A/N: There was a comment about why JAFF writers always write about older men 'grooming' younger girls. Well, if you want to write authentically for the time, that is how it was back then. It also marries with the original beats of the story.

Women not that far over the age of 21 (4 seasons and still unmarried! What was her mother thinking?) were considered unmarriageable, and on the shelf.

Daughters were property of the father, and a valuable commodity in the gentry/aristocracy. Their marriages were often arranged for gain of either money or connections. It was common for girls in their first season (age 17 or so) to be married off to someone quite a lot older than they were, as men married later in life, and they preferred to take a young wife - because she a) was a virgin, b) was inexperienced, innocent, and therefore more malleable, and c) had a long life of child-bearing ahead of her (hopefully - and if she died in childbearing, then there was always the next set of debutants to choose a new one from).

Anyway, that is why. It really was a man's world back then, and then, as now, it is the young and inexperienced who are easiest to fool.

14-15th December

'She's definitely up to something,' Elizabeth said, brushing out her hair.

Jane, already in her night rail, was turning the bedcovers back and preparing to climb into the bed.

'In what way?'

Elizabeth put down the brush and separated her hair into three strands ready for plaiting. 'I caught her sneaking back in again this morning. I asked Lydia yesterday if Kitty had mentioned a message from Maria Lucas and she did not know what I was talking about. I now suspect Kitty is secretly exchanging messages with someone, and that serving girl is their go between.'

Jane paled. 'Surely she would not be so impetuous. Who do you think she is writing to?'

'Mr Wickham, I suspect. She will not hear a bad word about him. She seems truly infatuated.'

Jane settled in the bed and pulled the covers up. 'Is he really so very bad? Perhaps he is sorry and hopes to repair his standing in the world.'

'You do not know the all of his actions. I do not think he can ever atone for everything he has done.' She finished her plait and tied the end off with a ribbon. 'Still, there is nothing I can do about it at the moment, and I will never rest if I keep worrying about it.' She stood and moved over to the bed. 'Let us sleep. I will speak to papa in the morning.'

'Very well. Good night, Lizzy.'

Elizabeth blew out the candle and lay down. 'Goodnight, dearest.'

She lay awake for a time, listen to Jane's breathing as she slept. Eventually she, too, slept.

Elizabeth awoke slowly, wondering what had roused her. The click of a door closing brought her to full consciousness.

'Kitty, you can't go. It's wrong. If you come back to bed now, I won't tell anyone.'

'No! You're just jealous because you'll never get a husband now.'

She rolled her eyes. Lydia and Kitty were indulging in their usual morning argument. About to turn over, she froze. It was very dark, but there was still a glow from her fire, indicating it was nowhere near morning. Not to mention that her youngest sisters were not well known for their early rising.

'That's not true! Caroline told me…'

'I do not care what she said. Anyway, I refuse to be treated like a child.'

Alarmed now, Elizabeth jumped out of bed, grabbed her wrap and crept to the door while pulling it on. She hesitated, trying to work out where the voices came from; were they in the passage? They should be in the nursery on the floor above.

'You can't go. Papa will be so angry.'

'I do not care! I am leaving tonight, so it does not concern me.'

They were in the passage and moving closer to her door. Nodding grimly to herself, Elizabeth threw open her door and looked out. Her two youngest sisters startled, and Lydia, wearing only her night rail, almost dropped her candle. Kitty however was fully dressed and carrying a bag.

Elizabeth fixed her eyes on Kitty and said, 'I do not know where you thought you were going, but you are actually going back to your room.' She pointed to the staircase which led up to the nursery. 'Now!'

Kitty stamped her foot and scowled. 'I will not.' She started to move toward the head of the main stairway, but Elizabeth darted out from her doorway and blocked the way. As the room was the first in the main corridor on that floor, she made her stand close to the top of the stairs, her arms stretched out so that she could almost touch the walls on either side. She looked past her angry sister to the anxious one stood behind her.

'Lydia, will you please fetch papa?'

Lydia nodded and dashed off to her father's door and soon could be heard knocking and calling. Elizabeth heard the gruff reply with some satisfaction and turned her attention back to Kitty.

'Where were you planning to go, Kitty?'

'It's none of your business,' muttered a now anxious Kitty. She peered over her shoulder, then moved forward, trying to push past.

Elizabeth planted her feet and leaned into Kitty, who was trying to push her aside. 'Oh, no. You will wait here for papa. I am sure he will be interested in your plans.' She reached down to grab the handle of the bag her sister was carrying. 'And you will not be needing this.'

'No! You shan't have it.' As they wrestled for the bag, Kitty, a little taller and heavier than her older sister, used her shoulder to push Elizabeth backward while swinging the bag back and out of her sister's reach. Mr Bennet's voice drew nearer and Kitty gave one last desperate shove, trying to get past her sister before her father arrived. Elizabeth's foot slipped and her ankle turned over, causing a red-hot needle of pain to shoot up from her foot. Her knee buckled, she teetered on the top step and then, with a small cry, toppled down the stairs.

Elizabeth heard the shriek - was that really her? Pain, everywhere. So much pain. The edges of her world turned black and the darkness closed in.

Footsteps pounded down the stairs, something warm touched her face and wrist, and several familiar voices cried out. Someone was sobbing but she could not see who. Jane? Mamma? She tried to reach out to comfort whoever it was, but her arms refused to obey and white-hot knives danced up one forearm as she twitched a finger, the only movement she could manage.

Another voice, sharp and staccato, calling out orders. Papa? She tried to call him but could not form the words. Panic fluttered at the edges of her mind but before it could encroach any further, the blackness closed in and claimed her.

Mr Bennet raced to the top of the stairs but was a fraction too late to grab his beloved Lizzy's arm as she toppled from sight.

'What did you do?' he growled at Kitty, who was frozen in shock, before pounding down the stairs.

Elizabeth lay in a twisted heap at the bottom. He reached out with a trembling hand to touch her cheek, then her wrist, where a thin pulse still beat.

Time stood still, then a voice recalled him.

'Papa? What happened?' Jane… He looked up the stairs, seeing his wife and daughters coming down.

'She lives.' Ignoring the cries and questions from his womenfolk for the moment, he turned to Hill, woken by the shouting and noise and now standing wringing her hands as she looked down at Elizabeth.

'Hill, send for the Apothecary. Tell him it is urgent.' Turning back to his family, he called out more orders, 'Jane, Mary, fetch some blankets. We need to keep her warm until she can be moved. Lydia, come here and sit beside her and let her know she is not alone. No one is to move any part of her, not even for a pillow, until Mr Jones arrives.'

He moved back to allow Lydia space to sit on the floor beside Elizabeth, and then turned a grim face to Kitty. 'Mrs Bennet, Catherine, go into my study and wait there until I come.'

Shouting outside signified that Hill had roused a groom. The voices were followed by horse's hoofbeats, loud at first then fading with the distance. Help was on the way.

He waited until the blankets had been laid gently around his Lizzy, watched as Lydia stroked her hand and hair, and hugged Jane who was weeping softly. Mary sat on the stairs, watching it all with a solemn, yet bewildered expression.

'Papa? What happened,' Jane asked again.

A spurt of anger bubbled up again at her innocent question. He took a deep breath, to reduce it before answering. She did not deserve a bitter reply. 'I am unsure and mean to find out. It seems related to Kitty, but I suspect Lydia might know more, as she roused me. Girls, please watch over Lizzy while I speak with Kitty. Jane, could you ask Hill to make some tea, and to prepare everything ready for the apothecary's arrival.'

Murmurs followed him as he walked reluctantly toward his study, along the path his wife and errant daughter had taken, entered the room and, after one long look at his fallen daughter, gently closed the door.

Mr Bennet moved around his desk and sat. Leaning his elbows on the desk, he interlocked his fingers and rested his chin wearily on them.

After a long moment, spent staring at his daughter, he said, 'Tell me why you did this, Catherine.'

Kitty lifted her chin, even though her face was pale she remained defiant. 'She fell, it was not my fault.'

'You forget, I saw what happened. She was trying to stop you from being very foolish, and you pushed her.' There was a long silence. 'Who were you to meet this night?'

Mrs Bennet's eyes widened, and she gazed at her daughter in disbelief. 'Kitty, what does your father mean?'

Kitty folded her lips together, refusing to speak, and looked down at her clasped hands.

'I can guess, I think,' he said, with a sigh. 'Mr Wickham. We know you had chance to speak with him in the churchyard before we found you. It was him, was it not, you were to meet tonight?'

Kitty shot a wide-eyed look at him, then looked back at her hands.

Mrs Bennet stirred. 'Is this true? Did you plan to meet with this man?'

Kitty remained silent.

Annoyed, Mrs Bennet stood and moved to face her daughter. Placing a hand on each of Kitty's shoulders she pushed them back, forcing a startled Kitty to lift her face and look at her mother.

'Kitty. Tell me.'

'Mr Wickham loves me and wants to marry me.'

Mr Bennet snorted.

'It's true,' Kitty exclaimed. 'He told me so. We were going to Gretna Green tonight.'

Mrs Bennet wailed and flopped back into her chair, fluttering a handkerchief that she pulled from her sleeve. 'We are ruined!'

Mr Bennet placed both hands flat on his desk, and stood, leaning down over his hands, his face near level with his daughter's, his voice low and controlled. 'If he were an honourable man, he would have come here to speak with me and asked my permission for your hand. Instead, he has lurked about in the woods with you, has secretly met with you, but he has never once shown his face anywhere near this house. And then he tries to steal away with you? I know exactly what this man is - he is an immoral snake and I highly doubt he had marriage in mind. Your dowry is not rich enough for this particular fortune-hunter.'

Mrs Bennet whimpered at her husband's words, and she moaned, 'Kitty, what have you done?'

Kitty dropped her eyes back to her lap, where she was twisting her fingers together.

Voices in the passage caused Mr Bennet to start, and hurry to the door. Looking out, he saw the apothecary had arrived. He looked back at his daughter. 'Catherine, your sister may not survive this. Do you not feel any remorse?'

She refused to raise her gaze to his.

He sighed and turned to his wife. 'Mrs Bennet, would you stay in here and speak with Catherine to find out exactly what she has been up to with that man? Can we expect a small surprise bundle a few months from now, perhaps?' He knew his pointed remark had found its mark by the gasps from both his wife and daughter. 'Given his reputation, it would not surprise me. Do not let her leave your sight, not for one moment, Mrs Bennet. I will see to our other daughter. I can only hope she survives this.'

As he left the room, his wife had already begun berating her second youngest daughter, and Kitty was sobbing. He nodded grimly and closed the door behind him.

A/N - As I mentioned at the top of Chapter 45, Lizzy's topple was the unexpected event the characters forced on me. It was unplanned, unplotted, but when the characters take over, sometimes you just have to go with it.