Author Note: A quick warning that there may appear to be some continuity issues in this scene. I have only just written it to fill a gap in the first draft I found in my editing process. This chapter has been written with changes I've already made to previous chapters in mind. Hopefully everyone's mature enough here to remember they're reading a free copy of the rough draft before they feel the need to send any nasty notes about continuity issues.
Cheers, Maree.

Darcy paced from one side of the room to the other, then repeated the process in the other direction. Having to stop and turn every five paces was less satisfying than he would like, but movement was needed if he were to keep his calm.

He turned to his cousin and his sister. Both were seated in the chairs near the fire. Fitz was relaxed in his posture, a glass of brandy by his side. Only the way his fingers tapped repeatedly against the side of the glass exposed his frustration.

Georgiana sat straight-backed with her hands folded together in her lap. Her chin was tilted slightly upward. Her posture rigid. She was most certainly cursed with the family traits of pride and obstinacy.

Darcy sighed. It was their third day in Brighton. The first he had spent seeking and delivering his message to Wickham. He had arrived back at the inn only to discover Bingley and Fitz had been unsuccessful in identifying the whereabouts of the Bennet sisters.

He had joined them the second morning, only to experience first hand the frustration of the fruitless search. While Darcy was confident Elizabeth had enough intelligence to see through Wickham's act, the matter of Bingley's desire to be reacquainted with the older Miss Bennet remained.

When it became apparent they would not be able to locate the sisters' whereabouts themselves, Darcy resigned himself to call upon Colonel Forster. He would do so that evening.

With that matter settled for the time being, Darcy and Bingley accompanied their sisters for a turn about one of Brighton's celebrated pleasure gardens. They spent the afternoon exploring and being entertained. Though Darcy enjoyed spending time with his sister, he could not help but wonder how Elizabeth would have viewed the gardens.

His plans to call upon Colonel Forster were waylaid by Fitz, who had opted to spend the afternoon at a gentlemen's club, rather than join them in the gardens. He had spent time with an old acquaintance—a banker by trade—who had invited them to a ball, to be held this evening.

The ball was a private matter, but as the red coats had been invited, Fitz believed there was possibility the Bennet sisters might also be in attendance. Word had been sent to accept the invitation.

All that remained was to ensure Georgiana remained safe at the inn. Darcy cursed himself for wasting hours visiting random inns when he could have been interviewing potential companions for his sister. Instead, he had placed himself in a position whereon he would be forced to place her security in the hands of Miss Bingley and the maid he had employed for their stay.

Darcy turned to face the trunk of gowns he had intercepted as they were being brought to his sister's room this morning. He ran his fingers through his hair and sighed again.

"I do not understand what you were thinking, Georgie."

"I was thinking, Will, that if I am to go to a ball in Brighton I will need a more suitable gown than those I packed for Netherfield. There was not time to arrange a fitting and have something made here, so I arranged for some of my gowns from the London townhouse to be sent by express."

"Makes perfect sense to me."

Darcy glared at Fitz before returning his attention to his sister. "Am I the only one who remembers your age? Who remembers that you are not out?" He ran his fingers through his hair again, this time tugging on the strands. "Am I the only one who remembers—?"

Darcy turned away. Did Georgiana have any notion of what he had to do to keep that particular matter private? To keep her reputation secure?

"I am sixteen years old, Will. I am of age to attend balls. And as for being out…" Her voice softened. Darcy turned back and saw, for the briefest moment, the sweet little girl he remembered his sister being. He blinked and her stubborn demeanor was back. "If our mother was alive, I would have attended many balls at Pemberley. She would have held the grandest ball to introduce me to society."

Darcy stood before her. His heart ached for the little girl who had never known her own mother. "Georgie—"

She turned her stern gaze to him. "But here I am, sixteen years old and never have I attended a ball. So what do you propose, brother?" She looked over to Fitz. "Cousin? What plans have the two of you for my coming out?"

She shook her head and held up her hand. "Do not bother to answer. Neither of you have plans, because you both see me as a little girl. I am very sorry to tell you both, I am no longer a little girl. I am grown and I am ready to attend balls and to experience life."

"Georgie, now is not—"

She stood up, and while she was not quite as tall as Darcy, she was tall for a woman. She turned away and walked across the room. "When, Will? When is the time?"

Darcy turned to his cousin. "Are we not supposed to host a ball for the occasion?"

Fitz shook his head and leaned back in the chair. "Do not look to me for advice. This is not something they teach in the army."

Darcy scowled at the useless man and looked back to his sister.

She had turned and now retraced her steps. "I shall spare you both. I have no desire to be paraded before all at a ball of my own. It is not as though I am to bow before the Queen."

Fitz gestured to Georgiana with his drink. "Now that is something I could arrange, if it is something you would like to do. I have connections who—"

"No!" Georgiana crossed her arms across her chest, then quickly uncrossed them and dropped them to her sides. She released a sigh. "I do not need any of that. If things had gone differently I would be marr—"

"Do not speak of that!" At the sound of Georgiana's startled gasp, he released her arms from where he had grabbed them. He stretched out his fingers and watched his sister rub the area he had held.

"I am sorry, Georgie. Truly sorry." Again he found himself tugging on his own hair. "Surely you understand how important it is you do not ever mention that situation to anyone. You do understand, do you not?"

Georgiana huffed. "And that is why you shared the information with that Bennet girl. Right, brother?"

Darcy took a step back and turned to Fitz. His cousin turned one hand up and shrugged his shoulder. Darcy turned back to his sister. "What do you mean, Georgie? What Bennet girl?"

"Miss Eliza, or whatever her name is."

"I can assure you, Georgie, I have not spoken to Miss Elizabeth in any manner of that matter." Darcy's hand found the now worn letter he kept secure in the breast pocket of his coat.

Georgiana dropped her gaze to the floor. "Oh, I must have misunderstood when she said she knew of the history between you and Ge—Mr Wickham."

Darcy closed the distance between them. "Georgie, sweetheart, when did you speak with Miss Elizabeth?"

"With Miss Bingley on Monday. We returned from our shopping trip and they were taking refreshments downstairs. They invited us to join them."

"On Monday? They were here, in this inn, on Monday?"

"Yes, of course. That is when they extended invitation for Miss Bingley and I to attend a ball being held by their cousin. And that, Will, is why it was so important I send for my gowns." She headed over to the trunk then turned to the two men. If you will both excuse me, I have much to do to prepare for the ball.

Darcy scrubbed his hand down his face. "Georgie, we just spoke—"

"No, Will." She walked over to the table by the bed and picked up a card. "This is my first official invitation to a ball. See here where it has my name written? This is important to me, Will. I did not believe when Miss Eliza's sister invited us that it was a true invitation. But ever since this arrived by express that very evening, bearing my name…"

She held the card to her chest. "Oh Will, I have never been so excited in my entire life. To think I am to attend a Lady Hunsley ball. I have already returned my acceptance. You simply cannot prevent me from attending. I shall never speak to you again if you do."

Recognising he had no chance of winning this argument without causing further damage to the already precarious relationship he held with his sister, Darcy spoke in his sternest tone. "It is fortunate this is a private ball, and that Bingley, Fitz and I have also accepted invitation. You shall agree to keep your dress unpinned and dance only with myself, Fitz and, if he can be drawn away from Miss Bennet, Bingley. And you remain with at least one of us at all times when you are not dancing."

Georgiana squealed. Darcy barely had time to brace himself as she launched into his arms, wrapping her own delicate limbs around him. "Thank you, Will! You are the best brother I could ever have. Thank you, thank you!"

Darcy extracted himself from his sister's embrace. "Do not make me regret this, Georgie." He headed to the door where Fitz already stood, no doubt eager to make his escape from the excitable girl.

He nodded to Fitz. "I must find Bingley and share with him this new development."

Fitz returned the gesture. "I am headed downstairs for refreshment. If I see the man, I shall let him know to come find you."