Hello lovely People!

Thank you all for the comments and messages. I never knew my original one shot would evolve in such a way, but it is so lovely to see so many people reading along... it's kinda crazy the number of views, so thanking you all very muchly!

Just to be clear, I am no Miss JA... But you will see several original lines within this chapter (in italics) for our parallel story happens to be at a point where it meets the original exactly in time – for those hard-core P&P fans... yes, we are at chapter 45! Don't worry this will be the only chapter with a lengthy bit of direct quoting.. it's one of my fave...

For those who PM me and ask about E&D – I enjoy writing the 'blanks' so no, I will not be overly focusing on their happy ending as such.

I like to imagine the unseen bits that just did not quite get their page time in the original. I flatter myself, orchestrating little side stories for the minor characters alongside the original plot. Anne's story was of the same ilk, but there is plenty Colonel Fitzwilliam and I was pretty keen on Edward ;) I am trying to up the E & D interaction a little in this one – purely as it works in the time frame of the plot. But this one will focus more on Miss Bingley...

Thanks again for reading, stay safe and wash your hands... you filthy animals!

Yas


And so it was, under a cloudless blue sky, Elizabeth found herself once more at the entry of the house she could have once been mistress. She chewed her lip as she pondered such an outcome. Although much had passed, she knew deep down, was was still desirous of its master's good opinion. For why else were her nerves so unsettled by the very thought of his presence in such close proximity? She looked up at the blue sky, picturing the gentleman at ease by the sparkling blue reflection of the water they current fished. Sadly, there was not a grey cloud in sight.

Convinced as Elizabeth now was that Miss Bingley's dislike of her had originated in jealousy, she could not help feeling how unwelcome her appearance at Pemberley must be to her, and was curious to know with how much civility on that lady's side the acquaintance would now be renewed.

It was clear to all that Miss Bingley held Mr Darcy high in favour, rather too blatantly obvious. Perhaps Miss Bingley had known Mr Darcy's early intentions towards herself upon their last being in company while in Hertfordshire? If this jealousy was the stem of the lady's incivility, it could be easily understood, if still most unwelcome. For this, Elizabeth could forgive her, for a woman's pride and desires were a powerful thing; however, for the lady's conduct towards Jane, she could never offer such an olive branch.

Such was the lady! How foolish Elizabeth was to not understand how desperate Miss Bingley was in her pursuit of favour from the master of Pemberley. Not only content in ruining the happiness of her most beloved sister, the lady had no qualms in directing insults to the others. Surely, Mr Darcy would never be tempted to make an offer to such an unsuitable lady. She was beautiful; she was rich, her connections and education were decidedly superior, yet she was vulgar in her ambitious nature and unkind in her words. At face value, Miss Bingley, may be in possession of all the qualities and advantages that Mr Darcy had so ungentlemanly found Elizabeth wanting, yet there was nothing further that could be seen as a temptation. For such a man to tie himself to such an affected woman, Elizabeth shook her head in an attempt to silence such an image. No, she reassured herself, such a woman could never make him happy.

On reaching the house, they were shown through the hall into the saloon, whose northern aspect rendered it delightful for summer. Its windows opening to the ground, admitted a most refreshing view of the high woody hills behind the house, and of the beautiful oaks and Spanish chestnuts which were scattered over the intermediate lawn. In this house they were received by Miss Darcy, who was sitting there with Mrs. Hurst and Miss Bingley. Elizabeth held her head high determined not to intimidated by the clearly disingenuous, smile from the latter of the sisters.

Georgiana's reception of them was very civil, but attended with all the embarrassment which, though proceeding from shyness and the fear of doing wrong, would easily give to those who felt themselves inferior the belief of her being proud and reserved. Mrs. Gardiner and her niece, however, did her justice, encouraging the girl at every opportunity to fulfil her role as hostess.

As Elizabeth and her aunt conversed with the genteel Mrs. Annsley, with Georgianna looking on keenly as though she only wished the nerve to join in the conversation, Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst sat in awkward silence. It was clear to Elizabeth, upon observing Mrs. Hurst's expression, and the way her head tilted in an attempt to listen to the passing conversation; that she was most desirous to be included within the happy group. Her sister's vehement presence and frequent sharp glance however prevented any such outcome.

Elizabeth soon saw that she was herself closely watched by Miss Bingley, though she continued on as before, not wishing to give the lady the satisfaction of affecting her countenance. Elizabeth needed to converse, to smile sweetly and engage with the other ladies; if only to keep her own mind thus employed! Her own thoughts were causing her great distraction.

She expected every moment that some of the gentlemen would enter the room. She wished, she feared that the master of the house might be amongst them; and whether she wished or feared it most, she could scarcely determine. After sitting in this manner a quarter of an hour without hearing Miss Bingley's voice, Elizabeth was roused by receiving from her a cold inquiry after the health of her family. She answered with equal indifference and brevity, to which the raven-haired beauty said no more.

The next variation which their visit afforded was produced by the entrance of servants with cold meat, cake, and a variety of all the finest fruits in season. There was now employment for the whole party—for though they could not all talk, they could all eat; for it appeared not even the sour faced Miss Bingley was impartial to such a display of peaches and nectarines. While thus engaged, her mouth rather too full to be proper, Elizabeth had a fair opportunity of deciding whether she most feared or wished for the appearance of Mr. Darcy. However, not but a moment after deciding that she perhaps did wish to see him most ardently, than the gentleman entered the room! Instantly she felt heat rise in her cheeks, doing all in her power to swallow an overly large piece of fruit cake she had but moments ago taken a bite. She began to regret that he came.

He had been some time with Mr. Gardiner, engaged by the river, and had left him only on learning that the ladies of the family intended a visit to Georgiana. To say the thought of seeing Elizabeth again was not his sole desire in such a scheme would have been entirely false. Upon involuntarily offering the gentleman a small smile in welcome which she instantly regretted, Elizabeth wisely resolved to be perfectly easy and unembarrassed; a resolution the more necessary to be made, but perhaps not the more easily kept, because she saw that the suspicions of the whole party were awakened against them, and that there was scarcely an eye which did not watch his behaviour when he first came into the room. In no countenance was attentive curiosity so strongly marked as in Miss Bingley's, in spite of the smiles which overspread her face whenever she spoke to one of its objects; for jealousy had not yet made her desperate, and her attentions to Mr. Darcy were by no means over.

Miss Darcy, on her brother's entrance, exerted herself much more to talk, and Elizabeth saw that he was anxious for his sister and herself to get acquainted, and forwarded as much as possible, every attempt at conversation on either side. Miss Bingley saw all this likewise; and, in the imprudence of anger, took the first opportunity of saying, with sneering civility: "Pray, Miss Eliza, are not the -shire Militia removed from Meryton? They must be a great loss to YOUR family." In Darcy's presence she dared not mention Wickham's name; but Elizabeth instantly comprehended that he was uppermost in her thoughts.

Anxious to put a stop to such an unpleasant line of conversation in the presence of their young host, Elizabeth summoned all her courage by exerting herself vigorously to repel the ill-natured attack. She presently answered the question in a tolerably detached tone, determined to beat Miss Bingley at her own game.

While she spoke, an involuntary glance showed her Darcy, with a heightened complexion, earnestly looking at her, and his sister overcome with confusion, and unable to lift up her eyes. Had Miss Bingley known what pain she was then giving her beloved friend, she undoubtedly would have refrained from the hint; but she had merely intended to discompose Elizabeth by bringing forward the idea of a man to whom she believed her partial, to make her betray a sensibility which might injure her in Darcy's opinion, and, perhaps, to remind the latter of all the follies and absurdities by which some part of her family were connected with that corps.

It was clear to Elizabeth that Caroline Bingley was no confidant to either of the Darcy siblings. It was entirely apparent that not a syllable had ever reached her of Miss Darcy's meditated elopement. Such a thought pleased Elizabeth, for although the exchange of such information had been perhaps a bit unorthodox, Darcy had trusted Elizabeth with such a secrecy; even though her behaviour towards him had done nothing to warrant such a privilege.

In truth, Miss Bingley's attempt to bring attention to Miss Bennet's lowly connections and unsettle her rivals composure only resulted in quite the opposite. At first Darcy had felt alarm, anger, and above all fear for the comfort of his sister, but Elizabeth's collected behaviour soon quieted his emotion. Never before had he admired her more.

Thoroughly vexed and disappointed, that the outcome of such an observation had not gone to plan, Caroline fell silent, and remained in quite the sulk for the remainder of the visit.

The visit did not continue long after the above mentioned exchange; and while Mr. Darcy was attending them to their carriage, Miss Bingley began venting her disapproval on Elizabeth's person, behaviour, and dress. So filled with vexation she would not stop her condemnation! However, Georgiana nor her own sister, would not join her. For Georgiana her brother's recommendation was enough to ensure her favour; his judgement could not err. He had spoken in such favourable terms of Elizabeth as to leave Georgiana without the power of finding her otherwise than lovely and amiable. As Caroline ranted, Georgiana sat quietly, a small smile in the corner of her mouth as she contemplated how satisfying the look upon Miss Bingley's face would be if her brother were to take the very woman, she seemed to hate most in all of England as his bride. As soon as she was able, she would retire to her room and write to her cousin Anne, for surely she would take pleasure in such a notion.

When Darcy returned to the saloon, Miss Bingley could not help repeating to him some part of what she had been saying to his sister. "How very ill Miss Eliza Bennet looks this morning, Mr. Darcy," she cried; "I never in my life saw anyone so much altered as she is since the winter. She is grown so brown and coarse! Louisa and I were agreeing that we should not have known her again." However little Mr. Darcy might have liked such an address, he contented himself with coolly replying that he perceived no other alteration than her being rather tanned, no miraculous consequence of travelling in the summer. "For my own part," she rejoined, "I must confess that I never could see any beauty in her. Her face is too thin; her complexion has no brilliancy; and her features are not at all handsome. Her nose wants character-there is nothing marked in its lines. Her teeth are tolerable, but not out of the common way; and as for her eyes, which have sometimes been called so fine, I could never see anything extraordinary in them. They have a sharp, shrewish look, which I do not like at all; and in her air altogether there is a self-sufficiency without fashion, which is intolerable." Persuaded as Miss Bingley was that Darcy admired Elizabeth, this was not the best method of recommending herself; but angry people are not always wise; and in seeing him at last look somewhat nettled, she had all the success she expected.

Never before had Caroline Bingley hated Eliza Bennet more than she did in that very moment. Determined to get the desired rise and an answer from Darcy, she continued: "I remember, when we first knew her in Hertfordshire, how amazed we all were to find that she was a reputed beauty; and I particularly recollect your saying one night, after they had been dining at Netherfield, 'SHE a beauty!-I should as soon call her mother a wit.' But afterwards she seemed to improve on you, and I believe you thought her rather pretty at one time." She had positioned herself so close to his person throughout her little speech, that he was practically overpowered by the scent of her sickly-sweet hair oil. She looked up at him, eyes wide under dark lashes with a smile so artful it left him most ill at ease.

Finally, taking control of his senses, he could not contain himself any longer and responded in a raised voice so the whole room would hear;

"but THAT was only when I first saw her, for it is many months since I have considered her as one of the handsomest women of my acquaintance." He then went away, and Miss Bingley was left to all the satisfaction of having forced him to say what gave no one any pain but herself.