Ok guys. i hope you dont mind my accelerated posting schedule. we are almost over the major angst. Then its the fun make up fluff. :)

Chapter 13

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Christmas evening was drawing to a close and Elizabeth looked around. The gentlemen were stood with glasses of port, all of them looking a little worse for wear, Lady Annabelle had drank a few glasses and was surprisingly funny when a little less self regulated. Eleanor was goading her into saying things she probably would not do otherwise. Georgiana had long since retired.

"I am going to take this book back to the library, then I will retire" she took her leave of Lady Matlock, who smiled warmly and kissed her on the cheek.

Elizabeth picked up two books, one had been a present and one she had borrowed a few days earlier. She would return the borrowed one and take her new book to her room.

She entered the library, it was almost as large as Pemberley's library but you could see it was not as well stocked or as well taken care of. She smiled breathing in the scent of books and walking slowly, trailing her fivers along the spines. This room was always her favourite. A noise at the door made her turn, the Earl came in and shut the door behind him. She frowned slightly at the action.

"Elizabeth" he was slurring slightly

"My lord" she looked at him quizzically.

"It has been a pleasure having you here"

"Thank you my Lord." She managed to keep the tone of confusion out of her voice, yes the Earl had seemed to warm up to her, but she would not have said that he particularly liked her.

He stepped closer, a little too close for Elizabeth's liking, so she took a half step back. The earl smiled at her but Elizabeth thought it seemed more akin to a leer. The expression made her shift uncomfortably.

"You are very beautiful, I can see why Darcy likes you." She opened her mouth to say something but he continued talking "I can see that things are not right though, I heard raised voices this morning, and you have not bonded with him the way my sister did with the late Mr Darcy."

Elizabeth was stock still, she went over the last words in her mind unsure as to the meaning behind them.

"I think you are unhappy" he took another step toward her "I could make you happy, if you were mine I could make you so happy" he leered again, Elizabeth took another step back ward, and bumped in to the bookcase behind her. The Earl took another step forward, she was pressed against the wall. "You were made for more" He reached up and traced a finger down her cheek.

The contact jolted Elizabeth out of her silence. She had been trying to figure out what to do, he was an Earl, a peer of the realm and now family, her breeding dictated that she should treat him with the utmost respect, but not like this.

"Sir," her voice was clear and sharp "you have had too much to drink. This is inappropriate behaviour and I ask you to leave me at once."

He smiled again "yes, I like a woman with spirit!"

He bent his head and Elizabeth knew he was going to try to kiss her, she pushed against him but he did not move, only chuckled and kept moving his head towards her.

She gathered her magic and pushed him backward with a strong gust of wind. It didn't work well due to the proximity, but it was enough and she then dumped water on him, which she had gathered from a nearby vase. She fled the room as he was coughing and spluttering, water dripping down his face. She heard him yelling something after her but she did not make out the words, she ran all the way up the stairs and back to her room where she promptly locked both doors and sank on to her bed.

There was a gentle knocking a few minutes later. She walked to the door and asked who it was.

"It is me, Eleanor"

"I am tired Eleanor." She tried to keep her voice even but it shook a little.

"I saw you run from... " she trailed off then whispered "please." Elizabeth unlocked the door and let her in.

Eleanor turned and locked the door after her then turned and held Elizabeth in such a tight embrace she thought she would not be able to breathe. Eleanor took her hands and led her to the bed where they both perched.

"I am sorry Elizabeth, what happened?"

Elizabeth looked at her curiously "what do you suspect happened? What do you know?"

"I know my father disapproved of you, felt you would be better suited as a mistress. I saw him flirting with you these last few days. I suspect he propositioned you, or imposed himself on you somehow."

Elizabeth appreciated the honesty of Eleanor's words.

"I knew about his opinion of me. I had not realised he was flirting, I thought we were getting along, well enough anyway." She laughed at her foolish hope to be accepted "I am not sure what he was proposing but he attempted to impose himself. I pushed him back and dumped some water on him, then I fled."

Eleanor laughed, "yes I saw the effects."

Elizabeth smiled slightly.

"Well done. Mother heard the noise and we both investigated. I believe she is giving him a dressing down right now. I thought to send Darcy to you but..."

She trailed off, looking away.

Elizabeth frowned. "The Earl said something about not bonding, do you know anything about that?"

Eleanor looked back at her surprised "he said that?" Elizabeth nodded and Eleanor looked pensive. "May I speak freely?" Elizabeth nodded again

Eleanor took a deep breath, then clutched Elizabeth's hand in hers. "I cannot say for sure but I have heard tales, from my uncle, about the Darcy legacy or some such and how women that marry in to the Darcy line bond and also have these traits. To be honest I did not pay much attention. I never fancied myself the next Mrs Darcy, he was too... Well he was not for me" she smiled apologetically at Elizabeth, who waved her off.

"I have had a few people mention something like this and I do not understand it,"

"Have you asked Darcy?"

Elizabeth looked down, willing the tears to not fall "I ... Darcy and I do not spend much time alone."

Eleanor frowned "what can you mean?"

"I should not be talking about this with an unmarried woman, and his cousin."

Eleanor put her hand on Elizabeth's "I am aware of marital relations, Richard is my brother after all. They both chuckled "and you may be assured of my secrecy."

Elizabeth hesitated "we do not seem to share much intimacy."

Eleanor paused for a moment "you have... He has come to you?"

"Yes, the marriage is consummated, but he seems to shy away from any contact when it is only us. He has told me.. Oh Eleanor I cannot speak more!"

Eleanor smiled "I do not have any advice, how could I? But maybe you need to speak to someone who is married? What about your mother?"

Elizabeth laughed at that.

"Your sister then?"

Elizabeth sighed "Jane is everything a proper lady should be. I would not know how to broach such a subject"

"Any friends?"

"My only close friend before all of this married for convenience, her marriage is likely very different to how I would have liked mine to be"

They were both silent

"There is someone..." Elizabeth trailed off

Eleanor looked up "who?"

"She was a good friend from Hertfordshire. She was the daughter of the owner of Netherfield, we grew up together as we were of a similar age. She married about a year before I met Mr Darcy and We have not been in touch much since. However I met her by chance in London a few weeks ago and she seemed very pleased to see me. She was leaving london for her country home, the home of the gentleman she married, which is not far from here I believe."

"Could you write her?"

"I wrote her last week and she has invited me to stay whenever pleases me."

"You should go, will she be at home?"

Elizabeth felt some excitement, she would love to see her friend, it had been so long, and she was not sure she could stay in this house for another week.

"She was at home until after the new year. But I cannot leave."

"Of course you can, my father just attacked you, for lack of a better word. It is completely understandable for you to wish to leave. I will tell mother, we can tell my brothers that your friend had an emergency and required your help."

Elizabeth was not sure and expressed it. "Would it not be terribly rude of me to just leave?"

Eleanor didn't answer that question and instead posed her own "what will you tell Darcy?"

Elizabeth went white "oh my, I have just used magic against his uncle, what will he think of me?"

Eleanor frowned "surely you cannot be worried he would be angry at you?"

"I suppose not, but I do not wish to see him angry against the Earl either. 'Tis just the sort of story that could become gossip and I am unlikely to be left unscathed. At best people will say he attempted to impose himself and I rebuffed him, but we both know that many out there will add their own juicy gossip to such a story, attempted will become did, my rebuffs will become my asking for more money or some such. No we cannot have a family split, is it best I do not tell him?" She thought to herself that she could not bear him to be completely unconcerned, or even to agree, but she did not voice this.

Eleanor shrugged "Tis not for me to say my dear. I will speak to mama about what is to be done."

She jumped up and planted a kiss on Elizabeth's cheek and left her. Elizabeth curled up in to a ball and hugged her knees, trying to think what would be best.

Ten minutes later Eleanor and Lady Rachel swept back in to the room.

"My Darling girl, words cannot express how sorry I am that my husband would act so. I will deal with him when he is sober, you mark my words. Now Eleanor tells me you two have been plotting what is to be done, so tell me, who is this friend of yours?"

"She is called Samantha Simmers, at least she was, she married a gentleman by the name of Mitchell. His estate, I believe crosses the border from Staffordshire to Derbyshire and should not be far from here."

"No indeed for I know the older Mrs Mitchell well. She resides in the dower house of Billingham manor. That is the correct estate is it not?"

Elizabeth looked surprised and nodded.

"I knew her son had married a few years ago but I do not believe I have met her. We used to be close but after her husband died and her son took over the estate she became less sociable. It is high time I paid a visit. We shall, the three of us travel over tomorrow to see them. I can send a rider with a note alerting them to our visit, and then if your friend is amenable you can stay until you return to Pemberley."

She nodded and rose as if it was all taken care of.

"Aunt Rachel" Elizabeth's small voice stopped her "what should I tell Darcy? I am concerned about his reaction if I tell him the truth."

"Yes I can understand, but I do not think hiding this from him is a good idea. Maybe you should decide how much of the truth to reveal?"

Elizabeth smiled "you are correct, I thank you."

When her aunt and cousin left she found herself weary, she decided that she would have to have that conversation in the morning.

...