Chapter Thirteen:

As was their routine Darcy read to his daughter before bed, she was much more excitable than normal, she had spent the afternoon playing soldiers with her uncle Richard as her nurse was still unwell. Catherine Anne often surprised him as she was more outgoing than he was, She might have inherited the Darcys looks but she had inherited her mother's social ease and ability to charm anyone. Catherine Anne was Chattering away, Darcy was barely listening as he was in a rush, Lady Catherine's guest would be arriving soon and Catherine Anne didn't want to sleep. It would not do to be late, he wasn't paying much attention till he heard that name, 'Lizzie' which instantly caught his attention still after all this time.

"Lizzie, who's Lizzie" he applied to his daughter, Catherine was happy to talk about her new friend Lizzie especially to her Papa who was her favorite person.

"Lizzie is a beautiful Lady, even prettier than Gee Gee, she was in the garden. I picked flowers for nurse smith papa"

Catherine Anne continued to talk about her new friend Lizzie who she said she had seen twice in the garden, she demanded that her papa walks with her tomorrow so they could find Lizzie. Catherine said that Lizzie might also have her papa with her too. This lead Mr. Darcy to believe her daughter had met a new young friend. Darcy left Catherine Anne in the nursery in the care of a young maid, to Join Lady Catherine and Richard before the dinner guest arrived.

The evening of dinner at Rosing arrived, the Hundsford party were dressed and ready to leave they used Jaspers and Mr. Bennet's carriages to arrive as the ladies wanted to look presentable for dinner it would not do to walk and arrive disheveled. Jasper was a practical man arguing it would be quicker to walk, while Mr. Bennet joked to his sons they would both have to adapt to the ladies having their own way, how this was a change for Lizzie to be arriving for dinner without dirty hems. Meanwhile, Mr. Collins was happy to arrive in the elegance of a carriage even better if it was the Earls carriage.

A footman indicated to the lady Catherine her guest had arrived in the courtyard. When the housekeeper entered requesting to speak to Mr. Darcy as Miss Darcy was requesting her Papa, she was restless, refusing to sleep for the poor maid's distress. Mr. Darcy advised the housekeeper he would join her telling his aunt he would be back before the start of dinner rushing off to settle his daughter.

Moments after he slipped out a side door, the colonel and their aunt received their guests the footmen announced.

"The Earl and Countess of Ashbrook, Mr, and Miss Bennet, Mr. and Mrs. Collins."

Richard couldn't believe his eyes, stunned into silence. There before him, stood the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, it had been three years since he saw her in the village of Lambton, he often dreamed of her, her figures still slim her hair golden blond and that smiled that reminded him of angels should look. The sorrow was gone for her eyes which now shone with pure joy and happiness. The lady was the first woman to enter on the arm of the Earl and must be the countess of Ashbrook. Jasper Brodwick who he knew from his Cambridge days. Richard nodded to the collins who he had met serval times before, then he noticed the older greying gentleman and young lady, this lady was familiar too it could be the lady with lively fine, dark eyes, he was astonished to note that she the women he has also seen in Lambton with the blonde who he was convinced was the countess. This was the young woman who had seen holding Catherine Anne, could she be her mother, he had to find out her name before Darcy arrived.

Jasper was delighted to see Richard Fitzwilliam again, they had attended Cambridge together.

"Richard my old friend what a surprise, I never expected to see you here tonight" Jasper exclaimed.

"Please meet my wife, Jane"

"Please is all mine, my lady" he reached for her hand and kissed it.

"Colonel Fitzwilliam" replied Jane with a slight blush.

Richard kept his calm, he knew he was looking too often at both ladies so he turned to Jasper who had noticed the attention he was giving his wife and sister.

"Jasper, I hope your well old man, it been a long time I'm sorry to see you have been promoted I heard about Malcolm. Will you do the honor of introducing me to your party, of course, I know the collins"

"Thank you, it was a shock to us all... Please meet my father in law, Mr. Thomas Bennet of Longbourne, and his second daughter Miss Elizabeth Bennet, Will you do the honor of introducing me and bennet to our host"

The man bowed and the woman curtseyed as was the custom, he noticed she was dressed much better than her sister Mrs. Collins in similar style and fabrics to her sister the countess, she had a gleam of mischief in her eyes, a look he often associated with Catherine Anne Darcy. The more he focused on. her the mother he could see the similarities between mother and daughter. So this was the famous Elizabeth Bennet, Catherine's mother the lady Darcy had been pining for, for the past four years.

"Lady Catherine please meet an old friend of mine Jasper now the earl of Ashbrook and his father in law Thomas Bennet of Longbourne "

"Pleasure to meet you, your lord, both your wife, and mother have spoken fondly of you, and of course your also welcome Mr. Bennet," said Lady Catherine.

"Pleaser to meet you is all mine your lady," said Mr. Bennet, while Jasper nodded to the great lady.

With all the introduction made and the party settled in the parlor, Lady Catherine announced to all that dinner would be slightly delayed as they waited on her other nephew to join them. Elizabeth Bennet who set with her host was a lively outgoing young lady, with genteel manners who wasn't frightened by his Lady aunt, she was refined and charming who was easy in an intense social situation which his aunt often was. Richard decided he would take the opportunity to advise that Darcy was that nephew and gauge a reaction from the Ladies. Richard loudly declared "Jasper, it will be like old times, Darcy should join us shortly"

Elizabeth who had been conversing with their hostess stopped mid-sentence, her mouth dropped when she heard Darcy's name, could it really be him, she prayed it wasn't that it was a relative her wide eyes looked towards Jasper which Richard had not expected she retreated within herself loosing all the social easy she had been showing minutes before. Richard continued to study the lady, she had paled at the sound of his cousin's name, her eyes had widened like a frightened dear caught in the hunt, now her pleading eyes turned towards her angel sister who had also paled, the countess looked like she may swoon taking her fan from her reticule she also looked towards her husband.

The Earl turned towards the Ladys noticing her silk fan he nodded, Jasper also wore a slight look of panic but he recovered quicker than the ladies. The rest of the party didn't react but Mr. Bennet slyly asked

"Colonel, Do you mean Mr. Darcy of Pemberley in, Derbyshire,"

"Yes sir I do, do you know my cousin"

"Why yes myself and my girls are acquainted with Mr. Darcy through an old neighbor of ours a Mr. Bingley, do you know him, sir?" Mr. Bennet said with a twinkle in his eyes

"Yes, I know Mr. Bingley, he was one of Darcy's closest friends"

This was the link that confirmed to Richard that this lady in front of him was Catherines Anne's mother, he wondered how Darcy would react, surly he wouldn't want their aunt to know.

"We haven't had the pleasure of seeing Mr. Darcy for these four years past, this was before any of my girls were married off course" Continued Bennet.

Jasper, as the ladies protector, had noted this wife signal, had to get them out of that room, he wasn't sure how Lizzie would react, she was always unpredictable was Darcy or the child was raised and he didn't want her to lose her composer in front of her father.

"Lady Catherine, would you mind calling for my carriage, my lady wife doesn't appear to be well" all eye's turned to Jasper

"Elizabeth would you mind taking the countess back to the Parsonage I fear she may faint" On cue, Jane began to fan herself with her silk fan, agreeing with her husband it would be best not to take any risk, Elizabeth rose on shaky legs, she wondered if she would make it out the room.

The carriage was called and the ladies said their farewells and exited to the dismay of Lady Catherine, her table would know to be two short she hoped the butler would note the ladies leaving and amend the table.

Sensing his hostess was unhappy Jasper walked over to her, he slightly lowered his voice and wink to Mr. Bennet, who looked worried.

"My apologize my lady, but my wife is in a delicate condition it would be best for her not to take risks, it has not been announced yet as it is early days so I would appreciate your discretion." Lady Catherine nodded she liked to be in the know of all these things.

Darcy reentered the room as the party settled down, he made his greeting as he knew everyone in the room, he headed over to Jasper who he was delighted to see, Japer was an old friend he hadn't seen in years he was glad he had returned from her travels safely. As he conversed with the earl he noted Richard was looking at him, he made a mental note to seek his cousin out once dinner was over. Dinner was announced and the party sat at the table. Darcy found himself sat next to Mr. Bennet, they were safely through the first course when good manners told him he should enquire over the man's family it would be rude otherwise, maybe he would learn something of Elizabeth.

"Mr. Bennet, where are your younger daughter I thought they were to attended dinner this evening, my aunt had advised they were visiting". Richard who had been listening to the conversation was now watching as was Jasper.

Mr. Bennet chuckled,

"Mr. Darcy, I think you have mistaken my daughters. The countess of Ashbrook, you know as Miss Jane Bennet has taken unwell and my Lizzie has taken her back to the parsonage, you remember my eldest two daughters don't you."

Jasper and Richard were waiting for Darcy's reaction.

Darcy was stunned he face dropped, the wine he was holding dropped to the floor "Sorry did you say Miss Elizabeth was at the Parsonage."

"Yes, Miss Bennet is with my wife she has taken ill" Jasper chirped in giving Darcy time to remember his manners.

Lady Catherine never wanting to be left out of a conversation questioned,

"Fitzwilliam I didn't know you knew Mrs. Collins sisters"

Darcy stumbled her way through the explanation, explaining how he had met the whole Bennet family a few years earlier that he was more acquainted with the elder two sisters as he had spent a short time in their presence at Netherfield Park. From that moment Darcy didn't speak a word for the remaining of the dinner, he couldn't conceive how he had spent the past three years looking everywhere he went for Elizabeth Bennet only find she had appeared in his aunt's drawing-room and for him to miss her by minutes.

There was an urge to leave dinner to rush to the parsonage to speak to her, he knew it wouldn't be acceptable for him to do so but he feared he would lose her again if he waited. He could feel Jasper's eyes, watching him, did jasper know why he was so interested in Elizabeth he had to speak to Jasper. Over port, once the ladies had left, Darcy approached Jasper he told him he would like to call tomorrow at the parsonage to reacquaint himself with the ladies, that he would especially like to introduce his daughter Catherine Anne to Miss Elizabeth he asked that Jasper pass the message on to the lady. Mr. Collins who had heard Mr. Darcy's words, declaring him and his wife would be honored for him to call at their humble home. Jasper was not happy he scowled at his brother by marriage before walking away to join the ladies.

Lady Catherine was vexed, she prided herself on her frankness, therefore it hadn't escaped her notice, how Miss Bennet had reacted in regards to her nephew's name. That Darcy when he arrived appeared even more startled to hear her Miss Bennet name, was astounding, that he had continued to sulk and scowl threw the remaining of the evening was astounding. Why was her nephew so interested in this countrywomen, even if they were old acquaintances and her brother was an earl, before she retired she headed to her study, where she kept his letters, she pulled out the bundle that belongs to her nephew, she scanned over the content of the letters, noting the ones from E.B, was E.B Elizabeth Bennet had she been the lover he had rid himself of.

It was the middle of the night when the lady awoke, she had noticed earlier in the evening that Elizabeth bennet shared the same sparking brown eyes as her father, their eyes had made her uncomfortable as they were familiar to the lady. It suddenly came to her they were the eyes of her granddaughter Catherine Anne, could Elizabeth Bennet be Catherine Anne's mother she would need to find out without Darcy finding out.