Newcastle, 01 May 1832

Effie had heard her parents argue so many times she had lost count. They had their usual range of topics. Grocery money, the housemaids, Papas nights in the club, Mamas trips to the modiste, sometimes even about past times when they had been younger and still unmarried.

But even though they had eleven children of whom nine still lived at home and four were under ten years of age, they never argued about them. But tonight was different.

„Ever since her birthday the neighbors are talking about us, are talking about her. And you are not doing anything to prevent it.", Mamas voice sounded tear strained.

„Come now, were you not the talk of all Meryton when you were young?", Papa was not drunk tonight, had maybe drunk half a bottle of wine. He never drank much when he was at home, only got drunk when out. And today he had not gone out at all, as Mama had started fighting right after dinner, when Amy had excused herself and gone to bed.

„And where has that brought me? I know you do not care much about the children in general and your daughters in particular, but even you can not be that unfeeling. He will never offer for her and we will all be ruined." Now Mama was downright crying, a loud and ugly sound that did not really match her still pretty face.

Effie thought back to that night, it had all been so wonderful. The many beaming lights, the violins. How beautiful Amy had looked in her blushing gown and with her long locks pinned around her head.

„They are pretty enough to attract some stupid enough fellow anyways. And Amy is still young. She can try it a bit longer with the little bastard, maybe he will offer for her after all. Or she just has to put him under some pressure." Papa was laughing now and Effie felt sorry for Mama, even though she did not agree with her point. Jack would offer for Amy, no matter what everyone thought about him.

„That is not the way I raised my children."

„As if you know anything about raising children. You were not older than sixteen when you had the girl. And you are certainly not a paragon of virtue yourself, wife."

„And whose fault is that? I would have never gotten with child if you did not promise to marry me. I could have a rich and handsome husband, just like my sisters. But I had to fall in love with you and ruin myself. And now we will all be ruined by this."

„I married you after all, even if that might have been the most stupid thing I could have done."

Effie turned around. Her sisters still appeared to be sleeping. Amy had drawn her arms around Katie, cuddling the little girl closely. She never slept alone after that night two weeks ago. Not since Jack was gone. Effie had never understood how all her siblings could sleep through all their parents fighting but now she was very thankful for it.

—

Pemberley, 05 May 1832

Mrs. Darcy was sitting in the yellow salon. It was one of her most favorite rooms in all of Pemberley. It was positioned next to the music room, so that she could hear Imogens playing just loud enough to still concentrate on her letters. The morning light shone trough the big french windows and illuminated the whole room. If she decided to stand up from her mahagoni writing desk and went to afore mentioned french windows she could look into the rose garden that was just beginning to bloom.

She was more than happy to be back in Derbyshire. The season in London had been especially exhausting this year. It had been her nieces second season. While Roses first season had been a relative simple affair - it mostly consisted of swooning over dresses and shoe roses - her second season was more to think about.

Rose worried about every ball. She worried not only about her dresses and shoes but about her hair and about the other girls that they would judge her for her fathers connections in trade. And then there were the gentlemen. Rose worried when they did not come to call and she worried when they did.

Mrs. Darcy hated seeing her niece like this. Rose was a bright girl, smart and pretty. And she was still so young, she had no reason to worry about husbands. Mrs. Darcy blamed Roses Aunt Caroline for it. Since Jane had let Rose visit Mrs. Blake last autumn she was not the same careless young girl she was before. She spent endless hours in front of the mirror, making faces and trying to style her hair in ever new ways.

Mrs. Darcys sister Mrs. Bingley said it was nothing to worry about, that a girl had every right to a little bit of vanity. And that Mrs. Blake was just looking out for Rose, as any aunt would. She even went so far to compare Mrs. Blakes efforts to Mrs. Darcys own doings at which point Mrs. Darcy had to start concentrating on her dinner as to not get loud.

It was sometimes astonishing how much they still acted like unmarried girls when it came to their sisterly chats, even after marriage and children and crossing their forties!

When Imogen in the neighboring room switched to a even faster song - she very much enjoyed playing Italian concerts these days - Mrs. Darcy returned to her correspondence. A letter addressed in blotted ink caught her eye. It looked like Lydias handwriting.

Her little sister was not someone Mrs. Darcy would call a great writer. Her letters normally only came for christmas and after her children's birthdays. But none of the Wickhams many children had their birthday in the beginning of may.

Curiously Mrs. Darcy opened the letter and started to read. Hopefully there was nothing wrong with Lydia and the children…

After Mrs. Darcy had finished reading she decided to find her husband as fast as possible.

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Hey everyone :) Thank you very much for your lovely reviews! I hope you have liked this chapter?

QOP: Thank you for pointing out my error with Balzac! I wanted to include him in some way but did not research properly. I will try to do better research next time. I will include Mary in some way later on but you will have to stay patient for some time, because the story focuses on the Darcys and Wickhams mainly for know.

JrTT: I try to include more of a male voice this time (even if it was just Wickhams) :D And I promise Darcy will make an appearance next chapter!