A/N: To my dear reviewers…I love you!!! And you'll all be happy to know I'm actually on holiday with nothing better to do than either write or drive myself insane! I'm actually doing a little bit of both but that's normal for me. But I would like to address the questions posed to me in the reviews though I don't normally do it, hell, I'm not even sure you're reading this. Ok…

1. To those who have asked: Yes I am a massive fan of the 2005 version of pride and prejudice and I guess I have allowed it to influence my writing, but please, for the sake of my sanity, stop advising me to read the book, because rest assured, I have indeed read the book, many times, and I love it but to be honest, this is an AU of the actual thing which means you have to expect some changes.

2. I'm sorry for my grammatical mistakes but to be honest I'm not a professional writer and I write chapters for amusement and I don't have too much time to pick out my errors. Plus I am now officially a med student!! I'm terribly excited and I'm trying to read my assigned texts so the update has been a little late…

3. This is not historically accurate! It's not meant to be. Please remember, this is all for fun.

4. To those who seemed to think I was ending the story at that last chapter, I'm sorry to have misled you, there is more, i.e.: this chapter!

Disclaimer: Jane Austen is a queen!!

The Darcys sat in the absolute silence of the breakfast parlor. It had been exactly two weeks to the day since Elizabeth's sudden departure and the tense silence had become somewhat of a ritual between the siblings. Though Georgiana was gifted with a benevolent nature, she still found it difficult to speak to her brother who at that very moment was struggling for words. Despite his attempts of a polite greeting, Georgiana had simply returned the 'good morning' as a mere formality and pressed her lips together in a severe manner, resolved to ignore her elder brother until he reconsidered his folly and ceased this nonsense about traveling the continent. Clearly, there was unfinished business to be attended here in England and for goodness sake; it was unseasonably cold as Europe approached the Christmas season.

"So Georgiana, how are you progressing…?"

A manservant burst into the room, interrupting Darcy mid-sentence. His appearance thoroughly alarmed both siblings with his face flushed, his hair windswept and his chest heaving with breaths of exertion.

"Sir, I beg your pardon, I tried to stop her but she simply refused…"

"DARCY!"

Said gentleman started at the harsh demanding tone, which could only be attributed to one Lady Catherine. Moments after the exclamation, the source of the voice barged unpretentiously into the sunny breakfast parlor, the stern gaze of lady swept the room and instantly came to rest upon Darcy.

"Darcy! I have come to share the most alarming news. You, no doubt, have already been informed of the vicious rumors currently in circulation among the ton. How dare they! It is all the fault of that conceited little chit, only she could have spread such malicious falsehoods…"

Mr. Darcy stared deadpanned at his raging aunt. "Madam, please, perhaps you would like a cup of tea, you have, after all, come a long distance from Kent…"

"Kent? Kent! No, nephew, I have just come straight from the point of origin of the gossip, Hertfordshire! No, no, I must set matters straight before this spreads any further! Let there be no mistake. I will not condone this farce of a marriage or engagement. I told her! I said the very words, which should have deflated her highhanded assumptions. I informed her that you were engaged to Anne and what did she have to say to that? Selfish girl! Are the shades of Pemberley to be thus polluted? She is determined to marry you and quit the sphere in which she was brought up. Yes you are a gentleman and she a gentleman's daughter, but you are far from equal! Who is her mother? Her father? What are her connections? I know not what pathetic arts and allurements she has attempted to work on you Darcy, but you must think of you family! You duty! Your mother and I have planned your engagement to Anne since your infancy! Is it to be prevented by a young lady of inferior birth? No, no, this must be nipped in the bud; you will come with me this instant to Kent. You shall formalize your agreement with Anne and we will post the bans immediately!"

"Aunt Catherine. Cease this nonsense. Of who do you speak?"

For an instant, Lady Catherine looked taken aback by the order issued from her strangely pale nephew, but only for an instant. It took only a moment for her to draw another breath before she spat out two words, which seemed like ashes in her mouth.

"Elizabeth Bennet."

Darcy's face lost all color and a wave of cold fury swept through his system. "Elizabeth Bennet." He stated.

Lady Catherine took no heed of the dark expression of her nephew and attempted to continue her tirade to express her displeasure. Much to her astonishment, Darcy allowed her no leeway.

"All these things you have said to me, aunt, did you express similar sentiments to Miss Bennet?"

Lady Catherine seemed momentarily taken aback at such a pointless question. "Yes, of course I did! The impertinent chit deserved more reproofs but had I stayed a moment longer, her despicable behavior would have roused me to strike her with my cane. Such insubordination! The nerve of the country nobody to not only presume to attempt to seduce my nephew and break such an honorable long-standing engagement but also to speak to me in such a manner. Is such a woman to be the next mistress of Pemberley, can her offspring be allowed to inherit such a noble estate?"

Darcy could stand it no longer. "Enough."

Lady Catherine was incredulous. "Enough?" she screeched. "I am your aunt and you closest relation. I will stop when I have deemed it to be enough. You are as stubborn as that minx! Did you know when I requested she promise that she never becomes engaged to you, she dared to refuse. And in no uncertain terms! Stated that she would do what was necessary to constitute her own happiness! Selfish, selfish girl!"

"Enough! I will not have Miss Bennet slandered any further! As she said, I will do whatever which would constitute my own happiness. Let me make this clear to you aunt. I have no wish to marry Anne, as Anne has no wish to marry me. My mother had never mentioned any such sentiments to me nor to my father or to my uncle. I am convinced that much of this peculiar engagement has, for sometime now, been only existent in your imagination and I have no wish to make both Anne and I miserable simply to indulge your inclinations."

"How dare you?! How dare…" Lady Catherine was thin lipped with anger. She sniffed disdainfully and turned away from Darcy. "So you are determined to have her. Well! Take note Darcy, your family will never acknowledge this wretched chit as your wife, you will forever be barred from our good society. I take no leave of you! I wash my hands of you!"

She turned meaningfully towards Georgiana's silent figure and gestured imperiously for Georgiana to come forward. Fuming with her own sense of indignation for Miss Elizabeth, Georgiana raised her head and straightened her posture in defiance, standing resolutely by her brother's side and ignoring the proffered hand of Lady Catherine.

Immediately, Lady Catherine's face flushed red and her steely gaze hardened as she stared down the younger Darcy.

"So this is how your brother has raised you. You are in want for manners Georgiana! How dare you slight you aunt? Very well, I may as well tell you my second purpose for being here! Fitzwilliam Darcy, if you determined to associate with such inferior company then it is my duty as family to remove Georgiana from your care this instant! She has all the conceited arrogance of that Bennet girl and it is no doubt your fault for exposing her to such questionable characters. Do not argue Georgiana, you will come with me now!"

Incensed by the speech, Darcy made to protest but Georgiana's vehement reply silenced both him and their imposing aunt.

"Aunt Catherine. By displaying such a want of propriety in both our company and that of Miss Bennets, it is you who should be faulted for showing such conceited arrogance. William is the best of brothers; he has raised me with a firm but gentle approach ever since our father's passing and has been as adept at the task as he has been in running Pemberley. As for Miss Bennet, she is a true lady. I cannot say I have ever met a lady more worthy of William as she is. After all that my brother has had to suffer, you would dare deny my brother the right to such a source of abundant happiness simply for you own selfish whims. Well Lady Catherine, I have no choice now, but to wish you a safe journey to Kent and good day."

Lady Catherine thumped her cane against the marble flooring and turned a sickening shade of mottled puce. "This…this impertinence! No! No I will not tolerate such qualities in my own niece. It is all the fault of the Bennet girl! I will brook no arguments in this. You leave with me for Kent now! You are my charge now Georgiana! Come!"

With that said, Lady Catherine surged forwards and with an iron grip, latched onto Georgiana's small wrist and yanked her roughly towards the parlor door.

Struggling, Georgiana attempted to detach her aunt, frightened tears rose to her eyes as her aunt's grip tightened and she felt her wrist bruise.

"William! William, help! She's hurting me."

Darcy hardly needed to be told for he was already before his aunt. "I demand you unhand her this instant! She is my sister and was left the care of both Richard and I! You have no such right!"

Lady Catherine's eyes took on a manic quality and she laughed. "And what a fine affair you have made of it! You have both failed! You think I have not been told of Ramsgate!"

Georgiana gasped. Darcy paled. "How…how is it you know of Ramsgate?"

Lady Catherine emitted a bark of scornful laughter. "You thought I would entrust the care of my precious niece entirely to you? No, no I will not be so foolish. I had a man follow Georgiana's progress for a while. I thought I would allow you to keep her as you stopped the possible elopement but now I see I have been sorely mistaken! I should have taken her from you right from the start! You are not fit! If you do not allow me to remove her this instant, you can be sure your uncle, Lord Matlock, will hear of this!"

For the second time that day, a surprise an unannounced visitor barged in on the Darcy family.

"Catherine!"

Lady Catherine's head snapped toward the new voice. "Brother…what are you…?"

The newly arrived Lord Matlock eyed his sister woefully before his eyes drifted towards her hand, which still gripped Georgiana's wrist. He favored his wayward sister with a withering glare, which caused her to pale and drop the limp to which she had been so desperately clinging.

"Andrew, you must understand, you must see this from my point of view! You do, don't you? Don't you? You must! Georgiana would be better off with me! Don't you agree? You do? Yes?"

Lord Andrew Fitzwilliam eyed his sister with caution. "Catherine, William and Richard are Georgiana's legal guardians thus you have no such say in it. Come, come to the carriage. You should return to Kent and rest, you are not yourself."

Lady Catherine screeched with disdain and whirled to face her brother. "You! What has become of family honor? Andrew, you must see reason! Unless…unless…" Lady Catherine seemed to pale with the new revelation in her thoughts. Her eyes filled with horror. "It's that Bennet girl! She has fooled you too…Oh! How I rue the day I ever heard the name of Elizabeth Bennet! Is she to ruin and corrupt my entire family? Andrew! Andrew? Do no be taken in! Do not…oh…"

The lady laid a hand to her pounding heart and gestured weakly towards Lord Matlock. Her voice faded to a fearful whisper and her legs barely seemed to hold her weight.

Seeing this, Lord Matlock gestured towards his servant and ordered the man to take hold of Lady Catherine and deposit her in her own carriage. Following her out, Lord Matlock sighed in exasperation and ordered the driver to take the scandalized lady home. With a crack of the whip, the carriage lurched forward and Lord Matlock saw off his sister with little more than relief.

Moments later, Darcy nodded silently to his uncle as he returned to the breakfast parlor. Lord Matlock returned the gesture and lowered himself into a chair. Rubbing his hands over his weary eyes, he asked: "So, who is this Bennet girl?"

Georgiana grinned mischievously at her brother while Darcy had the grace to blush.

"Miss Elizabeth Bennet is a very amiable young lady."

Lord Matlock raised a questioning eyebrow. "I see."

Georgiana rolled her eyes heavenwards and the brief pointless exchange of words.

"Miss Elizabeth is delightful. She resides in Hertfordshire at an estate named Longbourn with her parents and her four sisters. She is the second eldest and her father's favorite. She is a wonderful performer and is bright and intelligent with a good deal of wit. Her finest feature, according to my dear brother would be her fine eyes."

Lord Matlock nodded in satisfaction. "Good, good." He muttered.

Darcy was incredulous. "Uncle, you are not going to rant and lecture me as to her impropriety, or her position or…"

Lord Matlock waved off his words with a careless swipe of his hand. "No, no, I trust your judgment boy. It is about time you married anyhow, your aunt and I had quite despaired of you. Good to know the Darcy name will continue. Come, dear boy, we have no wish to see you continue on in this despondent manner. Ask her to marry you and be done with it. I am far too old to stomach the wild romantic notion of the young."

Darcy lowered his head. "I can't."

Lord Matlock seemed startled for a moment. "Why ever not?"

"She will not have me."

"Will not have you? Sweet Dickens, I thought you said this girl was intelligent!"

Darcy closed his eyes. "She does not believe in a marriage whose purpose is solely material, Miss Elizabeth is determined to marry only for love."

Lord Matlock nodded. "I am beginning to like this Elizabeth of yours. Well, I suggest you pursue her until she agrees…"

"Uncle, I have already been rejected…"

The elder gentleman fixed his nephew with a stern look. "I never took you to be a quitter boy."

Darcy bristled. "I am not…"

Lord Matlock smiled brightly. "Good then. Off you go. Georgiana may stay at Matlock manor in your absence. Does not you friend Bingley reside merely three miles from Longbourn? Yes, I'm quite sure he does. Stand to attention boy, I have already instructed your valet to pack your things; I think you'll find your horse waiting for you outside. Come Georgiana, I have already removed your cousin Anne to Matlock manor, she would be glad to have you company until your brother and his wife are comfortably settled at Pemberley."

Beaming brightly, Georgiana skipped to her uncle's side and took his arm, allowing him to lead her from the room. Turning quickly to her bewildered brother, she mouthed the words 'good luck' and disappeared from sight.

Thundering up the drive of Netherfield Park, Darcy's eyes clung firmly to the well-known house and urged his horse forwards, eager to change his dust-ridden clothing. Bingley, having received his friends hastily dispatched missive, stood at the door waving happily as his friend approached.

As soon as Darcy had dismounted, Bingley had rushed forward and shook Darcy's hand with vigor.

"Darcy, my good man. How did you know?"

Darcy looked puzzled and inclined his head. "Know what, Bingley?"

Charles Bingley frowned in confusion. "You mean you do not know? Then why on earth have you rushed here…oh never mind that…the best of news Darcy! The best. I am engaged! And if you cannot guess who to, I would think you an absolute fool."

Darcy stared stunned with the effusive speech before recollecting his wits and offering polite congratulations to an exultant Bingley.

A moment later, after Bingley's effusive praises for Jane Bennet had come to a temporary halt, an uncharacteristic frown marred Bingley's usually cheerful visage.

"Not that I am not pleased to see you Darcy, but what are you here for? Your missive was vague and practically insensible." After a moment's thought, Charles Bingley added: "Somewhat like my letters."

Darcy smiled warmly. "I hardly know Bingley, like you I suppose, I find there are some extraordinary attractions to be found here in Hertfordshire."

With that said, Darcy rushed past his friend and ascended the steps into the shady interior of the entry hall.

A/N: There we go! Late as usual, but hey, at least I got it done right??? Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter however long it took me to churn it out. You know what to do! REVIEW!!!!

Love C.