NON-CANON, AU GENERAL REGENCY

NOTE: Guest: You need to go reread the talk between Mr. Smith and the Marquess. Mr. Collins is NOT getting Longbourn; that was already put into place due to Mr. Bennet's help.

EDIT: Guest...I was actually writing this one while posting my last one.

Hearts in Hiding

Previously:

"So, you see, I was not joking...what we are returning to Sweden has been witnessed in Parliament by officials from both countries as the real deal. It will keep any blood bath from occurring. You - outside a very small circle- now know the truth." The marquess gave Mr. Bennet instructions on what to, or not to do, if he should ever come across the item; his eyes told Thomas far more than his mouth did.

Homecoming

Ch. 24

Longbourn was hopping with excitement. Kitty was busy decorating its parlor, along with Mary and Mrs. Bingley. Elizabeth would have been helping, but she was sitting in an overstuffed chair with her feet propped up due to her swollen ankles. She was cracking jokes about Fitzwilliam's heir in the process.

"I do believe this child found a way to practice their acrobatics, for I am positive they are using my ribs in an attempt to execute endless flips and remind me of their impending arrival." The child was due within the month.

"I will pass on seeing that," giggled Mary as she, Kitty, and Jane helped Emma hang silk ribbons and bows, lace and embroidered fabrics, wreaths and swags, along with anything to brighten up Longbourn's parlor. The servants had taken out the sofas and hauled in plenty of tables and chairs.

Tablecloths now covered every single table. Silver, intricately decorated candelabras were set on every table. Expensive dishes were placed where their guests would be sitting. New rugs on the floor had recently replaced the old, time-worn, well-trodden ones of the past, thanks to Mrs. Erickson.

"Please, humor me," Brigitta had begged the estate manager when she had traveled to Longbourn. "I know I am not wed to the master of the house yet, but we have word Mr. Bennet is returning, and I would not be doing it with his money, but my own."

Mrs. Erickson walked into the parlor beaming as she saw the oversized rugs were in place, and they had breathed fresh air into Longbourn. It was a feeling everyone could sense, and no one frowned over it. The lady turned when Elizabeth and Jane—unplanned—asked a similar question at the same time and then spoke about the late Mrs. Bennet.

"Why should I be upset?" Mrs. Erickson's eyebrows scrunched together in confusion when someone thought she ought to take offense at the girls speaking of their birth mother in front of her. "Mrs. Bennet was their mother, she gave birth to them. They have every right to speak about her. That does not change who I am. Or did someone forget to tell me information I should have? If so, I hope it involves a hidden talent for riding horses over a garden wall."

"And people wonder where I get my mouth."

"Why would they wonder at that?" Mrs. Erickson turned to her daughter pretending to be clueless. "I thought you were born with it."

"Point proven, case closed."

Everyone in the room cracked up laughing. The more they were around Mrs. Erickson and her daughter, the more they grew to love them. They might have joined in with their own humorous remarks, but more than one carriage rolled up to the front of Longbourn. A young man stepped down from the first one; Emma went running out, screaming "Brandon!" at the top of her lungs.

From the second one, two men stepped out. Mrs. Erickson recognized Marquess Boyden and the Archbishop of Canterbury as she could easily see them from where she now stood by one of the parlor's windows. And last, but not least, Mr. Bennet alighted from the last carriage. Gone was the beard, mustache, and long hair. Gone was any groundskeeper clothing, and in its place was the clothing of a man of the upper class.

"He is a gentleman by chance," Lady Catherine's nasally tone reached its bony vocal finger into Brigitta's ear. "I would steer clear of that family if I were you. They are no good."

What Mrs. Erickson had shot out had clamped the arrogant woman's mouth shut, had put a broad smile onto Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth's faces, and had caused Mrs. Collins to quickly come up with a reason to cover her mouth. It had taken all Charlotte could do to fight from cracking up laughing. And now, Brigitta's eyes could not leave either Mr. Bennet or her children until they disappeared from sight, but they quickly latched back as soon as all five people stepped into the parlor.

"Our guests will soon be arriving." Mr. Bennet held out his arms to Mrs. Erickson after he had hugged all his daughters. "May we talk?" He nodded towards the porch, no one followed as the couple stepped out onto the porch.

'What did you need to talk about?" Brigitta looked concerned as Mr. Bennet shoved his hands into his pocket as if she was afraid he was going to call of their big day.

"I owe you an apology."

"For what?"

"For testing you." Mr. Bennet explained about his instructions to Elizabeth. "A part of me totally accepted what you told me about your life in Sweden, I did not give away any doubts to the Marquess and yet..." His shoulders slumped.

"You had them." Brigitta nodded and gave a sympathetic smile.

"I did, and while I did feel a strong bond to you, and I did not have any desire to see you, or Emma, hurt by any criminal." He laid his hands on her upper arms. "I certainly had no wish to see you framed -which is why I sent you away..." He dropped his hands and shuffled his feet. "Please understand, neither did I wish to see my daughters hurt either ... it is my only defense. Do you still wish to be with me?"

"I totally understand you doing it. My story -true as it was- had to seem to you quite the stretch, beyond belief. And there was a lot going on." Laying her own hand on his arm. "Now, that you know I spoke the truth even when it was at great risk to myself and my daughter, as long as you promise not to test me like that again, I am more than willing to be with you."

"I promise to do no such thing to you ever again. And now..." He grinned wide. "I suggest you go get ready for a wedding."

Mrs. Erickson did not have to think about smiling; her face beamed of its own accord. Thomas' daughters, and her own children by birth, thought Brigitta's countenance took on the appearance of the noonday as she reentered Longbourn; Kitty followed.

"Sir, may I talk to you?" Brandon turned and looked at Mr. Bennet. "Privately, before you exchange vows with my mother."

"Yes," Mr. Bennet responded and had the young man follow him down to his newly replenished library. Closing the door behind them, the two sat down and Brandon began to talk.

"My mother and your two oldest sent me posts, and I dare say you have learned from the past you hinted at on that day you took me to the crossroads, so I am not concerned about that. However…" Brandon bit his lip. "Marquess Boyden talked to you about the Crimson Heart. And, no, you do not have to confirm or deny it; the gentleman has likely ordered your mouth shut anyway. And I dare say your talk to my mother was about your own post to your daughter, but that one we need not discuss, it was not hard to figure out what you must have written in it... I understood, and still do, your concern."

"And you know he talked to me about it why?" Mr. Bennet saw no need to address the post again as Brandon had just stated he saw no need to discuss it.

"You are marrying my mother, why else?" Brandon gave him a 'you solved the case, do not play stupid now' look but then went on.

"So, what did you want to tell me that you could not tell me in Longbourn's parlor?"

"People back home got it into their heads the Crimson Heart was a set of expensive jewels; the ones you and those men recovered; I used to think the Marquess had bought into that train of thought until he sent me a thin book."

"He mentioned sending you a book." Mr. Bennet replied when the young man fell silent.

"A second set of jewelry was made as a decoy, without telling anyone, with a minor detail that only the original owner would know. He planned on passing that knowledge onto his oldest child; however, he ended up not trusting his son, so he told the man's wife instead. He ordered her, if things got bad, to switch the two sets, and to take a few other items and to flee the country. To keep what was rightfully hers and let the other go. That it had already been tested and certain people, shall we say, accepted it in court as real."

"Are you saying…" Mr. Bennet's eyes were beginning to go wide.

"I am not saying anything, I am simply telling you a story." Brandon stood up and conveniently slid him a thin booklet. "However, you might want to read that, and then burn it, before you join the rest of us in the parlor."

Epilogue

Music played, people clapped, and people danced in the halls of Pemberley. Thomas held Brigitta's hand as they danced a country dance along with everyone else. Words from the thin book Brandon had given him jumped to his mind as his eyes fell on her.

Of all our treasures, my son and others miss the one not made of stone. She walks among us. They look down their noses at the daughter of my heart, for she serves in ways they would never dream of doing. They aim to get a jewelry set I have made, for they have heard me say the name the Crimson Heart. They claim it is only to be worn by those born into nobility. And, horrors of horrors, those same people were aghast I allowed the dear lady to wear it more than once at her own private party. Someday, I hope a real man will house the real the Crimson Heart. One who has had to hide her heart far too long, and she will not be worn around anyone's neck or be anyone's servant.

Thomas smiled, and his eyes left the necklace and remained on Brigitta; she had held the old man's heart, not any piece of expensive jewel. What had been told to Mr. Bennet would not ever be revealed.

"Mary's face has taken on new shine." Whispered Brigitta into her husband's ear as they finished dancing.

He looked over at Mary, who now stood by wearing her intended's ring, a Mr. James D. Barton, an honest, hard-working merchant residing in Meryton. He then looked towards Kitty who was beginning to have serious suitors come her way but, for now, was content to simply converse with Mrs. Brinkerhoff, who had been kept as Brigitta and she had clicked so well.

"That she does, and none of our hearts are in hiding anymore. "

NOTE: A serious thank-you once again to all the reviews; especially since more than one really did help give great aid to this story.