Chapter Twenty four:

"Lizzie, Lizzie"

She stopped in her tracks and turn to see her father. His eyes showed dark circles like he had spent a restless night, she approached her father and could see he was uncomfortable he shuffled uncomfortably on his feet.

"Papa, are you well"

"Yes Lizzie I am well, but I feel I need to talk to you and your honesty would be appreciated shall we walk down this pretty lane as I would like to have some privacy while we talk." Mr. Bennet put his arm out for her to take.

As she took her father's arm Elizabeth's stomach dropped, Mr. Bennet took a deep breath and look his daughter straight in the eye he held the gaze for longer than normal stalling the discussion he wanted to take place.

"I want you to know that I love you, regardless my Lizzie you no, what you out of all my children mean to I think you understand more than ever if I'm honest... However, I have noticed many similarities between yourself and Catherine Anne Darcy and I think it is time that we had this discussion honestly don't you?" Mr. Bennet smiled encouragingly to his daughter, his pride, and Joy.

Elizabeth's mind began to race how could her father have guessed, that she was Catherine Anne's mother, she personally couldn't see any similarities in herself and her daughter, her daughter was a true darcy in looks, Catherine was a softened female image of her father and didn't look anything like true biological her mother.

"Catherine Anne is a beautiful child Lizzie I mean no disrespect to the child, she is definitely her father's daughter there is no doubt about that, that child is a Darcy..." He chuckled... "however, have you looked at her eyes, my Lizzie?" Mr. Bennet asked her daughter. Elizabeth smiled at her father, trying not to convey her pride in her child.

"Yes Papa her eyes are a beautiful shade of Hazel truly unique arent they, I am confused as to why we are talking about her eyes thou" she replied

"You are too astute my Lizzie let's not be coy I recognize them eyes as the fine eyes that both my second and youngest daughters carry they are the same eyes I myself have that my mother before me had, some would call it a family trait Lizzie would you not agree?"

"Papa I ..." she was struggling to breathe the fear was running like cold ice running through her body. Mr. Bennet continues to hold her daughter gaze he, hoped he didn't come across as angry, he was disappointed in his daughter, he would not deny that but the child was truly beautiful and her personality was a carbon copy of his daughter, who as a child had been a pure joy to his heart.

"Now Lizzie this is where the honesty comes in to play I will ask you this once only." Taken a deep breath himself "Is Catherine Anne, your child?"

"I am so sorry Papa so sorry I didn't mean for it to happen, I never would of intentionally bring shame to you I am so sorry Papa..."

Mr. Bennet was relieved to know his own mind was not playing tricks on him and he was still at his ages was still reasonably sound of mind, Janes reaction now made sense, the trip to American the Gardners hastily arranged, how he would have to thank the Gardners for taking such good care of his favorite daughter he knew how difficult and dangerous childbirth could be and he was glad regardless he still had Lizzie in his life.

Mr. Darcy randomly coming to call after Lizzie had left he had at the time thought it was strange a man of his station would call on him and he had enquired more about Lizzie than the rest of the family. If he had known he would have been more forthcoming with Mr. Darcy on where his daughter was and how he could find her, but alas this was all part of the past and now they needed to move on Mr. Bennet wanted to know the full story.

"Lizzie you haven't actually answered my question, my girl. Is Catherine Anne, your child?"

"Yes, Papa Catherine Anne is my Daughter," Lizzie replied confidently.

Both father and daughter remained silent as they walked for what seemed like miles but in reality, could only be a matter of minutes.

"Elizabeth Clara Bennet, I will not pretend that I am not disappointed in your actions, but they are actions of the past, I some knowledge of how pleasures of a man and women can run away with them, I take it is not deniable that Catherines Annes Father is Mr. Darcy, I take that he wasn't willing to marry you but at least he did take responsibility for his child."

"No Papa you have Mr. Darcy wrong...Mr. Darcy didn't know I was with child, there is a story to tell but I fear it will take a while to retell" she cried.

"Well them my dear let's take a long walk" replied her father

Elizabeth went on to tell her fathers that after Mr. Darcy's sudden departure from Meryton after their time alone together. That Mr. Darcy had gone to rescue his cousin Conole Fitzwilliam, but in his panic, he hadn't informed Elizabeth but had thought the Bingleys would, how when he didn't return to her as expected and the Bingley's left Netherfield, she decided to write to him at Pemberly. Then she told him how Lady Catherine had arranged via Maria Lucas Mr. Wickham who Mr. Bennet was acquainted with to steel Mr. Darcys Letters as at the time he was still at Pemberly. That she was too ashamed to ask him for help and there was no way she would approach her mother at this it was Mr. Bennet time to be ashamed of himself that he as a father was unapproachable that his child in her time of need was not willing to confide in him.

Elizabeth continued to tell the story that she had written to her aunt and uncle Gardiner pleading for help that they had arranged for herself and Jane to be whisk away to London on the pretense of a trip to America. Elizabeth shared the plan that her aunt and uncle had planned to raise her child as their own that her uncle had gone off on the trip to America and the ladies had traveled to a small village, not ten miles from Lambton where aunt Gardiner had friends they could trust if they needed help.

Elizabeth to him how she had spent her confinement theirs staying in as much as possible before she delivered Catherine Anne who she had originally named Clara Anne after her father's mother and Mr. Darcy's Mother. She broke down as she told him how she had decided to leave her daughter at Pemberly with a note for Mr. Darcy, who she had believed at that point had truly abandoned her. Elizabeth then went on to explain that Mr. Darcy had been helping to nurse his cousin then he had raced back to Longboune only to find her gone. That he had searched for Elizabeth but was unable to find her she then went on to tell Anne De Bourghs story and how Anne De Bough had saved her daughter from being a bastard that Lady Catherine knew that the child wasn't Annes but was very attached to her daughter that her daughter was also the heiress of Rosing Park as Anne De Bough, knew that at some point Darcy would need an heir for Pemberly and would likely remarry if she passed away.

"You named her Clara after my mother?" a shocked Mr. Bennet asked.

"I did Papa" she replied." There is one more thing Papa, Mr. Darcy has asked me to be his wife, he proposed this morning, I had agreed to be his wife I loved him then and I love him now, I have asked him to hold off speaking with you as I had planned to be honest about Mine and Williams past with you... Mr. Darcy wishes for us to marry by common license quickly as Lady Catherine has other plans for him and the fact she has prevented us from being together in the past, makes us both nervous, we plan to Marry quickly but to keep our Marriage a secret while we figure out what we will do about her family."

Mr. Bennet was all astonished, he requested some time to think before he spoke with Mr. Darcy. "We shall ask Mary to send a note to request Mr and Miss Darcy for tea and I will speak with him them, Catherine can play with her cousin in the nurse and you may join us Lizzie when we speak if you like". he replied