The days were becoming longer and Alex had fewer things to fill her time with. There was always extra sewing, and the pianoforte could always use some practice but Alex didn't feel that that could entertain her fully.
"I'm going to walk the grounds mother!" Alex called from the library.
"Honey, I don't feel that you should go alone at this time of night. It's not safe. I'll go with you." Elizabeth insisted.
"I assure you mother, there is no need. I won't go far and I'll be back before dark." After a few more minutes of persuading, Elizabeth finally agreed.
Alex was glad to at least be alone. It had been some time since she was alone with her thoughts with her brother begging to entertain, and her mother and father's constant questions about London. But she was home now and nothing was going to stop her from enjoying the beautiful evening summer sun. That was until a pair of wonderfully warm green eyes appeared in her imagination.
I doubt he'll even remember me. Nothing to worry about.
Alex hoped that that was the case, otherwise she could see no other solution.
Edward hated the countryside. Plain and simple. He found no real civilty in the society and no real emotions beyond the determination a woman could have in finding herself a suitable spouse. And in his opinion, no woman worth marrying, would take pleasure in the simple life of farming and manure scented air. His ideal woman would be one of great standing and virtue and always elegant and formal. She would speak only when spoken to and would keep up his mending and caring of the house. She would birth many children and raise them just as well as he had no time due to his busy political schedule
Edward sighed. This is what his mother and father had told him he should expect in a wife. He hadn't given it much thought but as he was getting older, it was expected of him to choose a wife. He had leisurely began searching for such a girl that could uphold the Kinsley name, but alas, he instead found himself losing more and more hope that such a girl existed, and that she would be interested in him. This was not to say he doubted himself, oh no, it's just that he assumed a girl like that would already be taken by some prince in a faraway land, not a prospective lawyer.
The carriage carried them straight to their new home in Wentworth Park, where they were provided with as much as his parents could afford, which was a substantial amount. When Edward stepped out of the carriage, he was greeted by lungfulls of fresh country air. There was no hint of manure, no farm scents to drive him away, there was only the scent of fresh flowers and the warm breeze to fill his thoughts. How wrong he had been about this place, how little he understood. The grounds of Wentworth park were beautiful and full of much to look at, much to keep a mind preoccupied. He decided he would take a stroll toward Pemberley to get a feel for the place and to see if it's reputation held true.
He strolled for about a mile or two when he came across a very familiar voice. It floated in and out of his ears like a magical string pulling straight through his brain.
"Miss Denny?" he asked, although he could not see her. The music stopped abruptly and a woman stepped out from behind a large oak tree.
"Mr. Kinsley?" she said almost expectantly, almost dreadfully.
"What brings you to this wonderful place? Are you a resident here? Are you visiting?" He asked, finding himself relieved to look into those dark green eyes once more. He passed this off as finding a friend admits all of the traveling.
"Mr. Kinsley, there is something that I must tell you. Please forgive my childish behavior when you hear this but it was mearly a social experiment. My name is not Annabelle Denny, my name is in fact Alexandria Darcy, of the Darcy's of Pemberly. This is my home." A sudden weight had been lifted off of her heart and relief immediately flooded her senses.
There was a long moment of silence as Edward processed those words, a social experiment? She was testing him? He did not like that very much.
"And what have you to say for yourself Miss Den- Darcy? An experiment? On what may I ask did you experiment on?" He said in a tone dangerously close to enraged.
"I am sorry sir, I did not mean to offend you, you see, I wanted to know what it would be like to have nothing to recommend me to the opposite gender, and see if my natural charm and beauty could persuade a man to take a second look at me. Unfortunately no such thing occurred. I now know that men want money, the same as the women they ridicule." Alex said in one angry huff.
"And this madam, is the reason women will never become scientists. For an accurate account on the nature of men, one must perform multiple experiments. Have you even considered the possibility that you may not posses any natural charm or beauty?" Alex was stunned at this statement. Never in her life had she encountered a more ungentlemanly being. She promptly closed the short distance between them and brought her fist straight to his jaw in a beautifully executed right hook.
"And to think I looked upon your face favorably. I believe you can escort yourself off my property, thank you very much. My regards to your family."