AN: So I have resorted to inserting the "lines" in between paragraphs meant to signal changing POVs/scenes. That'll do for now! Thanks for the reviews, you have no idea how much I look forward to reading them. Posting Chapter 11 in a day or two - this one's a bit short; thanks for reading.

Chapter 10

Bennet Residence

Longbourn Orchard

October 27th

Saturday 9am

Jane awoke a little later than usual the day of her wedding. She looked over to the other side of the bed and saw that her sister had already gone, the extra pillows stacked and fluffed. Walking over to the windows, she pulled aside the drapes and was greeted by warm sunlight: it was, cliched as it may sound, a perfect day. Laughter rang from below, and she quickly donned her robe, running down the stairs.

Biting her lower lip, she found herself blinking back tears. Kitty, Lydia and her parents were sitting around the breakfast table as always – Lizzy and Mary just then walking in with plates of fresh-baked bread and cold ham. She stood in the doorway for a moment, just taking in the domestic scene. It would be her last breakfast in Longbourn as Jane Bennet; and though she was eager to start her life with Charles, she would miss these lively repasts with her family. Lizzy saw her and stopped halfway to the table, eliciting teasing cries of impatience from their youngest sisters. She moved quickly to her chair before anyone else noticed her sentimental pause, greeting them with a cheerful grin. Several voices spoke at once.

"Jane, are you well-rested? It'll be such a long day today… " Only Mrs. Bennet would complain about something she was yet to experience.

"What do you want for breakfast, Jane?" Mary, solicitous Mary, wanted only to make her dear sister's last breakfast with them a pampered one.

"What time to we have to be at the chapel again?" Her mouth half-full of bread, Kitty could barely get the words out.

"Mary and I've made a list of last-minute details we just want to check with you, maybe we can do that after your bath?" Lydia drew out a sheet of paper with printed text, complete with blank boxes for ticking.

Only Mr. Bennet and Lizzy were quiet; their father took the morning paper seriously, and Lizzy was for a change, much too amused to say anything. Jane looked at her with affection, and they shared a meaningful smile.

Yes, she would definitely miss all this.

William woke up to the sound of knocking and Charles' muffled voice, tinged with a bit of panic. He glanced at his watch – 9am – then threw the blankets off his legs, getting up to answer the door.

"Will!" Charles' hair, sticking up in various spots on his head, completed his disheveled appearance. He stood in the doorway, shifting from one bare foot to another, unable to stop squirming.

"Yes, Charles?" William watched as his friend's eyes darted from one end of the hallway to the other, as if hiding from someone.

"I can't find the rings," he said in a low whisper, and William had to smother a laugh. Charles, who'd been the perfectly cool, composed groom through the entire process of planning his wedding, looked very much on the verge of collapse – much as most grooms found themselves on their wedding day.

"Charles—"

"I've looked everywhere, my drawers, my desk, I know I didn't give it to Caroline—" he hurried on frantically.

"Charles—" William tried again, giving his friend a brief shake. "They're with me. You gave them to me before the rehearsal yesterday. They're right here in my room."

Charles' eyes slowly widened as his meaning came across, and he choked out a brittle laugh. "Right. Sorry. My mistake." He looked down at himself as if suddenly realizing he was not quite decent if anyone else walked into the hallway then – clad in just his boxers. "Sorry. Breakfast in half an hour?"

William nodded his agreement, maintaining a straight face as his friend walked away. "See you downstairs, Charles," he called out, pushing the door closed.

He raised his arms in a stretch and made his way to the dresser, locating the drawer where he'd placed Charles and Jane's wedding rings; then quickly flipping the box open to confirm its contents. Two platinum bands winked back at him in the sunlight, the smaller ring circled with sparkling diamonds. Engraved inside both were the day's date and their interwined names. William closed the box and placed it on top of the wardrobe so he would not forget it when it was time to leave for the chapel.

He walked into the bathroom and stripped down quickly. William turned the knob and welcomed the water's warmth as it moved down his body, feeling his muscles loosen under the spray. Today was the last day he would be in Elizabeth's company, at least for a while. There would be the rare holiday gathering or birthday party, but with the exception of those he did not expect to see her otherwise.

As he closed his eyes and moved his head forward under the flowing water, he wondered if he was honestly looking forward to that.

Georgiana sat primly on the edge of the bed, careful not to wrinkle her gown, watching her older brother skillfully knot his tie. She remembered how, when she was twelve, she'd asked to do it for him. It had been a few months after their father had passed; weeks just after he finished his studies at Cambridge. His responsibilities had increased tremendously overnight, and he made every effort to handle his tasks at Darcy Industries efficiently, while still finding time to spend with her. She did not fully recognize the level of stress he was under, but she felt his weariness and wanted to support him any way she could.

One morning she woke up to Mrs. Reynolds' nervous twittering and learned that she'd had trouble rousing him from his sleep; lack of rest and skipped meals had led to the development of a low fever. But he would not let them keep him in bed; it was an important day and the office had great need of him. She had stood in his doorway, eyeing him as his limbs moved slowly to button his shirt, muttering repeatedly when he could not properly knot his tie. Dragging a stool to where he stood, she asked him shyly if she could give it a try. Perhaps she had simply taken him by surprise; perhaps he'd seen the concern in her face. Whatever the reason, he stood still for her; and when she finished, his eyes had turned misty. He pulled her in for a tight embrace, kissed the top of her head and then set her down on the floor. When he asked how she had learned such a thing, he was surprised to learn that she had done so by watching him tie it himself every morning. She came home from school that day to find him waiting for her in their father's den, takeout pizza still in its box. Since then he became conscientious not only about his duties and his family, but also about his own needs. Georgiana developed her independence as well; learning to identify when to ask her brother for assistance and when to just rely on herself.

When George Wickham had begun appearing regularly at the café she frequented after her schooling, she had been naïve and extremely flattered by his attentions, choosing to ignore the inconsistencies of his statements regarding his love for her and his fear of William. The woman who operated the café, an Evelyn Younge, seemed to know him well and fed her adolescent fantasies of love when he was not around to do it himself; and Georgiana had taken to her, finding a confidant in the older, more experienced friend.

George was an artist who moved from one place to another in search of inspiration and a paycheck to keep him afloat; and her own heart – passionate for all arts – had gone out to him. He claimed her his muse; and pledged he would stay in London for as long as he could, without a proper fixed income it would be difficult, but he would manage, just to be close to her.

Knowing her allowance was more than enough for her own needs (she hardly needed much else to begin with anyway, even for small luxuries – William had always seen to that) she shared with him all that she had. He refused at first, then gave in to her wishes after insisting on a small trinket for her – and it touched her, how selfless he seemed even as he needed it more to survive living in the city.

In the end it was William who had come to her rescue, as he'd begun to receive calls from the credit card company inquiring about the repeated use of Georgiana's card in strange locations. They were concerned that it may have been lost; and that she'd forgotten to report it. By then she had given George free rein over use of her card for a good week.

George acted quickly, but he was no match for William. Her brother was only concerned for her welfare; and after she had tearfully confessed to him all that she had been part of, he went to find the scoundrel his childhood friend had turned into. The amount he'd spent ensured he would undergo prosecution, but upon confrontation Wickham had threatened how, through some manner of manipulation, his offenses would be exposed as Georgiana's – and not wanting to risk it, William made a deal: all the damning evidence – and a restraining order – in exchange for a hundred thousand pounds.

William had never blamed her for what had happened; he blamed himself for not being able to protect her, and their relationship suffered for weeks leading up to her departure for Vienna. A few days before that, he told her he was taking off work for a while to help her get settled, after which he was to spend a number of weeks with Charles in his new country property.

He called her almost every night, and she supposed the distance might have worked to their advantage – they talked about mundane daily activities til they were comfortable enough to talk about their troubles. After that it became easier to mend themselves, requesting the support of the other now and then as they slowly regained footing in their relationship. Later calls he made to her showed a more humorous William, closer to his real self; and her spirit became easy.

She had rarely glimpsed that lighthearted William since she'd arrived. And watching him now, brow furrowed as he adjusted and re-adjusted his blue-grey silk vest in front of the full-length mirror, she wanted to keep the promise she'd made herself.

"Wills, stop tearing that vest apart, you know Charles wants you to look good standing next to him."

He gave her a distracted glance. "Sorry, what did you just say?"

Georgiana sighed softly and made her way over to him. At their picnic a few days ago he was resolutely silent; she'd taken his hand and leaned on his shoulder, offering sisterly comfort – however much help that was.

"She's lovely, Will."

One statement, and they had reached an understanding. She would not press him for details – it seemed his feelings for Lizzy were more serious than he'd let on – and she would let him tell her when he was ready. She suspected even now his thoughts were with her and wondered if he knew just how deep in he was. Georgiana tried another tactic.

"You look very handsome, Will. Any more primping and you'd eclipse the groom."

At this he flashed a wry grin. "Flattery, my dear, is not your strongest suit." He stood still as she reached up to pat a stray lock of his hair down. William smiled softly at his younger sister. She'd grown up quite a bit this last year, and was evolving into a lovely young woman.

"We must go. I'm sure Charles wouldn't worry if we were a few minutes late but Caroline would have our heads," she moved to the door, wrap in her hands, then stopped abruptly. "Well maybe mine but surely not yours!" she teased, running out of the room before he could catch up with her.

It was quite crowded inside Jane's room at Longbourn, the five sisters choosing to do their last-minute preparations in the same room. Lydia and Kitty had helped Lizzy and Mary with their hair, then moved on to Jane; by then Caroline's make-up artist had arrived – and they welcomed the assistance of an expert.

Lizzy studied her reflection in the full-length mirror, taking in the gown's simple elegance as she turned slowly. Made of blue-grey gossamer silk, the strapless, empire-waist dress skimmed her torso, flowing gracefully to the floor, and she took a step forward to admire the silver heels that matched it. She hardly ever worried about her appearance, but today she wanted to look pretty. The thought that William might take notice of her efforts was enough encouragement for Lizzy to make sure her hair was styled neatly. Her hair wouldn't stay in place, and her irritation at her unruly curls increased.

"Lizzy! Stop fussing with your hair! I've already finished with it!" Lydia's firm tone took her by surprise, and Lizzy hastily removed her hand from her head, flashing her sister a sheepish grin. Mary, who was standing nearby, made her way over to the mirror and clasped Lizzy's right hand.

"I think you're more nervous than Jane… " Mary joked, giving her sister a look of reassurance, and Lizzy smiled in reply.

"I am, I guess, just a bit. Jane already knows how this day will end," Lizzy said. After today, she might not see William again, at least til Charles and Jane had another event that required his attendance. And the thought bothered her.

Mary's expression was puzzled as she regarded her sister who stood still, staring at herself at the mirror, obviously lost in thought. Lizzy was always a little harder to understand than her other sisters, not being as clear-cut as the rest. She suspected, from her older sister's vague statement, that she was feeling a little melancholy about 'losing' Jane.

"You'll be fine, Lizzy," she pronounced, giving her a quick hug. Mary released her and their eyes met briefly in the mirror before moving back to where Lydia was pinning Kitty's hair up. Soon they were all dressed and ready to leave.

Lydia and Kitty attended to the bouquets, and with Mary they made their way downstairs, coming upon their parents who were waiting in the living room. Their mother was flitting about, throwing comments here and there about their wonderful dresses (and how beautiful a bride Jane would be!) and the glorious celebration ahead. Mr. Bennet, was, as usual, sitting in his favorite chair, still leafing through the day's paper.

When Lizzy and Jane finally descended, Mrs. Hill mysteriously appeared, armed with a camera. They posed at the foot of the stairs, giggling with excitement; and their parents joined them for a few more photos before they moved to leave for the chapel.

Very few were standing outside when they arrived as it was nearing four in the afternoon. The Gardiners, along with Mrs. Bennet, quickly made their way inside, leaving Lydia, Kitty and Mary outside to join the flower girls standing off to the side with Caroline.

Jane stepped out from the car, beaming just like a happy bride should, holding Lizzy's hand for support as they walked up the stairs. Mary had acted as 'wedding marshall', lining up the little children by the doors and giving each a gentle push when their cues played. Mr. Bennet offered his arm to Jane, and after one last kiss on the cheek from each of her sisters, it was time.

The chapel was packed full, all of the pews occupied by relatives and friends. William scanned the rows while he stood in front, searching for familiar faces. He caught sight of the Gardiners and nodded politely; then saw his sister over on the groom's side, sitting next to some of Charles' younger cousins. She flashed him a radiant smile together with a thumbs-up sign, and he couldn't help grinning back in return. A cough from Charles drew his attention and he leaned towards his friend.

"Will," he whispered.

"Yes?"

"I'm feeling a bit nervous, do I look alright?"

He bit back a laugh. Of course Charles would leave it to the last minute to get into a panic. "You'll get no flattery from me, Charles. Though I'd have to say once your bride's beside you no one will even notice your present… magnificence."

His dry reply did the trick – Charles' shoulders relaxed as he released a low chuckle, and he turned to face the entrance once more, waiting for their approach.

As for himself – feeling a warmth come over him as he saw Elizabeth nearing where they stood – he needed all the luck he could get.

" …there will be times of stress, sacrifice and sorrow. May the love that binds you be steadfast; may it help you face these trials together with the same understanding, dedication and faith in each other that you feel at this moment."

The minister gestured for William to present the rings; and Lizzy watched, her eyes misty with emotion, as Jane and Charles exchanged their vows. Applause rang out as they kissed, and the new Mr. and Mrs. Bingley turned to the congregation, identical smiles on their faces.

Their great happiness was palpable – and contagious – there wasn't a single face in the chapel that was impervious; and Lizzy felt her heart soar when William offered her his arm, a smile gracing his handsome face. It was not until they were outside the chapel that she stepped away from his side, giving his arm a light squeeze just before she joined her sisters for photos.

"With the maid of honor and the best man next, please," the photographer's assistant announced from the bottom of the steps, and Lizzy obediently made her way to the couple at the top of the stairs, feeling her heart flutter when William, catching up to her quickly, placed her hand to rest on his arm to assist her the rest of the way. She turned her head to flash him a grateful smile, and he replied with a small grin, letting his gaze rest on her very briefly before turning away once more.

Lizzy couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed at his behavior. She decided to be more forthcoming with him during the evening, whether in conversation or… something more. Last night's conversation with Jane had opened her eyes to the possibility of not seeing him again for a while, at least till Jane and Charles had returned from their honeymoon in Italy. She realized that if the opportunity presented itself, she would let him know that she cared for him. Maybe after she had several glasses of wine. 'Maybe a bottle,' she thought flippantly, as a giggle escaped her lips.

A low giggle caught his attention, and William glanced at Elizabeth, wondering if he was hearing things. It had sounded like her; but her smile was serene and tender as she kept her gaze on her sister, currently being showered with exuberant kisses by Charles while the photographer snapped away. Certain that her attention was solely focused on the display before them, he let his gaze meander over her profile, taking notice of how her loosely-held up auburn curls exposed her bare neck and shoulders. The curve of her neck looked extremely inviting and his eyes fixed firmly on it, feeling an urge to place his lips just where her neck met her shoulder…

"William." He felt a tug on his arm and saw Elizabeth looking up at him, her left eyebrow raised in concern. "It's our turn," she said, tilting her head in the direction of the photographer, who stood waiting with Jane and Charles.

William obediently stood still for the photos, stealing glances at Elizabeth whenever he could without being too obvious, unable to help himself; and Lizzy, unbeknownst to him, did the same. Both felt their frustration with their situation increase as various people lined up to pose for pictures, all bubbling over with happy wishes for the bride and groom; and when the photographer signaled that they were no longer needed for the photos, they were more than happy to leave for the reception, even as they rode in separate cars.

Charlotte and Bill signaled Lizzy over to ride with them, and once in the back seat Lizzy tuned out his chatter about the grandiosity of the event, letting her thoughts wander back to William. She felt confident they would find each other in Netherfield's gardens, where, with a bit of luck, they could talk without being watched by a multitude of strangers.