Pemberley was exactly as Alex remembered it. The sun shone on every side of the manor and painted the wide open field in a veil of bright light. The summer air bathed ones skin in warmth and being in such an open area after months of being cooped up in the city was a welcome relief to Alex.

"Mama!" Alex called the moment the carriage stopped, "Papa! James!" she briskly walked toward them as it wasn't lady like to sprint.

"My darling Lexi! How long it's been since Christmas. Tell me dear, how have you been?" Lizzy spoke endearingly to her daughter.

"I assure you I have been very well, did you get my letters?"

"I did indeed, but it hardly makes up for your absence. Oh how I've missed you. Come in! Come in! Your brother has not had a moments peace all morning. Oh its such a pleasure to have you home again."

Alex loved when she came home after a term at her finishing school. The more her mother missed her, the more loved she felt when she came home.

"Where is papa?" Alex asked as they walked into the sitting room.

"You know your father, he's away on business. I believe it's to Brighton this time." Her mother said rather bitterly, she hated Brighton.

"Lexi!" James called from behind the couch.

"James! How have you been? I have missed you so much. I have a present for you." Alex pulled out the handkerchief. James face lit up with gratitude and excitement.

"Thanks!"

After a while of playing chess with his big sister, James ran over to his next door neighbor to fish until diner.

"Mama, tell me everything that's been going on since I've been gone. I feel as if I am a guest in my own home."

"Oh honey, as long and your father or I are still alive, you will never be a guest in your own home. But since you insist, your grandmother and grandfather came for a visit just over a month ago. Your grandmother claimed your father stole me from my family," Lizzy said while rolling her eyes, "James met a young boy across the park, his name is Lucas. The Collin's family is planning a visit in October. Oh, and a new family is moving into Hertfordshire. Their name is Kinsley I believe. They have two daughters, one about your age, and a son I believe but I can't be sure. They are to move in, in a fortnight."

Alex thought for a moment about her facial features and was determined to not give anything away. So, maybe she would be seeing him again, maybe he would find out about how cowardly and childish she had been. So what. She was Alexandria Darcy. If one measly meaningless, green-eyed gentleman thinks poorly of her does that matter? She is set in life. She doesn't need a man to make her happy and if her mother taught her anything it was that.

"Lexi, is something wrong?" her mother asked.

"No mother nothing, just fatigued from the journey. I think I will ask cook to make me something to eat." She said as she left the room.

Something had to be done. That was for sure.

Alex wrote furiously the next day to her school companions hoping to receive an invitation in return. However, as a response was not due for another few weeks, Alex had nothing to do but dread their arrival.

Well, it doesn't necessarily have to be him. It is possible that it could be a relation of whom he never spends any time with. Yes it could be entirely possible that I won't be seeing anything of him.

Edward didn't want to go home. He knew the only thing waiting for him would be his mothers judgments and his father's urgings for him to take the company. Edward had no desire to go to into the trading business, in fact, his true joy was to be a lawyer. Something about standing up for those in need of defense thrilled him. And yes, of course he wanted to get married some day. Some day when everything fit, when the girl was worth pausing his ambitions but as of late, there hasn't been anything worth fighting for.

"Hello mother, father." Edward greeted his parents. They were always rather cold to each other.

"Edward dear, don't bother unpacking, we've bought a new house and you and your sisters will be coming with us to Derbyshire. I'm happy your home." Mrs. Kinsley said before she turned to chat up some servents who never did their job correctly.

"Again?" Edward asked his sister, Louisa.

"Mother says she does not feel comfortable in this home. But we all know its because she doesn't find the grounds to her liking. So we all start afresh. Not to worry brother, Pemberley is rumored to have the most beautiful grounds this side of the country." Louisa tapped her brother's shoulder affectionately and turned to help her mother.

It would be a long summer.