Chapter 8:

The morning was uneventful. Mr. Darcy broke his fast earlier than usual and went to his study to attend to his letters. He had a few things to discuss with his steward and he purposely kept himself busy until luncheon. He knew Miss Elizabeth had left, not because he had seen her, but rather because he heard Georgiana sniffling as she said goodbye and heard the carriage leave at eight o clock promptly. He had offered for the carriage to take her all the way back to Longbourn but she had decided last minute to go to London, to visit her sister.

Mr. Darcy checked his pocket watch and seeing it was five o' clock, put his pen away, locked up the remainder of his letters, drank the last of his port, and went to go see the ladies in the drawing room.

Anne was sitting by the window, embroidering, when Mr. Darcy walked in. She looked up and smiled and motioned for him to sit next to her. He looked around, searching for Georgiana.

"She went to rest, I am afraid she has felt our guest's departure most acutely" said Anne, putting down her needle and embroidery. Anne had never sounded so confident nor so eloquent and though she had stuttered in her head when saying it, she managed to speak slowly and sound as elegant as she had always wanted.

"Fitzwilliam, I am sorry I wrote to mama" she added, after a moment's silence. It seemed they all felt the absence of their guest most acutely.

"No" said Mr. Darcy, taking a cup of tea from the table in between them, "It is of no matter. I am sorry Anne, for so, so much..." he said, looking at her directly. He took a sip from his cup and put it down. "I thought Lady Catherine had told you that our marriage was formal and more a business contract than anything else. We never spoke much, not even before getting married, and it was actually Richard who convinced me that giving in to Aunt Catherine would be good for you."

"I had no idea" whispered Anne, feeling her eyes swelling with tears. "I've always loved Richard..."

"Yes...me too" said Fitzwilliam with a chuckle. Their cousin had a way with words and love, that everyone seemed to feel close to him and he, with them. Mr. Darcy took a deep breath and continued, "You now know that I had proposed to Miss Elizabeth at Rosings, the irony" he added with a chuckle, "I was devastated with her refusal and even more so when I found out many months later that her family was ruined. I could never ask for her hand again, in part because of Georgiana's future, but in part because I did not think she cared for me..."

"I knew at that moment that my heart would forever be hers and there would be no point in trying to find another wife. It was Richard who suggested that we marry. He knew you barely had freedoms at Rosings and though I do love your mama as my aunt, she can be very controlling" he said with a knowing smile.

"Yes" said Anne, smiling.

"I never meant to deceive you. I thought Aunt Catherine had explained. Our agreement was that I would give you all the honor and safety befitting Mrs. Darcy and that Pemeberly would pass on to Georgiana, for we were not to have any children. Yes, your dowry would add to my wealth, but I did not marry you for that. I merely felt I would be giving you a chance at another life..."

"I never asked you what you wanted, no one did, and perhaps, Anne" he said, now reaching for hand, "I am a bit late but I would like to ask you, what do you want?" Mr. Darcy did not mean to be romantic, he merely wanted to speak honestly with the woman that he had now accepted he would spend his life with. She deserved honesty and perhaps, to whatever extent, they could find happiness together.

"Oh Fitzwilliam" said Anne, blushing as he held her hand, "I never thought I would marry...I never thought I would live that long" she added, removing her hand to cover her cough, "I know there is a danger in having a child and I know that I may never recover from that. I am not sure what the future will bring but perhaps, we could start of as friends?"

"That sounds nice" said Mr. Darcy, giving her a smile. "I would like to be friends."

Anne giggled like a little girl and Mr. Darcy smiled. When Elizabeth went stepped into that carriage, she took with her whatever fantasy Mr. Darcy had conjured in his head. He thought back to the letter he had written her, no words of his own, but a simple sonnet from a famous poet, which said it all too well.

"And whether we shall meet again I know not.
Therefore our everlasting farewell take:
For ever, and for ever, farewell,
If we do meet again, why, we shall smile;
If not, why then, this parting was well made."

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"Lizzy!" said Jane, smiling widely, "I did not know you were coming!"

"I know" said Lizzy with a sly smile, "It was...unexpected for me too" she said cryptically.

"I have not seen you since the day you left to the Gardiners..." said Lizzy.

"I know" said Jane, a sad smile on her face. "Please, come in. We have not broken our fast yet. Have you? Where are you coming from?"

"Oh, so much to tell you dear Jane!" said Lizzy, squeezing her sister's hand.

"I am glad" said Jane, smiling widely, for they had not spoken, truly spoken in so long.

After a much needed half an hour of talking, Mr. Bailey walked in through the front doors.

"Hello dear!" he called out, as he took off his hat and hung up his jacket. "I will only take a small bite and some tea and then I must be off to speak to a gentleman..."

"James, I do not believe you have met my sister, Elizabeth" said Jane, standing up to greet her husband and introducing her sister.

Mr. Bailey looked confused. They rarely had visitors and not a member of her family had stepped through their doors.

"Hello" he said, regaining his composure, "Welcome!"

"I thank you" said Elizabeth.

"My dear, I must take a bite and then run, I apologize, could we break out fast?" he asked, checking his pocket watch.

"Of course" said Jane sweetly, and led her sister to their dining room.

It was after their short break fast that Jane and Lizzy got to truly speak over some hot tea and biscuits.

"There are delicious, Jane!" said Lizzy, her mouth still full of one. "I never knew you possessed this skill" teased Lizzy.

"I have only recently begun to show interest in cooking. It is rather soothing, I think, it keeps me distracted" said Jane, smiling. "I am so happy you are here!"

"Thank you" said Lizzy, putting down the rest of the biscuit. "I am on my way home...I wanted to stop by and apologize" said Lizzy, now looking into her sister's beautiful gray eyes. "I know you acted swiftly and perhaps more wisely than I ever could" she said, laughing at the irony and the truth of that statement, "I always wanted for you a love match and it saddened me so that Lydia threw it all away for us..."

"I know" said Jane sweetly, reaching for her sister's hand, "But, truly, James is very nice to me and he gives me a lot of freedom—I quite enjoy living here."

Lizzy looked at her quizzically.

"I do wish you had had a choice" said Lizzy softly, even though they were alone.

"That is the thing, Lizzy, I did have a choice" responded Jane with a weak smile, "I chose this."

Elizabeth Bennet saw her eldest sister as if for the first time.

"Yes, you did" said Lizzy, "And it seems like a lovely home."

"It is...I did not change much when I first arrived, but perhaps in due course" said Jane, looking around her home admiringly. "How long will you stay here?"

"I believe just until tomorrow and then I shall go straight to Longbourn" said Elizabeth. She had already told her beloved sister about her adventure in Derbyshire and though Jane had been quite shocked, she was even more moved by Mr. Darcy's securing a marriage for Lydia. Jane was sure he must have offered that gentleman something but she did not dare to ask Lizzy. Whatever feelings Elizabeth had for Darcy, it was better they were kept where they were.

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Yes, there will be an HEA for D&E!

The most scandalous part of this story is over...I think the reason why I didn't think it was so scandalous was bc I knew that in Darcy's head he wasn't truly married to Anne, to him it was very formal, not emotional. he never betrayed her by loving elizabeth. and here she was at his doorstep...his heart was still engaged...

I can't say what will come next but feel free to leave any thoughts...

xoxo