Chapter Nineteen:

Darcy returned to Rosing with a spring in his step, he had found himself renewed from his kiss with Elizabeth. That kiss was empowering he had never felt a sensation like it before, it was like he had found the rest of himself and he was now complete he found himself smiling like a weight of the world had been lifted off his shoulders.

The kiss was slow at first but there was a fire that became more urgent, he had urges to take her there and then. But they had done that before and it had to lead her disappearing and running away from him he couldn't take that risk again, he had to be slow and patient with her, court her properly show her she meant the world to him show her he could give her everything she ever wanted.

After Leaving Catherine Anne with Lady Catherine to learn how to take tea like a true lady, he didn't envy his daughter having a whole hour of lessons with her grandmother, he went to the library where he found Richard relaxing in a high back chair nursing a brandy.

"Richard" exclaimed Darcy

"Darcy" He replied "So, how did it go I'm guessing it went well will your Miss Bennet as your wearing that ridiculous grin on your face"

"We talked, we explained to each other, I know no the reason why she left Catherine at the gatehouse and why she left England. Do you remember Georgina claiming she had sent me letters the summer before, Catherine Anne was born from Ramsgate" Darcy questioned

"Of course I do she said she sent them to you but you said they didn't arrive. It was when she wrote to you for help but as she didn't get a response from you to rescue her she decided to rescue herself if I remember correctly!" chuckled Richard "I'm glad I taught her self-defense and she always carries enough coin to look after herself, when she not with us."

Richard remembered the summer well they had allowed Georgianna to visit Ramsgate with a prestigious family of the ton, Georgianna had become friends at school with their daughter. They also had two sons, the second son who wouldn't inherit much, had decided Georgianna dowry would be a good addition to his funds and had become a nuisance to her. Georgianna had taken matters in to her own hands when she had not had any replies to the letter she sent her brother and had decided to take care of the man herself before hiring a carriage to take her the Darcy House in London where she knew her brother to be.

"Yes, well" It was uncomfortable for Darcy to think of his sister needing him and him not been there for her ...

"Elizabeth said she tried to contact me too, to ask for help to tell me bout the babe, I could of married her and been a family it could have been totally different" spoke Darcy with regret in his eyes.

Richard truly felt sorry for his cousin at that moment for what he had lost, Darcy appeared to have the world at his feet but alls he had ever wanted was the love of a good woman which he had found in Elizabeth Bennet. A lady who wasn't envied by his cousins status in society or his wealth a women who could of caused him scandal and gain her riches but she hadn't.

"How many times did she try to contact you and was it only via letters to Pemberly" question Richard.

"she said she sent five letters, she only knew about Pemberly she wouldn't have sent any to Darcy house she didn't know about it," Said, Darcy

"Her uncle was already in Boston, she didn't tell her father, her aunt wouldn't have approached me directly at Pemberly went the letter when unanswered"

"and two from Georgie" Richard responded "Do you think, someone at Pemberly was stealing your personal mail"

"Why would anyone want to steal my personal letters" scoffed Darcy

It made sense to him that someone had stolen the letter to Darcy, why he had never received the letters from Georgianna and Miss Bennet. The true question was why Richard knew one thing they would need to speak to the main staff at Pemberly at the time. Which included the retired Mr. Wickham as he was the steward at the time, The butler Mr. Smith, and the housekeeper Mrs. Reynolds it would also be good to speak Mrs. Potter who acted as housekeeper when Mrs Reynolds was absence from Pemberly they would all need to be questioned in regards to the missing mail. They would all need to be reminded of the Darcy Privacy and how serious the family took it especially if information been shared outside of the darcy homes.

"We will need to talk to the principal staff at Pemberly Darcy, including young Wickham," Richard said.

"True... I hate to believe that anyone at Pemberley would betray me so I will leave that in your capable hands you may have to find young Wickam first"

"I won't need to, I know where he is, he is now Captain Wickham of the Militia stationed in Meryton' I've kept my eye on him"

With a beginning of a resolution in mind for the missing letters, darcy changed the subject to his current plans. Plans he could achieve with some certainty soon, first, he would need to start courting Elizabeth and he hoped she would agree to visit Pemberly this summer.

"Richard, I'm going to court Miss Bennet slowly so she can trust me again and then marry her so we can be a true family, I'm hoping to persued the Earl and Countess to join me this summer at Pemberly I do hope you can come as well."

o0o

Catherine Anne was taking tea with Lady Catherine, she was happily chatting away about the Earl she had met and his family, she had thoroughly enjoyed playing with the viscount or Eddy as she had decided to call him she was excited to go back again and play with the young viscount and want to take her grandmother with her. Lady Catherine to obilige her she was happy that her grandchild was a lively little thing a happier child there couldn't be, she was more bearable to be around than Anne ever had been as a child.

Catherine Anne was prettier child than Anne ever had been, and was more outgoing and entertaining she had more of a personality was more animated and lively she has more time for this child then she had ever had for her own she was reflecting on this when the child caughter her eye as she turned and smiled. It was in that moment their was a look within Catherine Anne's eyes her expression changed and lady Catherine saw the look of similarity between her granddaughter and Miss Elizabeth Bennet. The great lady was stunned into silence so much that her lively grandchild escaped her chair and climbed upon her knee before she noticed the girl leaned in a kissed her cheek. she looked driectly at the child and it came to her that her grand daughter has the same eyes as Miss Bennet's what was more then obvious what it was a family resemblance which cou;dn't be ignore especially after meeting Mr Bennet.

Snapping out of her thoughts she soon brought her full attention back to her granddaughter she knew her nephew had known the miss Bennets prior to their arrival at Hunsford, she knew his tradesman friend has leasted a estate that was close to the estate the Bennet family owned and Mr. Collins would inherit.

There was no doubt in her mind that Elizabeth Bennet was her grand daughter birth mother.

It was while listening to her beloved grandchild that Lady Catherine knew what she needed to do and knew who she needed to do to save her beloved grand child from a fate worst then death. The man in question who would do it, was easy she knew her nephew despised this man and would upset her nephew enough so he would never go near Miss Bennet ever again. Lady Catherine would ruin Elizabeth Bennet.

Lady Catherine set to it immediately she wrote to a Mr. Wickham, she had been keeping a slight track on him enough to know he know he was now a poor matilia man but not enough to know he was a renewed man, she believed he was still a wicked man who would take advantage of anyone especially for a few silver coins.

The great lady had plans for her nephew, it was high time he married again a woman of the ton, she had her eye on the daughter of a duke for him, her grandaughter deserved to be raised by proper women of the ton who whole help shape Catherine Anne into an amazing woman who would run london society and Elizabeth Bennet would ruin it all she had to make sure she was gone out of all there lives for good.

Hundsford - July 1816

Dear Mr. Wickham

In light of our old acquaintance, and the task you once did on my behalf, I have a further task I need you to complete concerning the same gentleman this task is most urgent that can not be put off. I demand you give it your full attention.

I will come right out with it I need you to seduce a woman to keep her away from said person. We both conspired against before. I know I won't need to name names. I know you to be a man of little money so I will offer you a grand sum of five hundred pounds to seduced women from the little village you now call home.

The woman in question is called Elizabeth Bennet from Longbourne.

Once I received word this has been achieved I will send you a bank draft I expect her to publicly expose you can then abandon the chit afterward if you have no need for her, just make sure she is damaged enough to not be an object of desire to the gentleman.

Do not write back till the task has been completed.

Ect,

Catherine. De Bourgh Of Rosing Park

kent.

The note was sealed and sent express, know all she had to do was sit back and wait for Mr. Wickham to do what he did best.