Wow, so many people had mixed views or just did not know what to think of the last question. Just to let you all know that I had the same trouble deciding, hence why this chapter has taken longer to post. I wrote it one way and then decided I did not like it so changed it again lol. Well, this was the most difficult chapter if the story, so I hope you all enjoy!

Elizabeth smiled gratefully before taking the letters from the footman and placing them gently on the table next to her. She tried desperately to ignore that they were there but every few moments her eyes travelled to the post where the writing on one was very disgraceful, resulting in it being redirected. Her eyes immediately then flashed to her guests and to Mr Darcy who was sitting in his chair with a look of worry on his face.

Elizabeth was afraid for Mr Darcy, she could see that a letter sat open beside him but his face was so very pale. When his eyes met hers she could see anger within but as soon as he looked away from her he pushed his chair back, gathered up the letter and exited the room.

"Excuse me for a moment." Elizabeth muttered to her guests before picking up her letters and rushing after her husband.

It was not Elizabeth's hurried footsteps that stopped Mr Darcy outside of his study door; it was her voice calling his name. That voice that he so desperately wished to ignore at that moment in time forced him to stop and turn to her in response.

"Are you ill?" She asked him gently.

"No, not all. I have received some news that I am not pleased with, Elizabeth that is all."

"What is it? Can I help you in any way?" He smiled at her softly but Elizabeth could see that behind the smile was anger.

"Go read your letters Elizabeth. When you have read them come to me, only then will you understand." He opened the door at this and stepped in, closing the door behind him and shutting out her beauty from his mind.

Elizabeth was quite shocked by his actions but as she turned to walk away she only fell against the wall. She could not describe his anger, anger which she had not seen since their exit from London.

Yet, as she stood against the wall, Elizabeth ripped open the first letter and smiled at Jane's familiar hand.

My Dearest Lizzy,

I hope that your journey and time in London has been as delightful as you anticipated. We are all well, our Mother most of all I believe. She has not taken to her bed since your departure and seems to be regenerated since our poor Father's exit of the world.

Mr and Mrs Gardiner left for the Lake Country a week gone and left the children under my care. They are such dear children, but I feel that mamma finds them little trying. As a result she chooses to spend much of her time in the company of Mrs Lucas or our Aunt Phillips.

Elizabeth laughed at this, contemplating on her Mother not feeling the stress of her nerves and allowing the Gardiner children to remain at Longborne. She soon continued reading:

My dearest Lizzy, since writing the above something has occurred of a most unexpected and serious nature. An express arrived last night, not long after we had all gone to bed. It was from Colonel Forster explaining how Lydia had gone to Gretna Green with one of his officers, to be precise, with Mr Wickham!

I am so dreadfully sorry to inform you of this, I will write as soon as I can with more news.

Your Loving sister,

Jane

Elizabeth found that she was unable to breathe as she ripped open the next letter and peered down at the exact writing. It read:

My dearest Lizzy,

I would like to be the bearer of good news but I am afraid that I have more bad news, for a wedding has not taken place, Wickham never intended marrying Lydia at all! They were traced as far as London but not beyond, we are sure they have not gone to Scotland.

Our Uncle Gardiner has gone to London in the hope of recovering them but it seems that we have no hope. Our Mother's nerves have taken a hold on her and she will not leave her bed even with the encouragement of Aunt Phillips. I can write nothing more than to beg your immediate return to our Mother's side as soon as possible.

Your loving sister,

Jane

Elizabeth felt momentarily that she could not move from her position against the wall. Tears fell uncontrollably down her cheeks as she thought of her youngest sister who had not only damaged the name of Bennet but also the name of Darcy. For that Elizabeth knew she would never be able to forgive Lydia despite her age or character.

It took her a moment to pull herself from the security of the wall and walk to the door or Darcy's study. It was at the door that it struck Elizabeth that Darcy already knew about Lydia's situation. It was the reason why Darcy was so angry and diverted at breakfast, he knew that Lydia had been persuaded into elopement with the notorious Mr Wickham.

When Elizabeth walked into Darcy's study she immediately saw him sitting as his desk with his face in his hands. She softly closed the door and walked to stand opposite him. He looked up at her tear stained cheeks and sighed.

"I do not know what to say, Elizabeth." He said gently.

"You must not apologise for it is my family who have ruined your name!" He stood at this and walked to the window, looking across the land.

"It s my own fault, Elizabeth! I failed to tell you that when Lydia travelled to Brighton I sent a companion with her, to watch her carefully."

"Then how did she stray?" Elizabeth asked, tears still falling freely down her face.

"I found this companion from a very reliable source but it seemed that I understood her as well as Mrs Younge when it came to Georgiana."

"You sent a companion with Lydia?"

"Yes, I wanted to protect your family in a way that I failed to protect Georgiana, the way I failed to protect my mother."

"Stupid Lydia, Foolish Girl!" Elizabeth said as she paced the floor. "How do you know that this companion was not to be trusted?"

"I also received a letter from Colonel Forster but he emphasised to me how the woman had encouraged a relationship between Lydia and George Wickham!"

"I can never believe it, I am sure that Lydia would have conducted this on her own intuition!" Elizabeth fell into a chair and watched him as he stood at the window. She could tell that he was angry and he knew that she was distraught at such news.

"What says the letter from Jane? Is anything being done to recover her?" Darcy asked as he looked at her tears.

"My Uncle has gone to London for they were traced as far as London but not beyond. We have lost all hope, Lydia is lost forever and her whole family must partake in her ruin and disgrace!"

"Calm yourself, Elizabeth. Travel to Longborne and be with your sisters in this troubling time, they shall need you more than our guests." He walked toward her and knelt to take her hands, she did not pull away but rather she dropped her head to his shoulder to weep. Darcy did not move as she cried, instead he comforted her with assuring words until she raised her head and looked directly into his eyes.

"I am sorry, forgive me." She said as she wiped her eyes gently. "I will leave for Longborne directly and shall return to Georgiana as soon as possible." She stood at this and walked to the door.

"Lizzy!" He called out. That one word seemed to flow from his mouth so freely that he knew that from that moment he would never be able to call her anything else. That one word assured him that things were different between them for they had eventually arrived at a situation where they could call each other friends. "Stay as long as you think necessary."

"Thank you." This was all she said before she opened the door and walked out of it closing it roughly behind her. Darcy wondered then when would be the next time he would see her, for surely such a time of separation from his beloved Lizzy was going to be so much more than torture.

Unknowing to Elizabeth as she arrived at the Longborne estate, Mr Darcy who had urged his horses to the point of exhaustion was close to arriving in London. For he knew precisely who would be able to help him in the search for Lydia Bennet.

As he walked the darkened and notorious back streets of London many women stood forward in the hope of a night of passion but Darcy passed them by. Looking around at the many identical houses Darcy called out for a young girl to direct him. She was very resourceful and Darcy gave her sixpence as a thank you. It was very amusing for Darcy to see the young girl's many brothers chase her down the street in the direction of the nearest bread stall.

Yet, as Darcy stood outside of the house he was intending to enter anger raged in him. He raised his walking stick heavily and pounded on the door with it.

A moment later the door creaked open to reveal a shocked maid. When she recognised the gentleman she immediately tried to close the door to refuse his access but Darcy pushed his way into the small home.

"Mrs Younge!" He called as he entered a look of menacing hatred in his eyes.

The Bennet family were very nervous as they all sat patiently day by day waiting for a note or letter from town. However, each day passed with as much misery as the first and still no news.

This was however, until a very cold day when a messenger pounded to the estate. All four of the Bennet daughters who had been crowded in the drawing room waiting jumped to their feet in surprise for news was finally coming their way.

Elizabeth was first to arrive at the messenger and quickly took a coin from her own private purse before taking letter enthusiastically into her hands.

For Mrs Bennet to hear the sound of many feet rushing up the stairs and the sound of her many daughters calling her name was a great relief. As the girls surrounded her bed she sat up enthusiastically watching Elizabeth as she opened the letter.

"It is from our Uncle!" Elizabeth said. "My dear madam, I would like to relay the information of the tidings of your daughter and Mr Wickham, I have seen them both." Jane squealed slightly at this in excitement. "They are well, but not married. I can see no intention of them willing to be so unless you agree to the terms of settlement that Mr Wickham has placed before me. His only requirement is that Lydia is to be paid the one thousand pounds that she was given in her Father's will. I shall hope that you will agree to this settlement and pray for a wedding to take place. Yours sincerely, your brother, Mr Gardiner."

"Ah! Mrs Bennet screamed. "Lydia will be married! Another daughter married and just at sixteen!"

"Mother!" Elizabeth said angrily. "I know that Mr Wickham had significant debts, I am assured that our Uncle must have paid out a large sum to cover such debts."

"Of course Lizzy," Mrs Bennet said as she jumped from bed. "But who else should pay out money but our own Uncle?"

"Mother!"

"Oh! But I must call upon Mrs Lucas and inform her of the news, what a joyful day!"

So the reply was sent that the Bennet family agreed to such terms but Mrs Bennet was soon to be disappointed when she learnt that Lydia was to be married in London. She did not however, take to her bed; she was far too busy informing her acquaintances of her news.

Mrs Bennet was soon placed into brighter spirits when the carriage containing Mr and Mrs Wickham pulled up on the driveway at Longborne. Elizabeth felt a momentarily emotion of anger as she watched Mr Wickham step down from the carriage and then help his new wife to the ground.

"Mamma! It is so good to see you!" Lydia exclaimed as she rushed to her mother and allowed the woman to examine the ring on her finger. "Well, have I not caught myself a handsome husband?" Mr Wickham glowed as this, standing as straight as possible and smiling widely.

"You have indeed my dear, Lydia!"

"Oh, how I wish you could have all been present at the wedding!" Lydia said as she took her husband's arm and walked into the house.

Everyone excused themselves to the drawing room apart from Lydia who still rushed around the entrance hall, examining her hair in the mirror. Jane and Elizabeth however, stood carefully and watched her.

"I am a married woman now, Lizzy, Jane!" Lydia said as she looked at them in the mirror. "I thought at first that Aunt Gardiner was going to avoid the wedding at first but of course she came! She did seem very agitated almost as though something had upset her!"

"Can you not understand why?" Elizabeth asked. Jane quickly elbowed her to ensure she say no more.

"I did want my dear Mr Wickham to be married in his red coat and have a guard of honour with their sabres drawn, but that was impossible! In the end there were only my Aunt, Uncle and Mr Darcy present."

"Mr Darcy!" Elizabeth exclaimed. Lydia quickly placed her hand over her mouth.

"My goodness, I was not to say a word!" Lydia giggled wildly before rushing off to join the rest of the family in the drawing room.

Elizabeth was agitated as to why Mr Darcy would be present at her own sister's wedding and even as she travelled back to Pemberley a few days later her mind was still contemplating on it.

The day before Elizabeth travelled back to Derbyshire she had sat herself in the privacy of her own room and wrote a letter to her Aunt Gardiner, hoping for some resolve to her question. Her letter was words of such:

My Dear Aunt,

Pray write and tell me why Mr Darcy of all people should have been at the wedding unless you are also bound to the secrecy which, Lydia seems to think necessary.

Returning to Pemberley was a delight to Elizabeth but her only fear was that the party from Netherfield would still be present. She knew that if Caroline Bingley was still present there would be many questions to answer and many humiliations.

Happily, when Elizabeth entered the Pemberley foyer there was only Georgiana present. She stood elegantly waiting for the mistress to enter the room.

"Elizabeth, it is so good to see you. I hope that you are well?" Georgiana asked as she walked toward Elizabeth.

"I am very well Georgiana, I thank you. Where are the Bingley's?"

"They returned to town a few days after you and my brother left. They did thank you for your hospitality and hope that you and Fitzwilliam are well."

"Has Fitzwilliam returned?" Elizabeth asked as they both turned to the drawing room.

"He has not, although he did write to ensure me that he was well. I feel that he shall return soon."

"Yes, I suppose he will."

Georgiana did speak the truth for a few days later the Master of Pemberley returned safely to his sister and wife. Nothing was mentioned between Elizabeth and Darcy of what had happened in town in front of Georgiana. However, when Darcy did see Elizabeth for the first time he said nothing to her. Instead, he extended a letter addressed to Elizabeth from her Aunt Gardiner who would surely understand Elizabeth's curiosity on the matter. At least Elizabeth hoped that she did.

Alright all, you have to tell me what you think about this chapter because I am unsure of it. Next question:

Q. Do you think Mrs Gardiner is going to tell Elizabeth the truth about the wedding with her being married to Darcy?