye, "I do believe that's your doing."

Darcy feigned a look of innocence, "Lady Catherine was very keen to fund the project when I suggested it. In fact, she's decided to fund it to the tune of approximately the same amount that she received in expenses last year and make it an on-going commitment."

Eliza laughed and playfully threw the paper at him catching him across his face, "It was definitely you."

He moved the paper away and regarded her with a mischievous smile, "Eliza Bennet, you are provoking me."

Eliza stood up and moved towards him, "To do what?" she challenged.

"This," he said reaching out, grasping her hand and swiftly pulling her down towards him so that she had to sit upon his lap. She laughed, threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. His hands strayed beneath her wrap, feeling the warmth of her skin through the thin layer of silk and the glorious contours of her body and not for the first time in the three months that had passed since her first visit to Pemberley he appreciated all the loveliness that was Eliza.

"Go on admit it," she said a after a few minutes had passed as they sat still and quiet together, "You must have given Lady Catherine quite a dressing down about the expenses."

Darcy shrugged, "She saw the error of her ways and let's just say it won't be happening again. You can be sure that William Collins will be the first to tell me if it does."

Eliza rolled her eyes at the mention of William. To her great astonishment and consternation, not only had William proceeded to take the job with The Rosings Park Foundation, complete with its cottage on the estate but her friend Charlotte had embarked on a relationship with him in earnest after the charade that had taken place on the night of the Ball.

"I'm afraid I drank rather more than I should have done that night,"Charlotte had explained a couple of days later, "and William had to take me home. Well actually, I think he had to help me get into bed as well." Eliza had stared at her in horror until Charlotte assured her, "He was a complete gentleman about it, Eliza. There was absolutely no funny business. In fact, he was rather sweet and very concerned for me. He slept on the sofa all night in case I needed anything." Eliza had no doubt from what Charlotte told her that William was indeed very fond of her but Eliza wasn't convinced that her friend had made a wise choice in spite of her assurances such as, "I know he has his moments, but I'm working on him and sometimes he even forgets about writing up all his personal expenditure in his notebook every day." On other occasions she confessed that, "I've kissed a lot of frogs in my time, Eliza. I know this one isn't going to turn into a prince but he might just make a decent prince's equerry and now that we aren't working in the same office all day I find his company much more agreeable."

Eliza wondered if their relationship could possibly survive with Charlotte so obviously aware of his faults but she reasoned that her friend was a mature woman of thirty, she knew her own mind and now that she and William were together it was incumbent upon her to keep her opinions to herself and respect her friend's choice.

With William having moved on to pastures new Jane had recruited a new accountant with a less conservative approach to life and Mary had blossomed a little under his influence and begun to take life and her job a little less seriously. She had even been seen having a drink after work with Kitty on a couple of occasions and declared that she might attend the office Christmas Party this year. With this event still being five months away there was the distinct possibility that her transformation might be of sufficient magnitude to make this suggestion a reality by December.

Longbourn Designs had never been busier, particularly since Chris Bingley had followed his gut instincts and, in spite of the interference of Caroline Bingley, Louisa Hurst and to some extent Darcy at the outset, awarded the them the Netherfield Associates contract. Eliza had taken the creative lead on the project with Jane as manager overseeing the account. Having given way to his own feelings for Eliza, Darcy knew that he didn't have a leg to stand on when it came to lecturing Chris Bingley about his business decisions. He had instead begun to promote the idea that emotional intelligence had a legitimate part to play in success and that Chris was right to work with people with whom he felt he had a connection. It was clear to Eliza that Chris's personal connection to Jane continued to grow week on week. Jane maintained a professional distance for as long as she decently could until it was no longer possible to hide her feelings and they went public as a couple to no one's great surprise.

The day after The Rosings Park Ball, Eliza had called Jane very early feigning illness as an excuse for not being able to go in to work and Lydia had done the same. Jane hadn't been very pleased particularly as Eliza still possessed her set of office keys. When she had suggested calling round to collect them from Eliza on her way to work, Eliza had hastily made up an excuse about believing she had an infectious virus. Jane had been suspicious, "This doesn't have anything to do with the fact that you and Darcy didn't return to the Ball last night does it? I know you were doing me a favour getting that information he needed urgently but you didn't have to hang around with him. That was above and beyond considering the type of person Joe Wickham said he was." Eliza had been conscious at that moment of Darcy sitting only a few feet away from her and hoped he hadn't heard. She forced a miserable, pathetic cough out and said, "Of course not and actually, we need to have a little chat about that when I come back. We weren't given all the correct information."

"Alright," Jane had said still not convinced, "I hope you feel better soon." Eliza couldn't help smiling as she replied, "I'm sure I will." She hung up and turned to Darcy, "Did I get away with that?"

He had thought about it, "An award winning performance, I'd say." Eliza narrowed her eyes in amusement; Darcy's dry wit was something to which she would have to become accustomed.

As for Lydia's role in events Jane had no knowledge of anything that had transpired that night apart from the non-delivery of the letter to Darcy which Jane intended to talk to her about when she returned to work. After discussing the matter, Darcy and Eliza agreed that there was no need to make the events public knowledge although Eliza had reservations about hiding Lydia's involvement from Jane. Darcy however had urged leniency. "Wickham's duped more intelligent people than Lydia." She knew he was thinking of Michaela Younge and Georgia but left it unspoken. "Letting him ruin Lydia's opportunity would be wrong and in any case you'll be there as a constant reminder to her to watch her behaviour in future."

Eliza could still recall the bewildered expression on Lydia's face when, after waking up to find herself alone in Darcy's car in the middle of nowhere on that morning three months ago, she had stomped up the track to the house only to be discovered in the hall by Sylvia Reynolds. She had brought her down to the kitchen where Darcy and Eliza were eating breakfast remarking, "Sleeping Beauty has woken up and needs a cup of coffee."

Eliza had seized the moment of quiet as an opportunity to try to impress upon Lydia the error of her ways and it seemed as if Lydia was listening for a few minutes although later Eliza reflected that she had probably just been too overcome by her surroundings to speak because a little while later a look of boredom had crossed her face, she had yawned and reaching into her bag she took out her phone and asked Darcy if he had Wi-Fi because she needed to check her Facebook account. Eliza had caught Darcy's eye after this exchange and seeing the look of consternation on her face he was in no doubt of her thoughts about Lydia returning to Longbourn Designs.

Fate however, had intervened to make the return short-lived. Lydia seemed to have wasted no time on her return to Meryton in winning back the affections of her erstwhile boyfriend, Denny, managing to successfully gloss over the events with Wickham that night. Shortly afterwards she managed to secure what in her imagination was probably her dream job in the form of a civilian office role at Meryton Barracks where she spent all day every day talking to soldiers. Kitty initially felt her loss of company more than anyone else but Lydia, totally unabashed by anything that gone before, still regularly called in to hang around reception and tell Kitty about the latest shenanigans in on the base as well as urge her to come out with her at the weekend as she knew lots of young men to whom she could introduce Kitty. Jane had asked Lydia on a number of occasions not to call in during working hours but it was all water off a duck's back to Lydia. In the end it was Kitty who put a stop to Lydia's unannounced visits when they fell out once and for all.

Kitty, unlike Lydia, had a more highly developed sense of conscience. When Jane had spoken to her about the letter incident the day after the Ball, the seriousness had resonated with Kitty and she had been urged not to be led astray again and think more about her job and career. Kitty had taken the advice seriously, struck up a friendship with Mary from which both were benefitting with Kitty being influenced by Mary's conscientious attitude and Mary learning to lighten up a little. Kitty hoped to prove to Jane that she had potential to get on and move up the career ladder and Jane in turn was very pleased by the marked improvement.

Wickham had left the country as instructed within a week of the Rosings Park Ball with his debts discharged by Darcy and at the last account was reported to be selling Timeshare apartments on the Spanish Costa del Sol where his easy sales patter was working its charms on unsuspecting holidaymakers.

The clock in the kitchen at Pemberley struck ten, the day was moving on.

"So, Eliza, how do you feel about a day's painting and decorating?" Darcy asked releasing her from his arms, "The builders finished the third holiday cottage yesterday. All it needs now is a creative touch and I can't think of anyone better."

Eliza laughed, "Is it my creative skills you want or free labour?"

"Both," he admitted with a laugh, "Do you mind?"

She shook her head, "Of course not. I love being here with you at weekends and if that means spending my time decorating a cottage with you then it's fine by me."

Darcy had been true to his word about spending more time at Pemberley. Plans were well underway to rejuvenate the estate and bring in more income. Two holiday cottages had been completed already with more to follow, the lake was to be stocked with trout for fishing, there were plans to turn over a substantial number of acres to fruit and vegetable growing, possibly even grapevines with a view to opening an estate farm shop in time and possibly producing bottles of Chateau Pemberley in due course. There were also plans to restore the ballroom and several reception rooms in the main house to allow functions, meetings and events to take place. Darcy was engaged with this project, passionate about his dream of bringing Pemberley back to life and it was inspiring and enlivening to be around him. Although they often spent their weekdays apart when Darcy was at Pemberley and Eliza in Meryton, they talked several times a day and Eliza's heart always leapt at the sight of the hands on the office clock reaching five thirty on a Friday afternoon knowing she would be back at Pemberley in a few hours and back in Darcy's arms.

Darcy gazed at Eliza with gratitude. The moment he had looked into her eyes that morning on the terrace three months ago and seen the expression of wonder at all she surveyed he knew that she was someone who would share his dream and he loved her for that as much as he loved her for all that she was.

Eliza reluctantly stood up and turning to look down at Darcy said, "I'd better go and get changed if we need to get started on that cottage."

He reached out and caught her hand, "Perhaps I should come and help you with that. Overalls can be very tricky to put on."

Eliza giggled, "Mmh, that's true. Perhaps that would be a good idea and your assistance is always highly rated in fact it's second to none."

He loved her playfulness and smiled back at her. She had made such a difference to his life. He squeezed her hand, "Thank you for everything, Eliza."

"I haven't done anything yet." she joked.

"I didn't mean the decorating," Darcy replied.

She gazed at him, "I know you didn't but you don't need to thank me. It's no chore. I'm here because I love you."

He stood up and stepped towards her, "I hope you'll always be here because I love you too."

She nodded, "You can count on it."

THE END