Good day, my friends! I have been rather busy doing some editing for a fellow JAFF writer in preparation for the release of her debut novel, so have not spent much time on my own the last few days. However, now that my side job is done, I can get back to writing my own story! So, in celebration of getting my groove back, here's another chapter for you to enjoy.

And as always, I an grateful to each and every person who reads, comments, favorites, and follows. It is truly motivating and inspiring, because it tells me I'm doing something right!


Chapter Five


When it was settled that they would marry after all, and Elizabeth had all but demanded Darcy make right his mistake regarding Jane and Bingley, the two settled at the table again to discuss what their next steps should be.

Upon hearing that Meryton—and thereby Longbourn—did not receive the London papers until half a day after their release, Darcy suggested one of the first actions to take would be to put an announcement in the society pages of the next day's morning edition. This would give them the advantage in controlling the spread of gossip as well as time for him to travel to Longbourn to formally seek her father's permission to marry her.

"I also think it would be prudent for me to secure a license, so that we may marry as soon as possible," said he.

Elizabeth was unable to prevent the shock that coursed through her from showing on her face. "You do not think we should wait for banns to be read?"

"We could, certainly, but those three weeks would be more than sufficient time for my aunt to act maliciously," Darcy replied. "Even with our engagement announced, she will have the power to inflict damage. The sooner we marry, the sooner—"

"The sooner you can whisk me off to Pemberley?" Elizabeth interjected, before taking a sip of her tea.

Darcy smiled but shook his head. "Much as I should like to, no. I rather think we should remain in town for at least a fortnight after the wedding."

"And why is that?"

"I think it imperative we establish our union as a choice made for no other reason than our mutual happiness, rather than our being forced to marry due to compromise of any sort."

Elizabeth had just drawn a breath to respond when there came a light knock at the door. Colonel Fitzwilliam poked his head in with a hopeful expression.

"I see the battle is at armistice," said he as he stepped around the door and closed it.

Smiling, Elizabeth said, "No battle took place, Colonel. Only peace was discussed between us."

"Only peace?" he prompted.

Darcy shot him a look, then relaxed his features a fraction and said, "And future happiness, cousin. Miss Bennet has realized that she spoke in haste when refusing me. After further considering the merits of my offer, she has acknowledged the honor I have paid her and accepted me with alacrity."

Elizabeth looked at him with one eyebrow raised, as he had almost verbatim repeated her acceptance. Fitzwilliam grinned broadly, but she was certain he knew the true reason she had agreed to marry his cousin. Still, when he approached and bowed to her, his words were kind as he said, "I wholeheartedly welcome you to our family, Miss Bennet. You may not now think so given the…pressing circumstances…but I do not doubt you will be very happy with Darcy."

He leaned closer and said in a conspiratorial whisper, "He's not such a bad fellow, I assure you. Much more at his ease in intimate company, and you may even draw out a smile or two on occasion."

Elizabeth smiled. "Is that a challenge, Colonel?" she asked.

Fitzwilliam laughed. "Not so much a challenge as a mission, Miss Bennet. I hereby charge you, as my new relation, to make Darcy smile more and brood less."

"Theodore," said Darcy in a warning tone.

"It's quite all right, Mr. Darcy," said Elizabeth. "After all, if we are to convince your friends and relations that we are happy, surely seeing you smile more will be one way of doing so. The challenge, therein, lies in figuring out just how I may accomplish my mission."

"To you, Will," said Fitzwilliam, "I charge the same mission. If you do not wish Miss Bennet to regret her decision to marry a reticent, reclusive fellow like yourself, you must make every effort to see her smile."

"And you must make an effort to be more sociable," added Elizabeth with a smirk. "Prove to me—and to others—that you are not as proud and conceited as we think you."

Darcy glanced between them with one eyebrow raised, and then with only a fraction less of the haughty air she had long come to associate with him, replied, "Your challenge is accepted. Now, as to our discussion—"

"What were you talking of just now?" Fitzwilliam asked as he moved around the table and took up a chair.

Elizabeth watched Darcy visibly suppress either a sigh or a growl, and it was some effort not to laugh at his vexation. "Miss Bennet and I were discussing what measures to take in order to limit the damage Lady Catherine might attempt to inflict to achieve her ends. Thus far, we have agreed to placing an announcement of our engagement in the paper and my acquiring a license that we may marry without waiting for the banns."

Fitzwilliam surprised her by nodding his approval. When he took note of her raised brows, he said, "Forgive me Miss Bennet, but I must agree that is the wisest course. The sooner you are married, the less chance our aunt has of allowing her anger at being thwarted to cause any harm. Marrying quickly may cause some little speculation as to how soon your first child will come, but such talk will remain behind closed doors so long as you and Darcy appear every bit as happy together as you claim to be."

Elizabeth's cheeks had warmed at the colonel's speculation as to the talk to be expected and found she could no longer meet Darcy's gaze. "

"Now, after I have taken you to your uncle at Gracechurch Street," said Darcy, "I will first go to Darcy House to share the news with my sister. Then I will accompany Colonel Fitzwilliam to his father's that I might share the news with him. I may have to tell Lord Disley the true circumstances in order to prevent his raising too much objection."

Elizabeth again felt alarmed. "Is that really necessary, sir? How are we to portray ourselves as a happy couple if he knows I first refused you?"

Darcy glanced at his cousin. "I at first thought I might get away with not sharing that particular detail, but then I recalled having told Lady Catherine and Mr. Collins that you had refused my offer, which she may well bring up to her brother. I will therefore tell the earl what I told both them and Mrs. Collins: that I did not present my suit in a favorable manner, thus overwhelming your sensibilities and leading you to request time to consider my offer."

That he was being kind enough to describe her actions in a favorable manner brought some relief to Elizabeth's agitation, as they all knew that was not at all what had really happened. It moved her to realize he was already making an effort to prevent her feeling any misery in her choice by ensuring that her behavior, at least, did not meet with any disapprobation.

She could do nothing else but recognize this. "Thank you for that, Mr. Darcy. I know how much you abhor deceit; I, too, am not easy with having to lie to our relations. But neither do I wish to cause anyone pain, my father most especially. For all his faults, he loves me most dearly, and if he should have any inclination that I am unhappy in my choice it would surely break his heart."

Darcy reached for her hand and took it up to press it warmly between his own. "Then we must keep our spirits up, you and I, and find in the prospect of a lifetime together what happiness we can."

Her smile was weak as she nodded her agreement. "When do you think to see Mr. Bingley and my father?" she asked.

Drawing a breath, Darcy replied, "Bingley I will make an attempt to see tonight, after—if not before—I see the earl. I will go to your father tomorrow and purchase the license on my return to London."

"Shall I go with you to my father?" Elizabeth asked next.

"If you insist upon attending me thither, I shan't prevent you," Darcy said. "However, I think your time tomorrow might be better spent in London."

A frown marred her features. "Whatever for?"

"To commission your wedding clothes, of course."

Elizabeth glanced at Fitzwilliam and scoffed, then looked back to Darcy to say, "Sir, I have not the funds to purchase a new wardrobe, and I very much doubt my father will be able to spare the money. His income is but a fifth of yours and he has five daughters and a wife to support, do not you remember?"

Darcy pressed his lips together in a tight line, then drew a breath and said, "Miss Bennet, I will not be asking your father for the funds, nor do you need to. I have accounts at the best dressmakers in town for the sake of my sister. I will write a note for you to present at any shop you have need to visit informing them that your purchases are to be charged to me."

Stifling a groan, she replied, "Sir, I cannot condone that. It is not your place to purchase my wedding clothes, and to be perfectly candid, I do not see the sense in buying an entire new wardrobe when all the clothes I have are still perfectly serviceable—some of my gowns are even less than six months old."

For the second time that day Darcy reached up to pinch the bridge of his nose. "Elizabeth, you must have new clothes."

Elizabeth drew a breath to refute the claim when Fitzwilliam softly cleared his throat, then said, "Beg pardon for interrupting, but Darcy is right. You will be the wife of an extraordinarily wealthy gentleman, and—ridiculous as the practice is—as a woman you will be judged by the quality and fashion of the clothes you wear."

Elizabeth cocked an eyebrow at him. "You mean to say that I must 'look the part' as it were?"

Fitzwilliam grinned and snapped his fingers. "Precisely, my soon-to-be cousin! Allow me to query you this: Besides the harpies of the ton, who will make more of a point about your wardrobe—my illustrious Aunt Catherine, or your own dear mamma?"

Biting her lip in an effort not to laugh, Elizabeth was forced to concede that he had a point. "In the interest of full candor, I rather dread my mother's lamentations more than her ladyship's. Mamma would probably be the first to point out that Darcy has quite money enough to buy an entire new wardrobe for his wife and then some."

"And in that one instance, if no other, I would agree with her," Darcy interjected. "My dear, consider that purchasing new clothes to help you 'look the part', as you said, will put you yet another step ahead of society's gossip mongers. Beat them at their own game by giving them nothing to criticize."

"Perhaps I ought to take some delight in vexing them," Elizabeth mused. "And of course, my dressing the part of a rich man's wife makes him look better by association—they can't then criticize you, either, if I am always fashionably attired."

Not just Darcy, she realized. By dressing well, she would be bringing additional gentility to her relations by association. She especially wished for Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner to be well thought of, for though her uncle was in trade, he was every bit the gentleman and her aunt was most assuredly a lady.

Sighing heavily, Elizabeth inclined her head. "Very well, Mr. Darcy. I shall accept the purchase of a new wardrobe, if it must be done. I suppose I might think of it as your wedding present to me—should make the mortification of not being able to buy my own wedding clothes sting a little less."

Darcy looked as though he might argue the point, but a motion from his cousin stilled his tongue and he merely pressed his lips together again; Elizabeth was grateful that Colonel Fitzwilliam had some effect on Darcy's temper. Her betrothed might think little of it, but it was embarrassing that the purchase of her trousseau would be his doing and not her father's, because Mr. Bennet could not afford the expense.

After another quarter of an hour's rest and discussion, they were off again toward London. Elizabeth grew more anxious the nearer they drew to the city, fretting over how her sister and her aunt and uncle would receive the news. Happy would be their ejaculations, certainly. Jane, like Charlotte, had suspected at one time that Darcy admired her; she would take some small pleasure in needling Elizabeth that she had been right. Mrs. Gardiner would be in raptures over her marvelous good fortune and no doubt hopeful of an invitation to Pemberley, a house she had admired all her youth. Mr. Gardiner would be happy to see her so well settled, and hopeful of receiving the commission for the "happy" couple's new carriage.

Not that Mr. Darcy of Pemberley in Derbyshire needs another carriage, Elizabeth mused sourly. He probably has half a dozen of them already.

"Are you well, Miss Bennet?"

She looked across the carriage to the maid. "Quite well, Miss Lacey. I just have a great deal on my mind."

"Oh, just Penelope, Miss. I'm a maid, I know my place," the other girl said.

Elizabeth flashed a grin. "Well, your 'place' is as my maid at the moment, so I shall afford you the same respect as any other lady's maid."

A thought occurred to her then. "Tell me—besides being a parlor maid, what other work have you done? Have you any other skills?"

"Well, like any maid worth her weight in gold, Miss, I can handle a needle and thread. I know how to read and write, though the latter isn't too neat as I don't have cause to do it often. And I can do basic sums."

"That is good to know. I think I may already have a position for you, then—did not Mr. Darcy say he would find you work when we reached town?"

The maid nodded. "He did, Miss. Very kind of him to help me find a new position."

"It is only right that he does, given he has taken you away from your post at Rosings to be of service to me, however voluntarily you came along," Elizabeth told her. "You would do just as well to serve as my lady's maid as any other, I am sure, so long as you are willing to learn the position's duties."

Miss Lacey's eyes widened. "You are too kind, Miss! I must say, I do think I know a fair bit 'bout what a lady's maid does. Mason—that is, Miss de Bourgh's maid—talked of what she does all the time during meals in the servants' hall, even though we downstairs maids were lower in rank than her. Sounds like a great deal of work, but I'd be happy to do it! I like keeping busy, as then I don't think so much about being all alone in the world."

Elizabeth felt a rush of sympathy for her. "How long have you been alone?"

"Eight years. I was fourteen when my parents died within days of each other from a fever that swept through Hunsford; I'm two-and-twenty now. I almost died as well," said Miss Lacey. "I was first taken in by the old parson and his wife, to recover from my illness, because of course I couldn't stay in my father's house alone at such an age. It was old Mrs. Baker that taught me to read and write and do sums, as she thought every young person ought to have at least that much education. Then, when Reverend Baker died, Lady Catherine took me on at Rosings."

Elizabeth was glad to know more of the girl, with whom she had talked little on the first leg of the journey, so full of her own concerns as she had been.

"Well then, I shall be glad to tell Mr. Darcy that he does not need bother about finding a position for you or a lady's maid for me, which I am sure he will insist I have," she said.

Miss Lacey smiled. "But of course! Mr. Darcy is the grandson of an earl, and important people like him—and his wife—would have their own man or maid. I shouldn't wonder at you having a lot on your mind, to be marrying so prodigiously wealthy and handsome a man. Lady Catherine always talked of his marrying Miss de Bourgh, but I never thought he would. All the girls at Rosings said she's been sickly her whole life, and an important man like Mr. Darcy must have an heir."

Elizabeth suppressed a shudder at the thought. She knew that, eventually, she would be expected to give her husband an heir, but at present she still wasn't sure she even liked the man! How was she ever going to lay with him to perform her wifely duties?

She could not dwell on that now, she mused, as the carriage was just then pulling up outside of her uncle Gardiner's house in Gracechurch Street. In another moment, the footman was opening the door and setting the step, then Darcy was there to hand her out.

"Ready to begin the charade?" she quipped softly.

Darcy frowned in a way that gave Elizabeth pause—had she actually hurt his feelings with her remark? How could she have done? They had agreed that their happiness would all be for show…hadn't they?

Pushing the thought aside, she placed her hand at his elbow when he offered his arm, and together they made their way silently up the steps to the Gardiners' door, with the maid following behind; Fitzwilliam elected to remain outside as his cousin's visit wasn't to be long.

Darcy lifted the knocker and tapped it to the plate three times. A minute or two later, Mrs. Reed, the housekeeper, opened the door. "Good afternoon, Miss Elizabeth," the lady greeted her, then she stepped aside to allow the three of them to enter. "Mrs. Gardiner is upstairs with the children, but your sister Miss Jane is in the drawing room."

"Thank you, Mrs. Reed," said Elizabeth. "Is my uncle home?"

Mrs. Reed nodded. "He's in his study, Miss."

"Will you be so kind as to ask Mr. Gardiner to come to the drawing room, and send one of the maids for Mrs. Gardiner?"

Mrs. Reed nodded. "Of course, Miss," said she, then turned away and strode off down the hall. Elizabeth drew a breath and, after taking her hand from Darcy's arm, squared her shoulders and led the way into the drawing room.

Jane looked up from her embroidery immediately upon their entrance, her expression first of delight and then of confusion. "Lizzy," said she as she stood and approached to embrace her. "This is so unexpected. Mr. Darcy, how do you do?"

Darcy almost smiled as he bowed his head—Progress already, Elizabeth mused.

"Good afternoon, Miss Bennet," Darcy replied to Jane's greeting. "I am well. How do you do?"

"Quite well, sir," said Jane, whose gaze flickered across each member of the party before returning to Elizabeth. "I am, of course, much surprised to see you all here."

"Lizzy!" cried Mr. Gardiner cheerfully as he came into the drawing room. He stepped up to her and they kissed each other's cheek. "What are you doing here? You were not to come until next week."

He glanced at Darcy and Miss Lacey. "Will you not introduce your friends?"

"Of course, sir," said Elizabeth. "May I present to you Mr. Darcy of Pemberley in Derbyshire and Miss Lacey. Miss Lacey is my maid, at present, employed by Mr. Darcy to attend me from Kent. Mr. Darcy, Miss Lacey, my uncle Mr. Edward Gardiner. Miss Lacey, my sister Miss Bennet."

The gentlemen bowed to one another and exchanged greetings. Mrs. Gardiner soon joined their party, and introductions were made again.

"Now, my dear Lizzy," said her uncle, his brow drawn up in curiosity. "What has brought you hither a se'nnight earlier than expected?"

Darcy offered his arm again, and Elizabeth once more placed her hand upon it, forcing a smile to her lips as she said, "Mr. Darcy and I are engaged to be married."