Previously: The back stories were mostly concluded and Jane accepted Sir Charles' proposal.

Thursday, August 6, 1818

Darcy House, de Coverley Square, Mayfair

It was almost noon when Georgiana left her bed chamber and went to break her fast. She met Elizabeth on the stairs. "How are the children this morning?" she asked.

"Noisy, too noisy, so very noisy." Elizabeth rubbed her forehead. Georgiana could see bags under her sister's eyes.

"You do not look like you got much sleep" said Georgina.

"Your brother and I have a rule that we will not go to bed angry so you could say I have had no sleep at all."

Georgiana stopped on the stairs. "Oh no, you were arguing about me and Mr. Davidson."

Elizabeth gave her a wan smile. "It may have been about the two of you at first but it devolved into a philosophical discussion concerning the desirability of a daughter being allowed to pick her own husband."

"Daughter? But Anne is only three years old. There is at least fifteen years before William has to worry about her marrying."

"Not for your brother, apparently he has been brooding on the question. He is thinking of forbidding Jack from any contact with Anne."

Jack? Jack Who? "Jack Gardiner? He is only eleven." Georgiana looked closely at Elizabeth. "You are teasing me."

Elizabeth laughed. "Well maybe a little but after all at this stage he is the only candidate."

"True, he is her protector when the children are together and she does adore him."

Elizabeth took Georgiana's arm "Come let us break our fast and see if your brother is anymore reasonable in the cold light of day."

He was not.

Darcy was sitting at the breakfast table, a cup of coffee before him, frowning at three canvas bags and a potted thorn sitting on the table before him. He gestured at the items, "these were delivered this morning."

Elizabeth looked at the bags. Each bag had 'D & B Mills' printed on it and contained a quantity of cloth. The cloth the ladies had picked out at the ball. "Have you seen Jane?" she asked.

"No. Apparently, she was up early and off to your Aunt Gardiner's."

So, she is my 'Aunt Gardiner' now Elizabeth thought. So that's the way it's going to be. She rubbed her head. She did not know how much more of this she could take. And what was Jane thinking, bothering her aunt so soon after the ball. How rude. Elizabeth looked at her husband. Of course, Jane would not want to discuss Bingley with her, not when she was married to Bingley's enemy.

Darcy was glaring at the potted thorn. And he was glaring at Georgiana who was smiling as she read the card which had been attached to the plant. When Elizabeth raised her eyebrows at Georgiana, she passed the card to Elizabeth.

The card read: The scent of you is in my eyes. J. D.

Elizabeth handed the card to Darcy. He read it and snorted. "It does not make any sense." He threw the card on the table. "And what kind of a suitor would send anyone a thorn bush?" He snorted again.

"It is a rose bush" said Georgiana as she picked up the card, the pot and the bag with her cloth.

"Where are you going to plant it? Here or at Pemberley?" asked Elizabeth.

"I am going to leave it in the pot for now" said Georgiana as she left the breakfast room.

Darcy got up and started to follow her but Elizabeth said "Stop". When he did, she continued. "I feel a headache coming on so I am going to take a powder and lay down. I do not want to hear any yelling or slammed doors. If I do, I can tell you right now I will not feel up to attending your Uncle and Aunt Matlock's dinner tomorrow night."

"But…" Darcy walked up to Elizabeth and started to gently massage her temples. She leaned against his chest and he put his arms around her. "I just want …"

"…Georgiana to be happy" Elizabeth finished for him. "You are going to have to concede that she has found her future happiness and that it is going to be in the arms of a very plain, but apparently very wealthy, tradesman."

He kissed her on the top of her head. "You do not have to attend our Uncle and Aunt Matlock's dinner if you are not feeling well. And I know you will want to talk to Jane when she comes back from our Uncle and Aunt Gardiner's."

Elizabeth knew that his emphasis on the words 'our' was the only apology she was going to receive from him for his fit of pique but she loved him so it was enough. "No, I will go; after all it is the last one of the season. I will be fine with a little rest as long as you and our sister do not re-enact the War of the Roses."

"I will be on my best behaviour. But …"

She stretched up and kissed him on his lips. "No buts, she has made her decision, she must live with it. Now you need rest as well so why don't you give me twenty minutes and then come and snuggle with me."

He kissed her back. "I will be there."

Friday, August 7, 1818

Darcy House, de Coverley Square, Mayfair, London

Jane was up early. She had not slept well and her stomach was in an uproar. She had never run away from home before and she was not sure she was going to make it through the day. She thought only to have some dry toast and a little tea as she contemplated her future but that was forestalled when she found Mr. Darcy in the breakfast room.

Mr. Darcy waited until Jane had gotten her toast, sat down and poured her tea before he spoke. "Mrs. Fitzwilliam."

Such formality is not a good sign thought Jane. "Yes, Mr. Darcy?"

"The staff tells me you did not return to the house until past ten; that you arrived in a strange coach; and you appeared to be rumpled."

"Rumpled?"

"Rumpled. Where were you yesterday Mrs. Fitzwilliam? I doubt it was at the Gardiners."

"It is none of your business with whom I spend my time."

Mr. Darcy was taken aback by Jane's defiance but he forged on ahead regardless. "While you live in this house it is my business, Mrs. Fitzwilliam."

"And I repeat, it is not."

"Were you with Bingley?" When Jane flushed Mr. Darcy pressed his advantage. "So you were. Let me make this clear to you Mrs. Fitzwilliam. While you are living in this house you will not use it as a base for your sordid affairs."

Jane carefully put down her teacup. She wiped her lips with her napkin and then laid it beside her plate. She succeeded in not crying. She stood up, curtsied and left the room.

Mr. Darcy called to her. "Mrs. Fitzwilliam, we are not finished."

Jane stopped and turned back to him. "I think we are. If I am gone by noon will that be sufficient?" Without waiting for a reply Jane continued on her way.

Mr. Darcy had the sudden realization that he might have just thrown his wife's much beloved sister out of the house. He hurried after Jane. She was already half way up the main staircase.

"Mrs. Fitzwilliam there is no need to act precipitously. We will discuss this tonight with Elizabeth."

Jane ignored him and continued up the stairs. She met Mrs. Burke, the housekeeper, at the top. "Which member of the staff said I looked rumpled last night Mrs. Burke?"

Mrs. Burke stared at her. Kind and gentle Mrs. Fitzwilliam was never so abrupt. That blasted butler speaking out of turn. "I ah …don't know…" she mumbled.

"I will need some footmen to shift my trunks downstairs in about half an hour" Jane said.

"Yes, ma'am."

Mrs. Burke went downstairs in search of Mr. Darcy. She found him just as he was leaving for his club.

"Excuse me Mr. Darcy but Mrs. Fitzwilliam seems rather upset. She has asked for some footmen to shift her trunks. I was wondering if I should wake up Mrs. Darcy?"

"No, Mrs. Burke let her rest. She had a rough night last night." Mr. Darcy did not volunteer that the rough night was due to an argument over the suitability of tradesmen as husbands for gentlewomen which had dragged on over two nights and which was still not resolved to his satisfaction. "She and I will speak to Mrs. Fitzwilliam tonight and sort things out. Now I must be off, I have a meeting at my club. Good morning Mrs. Burke."

All Mrs. Burke could do was shake her head. She wondered if Mrs. Fitzwilliam would even be around to speak to this evening.

"Is everything ready?" Jane asked Susan, her maid.

"Yes. And I have your best travelling dress laid out."

"Good. I will get changed and then you can have the footmen take the trunks down. The coaches should be here in half an hour."

Jane looked around her bedroom to see if she had forgotten anything. She saw the letter she had left for Lizzy on the bedside table. She picked it up and put it in her reticule. Let Mr. Darcy explain to Lizzy why her sister had left.

Jane walked down the stairs followed by the three footmen on duty carrying her three trunks, containing everything she owned in the world, save the clothes she had left at Kympton, and Susan carrying her own little trunk.

Chamberlain, the butler, stared at her, at them, in shock. "Kindly open the door Chamberlain." Jane asked. He did not react. "Open the door" she repeated.

"But you are not … you cannot …" he stuttered.

Jane smiled to herself at the sight of the unflappable butler flustered. "I am and I will. Now will you open the door or will I have to open it myself?"

He hurried and opened the door. Jane went out and was happy to see Sir Charles' two carriages already waiting. She directed the footmen to load the trunks in the luggage coach which was second in line. Mr. Davidson got out of the first coach and gave her a deep bow.

"May I say the bride is particularly beautiful this morning?" he said as he handed her a bouquet of flowers.

Jane laughed. "I had rather hoped you would say I look like" and she smelled the bouquet "these forget-me-nots smell."

"She told you?"

"Georgiana told everyone. I am afraid you have set the bar for complimenting ladies rather high. And the rose bush the next day was a nice touch."

"Did she like it?"

"She loved it, but enough of your love life; I have an appointment at a church I do not want to miss."

"My apologies, I find my thoughts straying from my duties" and he handed Jane and her maid into the carriage.

Chamberlain and Mrs. Burke watched the loading of the carriages with alarm. They both recognized the man who got out of the carriage as the Mr. Davidson who had attended at tea not a week ago.

"We should wake up Mrs. Darcy."

"Mr. Darcy said to let her sleep."

"What about Miss Darcy?"

"He didn't say anything about her."

"Well then wake her up and she can wake up Mrs. Darcy. Hurry. I will try to stall Mrs. Fitzwilliam."

Mrs. Burke took off back into the house and up the stairs. Chamberlain walked down the steps to the leading carriage.

Chamberlain stood by the rear window of the carriage. "Excuse me Mrs. Fitzwilliam."

Jane looked out the window. "Yes."

"May I ask where you are going?"

"No."

"May I ask when you will be returning?"

"Never."

"Is there any message I can pass on to Mrs. Darcy?"

For a moment Jane thought of giving Chamberlain the letter to Lizzy which she had in her reticule but then she thought of her six lost years. "There is no message. If she asks you can refer her to Mr. Darcy."

"If you would but wait a moment, I am sure Mrs. Darcy will come down to see you off."

"There is no need. Goodbye Chamberlain." Jane turned to Mr. Davidson and asked him to direct the coachman to proceed. Mr. Davidson obliged her by striking the ceiling of the cabin with his cane and the carriage started with a small jerk.

Mrs. Burke knocked on Miss Darcy's door and opened it when she heard a faint "come in."

Georgiana was sitting up in bed rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "What is it Mrs. Burke?"

"Mrs. Fitzwilliam is leaving."

"What do you mean 'leaving'?"

"They are loading her trunks into a carriage. That Mr. Davidson who was here for tea last week handed her into another carriage."

Georgiana jumped out of bed and put on her dressing gown. He was here? "Have you told Mrs. Darcy?"

"No, Mr. Darcy said not to disturb her."

Georgiana pushed by Mrs. Burke and ran down the hall to the master's chambers. She pushed in without knocking. Elizabeth was sitting at the table in her private sitting room drinking a cup of tea and nibbling a pastry as she read the morning newspaper. She looked up in surprise. "What is the matter Georgiana? Is the house on fire?"

"Almost. Jane is leaving with Mr. Davidson; they are loading her trunks right now."

"What? Why didn't anyone tell me?"

Mrs. Burke, who had finally arrived, answered "Mr. Darcy instructed us not to disturb you."

Elizabeth stood up, tied her robe together and headed out of the room followed by Georgiana and Mrs. Burke. They met Chamberlain at the head of the stairs.

"It is too late; Mrs. Fitzwilliam is already gone" he told them.

"Did she say anything before she left?" Elizabeth asked.

"She would not say where she was going; she said she was never coming back; and she said Mr. Darcy would explain" Chamberlain told them.

Elizabeth pointed at him. "You send someone to Mr. Darcy at his club with a message that he is return home now. No excuses. I am going to get dressed."