Lol to the guest with info about the blue sofa! :)

Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to like or review. Lots of people saying they are hooked. Yay. Loving the suppositions and assumptions. Keep them coming :) hope everyone is safe.

when i wrote my first chapter, i had no idea how long E would reminisce for. we are back to the beginning now!

Valerita, I'm sorry but at least I don't keep you waiting long! ;)

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Chapter 9

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Mrs Elizabeth Darcy, nee Bennet, yawned and stretched again. Her memories of her first few weeks of marriage were still fresh in her mind. The good and the... not so good. She still felt contentment at her situation but the loneliness and unease was still there, waiting to strike.

Elizabeth was brought back to the present by the sound of Betsy coming through the door. She looked at the clock, had she really been reminiscing about her time in London for a half an hour? And once again no closer to figuring out why she woke and felt an ache of loneliness. Her time as Mrs Darcy was more than a dream, her husband everything charming and attentive, mostly.

Betsy noticed she was awake and said

"Good morning Lizzie ma'am."

"Good morning Betsy."

"I've selected the blue muslin morning gown for your luncheon with Lady Matlock, and for the theatre I am pressing the red velvet which has just arrived from Madame Beaumont. It looks like it is getting colder and the rain is only getting heavier."

Elizabeth sighed, it had been a wet few weeks, turning even the streets of London muddy. She was finding it hard to not get muddy hems, but she knew that here it was not acceptable. December was rapidly approaching and her month since going in to society had been a combination of interesting, unusual, enlightening and downright difficult. She had attended a ball a week, far more than had ever been available to her in the little town of Meryton, and yet far less than they had been invited to. On top of that she had been to music evenings, magical meets, and dinners. She had hosted a dinner party herself for almost forty families. Another thing that was unheard of in Meryton. They also frequented the theatres and museums and had even ventured to Vauxhall gardens on one fine evening.

She contemplated her original question, sitting down for Betsy to brush her hair.

What was wrong?

Was there anything actually wrong?

She had a husband who loved her, he sought her opinion and attended her to events she wished for. He was interesting to talk to and an amusing companion. She was fairly certain he was not telling her about something, but it was unusual enough to be consulted at all. The only part of her new life she was unhappy with was the lack of intimacy or passion. Darcy had visited her bed chamber every three or four days, each occasion was quick and perfunctory. She wanted more, she wanted the kisses that made her feel breathless and warm, that made her heart beat faster and her head spin. Some of her acquaintances in the ton had occasionally talked of marital intimacies. It seemed her experience was similar to many others. Some spoke with enthusiasm but others of distaste. She was average and really, was that a reason to be unhappy? No, and she wasn't unhappy, she just felt there was something... Missing.

Betsy finished her hair and wound it up in to a fetching ensemble. One of the biggest differences in her life was that she found dressing for morning calls similar to dressing for evening dinners in her old life. Hair must be done, jewellery was encouraged. Some aspects were fun, others tiring.

She contemplated the other issue that was playing on her mind. When she had danced with Mr Wentall he had talked about some sort of Darcy magical legacy. She had tried to talk to Darcy about it but he had been dismissive of her enquiries, although he had looked surprised at her questions. He had talked about the Darcy bond and being able to feel when family was in danger, but Elizabeth had no way of knowing how or if she should get this. Did it come through marriage? Darcy had brushed her off with assurances that she would get it sometime, or may already have it. But when she had asked to test it he had emphatically said no. When she asked what it meant if she didn't have it he had looked a little sad but not answered.

Georgiana claimed to not know how it came about, but she was certain her mother had it, despite not being born a Darcy. Her lack of knowledge about the whole situation bothered her. Mr Wentall's smug attitude implied he knew something about it that she didn't. But she had refused to give him the satisfaction of asking. She had met him at a few more events and had greeted him with cool civility. He had infuriated her by finding this amusing and often persisting in his attention just to irritate her, or so she thought.

She rose and allowed Betsy to start drawing the strings on her stays. Her mind drifted again. This time she thought of Mrs Harriet Forster and her cult of witches and wizards who had attacked Elizabeth and her sister Lydia. Darcy had said he had men out looking for her. She had been part of a separatist group from a larger cult. The main aim was to store and improve magic but Mrs Forster had taken it one step further and had been trying to transfer someone's magic from one person to a non magical person.

Elizabeth was concerned that she and Darcy would be targets for the escaped witch as they had thwarted her plan and put her lover in prison. So far there had been no threats, nothing. The quiet was eerie and Elizabeth did not trust it. She had tried to ask Darcy about what was happening. She had even thought to try locating her through a spell but she had nothing belonging to her to work with. Darcy had told her that she should not be concerned, that he was working on matters, but she could not help but be.

Although these issues were preying on her mind, made all the worse as she had no one to talk to. These subjects seemed to be off limits between her and her husband.

Finally she was dressed and she put the thoughts to the back of her mind and joined her family for breakfast. Mr Darcy was in the breakfast parlour along with Georgiana. Elizabeth felt guilty about her errant thoughts about the girl earlier and embraced her warmly.

"Good morning dear, did you sleep well?"

"I did thank you Lizzie" they had long been on first name basis.

"Are you coming with me to your Aunt's today. Eleanor was saying how she longs to see you."

Georgiana smiled shyly. Elizabeth's and Eleanor's relationship had deepened. They were true friends and could talk and laugh all day long. Georgiana had initially been quite shy around the two of them, but she had gradually learned to enjoy their banter and could even now venture to speak up when she wished to.

"I would like that, if it is not too much of an imposition?"

"Of course not dearest. I believe we are engaged to the Bingley's tonight?"

She looked over at Darcy who nodded.

"Shall you be at business this morning? "

Darcy looked at his fob watch "I have a meeting with my attorney this morning, and I am having luncheon with Richard at the club."

Elizabeth smiled "will you have time for more practice later?"

"Of course"

Georgiana happily ate her meal, she loved her new sister and she was thrilled to have someone around more. She had, of course, not noticed any behaviour to concern her. To her, her brother was more gregarious than ever before and she credited the change to Elizabeth's influence.

Elizabeth arrived at the Matlock's London seat and was shown in to the back drawing room. This room was less ornately furnished and more comfortable but was rarely used with formal visitors. It was for meeting with family and close friends.

"Lizzie" Eleanor jumped up and threw her arm around her cousin.

Lizzie laughed "has the morning been terribly dull without me? That was quite the welcome."

Eleanor leaned in "mother has been dropping hints about Lord Umbridge, whom I danced with two nights ago."

Elizabeth nodded in understanding.

"How did you find the opera Aunt Rachel?"

Elizabeth and Darcy had gone with her aunt and uncle Gardiner and had recommended it to the Earl and his wife.

"You were quite right Elizabeth" they were on first names but Lady Matlock refused to use Lizzie, insisting she was named after a queen and so should use her full name. "The lead singer was remarkable"

"Well you know my opinion."

"Indeed I do. You must pass on my appreciation to your aunt for her taste."

Elizabeth smiled and Lady Matlock turned to Georgiana and asked after her music practice.

"Tell me," Elizabeth grasped Eleanor's hands and they sat close on the sofa "what was it about Lord Umbridge that seems to have given your mother hope?"

"Oh! She entirely mistook a comment I made, I was talking to Miss Hooper and she had pointed out a gentleman who had bored her so much that she had almost yawned during a dance" Elizabeth sniggered begins her hand, it was poor manners to yawn in front of someone. "And I said that he must be about as interesting as Lord Umbridge was handsome!" Unfortunately my mother only heard me remarking on Lord Umbridge being handsome, just after I had danced with him and well" she waved a hand carelessly "the rest is history."

"Oh no, could you not just say you were jesting?"

"I tried, but you know how mama is, honestly you are so lucky you were married when you came to her notice. Now there is only myself and Richard. At least last season she had Darcy to focus on." Eleanor gave an exaggerate sigh "honestly I think that between myself and Richard she is hoping that she will just wear us down with persistence. And I am in closer proximity than my brother!"

Elizabeth gave her a reassuring pat "well we all leave London for Christmas, and you can worry about matchmaking in the new season."

"Are you talking of next season?" Lady Matlock looked up from her conversation with Georgiana "Will you be here?"

Eleanor leaned in, lowering her voice "honestly, she can hear talk of suitors and seasons from a mile away!"

Elizabeth threw her a smile and turned to Lady Matlock.

"I am sorry but I do not know yet. We shall certainly be present for some of the season but I believe Darcy plans to wait until after spring planting. "

Lady Matlock frowned delicately "I shall have to speak to him."

Elizabeth exchanged an amused smile with Eleanor and then asked about the weeks plans. They were all leavening the first week of December, to go to Matlock for Christmas and then the Darcys would travel on to Pemberley. Elizabeth was excited to go back to her home and become mistress of a country residence. That place, that life, she was comfortable with.