17 May 1833

Mrs. Darcy and Mrs. Wickham were sitting in the library after everyone else had gone to bed. Dinner had been a loud affair, with the Wickham boys shouting plans about their impending return home across the table and little Juno Darcy trying to narrate the story how she almost caught a frosh while out playing. Now, the children had gone to bed.

„How quiet it is, Lizzy. Such a difference to Newcastle. No matter what the time, you will always here someone shouting outside.", Mrs. Wickham remarked with a small smile

„It truly does get very quiet around here. But I enjoy the hectic chaos and loudness the children often bring more."

„Then you have not minded our stay too much, Lizzy? All week I have felt very selfish for making you host me and the children. They are great children, but I often feel like I failed them in educating them and teaching them manners." Mrs. Wickham sighed quietly. If Mrs. Darcy had not known for sure, she surely would have never recognized this woman with her bubbly younger sister from former days. Where Lydia Bennet had been energetic and loud, Lydia Wickham was tired and often thoughtful.

„Please do not worry about that Lydia. I know that things have not always been easy for you, but you did your best under the circumstances. And your children, while loud and often a bit rash, are good children. We will miss them, when you return to Newcastle.", Mrs. Darcy smiled at her sister. While she had not been excited to know that Lydia would be coming, she now was almost sorry to see her go.

„That is kind of you to say. We will always look back on this week happily. I have come to accept Newcastle as my town, sometimes I even love its now familiar strangeness, but sometimes I do long for the country air. We had so much fun as girls in Longbourn, don't you think?"

„It were happy times indeed. Sometimes I look back and wonder how the years have run by so fast. One day we were maidens and now we are all married women with children. Well except Mary, but I think she is quite content considering the circumstances."

„Oh yeah Mary. I always joked that nobody would marry her but I never truly thought I would be right. It feels so mean now. I am just happy that none of my girls have somehow taken on her looks. They are all too pretty to end up as spinsters.", Mrs. Wickham smiled at the end of her statement and Mrs. Darcy wondered quietly if her sister had truly changed that much.

„About the girls, Lydia. What will you do with them, when you are back in Newcastle?", Mrs. Darcy asked a bit concerned.

„Hope that people forget about Amys blasted beau. Effie can join society this autumn, she is old enough. Maybe she will catch a husband and then Amy can marry one of his friends. Effie is much too head strong to foolishly fall in love like Amy has and we have to return home. Freddy wont get another job offer so fast and I have to find another maid, now that ours has run off.", Mrs. Wickham answered.

Mrs. Darcy sighed. That was what she had been fearing: „I have an idea, Lydia. Why dont you let Amy and Effie stay with us? There will not be much balls and parties here, but the families around here are very respectable. Even if Amy does not find a husband here, people in Newcastle will have forgotten about the incident, when she returns a few months later."

„What about Effie? Will you let her dance? She is almost sixteen after all."

„No, Lydia. It would not be fair, as we will not allow our own daughter out in society this summer, and Effie and my Imogen are the same age. But she would surely still enjoy it around here."

„I am not so sure about that. Effie misses her home a lot, much more than anyone should ever miss this blasted town. And without her going to balls I do not really see the point in her staying here. She has more chances of getting married in Newcastle then."

„She is still so young, Lydia. She will benefit from staying here, don't you think?"

„Probably.", Mrs. Wickham sighed: „You were always the more sensible one, Lizzy. And maybe she will meet a man here anyways. Your posh friends will have younger sons and even a younger son could make an acceptable husband for a soldiers daughter. As long as he will have her of course."

Mrs. Darcy choose not to comment on that statement. Instead she quickly went over the other Wickham children in head, thinking which would also benefit from a longer stay in Pemberley: „I do not want to steal all your girls from you, Lydia, but don't you think that little Katie would also benefit from some country air?"

„Katie would. The poor child. She is the one I feel most detached to but also the one I worry the most about. Her birth was horrible on me. And Amy was so good with the baby. She would probably feel Katies absence more if I took her to Newcastle than I would if I left her here with you."

—

19 May 1833

Effie Wickham watched her brothers get inside the carriage with envy. The past two days she had tried to talk her mother into letting them all go back home, but Mama had not even considered it properly.

They were to remain in this terribly big house, with these fine cousins and frightening uncle. And all because she worried about Amy so much. Effie understood that it was important, that her older sister married. But surely Jack would come back, he always did. And even Katie did not need to stay in Pemberley, if Mama had only allowed them to go to Gracies country house for some weeks!

Effie fought back the tears. Her brothers did not even know how lucky they were to return home! Oh, how much she missed her home, her old life, before all this terrible things had happened. How happy they had been, how exciting every new day had looked!

The carriage started rolling. Katie next to her was jumping up and down, waving at Mama leaning out the carriage window. Effie could not do more than just stand there. She just did not want to start crying, here in front of her aunts family. And not in front of Amy who never cried, even after everything that happened.

Suddenly something soft was pushed into her hand. Effie looked down. It was a handkerchief. She quickly looked around. Everyone had gone inside already, only cousin Imogen was still standing next to her.

„Thank you, but I do not need tissues. I am not a small child to be crying now.", she said to her cousin and tried to give the handkerchief back to her.

But Imogen Darcy did not let her: „Crying is not for small children only. And I know how hard a good bye can be. Do not worry, you will see your family again after the summer.", she said almost a bit shyly.

„I wont miss them. I am sad because I cannot go home, because I have to stay here.", Effie said angrily and immediately wished she had not said it. Her cousin looked so shocked to hear it!

„Why dont you like it here? Everyone loves Pemberley. It is such a beautiful home.", Hurt pride swelled in Imogens voice.

„Surely. If you have a thing for lonely old country manors, it surely is the most beautiful place. But have you ever been to Newcastle? It is the most hectic and vibrant town. There is always something to see.", Effie crossed her arms in front of her chest.

„It is an industrial town. The air would be terrible.", Imogen retorted.

„Oh we don't mind the air that much. We cant all be that high and mighty.", Effie was angry now.

„We are not that choosy! I just do not see how you could like a dirty town like Newcastle better than Pemberley. I would have thought that you will like it here, that you will be happy to come. But ever since you came you are in a fool mood and I am sick of it."

„I never asked to come here! And it is certainly not my duty to entertain you with my moods. If you want entertainment why do you not call some friends to visit? That is if you have any friends.", Effie snapped.

A cough made them both turn around. One of the many maids had appeared at the door: „Your Mama is asking you both to come inside for tea, Miss Imogen."

—

Hey, I hope you all had great easter holidays incase you celebrated!

My apologies for the long delay! I just could not find enough time and inspiration to finish the chapter to my satisfaction and even now I am not fully happy with the conversation between the girls. But I just had to upload this before leaving on vacation tomorrow :) As someone pointed out in the last reviews, I forgot to mention the Darcys youngest daughter, she is Juno and four years old.
As always: Please review and tell me what you think!