Chapter Thirteen

A/N: Heyyy, sorry this is not a new chapter, I just decided to split the 12th chapter into two because 12th was really too big and unsymmetrical with the rest of the chapters.

A big thank you to EngLitlover, Captain Americanna, Princess Gigistarhearts, 2luv2laff4u, coffeebookchiller, Guest and mysterious for their awesome reviews! Your reviews keep me going guys :)

En route to Cambridgeshire

(Through Hertfordshire)

May 1807

'I cannot express in words how glad I am to have finally escaped London', Alina confided in Robert, who sat across from her in the carriage.

'I mirror your sentiments', quipped her brother tiredly as he rubbed his eyes. 'I was tired of being continuously introduced to every single lady of consequence residing in town. Father seemed determined to marry me off this season.'

Alina chuckled weakly. 'He was more interested in marriage matches than any Society Mamma.'

'I might appreciate his interest in any other sphere of my life,' said Robert dryly. 'But I would prefer if he left the choice to enter into matrimony to me.'

'He is concerned about you-'

'Concerned about me?', bit out Robert bitterly. 'He is concerned about securing a heir for Milton before he dies because I clearly cannot be trusted.'

Seeing the look on Alina's face, he apologized. It was an open secret that Robert Fitzwilliam, heir to Milton Hall and Fitzwilliam House, was not very fond of his father's second marriage. He had lived away from home for several years but the breach had been healed after his half-sister had saved him from being trapped into marriage with a madwoman: Miss Pembrooke, whose infatuation with him extended into the realms of obsession and insanity. He had visited Milton more times in the previous two years than he had in the past decade. It had excited the gossipmongers in ton to no end. They called it the 'return of the prodigal son' in the gossip rags that were widely circulated and perused by everyone residing in London.

'Is there someone you are interested in marrying?' Alina asked curiously. According to her father, Robert had shown no interest in any of the ladies he had been introduced to.

'Presently, no', her brother answered sourly. 'I am not a prize stud to be sold to the one with the highest dowry. And every woman I have encountered has been enamored by my fortune and my position as the Fitzwilliam heir. If I had not these, they wouldn't have spared me a second glance.'

'Oh they would've!', said Alina slyly. 'However it would not be as a prospective husband.'

'Dear sister', declared Robert, placing a hand on his heart. 'If you are implying what I understand you are, then you have a filthier mind than half the lads in England.'

'You are to blame for this', shot back his sister pertly.'My childish innocence was stripped away the moment I saw you lying with Miss Pembrooke.'

'Be still, my beating heart', quoted Robert. 'Why must your conversation be extraordinarily intelligent or horrendously improper? Can you never talk about the weather, your accomplishments like a proper Englishwoman?'

'Oh Pfft!', she fanned herself with her hand. 'Let me enjoy my impropriety till I can. For once I am presented at court and obligated to attend every high society ball and Almack's my conversation will become as dull and drab as that of every woman you encountered this season. Perhaps even more so because I have no practice in babbling inanities.'

'You must dance all your dances with Darce then', jested Robert. 'He is the only man of my acquaintance who will not mind half an hour silence while dancing.'

'He was sorely missed this season by all the ladies, I gathered from Father's comments', added Alina.

'Especially Carol Bingley-'

'Caroline.'

'Does it matter? We call her good ol' carrot top at Whites. They've-'

'You gentlemen gossip like a group of old biddies-'

'Please don't pretend that you are not interested in all the titbits I throw your way.'

Alina merely snorted in response.

'Yes, as I was saying before I was rudely interrupted by my dear, sweet sister, we've made wagers on how many years it will take for dear ol' carrot top to realize that Fitzwilliam is never going to offer for her. He is too enamored by a certain sprite with violet eyes to even contemplate another.'

Alina's cheeks were a bright shade of crimson after this impertinent remark by her brother.

'Why must you insist on something that doesn't even exist?',she complained petulantly. 'Darce and I are never going to marry each other and I would appreciate if you would let it sink through your thick skull.'

'Yes, ofcourse', mocked Robert. 'You embrace him openly in the Pemberley grounds, he carries you in his arms to the Pemberley chapel and you spend a night there, alone and unchaperoned, I might add and then you expect me to believe that Darcy will not marry you-'

'How do you know all this?', questioned Alina, angrily. No one was privy to whatever happened between her and Darce except her father and he would have never betrayed her confidence. At the guilty look on Robert's face, she realized his source.

'You read my journal, you prying pig!', she exclaimed and landed a few sound blows on his person.

'Get off me you wild harridan', he shouted as he tried to fend her off. She was surprisingly strong for a girl of sixteen but he supposed that came with learning sword fighting with incredibly heavy swords. 'How was I supposed to resist the temptation of reading it if you insist on labeling it 'The Wildly Improper Lady Alina Fitzwilliam', a book with a title like that is practically begging to be read.'

'No, it is not!', she replied and sank back into her seat, breathing heavily as her brother straightened in his.

'Dear God in Heaven', he exclaimed. 'I have never been assaulted so strongly in my life.'

'That's retaliation for your abominable behavior', she said primly. 'I await your apology.'

'I believe there was a bit about that Wentworth fellow, Richard's friend..Daniel?'

He was silenced by a hard kick to his shin.

A few hours later

'Promise not to hit me.'

'I refuse to promise anything that denies me the few pleasures I have in life, namely beating up my prying, rude brother.

'Please.'

'No.'

'Are you infatuated with Niklaus Wentworth?'

'So you know his name.'

'You did not answer my question.'

'I am not', she denied furiously.

'You are! The way you passionately deny it confirms my suspicions.'

'Can you talk of nothing else? I concede defeat. Let us talk of the weather and my accomplishments, anything else other than this useless talk.'

'I refuse to honor any suggestion that denies me the few pleasures I have in life, namely pestering my lovelorn, sad sister.', he shot back.

She ignored him and proceeded to stare out of the window.

'What is it that you stare at so intently?', he complained. 'It is dark outside. May we not alleviate our boredom with some conversation? You could confide in me about your hapless longing for Nik Wentworth.'

She stared at him, her face blank. 'I do not know of what you speak.'

'Your evasion of my question is dangerously close to lying territory.'

She sighed. 'I was infatuated with him for a little while and seeing him in an improper embrace with his cousin, Lady Susan, extinguished the so called flames of passion as you refer to it.'

'Ah! Young love', said her brother, his tone dripping with nostalgia. 'It oft ends in heart break.'

'I am quite aware', she answered quietly.

Robert laid a consoling hand on her shoulder. 'It is quite healthy to be crossed in love occasionally though I think it is a divine sign that Darce is the one for you-'

'ROBERT!'

And so they carried on for the rest of the journey to Hertfordshire.

'We've deviated quite a bit from our usual route', commented Robert as they neared a sleepy little town in Hertfordshire called Meryton. 'And it's longer too.'

'What caused you to chose this way?', Alina yawned as she spoke, tired from the long journey in the carriage.

'I do like to ignore Father's orders now and then', he said absently.

Alina looked at him reproachfully.

'Oh cease looking at me like that!', he complained. 'You manage to make me feel like a guilty schoolboy. And we've not been accosted by any highwaymen, have we? So my disobedience-'

He was interrupted as the carriage lurched violently and tilted to the side. They braced themselves against the walls of the carriage and as soon as the carriage stopped rocking wildly, descended from it.

Robert swore loudly as he saw the broken wheel. 'Father will have my head for this.'

Alina crossed her arms and glared at her foolish brother. 'Please, proceed to tempt fate again. Did you have to gloat about your actions having no consequences?'

'I cannot believe that you blame me for the wheel being broken!'

Their squabble was interrupted by Mr. Brian, the most trusted footman at Milton who had been unhappy with this plan to switch their traveling route from the start.

'I believe we should make our way to the inn, Sir', he ventured hesitantly.

'You are right, Brian', agreed Robert as he ran a hand through his tousled hair agitatedly, trying to work out the logistics of getting a party of six to the inn.

'I think we should all go together', Alina suggested quietly. 'There is safety in numbers after all.'

'Yes', Robert replied shortly as he watched the driver untangle the horses from the reins. 'It appears we shall all have to walk for the horses look too spooked to be of any use.'

'How far is Meryton from here?', he asked, looking at each of them for an answer.

'Two and a half miles, Sir', answered the driver.

'Will you be able to walk that far Alina?', he questioned. Alina arched an eyebrow in response.

'Forgive me. I had forgotten your aptitude in the art of walking. Sarah, will you be able to walk that far?'

Sarah, who was having her courses and had slept fitfully the previous night was too tired to traverse the distance on foot but couldn't think of a way to tell the truth to the Viscount.

'I...'she trailed off as all of them turned to watch a wagon approaching them, its lights shining brightly in the distance.

'If the man is trustworthy and his wagon empty, we may ask him for assistance', commented Robert, his hands behind his back as he watched the wagon come nearer.

On seeing the party of six, it stopped and the driver, a man of over forty, looked at the party hesitantly.

'Good Sir', Robert approached him. 'I am Robert Fitzwilliam of Milton Hall, Cambridgeshire, pardon the informal introduction, my carriage has cast a wheel and I would be really obliged to you if you could help us reach the inn-'

'You need not worry Mr. Fitzwilliam', boomed the other man, startling all of them and Robert looked a little awestruck for he had never been addressed as Mr. Fitzwilliam in his life. 'I am Sir William Lucas of Lucas Lodge, Meryton, the local magistrate. It is my duty to help the public.'

They all exhaled in unison. This was better than they had hoped for. The likelihood of being looted and murdered had drastically decreased.

'Come aboard my humble wagon, good Sirs and madams', he laughed warmly and soon, four of them were seated comfortably in the warm hay of his carriage along with two servant boys, presumably belonging to Lucas Lodge. The driver and Mr. Brian were to lead the horses to the Meryton inn. Sir Lucas assured them about their safety on that particular stretch of road and it was with visible relief that Mr. Brian replaced his pistol in its box.

Sir Lucas flicked the reins and soon they were on their way to Meryton. The rhythmic motion of the wagon soon put Alina to sleep and she nodded off against her brother's shoulder.

She felt as if her body was on fire. She twisted in the sheets, her body covered with sweat, the bed extremely hot beneath her and finally tumbled to the rough but cold floor.

'Damnation!', she swore and then held up a hand to her mouth in mortification. Oh God, Robert's company certainly had its disadvantages. How she wished that she could've slept in the open like the boys last night. The inn was filled to the brim with travellers for Meryton was hosting a village fair and people had come from far and near, to buy and sell all kinds of goods. After much haggling with the inn keeper in which Robert was forced to reveal his true title of Viscount Milton, which incidentally he hated doing: having a particular fondness for travelling incognito, in order to secure a bed for Alina and Sarah. All that had gone to waste for the room was ugly, damp and downright uncomfortable. She had not slept this poorly since that week at Pemberley when she had been plagued by nightmares.

Sighing, she rose from the floor and brushed the dust off her clothes. Sarah was sleeping soundly on a cot in the corner. Gently, she shook her awake and after taking care of their morning abulations, they both dressed and proceeded to the dining room downstairs.

Robert was dressed immaculately and did not appear as if he spent the previous night in a barn. He was eating his breakfast with unmatchable enthusiasm, his table manners as atrocious as they had been two years ago. She approached him, dragging Sarah with her, who looked extremely confused for servants were not supposed to be seated with their masters.

Robert looked up at them, his eyebrows scrunching together in confusion upon seeing Sarah with Alina but after a couple of wild gestures from his sister, finally understood her meaning.

'You must sit with us, Sarah', he said, smiling. 'I cannot allow the Hertfordshire boys to ogle a beautiful girl from Cambridgeshire.'

Sarah blushed and took a seat as Alina glared at him.

'Dear sister', he said, casually. 'Remove that ugly expression from your face before it gets frozen like that. It'll be terribly hard to marry you off then.'

'It must have been a moment of madness in which I consented to travel with you, you rude and dirty pig', she commented as she spread butter on her bread.

'If I were you, I would refrain from insulting the main course', he shot back, uncovering a dish of ham.

Alina could think of no reply that would be acceptable in company and resorted to eating her breakfast in silence.

'Well Ladies', he said as he got up from the table. 'I must take your leave and get our carriage repaired. You, in the meantime, may stay at the inn which knowing you, seems optimistic to the point of foolishness, so you have my permission to amuse yourselves at the shops in Meryton but you are not to talk to any one. Understood?'

Alina nodded mutely.

'Good', he replied. 'I think I'll make a terrific father. And you must take Marcus with you, he'll look after you in case you decide to wander off.'

Bowing to them, he turned on his heel and left the room as several ladies in the inn admired his fine figure to Alina's embarrassment.

The shops at Meryton had nothing new to offer, nothing that was not sold in London and as they were not allowed to visit the village fair or walk to Oakham Mount, a beautiful scenic spot, Alina contended herself by visiting the local confectionery located at the main thoroughfare which offered a vast selection of sweets. She sat outside with Sarah, muching on delicious, homemade sweets, watching the people of Meryton go about their daily business. A loud woman making her way to the sweetshop with five girls of various ages in tow caught her eye.

'Now you listen to me, Lyddie and Kitty', she said in an authoritative voice. 'You will sit here with your sisters and be nice and quiet till I come back. Alright?'

The youngest duo looked at the vast array of sweets and nodded eagerly. Apparently, their good behavior was to be rewarded with sweets from the shop.

'You watch over them, Jane', she said to the oldest girl, a blonde beauty who looked to be about eighteen. Alina thanked her stars that Robert was not present or he would've fancied himself in love after one look at her.

'And you, Lizzy', the lady continued sternly. 'Don't you dare wander to the bookshop and leave your sisters alone with Janie. You must assume some responsiblity.'

The slight brunette seated next to the blond nodded, her cheeks suffused with colour after being publicly admonished by her mother.

The lady finally looked at the quiet girl with spectacles who stood quietly in a corner, a book clutched to her chest.

'Oh', the woman exclaimed, 'where will you sit Mary?' She looked around the shop and seeing the only empty seats being the ones at Alina's table, approached her.

'Forgive my presumption, but I believe you seek a chair for your daughter', Alina said before the woman could open her mouth.

'Er..yes', the woman replied hesitantly, unsure of how to deal with this confident child.

'She can sit with us, we'll take good care of her', Alina assured her, aiming a dazzling smile her way. The slight brunette narrowed her eyes at this excessive display of politeness. The woman however was delighted.

'Thank you, my dear', she said warmly. 'I have five girls you see, a terribly hard task for a mother and I'm not getting any younger. I need to visit old Mr. Smith, the apothecary you know and I couldn't leave the girls alone at home, a lot of shady characters are in town because of the fair and I might come back to find them murdered in their beds-'

'Mamma', exclaimed the brunette, 'It is past ten already.'

'Oh dear! I must be on my way.' She looked warmly at Alina. 'Thank you, dear, may I know your name?'

'Alina, madam.'

'What an exotic name!'

'You are very kind, Mrs.-'

'Mrs. Bennet, dear, Mrs. Bennet of Longbourn, Hertfordshire.'

A/N: Everyone needs a Robert in their lives :P I just love him.

Love,

Mango