Chapter One

"Jane!" Elizabeth called as she leapt to her feet.

Remembering what Jane told her about, Elizabeth remained where she was but the sound rang through her ears. Turning around, she was in time to see her sister, speeding along as fast as she could back to the center of the stairs and one of the maids was behind her. Both women were in a frantic state as Elizabeth watched. The scene showed Jane, carrying a crying newborn baby, fly down the stairs and she constantly glanced over her shoulder. The other maid, one whom Elizabeth never met, was right behind her mistress when Elizabeth heard Jane pant.

"Elizabeth! Where are you?!"

"I'm here!" She replied as she rushed forward.

This time, she knew listening to her sister would do her no good when Jane practically placed the crying baby in her arms as she quickly explained.

"Elizabeth?! There isn't much time for me to explain! We need you to rush out the back and ride directly to Windrush Manor tonight!"

Elizabeth felt as if she were standing on a plank, over the sea, and it fell from under her. She was carrying her baby nephew as she asked.

"Windrush Manor? You want me to ride there?"

"Elizabeth! There's barely enough time for me tell you everything!" Jane answered.

Elizabeth watched as her sister glanced over her shoulder back towards the stairs, as if she were fearing someone was watching her, but she turned back to her as she moved her hand to the back kitchen as she continued.

"Do as you're asked and head in that direction! The butler will help you with your ride because he'll take the two of you there!"

"Alright. What about…"

"Go!"

Jane's cry rang through Elizabeth's ears but she turned and nearly stumbled on her dress. Making her way to the right, Elizabeth gazed down at her sister's son. He was fair and strong but his cries were something else. She barely had enough time to ask Jane about what was happening when her sister called to the butler.

"The horse is ready, I take it?"

From within the kitchen, as if on cue, the butler replied.

"Yes, Mrs. Bingley! Is Elizabeth on her way?"

"She is now!" Elizabeth heard Jane answer back.

Elizabeth wanted to know so much what was happening but she felt urgency in her sister's voice. Something else was also bothering her, too. The minute Elizabeth entered the kitchen, she spotted the butler, standing in the doorway of the back, and he was wearing a thick cloak. She knew winter traveling by carriage was dangerous but on this occasion? It felt more to Elizabeth as if she were to travel on a fast paced ride rather than a slow one. She was holding her nephew as the man directed.

"Come, Miss Bennet. The stallion is outside and we need to get you to Windrush quickly!"

It was here when Elizabeth managed to ask.

"Is there reason for such urgency? And he's crying!"

"Yes. We all know. But come! We need to get you there!" The butler replied so Elizabeth followed through as she rushed forward. She didn't glance back to see what was happening with Jane so Elizabeth prayed everything would be alright as she stepped out into the crisp air. It was snowing slightly and she realized she wasn't wearing a cloak herself! The butler seemed to have gotten the idea so he quickly pulled out something from inside the kitchen, as he explained.

"Here, Miss Bennet. Use this before I help you up."

"Thank you." Elizabeth answered as the gentleman wrapped a small shawl around her. Then before she realized it, she was helped to sit on top of the stallion, who snorted in the snow, and with her sister's baby in her hands, Elizabeth felt the butler pull himself up before he took hold of the reins as he called.

"Get a move on, boy!"

Then they darted forward and Elizabeth nearly hit herself against the man's chin as they rushed forward and Elizabeth's last thought was.

"Whatever is happening that would cause Jane to request I travel to Windrush Manor? And on such urgency? And with him besides?"

Here, she glanced down at her nephew and he was still wailing. Not knowing exactly how to keep him calm, as she felt their stallion move from a walk into a fast gallop, Elizabeth wiped her finger a little before she gently placed it in his mouth. This soothed him and he started to suckle on her finger and Elizabeth was touched when she realized he was hungry. She managed to turn to the butler as she called against the galloping noises of the horse.

"He's hungry!"

"Yes. But when we get to the manor, inform the cook there he needs to be fed, Miss Bennet."

That was all he said to her as they continued to ride through a dense forest. Knowing Windrush Manor wasn't too far from where her sister lived, Elizabeth felt her heart beat when she thought about Fitzwilliam Darcy. A former suitor and the request of a governess for his sister.

Thankful she was able to keep her nephew calm, Elizabeth held her breath as the butler rode the two of them away from her sister's Victorian manor and in the direction of Windrush Hall. She hoped someone would explain why she was traveling to his place on such urgent matters.

"Especially if I met Fitzwilliam," Elizabeth thought as she felt heat increase in her cheeks, "I'll wish I could ride away forever and never return!"

But there was no decision on her part as the butler called out to their ride.

"Get a move on!"

The ride to Windrush didn't take long.

"Woah!" The butler called as he drew the stallion in. The group arrived against a thick wind of snow and Elizabeth was thankful her nephew was warm throughout the journey. If anything: if Windrush was more than five miles out, he would have frozen! But she was thankful as the butler helped her down but the baby was still crying. Once her feet touched the frozen earth, Elizabeth said to the butler.

"I'm thankful he's still making his voice known! It's a sign he is strong."

"I agree with you, Miss Bennet. But we need to continue on." The butler answered as he made his way towards the closed gate. Remembering how infants needed to stay warm, Elizabeth wrapped her little nephew with the shawl and against the wind, she raised him to her mouth as she whispered.

"Don't worry. We'll find something for you to eat and you'll be happy."

The sound of the gates opening caused Elizabeth to turn around and when the butler pushed them open, they made such a sound Elizabeth wondered if Fitzwilliam bothered to put grease on them as her sister's butler announced.

"Windrush Hall, Miss Bennet! The stallion is fine where he is but hurry along! I feel this storm's going to be a little harsher than just a mere winter of paint!"

"On my way!" Elizabeth replied as she rushed over.

The Classical Revival Manor was situated in an area where Elizabeth only once remembered stepping into but that was the year before. With the baby in her arms, her heart thumped as a thousand thoughts entered her mind. How was she to explain to Fitzwilliam her situation? She felt the worse idea enter if he thought her sister's baby was hers! Yet the butler gestured for her to follow him quickly and she nodded as she sped along. The baby continued to cry but Elizabeth gently placed her finger back into his mouth and he startled to suckle again. Elizabeth prayed some of the women of the household would find something to keep him fed! The milk her sister would have supplied should have been given to her in a bottle or at least something else for the dear to bask in!

"Stomp your boots here so we don't bring in any tracks of ice!" The butler announced once the two made it to the front doors.

The structure of Windrush Manor was huge and the doors were made from the wood. Yet Elizabeth knew they would be challenging to open when her driver reached over and pulled a nearby string. The echo of the sound entered her ears as Elizabeth waited to see who would respond to their call. She was thankful for the shawl but she also dreaded who would answer the door!

"Not Fitzwilliam, I hope!" Elizabeth thought as she shifted the baby in her arms.

He was still sucking her finger when the door sound of the door's lock unlatched and then one of the huge doors creaked open before someone, holding a candle, asked.

"State your business at this hour?"

"Miss Elizabeth Bennet is here to speak with Fitzwilliam Darcy." The butler answered but before Elizabeth realized it, she was pushed suddenly inside as the door opened and another feminine voice exclaimed.

"Oh, dear goodness! The baby's crying! Hurry! I'll head to the kitchen, Miss Bennet, and then my husband will wake Mr. Darcy! I know his sister is still sleeping and we can't bother her!"

"Thank you for bringing her, Steven! You may return and we'll do what we can with Miss Bennet."

The other butler replied and Elizabeth blinked when two servants, who held kindly expressions, let her in regardless she'd been pushed inside, as her sister's butler, Steven, nodded as he replied.

"Thank you, too! I'll drive back and see what's happened. Keep that baby safe, though!"

"Indeed! We will! Thank you!" The woman answered.

The doors to Windrush closed behind her as Elizabeth turned and narrowed her eyes on Steven. She was supposed to explain her reason why she came to Windrush yet the servants seemed to know exactly what was happening. As the woman, who showed kindness to her, gently released Elizabeth, she said.

"You must be Miss Bennet?"

"Yes." Elizabeth answered but she held to her nephew as if he were her source of strength.

"We'll take care -"

"Can someone explain why you're all standing around and not in bed?" A voice barked.

Elizabeth let out a gasp and nearly dropped her nephew when the butler turned as he addressed a tall figure, who stood, with his arms folded, at the top of the stairs as he called.

"Mr. Darcy!"

When Elizabeth peered up, her eyes widened and her throat dried the second she beheld her former suitor: Fitzwilliam Darcy.