Elizabeth was walking at a fast pace to Oakham Mount. She didn't have anywhere to be, wasn't meeting anyone either, but the cold wind hitting her face and the burn in her lower muscles helped her calm down.

Financially, Longbourn had never seen a better day, the coffers were full, the accounts balanced and the numbers higher than ever. Elizabeth was proud of herself and of her sisters for helping around the estate and with the tenants, but she knew her new correspondant was also responsible for this, he always gave her sound advices and taught her from his own experiences what to avoid.

Kitty was also doing great. She had detached herself from Lydia's shadow and was becoming an incredible young woman with a penchant for creative arts like no one else in the Bennet family. She would paint and draw the most beautiful landscapes and portraits. Everyone wished to be gifted one of her paintings now and she filled her day with work, estate matters and her friends. She had never looked happier and her manners showed it in a more obvious way than Jane or herself, but it was still perfectly acceptable. Their mother said she smiled too much and too wide, but her father had stopped mocking her.

Mary had opened up to their offer to learn something else than philosophy and religion, and though she did not find Lizzy's books to her tastes as fiction bored her to death, she had grown to love sciences. Her mother hated it when she caught Mary writing down equations or reading the biology section of her father's journal. She even found to criticise in her daughter's physical changes, either she was getting too fat or too brown, none of which were true. Mary looked healthy and prettier than she used too. She still kept to wearing darker colours and simple dresses, her spectacles adding to the austere look, but her clear eyes were now bright with knowledge and curiosity, and her features as a whole, though still sharp, had softened now that she didn't feel stressed out by the need to become marriageable.

Only Lydia stubbornly remained true to herself. She had almost torn the house down at the news of Mr Whickham's arrestation. Apparently, he had talked her into eloping, and had the debtors prison's agents acted a week later, their family would have been in quite a distressful situation. Lydia's behaviour was mortifying and she was grounded for weeks after some colourful words came out of her mouth and she proudly announced she had even been kissed by the rake. Elizabeth was almost losing patience, but for the sake of her youngest sister she held on.

Unfortunately, what is bred in the bones comes out in the flesh. Her father's nature came back strongly and now he couldn't be bothered to move a finger. In his library, doors locked and hiding for hours and hours, he stopped pulling his weight in the effort of changing their family. Not that he had done much to begin with, but now he redirected every single thing to Elizabeth. Her mother's complains increased in loudness and viciousness alike, and she had to bear the brunt of it. Her sisters tried to help her out of this situation, but nothing pulled her mother's focus away from her least loved daughter.

Her only source of comfort came in the form of letters. They were filled with humour and warmth, they comforted her and advised her, every word was precious. She didn't like to think about the time they would stop, because surely this exchange wouldn't be proper when one of them got married. Elizabeth shuddered at the thought. She didn't hate Mr Darcy anymore, far from it. He was her best friend and she felt guilt over her former behaviour at times. Not that he hadn't deserved any part of it, but there was so much more to the man than what met the eye. She didn't want to lose his friendship ever. Sometimes, when she allowed herself to think about it, which she rarely did, she felt an ache at the thought that that man, that handsome, nice, funny and smart man had loved her at one time. Loved her enough to propose. Something that would never happen again.

Elizabeth picked up her skirt and started running to clear her head. This was ridiculous and she ought to stop thinking about it. The cold wind blew every thought from her mind and she just enjoyed the burning in her lungs as she exhausted herself.

Later that day, they were all gathered for lunch. Her father had taken his faithful book with him to the table and ignored his wife's screeching. Jane was listening to an animated Kitty who related the latest painting she had been commissioned. The pay was meagre but it was more than three months of pin money. Mary engaged Lizzy in a discussion about the garden and what plants she would like to grow, having lately taken an interest in medicinal studies.

Afterward, Mrs Bennet and Lydia took off for Meryton, hungry for Mrs Phillips' gossip. Elizabeth took the opportunity to calmly go through her correspondance. And sure enough she had a letter from Darcy.

It was short, well as short as possible for the man who had a wonderful way with words. He told her about his sister, the town and his rekindled friendship with a duke who, shockingly, had married a working class woman. Elizabeth avidly read about the duke's story, and reread the whole letter twice to have it make sense. She knew she had been wrong about Mr Darcy. The man was honorable and fair, but she hadn't been wrong about his pride, and though it seemed much better checked now, it was still here and she had a hard time reconciling both notions. She quickly wrote back a response and added a small watercolour Kitty had made earlier that week as a gift to Georgiana. Of course Miss Darcy probably wouldn't know it was from her, as it would be quite improper, but Elizabeth was sure she would be delighted by the beautiful picture.

She happily went over the rest of her paperwork and hurried herself in everything that was to do. That's how Mr Hill found her when he came to announce a newcomer.

"Where is my father ?" She smiled sadly at the faithful butler who knew the ins and outs of her weird family by heart.

"Busy," he answered diplomatically, a soft smile of his own on his face. "He asked that you take care of the guest yourself."

"Well..." Lizzy sighed in annoyance and closed the journal she had been writing in. "Please, have our guest wait in the parlour."

"Miss Jane has already taken care of receiving him when she heard your father order me to call you."

God bless her sister who always has her back.

"Oh, great. Then why did you come to fetch me ? Everything seems under control."

"It is a gentleman," he answered awkwardly.

Elizabeth raised her eyebrows and walked out of her office. She quickly made her way down the hall and into her the parlour where she stopped in her track, shocked by the sight in front of her.

Mr Bingley was on his knees in front of Jane. He was just as she remembered him : handsome and well dressed, his face and aura everything friendly, he radiated warmth. However he held himself differently, it was in the set of his jaw, the determination in his eyes and his straight shoulders. This was a man.

"I beg of you to pull me out of the hellfire I've been living in since I left your side, by tying yourself to me forever," he proposed ardently, and even his voice sounded firmer than it used to.

None of them had noticed her and Elizabeth, because of the intimacy of the scene, couldn't make her presence known, however she couldn't leave them alone either, so she just stood and waited for them to notice her.

"No," Jane answered, her voice as firm as his own.

Elizabeth wasn't surprised. Her sister had grown too in those many months, she was still everything kind and gentle, but she had her heart broken for the first time and it had built her defences like nothing had ever done. She would never let herself be humiliated again.

"Jane..." Bingley pleaded in a broken voice and Lizzy heard his love in that one word. She ached for him but he didn't deserve her sister, not yet. Jane looked down at him with a pained face.

"You left."

"You could never fathom how sorry I am," he said grabbing her small hands in his.

"Me too," Jane looked down at their entwined hands. "But it is done. I cannot take that chance and have you grow bored again. What if you leave me during our engagement ? The ridicule and humiliation-"

"I will never," he promised hotly. "We will marry right away."

"And what if you get bored after we marry ?" Jane retorted trying to break out of his hold.

"It cannot be. I love you Jane. Like I have never loved anyone, like I never will. You are the only one for me," he declared gently stroking the hands he grabbed onto desperately.

Jane only shook her head and Lizzy saw she was fighting back tears.

"Marry me," he begged again. "I swear I'll make you the happiest woman."

"You can't," Jane whispered looking away. "Go Mr Bingley. Don't worry your disappointment will soon be erased by the pleasure of meeting your new angel." She finished in a sad, resigned voice.

"I won't give up," he promised getting up and bringing Jane's hands to his mouth. As he kissed the skin, both closed their eyes and their expressions almost brought tears to Elizabeth's eyes. "Until tomorrow," he said as he let go.

In his hasty exit, he didn't even notice Lizzy standing by the door. She stood there and waited for her sister to move after the man's departure, but she didn't. Lizzy slowly made her way to Jane and took her into her arms, allowing her to break down in her secure embrace.

Lizzy had told Jane everything about Bingley's departure and the roles his sisters and friend had played in their separation. Jane had assured her it was for the best, as a man so fleeting and unreliable could never make her happy. However her heart didn't quite yet agree with her mind.

The only comfort was that their mother had been away.