GASP! An update! What are those?
I am so sorry. Things should come out a little faster now. Not that they could come out any slower to begin with...

Saying Goodbye, Saying Hello

It was with a heavy heart that Lizzie mounted Poseidon. She looked to Lucas Lodge, where she saw William looking out the window at her. The party was winding down, but they felt the same sense of longing and disappointment. Why should everyone be so happy, Lizzie sighed, when I am so miserable? She sighed as she gently urged the horse forwards to follow the carriage. She remembered her father coming up to her and her aunt, telling them it was time for Lizzie to leave.

"But father!" Lizzie gasped, "I have not even congratulated Richard and Charlotte yet. She has been constantly talked too."

"Well it is your own fault that you did not speak to her earlier."

"Thomas!" Madeline classicized her brother in law.

"Do not start, Madeline." Thomas warned. "I am, until Elizabeth leaves Meryton, her father. And she will, for the first time in her life, do as she is told."

"Father, please." Lizzie begged quietly.

"No." He said firmly and walked away.

"I guess I am leaving now." Lizzie sighed. "I wonder if I will have to return to Longbourn and retrieve my things."

"I will go get them for you, and Poseidon for you." Maddie said quietly.

And so Lizzie was on her way to London. Away from the paths and nature and the small cabin she called her own. She would be constrained to the paths and the silly rules of propriety that the townspeople would insist on. She would have to force herself to endure with all the pain that the city would involve. And with that, she would have to endure the attentions of all the men when all she wanted was the attentions of William Darcy. She smiled at the thought of William paying attention to her sent tingles down her spine. Lizzie pulled up beside the carriage.

"Aunt, may I ride ahead?"

"Yes, but not too far. We should be stopping for lunch soon and I don't want to get too far apart." She cautioned.

"Thank you." Lizzie pulled ahead, lost in her thoughts when she realized she was in a small town. She surveyed her surroundings after looking behind her shoulder to make sure her aunts carriage was still in sight.

"Excuse me, ma'am," a smooth voice called to her, "but that is a lovely creature." Lizzie twitched in her saddle. "I apologize for startling you."

She looked down and saw a tall man with golden hair and dark eyes. But for his good looks and easy smile, there was something about him that she did not trust. She smiled politely and thanked the man in as little words as possible.

"The name is George Wickham." He started following her.

"Pleased to meet you." She said curtly.

"I am a leftenant." He added quickly.

"Well congratulations." Lizzie added, wishing the gentleman would leave.

"Where are you headed too?" He moved next to her leg.

"Lambton." She sighed.

"I am from Derbyshire!" He exclaimed. "I lived at an estate called Pemberly. I was destined to have the parish in Derbyshire, but the current master of Pemberly refused to give it to me. He and his sister are the most horrendous snobs. His sister tried to seduce me and then accused me of trying to marry her for her money when her brother found out. The Darcy's have hated me since they knew their father would have rather had me for a son and they couldn't bare it."

"Forgive me, sir, but it is quite rude of you to insult Lord Darcy and his sister in that manner."

"You know the family? Is Darcy not a proud, unamiable man and his sister just as unbearable?" Mr. Wickham goaded her.

"On the contrary, he is the best man I know and his sister one of the kindest souls that God has put on the earth." She heard her aunt's carriage pull up beside her.

"Wickham!" She snapped. "Leave my family alone!"

"Mrs. Gardiner!" Wickham exclaimed going slightly white before regaining his composure. "You look lovely today. And how are you related to my new friend."

"Excuse me, Mr. Wickham, but you do not know my name, or anything else about me. You are not my friend. And after what you said about Lord Darcy and his sister, I am afraid we could never be friends. He would never refuse to give someone something that would be rightfully theirs. If you did not receive the parish, then I am sure it is because of something you did."

"Well I-" Wickham turned red and tried to cut her off.

"Furthermore, it is very rude to talk to a lady before you have been introduced to her or before you know her name. I will never tell you my name and I would greatly appreciate it if you would not converse with me anymore."

Lizzie and her aunt departed not a second later, Lizzie smiling at the defense she gave of William. He would be proud of her. They reached the inn where they would be taking lunch a few minutes after the ladies encounter with the man known as Mr. Wickham. They sat down and Maddie reached for Lizzie's hands. "I am so very proud of you, Lizzie. George Wickham was born with a bad seed planted in his heart. And you saw through his charm right away. It took your uncle and me years to be able to see him as the scoundrel he is. And it took your Darcy longer and he grew up with Wickham."

"You knew William as a boy?"

"Only a little. I knew his parents well, but as his mother became more ill our families drifted apart. His mother, Ann, was a kind and sweet woman, and his father was a good and noble man."

"Would-" Lizzie took a breath, "Would they approve of me."

"Yes they would. They wanted their children to be happy. I don't think they would have expected you. But I think they smile down on the woman that their son has chosen. They would approve of you. Now, Lady Darcy's sister, Lady Catherine, forgive my language but she is a horrendous snob."

"Yes, Georgiana had told me some things about her. What should I do, aunt? I do not want to separate a family, even if I love one of the members quite a lot."

"Do not worry about Lady Catherine. The town gossip is that she is bankrupting her estate and that her brother, Lord Matlock has taken over running it so it does not fall to ruin and have taken her daughter Ann into their care. The Matlock family, the brother of Lord Darcy's mother, they are wonderful people. Not afraid of those in trade. Are families are good friends. Lady Matlock throws wonderful dinner parties." Madeline smiled fondly. "They have two very charming sons. I am hoping that we can introduce you when we reach London."

"So soon?" Lizzie paled at the thought of meeting anyone in down. And when she realized that she would be meeting William's family before he arrived and told them of their engagement, she felt like she would be ill.

"Do not worry, Lizzie." He aunt noticed her disposition. "I will wait to introduce you until your fiancé arrives in London. Then he can introduce you himself."

Lizzie was instantly relieved. They enjoyed their lunch and headed off at a brisk pace, wanting to reach London before it was too late. Happily, they reached the Gardiner residence just as the sun was beginning to set. Lizzie was very grateful to her cousin for holding his wedding so early in the morning and slightly grateful to her father for making her leave the wedding reception before the sun was high in the sky. Unfortunately, her uncle was not there to greet them. He left a letter explaining that he had to attend a dinner event that owner of one of the companies he invested in was holding. He did not know when his wife and niece would return and, as a precaution not to wake them, decided to sleep at his club. He would be returning to the house to break his fast and was looking forward to showing Lizzie around the city.

Lizzie went to sleep that night, dreaming of her upcoming life away from her mother's harsh ways and her sisters' cruelty. She dreamed of her future family with the Gardiners and the Darcys and the fun she would have with them. She dreamed of being away from the cottage in the woods, the absence of her father, and the desire to escape.

Lizzie dreamed of being happy.