I don't own Pride and Prejudice.
"How much is it going to cost me this time?" Elizabeth couldn't help but laugh at her husband as she entered his study, a list of items needing his approval in hand.
"I assure you I have already vetoed the overly extravagant ideas, you will not have to be the bad guy this time." Kitty and Georgiana were enjoying themselves planning the party for the tenant and servant families. However they had on more than one occasion gotten carried away with themselves. One such idea was having a twenty foot tall tree in the entry way. Elizabeth had been quick to remind them that as the party was for the servants, it would be unfair to have them do so much work preparing for it.
They were quick to decide after that that the decorations that were already out would be more than enough. Most of the ladies in attendance had been eager to agree to help the cook in the kitchen to prepare. Elizabeth made sure to inform the woman that she was in charge and to delegate the work as she saw fit. Apparently, so for they were only fit to decorate the cookies, though, looking at the outcome of that she could see why. However, the woman seemed to enjoy their company, praising the youngest girls when they showed off one they thought they had done well. Even her young cousins, and Regina's children were eager to help as well. What's more, Maria showed a bit more of her old self during the decorating sessions. Fore there was more than one, as the ladies couldn't keep from sneaking a bite every now and then.
"You must not have gotten them all if you've come prepared with a bribe." He chuckled, eyeing the plate of cookies in her hand. It hadn't taken her long to realize that the stern master of Pemberly had a rather large sweet tooth.
"Who said they were for you?" She asked, ready to saunter past him, only to be grabbed around the waist and pulled into his lap.
"Perhaps I shall just hold you hostage then, until you relinquish the cookies." She couldn't help but laugh at his so rarely seen playful nature coming out.
"I'll save you Lizzy!" Six year old Ethan Gardiner shouted from the slightly opened door way, giving Elizabeth just enough time to put the cookies down before the child took her hands and tried to pull her away from the laughing gentleman.
"She is mine, you shall never take her." Fitzwilliam growled playfully as the child grabbed his hands, trying to pry them apart.
When the arms opened just enough to slip through them she did. Only to hear a squeal of laughter, "Lizzy help me!" She turned to see her young cousin slung up over her husband's shoulder, laughing as he bounced him slightly.
The giggle in the doorway alerted her to the fact that her cousin had not escaped the nursery alone. Peeking in the doorway was Martin and Regina's oldest son James, named for his grandfather. "What say you Master Darcy, should we help young Mr Gardiner?" At the child's eager nod, she picked him up and whispered loudly in his ear. "I have encountered this kind of creature before, we must tickle him if we want to defeat him." She held her hands out to the child to pick him up, and he went willingly into her arms, eager to begin the tickle assault.
She held him so that he could tickle the man, and laughed as Fitzwilliam dramatically sunk to his knees. Gently placing her cousin on his feet, he flopped onto his back, the two small boys climbing all over him, tickling him while he returned the assault with tickles of his own. The laughter coming from the four of them was so loud, she was sure all of Pemberly heard it.
"So who's winning?" Came Regina's voice, ringing with her own laughter.
"We are Mama, Ethan saved Mrs Lizzy, and I saved Ethan." Little James exclaimed as he ran to his mother, eager to tell her his heroic tale.
"You did?! How very brave of both of you. Perhaps we should see if cook has some biscuits for your daring knights, before I return you to the nursery." Balancing her son on her hip, she reached for Ethan's hand before leading the two children from Darcy's study.
It was then that Elizabeth noticed Andrew Darcy waiting in the doorway, and stood, tucking a few escaped curls behind her ear, "I will give you two some privacy."
"Please Mrs Darcy, Elizabeth, I would like you to stay." Andrew quickly assured her, before entering her husband's study and closing the door behind himself. "I am hoping you could give me some advice on a matter regarding your friend."
"Would you like me to ring for tea?" She asked, moving toward the door.
"I do not find it necessary, but do not deprive yourself." Andrew said, and she move back to take a seat in the chair across from her husband's desk, Andrew sitting in the identical one next to it. "My mother has appraised me of the situation with the Miss Lucases a few days ago when you all arrived. I find myself wanting to help."
"Even if she hadn't told me, I would have recognized the signs on Miss Maria myself. Sadly, Fitz and I have seen them more often than we would like on maid who have been taken advantage of by masters or other gentlemen who feel entitled to do as they please." Andrew went on.
"Some of them hurt by people once held dear to us." The way her husband spoke, made her wonder if he was talking about Mr Wickham.
"As people may have told you, I am not a fan of going out in the Ton. I find it exhausting to interact with insipid young ladies, who are only after me for my money and connections. Now that Fitz is off the market, I expect it is going to be even worse. Therefore I was hopeful when my mother informed me there was an unattended, intelligent young woman in your party."
"With this in mind, I have spent the last few days getting to know Miss Lucas, and believe my chances at happiness with her are as good if not better than with any debutante of the ton. What I would like to know is if you thought she would be open to the possibility of marrying me. I know she has little in the way of dowry and connections, however we Darcys have more than enough of both." She saw her husband open his mouth, but Andrew held up a hand to stall his response, "Nor would I expect you to provide for them anymore than you already have. They are neither your sisters, nor your responsibility. It is high time you learn to share the weight of the world you feel the need to bear."
Though his views on married were just as pragmatic as her friends were, she had hope that he would make an ideal partner for her friend. That the two could find love much like she herself thought she was.
"I can not speak for Charlotte, as she knows her own mind. However, I know my friend to be of a pragmatic nature, and is driven to do what she can to protect her sister." She then looked across at her husband and felt compelled to continue, "I've seen myself how two people who know very little of each other, can make a happy marriage."
"As for her father, he is not a bad man, just easily led by his wife." She continued, though both men looked ready to argue. "I am sure he would sign over guardianship of Maria out if concern for her, and not just to be rid of the hassle of raising her."
"There is the issue of the marriage agreement between her and Mr Collins." Charlotte had informed her that her father and Mr Collins had signed the marriage contract before the man attacked Maria, and that he and Lady Lucas were wanting to just swap one daughter for the other.
"Certainly his attack against Maria could be considered a breach of that contract." She looked to her husband as she spoke.
"And it would also open the door for her parents to force Maria to marry him. As it stands now, we have no grounds to keep them here, should their parents come for them. That is one of the reasons we have all been trying to come up with a plan to find some way to protect them." Her heart fell at Fitzwilliam's explanation.
"Who is this we you just spoke of?" Andrew said.
"Your mother and I discussed it privately at an inn when we stopped to change horses. I am sure she has discussed it with your father, just as I have Elizabeth." Fitzwilliam supplied.
"Your Aunt Catherine also knows, and is working to find a way to strip him of the living she granted him." Elizabeth added, and her husband was not able to mask his shock in time.
"It would appear we have many working on it, but no one knows what every person is doing. Perhaps we should discuss it with everyone, including Miss Lucas." Andrew spoke up, "However, I would like to discuss the possibility of marriage before we do."