I gripped Darcy's arm as hard as I could, but he didn't even flinch. This could not possibly be happening, I thought, I must still be dreaming. But it was much too real to be a dream, or more appropriately, a nightmare. The crowd continued to part before Lady Catherine as she marched forward. I got the distinct feeling that she wouldn't even stop if anyone didn't get out of her way.

Then I spotted who was trailing behind her. Anne. I was struck with how much healthier she looked. Gone was the pale, sickly, reclusive girl that I had last seen, and in her place was a healthy, beautiful young lady. She was hurrying to catch up with her mother and she was sporting an unmistakable embarrassed expression. She caught up to Lady Catherine at the same time they both reached me and Darcy.

Anne whispered to her mother, "Are you sure this is the best place to do this? Perhaps you could wait until later . . . or perhaps never?"

"Nonsense," Lady Catherine boomed in her commanding voice. She was fit to be a naval officer. She would probably make the hardened sailors run for their bunks. "I am here to speak to Miss Elizabeth Bennet alone," she addressed me with contempt as she continued, "If you would escort me to the nearest . . ." She was cut off as another voice came from somewhere in the crowd.

"Lady Catherine!"

The crowds once again began to part, but for a much shorter subject this time as we could not see who it was. But the voice was unmistakable.

Mr. Collins finally managed to push his way through the mass of people, red faced, and bowed very deeply to Lady Catherine.

"My Lady," he said in a very solemn and formal voice. "How good it is to see you again," he straightened as he continued. "I believe I speak for everyone when I say what an honor it is for you to grace us with your presence."

I believe he would have continued if Lady Catherine had not interrupted, "Yes, yes Collins. I am here to speak with Miss Elizabeth on a matter of great importance. Now show us to a room where we may speak."

"Of course, my Lady," Collins simpered.

Darcy stepped forward then, "Lady Catherine," he said in a much calmer voice than his grip on my hand was conveying. "What exactly are you doing?"

"This is a matter that must be discussed between myself and Miss Elizabeth, William. It is no concern of yours," Lady Catherine declared with a huff.

"It is every concern of mine," Darcy replied frostily.

"Oh, and how so?" Lady Catherine asked with a sly look. I could see what she was trying to do. She was attempting to make Darcy lose his temper and so far she was succeeding. I knew I had to intervene before something truly disastrous happened.

"Lady Catherine, Darcy," I said hastily, "Perhaps we should take this conversation to a more private venue?"

"Quite," Lady Catherine said. She then turned and began to sweep off, but Collins intercepted her.

"This way, my Lady," he said with a bow and flourish.

We began quite a procession with Collins in the lead and the four of us trailing behind him, once again parting the crowds.

Anne fell into step with me and whispered quickly, "I am truly sorry about this. I did everything I could to stop it but she would not listen!" She then turned to catch up with her mother and began once again to try to dissuade her from her warpath, but Lady Catherine merely waved her off.

Finally, we were led into a small side room that contained enough chairs for all of us, and Lady Catherine looked pointedly at Collins until he left.

None of us sat, so we stood there observing each other. Lady Catherine spoke.

"You should be at no loss, Miss Bennet, to know why I am here."

I squeezed Darcy's hand, and hoped that he understood that I needed him to stay silent for just a little longer. "On the contrary, Lady Catherine, I have no idea why you are here."

"You insolent girl!" spat out, "I did not just spend nine days on a ship to be crossed by you."

"Nine days?" I asked, slightly shocked.

Darcy spoke quietly in my ear, "That was the good news I had for you. The new Transatlantic Liner crossing only takes nine days now, rather than twenty. We can be home in less than two weeks."

"Not if I have anything to say about it," Lady Catherine said quite loudly.

"And what exactly do you have to say?" Darcy asked, his patience quite gone.

"I must insist that you, Darcy, remain here in England. Send this woman away, annul the marriage immediately. Or have you had the time to consummate it yet? I would imagine not, seeing as you have kept it a secret this entire time . . ."

"That," Darcy said through gritted teeth, "Is absolutely no concern of yours."

"It is every concern of mine," Lady Catherine's voice was rising with every word, "You are engaged to my daughter."

"Mother!" Anne broke in, "Please will you listen to reason!"

"Be quiet! I ought not to have brought you along," Lady Catherine scolded, "Risking your life like that, my dear, you look absolutely horrible."

"Mother, I have never felt better and you know it, now will you please—"

"Anne," Lady Catherine said in such a way that for a moment even I was afraid. Then she turned back to Darcy, "You will marry my daughter, and you will put aside this woman. I demand it! You have had your fun and now it is time for you to begin thinking seriously about your life and future."

"You have no hold over me. You cannot tell me what to do," Darcy said slowly as though speaking to a child. "This is not about you. I have done everything I could to keep Georgie safe and now I shall do everything I can to keep Georgie and my wife safe, for they are my life and future."

My heart swelled at his declaration, but that was squelched suddenly by the sound of a gasp coming from the other side of the door. I knew exactly who it was. There was only one woman I knew who would so blatantly listen at closed doors. I strode the two steps to the door and threw it open to reveal Mrs. Bennet and at least half of Meryton standing there, listening unabashedly to our conversation. They all stumbled backwards as I glared at them.

Mrs. Bennet was sputtering, "You! And, and . . . him!" Her mouth resembled a fish gasping for air.

I saw it the moment that Lady Catherine decided to change her tactics and then watched helplessly as she strode out into the crowd and then turned back to us, "If you will not listen to reason then perhaps they will."

I could not believe what was happening. She was completely and utterly mad.

Anne raced after her, "Mother!" she gasped, "What are you doing?"

"What must be done," Lady CAtherine said with conviction. "Mr. Bennet, Mrs. Bennet, your daughter has stolen my nephew, who was to wed my daughter. This is a breach of promise that cannot go unpunished. Seeing I have it on good authority that they have not consummated their marriage, I must insist upon an annulment."

"What authority?" I said, aghast.

Darcy stepped forward once again, "Seeing as I am now tarnished by this 'breach of promise', why would you ever wish me to marry your daughter and tarnish your name?"

"You selfish boy! I am trying to save your name! Especially after your sister bore that bastard child!"

The room echoed with dead silence for the first time all night.

I could tell that Lady Catherine had not intended to disclose that bit of information, and I could also tell that Darcy knew it was to our advantage.

"Collins," Darcy called, "Please tell your wife to bring Georgie down."

"Darcy," I murmured, "Are you sure? I thought you wanted to protect your sister's name. . ."

He looked at me, and I could see the anguish in his eyes, "This may be our only way to end this. Besides, my aunt has just tarnished her name as thoroughly as can be done, and I do not want to have Georgie living in hiding for the rest of her life."

There was a commotion at the other end of the room, and everyone turned around to see what was going on once again. We heard two voices yelling.

"You bitch! What do you think you are doing?"

It was then that we saw exactly what was happening: Lydia was herding Wickham toward us, and as much as I shuddered at the thought, I had to agree with Wickham. What was she doing? Wickham was stumbling from the effects of too much wine, but I could still see the anger clear on his face, and that it was only a thread of common sense that kept him from striking Lydia in front of the entire town.

"Lydia!" I exclaimed.

She turned to us then, "I am so sorry, William! I never meant to hurt Georgiana, and I know that what I did after she died was wrong. But I am here to try to set it right, by telling everyone what a rat this man is!"

She pointed to Wickham, who snapped and lunged at Lydia. Everyone gasped in shock, but he was brought up short by Albert and Charles, who managed to restrain him before he reached Lydia.

"What do you want us to do with him?" Charles asked Darcy.

Darcy was looking in another direction, over everyone's heads. "Keep him here for now," he replied.

I followed Darcy's gaze to see Charlotte weaving her way through everyone, with Georgie in her arms. Charlotte reached us, and as though she sensed my need to hold her, handed me Georgie.

Darcy began to speak then, and I buried my face in Georgie's curls for just a few moments to try to breathe.

"This man," Darcy said, gesturing to Wickham, "Used my sister Georgiana in the most vile way a man could use an innocent girl, and then left her with the baby that resulted."

He spoke directly to the Bennets and to Lydia. Gasps echoed throughout the room however.

"Yes," came a new voice. "And that is exactly why Wickham should take responsibility for his own daughter."

I stiffened as Caroline approached us. With a triumphant smile on her face, she walked right up to Darcy and whispered, "I was waiting for you to do that."

I was suddenly furious, "You are only doing this because you want Darcy for yourself, but it won't help your situation at all, because in the end you will have to convince Lady Catherine of your claim."

Caroline sneered at me. "By right of law, Wickham has to take charge of his daughter. He must."

"Caroline! That is enough!" Charles said, letting go of Wickham, who then promptly crumbled to the floor while Albert did nothing to stop it.

"Charles, stay out of this," Caroline said.

"I will not," Charles said, " Darcy is my friend, and Wickham has no right to Georgie. He is unmarried, and that being so would be unable to provide her a stable home. Darcy and Lizzy have a stable home, or at least they would if you would stop butting in and meddling with their affairs."

As if to punctuate this, Wickham looked up at Georgie from the floor and slurred, "My daughter? Don't want . . . it," before he passed out.

We all stared at him for a moment, and then I looked up at Lydia, "How much wine did you give him?" I asked. She just smiled at me.

And then, Lydia did the most unexpected thing imaginable. She stepped forward and turned to Lady Catherine.

"My lady," she began, "I have come to know Mr. Wickham quite well in the past few weeks, unfortunately. And I can tell you with the utmost authority that he is quite incapable of taking care of a child, especially after he abandoned her mother from the start. Therefore, the care of this child rests in the next of kin, who is Darcy. That being said, Darcy must possess a stable home for the child, and a wife to care for her, both of which he has."

She then turned to Caroline, "I will not be involved in anymore of your schemes," before turning and hurrying away through the crowd.

I was struck suddenly, by a realization, "It was you!" I said, addressing Caroline. "It was you who wrote Lady Catherine. You are her 'good authority'."

"It was," Caroline said smugly, "I took it upon myself to do my Christian duty and—"
"Caroline," Charles interrupted again, "I believe I told you to be quiet."

She stood there, gaping at him, and Charles took the opportunity to take her by the arm and lead her from the room.

We all turned back to Lady Catherine, and Darcy began to speak to her once again.

"I will not leave my wife. I will not give up my niece. But you will leave us alone. We are taking the next ship back to America, and you will not follow us again."

Darcy then wrapped his arm around my waist and began to escort Georgie and I from the room, leaving behind us a sea of stunned people.

Hi all! Thanks for all your feedback and your patience with me as I slowly write this story. I hope this chapter lived up to your expectations. :)