Lizzie sat next to Gigi on one of the couches in the lounge room, sipping on her wine and listened to Bing and Caroline retell stories from back in their college days. Caroline's cheeks were flushed from too much alcohol, and her voice was louder than it had been earlier in the evening. But still she continued to giggle like a young child and flip her hair over her shoulder.

"Oh Bing, wasn't that a great night?!" Caroline said breathlessly, as the laughter in the room died down.

"It was definitely a very amusing night," he replied, a grin stretching across his face. "Darcy and I certainly paid the price the following day. Dreadful hangovers!"

"Sometimes I have such a hard time believing that Darcy could be that entertaining," Caroline quipped, "Especially since he's so dour all the time these days!"

"He's got a lot on his mind right now," Gigi said, defending her brother. "But he's still that same guy he was back in college"

Caroline snorted as Lizzie raised her eyebrows in surprise and looked at Gigi for further explanation. She opened her mouth to elaborate, before Caroline cut her off; a condescending tone in her voice.

"You're a sweet little sister, Gigi, but let him defend himself!"

Caroline drained her wine glass.

"Speaking of Darcy, where is he? Has he disappeared again?" she asked, twisting around in her chair, while her eyes scanned the room for the man in question.

"He'll come back when he's ready." Gigi replied, shrugging.

"Your brother is so strange!" Caroline said with a slight slur in her voice. Bing discreetly reached across and took away his sister's wine glass.

"That's just who Will is." Gigi said quietly, "The more you push him into doing something, the less he is inclined he is to participate. Ironically."

"Well. I'm sure Lizzie has plenty of stories about her strange sisters that she can entertain us with. Right Lizzie?" Caroline asked smugly. "Especially with your dear, energetic younger sister."

Lizzie looked at Caroline, who was twirling a lock of her hair around her fingers with a slightly sinister smile on her face. Bing was looking at his sister with a look of embarrassment and sheer horror on his face.

"Not really," Lizzie replied coolly. Evidently, alcohol bought out the worst in Caroline.

"Oh come on!" Caroline huffed, "Not one? I remember Lydia was a bit of a handful when we went to Carter's that night. How about we start there?"

Bing gave Caroline a look of warning which she obviously chose to ignore. Lizzie was about to reply, when suddenly her phone buzzed repeatedly. She looked at it and saw Jane's face on the screen. That's odd, Lizzie thought. Jane was usually too busy to call her these days and it was late at night.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Could you excuse me for a moment?"

She patted Gigi on the knee, before jumping up and walking into the kitchen. When she was sure she was out of earshot, she answered her phone.

"Jane?"

"Oh Lizzie, thank God." Jane sounded panicked. "Where are you?"

"Uh, I'm just out having some dinner," Lizzie replied, choosing not to tell Jane where she was, or who she was with lest it upset her further. "What's up?"

"Oh God, Lizzie. I don't even know where to begin. You need to come home as soon as you can because something terrible has happened with Lydia. "

Lizzie felt her chest constrict in shock, and she leaned against the counter pressing her hand across her mouth. Gigi walked into the kitchen, and hesitated upon seeing the look on Lizzie's face. Her eyebrows knitted together with concern, but didn't interrupt her conversation.

"What happened, Jane? Is she OK?"

Jane's voice on the other end of the line was slightly higher, as though she was on the verge of tears again.

"It's really not good. I'm sorry Lizzie, but what happened with Lydia ... Well, it involved George Wickham too."

Lizzie felt the colour drain completely from her face and she hoped with all her heart that Gigi wasn't able to hear anything Jane was saying. Luckily Gigi chose that moment to open the fridge and pull out another bottle of wine for Bing. Lizzie managed to extract all the details from Jane, before hanging up the phone breathlessly and running her fingers through her hair in distress.

"Lizzie? Is everything OK?" Gigi asked, watching Lizzie pace around the kitchen anxiously.

"I don't know. I just … I have to leave, immediately. Something has happened at home."

Gigi looked at her watch and frowned.

"Lizzie, it's late and it's absolutely pouring outside. I really don't think it's a good idea to brave the elements tonight. Besides which, you've had far too much to drink. It wouldn't be safe for you to drive at all."

Lizzie looked outside the kitchen window. Sure enough, the storm that had been threatening the city all day had descended sometime during dinner, and thunder rumbled ominously in the distance.

"Lizzie, there isn't much you can do at this hour," Gigi continued reasonably, "Call Jane back. Tell her that you'll leave first thing in the morning. Our driver can take you back as soon as daylight hits. But for now you would be better to stay the night, go back home tomorrow and deal with everything with a clear head."

Lizzie ran her fingers through her hair again and paced around the kitchen frantically. Gigi was right. There was nothing she could do at this precise hour and in her current state. She called Jane back reluctantly, and told her that she would be returning home first thing tomorrow.

Although distressed, Jane understood and agreed that Gigi's idea was sensible. Bidding her sister farewell, Lizzie hung up the phone and leaned against the counter again.

"I think I'm just going to take some time out to process everything."

"I understand," Gigi said quietly. "Go. I'll make your apologies to Bing and Caroline for you."

As Lizzie went to leave, Gigi pressed the bottle of wine into Lizzie's hand.

"To help you sleep," she said simply. She gave Lizzie a quick hug before grabbing another bottle of wine and returning back into the lounge room. Lizzie disappeared through the kitchen and walked quickly up to the second floor. As soon as the darkness of the hallway engulfed her, the tears slid heavily down her face. She felt completely numb.

In her mind, Lizzie could see the words Darcy had written about Wickham stretch out over the page. Words explaining what had happened between Wickham and Gigi, and the extreme measures he had taken to save his little sister.

One thing was certain in Lizzie's mind. There was absolutely no way that she could save Lydia the way that Darcy had saved Gigi. Oh no – There was no helping her baby sister at all. This was one mistake that Lydia would have to see be played out.