Author's Note: Thank you for all of your reviews. You guys are great, and I enjoyed reading all of your suggestions. Someone mentioned the ring that Darcy gave Elizabeth in Chapter 1. I must confess that I completely forgot about it. Maybe, I will edit Chapter 5 so that Elizabeth throws it back in his face. We shall see.

Again, my estimates for the size of the story are changing. I'm now well over 25k words. This has been a learning experience for me. So, I beg for your understanding.

This chapter mainly deals with the reprisals and fallout of the scandal. Many of you have been wondering about where Colonel Fitzwilliam was. Well, he's back. I hope you like it.

The story is unbeta'd so all the errors are my own. Review, but please be kind.

Chapter 6

Over the next few days, the news of the scandal became widespread and was talked of in every drawing room and society event. Still angry with her brother, Georgiana had insisted on being allowed to go to Curzon Street to stay with their Aunt Agatha Fitzwilliam. Darcy had argued against the notion, insisting that their aunt was not a proper companion.

He had claimed, "She is a spinster who has odd attitudes toward society. The rest of the Fitzwilliams will have nothing to do with her."

Georgiana had retorted in outrage, "They ostracize her because she is kind, Fitzwilliam. They cannot abide kindness."

In the end, he had allowed her to do as she wished. He hoped that after a period of time apart, they would be able to set aside the coldness that had come between them.

The society pages continued to reticule Darcy and his new fiancé. In contrast, Elizabeth was lauded for her fortunate escape. Before a week had gone by, Darcy and Lady Huntingdon, wearied of the notoriety, had settled on a very short engagement. When the Lady informed her betrothed that she might indeed be with child, it further spurred them on to hasten their marriage. Darcy was happy at the thought of being a father but chagrined by the shameful way that it had come about.

Matlock's woes continued to mount. The proposal that he had brought before the House of Lords had been deferred and would not be voted on until after the new year. None of the members of his party were interested in pressing for an earlier vote. Moreover, his closest allies were beginning to avoid him at his men's club and to eye him with suspicion. To make matters worse, Bramwell was threatening to pull his support for the proposal. For when the Marquis had sought to acquire funds from Darcy to cover his most pressing debts, his future son-in-law had advised him that he could not release any funds to him until after the collection of quarterly rents or the shearing season in the spring.

To add to Matlock's misfortunes, he found that he was unable to negotiate good prices for his late autumn hay and beets. Moreover, seed orders needed for the spring planting had been mysteriously lost, so Matlock was forced to reorder at increased cost. Also, the usual purchasers of Matlock estate goods had found other sources who offered more affordable prices and superior products.

Two days before Darcy's wedding, Matlock burst into his study waving several letters, "Darcy, I am beset by insurrectionists. Just look at these letters. These farmers are getting above themselves."

He shoved them into Darcy's hand and stalked over to help himself to some brandy while Darcy looked the letters over. Before he had perused them all, Matlock blurted out, "Have you ever seen the like? How dare these men who have been farming my land for years make demands of me? They have the nerve to threaten me. How can they even hint at abandoning their farms? How dare they?" He grumbled something unintelligible. Then continued his rant, "Who is this Brown and Associates? What gives them the right to approach my tenants with offers of more lucrative situations?"

Darcy continued to scan the letters, and then finally he answered, "Brown and Associates is a reputable business that acts as something of a broker for farmers and estate owners. They find interested farmers better situations and pair them with equally interested landowners who have a vacancy on their estate. It is a legitimate business. I have used them myself once or twice."

The Earl glared at Darcy. "But why would they be trying to poach my tenants out from under my very nose, for pity's sake?"

"I told you two years ago that you should not have raised your rents so precipitously. It was sure to fester discontent. Their other concerns are legitimate, as well. If you do not lower your rents and make the repairs that they mention in their letters, you will surely lose them. You should have already converted those thatched roofs on the farmhouses to slate long ago. Everyone knows that slate roofs are much safer. The old, thatched roofs are a fire hazard not to mention a maintenance nightmare. They are wise to demand that you see to the work. If you do not lose them to another estate, you most certainly will lose them to the mills."

"Well, it is not just my primary estate that is under attack. Two of my smaller estates in the south have been hit by the same disloyalty. I feel like I have been singled out by some fiend set on ruining me."

"Uncle, the world is changing. We are no longer under the feudal system. These people that work our estates have every right to make decisions that are in the best interests of their families."

Darcy was forced to listen to the Earl bluster and complain for another half hour about the sudden downturn of his financial situation. He reminded him that he was in no position to aid him at this time which finally induced his uncle to leave.

By the first week of November, Darcy and Lady Huntingdon had spoken their vows. And then two weeks after the wedding they were safely ensconced at Pemberley.

Pemberley, December 10, 1812

It had been a cold stormy night. Darcy and Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam, Darcy's favorite cousin, had installed themselves in the billiard room for a late-night game. Richard had arrived the previous week after completing his military assignment and had wasted no time in ringing a peal over Darcy's head after hearing of the broken engagement and subsequent scandal.

Darcy was talking while Richard lined up his shot, "…and her finances were a complete mess. Still, if I had read the marriage contract properly, I might have seen that her dowry was well below reported levels."

Richard shook his head in astonishment. "Well, I assume that you will eventually be happy. You have known her for ages. Surely things will improve, and you will soon be experiencing wedded bliss." Richard winked at him.

Darcy nodded doubtfully, "I can only hope." Then he frowned in puzzlement. "I find it disconcerting that she is not at all like I remember her. I suppose that could be attributed to the baby. She is often indisposed and keeps to her rooms much of the time. I sometimes only see her at dinner." He gave his cousin an uncertain look. "She is easily upset and scolds the house staff for trivialities. It has been surprising how poorly she gets along with Mrs. Reynolds. How could anyone not get along with Mrs. Reynolds? That woman has been our housekeeper for over twenty years and has been like a mother to me and Georgie. All of this is very unexpected especially since Cassandra practically grew up here."

"Is that why you have been so gloomy since I arrived?" Richard's gaze was penetrating. "Or is it the other matter?"

Darcy scowled at the colonel, then muttered sullenly, "The other matter."

"Darce, you have to let your feelings for Miss Bennet go. You told me yourself that you were resigned to your marriage. You have to try to make the best of it. And you can only do that if you forget about her."

Darcy grimaced, "I am fully aware of that, and I am trying." He moved around the table restlessly. Seeking to change the subject, he asked, "Do you think that Georgiana is ready to forgive me?"

After taking his shot, Richard answered, "Oh probably. Our ward cannot stay angry at anyone for very long. She will come around in time." The two cousins had served as Georgiana's guardians since the death of her father. "By the way, I have yet to lay eyes on my dear elder brother since I returned. Have you seen him?"

Darcy answered distractedly, "Yes, as a matter of fact, Lisle passed through here two weeks ago. However, he only stayed three nights, and I did not speak with him much. He vaguely mentioned that he was on his way to the Matlock estate."

Richard shrugged and nodded. They discussed the difficulties that Matlock was having with his tenants for a few minutes. Then the Colonel said, "Darce, you never told me how long you had been courting Lady Cassandra before you married."

Darcy grimaced. He remained sensitive to the improprieties surrounding his marriage. "Not long. I believe it was less than three weeks."

While Darcy took his turn, Richard eyed him thoughtfully. "And when is the blessed event to occur?"

Darcy smiled at the thought of the birth of his child, the one bright spot in his life. "I suppose it will be in July."

Richard raised his eyebrows and went to pour them both another brandy. Handing Darcy his drink he walked over to the fireplace to shift the coals. After another moment, he said with a great deal of trepidation, "I don't mean to be indelicate, but her condition has become obvious early on. I hope that all is well."

Darcy nodded his head, "Yes, the midwife assures me that all is progressing as it should."

Richard's eyes narrowed as he gazed at his cousin. He asked nonchalantly, "Has the babe quickened?"

Darcy answered with a quick grin, "Yes, just two weeks ago. All of this is so new to me. I cannot believe I am to be a father."

Richard gave Darcy an exasperated look, swore under his breath, and downed his drink in one gulp. Then with an angry expression, he marched over to Darcy and rapped several times on his cousin's head using the heavy side of his signet ring. Darcy jerked back in surprise and indignation. Then, Richard practically yelled, "Darce, you bonehead. Think, man. Think. You are not such a green boy as all that, surely. You do know what is involved in the process of bringing about a child, I assume. And you do know how long it takes, do you not?" Darcy looked at him in irritation and confusion. Richard put his fingers up. "Month one, conception. Month four, Quickening. Month nine, birth. Unless there is a problem or you are John the Baptist who quickened at six months, it is always the same. The quickening is invariably in the fourth month. And it most certainly never occurs in the second month."

Not yet understanding why his cousin was so upset, Darcy began haughtily, "I am fully aware…"

Then his words trailed off as Richard's words finally penetrated his brain. His expression became frozen, his face paled, and his eyes became wide and unseeing as he stared into the recent past. The word "cuckold" bounced around in his head. The only sound in the room was the rain outside lashing against the windows.

Then Richard had just enough time to duck as a glass flew by his head and shattered against the fireplace. He then had to race to catch up with Darcy who had stormed out into the hallway intent on gaining the stairs to his wife's bedroom. Richard took hold of him and shoved him back into the billiard room, slamming the door for good measure. It took him another hour to calm Darcy down so that he would not confront his wife in a blind fury.

Within two days, Darcy had Cassandra bundled into a carriage and on her way to her father's estate. Since there was no entail on Pemberley and he could choose his heir, he promptly changed his will, leaving the bulk of his estate to Georgiana. Furthermore, he told his wife that any future pregnancies would result in him divorcing her for adultery. For he would never share a home, much less a bed with her again.

Within a week, Richard had run Lisle to ground and forced him to reveal the entirety of the conspiracy. Then he promptly shared what he had learned with Darcy. Subsequently, Darcy sent several letters in quick succession to his father-in-law, his eldest cousin, and his uncle stating that the Pemberley coffers were now closed to them and that he would cut them publicly if they approached him. Lisle was also told that he would be sued for criminal conversation if he came near his wife again.

Immediately following the great revelation, Darcy went through a period of mourning. He mourned the loss of his child, the child that would have carried on the Darcy legacy, the child that he had begun to anticipate. That child had been the bright spot in his life, the one thing that made his loss of Elizabeth bearable. He felt certain that Bennet had tried to warn him of Cassandra's treachery, but he had been too stubborn to listen.

Nevertheless, Darcy determined that he would not punish the child for the sins of the parents and that he would be a father in every way except by blood. Thus, when Annabel Marie Darcy was born at the Bramwell estate in March, he was on hand for the birth and was immediately smitten with the babe. Although Cassandra's child would not inherit Pemberley, he made provisions for her to be provided with a sizable dowry. Whenever he visited her at his father-in-law's estate, he tried not to dwell on her strawberry blond hair and vivid green eyes which spoke to her true parentage. During those visits, he refused to have anything to do with his wife or her father. Likewise, they knew better than to intrude on his time with the babe.

One year after Darcy cut ties with his uncle's family, the Fitzwilliams were forced to retrench, selling three of their lesser estates and the mining rights to two other properties. Staffing at their primary estate as well as their London townhouse was cut in half, considerably curtailing their ability to entertain. Rumors had begun to circulate through the Ton that the Fitzwilliams had facilitated the broken engagement. Therefore, Lady Matlock and Lady Holman had experienced a drastic reduction in the number of invitations they received and found themselves being shown only the coldest of civilities from their friends. Furthermore, any Fitzwilliam relative who had been in close association with the Earl received the same treatment. Due to a lack of funds for lavish entertaining, Lady Matlock was never able to regain her standing in society. The Earl essentially retired from Parliament having lost all influence in his party. The parliamentary proposal that had been at the center of the entire debacle was never even brought to the vote.

Lisle could no longer find anyone to accept his vowels, forcing him to withdraw from his favorite pastime: gambling. In addition, word of his debts and womanizing cost him the hand of two potential marriage partners which would have come with sizable dowries. No father of any standing would allow him within a mile of his daughter. Thus, for the sake of producing an heir, he was forced to settle for the third daughter of a Baronet, who was considered on the shelf due to her shrewish personality, meager dowry, and penchant for drink.

Lord Bramwell was also compelled to retrench and sell off several of his properties. When his nephew who was the heir to the Bramwell title and associated properties learned of his uncle's mismanagement, He forced the old Marquis to go into retirement and to cede control of his holdings to him such that he was left as merely a figurehead until his death.

In contrast, Georgiana, having never desired a London season, was happy to keep company with her eccentric aunt. Agatha Fitzwilliam was a middle-aged lady who had a happy, effervescent personality which attracted an interesting, eclectic society. She had inherited an estate and a London townhouse from her grandmother at an early age and had elected to never marry. Georgiana and Aunt Agatha found in each other kindred spirits and got along splendidly. During the London season, they enjoyed hosting and mixing with rising artists, writers, and inventors. They attended exhibits, lectures, and concerts of every description. During the summer, they escaped the heat and smells of London by traveling to interesting locales not frequented by the ton. Georgiana blossomed into a poised, articulate young lady who learned to laugh and enjoy life. Her aunt had opened up a whole new world to her such that she was in no hurry to marry.

In time, Richard brokered a reconciliation between Darcy and his sister, such that, on those rare occasions when he traveled to London, he stayed on Curzon Street with Aunt Agatha and Georgiana. He leased out Darcy House to a retired Admiral.

Georgiana, established a sporadic correspondence with Elizabeth, enough to ascertain that she was healing. However, she refused to divulge the contents of their letters with her brother or to even discuss the lady with him.

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On one of his rare trips to London, he had gone for a walk and found himself approaching the Serpentine in Hyde Park. The swans were there, as were another group of children with their breadcrumbs, and for the first time in a long time, he saw Elizabeth. She was alone, trailed by a footman. Facing away from him, she was unaware that he was watching her from the tree line. She looked so lovely and was so gracefully silhouetted against the water. He longed to go to her but knew that he could not. For he had recently heard that she was engaged to another gentleman. Ironically, it was a gentleman that Darcy had introduced her to on the night that they had attended the opera. A good man. A worthy man. A better man than he.

In despair, he watched her move away until she disappeared around a bend in the path.