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

The Darcy
Visitors

Elizabeth closed her eyes, "I know what Richard wanted. I want to honor him." With a nod, she accepted.

Two days later they married in front of a cleric in the late afternoon, and they had a dinner to celebrate. Afterward, Lizzie excused herself and went to bed alone. Darcy stayed playing billiards; not in his life, he would have foreseen such a wedding night. He didn't even get a wedding kiss. All was well, he had patience.

Weeks Later

They sat in the family room. Lizzie sat next to her mother-in-law. Darcy sat across her, he knew that she disliked him and didn't know how to change it. They have been married for three weeks, and she was barely civil to him.

Darcy had sent instructions for a settlement for his wife. He had also ordered for a wedding present, he gave it to her before the wedding, knowing that she would put it away for a while. He also had his father and mother's wedding bands, which both wore.

"I am concerned," his uncle Fitzwilliams put down the missive he had been reading. Our favorite German associate is coming to visit. He received news of Richard's murder and has a letter from our King. He says that she can have her child at home in Germany. It would seem that he feels this is the time to come for her. He says he hopes Penny will go back to him. I guess that is what he is after, compelling his wife to return."

"What was that?" Elizabeth lifted her head alarmed. "It sounded like a large wild animal, a nasty growl."

Darcy had heard the same. "I didn't hear anything," everyone else said.

"About the letter, I won't go. I am a married woman. He has no rights over me. If my mother left him, it must have been for a reason. Forcing her to come back, he doesn't deserve her. That cannot be right, I just won't go."

"Richard's solicitor had said that as long as you were married, Frederick couldn't do a thing. I don't know how long Schmidt had the letter. Now, if he had the letter at the time, you married William, and he was your legal father, it could be a problem. Perhaps, he can call the marriage illegal. He can declare it as a marriage of convenience to avoid his claims."

Darcy stood up, "How can he? It is preposterous, he cannot prove anything. Elizabeth is my wife."

"Son, there is a small problem, you two keep separate rooms and separate lives." Lord Fitzwilliams noted.

Elizabeth turned red. "That is private." They had barely said two words to each other on a given day.

"Under normal circumstances, you would be right, but he will notice any irregularities." Lord Fitzwilliams looked worried. These last weeks had been a nightmare; at least Catherine was off their back. Anne was getting married to Westmark, Bennet's steward. Richard had said as much; he had seen them together. She often went to visit Westmark on her way to see friends. His father was a Baron, and he had refused to go into the church. He had learned much about irrigation and crop rotating from others like him. Now, he would go to Kent to help Catherine.

"If Bartlett gets a whiff, he will take advantage of the situation." Darcy saw the problems looming. What he wanted was his wife. At least to be civil with her. He would like to hold her, to start with; then, a kiss or two would be welcome. Richard had written twice. He had explicitly told him to have a 'real' marriage.

"When is he arriving?"

"He is on his way, any day."

"Sir," The butler announced, "I have an express, the carrier couldn't wait; he was a foreigner. It is for the young Lady."

Darcy stood to get it, the envelope was made of an unusual paper, "It looks like Japanese paper, a rare kind, see the leaves and pressed flowers?"

Lizzie opened it. "Today, someone will be arriving with news from my mother."

They all looked at each other with apprehension.

"My dear," Darcy asked Elizabeth, "please come with me, I have something urgent to discuss with you."

She stood and took the arm offered.

"Before anyone comes, I think you and I must appear married. "

She blushed, "We are married. "

"Any footman can tell whoever that we hardly talk to each other. It is not my preference, but yours."

"I just lost my husband," she looked down, not wanting to meet his eyes.

"It is true, I fully respect your feelings, but Schmidt could care less. At least, we need to appear married. When I visited my Prussian relatives, couples slept in the same room, I know this. And you and I don't even have connecting rooms."

Her nearness made him want her. He had a few mistresses, but it had been a while. It would seem to him that he always was waiting for her; he never developed any attachments. Her hand on his arm sent currents of lust along his body. His sex throbbed; darn, he wanted her badly.

He cleared his throat, "My dear, on the letter, Richard told you that he wanted you to have a real marriage with me." Darcy caressed her hand on his arm.

She pouted. "I love my husband and will never stop loving him. Maybe this was a mistake."

"Not a mistake, not for me." He took her hand and kissed the palm.

To her surprise, the kiss went to her sex. Darcy left his moist lips on it for a few seconds. She felt her body shuddering, warm everywhere. She didn't say anything, at first, "May I read the letter?"

"Of course, you may. But, when Schmidt arrives, I recommend that we share your room." He decided no to make promises not to touch her; mostly, because he didn't think he could keep them.

Elizabeth looked at him, he hardly smiled, so quiet; he kept his distance. Strangely, she felt at ease with him. Richard was so different. He was playful and liked to talk and to joke.

However, Elizabeth had seen her husband talking to Amelia, his aunt's younger sister. She also saw him playing with his aunt's hair, annoying her, and snickering like he was a young child. He often played around with his uncle, making him laugh. But not with her, why? She wondered, failing to see that it's was her; she was the one keeping arm's length from him. Richard taught her to play billiards, maybe she could play with him; she thought that might be a start.

Darcy was enjoying touching her wrist, feeling her pulse; she was like him. She also shunned gloves; it was perfect to feel her skin next to him. Funny that he could feel so much from a mere touch.

"Richard wrote to me that he had found a nymph swimming in a pond, and he was going to marry her. He wrote the same day he met you. He said he had never seen such a beauty and some other things," he smiled mischievously. "I wish I could see you swimming. Richard certainly liked it. Maybe we can swim in Pemberley."

She blushed, "I was foolish, besides I am increasing, and will probably look like a fat nymph."

He guffawed, he looked different, softer, a little like Richard, "I doubt it, you will always look beautiful. Motherhood suits you." He dared to touch her bump. "It is beautiful, Richard's baby."

What he felt on his hand surprised him. In the past, when he touched pregnant animals, and once the wife of a tenant, he could sense the life; it was one of his quirks. But he knew the life inside; it was Richard, the name came out, "Richard, you are back, thank God."

His eyes filled with wonder.

"What did you say? Are you lying?" She lifted her head to look at him, trying to discern if he were lying.

"No, I am telling the truth, you are carrying a little boy. I would say you have three more months. I saw some of his old memories, "My nymph, my Lizzie, my seal pup."

Her face brightened up, "He lives, he said I was a pup. Richard, my love, are you here? I will be the best mommy ever, my sweet special baby."

"Yes, he is there. He loves his mommy. He is getting another chance since his life was cut short. I am getting anxious for the baby to arrive."

Elizabeth leaned towards him, she wanted comfort. There was no denying, she felt protected with him around. Ah, he was saying something.

"I must tell you, it was said that one of my ancestors was called a changeling. It might be true, I can see in the dark, amongst other things. When I was a young boy, I nearly drowned, we were rescued by someone hard to explain. He wasn't human. I only remember one thing he said, "You are one of us, I heard your call." We should have died, but we didn't. Many said the Forest folk had "touched" us. My father collected many books. One...I remember... wait." He stopped.

Darcy searched in his pocket and pulled out a small leather notebook. The book was old, it had mostly drawings.

"I've meant to show you this."

Elizabeth looked at two of the pictures and touched her ears, "Their ears look like mine, and the hair is also unruly like mine." Lizzie looked at him and giggled, "And you, the ears look like yours."

"When I went to Eaton, older boys laughed at me. They said that I had changeling ears; but I wasn't alone, Richard and George were there; they made sure I was safe. There was an older boy, he was always trying to harm me. He grew up to be a nasty man." Darcy sighed.

Elizabeth just noticed his hair, much like hers but darker. "Look again, that could be you as well. Who are they?"

"I don't rightly know, the writing is foreign. I have looked much; it is nothing recorded."

Elizabeth saw it. "I can try to read it. May I? I have an affinity with languages."

She hadn't noticed he was holding her hand, close to his body. He was caressing her wrist with his thumb.

"Shall we walk in the gardens?"

"Yes, I'd like that," Warrior, the terrier, was following close behind. He sensed that his master was now a pup and would need a lot of protection. Warrior had been granted a gift for rescuing Elizabeth, but nobody would figure it out, not for a long while.

Elizabeth hesitated, "But what if Bartlett is out there. He found me when I was walking that day."

"You are with me."

When they were stepping onto the garden path, they saw a rider approaching.

"I hope that is not my uncle Frederick."

"Coming alone and riding, I doubt it. My grandmother was the daughter of a prince. Germany has many princes and whatnot. When I visited there, I notice there flaunt their wealth, and if not their status. He will come in a grand carriage, at the very least." They both chuckled.

The horse was huge. The rider wore a cloak with a hood and seemed to be a giant.

"Let's go back into the house now." Darcy pulled her, but she shook his hand off and took off.

Elizabeth wasn't listening and was walking straight onto the horse's path.

"Stop, right now," Darcy urged, trying to catch up, but was running very fast.

She wouldn't listen, walking straight to the horse. Darcy felt sick, he was panicking. He couldn't handle losing her."

The rider slowed down.

Darcy pulled out the small pistol and pointed.

He heard a voice in his head, "Put that away, no foolishness."

Darcy froze; he couldn't move a muscle.

a/n I lost all the work from the last two days in Dropbox. :( You will get more soon. Right now, I could be better. Thanks for all the support. So we will find out who is the rider.