Chapter Five

Dedicated to Phillipa Gordon, this girl is damn sweet and my newest friend huntermoon52, check out her stories if you are a Sherlock fan, she writes amazing stuff.

Phillipa Gordon: Thank you for your review :D I'll try to post more trivia after the chapters. Like how a coach, barouche, phaeton and landau are different ;)

Previously

Alina puts a spider in Lord Canterbury's coat, tells Richard to enquire about Michelle's living conditions from Viscount Wentworth and tells Darcy he deserves to be teased in order to remain grounded and confides in Georgiana that her playing has improved to such an extent that the dogs no longer howl balefully when she plays and instead, merely flop their ears in resignation. She also wagers that she will be receiving a book of sermons on proper behavior from Lady Catherine.

Milton Hall

1st December 1804

Dear Michelle,

I beg to read this Michelle, please give me a chance to beg your forgiveness. I could not live with myself if I lost your friendship because of my stupid behavior.

Please forgive me, Michelle, Please. I had no inkling that my enquiry about your welfare from Viscount Wentworth would make you so angry. It is not that I do not trust you, my dear friend. I trust you more than any one else, Mich. I would not be writing about how improperly I behave in great detail if I did not trust you to keep all my secrets. I love you like a sister, my dear and thus, I cannot help worrying about you.

And I do admit that I'm slightly neurotic. When you did not expound on your living conditions, I forgot that you are a person of few words, like my Cousin Darcy and instead took your descriptions to be exceedingly cryptic and a means to hide your real living conditions from me. Richard says that I read too many novels and they are responsible for my abominable, distrusting behavior.

Whatever be the reason, I humbly and sincerely apologize and beg your forgiveness. Please, find it in your kind heart to forgive me. I solemnly promise never to commit this indiscretion again.

I hope that you are well,

Your repentant friend,

Alina

The Gardens
Milton Hall

24th December 1804

Georgiana handed a scroll tied with a pretty pink ribbon to Alina hesitantly. Alina accepted it eagerly and untied the ribbon immediately, excited to see what Georgie had made for her.

She opened it to see two pictures that she assumed to be profiles of Darcy and Georgiana. Georgiana had put a lot of effort into them it seemed as she was not very proficient at painting and preferred the pianoforte over it yet she had taken the time to paint pictures of herself and her brother.

'I..I am not very good', said Georgiana, wringing her hands. 'But I thought you would like a picture of us to look at when we cannot be together.'

'I love them, Georgie',she said with a big smile. Delighted by her thoughtfulness, Alina picked up her young cousin and swung her around and the garden was filled with the pleasant sound of their happy, unguarded laughter.

Lord Milton and George Darcy watched the two girls playing in the garden. Their faces shone with happiness as they twirled in the garden and fell onto the grass, giggling.

'She is a good girl',commented one, watching the elder girl pick up his daughter and spin her around. 'She will make us all proud one day.'

'Catherine would have an apoplexy if she heard you saying that,' the other replied, his lips turned up in a sarky smile.

'Catherine is a fool', groused . 'She wishes for a marriage contract between Fitzwilliam and Anne.'

The Earl of Milton burst out laughing at that. 'I should thank the Lord that Catherine thinks Robert is the most disappointing heir on Earth otherwise it would be my poor boy who would be a victim of her matchmaking schemes.'

'Have you any clue about his whereabouts?', asked his brother seriously which wiped the smile off the Earl's face.

'Robert', he sighed, 'He is the most unpredictable of my children. I never know what he will do next. According to his previous letter, he is in Italy.'

'I don't know what goes on in Fitzwilliam's mind either', said Mr. Darcy, looking fixedly at his glass of brandy. 'I thought that Wickham's company would help him but he has withdrawn into his shell further.'

'That Wentworth boy, Sinclair's son is much better company than Wickham. Wickham is a nasty piece of work, I fail to understand why you insist on sponsoring him.' Lord Milton looked at his brother cautiously, he was excessively fond of that rake.

'Old sins have long shadows, Damien,' replied Mr. Darcy cryptically. 'Let us talk of something else. Tell me, shall you consent to a marriage contract between William and Alina?'

Lord Milton promptly choked on his sherry. 'I beg your pardon, George.'

'I have thought about this', George Darcy said casually. 'That girl of yours, she has more sense than half the misses in London put together. She'll be a good mistress of Pemberley. William is fond of her, she may be the only girl of his acquaintance he likes and Georgiana is devoted to her. Alina-Marie is quite affectionate towards them too. They would be happy and Alina would never lack anything. It is a good match, if I may be so forward.'

'George',exclaimed his brother amusedly. 'You have turned into a matchmaking mama! You leave Lady Kingston in the dust.'

'Don't remind me of that odious woman', Mr. Darcy shuddered. 'I've always believed that she and Catherine were separated at birth.'

They both dissolved into raucous laughter that startled the maids cleaning the adjacent rooms.

Milton Hall

25th December 1804

Dearest, Loveliest Michelle,

Happy Christmas! May the Lord shower his choiciest blessing on you and your family.

I hope this humble letter of mine finds you in the best of health and spirits. I was very pleased to receive your letter and it reminded me once again how fortunate I am to have a prodigiously loyal friend like you. I cannot tell you how relieved I was to learn that you have forgiven me. Christmas is a time of miracles after all! I beg your pardon for being a most terrible correspondant as helping mother with her duties and preparing for our guests has kept me away from my writing desk.

While helping Mother I found out that running a house is no piece of cake. I only wonder how our mothers manage to do it day after day. There are hundreds of things to do or supervise. One has to discuss the menus with the cook, the cleaning and overall management of the house with the housekeeper, the household accounts have to be checked and maintained regularly, baskets for the tenants must be prepared and delivered personally. And all of this becomes a hundred times more complicated when the arrival of guests is imminent. Marriage is not a bed of roses as we have been taught. The story does not end with us looking our best in a ballroom, smiling prettily, making interesting conversation and managing to ensnare a rich and handsome heir. That, my friend is just the beginning.

I will talk of marriage no longer or Papa will be worried! It is indeed too early to think of it.

Christmas with my family has been beautiful yet lonely for your absence is deeply felt. Christmas feels incomplete without you here. I found myself running to your estate after I received all my presents like every year and was almost there when I remembered that the person I needed was no longer there. Forgive me my selfishness for if it is painful for me to not have you near, it must be agony for you to be away from Canterbury and be without your beloved Papa. I wish I could be there to embrace you and offer you all my love and support but all I have is the written word to convey that you are not alone.

I think I may possess the second sight for I had wagered that I would receive a book of sermons on proper behavior from Aunt Catherine and I did. Cousin Darcy's expression in that moment was priceless for I had told him to get me a nice present to compensate for the book of sermons Aunt Catherine was going to give me. I'm sending you a sketch of his incredulous countenance to make you laugh. I have not made any mischief involving Cousin Darcy this time. To do so without you, seems like committing sacrilege. My cousin has been at ease these holidays for neither was he bothered by any animal, insect or little mischievious girls nor was he trailed by ambitious single ladies and their unpleasant mamaa's at Milton. I thought he was going to cry with relief when Mama said that there would be no visitors, especially single ladies, this Christmas.

Mother and Father have been extremely happy after Richard's arrival a fortnight ago. Mother ran out of the house- to Miss Price's horror who believes that ladies should maintain decorum at all times and a young lady's best role model is her mother-and embraced Richard. Such displays of unrestrained emotions are not characteristic of Lady Milton but exactly what a mother would do and Miss Price fails to see it. Sometimes, I fervently wish that she would go back to wherever she came from and free us from her restricting, dour presence.

I would greatly wish to write more but I have to go meet my favorite maid Sarah. I have made her a beautiful drawing of her beloved brother who passed away last spring and I know she misses him terribly. I hope looking at his visage whenever she wants to will help in easing her pain.

Your loving friend,

Ally-Kally

P.S. I couldn't help but sign in my 'secret name', Mich-Kish. We were incredibly foolish that summer. I am sure Cousin Darcy will never forgive us for pushing him into the lake in front of Lady Arabella. He always had a soft spot for her.

END OF CHAPTER FIVE.

A/N: Thank you for reading :) Please review. I would love to know your thoughts :D

COMING UP NEXT: 'D' for Drama. You're in for a surprise!