Hi everyone, I think I may have confused a few of you at the end of the last chapter – sorry about that. Way back at the beginning of the story I mentioned that Darcy inherited two other estates in addition to Pemberley, one of them was in Wales and this was the one referenced during Darcy and Elizabeth's conversation in the carriage. I realise I might not have been as clear as I probably needed to be given the time that's past and all the things that have happened in the story since then. I will try to be clearer in the future.

Anyway, here's the next instalment, I hope you enjoy it stay safe x

Chapter Nineteen

The group were greeted warmly when they eventually arrived at Hunsford parsonage. Mr Collins was so overwhelmed by the generosity shown to his humble cousin, by the nephews of his esteemed patroness, that he rhapsodised about their munificence and charity far more than was necessary and long after they had departed to the Great House at Rosings.

Once Elizabeth felt adequately rested from her travels, she left the guest chamber she had been given and went in search of Charlotte. During an earlier tour and refreshments, Elizabeth had become familiar with her friend's private parlour and chose to begin her search there. Mrs Collins was not present in the room but Lizzie did spy her in the garden through a window. Grabbing her coat from the hook near the door, Elizabeth headed out into the darkening late afternoon to greet her friend.

Charlotte, who was in the process of feeding several chickens and a few ducks, halted her progress and turned to the arrival, "There you are, Lizzie. I was beginning to think that we would not see you until tomorrow."

"If I were at home, I might have asked for a tray in my room but I did not wish to cause your household any undue trouble."

"It would have been no bother, I assure you. Although I will not deny I am pleased to have the pleasure of your company for dinner."

After finishing her task, Charlotte led the way back inside and, after a brief stop in the kitchen to amend the order of a tea tray she had earlier asked to be prepared, the pair found themselves sat once more in Charlotte's parlour.

"You did not tell me before, something I hope was only due to my husband's presence, how you came to be travelling with Mr Darcy and his cousin?"

"You are right, I did not wish to over excite Mr Collins. It is all very simple," lied Elizabeth, "Colonel Fitzwilliam's mother is an acquaintance of my Aunt Gardiner and by chance the gentlemen were due to come to Rosings to visit Lady Catherine. It was suggested that I journey with them, and here we are."

The trio had concocted the half-truth on their journey into Kent and whilst they were hopeful that the flawed and tenuous tale would not be too closely examined by the more self-absorbed characters they would be telling it to, Elizabeth knew Charlotte was likely to pry.

"Here you are." Charlotte said with a smile and a disbelieving tone, "I must say, Mr Darcy was awfully attentive to you when they dropped you off here."

Elizabeth had no response to her friend's comment as she was not yet ready to discuss the growing feelings which she herself was still ruminating on. Charlotte had seen the spark between the pair during their time in Hertfordshire, and from what she has witnessed earlier in the day, it had grown to more than a mere spark.

The next morning Mr Collins went promptly to Rosings Park to congratulate his patroness for having two such superior and gracious nephews. The story of their offer of transportation to a distant acquaintance was readily accepted by two people so willing to think well of the Colonel and Mr Darcy, much to the relief of the gentlemen in question. They were surprised, however, when the excitable parson was sent on his way with an invitation for his household to dine with them the following evening; perhaps Lady Catherine was more curious than they had believed, for she rarely condescended to invite outsiders to Rosings when she had better company available to her.

When the benevolent hospitality of the estimable Lady Catherine was shared with the ladies of Hunsford parsonage, Elizabeth began to consider what the evening might have in store for her. She was used to trying women and from the tales she had previously heard about the hostess, she was sure that all of her experience would be required to see her through the meal without offending anyone.

As Elizabeth contemplated her impending suffering, Lady Matlock was urgently rushing to Gracechurch Street in her carriage. It was still too early for respectable calls in London but gossip had reached her that she felt warranted her intrusion into her cousin's home.

That morning as she was preparing for the day ahead, her ladies maid shared that when her daughter Helena had called on friends the day before, word was going around the servants' quarters that the brother of the guest upstairs was the target of a compromise by a scheming country girl named Bennet. Which brother was not specified but the report had apparently been making the rounds in all the drawing rooms.

Lady Rebecca knew that it was all hogwash but she still needed to speak with Madeline and Jane. Not out of a necessity to protect either of her sons, for she knew neither was really at risk of being forced into an unwanted marriage, but to protect Jane. The young woman she hoped would one day, willingly, take her place as Countess of Matlock, was the target of a cruel attack and they must try to identify the perpetrator so that they could be appropriately dealt with. Lady Rebecca was dedicated to her family and loved them all far more that was fashionable to admit, she would not let someone cause damage to any of them.

When the news had been relayed to Jane she was frightfully confused as to who could have spread such a tale, or even known of her friendship with the Fitzwilliam family. That was until she recalled the brief meeting with Caroline Bingley at the part the previous week.

"Miss Bingley would never spread such rumour and slander, I am sure." Jane defended half-heartedly.

"She is a bitter, on the shelf, social climber, Jane, of course she would." Said Lady Rebecca, much to the shock of her younger companion.

"Do you think she is upset that I hurt her brother when I did not return his attentions after he renewed them? For I did not think she was all that keen on the match to begin with." Puzzled Jane.

"I am sorry to say that I doubt it," answered the lady, "I do not think she is capable of being concerned for her brother's feelings, only her own. She did not consider you a good enough match for her brother, by my understanding. Now, you and Elizabeth are deemed to be in direct competition with her as she hunts for a wealthy husband. She has no real social power herself, so she has enlisted the help of the grapevine. It is petty and underhanded, and she will not succeed."

Jane was not sure what her aunt was planning but knew her to be a fierce defender of those she cared about, whatever Miss Bingley would be facing in the not-too-distant future Jane knew it would not be pleasant. Her only hope was that they were mistaken somehow and her one-time friend would not need to be confronted.

The following evening in Hunsford saw the Collins's and Elizabeth walking the half mile from the parsonage to Rosings Park's Great House. Elizabeth had chosen to ignore her cousin's recommendation that she wear whichever of her dresses she had brought that was best. Knowing whatever she wore would not likely meet Lady Catherine's exacting standards, she opted to wear her favourite deep green dress instead.

As the group crossed the parkland Elizabeth did her best to respond with geniality to Mr Collins's raptures though she could not emulate the same level of enthusiasm, despite the various beauties to be found on the walk. When they ascended the steps, Mr Collins continued to point out the many fine elements of the architecture and ornaments which lined the finely proportioned entrance hall. As they followed a servant toward their destination, Elizabeth heard some familiar, although muffled, voices originating from behind the door they approached.

The occupants of the room rose to greet them, with the exception of the clearly sickly Anne De Bourgh, and Mrs Collins began the introduction of Elizabeth to those whom she was not already acquainted with. They sat together for a few minutes and pleasantries were exchanged between the gentlemen and the new arrivals. Both Mr Darcy and the Colonel would have liked to openly share their joy at seeing Elizabeth but knew to do so would undermine the tale told of their limited connection.

However, their deception became unnecessary just a short while later. Prior to the entrance of the parsonage party into one of her drawing rooms, Lady Catherine had been prepared to accept that her nephews were tricked into providing transportation to some poor country gentleman's daughter by the meddling Lady Rebecca. That changed though then the Miss in question was presented to her and a niggle began in the back of her mind.

Lady Catherine watched carefully as Miss Elizabeth Bennet was escorted by Richard into the dining room and when she heard the young woman laugh, at some silly remark or other which her nephew had made, she knew immediately that she had been lied to.

"Now, tell me again Miss Bennet, how it was you came to be in the company of my nephews as they travelled to their extended visit at Rosings?"

Elizabeth, who had expected an inquisition to some degree, offered the prepared answer to which the lady only pursed her lips. Once they were all seated at the table, Lady Catherine tried one more, "And how exactly, Miss Bennet, is your aunt acquainted with the Countess?"

"Through a charitable endeavour, I believe." Elizabeth answered.

"Which sort of charity work do they do together?" Came the quick reply.

That was not a detail any of the tree co-conspirators had thought to establish and Elizabeth hesitated before the Colonel came to her aid, "Animals" he said without offering further explanation.

"Well, knowing your mother that is perfectly possible. I would, however, prefer it if you all stopped with your falsehoods. Did you boys really think I would not recognise a guest in my own home as the daughter of Amelia Walker?" Asked Lady Catherine.

Everyone at the table sat in silence; some in confusion, the others in panic.

"Oh, come now," she said to her stunned audience, "we may not have been all that close in age but I never forget a face. I am quite skilled at remembering faces in fact, and your lack of denials only confirms that I am, once again, correct. Not that I could be otherwise in such a matter, for as I have already said, I do not forget faces."

Mr Collins nodded vigorously as, despite not understanding what was happening around him, he knew his patroness must have had the right of it.

"You must forgive your nephews the deception, Lady Catherine. It has been my father's wish that my sister and I be given as private and modest an upbringing as possible." Elizabeth responded.

"And a humble upbringing my dear cousin most certainly has had. From my observations," Mr Collins said with his usual air of self-importance, "no unnecessary expense was directed to the education of the Bennet girls. Why I did not even spy a governess during my stay. Most economical."

Elizabeth blushed deeply as Lady Catherine exclaimed, "No Governess! The descendants of an Earl raised without a Governess! You have a step-mother I understand, she must have been quite the slave to your education?"

"No, ma'am." Was all the reply Elizabeth could give before the loud corrections of Mr Collins, apologising for her ladyships misunderstanding but the Bennet's had no connections to Earls, and the whispered surprise of Charlotte, who had only been a small child herself then Amelia Bennet had died and did not recall the subject which would long before have ceased to have been discussed.

Elizabeth felt defeated. For the rest of the meal and until she had been able to retreat into her room at the parsonage, she faced a barrage of questions from what felt like all sides, all with increasing degrees of intrusiveness and incivility. Did she draw? No. Did she sing? A little. Did she speak any foreign languages? Some. All of this in addition to being forced to exhibit her playing abilities for Lady Catherine's inspection. The only thing which prevented her running our into the darkness of the park had been the sympathetic and reassuring smile of Mr Darcy, who, along with Richard, had attempted to redirect the conversation at every possible turn.

When Elizabeth's relationship to Colonel Fitzwilliam was revealed to Mr Collins, he could hardly contain his joy at discovering there was a familial connection, albeit a distant one, to his beloved patroness. Elizabeth found the increased deference the odd man began to lavish upon her uncomfortable. She grew close to screaming when Mr Collins and Lady Catherine insisted that the proper place for her to stay would be Rosings, however Elizabeth held firm in her refusal of the offer. She was an invited guest of her friend Mrs Collins, so with Mrs Collins she would remain.

One of the few things not discussed, and which dawned on none of them to confirm, was the matter of secrecy. It was an oversight which the trio of Richard, Mr Darcy and Elizabeth would come to regret, for the next morning Mr Collins began a letter to his cousin at Longbourn. In the letter he made reference to meeting more of his Cousin Elizabeth's delightful family and the invitation for Elizabeth to take up residence at Rosings with her cousin the Colonel and his family. In closing, Mr Collins queried why such a joyous connection had not been earlier disclosed to him, for he himself was family and, by proxy, now held a familial acquaintance with his most noble patroness; surely it would only have been polite to forewarn Lady Catherine that her nephew's cousin would be visiting the neighbourhood.

The delivery of such a letter would take several days and during those days Elizabeth became more relaxed and open in her surroundings than she had done in quite some time. She discovered a favoured walk through a tree lined path in one corner of the park which she visited each morning after breakfast. Whilst the majority of the gardens at Rosings Park were formally styled, there were pockets of wilderness hidden away from the main house which drew her in. With increasing frequency, she was being accompanied on her walks by one or both of the gentleman visitors to the great house.