Notes: This story is divided into 4 parts:

Part I: Elizabeth's story from August 1812 to December 1814 (20 chapters, 15 - 20 K)

Part II: Darcy's story from August 1812 to December 1814 (20 chapters, 15 - 20 K)

Part III: December 1814 to February 1815 (20 chapters, 15 - 20 K)

Part IV: March 1815 to July 1815 and Epilogue (10 chapters, 10 - 15 K)

Edited by nanciellen

PPP

Part I: Elizabeth's story.

As soon as Mr. Darcy left, Mrs. Gardiner entered the parlor and hugged her niece tightly, as she cried.

"Lizzy, I am so sorry. I wish I could do something to ease your sadness!"

Lizzy shook her head. "Don't worry aunt, I I knew in my heart that Mr. Darcy would not want to continue our engagement... I cannot blame him for his decision," she sighed through her tears. "It has been more than three weeks since Lydia eloped with Wickham, and there is still no word from her. Unfortunately, my sisters and I are ruined… and there is nothing I can do about it."

Mrs. Gardiner smiled sadly, "I won't deny your family's situation is very delicate in the eyes of society and especially so in a small village like Meryton, but remember you are still the daughter of a gentleman, and you are still the same person as you were three weeks ago. I know that what happened with Mr. Darcy is painful, but promise me you won't allow people with little or no connection to you to hurt you."

Lizzy nodded, "Thank you aunt for everything you do for me..." she sighed, "I know with time everything will pass and I will remember this as if it were a bad dream."

"I am sure it will be like that. It will be hard at first, but you are strong and I am convinced you will overcome all the difficulties that come your way…"

That night, Lizzy couldn't sleep as every time she closed her eyes the argument with Mr. Darcy came to her mind. She couldn't blame him; they did the right thing under the circumstances… but it hurt so very much that things went the way they did. To distract herself from such sad thoughts, she decided to continue writing the novel she had begun several months ago.

Since she was a young girl, she enjoyed listening to her father read her stories, and she learned to read and write at a very young age. She loved reading and she had a great imagination. At the age of eight, she wrote her first short story and gave it to Mary for her birthday. From that point on, she began to write short stories that greatly amused her younger sisters and even Jane. Over the years, those stories became longer and more complex, and the last one was an interesting novel of more than 200 pages.

The Gardiners and Jane thought the premise was very good, suggested some changes, and encouraged her to finish writing it, and even Uncle Gardiner even encouraged her to publish it. That night she was incorporating some of the suggested changes to the story... Lizzy had no way of imagining that in less than a year that this novel would be the catalyst for several changes in her life and the beginning of a successful career as a writer.

Two days later Lizzy returned to Longbourn and Jane went to live with the Gardiners in London.

In less than a week, Elizabeth found that the neighbors who had known her since birth ignored her. When she went into Meryton to buy paper and ink, she passed Lady Lucas and Maria Lucas on the street. They turned away without so much as a greeting. She had not even received any response to the last two letters which she had sent Charlotte. Overcome with sadness, she resigned herself to the fact that their friendship of so many years was over.

On the other hand, her father - the main person responsible for the ruin of the family - seemed to be the person least affected. His life hadn't changed at all since, as usual, he spent most of the time locked in his office, reading and working in the administration of Longbourn. Her mother had been lying in her bed for several weeks, constantly complaining about her nerves and palpitations. Mary only read sermons, didn't want to go to Meryton, and talked about women's virtue, and Kitty was pale, thin, and withdrawn.

Lizzy spent several hours of the day locked in her room writing and tried not to think about the bad things happening around her. She didn't want to think about Mr. Darcy, and what couldn't be, nor did she want to think about Lydia's fate. She knew better than to allow sadness and disappointment to turn her into a bitter woman; she had to make a great effort to be strong and happy.