Title: The Matter of Courtship
Rating: K+
Summary: As the old cliché goes, Georgiana Darcy finds that the course of true love never runs smooth.

Yeah, I'm a very bad and negligent author. I'm not even going to try and work out how long it's taken me to write this supposedly 'quick' epilogue but it is finished now (to a great anticlimax no doubt ;) )

Very bad author,

Louise x

Epilogue

1809

"So, you intend to take my niece to India?"

It was the second anniversary of the wedding of the Earl of Cresthope and Miss Georgiana Darcy. The extended family had gathered at Cresthope Abbey under the guise of celebrating the event but were really using the occasion as a convenient excuse to see little Lady Annabella Morris, born six weeks earlier.

The speaker of the statement was Captain Philip Morris and his intended target, as per usual, appeared startled at being addressed directly.

"Y-yes, I d-do," George Blair looked at his wife and smiled. "With her f-full agreement, of course."
"But why India?" Lucy demanded. "It is so far away!" She had felt Camilla's absence keenly since her marriage and found the thought of her sister living in India 'simply horrendous'.

"Because we want to go to India," Camilla answered for her husband.

Lucy tended to overwhelm him. She squeezed his hand. Their courtship had been a quiet affair that had taken her extended family by surprise. It seemed that only Lucy had been aware of her sister's fancy for George Blair. George had spent the early days apologising to Georgiana and Mr Darcy for his supposed fickleness (an opinion he alone shared) at liking first Georgiana and then Camilla until he was finally assured that his reputation was not damaged. Sir Felix had privately concluded to his wife that Georgiana had made George aware of the presence of women and had paved the way for Camilla. Her family had been pleased once they had become accustomed to George's lower status. Georgiana undoubtedly approved of Camilla's choice of husband. George remained a good friend since their first meeting.

"I have never been there before and neither has my husband," she continued.

"You have never been to Ireland and that is much nearer," Lucy pointed out. "Go to Ireland and I can visit you."

"I am afraid Mr Blair will have little potential with the East India Company in Ireland, Lady Lucia," Sir Felix calmly said. "The name being rather indicative."

"There could very well be an office in Dublin. It is not entirely unheard of for an English company to extend into other areas of the empire," she countered haughtily.

"Enough, Lucy," Lady Annabella told her. "Your sister is going to India, as she wishes, and that is not going to change, regardless of how rude you are to your brother's guests."

"Was India your only option?" Elizabeth asked. "And the East India Company?"

"My f-father also mentioned the West Indies. T-that did not appeal. I h-hear bad accounts of the c-climate," George replied. "But he did want an overseas p-position for me."

"I preferred India," Camilla said. "Uncle Morris' tales always caught my interest."

"I will soon have a daughter in India and my son remains on the high seas. I do believe my children are quite global," Lady Annabella said.

"Have you heard anything from Lieutenant Morris?" Jane asked.

"Yes, we had a letter the other week," Lord Cresthope replied. "Posted from somewhere in Africa, I believe. From what I can gather, and these are his words, his ship spends the days 'stalking' French vessels."

"Do you think that is correct naval terminology?" Bertram mused.

"He has seen battle," Lady Annabella said. "Nothing major but he does often mention attacking ships."

"'Stalking' and 'attacking'," Sir Felix repeated. "It is cat and mouse with ships."
"He sounds very contented," Georgiana said.

"Does he know he has a niece?" Darcy asked. He was growing extremely fond of little Annabella. Of course he had nieces and nephews through Elizabeth's sisters but Bella was related by blood. She was the undisputable proof that his little sister was now a mother.

"I do not think so, brother," Georgiana replied. "I believe he does not receive our letters until months after."
"I am glad you had a daughter, Georgiana," Kitty said. "I think our girls will grow up close." The second Calder child was a girl, Cecilia, and Kitty had been very pleased. "It is a pity you do not have a daughter, Mary, for balance."

"We are perfectly satisfied with Abraham," Mary replied. Their second child had been another boy born some five months ago. "The Good Lord obviously intended for our family to have two sons at present."

"He is a handsome boy, Lady Calder," Lady Annabella said.

"Yes," Mary replied. "We have yet to decide after whom he takes. His chubbiness can never come from my husband."

"Hey!" Sir Felix protested. "What of your build?"

"Mamma says he looks nothing like me," Mary continued, ignoring Sir Felix. "Yet Mrs Middleton says he looks nothing like Sir Felix. We must conclude that we have produced a child that resembles neither parent."

"He looks like Papa," Elizabeth said suddenly after studying him intently. It was the first time Abraham had been amongst his extended family for any great length of time. "There! He is a happy child, Mary."

"Yes, they both are," Mary said. "Strange, considering my morose husband is the father."

"Her second insult!" Sir Felix exclaimed. Mary smiled.

"You are turning into your husband," Mrs Darcy said.

"Or her sister," Mr Darcy muttered.

"My wife has taken to insulting me," Bertram complained. "Is that normal?" All the husbands in the room looked at him in disbelief. They had reached that conclusion within a few days of marriage.

"It is a duty, Mr Calder," Lady Annabella said. "Of every wife."

"I cannot believe that Lady Cresthope and Mrs Bingley are of the temperament to..." Bertram was interrupted by a loud "Ha!" from the earl. One look from Jane silenced a similar reaction from Mr Bingley. Georgiana glared at Peregrine.

"I mean, my dear Lady Cresthope is a ready and entertaining wit," Lord Cresthope corrected himself.

"'I cannot believe my father wants me to marry Philip Morris. He is exceedingly plain and by all accounts exceedingly dull'," Philip suddenly said. "I think those were my own dear wife's words upon hearing we were to marry. We had not even met. Fortunately for me she did at least partially change her mind."

"I..." Mr Darcy started.

"My husband insulted me first," Elizabeth put in before he had the chance to finish. She grinned at her husband.

"It is true. You did," Mr Bingley unhelpfully added.

"Thank you, Bingley. I do believe you are supposed to help your fellow man," Darcy complained. "Not his wife."

"Mr Blair?" Bertram asked.

"Camilla always t-teases me," he replied. "She says it is n-necessary and does me good. I b-believe she is right." He smiled.

"How will you spend your time in India, Lady Camilla?" Jane asked.

"I am unsure," Camilla replied. "I believe there are other wives there, married to my husband's future colleagues. I hope we will find common interests."

"I am afraid I will miss my grandchildren grow up," Lady Annabella said to her daughter. They had already been told of the Blairs' intention to remain in India for several years. "And you."

"I am already grown, Mamma," Camilla said.

"No," her mother replied. "You are still a girl."

"Will you attend one last assembly before you leave, Camilla?" Lucy asked.

"Of course," Camilla replied. "George? Will you come?" He found assemblies taxing as they were usually overcrowded and chaotic. He was no less shy and nervous than he had been when Georgiana had first met him two years ago.

He smiled and nodded. He would, however, do anything for his wife. "I could not allow you to lack a partner."

"Will you be in London, Lady Cresthope?" Lucy addressed Georgiana. It was hard to persuade the Cresthopes to stay in Town for any considerable period of time.

"Yes, Lord Cresthope wishes to attend parliament," Georgiana replied. "So I will join him and possibly extend my visit."

"I am also anxious to see Frank," Peregrine said. "He rarely accepts our invitations to Cresthope."

"Too many amusements in Town," the aforementioned young man's father explained. "Although I am pleased to see he has the inclination now for more intellectual pursuits. We can only hope it will last."

"I-I think I m-made be responsible for that, Captain Morris," George suddenly said. "Or-or he wishes to s-spend time with his cousin for he accepts my invitations without hesitation."

"At least he might complain about being bored," Peregrine said.

"I will take him to assemblies and balls," Lucy said. "Seeing as the rest of my family will soon be neglecting me sorely. I am glad I have such good friends in Mrs Calder and Mrs Bingley otherwise I would be quite alone."

"Stop complaining, Lucy," her mother said. "You have many admirers at least."
"Will you please remain in Town for the rest of the Season, Camilla," Lucy asked, politely for once. "I know it will only really be a few weeks now but it would mean a lot to me, even if Peregrine and Georgiana will deliberately wait for the Season to end before coming. Oh, I wish everything did not have to change!"

"You will adjust, Lucia, just as you did before," Captain Morris said. "There have been many changes in the past few years and you have weathered them all. Now, hush child, and let us have no more of your complaints this visit."

"I think she looks like you," Peregrine said as he watched his daughter in her crib. Their guests had gone and they had taken their daughter into her father's study for the evening. The nurse could enjoy a pleasant rest for the moment.

"So I have heard others say but I see your mother above all," Georgiana replied. She smiled at her daughter as she reached for her father's lace cuff.

"No, she is all you," he said. "Just like her beautiful mother."

"You flatter me too much," she smiled.

"I am your husband," he replied. "It is my privilege. Is that not so, Annabella?"

"Do not bring our daughter into this. Fight your own battles," she teased. "Do you think she is grown more recently?" Georgiana was fretting over her baby more than she ever expected to before she had a child. She was sure she was not advancing at the same rate as her nieces and nephews did but then she had to remind herself that she had not studied them as frequently and intently as she did Annabella.

"I think she has, or did until I saw little Abraham Calder. He is, what, three months older but seems much bigger. I know it will seem only a second before she is that size yet it feels impossible that someone so small ever will," Peregrine sighed. "Annabella looked very tiny next to her cousins."

"It is hard to believe she will be soon joining them in their adventures," Georgiana said. "I do hope we will see them often. I know for Camilla and George it will be impossible but surely even Sir Felix and Lady Calder cannot hide away all the time."

"They do very well so far," Peregrine said. "But a sibling for Bella...?"

"Do not even dare consider another!" Georgiana exclaimed. "She is only six weeks old!"

"I am teasing, my love, all in good time, I promise you, all in good time," he assured her. He was in no hurry to increase his family. He had yet to know his Annabella properly. "It will be your decision to increase because you do the work. I am quite content enjoying Annabella at present."

"She is perfect," Georgiana said. "But I will provide you with a son next time."

"Shh-shh," he said. She had made that comment too many times for his liking. He would not allow her to feel any sort of pressure to bear an heir. "Do not fret about that. It is not important, at least not enough to worry you. I am happy with Annabella at present and would not exchange her for a son."

"I do not know why I worry," Georgiana said. "Nobody has made any comments so far. No, I will think no more about it." She smiled at him. "I have Annabella."

"I think she will be tall," he mused.

"How can you tell at this age?" she asked. "We always though Anne-Frances would be as she was always taller than Thomas but now they are six he has overtaken her in height." She sighed. "It does bother me that we will not see Camilla's children grow up. It will be years before we will see them."

"I wish they were staying in England," Peregrine said. "I wish her brother's earldom could overthrow his father's baronetcy. That is the reason. It is all Sir Christopher's doing."

"George is so deathly afraid of his father that he will do anything to please him," Georgiana said. Once George had been assured that he need not make Georgiana any sort of proposal the fear had been removed and she had become one of his closest confidantes. "At least it is not the army and he has Camilla with him."

"She has turned out better than I expected," he said. "Not half so silly. If only..." he trailed off.

"Lucy?" Georgiana knew what he was thinking. The youngest Morris sister was little changed at first glance but Georgiana had always thought Lucy had a hidden depth that few knew about.

"Lord Ashby wants to marry her," he replied. "I am undecided."

"It will be an advantageous marriage. His family is equal in standing to hers." Georgiana said. "But...does he love her?"

"Only as a friend," Peregrine replied. "But Lucy accepts that." The thing he had dreaded was happening. He had long known that it he would play an active part in his sisters' courtships and he hoped that it would be straightforward. For Camilla it had been; once he had accepted that George was not of the high family status he had hoped it had been easy to give approval as they were in love. However, for Lucy it was just how she had guessed – a gainful marriage with no love. Part of him wanted to withhold his permission and demand that she wait for a man she loved. The other part of him saw the benefits of marrying a man like Lord Ashby. He respected and cared for Lucy even though there was no romantic love. She would always be safe with him. "It is difficult."

"I know you will grant permission," Georgiana said.

"I probably will," he replied. "Lucy is willing and happy to marry him. I will then be satisfied that I did not force her into anything." He sighed. "Philip learnt to love his wife and I only hope Lucy will be equally fortunate."

"Your mother will be lonely when Lucy marries," Georgiana then smiled. "Or perhaps not."
"My mother is quite looking forward to it," Peregrine said. "I have seen the invitations. When did my mother become such a social butterfly?"

"I cannot complain, Perry, she removes the pressures of hosting from me," Georgiana said. "And enjoys it far more than I will ever do." Lady Annabella had settled very happily in London and in the two years since her son's marriage she had come to occupy the position she should have done when she was Countess of Cresthope. Her late husband was an ever-decreasing memory in society and Annabella saw that as her final revenge. Stephen hated being ignored. Georgiana smiled. Lady Annabella's increased sociability proved to be advantageous for a certain former Bennet sister. "And it pleases Kitty as your mother enjoys her taking her to these places."

"And pleases you because it means Mrs Calder no longer pesters you," he kissed his wife. "Georgiana," he looked at her as he hesitantly spoke, "I should not ask but do you wish you had married George?"

She shook her head. "No, never."

"Some people would have preferred..." he started.

"Some people will have to admit they were wrong," she said. "We had our difficulties at first but what I feel for you I could never feel for George."

He nodded, satisfied, then glanced at his daughter. "Hey! She smiled!"

Georgiana quickly looked over. "Oh!"

"Has she done that before?" Peregrine asked. His position as an earl mean that he could not avoid parenting from afar and he knew he would miss many first-time events in his daughter's life.

"Not that I have been told," Georgiana replied. "I choose to believe that was her first smile. Oh, Annabella!"

"She does it again!" Peregrine said. "It cannot be a fluke. She can smile."

"Finally!" Georgiana exclaimed. "I think she likes smiling. She keeps doing it."

"She is happy with her new skill," he decided. "How do they learn to laugh I wonder?"

"By watching her father act in a silly fashion," Georgiana smiled.

"As much as I love our daughter I am not acting the fool for her sake," he replied. "I have my standing as an earl to maintain. Imagine if the servants saw." She laughed. "You want me to embarrass myself."

"Of course," she said. "Darling husband," she rested her head on his shoulder and he put his arms around her.

"Beautiful wife," he replied. "How will you occupy the rest of your evening?"

"By returning her daughter to her nurse then stealing my husband away from his duties," she replied.

"I have no duties tonight so I am all yours," he said. "Shall we retire to our chamber?" she nodded. "I am eager to celebrate this second anniversary of our marriage. They have been the happiest two years of my life. Thank you." He kissed her.

"Sentimental, overly romantic fool," she said as she summoned a servant to see to their daughter. "But I love you too."

End