"The mildest, drowsiest sister has been known to turn tiger if her sibling is in trouble." - Clara Ortega

Chapter 28

"Papa, it is such a fine morning, I believe that I will take my letter to the garden to read." Elizabeth said with a slight tremble.

Her father did not look up from his paper, and merely nodded his head. It was not unusual for Elizabeth to find any excuse to be out of the house.

Once she was situated a reasonable distance from the house, Elizabeth sat upon a small garden bench and eagerly opened the letter. As soon as she spied the hidden letter sealed within, she let out a rush of breath. She would not admit, even to herself, how much she desired to hear from Mr. Darcy again.

Dear Miss Elizabeth,

I apologize again for importuning you in this manner. As we have already established, it seems that my arrogance knows no bounds, even the bounds of propriety.

I am writing to set your mind at ease regarding your upcoming visit to Pemberley with your sister and Bingley. I realized that you had no means of communicating a response to me after my earlier transgressional letter. I have no knowledge of whether you wish to be in my company or not. Although, I hope with all of my heart that we might mend the rift that I have caused, I do not expect your forgiveness. With that in mind, I wanted to assure you that I will do everything within my power during your visit to accommodate whatever your wish may be regarding our interactions. If you wish to avoid my presence as much as possible, I will endeavor to make my person scarce. Above all else, I hope that you will enjoy your visit with Georgiana who is absolutely thrilled that you will be reunited soon.

In an effort to further entice you, I will add that Pemberley offers much to those who enjoy long walks through the countryside. Our forests are alive with color. When I walk our paths at harvest time, I am surrounded by the beauty of Providence. I will admit that I have been lately searching for the peace that such walks bring; however, brief I may feel it. If the beauty of the countryside is not enough to convince you, then perhaps the thought of apple tarts will do the job? I remember your love of apples and we have an abundance right now.

I am hoping that this clandestine letter has done its service. The promise of endless walking paths, apple tarts and brief interaction with the eldest Darcy. I wish you safe travels on your journey to Pemberley.

God bless,

F. D.

Elizabeth spent the rest of the day and evening reflecting upon Mr. Darcy's missive. The fact that he was willing to distance himself for her comfort, even in his own home, was generous. Even though she felt justified in her anger with him, she could also appreciate that he was a wealthy gentleman accustomed to acquiescing to no one.

Although the letter was devoid of any mention of his feelings towards her, Elizabeth could not help but smile at his reference to her love of apples. Perhaps the supposed 'love' that he professed at Hunsford was already waning in the face of time and distance. This thought caused a pang within her heart.

Georgiana's letter was light and filled with her latest activities. Her friend hoped to spend some time with both Elizabeth as well as Amelia before the holidays. The lure of friendship was strong and helped Elizabeth to make a decision with regards to the upcoming trip.

The following day, Elizabeth walked the distance to Netherfield. Jane welcomed her warmly and they settled in for a chat while Charles met with his steward.

"I have decided to travel with you to Derbyshire as we originally planned." Elizabeth said without much preamble.

"I am glad to hear it; though, may I ask what brought about this change of heart?" Jane asked.

Elizabeth did not respond but held up the letter in her reticule in answer.

Jane frowned slightly.

"Am I to understand that Mr. Darcy has once again written to you?"

Elizabeth nodded.

"I see. Do you wish to talk about it?" Jane asked.

"No, I believe that I have given more thought to the situation than was due. Mr. Darcy has promised that he will not impose himself upon me and I wish to visit with Georgiana. I am satisfied with my decision." Elizabeth said with certainty.

Jane still looked worried but quickly cleared it away.

"Well, then, I believe we should be off to Meryton. I wish to outfit my sister for the wilds of the North!" Jane exclaimed.

The sisters laughed and then gathered their wraps as the carriage was called.

A lovely day was spent deciding on colors and patterns for the outer wear Jane thought necessary. The time flew by as it often does when spent with those you love best. Jane left Elizabeth at Longbourn with many of the ready-made purchases of the day and then continued on to Netherfield.

Jane found Charles working intently at his desk in his study. She stood for a moment in the doorway smiling at her husband. Although they wed almost one year ago, Jane could still not believe her good fortune. She was thankful for the relationship that she had with Charles and could not imagine him playing with her heart as she believed Mr. Darcy had with Elizabeth. Her remembrance of Mr. Darcy's actions towards her dearest sister spurred her on to enter the study.

Charles looked up and smiled at his wife but then turned serious when he saw the nervous look upon her face.

"Jane, are you well? Did you enjoy your day with Lizzy?" Charles asked.

"Yes, we had a splendid day. However, I…I must speak to you about Mr. Darcy." Jane replied.

The hard edge to her voice led Charles to rise and close the door so that he could find out what had angered his normally sweet bride.

A/N: We're going to Derbyshire!