Gentle Reader,

This is the second-to-last episode of the story. Thanks to everyone who has given me comments and construction advice. Thanks for reading. I will be taking this story down when it finally goes up for sale as a novella. You are a wonderful audience!

Grace

Lady Catherine, a sour expression on her face, sat stony-faced on her chair when Elizabeth, Charlotte, Maria, and Sir William entered the dining room. Earlier, Charlotte had found the housekeeper and relayed the story of a familial urgency that required Mrs. Collins to rush back to Hertfordshire. Elizabeth barely wanted to eat anything for dinner, but propriety insisted she go down to what would be her last dinner at Rosings.

Lady Catherine's eyebrows furrowed together as she looked at them.

"So you're leaving Rosings, all of you?" She said, her mouth a deep frown.

Elizabeth spoke up. "Yes, ma'am. There is an emergency to which I must attend."

Lady Catherine sniffed indignantly. "Darcy and his cousin have left abruptly as well. So Anne and I will be left here alone? What kinds of manners are these?"

Elizabeth looked. "I am sorry, but it cannot be avoided."

"What could be more important than collecting your late husband's possessions?"

Elizabeth felt unwell. "It is a matter of family urgency. I must return immediately. We have collected nearly all of Mr. Collin's possessions." Elizabeth nodded toward Collin's brother. "Mr. Collins may take the rest."

Lady Catherine's eyes narrowed at Elizabeth. "What sort of urgency?"

Elizabeth opened her mouth, but was unable to find words. Surely Lady Catherine wasn't demanding to know private family business.

"It is a private matter," she said finally, her eyes threatening to well up again. "I cannot reveal more."

Lady Catherine harrumphed in her seat before she took a sip of soup. "I hardly understand people's behavior today, leaving a host before the agreed upon date. I find it all very shocking, I have to say."

Elizabeth glanced at Charlotte, who stared into her soup and said nothing.

Elizabeth, who was already sick with worry about Lydia and her sisters, felt her cheeks warm. "My Lady, I do so not by choice, but the familial obligation," she said. Sir William nodded sympathetically.

"But, Mrs. Collins, one always has a choice in how one conducts oneself."

Elizabeth set down her spoon defiantly. "Not when one is faced with a family crisis. I am sorry if I've disappointed you, Lady Catherine, but my family takes precedence."

Lady Catherine's eyebrows shot upward. "You are quite pert!"

"I mean no offense, only that we must leave immediately." Elizabeth tried flattery. "Rosings is beautiful, and we shall be sad to leave."

Lady Catherine's face softened. "That is true. I am told that after people stay here, they find every other place lacking." She said and sipped her soup. "But you shouldn't be too worried. You are young, and may likely remarry again, although I find the idea of more than one marriage in a lifetime shocking. I do understand it is how things are done for someone in your station."

Elizabeth bit the inside of her lip to keep from replying.

"Now Miss Charlotte Lucas, what of you? Have you any prospects on the horizon? Although you are no beauty, you seem a sturdy sort of girl."

Under the table, Elizabeth reached over and squeezed Charlotte's hand in response to Lady Catherine's comment. Charlotte smiled politely. "I have no prospects of yet," she said, and her gaze darted to Mr. Colllin's brother.

Despite Lady Catherine's protestations, Elizabeth, Charlotte, her father, and her sister left Rosings the next day. As the carriage was being packed, a groom came forward with the same small basket Colonel Fitzwilliam had held several days ago.

"Ma'am, I was told to present this to you before you left."

Elizabeth had nearly forgotten about the dog in the tumult of emotion from Jane's last letter. The dog peered up at her from the basket. She should leave it and let one of the grooms keep it. But something about the dog's small dark eyes touched her, and she took the basket with her into the carriage.

"We have a stowaway," Elizabeth said to her companions and opened the basket for her carriage mates to see once they began their journey. Maria Lucas was particularly pleased. She, Charlotte and Maria took turns holding it as it immediately fell asleep. It was passed from one lap to another over the course of the journey.

"This is very practical, you know. It's like having a live, warm water bottle," Maria said when the dog was tucked into her lap.

Elizabeth observed the small round shape the dog had curled into. Even though his nose was down, one eye remained open and watching her until the trundling of the carriage finally lulled him to sleep.

Despite the confines of the road, and her worries for her family, Elizabeth was relieved to leave Rosings. She found herself almost soothed sitting in the rocking carriage, the small warm dog in her lap, despite the fears that faced her in Hertfordshire. She considered Mr. Darcy's proposal. He said he was suffering due to his love for her, and begged her to end his torment. Could those times she caught Darcy looking at her with skepticism be because he really admired her? She had thought he was mocking her, but now she began to understand circumstances were not what she'd thought. She stroked the dog and watched miles pass by the carriage windows. That he would even propose to her as a widow was shocking. What else about him did she not know?

Jane's swollen eyes and thin cheeks suggested sleepless nights and worry when the carriage finally pulled up at Gracechurch Street in London several days later. She enveloped Elizabeth in a tight, warm embrace as soon as she had stepped out of the carriage.

"Oh, Lizzy," Jane's voice came muffled against her shoulder. "I am so pleased to see you."

"Jane," Elizabeth simply said, closing her eyes, her sorrows felt a hundred times lighter now that dear Jane was with her to share them.

"Who is this?" Jane asked after she greeted Sir William and Charlotte, eyeing the dog in Maria's arms.

"He is our stowaway," Maria said. "Sir Peanut!"

Jane laughed and reached to pet his scruff. "Sir Peanut? He has a title?"

Sir William drew himself up. "I tell you, this dog has an angel on high. He has escaped death and destitution several times over."

"How was he acquired?" Jane asked Maria.

Maria sat up. "He isn't my dog. He's Elizabeth's. Mr. Darcy saved him for her."

Jane's eyebrows rose and she looked at Elizabeth. "Mr. Darcy did?"

Elizabeth shook her head. "The dog was saved by Darcy because he likes dogs. Not for me."

"Lady Catherine's man was going to drown him!" Maria said.

"That's terrible," Jane said. "How fortunate that Mr. Darcy intervened."

Charlotte agreed. "Fortunate indeed."

Elizabeth said nothing and considered she still needed to tell Jane about Mr. Darcy's proposal.

"What news is there of Lydia?"

"Why don't you get changed and clean up first?" Jane told her she had instructed her maid to draw her warm bath.

Elizabeth wished to protest, but Jane placed her hand in Elizabeth's. "You'll feel better," Jane insisted. "The news can wait."

Half an hour later, Elizabeth sat in a wonderful bath of warm, sudsy water as Jane's maid poured water over her head and gently washed her hair. She was relieved to remove the layer of traveling dust she had acquired when someone knocked on the door.

"It is Jane–might I come in?"

"Of course." Elizabeth nodded and sat up, wiping the water from her eyes. It was past time for her to get out of the tub, but the warm water left her drowsy and her fingers wrinkled.

"Will you finally tell me what you know about Lydia?"

Jane leaned on a nearby stool. "We had callers last week," Jane said and bit her bottom lip. "I am not supposed to reveal their identities, but yes."

"Callers?"

Jane nodded and paused. "Mr. Darcy came because he had heard news of Wickham and a young lady, and somehow he found out it was Lydia. I was shocked, but he was very matter-of-fact. He knew the likely places to find Wickham here in London. He came with his cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam, and located Wickham–and Lydia–in a hotel near the river. He later told me Wickham had nearly tried to seduce his younger sister."

"He did?" Elizabeth was dumbstruck. "But how had he heard about Lydia?"

Jane frowned. "I'm not certain. But Mr. Darcy and the colonel were the ones who led the charge. They knew the kinds of places he'd take her. Perhaps through gossip among the soldiers?"

"Where is Lydia now?"

"She is on her way to Newcastle, along with her new husband, Mr. Wickham."

Elizabeth nearly stood up in shock. "They are married?" Elizabeth asked, and the water quivered around her. The maid held up a towel and she stood and stepped into it.

Jane's face eased into a smile. "Yes, they are. Uncle Gardiner, Darcy and the Colonel got Wickham to marry Lydia immediately. I stood up in church next to her. I'm not sure what they paid, but it must have been a handsome sum. More than father could have amassed. It is not a perfect solution, but they have made the best of a poor one. We are indebted to all of them, but particularly Mr. Darcy. And you thought he disliked us so!"

Elizabeth tried to make sense of the information. If it was true, they were indeed indebted to Mr. Darcy. But would he have helped her just after she rejected his proposal?

Elizabeth slipped on a robe and sat down on a nearby stool. "Jane, I must confess something to you."

Jane sat next to her. "Yes?"
"Mr. Darcy proposed to me at Hunsford. Well, he tried to. I rejected him and called him several names."

Jane's eyes grew wide. "Lizzy, no!"

Elizabeth nodded sheepishly. "I did not know of Wickham's true character then, and I accused him of denying him a livelihood and being arrogant and every other stubborn thing in the world. It was not a very romantic proposal. I should have been more civil, but so should have he. We ended with severe words."

Jane grasped her sister's hands in hers and she smiled slyly. "That explains his willingness to help us. Aunt Gardiner and I could not puzzle that out for our lives." Jane looked at her slyly. "Did he say he loved you?"

Elizabeth pulled her hands from Jane's and buried her face in them. "He did. Though he said he did so despite his better judgment!"

"Oh, Lizzy! No!"

"He said he could not pretend to rejoice in our family's inferiority. And I became so angry. I told him he was the last man on earth I'd ever marry."

"Lizzy, you didn't!"

Elizabeth nodded slowly. "I did. I thought he was the villain of Wickham's story. He was very clear about what he thought of our family. He was rude."

"But Maria said he saved the dog?"

"Yes," Elizabeth tried to explain herself but faltered. "I did not know that either then. I fear I may be such a fool."

Jane sat back and looked at her for a moment. "So, you were foolish. He was prideful. I think you are now even. Neither of you is perfect."

Elizabeth sighed. "Some things cannot be mended. I spoke very harshly to him." She did not tell her words were on account of Jane.

"Well, now we know the truth, I suppose. He did not deserve the censure you put upon him. Though he's perhaps not an effusive romantic, his deeds certainly tell of his character, do they not?"

Elizabeth met Jane's gaze. "He did save a dog." She sighed wearily. "But you are too generous. Have you heard any more from Mr. Bingley?"

Jane smiled again, though this time her smile did not reach her eyes. "No, but I am resolved and that is all quite behind me now. Our younger sisters will have to do all the marrying for us."

"That will please Mama. No, Jane. You shall marry, and it will be for love."

"How odd that Lydia should marry before either one of us."

Elizabeth gestured to her black dress that hung nearby. "You forget, I am married."

Jane's mouth curved up. "I did forget! You will marry again, Lizzy. And it shall be for love too."

"Jane, you are too kind. But we should proceed one spinster sister at a time, beginning with you."