The storyline, new character development, new events, and new characters are my intellectual property. Glorioux

a/n Sorry my dears I cannot answer reviews, I tried. i was able to do a couple, now I get a system error. Remember this is a mystery.

A Web

Lizzie paused and tapped her lip, thinking whether or not she should say something else. Yes, she should.

"Dearest, to be fair to Leonidas, I thought you loved him; we all did. You allowed his kisses and touches, passionate ones. Remember, I had to warn you someone was coming, more than once. You couldn't wait to see him, waiting like a little girl, looking out the windows. You wanted to marry him before coming back, but Leonidas knew you would want to be with our father. I was envious at what you had; I've never seen you so happy, never, not with Charles, with nobody else. Leonidas must have loved you; he looked at you like there was nobody else around, so romantic; Lady Mari and I thought so. You two were perfect together." Lizzie sighed.

Jane blushed, "I am not sure; I must have cared to allow him so many liberties. He was a handsome man, sophisticated, charming, and desirable. Maybe if Charles wasn't here, perhaps I would love Leonidas; though I don't like Leo's permissive ways." Jane blushed darker. "He said he would like to see how never mind. I don't want to tell my husband that he can have other ladies; I felt sick with jealousy when he said it a the table; I wanted to cry. That is not what I want, to be jealous all the time. I prefer milder emotions; at least, I think so. I was aware many ladies wanted his favor; I worried." Jane looked uncertain.

"Dearest, you should remember Charles married rather quickly and never came back. I know William and his sisters influenced him; William told me so; but, Charles never tried to see you, not once. William, wanting to make amends with me, sent an express inviting Charles to Pemberley while you were visiting. I never told you because I wanted to surprise you. Charles answered he was busy elsewhere. True, he was busy, getting ready to marry, and didn't invite us." Lizzie stopped to see if Jane was listening.

Lizzie wasn't certain Charles was good for Jane; he had chosen a rich heiress, the daughter of a noble family, nobody had forced him. "His sisters like you because of our mother because of our Russian family, think carefully. But what do you think they will say when they know more about us? Moreover, they gossip a lot; their careless words could cause a lot of damage."

"I thought I loved Leo until I saw Charles, but I am no longer sure about anything," Jane explained, wringing her hands.

"My dear, I am not wrong, not once Charles tried to see you; he married his wife months after I married William. You know he could have looked for you. He decided to meet with you several times while still married; frankly, he might love you, but he gave in to his sisters and, maybe, to William. Besides, he should not have been meeting you while still married. He compromised you, behaving recklessly; he could have ruined you, or worse, he risked that someone would abduct you." Lizzie shook her head disapprovingly. "That was thoughtless of him. What was he going to do if his wife hadn't died? Was he going to continue seeing you?"

Lady Mari and Jane's lady both nodded. Lizzie was right. Neither liked Charles; better said, they didn't like the sisters who had a lot of power over him. Lady Mari and Lady Alisa both knew Jane had been in love with Leonidas, and both agreed the sisters would make Jane's life unbearable. Charles was a weak man; and, perhaps he couldn't be trusted with the family's privacy. Lizzie was right; they could only imagine if the sisters found out too much.

Jane started crying, "Charles loves me. Before his wife died, he said we would find a way to love each other."

Lizzie sat on her bed, shaking her head. She looked upset, "Was he proposing you were his lover? Please tell me that is not so. What did he do? Did anything happen?" Lizzie was shocked. "Our mother was a princess; we are nobles, and William used to be his good friend, married to me. How could he have asked you to be his mistress?"

"It wasn't like that." Jane wouldn't answer, no longer crying. The words had hit a nerve.

"So how was it? I don't think you are naïve; we learned much when visiting our grandparents. Dearest, I think our father would have killed him; after our little Lydia, he is not the same. He cries; I have seen him; we have cried together. Never mind our father killing Charles, Leonidas would have done it, or our uncle would have killed him as well. My dearest Jane, maybe Charles loves you, but he seems to do what is easier for him. Make sure neither our uncle nor our grandparents find out what you just told me." Lizzie paused again, thinking.

"Dearest, I don't want to scare you, but if either our uncle or our grandparents want to know more, it will be easy for them. Be on guard when around them if you have done something you haven't told me. I will still ask William to help you if you wish, but I won't lie to him if he asks." Lizzie hugged Jane, worried about her; she hoped nothing had happened to Jane. She didn't want to think about it.

She looked at Mari and Alisa. Both were equally concerned with Jane's revelation. Lady Alisa's eyes were moist; she blamed herself for much. She stayed in the carriage while Jane met with her aunt, or with friends that met her at the door, or waited for her inside a shop. The visits were never long; this only happened a few times; while she waited in the carriage; the footmen stayed by the door. She should have reported it to the uncle but didn't. It seemed harmless; maybe Jane had influenced her. There was more, but it was best to keep quiet.

While William was walking the menagerie, he saw three men looking around. Their eyes were fixed on the windows to the family rooms. Though they dressed well, William's instinct told him they were dangerous. He believed two were the men he had seen before. The dogs growled softly, pulling towards the men, Darcy told them to stay put. Their ruffs stood up, neither obeyed, trying to lunge at the men. Both were quite strong; little Michou surprised him. Nina snarled but stayed by William. He could see they sensed something wrong; they needed to be alert.

Darcy went to look for her uncle Alexis, telling him all that happened today, what he had seen, and what Miles had seen. "I wonder if the blond woman is the same who has been following Lizzie. We must talk. I need your advice, but not here."

"I don't like it; yes, we must talk; I was waiting for you to say something. Let's get ready and leave; we must make sure my nieces are well guarded all the time. You don't know why my sister was sicker during her pregnancy; someone tried to abduct Jane. Liza and Thomas lived in my house; I wanted Liza to be safe." Alexis looked away, as he usually did when talking about his sister.

"That day, Liza and Lady Inga, her companion, were walking Jane on the estate's grounds. Liza was a good fighter; when they were attacked, both fought the masked abductors. But Liza was heavy with the babies, so it was an uneven fight; they killed Lady Inga and injured Liza nearly mortally; she said it was an accident while trying to save Inga, who died protecting Jane. It happened in seconds, the guards came, but the criminals vanished when they heard them. We believe they wanted Jane to force Liza to go for her. Leonidas said it; my sister was a prize. " He stopped; talking about Lizzie's mother made him emotional.

"I was attending lessons with Thomas when it happened. Liza went into labor too soon. Weeks later, after the funeral, Thomas left and disappeared, changing his name. When I met him, he used his mother's name, some family dispute, he told me recently; he disliked his father. Thomas had worried someone would attack and try to get his daughters. He was also afraid my parents would take the children away after refusing their 'charity.' His ill thought-action kept my nieces safe for many years, hidden in the countryside." Alexis explained.

"I forgave him because I believe terrible things that could have happened while my nieces grew up with my parents. The idea someone could hurt or take all I have left from Liza, worries me; I don't know if I will survive it." Alexis stopped; William could see Alexis wanted to say more but changed his mind. William remembered the conversation when Alexis mentioned suspects. He thought the alluded suspects were those who tried to kidnap Jane. Alexis asked, "Did you recognize the men? Did they look familiar?"

William Darcy said no, quite worried. Two of the footmen who came with the sisters, two guards, and the ladies' maids, the two Amazons, were traveling with them. Richard was maybe a few hours behind them. He was coming with Georgiana, who decided to go with them at the last minute. Their carriage and the others with the servants, footmen, and luggage couldn't be far behind. They lagged because they stopped to get provisions. William wished they were there.

They walked to find Miles, who told him, "Sir, I recognized the other footman that left after, you know. The woman with the men seemed familiar, related to, ahem. Another man joined them."

William said, "The men I saw; two of them must have been have been the footmen. I don't understand how this ties together."

Alexis nodded; William was certain Alexis knew a lot. Though they would talk later, he wished he had trusted Alexis before.

"We need to look at your family history; I already had some ideas. It would make sense." Alexis linked his arm with his; he was very affectionate. He and Richard laughed at the Russian men kissing. By now, he was used to it. He appreciated Alexis' closeness; his father had been like that.

Alexis wanted his nieces to change into men's clothes; they would look like boys; and the two companion ladies would dress like his nieces, wearing bonnets. "They will take my nieces' places in the carriage, since we don't have enough horses, Jane can take the extra horse and ride next me; Liza rides with you. She is ill, and alone on a horse could be dangerous. We might be able to escape easier if we are riding. Don't be surprised if things are, shall we say, unusual; I don't know how many we are fighting. Maybe is time you are aware."

When they went to get Elizabeth and Jane, they found Lizzie looking crossed at Jane. Jane looked at Lizzie and shook her head; her eyes pleading. Their uncle asked Lizzie, "Chérie, is there something you want to tell me?"

Lizzie answered, "No, I don't think is necessary." She found herself wishing Leonidas was still with them; Jane was bound to do something unwise. Mari was right, the Bingley sisters were not trustworthy; her family and many others' privacy were at risk if they found out-family secrets; with Charles, it could happen. Aside from that, Charles might have made Jane his lover while still married; maybe he had. How could he?

The uncle told them they needed to leave right away, while there was daylight. Lizzie asked her uncle, "Am I with child? Can you tell before we go?"

Her uncle sat next to her, William couldn't see what Alexis was doing from the place he stood, only that he was next to Lizzie. Alexia nodded, "What a wonderful occasion; you have two lives, twins like your mother and I. Twins are common in Mama's family. You had a brother, but he didn't make it; you must be careful. If anything happens today, don't fight; it is not necessary. Your babies come first."

Alexis kissed her several times. He was happy, "Liza would have liked it. I am glad you have a trustworthy husband by you, ready to protect you." He raised his eyes; Jane shrunk back. Jane was afraid her uncle might have read Lizzie; his eyes had changed; they were hard. "We acted hastily, I believe. Things can be corrected." The words were directed at Jane.

William went to Lizzie and held her hand, "I cannot express my happiness; please mind your uncle. I told you, I would die if something happens to you. Do get ready; I will wait the receiving room."

The uncle went out and came back minutes later with young men's clothes and caps for Elizabeth and Jane; William didn't ask, he had figured it out after Jane eloped; neither he asked how he knew Elizabeth carried two lives. They were different, just like Leonidas; he also knew that Leonidas must be alive. What or who were they? He would find out whenever they were ready to tell him.

He was displeased with Charles; he heard there were rumors Charles saw Jane since before his wife died as Jane had written. Georgiana told him he heard Charles' sisters talking at the wedding, saying their brother was denied the woman he loved and more. They were talking loud enough for others to hear. He'd hoped Charles hadn't told his sisters, but he remembered what he saw when they went to pay their respects after Charles's wife died. The sisters had been very friendly with Jane, and he'd found it odd.

A/n For those who wondered why Lizzie's family don't like Charles. Jane met with Charles since before his wife died. That would have ruined her and her sisters. Those were other times. Okay, but what is going on? Who remembers, Lizzie had been recognized when she married William? We shall wait.