A/N: This was going to be a longer chapter, as I've so far up to 5,000 words but I thought it would be better to update sooner with the first half then update with second half within the next week. Let me know what you think, the sooner I hear feedback the sooner I shall update! Thanks!

Chapter Twelve – True Motives

Elizabeth walked through the simple but well maintained gardens of the Forster's house undisturbed for around an hour, pondering Lydia's words and the implications. She longed for Jane, for her even temper and comforting manner would surely ease Lizzy's anxiety. Before breakfast, when Lizzy had first awoken she had felt the need for Jane and had settled for writing to her. Lizzy wrote a long letter, withholding once again the details of the night that brought her back to Pemberly, but informing Jane of everything that was going on. She hoped that this would relieve again concern felt at Longbourne.

But the continual reassurance of her guardians had been successful; she was now quiet at ease about their situation resolving Wickham. Now they were here there was no way he would risk his interests by continuing any fraternizations further.

Walking into a rose garden, Lizzy was pleased by observing several different species of roses, some that she couldn't name. She was soon relaxed in the tranquil atmosphere and didn't hear approaching footsteps until she heard a familiar voice call out.

"Miss Bennett,"

She was startled by the voice, and turned. "Mr. Wickham," she said with a surprised tone, politely curtseying. "I thought you were training today."

"I'm afraid one of my fellow officers injured his knee during an exercise, and I was obliged to assist him back to receive medical attention," Mr. Wickham replied with remorseful expression.

"Is he alright?" Elizabeth asked with the concern that the gentleman was clearly looking for as he watched her speak.

"Yes he will be fine, a few days rest and he will be as good as new," Mr. Wickham answered with a nod. "I fear I have disturbed her solitude."

"Not at all," Elizabeth replied quietly. Mr. Wickham's countenance was so at ease and happy, that Lizzy was beginning to feel uncomfortable.

"Do you plan to stay long at Brighton, Miss Bennett?" He asked as he touched a red rose on a nearby bush.

"I'm here at my Aunt and Uncle's disposal," Elizabeth answered calmly. "I shall remain at Brighton as long as they do."

"I was under the impression that it was you who wished to see this part of the country," Mr. Wickham said curiously, meeting her eyes with his own.

"I had no objections to visiting it." Her tone was an almost perfect match of Mr. Darcy's when she'd met him for the first time, not that she realized herself that was how she sounded as she addressed him. But Lizzy could never hide her emotions.

Mr. Wickham smiled at her. "Forgive me, but you are uncharacteristically evasive today, Miss Bennett. I believed you to be frank and direct, something I have always greatly admired."

His tone was amused, but Lizzy couldn't return it. She answered coldly. "Perhaps you don't know my character as well as you thought Mr. Wickham."

Wickham was surprised by her answer and lost his smile. He said evenly, "Perhaps not, but I don't believe that to be true. The time I spent at Meryton has afforded me the pleasure of knowing you as well as I know myself."

His arrogance defied belief. "That is quite a heavy boast Mr. Wickham, I am certain that you do not know me as well as you would like to think," As she spoke, her tone lost its calm tone as she became defensive.

"Were it permissible to contradict a lady,"

"And perhaps," she added now she'd had lost some restraint. "That I did not know your character as well as I should have."

Wickham didn't respond for a moment, he was looking at her with a perplexed expression, as though trying to see into her mind.

"Excuse me, Mr. Wickham," Elizabeth said cordially and she walked around him in the direction on the path leading to the house.

"Miss Bennett," he quickly intercepted her. "I fear you are not well."

"I am perfectly well, thank you," she answered.

"That makes me no less concerned, for I fear you have been misinformed somehow."

"Misinformed, Mr. Wickham?" Elizabeth answered, keeping an even temper and reminding herself that this was neither the time nor the place for such a confrontation.

"Yes," he looked concerned. "If there has been any comments made on my character which doubt your opinion on me I would gladly do whatever I can to clarify the matter."

"Believe me, Mr. Wickham," Lizzy answered, smiling at him. "Nothing about your character needs to be clarified."

"If this is anything to do with your sister I assure you there is nothing improper going on between us," Wickham said as Lizzy went to walk away, causing her to halt abruptly and turn to face him.

"My sister?" Lizzy repeated in a challenging manner.

"I have done nothing to encourage her, I merely enjoy her company," Wickham's tone and manner was so innocent, that Lizzy almost found herself believing him. She didn't know how to answer.

"Miss Bennett," he continued in a calmly manner. "I find your sister's company enjoyable. But my reasons for my attentions have been more because of who she reminds me of, who her company reminds me of."

Lizzy couldn't comprehend his meaning. "I'm not at the pleasure of understanding you, Mr. Wickham."

Mr. Wickham sighed. "Could you not see when I first saw you here, how overcome I was with happiness? What your presence does to me, Miss Bennett, I fear my senses and rational thought leave me when you are near."

Good lord, Lizzy thought. He could not possibly be declaring himself?

"You must know how I feel for you," his voice became soft and intimate. "From the moment I met you I knew. A woman as intelligent as yourself could never be so blind."

Elizabeth was shocked and nervous by his declaration and took a step away from him. The surprise had rendered her speechless, something she had rarely experienced. She briefly thought of her fierce rejections of Mr. Collins then Mr. Darcy, the latter caused her heart to tighten painfully. Thoughts of Mr. Darcy brought back everything and gave her strength and she looked up at Mr. Wickham with contempt that clearly surprised him.

"Mr. Wickham, I thank you for your kind words but perhaps you should not focus your attentions where you do not mean them. You do not need to be in my sister's company for long before observing her impressionable and unspoilt character. You are fully aware of her lack of experience in society and should know better than to lead her astray for such frivolous reasons as you suggest."

Without allowing him to defend himself, she turned on her heel and marched away from him, ignoring her name being called out. She was in shock, but she was so angry and upset that she couldn't think clearly. She doubted she could form the right words. Afraid that Mr. Wickham would follow her, Lizzy ran to the house. When she arrived at the house she walked into the foyer to hear her sister in a nearby room practically hysterical with excitement. Lizzy walked quickly up the main staircase to her guestroom. Once the door was closed, she leant against it and locked the door. She needed to be alone to collect her thoughts.

Walking over to the window seat, she sat down and leant her face against the cool glass. She didn't gaze out the window, her eyes looked down at the embroidered cushion she sat on, her fingers absentmindedly tracing the patterns of the fabric and she thought about her conversation with Mr. Wickham. Had he truly been trying to declare his love for her? She couldn't take anything he said to be the truth, not now she knew the truth about him. But the way he spoke, he was so open and honest in his manner, she was in danger of once again being drawn into his web of lies. She squeezed her eyes shut and scolded herself. She thought about Georgiana and Mr. Darcy, what pain Mr. Wickham had caused them. What pain she herself at caused Mr. Darcy.

Lizzy was angry with herself, she should have spoken to Mr. Wickham as she once had to Mr. Darcy. She should have cold and harsh towards him, for in his case there were no words and manners that could match his own disgraceful behavior. He deserved that, but Lizzy realized she hadn't been clear enough with him. Vowing to herself to make her feelings known to him as obviously as she could, she looked out the window to see the same man walking towards the house. He was looking up at her as he approached, she could make out a hopeful gaze in his face as he smiled at her. She stood abruptly and removed herself from view.

P&PP&PP&PP&PP&PP&P

Lizzy once again found herself leaning on her closed bedroom door after a hasty retreat. Lydia was unbelievable. But how could she explain why she was particularly self-conscious about the injuries she had sustained. And to bring it up with Mr. Darcy in the room, Lizzy could still feel the deep blush on her cheeks. The embarrassment knowing that in that same moment, they had both been thinking the same thing. She couldn't have left that room any faster. Knowing that although they had never spoken of it, the moments were she had suspected that he was remembering it, this time there was no doubt. She feared even when the bruises faded, she would never be able to erase those men from her mind.

Lizzy had considered wearing a shawl to the ball instead of long sleeves. Perhaps that would not look as odd as wearing a simpler gown with long sleeves. What she was trying to avoid was drawing attention to herself, whether with bruised arms or long sleeves, she would look different from the other women in the room.

Lizzy read in her room for an hour, refusing to let Lydia enter to the room on two occasions. When she heard a more polite knock on her door a third time she thought it was an attempt by Lydia. "Lydia," she called out in a warning tone.

"Miss Bennett," it was a female voice she didn't recognize, in a submissive tone which indicated she was a servant.

Lizzy got out of bed and walked to the door. She opened it and a maid with red hair and a young face curtsied in front of her.

"This parcel just arrived for you, Miss," she said holding out a small box.

Elizabeth took it from the maid. "Thank you," she replied and the maid departed.

Lizzy quickly closed her door and walked over to her bed, sitting down and placing the parcel on it. At a complete loss to what it could be, she hastily but carefully pulled the brown paper packaging off the parcel and open a simple box, finding a red velvet jewellery box inside. On top of the jewellery box was a note with her name written on the envelope.

Upon closer examination, she quickly recognized the author of the note, for she had been written a letter before from him. Her hands began to shake a little as she opened the envelope and pull out a short letter, written in the same neat scripture which said the following…

Miss Elizabeth,

Please forgive any embarrassment that might result from this. For it is for reasons that only you and I know that I have acted upon in such a spontaneous way, which would be regarded as inappropriate in other circumstances. For we are the only two who know what truly happened that night, and I hope bringing up the subject has not caused you any further pain. But what I have enclosed will hopefully prevent any discomfort on your part, and if you are embarrassed to receive such a gift I beg you not to think of it as a gift, but merely a loan with a specific purpose. If you feel it would be improper to keep the gift, you may return it to me discreetly once it has served its purpose and you have my word I will not take offence. You may also have my word that I will not reveal that I was the bearer of the gift. You have my word that I neither want nor expect nothing in return.

Yours faithfully,

Fitzwilliam Darcy.

Riddled with shock and immense curiosity, Lizzy further investigated the box. She slowly opened it. Inside were two silver bracelets about two inches wide, with an intricate Celtic pattern and half a dozen diamonds set into each bracelet within the pattern. They were exquisite, not overly expensive in appearance but so beautifully made. Lizzy felt as though her throat had closed, she couldn't breathe and even swallowing was difficult. With trembling hands, she opened the clasp on the bracelet and placed in on her wrists. Once she had reattached the clasp, she held out her arm and looked at her arm. She'd never worn something so elegant before and she felt embarrassment course through her. She couldn't possibly accept it, even if it was only for an evening. But they did served its purposely wonderfully, her bruises were completely concealed.

Mr. Darcy must have had known her bruises in detail, and her memory reminded her of the moment they had shared last night. Lizzy smiled when she remembered how his hand had felt on her as they'd gently rubbed her skin. Her heart had never felt such love before, such admiration. Even when she spoken of truly someone, she'd never known that it could feel like this. To be so wrong about another person. Did her faults truly deserve such a cruel punishment as this?

She looked at the other bracelet and contemplated trying it on. But she couldn't accept it, it was too expensive. There was also the awkward situation of having to explain such jewellery to her family who knew her intimately enough to know she couldn't afford such a luxury. Lizzy scolded herself, she was a stronger woman than this, and she wouldn't become fragile because of one incident. She took the other bracelet and placed it on her wrist. It was a gift from a decent gentleman who would have them returned to him in the morning. She would explain to her Aunt and Uncle that they were a loan from the jewelers at a small price would she would not be inclined to divulge. Lizzy smiled as she traced her fingers over the intricate pattern on the bracelet. It was beautiful; she wondered how much thought had gone into deciding what would be the best option for her. She would have to take the opportunity to thank Mr. Darcy at the ball tonight, somehow. She felt her confidence grow, knowing she would no longer stand out and would be free to be herself. She may even enjoy herself tonight.

P&PP&PP&PP&PP&PP&P

A/N: Preview off the next chapter…

"Can you see how he has poisoned your mind so? What you thought of him when you first met him, before I even told you of his actions. How you despised him. Yet now before me I can see how he has even managed to corrupt the mind of someone as brilliant and intelligent as you. What lengths will that gentleman go to ruin me?"

"Wickham let go of her," his voice startled them both, and Mr. Wickham released his hold on her upper arms.

"Calm down Darcy," Wickham said angrily.

"I saw the way you danced with her just leave her alone."

Enjoy! Please read and review. xxx