A/N Re: Be assured, all comments are helpful and welcome. Following are some notes on comments received in the last couple of days, it seems that there are some things I need to make clearer when I edit the story:

Mr Collins has no need of a nurse as yet. Maybe someone to teach him how to behave properly but he's not ill (yet). It's 10 days or thereabout from exposure before development of the first symptoms - those that resemble the flu. He's 'in jail' just now, which means one nurse for Mrs Bennet and one for Lydia. We'll see him again soon and I hope you like what is in store for him.

Kitty, although a follower and always in Lydia's exuberant shadow, has been much influenced by her mother's advice on catching husband's and Lydia's previous flirtatious behaviour. With her sister not there to garner all the male attention, she has adopted Lydia's traits to take advantage of the lack of competition.

Being seen wandering the woodlands with an unrelated man could be compromising to Elizabeth (depending on who sees them and how they spin it - some people are malicious) so Mr Bennet asked Darcy to refrain from any further unchaperoned walks. He's under stress, much as everyone else is, and working to keep the family reputation intact. Lydia's ruin, and Kitty being intimate in the woods with a stranger to him (luckily they were found by people he trusts) means he's finally taking responsibility and clamping down on all his daughters.

After the events at Netherfield with Lydia and Collins, and his friend's engagement to Jane, Mr Bennet does trust Mr Darcy and in return Darcy feels he can trust him when sharing his sister's near seduction as part explanation of Wickham's behaviour and lack of morals. They both have things that they do not want made common knowledge, so secrecy is assured. At least this time he's not written it down in a letter to someone who hates him!

Elizabeth was exhausted when she finally arrived back at Netherfield. The tantrum Kitty had thrown had been of epic proportions, only quelled by her father losing his temper in a rare bout of shouting. Kitty had been banished to the nursery and her father, in conjunction with Jane and Mary, would be preparing a reading list for her to work through.

Between them Mary and Jane were to be Kitty constant companions and if Mr Bingley visited, there were to be no unchaperoned walks in the garden. Kitty must never be left alone and there were most definitely no more visits to the militia camp allowed; she had eventually admitted to sneaking out to visit the soldiers when staying in Meryton. She was to take her turn with nursing her mother, something she had so far managed to escape, and to help with some of the basic household tasks to allow her to discover what her life would be like, should she choose to marry a man with the income of a mere lieutenant in the Militia.

Kitty had shouted and screamed, stamped her feet and cried. She even threatened to run away, but to no avail. Her father would not be moved. Indeed, he only said that judging by her childish behaviour, it was obvious she should no longer be out.

She was to return to the nursery and would be locked in at night as she could not be trusted. As the windows there were barred, there would be no sneaking off after everyone else was asleep.

Once Kitty had taken herself off upstairs to sulk, Mr Bennet apologised to Jane. 'I'm sorry, my dear, that your visits with Mr Bingley must be curtailed, but Kitty must be reined in before she does something worse than being caught kissing a stranger in the woods.'

'It is well, Papa. I fully agree with you, and Mr Bingley will too, once I explain it to him.'

Mr Bennet eyed Elizabeth. 'That goes for you too, Lizzy. No more wandering the woods with Mr Darcy. You know what the gossips are like here.'

Elizabeth blushed. 'It was not planned, Papa, but I will avoid it happening again. I just wish I was home again to help, instead of at Netherfield,' said Elizabeth. 'But I must stay with Lydia. I will be glad when she can be moved home.'

'I would like you home,' said Jane, reaching for her hand. 'But with Mamma unwell, we must all make sacrifices.'

When Elizabeth entered the drawing room at Netherfield, she was grateful to be in time to receive a cup of tea and to relax in a chair for a time.

She caught Mr Darcy's eye and he nodded. They would speak later.

Dr Williams was seated close by, and he turned to her with a smile. 'Are you well, Miss Bennet?'

'Just a little tired. It has been a long day,' she replied.

'I saw your friend, Miss Lucas, earlier. She gave me a letter for you.' He held out a sealed envelope. 'She and her family are well. Her sister, Miss Maria, is completely recovered now.'

'That is reassuring news. Do you think the outbreak is over? I have not heard of any new infections for a day or so now.'

'It has certainly slowed, but I would not say we are in the clear just yet. We would need to pass a se'ennight with no new cases before I could say it was over with any confidence, and Mr Collins has yet to reach the time when we can say for certain whether he was infected or not.'

'I understand.' Elizabeth took a sip of her tea and eyed the doctor. He seemed a little distracted, appearing to want to say something to her but unable to start. 'Are you well, Mr Williams?'

He smiled. 'I am. I was hoping to speak with you about your friend, Miss Lucas. I find her a most charming young lady, and was wondering if you could tell me…' He paused. 'Do you know if she has an attachment to anyone in the country?'

'I do not think so,' Elizabeth replied, hiding a smile behind her teacup.

The doctor smiled. 'I find myself pleased to hear that. One more question, if you would be so good. Do you think she would welcome attention from one such as myself?'

Elizabeth paused, and thought for a moment. He was a pleasant man, with a good career and prospects. 'I think that the only person who could tell you that, would be Charlotte herself. What I will say though, is that I think she would make a fine doctor's wife.'

He smiled at her answer and shortly moved away to speak with the Colonel. On seeing this, Mr Darcy moved toward her and by mutual unspoken consent they drifted away from the main party and moved toward a window.

'My father told me some of what you said to him,' Elizabeth began, 'and he has put his foot down with Kitty. She is currently confined to the nursery, much to her displeasure.'

Mr Darcy nodded. 'I hope some of what I said to Wickham will deter him seeking her out anytime soon.'

Elizabeth peered up at him, eyes twinkling and a half smile on her lips. 'Oh, come now. You cannot say something like that and expect me not to demand to know more.'

He smiled down at her, unable to resist her charm. 'If you demand, then of course I must tell you. I simply told him that as Miss Catherine was in close contact with a smallpox sufferer and was herself supposed to be in quarantine, he may have been exposed himself. I know Wickham. His sense of self-preservation is strong and he will not want to risk catching anything that might mar his pretty face. He will stay away - for now at least.'

Elizabeth held up her teacup. 'That was well done. I will drink to that.' She stifled a yawn. 'I do apologise. It has been a very long day and I should probably retire. I will wish you a good night, Mr Darcy.'

24th November

Elizabeth breezed into her sister's room, put the breakfast tray on a side table and threw back a curtain, 'How do you feel this morning, Lydia?'

Lydia grumbled and pushed herself upright in bed, shading her eyes. 'It's too bright, don't open any more curtains.'

Elizabeth went over to the bed, pushed a couple of pillows behind her sister to prop her upright and then went over to the tray. 'I hope you're hungry. There's toast with strawberry jam, and other good things here for you. Oh, and Papa sent you a letter.'

Lydia groaned. 'I'm not sure I'm that hungry actually. My tummy feels sore.'

'What sort of sore? Do you need a chamber pot?'

'Oh, no. Not that sort of sore. Just achy. I think my courses are coming,' she muttered, helping herself to a piece of toast.

'Oh! I shall speak with Mrs Nicholls after breakfast and organise some rags for you, and maybe a bag of heated grain will help with your tummy pain. Do you want me to read Papa's letter to you, while you eat?'

'No…' Lydia took a bite of toast and chewed thoughtfully. 'No. I think I'll leave it until later.'

Elizabeth frowned as she poured out two cups of tea. Lydia's moods rarely dipped this low but then, given her situation, it was not to be unexpected. However, if her courses did come… She felt a great weight ease as she sipped her tea.

By the time Elizabeth had returned with a supply of rags, Lydia had risen to use the chamber pot and discovered she was in immediate need of them. After helping her sister clean herself and settle back into bed, Elizabeth went to her own room.

She sat on the bed and heaved a great sigh, a few tears of relief trickling down her cheeks.

Wiping her face, she rose, gathered her writing materials, and wrote a carefully worded note for her father.

Papa,

I have news regarding Lydia. She is improving, and therefore not to be worried about. I know the burden of worry is increasing with mamma now unwell, but be relieved in this matter.

Please come and visit soon, I think it might do Lydia some good to speak with you. She seems unusually morose.

Your Lizzy

Having finished the note, she extracted a pencil from her writing case and very lightly marked four words with a dot. Those words when read together informed her father that 'Lydia is not increasing'.