Hey, guys sorry for the delay. I had my exams and then faced a writer's block for a few weeks but now I am back and though the updates are gonna be a little slow they are gonna be there. I hope you guys have fun reading this chapter and have a lot of little insights for me. Remember, reviews are precious ;)

Chapter VII - The Secret

- Meryton -

As Bennet woke up the next day and went through his morning routine he kept on thinking about the mad idea that had surfaced in his mind. Darcy was a rational man and selling him the idea of the advantages of marrying Elizabeth seemed a very farfetched notion, his mind said that Darcy would never agree to such an absurd proposal where as his heart said he could somehow convince Darcy.

During breakfast he subtly tried to gauge Elizabeth's perception of Darcy but he could not read her at all. She didn't say anything that gave him an idea about her feelings about the man that had sent his carriage for them yesterday.

As he walked out of the door and waited for Hill to bring his horse, he decided he will try to explain the reason for Elizabeth's presence in his home to his friend and then seeing his reaction would maybe further cautiously drop the seeds of this idea in his head, God knows an outright proposal would be rejected on stop,

Yes, a cautious approach would be best.

"Father, your horse is ready, treat him gently today he spent some time in the Oak farm yesterday", Mr. Hill said as he fed the old horse as a rotten apple.

Darcy's day yesterday had been eventful an one, an encounter with Collins combined with introduction to Father Bennet's never before mentioned niece had made him wary about his lunch meeting with his friend.

He was writing a letter to his only cousin Richard, who from his letter looked like had an even worse couple of days than him, when Mrs. Reynolds informed him about the arrival of Father Bennet,

"Well, how are you doing today my lad?" Father Bennet asked as he took a seat in Darcy's library his eyes cataloguing every new title in his collection,

"Just as I am about every other day overworked and frazzled by the heat" Darcy replied and then asked;

"So, how is your niece adjusting to her new home? Surely, she could not be thinking of living with you permanently?"

"No, we are not thinking of making this a permanent arrangement. I am thinking of finding her a husband as even I know that it is not socially acceptable for a young woman to permanently stay with her uncle who is a Catholic priest."

"Yes, we are all are bound by the nonsensical rules of society." Darcy sarcastically commented.

"No, need to be so caustic lad we are all blind when it comes to our loved ones." Father Bennet wearily replied.

"Yes, I know that better than most as you very well know." Darcy said remembering now his deceased father and his once best friend.

"Let's move to a different topic my friend this one is doing no wonders for our spirit." Father Bennet said in an attempt to move away from this grim discussion.

"As, you say Father" Darcy obediently replied eager to escape from the memories that plagued him even in his dreams.

"You were saying that you were searching for a suitor for your Miss. Elizabeth Father,

have you got another Mr. Collins in mind for her?" Darcy joked;

"Ahh, I know you find the presence of Mr. William Collins irritating but despite his questionable manners he is not truly a bad sort, we are not always responsible for how we behave in company as a large portion of responsibility rests on the hand of our parents as they are who nurture us and educate us." Father Bennet solemnly answered and then nervously continued finally finding the mental strength to discuss the topic that had brought him to his friend's home today;

"I have come to discuss a confidential matter with you today my friend and your perception about me may change entirely after this discussion but still I must try to be honest with you as you have always endured to do with me. I am a flawed man my dear boy with one regrettable mistake that makes me unworthy of my vow.

I was a young lad then much younger than you and had endeavoured to stay away from all worldly charms and devote my life to God but like all young men I was not immune to the call of lust and found myself in a romantic entanglement with a native girl, my Elizabeth's mother. I swear I was not deliberately negligent and didn't know of her existence until last week but my mistakes have cost her dearly and my daughter suffers for my wretched mistakes today." Bennet looked at Darcy who looked dazed and wished he would say something. There was complete silence for some time making minutes seem like hours and then Darcy finally opened his mouth and said;

"Are you sure she is your daughter? It…'s not something that you have been duped in to believing?"

"I could not be more sure if I tried Darcy. I know you think very highly of me and I acknowledge I have disappointed you but understand, I am human and not immune to mistakes." Father Bennet answered in a shaky voice.

"It's not enough to say this is a shock Father, you are the one of the few people in my life whose integrity I never doubted but I need time to take all this in and come to my own conclusions."

"I understand that Darcy, but it would be a great favour to me if you came home for dinner with me you see Hilll knows our tradition and Mrs. Hill might have already prepared your favourites for dinner."

"I never want to disappoint Mrs. Hill." Darcy saying this gave a half-smile,

"There is more to this story Darcy which I have not yet told you as Elizabeth reserves the right to decide what should be told to you but I need to beg one favour from you my friend"

"What is it? You know even after this, I will never deny anything that is in within my hands to you"

"I need you to be kind to Elizabeth. She has suffered enough for a lifetime and the blame for most of it rests on me, just talk to her she needs a friend right now who will be willing to listen to her."

"Does she know what you have told me?" Darcy asked,

"No, but I can't do that alone as I am the only man she trusts right now and though she may appear strong she is very fragile, so try to be her friend tonight Darcy as you well know we often discuss things with our friends that we would rather not with our parents."

"I will certainly try my best" Darcy replied,

As Elizabeth went to dress herself in her half decent green frock, she could not help but worry about the suspicious eyes of one Mr. William Darcy. Try as she did her thoughts kept on sneaking on the profile of the tall gentleman.

When she finally descended downstairs, she was happy to observe that he had not arrived yet.

When, Father Bennet called her for a game of chess while they waited for him she, first declined as though she had admired Charlotte's father's chess set as a child she was truly an abysmal player due to lack of opportunity and didn't want to embarrass herself,

But when he softly said,

"No one's going to tease you if you lose Lizzie"

She found herself silently agreeing to the match and started assembling the pieces forgetting for a second where to place the rook and where to place the knight.

"I chose Black. For I believe my dear men carry a little more blackness in their hearts than their counterparts."

Elizabeth liked this about Father Bennet. He was mostly a silent companion except when he wanted to tell her something clever, Elizabeth thought in this manner they were similar both having a weakness to prove the other how clever they could be with their words but something told me this was not the case today and he was genuinely worried about something.

The game continued for the better part of an hour than concluded with her defeat. She lost the match as she predicted she would but it didn't diminish her joy she found from the game even a little.

They had just started a second game when one Mr. William Darcy walked in and said,

"Are you replacing me as your partner Father?"