Love is an amusing thing, it makes you silly, you have the silliest ideas...

Fitzwilliam Darcy was yet again thinking about the girl with pretty dark eyes and incredible wit.

It was unbecoming of him to act like a love-sick fool.

He had assumed that Miss Bennett was in love with Richard... in merely two meetings. How stupid he could be?

He had resorted to his old behaviour in front of Miss Bennett, yet again. If not for Georgiana... then she would have seen her as the same rude and unsocial, Mr. Darcy. He wanted, he needed that Miss Bennett see him a new light.

Chapter 5

But there was a fear propounding in his mind, what will he do if this plan of Georgiana did not work?

Darcy tried not to think about that possibility. He did not like to dwell on negativities; even though that is the thing he always did...

He was disappointed when he did not cross paths with Miss Elizabeth during his morning walk. He wanted to talk to her more. Show her that he can be different. He had wrote to Bingley, informing him about the presence of Miss Bennett in London. If he had made a mistake in helping Miss Bingley steer Bingley away from his love, he needed to correct it. Because, staying away from one's true love is not an amusing prospect.

He had believed that it was one of Bingley's listless infatuations. Wherever Bingley moved he would take an interest in a particular lady. But this time it seemed serious. Bingley had started to avoid him on accounts of the eldest Miss Bennett.

Darcy only hoped that there was still time to make the wrongs right.

((o))

Love is neither here nor there. It is on no one's side, and it definitely is not fair. Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam had never thought he would be able to find love. He believed in love, but not in his ability to find love. He stared at her young cousin as she looked at him earnestly, her brown orbs holding several emotions. It was better this way, instead of the sole misery they had held for so long.

Little Georgiana was concerned whether he was in love with Miss Bennett.

Now he had to agree she was a charming young lady and well, very captivating but somehow he did not feel something he must have felt?

He had not given love much of a thought until the Ramsgate incident and even then it felt like a foe rather than friend. How could it be a friend if it led you to perform such a folly? When it leads you to somehow forget everyone you love and care all for one person? And then lose all your senses and perform acts you will regret forever?

Then Darcy fell in love. It was the most surprising event that could have taken place in the mundane life of Fitzwilliam Darcy. He did not talk to any ladies except of his close acquaintance, he knew that it took him considerable amount of time, in months, to begin talking to Mr. Bingley's sisters and he was not comfortable around younger Miss Bingley or now rather the only Miss Bingley. Her intentions had been clear to anyone with eyes, even to his own eyes, which had seen the two interact only twice.

But with Miss Bennett, Darcy was completely different, it was like he was back again... the boy Richard had known growing up, the boy who had hidden so long in the facade of the man he grew to be that Richard himself was starting to wonder if he was a myth after all. So even if Richard would have been in love with Elizabeth Bennett he wouldn't have acted upon his feelings just for Darcy.

"That's a ridiculous notion, Georgiana," Richard said, laughing, "I thought you were growing up..."

"So... you are not in love with Miss Bennett?" Georgiana asked cutting him off.

"Yes, little Georgiana, I am not in love with anyone right now. You just don't fall in love in one meeting. You know, I must ask Darcy to check on your reading material."

"Oh, Richard I am so relieved!" Georgiana exclaimed, putting her hand to her chest.

"And I think you are spending too much time with my mother, you almost sound like her," Richard said, with an almost too serious expression.

Georgiana could only laugh merrily at that soon to be joined by Richard.

"What is so humorous?" A pristine but tired voice asked from the direction of doorway.

"Nothing Cousin Anne," Richard said a bit too quickly, he was well aware of his Aunt's plans of marrying Cousin Anne to Darcy and even before Miss Bennett Richard was not happy with the pair. Darcy was a strong man but had suffered a lot in past and had the responsibility of a big estate and young lady on his shoulders, he needed someone strong and stable as his partner and Anne, while a lovely lady, when her health permitted and once you know her, was not what Darcy needed. At the same time he did not know what Anne had in her mind, was she partial to Darcy? So he decided that it was better if she did not know about the plan of bringing Darcy and Miss Bennett together, or mainly making sure that Miss Bennett sees Darcy in a new light, a positive light.

Richard glanced at Georgiana who was giving him a confused, yet, reproachful look.

"You are lying," Said Anne, with a knowing smile, "You know Richard, I am sick not an invalid."

"I-I..." Richard stuttered in a very unbecoming manner.

"I know you did not mean it, Richard," Anne smiled, and went to sit on one of the arm-chairs, "so tell me what is this about?"

Richard's eyebrows rose almost to his hairline, "You are acting different, Anne." He said, partly in askance.

"I am feeling better," Anne smiled, "Every time you've seen me, I have either been sick or in company of Mother. I love her with all my heart, but sometimes she doesn't let anyone talk."

Richard chuckled, "That she does,"

Georgiana looked scandalised and surprised, with wide eyes she turned to her cousin and exclaimed, "Anne!"

"Forgive me, Georgiana," Anne smiled apologetically, "Sometimes, I can get carried away, it is quite bothering and taxing to have no one to talk to."

"I can understand, Anne," Georgiana said, "But to talk this way..."

"Let it be Georgiana," Richard said and then turned to Anne, "We were talking about if I was in love with Miss Bennett or not."

"Are you?" Anne asked, her brown eyes widening, magnified through her round glasses.

Richard laughed, "Good lord, no. I cannot take Darcy's lady..."Realizing what he had said, he shut up.

"Darcy's lady?" Anne asked with a smile, "Oh my, Cousin Fitzwilliam finally proved he had a heart!"

Richard and Georgiana looked at each other and then laughed.

"Why does everyone have the same reaction to brother being in love?" Georgiana asked, shaking her head.

"Because, dear cousin, we are talking about Fitzwilliam Darcy," Anne said and laughed.

I am extremely sorry for the late update. I had exams and well my laptop was confiscated, on top of that my cell-phone stopped working. So, this had been pretty bad couple of months. But I am back, and hopefully you have stayed with me.

Thanks for the love,

Anka.