"Miss de Bourgh, how lovely to see you this fine afternoon!" Elizabeth sunk further into the tree she had hidden in, eager to hide from the gentleman below. The girls had all been playing hide and go seek in the gardens, and so far she and Georgiana were the only two who hadn't been found.

"Mr. Wickham, I'm afraid you catch me in the middle of a game of hide and go seek with my sister and youngest cousin." Anne spoke kindly, but Elizabeth could hear the unease in her voice. "You can see the Miss Bingleys have already been discovered." She spoke, motioning to the terrace overlooking the garden where the two ladies stood watching them.

"Well, I shall help you find them then, perhaps we should go check the gardener's shed." He spoke offering her his arm.

"The shed is out of bounds, Beth would never hide there." Anne spoke, refusing to the man's arm.

"She would if she knew you would never look there." He spoke, "Please allow me to escort you there." His urging was enough to be Elizabeth uncomfortable for her sister.

Having had enough, she broke a small stick off the tree and threw it as hard as she could at the man, hitting him square in the shoulders, cursing her rotten aim, for she had been aiming for his head.

"There you are Beth, I found you!" Anne cried in delight, having seen the movement, and made her way over to the tree as Elizabeth started to climb down. She was surprised when she felt large hands close around her waist, and she was gently pulled away from the tree and set on her feet.

"You know, trees are really no place for a young lady." Her sisters snobby cousin spoke, as she turned to thank him for his unneeded assistance. She would never think of him as her cousin, as she didn't want to be tied to such a proud, stuck up man, who always found fault with her.

She still stewed over his look of disgust when he happened upon her and her papa discussing farming, the man explaining crop rotation. He'd even had the nerve to question the man, saying it was the husband's job to know such things. Her Papa had tried to tell her, that his nephew was just impressed that she wished to know, and didn't express himself well, but she knew he was only saying that because he loved his nephew and wanted her to think well of him too. For this reason she resolved to do her best, but many times found herself faltering.

"I don't see why not, it's not as if I wore my best gown, and my Mama knew where I was." She motioned to where her mother was watching from one of the parlor windows. "I didn't climb high, so as not to be badly hurt if I fell." An agreement she had made with her mother when she first caught her climbing, "and am a very adept climber."

"It just isn't done for a lady to climb trees, I know I would not like my sister doing so." There was a slight gasp from up in the tree, and they both looked up in time to see Georgiana's face fall.

"Oh Ana, don't cry, as I said, there is nothing wrong with climbing trees, your brother is just being a pigheaded bore." She spoke as she reached up to help the girl down from the tree, "Congratulations! You are our winner, you were the last one Anne found." She spoke with a smile, and comforting tone.

"Perhaps I was wrong," Master Darcy spoke as he pulled his sister into his arms, "You did not climb so very high, but just enough to earn your triumph!" He wiped his sister's eyes, and Elizabeth felt her heart thaw towards him just a bit, seeing how he cared for the little girl.

Being with Georgiana made her miss her own younger sisters, and helped to ease the pain of their absence just a bit. She knew they all thought her dead, as their father refused to let them know the truth for fear it would get back to their mother. Fortunately Jane had been told the truth, as she would be able to keep the secret, and had been allowed to write her since her adoption was made final.

The Rosings ladies always eagerly anticipated her letters, as they would also contain one from Charlotte Lucas. Caroline had fallen in love with the moniker Eliza when she heard Charlotte use it, and had started calling her it as well. Caroline had also decided that since Anne got to have a once Bennet sister for a sister, she would claim Jane as her own. She already had the wedding between Jane and her brother all planned, but Elizabeth told them at keep said plans to herself, as she didn't want her shy sister to be made to feel uncomfortable.

"Yes, and now it is time for your prize!" Elizabeth held her hand out to the little girl, ready to lead her back to the terrace. "As winner, it is your turn to decide which accomplishments we work on today."

"Can we...would you show me how to embroider?" Her papa had bought her a gown for her to give to her mother for her birthday coming up, and Elizabeth had been working on adding some embroidery to it. She had always gifted her sisters and other mother with an embroidered ribbon or handkerchief for their birthdays, as she didn't have a lot of money to buy them gifts, so took painstaking and wanted to do something special for her Mama. Georgiana had seen it, and fallen in love with the idea, and took every opportunity to watch her work.

"Of course we can, perhaps your brother and his friend would also like to learn." She asked the two gentlemen with a playful smile.

"If Miss de Bourgh wouldn't mind taking the time to teach me, I would happily learn." Elizabeth saw the disgusted look Master Darcy shot Mr. Wickham, and her ire rose at the man who dared this her sister not worrying of the charming young gentleman's attention.

Mr. Wickham had been very attentive to her sister, and while the ladies all knew nothing could come of it for he was just a steward's son, they didn't see the harm in allowing her to enjoy his flattery. He was trusted by her uncle, and she had a hard time believing he would allow someone lacking in morals around his young and impressionable daughter, let alone a house full of young ladies. Besides, how could someone so handsome and charming be anything but a good man.


"Do you have a moment sir?" Lewis looked up at the voice, surprised that no one had come to him about the young man wanting his attention, wondering where his footman was, knowing it was likely that Cathy or one of the girls needed help with something and pulled him away as had been known to happen.

"Of course, have a seat." He spoke, motioning to the chairs across the desk from him. "Now, what can I do for you?"

The young man seemed nervous as he fidgeted in his seat, but finally opened his mouth. "I have gotten the impression that you and your wife don't care for me or my suit if Miss Bingley much." Mr. Hurst finally spoke. "Now normally I would not need your approval, as you are not her father, but I've seen the way you and your wife care for her, and how she cares for you."

Sitting back, he studies the man before him. He had been a guest of his house for almost a week now, and in that time had cemented himself as a lazy drunkard. It was especially pronounced in a house full of active young people.

"You are right, I do not care for your suit of Louisa, but only because I believe she deserves better. She deserves a husband who will take an interest in her and their family. Who will protect her from the venom of the Ton, as well as her father who only sees her as a pawn to further his own agenda. She deserves someone who takes pride in his home, and works to see that it is functioning at the best it can. But most of all, she deserves a man who loves her enough to be all those things and more." With that, he turned back to his ledgers, officially dismissing the young man.


"Ah, Miss de Bourgh, how pleasant to run into." Anne looked up from her book, and fought the urge to roll her eyes. Could it really be considered "running into some one" when you show up every time they appear to be alone.

"Mr Wickham, what a surprise, shall I ring for tea?" Glancing around, she was pleased to see a footman take up residence inside the room with her, rather than in the hall.

"Do not trouble yourself, I would be happy with just your company. I have found more to delight in here at Rosings than I ever thought imaginable." He was ever so charming, but Anne, even as sheltered as she was until quite recently, knew better that to fall victim to it.

"Yes, Rosings has many charms if I do say so myself, but, then, I am also biased." She said with a smile, for she did truly delight in her home.

"And it's greatest charms are right here in this room." She fought down her blush, not wanting to encourage the man she had heard her parents call a practiced seducer. "I must say, I have never enjoyed my time so much as I have enjoyed the time I have had with you. If I thought myself worthy of you, I would ask you to marry me this moment."

"But that is the crux of the issue, our stations are such that any union between us would be impossible. My parents would never permit it, and I would never be able to go against them." She hoped he would take this as the discouragement she meant it to be, for the thought of disappointing him, or creating a confrontation with him did not sit well with her.

"No, and I would never want to do anything to put you at odds with your parents." He said it so charmingly she almost believed him. "Perhaps we should just make the most of the time we have." It was said in such a way, that she couldn't help but feel uncomfortable.

"I'm sorry Mr. Wickham, but all things considered, I am in no way able to return your feelings." She said as she stood, and brushed quickly by him and out the door.