FAN FICTION

GENERAL REGENCY

Previously

"Surprise." Mr. MacDonald grinned. "We, Keiran and I thought, maybe, after being surrounded by so many Scotsmen the English side of you might need a reprieve. So, word was sent ahead of time for them to meet you here."

'I appreciate the thought." Mr. Bennet laughed, climbed down and, gently, woke up his bride.

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Ch. 7

Meryton was asleep as the carriage carrying Thomas and Caitlin Bennet rolled through town. No one walked the street. No signs of life could be seen through the windows and no children's laughter could be heard near the buildings. The only sound that pierced the silence was the clatter of the horses' hooves and the creaking of the carriage wheels. The driver, a faithful servant of the Bennet family, drove the horses faster, eager to reach Longbourn before dawn. He knew that his master and mistress had been gone for too long, and that their three daughters and their young cousin were waiting for them eagerly.

Thomas sat with an arm around Caitlin who was resting her head on his side in the carriage. They had planned on spending time with the Gardiners only a family emergency had demanded Edward and his wife's time upon arrival home in London. Therefore, Thomas had seen fit to keep his, and Caitlin's, trip home uninterrupted.

Keiran and Andrew spoke to Thomas in the privacy of Mr. MacDonald's library. "If he is as tight-lipped as you say, We would suggest you tell him everything we have told you, especially the last part. While we are great hopes that we can squelch this feud, those girls are still better off away from these highlands. And, as we wrote to you in that letter, even if we can distinguish this fight for good; one that had died down after the murder of my wife- and most of my sons- years ago. A murder I, nor any of my relatives, can prove in any court of any country, but I know occurred, Adair McDowell is a rotten apple, I am positive he gave Angus McLeod the idea of asking for Caitlin's hand knowing Andrew was too weak to fight it, and knowing what my reaction would be. So, as I just stated, those girls need out of here." It had been the second reason Thomas had been asked to come get Kirsty and to marry Caitlin.

"That is, talk to him if he has the funds to help protect your family, if it comes to that." Both men shook their heads at Keiran's words. "And it is not the one involving the MacDonalds and Campbells; ours just gets talked about the most. English propaganda, one has to love it." The sarcasm in his last sentence was evident.

As the carriage left Meryton, they saw the first rays of the sun rising over the horizon. Caitlin straightened up and apologized for falling asleep. "I slept enough at the inn, I meant to keep you company on our final journey back to your home."

"Our home." Thomas replied softly. "And you did keep me company. You might be surprised how relaxing I find your steady breathing." He smiled widely as his bride blushed. That had not been something the late Mrs. Bennet had ever done around him, not even in the early days of their courtship or marriage. If she had, it certainly had not been because of anything Mr. Bennet had said or done. It was while looking at Caitlin's slightly reddened face that Mr. MacDonald's words came back to his mind.

"Take care of her, Thomas." Kieran had come to Bruce's home the next morning on behalf of Andrew and others who could not be spoken aloud. "She may be a Bennet now, but some things are always in the blood." His eyes said more and the message was clear. 'You hurt her and we will get justice, and not through any English court.'

Bennet had not missed the message. The gentleman was not foolish enough to think Kieran or his clan incapable of carrying it out. But he would rather die than harm Caitlin. She had, shortly after their departure, stood between him and a small group of Frasers and Campbells who had tried to harm him as they accused him of lying about his marriage to Caitlin.

"Thomas is no liar. We are wed, just ask your English reverend who married us." His wife had said other, stronger words, and the men had backed off and gone away. If she could stand by him so strongly and so early in their marriage, then Mr. Bennet could do the same for her. They did not speak another word until their carriage arrived at Longbourn.

"Mr. Bennet, Mother!" Kirsty ran out and hugged Caitlin. "I am so happy to see you home. I feared you might not come back."

"And why would they not?" Kitty asked with a hint of annoyance in her voice. She received a glare from all the adults and an order from her father to apologize to her cousin, who looked as if she might cry. "I am sorry, Kirsty, I did not think."

Kitty regretted her words. Of course, her cousin would have been relieved. The poor girl had already lost her brothers, one mother, and her father was ill when Kirsty had left Scotland. And then, to top things off, she had been sent ahead while Mr. and Mrs. Bennet had stayed in Scotland. No wonder she had rushed down from her room when their carriage had arrived.

"Welcome home, Father. Welcome to Longbourn Mrs. Bennet." Elizabeth stood at the top of the porch steps. Her smile was genuine for any blame she felt had already been put onto Kitty and Mary. Her greeting to both her father and new mother was warm enough as to not be considered rude or impolite to either party.

"You ladies..." Mr. Bennet looked at his daughters, including Kirsty. "Help your mother settle in, I..." He looked at Mr. Darcy who had stepped out onto the porch behind Elizabeth. "Need to talk to Mr. Darcy in the library."

Mr. Bennet walked past the women and into his home, followed by Darcy. The two men ignored the chatter of the Bennet women and of Darcy's wife, along with a few of the servants who had come out into the hallway to offer help. They entered the library and closed the door.

"How was the trip?"

"Do you want to hear the plain truth or the embellished one?"

"I want the first." Mr. Darcy said, after Thomas made him swear not to repeat anything outside Longbourn's library. Elizabeth's husband let out a soft, low whistle. when told everything, but the part of the fued for Bennet was no quiet ready to reveal that. "I will count it a blessing this Bruce MacDonald and his friends were around." Mr. Darcy could hear what Elizabeth's father was not saying. "There is more, is there not?"

"Is there?" Mr. Bennet did not want to reveal anything from the past as Andrew and Keiran had suggested, if Mr. Darcy did not care to ask. He did not see the need to open any family secrets if they could stay hidden. Nor did he dare the current mess, though mixed emotions on being asked to keep quiet on it. Mr. Bennet might have refused only for the safety of his wife's sake, and his cousin's, did he comply.

"One that I have been wondering about since our conversation." Mr. Darcy leaned back and got comfortable. He asked the question that Keiran had predicted he would. "If your grandfather was not a Bennet or a relative, how did he get possession of Longbourn?"