"I wish I could go to the ball." Thirteen year old Georgiana pouted as she watched the ladies preparing for the ball that evening. She had been invited by her aunt to participate in the activities of preparing for the coming out ball for Caroline and Elizabeth, and Fitzwilliam had personally escorted her to her aunt and uncle's town house.

"Please do not be so eager to grow up dearest." Elizabeth spoke as she cupped the girl's cheek, "Some of my best memories are of watching Mama's parties from the stairs, and dreaming of what awaited me when I was old enough to partake." She smiled at the girl as her maid continued the work of arranging her dark curls, using extra pins to make sure none escaped. She had allowed Georgiana to pick her ball gown, since the girl could not attend the ball. Georgiana had picked a lovely light green gown that made her dark green eyes stand out even more.

"I couldn't agree more, my but we came up with such lavish ideas." Caroline grinned, trying to hold as still as possible while her maid carefully secured the little white flowers in her red hair. Her light blue dress made her blue eyes sparkle, creating a very lovely picture. "I remember how we always said we would marry brothers so that we could be sisters." Caroline gave a little laugh.

"No! Beth must marry Fitzwilliam so that we may be sisters." Poor Georgiana looked stricken, "I have told him to be on his best behavior, so that you may see he is not so bad as he has appeared in the past."

She had always tried to hide her dislike of the girl's brother when she was around, but apparently Georgiana had picked up on it. "I am sure he will be on his best behavior, for who would want to disappoint you?"

"Please say you will give him a chance, for he is the best of brothers." She hid a smile, not wanting to disappoint the girl by saying that touting his skills as a brother may not have the desired affect the girl hoped for.

"He will fall madly in love with you, I just know he will! You are by far the prettiest lady I have ever met." Georgiana gushed, before looking horrified at Caroline, "Oh, I'm sorry, I meant no offense..."

"I assure you, none was taken my dear. One can hardly compete with our Beth, what with her luscious dark curls and bright green eyes. Especially not someone with red hair as I have." Caroline tried to lighten the mood.

"Oh no! Your hair is one of the things I love most about you! It makes your blue eyes look so very blue." Georgiana was quick to gush.

"Thank you my dear, were you not so sincere in your praise, I would think you were just saying things to make me feel better." Caroline smiled as she embraced the girl to show there were no hard feelings.

"Now Georgiana, dear, we must have a talk." She waited for Georgiana to sit down on the bed again, obviously afraid she was about to be reprimanded. "I know we have discussed this before, how marriage is a lot more than a man marrying the prettiest woman he can find. After all, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. To you I may be the prettiest girl you know, but to your brother I may be merely tolerable. He could prefer redheads," she saw the girl shoot Caroline an excited look, "or he may prefer blondes. He may want a more demure lady and find me and Caroline too impertinent for his taste. Or he could find he does prefer one of us, but we do not prefer him. Either way, he will never marry a woman who would be cruel to you, for he loves you too much for that." She knew she had read the girls fears correctly when she saw her relax a bit.


"Miss de Bourgh, I must say you look very well tonight." She turned when she heard Mr. Darcy's voice.

"Is that to say I do not look well any other time?" She asked with a raised eyebrow, and was rewarded with her father's laughter coming from her side.

"Of course...that is to say..." The man started stuttering, and it was easy to see that extreme shyness was a trait shared by both brother and sister. Seeing this, she was reminded of her promise to Georgiana to give the man a chance. After all, it had been years since she had really interacted with him. He had not returned to Rosings after his father passed, and even before, as the man had been too ill. Georgiana always spoke of how busy he was trying to be a good master and brother, that eventually it had tempered down some of her dislike of him, knowing that someone who strived to take that level of care of those dependent on them couldn't be all bad.

"I apologize Mr. Darcy, I was only teasing you. I appreciate your compliment, and am sorry for making you uncomfortable." She was pleased to see him relax, "Perhaps you could introduce us to your friend." She spoke, seeing the man unable to take his eyes off Caroline.

"Pardon me, this is my friend and neighbor, Mr. Andrews of Sydeg Hall. His estate is but forty miles from my own." She remembered learning about Sydeg hall when her father was helping Georgiana to learn about the estates neighboring her own this past year. She knew the estate had an income of roughly six thousand a year, and that Mr. Andrews' father still lived and managed it well. Should her friend set her cap at Mr. Andrews, who also happened to have the type of looks that most attracted Caroline, she would at least be well supported.

"Andrews, this is my uncle Sir Lewis de Bourgh, his wife Lady Catherine de Bourgh, their daughter Miss Elizabeth de Bourgh, and her friend Miss Caroline Bingley." He finished the introductions.

"It is a pleasure to meet you all, and Miss Bingley, if you are not otherwise engaged, might I claim a dance from you?" Mr Andrews spoke.

"I thank you, and am not engaged." Caroline answered as she handed her dance card over to the gentleman.

"Miss de Bourgh, might I claim a dance from you?" Mr Darcy spoke, and she handed her card over to him. "Oh, but it would seem I already have." Handing over the card to her, she saw his name written in the slot for the supper set.

"It would seem your sister anticipated you sir." She said with an indulgent grin, hoping he would be offended.

"I must thank her for it later, and remind her that I am perfectly capable of finding dance partners." They did not get much of a chance to talk after this, as it was time for the dancing to begin and her father claimed her for her first set.

While she didn't sit out a dance in the first part of the ball, so was looking forward to supper, just for the sheer fact of being able to sit down, and rest her poor feet. She was pleasantly surprised by how much she enjoyed her dance with Mr Darcy.

At first it was difficult getting him to speak, which she now attributed to his shyness, but after a little teasing he relaxed. They spoke of crop rotation of all things, him saying he remembered her father teaching her about it, and asking if she had continued the study. She was impressed with how he would listen to her ideas, and more than once noticed he try to argue a side he did not agree with for the sake of conversation.

It was most enjoyable to be treated as an equal, and she found the gentleman rising in her esteem.


"I believe the next dance is mine." She looked up at the gentleman's voice and was surprised to see Mr Wickham standing before her.

He was another one whom she hadn't seen since old Mr Darcy died. Anne had found letters from the man left in her room, and had always been quick to take them to her father, not wanting anything untoward to fall back on her. Their father had instantly launched an investigation, and by the fourth or fifth letter and found the maid helping the scoundrel. The girl turned out to be one of the maids he had seduced during his last trip, and had convinced her to deliver the notes, saying that they could be together if he married Anne and moved to Rosings. The girl was sacked without reference, for while her father was a fair and compassionate master, he did not tolerate anyone potentially harming his daughters.

"I do not recall you requesting a dance Mr Wickham." She said with cold tone of voice, angry with the man for trifling with her sister. Never mind the fact that her parents would have never invited him to their ball.

"I had a friend who owe me a favor. He wrote my name on your card for me as I knew your parents would never approve." He gave her a charming smile, but this time she would not be fooled. Her parents had warned her and the other girls what he was capable, and seeing his disregard of Anne's reputation while slipping her letters was enough for Elizabeth to believe the truth in what her parents spoke.

"And what of me sir, what if I do not approve?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Well, I guess you do always have the option to sit out the rest of the night." He spoke with a smirk.

"There are but two sets left after this one, I'm sure my partners would understand, and my parents would approve should I choose to do so." She turned to walk away, and his manner changed instantly.

Seeing people starting to watch them she decided the best course of action was to allow him to lead her out to the dance floor. It would have been awkward to explain to her partners why she could no longer dance with them. And had the potential to create a scandal, at least more so than one dance with one man mostly unknown to the Ton.

"Please Miss Elizabeth, I only meant to inquire after your sister." He had perfected a heartbroken mien. "I fear our time spent together during our visit meant more to me than it did to her."

"Considering she looked on you as nothing more than an acquaintance, I am sorry to say you would be correct." She saw his surprise before he schooled his features again, and knew he did not truly regret the loss of her sister as a person, through she did not doubt he regretted the loss of her money and inheritance.

"Well, I am sorry to hear that, I was half in love with her, you know." He appeared heart broken again, but now she saw the act for what it was.

"Fortunately for you, you've had some years to recover from your heartbreak." She said as a way of ending the conversation.

The two danced in silence for a few minutes before something else occurred to her. "You never did tell me how you managed to acquire an invitation to this ball, I do not recall you being on the guest list."

"Come now Miss de Bourgh, you can not expect me to reveal all my secrets." He tried to give a playful grin, but she did not soften to him.

Fortunately, the dance ended, and she walked away from him, without a backwards glance. By the time she reached her father, two footmen were escorting him out.