Hiii-iii! :D Welp, it's been a year. We moved (again) about 12 months ago and ended up stationed (ironically) back in the Omaha area (never thought we'd be back here, but alas...). The hubster is currently six months into a 14-month-long deployment to the Sandbox, and we're set to move again in about 18 months (fingers crossed for orders to Hawaii!). Aaaanyway, that said, I'm officially back. The next chapter is already in the works, and I hope to get a few more posted by Christmas.

On the Parsley to Carolina Reaper Spice Scale, this chapter is rated Pumpkin Spice.

Chapter 19

I've been reading books of old

The legends and the myths

The testaments they told

The moon and its eclipse

And Superman unrolls

A suit before he lifts

But I'm not the kind of person that it fits

She said, where'd you wanna go?

How much you wanna risk?

I'm not looking for somebody

With some superhuman gifts

Some superhero

Some fairytale bliss

Just something I can turn to

Somebody I can miss

I want something just like this

I want something just like this

-Something Just Like This,The Chainsmokers & Coldplay

My eyes widened in surprise. I opened my mouth to speak, but Will held up his hand, cutting me off.

"Please, hear me out. I don't mean that you have to live at Pemberley if you don't wish to. There are several cottages on the estate and in Lambton, and I own flats in Manchester as well. I can even procure a position for you at one of my companies."

My brain kicked into defensive mode. I couldn't believe he was suggesting that I drop everything and move. And work at one of his companies? Doing what? I loved teaching and couldn't imagine doing anything else. Besides, I had an employment contract to honor until the end of the upcoming school year. Had he even stopped to consider how I'd feel about rearranging my whole life? About what I'd have to sacrifice?

"Will, I can't just pick up and move across the world!" I closed my eyes for a moment to gather my thoughts. I knew that I needed to keep my temper in check. The last thing I wanted was another argument. "I can't leave my job or my family. I'm perfectly happy where I'm at right now. I love teaching. It's a huge part of my life, and my sisters and parents – they need me, too. My family is too important to me to just leave them. My parents are in their fifties, and Kate and Lydia will be graduating soon, and then they'll be off, living their own lives, and who knows how often I'll get to see them once that happens."

He gently squeezed my hand. "I understand all that, but please, try to understand why I'm asking you to do so. After all, what's a nine-hour flight home when you have the means to travel between Omaha and Manchester as often as you wish? After all that's happened, I don't want us to be apart. I can't protect you while you're on the other side of the world."

It was as if he hadn't heard anything I'd said. And what the hell did he imagine I needed protection from? I tamped down the urge to strangle him and took a deep, calming breath instead, determined not to have the conversation turn into a shouting match. "No, of course, I don't want to be apart for an extended time period either. But let's be practical here. We've only been together for two months! I mean, if you love me as much as you claim, our relationship will survive, as you pointed out, a nine-hour plane trip. And as far as protecting me is concerned, I don't need your protection. In case you hadn't noticed, I'm the one who saved your butt the other day." I cringed internally. That was low. I knew that, had Will not been incapacitated by two gunshot wounds, he'd have torn George Wickham to shreds with his bare hands.

He glowered. "There's no need to remind me of my inadequacies; I'm acutely aware of how I failed to protect you, and I haven't stopped mentally flogging myself for it since." His nostrils flared, and he closed his eyes for a moment, taking slow, deep breaths. "And, though I know things would work long distance," he continued in a low, controlled voice, "I want you here, in England, with me."

I pressed my lips together so hard in an effort to suppress the urge to express the irritation I felt that my nose scrunched up. "You're telling me what to do again," I warned in a tightly controlled voice.

Will sighed. "I'm not."

I raised an eyebrow.

He leaned forward and kissed me softly. "Please," he whispered against my lips. "I'll buy out your contract. You can take the year off to enjoy life and have the freedom to do as you wish."

I pulled away and gave an incredulous shake of my head. "Wow! No one's ever told you no before, have they?" I scoffed.

"Elizabeth—"

"Did you hear anything I said?" I demanded, cutting him off.

His brows furrowed. "Of course I did. But I expect you to give my feelings and concerns some consideration as well."

I dropped my head into my hands and shook it tiredly. I briefly wondered if anyone had ever even challenged him or disagreed with him before or if he always got his way in everything. From my experience, Will seemed like a man who expected people to jump whenever he said 'jump.' What baffled and concerned me the most was the fact that he hadn't yet figured out that I wouldn't stand for being pushed into kowtowing to his will. It seemed to me that his cooperation only extended to issues he agreed with me on. I felt the chasm between our worlds split wide open before me. "You spoiled, pompous ass," I muttered under my breath.

"Excuse me?" Will demanded in a sharp tone, sitting back against the couch cushions. "What did you call me?"

I jerked my head up and glared at him. "You heard me."

He pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger, and his shoulders sagged as a tired sigh escaped him. "I don't want to fight with you. It was not my intention to upset you, Elizabeth." He dropped his hand and met my eyes. "I thought you'd be happy."

"Happy?" I stared at him incredulously. "Happy that you won't listen to me? Happy that you expect me to leave my home, my job, and my family and move across the world after onlytwo monthsof dating? Happy that you refuse to give any consideration to myvery legitimatereasons for not wanting to do so at this point in our relationship?" I rose to my knees on the sofa cushion. "Are youfreaking insane?!"

He tensed and stared at me for a moment before he released a long breath and ran his good hand over his face. He looked utterly defeated and exhausted.

A twinge of guilt needled me, but I ignored it.

"I suppose I am," Will replied with a shrug of his uninjured shoulder. "And a fool to think you cared enough about our relationship to make one small sacrifice."

My jaw dropped. He was such an idiot. I quickly clamped my mouth shut and rolled my hands into fists at my sides. I'm not a violent person – you know, shooting incident aside - but my palm itched to slap him at that moment. I opted for a verbal attack instead. "Are you serious?!" I nearly shouted. "Well, you hit the nailsquarelyon the head there. Not about the caring part, because Idocare, Will. I'm talking about thefoolpart. Andone small sacrifice? You're asking me to rearrange mywhole lifefor you! Did you think aboutthat?"

Will lowered his eyes to his hands in his lap. "Good night, Elizabeth," he said quietly.

I understood his words for the dismissal they were, and so, still feeling furious, I rose from the couch and stalked out of his room, slamming the door behind me. I felt too worked up from our argument to sleep, so I decided to take a shower.

The warmth of the water worked out some of the tension in my body. I closed my eyes, focused on the feeling of the hot water against my skin, and concentrated on relaxing my muscles. Before long, I began to feel the full force of regret for losing my temper. I could have employed a bit more tact. Even if it had been Winston Churchill-style tact, with the whole 'tact is the ability to tell someone to go to hell in such a way that they look forward to the trip' thing.

Wise man, Churchill.

When I opened my eyes and saw the water running in clear, iridescent ribbons across the tile floor toward the drain, I was reminded of the blood-tinged water that had run the same course the last time I'd used the shower after Will had been shot. That memory brought back a dozen others, including how worried I'd felt, how terrified I'd been that I might never see him alive again, and the hours of agonizing uncertainty in the hospital when he'd been unconscious. My tears mingled with the water that streamed down my face.

I didn't want to be away from him any more than he did from me. Despite my revelations, my tired mind, my pride, and the small remaining flame of anger that still burned in my heart kept me from going back and telling him so. Besides, so many things were uncertain. Yes, I loved Will, and I was fairly certain I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him. On the other hand, we were still getting to know each other, and a couple of months' acquaintance was nothing to base a commitment as big as moving across the world upon. This was the time to get to know one another. Not make life-altering decisions. I wanted to go talk to him, to make things right, but it was already late. I decided to sleep on it and speak with him first thing in the morning.

oooOOOooo

I was awakened late that night by a knock on the sitting-room door. Startled, I bolted upright in bed and turned to see Will's tall, shadowy form enter my room. I ran a hand through my tangled hair. "You're supposed to be resting," I scolded, my voice scratchy from sleep.

Will crossed the room and sat down next to me on the bed. "I'm sorry, but my apology couldn't wait until morning." I couldn't see his expression in the darkness, but his voice was sincere.

I rubbed my eyes and shrugged. "I could have freaked out a little less, too. You caught me off guard."

"My only excuse is that so many days of this blasted medication has impaired my judgment," he said with a short, humorless laugh.

I rolled my eyes and was glad he couldn't see me do so in the dark.

"Truce?" he asked.

I took a deep breath and slowly released it. "Truce."

Will scooted to the center of the bed, where he propped himself up in a seated position and leaned back against the headboard. When he was settled in, I carefully nestled into his uninjured left side and rested my hand on his chest, over his heart. He arranged the comforter snugly around me before his arm wrapped around my shoulders, and I immediately relaxed, all the tension leaving my body as I melted into the warmth of him. I tilted my head back to look up at the dim outline of his face. "Give it a year, Will. Givemea year. I have a teaching contract that I have to honor and responsibilities. I can't just leave the school high and dry. Or my family. I'll visit on vacations and holiday breaks, and you can come to see me when you're able."

He placed a kiss on the tip of my nose. "This won't be easy."

I moved my hand to his cheek. "I've heard that nothing worth anything ever is."

He laughed softly. "Wise as a serpent, gentle as a ninja."

"Shut it," I grumbled, lowering my head to rest on his chest.

His arm tightened around me, and he began to run his fingers up and down my arm with soothing strokes. "I can't wait until I can hold you properly again."

"You're doing just fine," I muttered in a sleepy voice. My eyelids were growing heavy, and I struggled to stay awake.

"Go to sleep," Will whispered near my ear.

"Don't tell me what to do," I tiredly grumbled.

He laughed softly, and the sound rumbled in his chest. "I love you so incredibly much, Elizabeth." I felt his lips press against the top of my head.

"Love you, too," I answered just before I fell asleep.

oooOOOooo

I was surprised to find Will asleep in my bed, his big body lying atop the covers when I woke the next morning. His dark head lay on the pillow next to mine, his tousled hair and handsome features highlighted by the pink-orange light of early dawn peeking in through the bedroom window. As the fog of sleep cleared from my mind, the events of the night before sprang to the forefront of my thoughts: my uncontrolled reaction when he'd kissed me in the dressing room, our argument, and the reconciliation.

I'd told him to give me a year. As I looked at him now, however, lying beside me, I wondered if I could wait a year. My eyes involuntarily traveled from his face to his chest, steadily rising and falling beneath the fabric of the t-shirt, that molded to his body.

I quickly shook my head and carefully slid out from beneath the covers and off the bed so I wouldn't wake him. I needed to go for a run to work out my body and my thoughts before they both began to drift in dangerous directions. I changed clothes and headed downstairs, leaving Will alone in my bed.

Richard was waiting for me on the terrace as usual. "So, you felt like a run, too, huh?" I asked as I approached him.

He clapped a hand to his toned, flat stomach. "A week of no exercise has me feeling a bit old and fat," he joked.

I eyed his athletic frame skeptically and snorted as I rolled my eyes. "Right."

We took off across the lawn toward the trails, along our usual route at a fast pace, and turned back at the mile-and-a-half mark. When we had almost reached the terrace, I slowed my pace and said, "Can I ask you something?"

Considering that we rarely spoke when we ran, I understood the concerned look he flashed my way before he slowed down and dropped into a walk. "Sure."

Feeling suddenly drained, I stopped moving and released a slow breath as I raised a hand to my neck to rub away the tension I felt. I heard his footsteps stop as well. My eyes darted to the stone steps of the terrace and I nodded toward them. "Mind if we sit? This might take a while." Without waiting for his response, I made my way over to the steps and sat down with my back to the house, facing the rising sun.

When he sat beside me, I began slowly, "Something…something happened last night." I glanced sideways at him and saw him studying me with patient concern. "Last night, when Will kissed me and," I shook my head and waved my hands in a dismissive gesture. "Never mind. Theandisn't important. Anyway, last night, when I was with Will, I completely freaked out on him and pushed him away. What scared me the most was that I couldn't control anything. It was like everything around me went black, and suddenly, it wasn't Will touching me, but other men who have tried to hurt me. It was like I wasn't even in his room anymore but somewhere else instead. It felt like fear, panic, and adrenaline surged through me all at once, blocking out reason. I couldn't control it." I dropped my hands to my sides and gripped the cold stone of the step as I turned to focus on the horizon.

"To tell the truth," he said slowly, "I was wondering when it would catch up with you."

I felt tears burn my eyes, and I dropped my head back, blinking carefully up at the sky in an effort to stop them. "I'm afraid I hurt him. Not just physically, but emotionally as well, and then, to top it off, we had an argument."

When I'd finished, Richard remained silent for what seemed like a long time before he spoke, his eyes focused on the ground. "When it happened, did you feel as though you were losing touch with your surroundings or with Will himself?" he asked slowly.

I closed my eyes and concentrated on my memories from the night before. Will's hand on my hip, pulling me against him. His fingers brushing against the side of my breast. The surge of adrenaline and panic that had blacked out all other thoughts and feelings. "Yes."

He turned his head to look directly at me. "Do you remember what triggered it?"

I felt heat creep up my neck and face in a blush, and nodded, quickly meeting his steady gaze before looking away again.

I heard him take a deep breath before he said, "There are a few methods of dealing with post-traumatic flashbacks; however, I find grounding techniques to be the simplest and most effective. They can help you retain your connection with the present moment and reduce the likelihood of slipping into a flashback."

When I gave him a puzzled look, he continued, "When you start to panic, or when you start to feel an attack coming on or like reality is slipping away from you, make a conscious effort to use all five of your senses – sound, touch, smell, taste, and sight – to connect to the present moment. Sometimes, it helps to do something that will bring all your attention to the present, even if it means stepping away from whatever triggered it for a few moments. What helps me the most is taking a visual inventory of everything around me. For example, I identify all the colors I see and count all the pieces of furniture in the room. Then, I take a few moments to breathe deeply and identify everything I smell."

"I'm not sure that stepping away will be so easy with Will. He, he's a lot stronger than me, physically."

Richard gently placed his fingers against my cheek and turned my head toward him, meeting my eyes. "Talk to him, Lizzy. He'll understand."

oooOOOooo

Will was gone and my bed was made when I returned to my room after talking with Richard. After I showered and dressed, I went to his room and cautiously opened the door. "Will?" I called softly.

He emerged from his dressing room, fully dressed, and stopped when he reached the sofa. Tilting his head to one side, he gave me a questioning look.

My heart sank when I saw the uncertainty in his expression. I crossed the room to stand in front of him and tilted my own head back to meet his guarded eyes.

He brought his hands up slowly to cup my face between his palms. "You were gone when I woke."

I smiled. "You looked so peaceful, and I didn't want to wake you. I went for a run."

Will frowned. "With Richard." It wasn't a question.

I nodded and dropped my eyes to the floor. "He gave me some good advice about controlling my reactions. I still feel terrible about hurting you last night." I pressed my eyes shut in shame.

He slid one hand down my cheek to my chin and tilted my face upward. I opened my eyes to meet his. "I've been thinking about that." He paused to moisten his lower lip with his tongue. "You seem to react when you lose physical control of the situation. I was wondering…" his voice trailed off, and he swallowed hard. "I was wondering if it would help if you were able to control the contact."

"I-I don't know. Maybe," I shrugged uncertainly. "What do you have in mind?"

Will's facial features relaxed into a reassuring expression. "To start with, I won't touch you or do anything you don't tell me to do. I want you to know and feel that you're safe when we're together and that I would never intentionally do anything you don't want me to do." As if to prove his point, he dropped his arms to his sides.

When I didn't move, he smirked down at me. "No time like the present to see if it works."

I gave him a half-smile and reached up to touch his warm, freshly shaved cheek. Searching his eyes, I found sincerity, concern, respect, and love. Feeling a little silly about the whole idea of the experiment, I placed my hands on his chest, my touch tentative at first.

"Just relax," he whispered.

I moved my palms over the thin material of his soft, black t-shirt, feeling the contours and warmth of his body beneath my hands. My fingers stopped their tentative exploration when they reached the sculpted "V" shape of his lower abdomen, just before it dipped into the waistband of his dark blue jeans. Will sucked in a sharp breath, and his body tensed beneath my fingertips. I glanced up to meet his eyes. My breath caught at the heated look I saw in them. With deliberation, I returned my attention to his chest and moved my fingertips from his abdomen up, over his shoulders and biceps, and down the inside of his elbow. He closed his eyes tightly, and his fists clenched, making the veins in his forearms stand out. I traced their outlines, following the raised blue lines they made beneath his skin, to his wrists.

His fists relaxed, and he turned his palms out toward mine. I entwined one hand with his while I reached up with my other to guide his head down so I could reach his mouth. I kissed him softly then, just a brush of my lips against his, at first. He didn't try to deepen it until I did. I moved my hands to his chest and felt his heart pounding beneath my palms. I pulled back just enough to look into his eyes. They were dark and edgy, as though he were waging an internal battle to remain still. He placed his hands over mine and bent to kiss the top of my head.

"Can you sit down?" I whispered. Will drew back, still keeping hold of my hand, and sat in the center of the sofa. Facing him, I knelt on the sofa cushion, straddling his lap. Will's hands, resting at his sides, made no move to touch me, but when I leaned in to kiss him again, he eagerly met me, and I picked his hands up and placed them on my waist. "Hold me," I told him.

And he did.

oooOOOooo

July faded into August. Will's chest and arm healed well, and Jane was, thankfully, able to talk our mother into remaining at home to plan the engagement party, which was set for the last weekend in September. Will had been true to his word and had carved out more time in his work schedule to spend with me, even taking me on a couple of weekend trips to Manchester to see the John Rylands Library and Chetham's Library and to the nearby Peak District.

With the ball and my imminent departure only days away, Will and I both felt the looming bleakness of the upcoming indefinite separation. Every touch, every kiss was shadowed by it. Each look he gave me communicated something powerful, and I wondered, sadly, how I would be able to stand being apart from him.

The week of the ball flew by in a blur. Most of the time was taken up by dress shopping and helping Georgiana plan and prepare decorations. As the week drew to an end, Will's family began to arrive, the first of which were Richard's parents. I was nervous about meeting Will's aunt and uncle; not only were they his closest family, but the Earl and Lady of Matlock were nobility as well. Not that I cared about their titles, but I wanted them to like me, for Will's sake. Things at Pemberley had been fairly informal so far, and I didn't know what to expect.

Fortunately, my fears were completely unfounded. Will's aunt Adelaide was lovely and kind, and his uncle, who insisted Jane and I address him by his given name, John, was so much like Richard in disposition that it bordered on the uncanny. With the combined humor of father and son, the evening before the ball was entertaining, to say the least.

The only disappointing part of the final week of our visit was that, amidst the flurry of activity, it had been days since Will and I had been able to catch a moment alone together. Later that night, after everyone had retired for the evening, I decided to make a final sojourn to the library to savor the atmosphere one last time. I was sure I wouldn't be able to do so the next day, before or after the ball, or Saturday morning before my flight left. I made my way as quietly as possible through the dark corridors, fondly reflecting on my memories of the grand house that had come to feel like home.

When I reached the long library hallway, I heard the unmistakable sound of creaking floorboards in front of me from the opposite end of the hall. I paused but didn't hear or see anything else, so I continued on my way. As I approached the alcove where the library door was located, the floor creaked again, this time directly in front of me. I held my breath.

"Elizabeth?" Will's voice whispered in the darkness.

"You scared me!" My hand involuntarily flew to my chest in surprise as I exhaled sharply with relief. "What are you doing?"

"I was just finishing up some things in my study. And you?"

I sighed. "Making one last visit to the library."

Will flicked on a light, and I blinked. He closed the distance between us and wrapped me in a hug. "You know, it doesn't have to be the last visit. It could be yours to enjoy any time you wish if you'd consent to moving here. I'd even give you a key to the house so you could sneak in and read at night if you decided to stay in one of the cottages on the estate," he murmured against my neck.

Butterflies danced in my heart and stomach at the first close physical contact we'd had in days, but I pulled back and gave him my best withering look. "We are not going to revisit that topic this evening. Agreed?"

Will exhaled heavily. "I suppose not." He picked up my hands in his and looked down at them before he met my eyes again. "What happened to the time this week?"

I shrugged. "I'd like to know what happened to the summer."

His soft smile met my reply. "As would I," he whispered before he carefully framed my face with his hands and bent to kiss me.

I pulled back. "Someone could walk by at any moment."

He shook his head. "Everyone is upstairs. Besides, we haven't had any time to ourselves this week; I only mean to steal a moment."

I took a deep breath. "Then let's go upstairs to the sitting room and talk."

He grimaced. "Too far."

I raised an eyebrow.

Evidently in a playful mood, he smirked and turned the light switch off before he gently tugged me through the doorway of the darkened library. Pale moonlight filtered through the windows casting dim, silvery beams across the wooden floor beneath them; the rest of the room lay in dark shadows. Will led me down an aisle created by two sets of towering bookshelves. At an intersection of the aisles, he guided me behind the end panel of the row of shelving. No moonlight reached us here.

"We're in the privacy of my home, in averydark library. No one will come in here. Everyone's otherwise occupied." With that, his mouth crushed mine, and he walked me backward until my back was pressed against the shelf that hid us from the rest of the room. His hands cupped either side of my face for a moment or two before he brought them slowly down over my shoulders and moved one to gently grasp the back of my neck while the other dropped to my hip. He pulled me firmly against him and kissed me slowly, thoroughly. For the next several minutes, we forgot about everything except each other.

Then, the lights blinked on overhead.

I gasped.

Will placed a finger against my lips. "Shh," he quietly warned. He peeked around the corner and then quickly pulled his head back. His eyes were wide with humor and horror. "It's my aunt," he whispered.

A moment later, Will's aunt rounded the corner of the stacks on the other side of the aisle, her lips pursed to hide a smile and her eyes dancing with amusement. "Yes, it's your aunt. A word of advice, William: when hosting a house party, always close the door. This room hasexcellentacoustics, despite the books."

I quickly stepped to the side, out of Will's embrace, my face burning with embarrassment. I glanced at Will. He had casually leaned his shoulder against the shelf, but his eyes were still dark.

Adelaide smirked. She leaned forward and raised one well-manicured, golden eyebrow. "If you won't shut and lock the door, at least take her to the back stacks of the library. I promise I won't tell anyone where you are. I just came in to tell you I'm going to shut and lock the door so no one else disturbs you." With that, she gave us a smirk and stepped back, gesturing toward the back of the room with a sideways nod of her head.

"I'msosorry," I began to apologize.

Her brows drew together over an incredulous expression. "For what? Loving my nephew despite his myriad flaws?" Adelaide turned her attention to Will. "And as for you, if you ever let her go, well, from what I've gathered, it's the general consensus of the family and your household staff that they're keepingherin your place." Turning back to me, she smiled and winked.

I took a deep breath to calm my still-rattled nerves. I felt too embarrassed to speak, and, at the moment, I wanted nothing more than to escape the awkward situation. "I'm just going to head upstairs. I'll see you both in the morning."

I chanced a look up at Will. His expressive eyes were awash with disappointment and a hint of guilt.

"Goodnight." I gave a parting smile to his aunt before I returned to my room. I had been wrong in my first assessment of Richard's mother; she wasn't only lovely and kind, the woman was also just as diabolical as her son.

oooOOOooo

The following evening, I stood in front of the full-length mirror in my bedroom and eyed my reflection critically. I turned from side to side and smoothed the full satin skirt of the dark emerald green ball gown I wore. I noticed again, as I had in the dress shop, that the lace bodice and wrist-length, off-the-shoulder sleeves of the same color brought out the green of my eyes. A knock on the door drew my attention. "Come in," I called.

A moment later, Will stepped inside the room and closed the door behind him. He took in my figure with a sweeping glance, his expression solemn. "You look amazing."

"You clean up pretty well yourself," I teased, smiling in approval at the black tuxedo he wore.

When my teasing didn't elicit a smile from him, I grew concerned. "What has you looking so pensive?"

Will's jaw tightened, and he gave a slight shake of his head before he strode across the room and stopped in front of me. Not meeting my eyes, he swallowed with some effort before he began to speak. "I want to give you something. I hope you will consider wearing it tonight." When he finally met my eyes, I was surprised to see a vulnerable look in his. He took a deep breath and lowered his gaze once again as he pulled a flat, black box from the pocket of his suit jacket and handed it to me.

I stared at the box in my hands in surprise for a moment before lifting my eyes to Will's. "What—"

"Just open it," he interrupted, with a nod toward the box.

I took a deep breath and lifted the lid. Inside, displayed against a backdrop of black velvet, lay one of the most beautiful pieces of jewelry I'd ever seen. The necklace of rectangular emerald stones with sparkling diamonds and creamy white pearl accents was nothing short of exquisite. Too exquisite for the relatively short amount of time we'd been together. Feeling overwhelmed by the grand gesture, I snapped the case shut and held it out to him. "I can't accept this," I whispered.

He placed his hands behind his back, refusing to take the case from me. His eyes held a resigned look as if he'd expected my response.

That explained his unease when he'd entered the room, I supposed.

"Yes, you can," he assured me with a soft smile. "Besides, I didn't spend anything on it, if that's your concern. It belonged to my great-grandmother."

Yeah, becausethatmade it less valuable.Not. I gave a slight shake of my head. "It's too much."

Will rolled his eyes and took a step closer to me. "Consider it a loan, then." With that, he grasped my shoulders and turned me around to face the mirror. He took the case from my hand and opened it, removing the necklace before he placed the empty box on the dresser. With great care, he draped the priceless piece of jewelry around my neck, his fingers grazing my collarbones and then the nape of my neck as he fastened the clasp. The cold metal of the necklace juxtaposed with the scorching touch of his fingers against my skin gave me goosebumps.

I placed my hand on my chest, just over the necklace, as much to feel the smooth surface of the emeralds as to calm the rapid beating of my heart that Will's touch had provoked. "It's beautiful," I whispered, catching his eyes in the mirror.

He rested his hands on my bare shoulders, and I watched his head dip to the side as he placed a soft kiss against my neck, just over my racing pulse. "I love you," he whispered against my skin. When he straightened again, a strange flicker of emotion entered his eyes. He looked from my eyes to the gems and back. "They're perfect. They put even the emeralds to shame."

It took me a moment to realize what he was saying, and I blushed. I rested my palm against his cheek. "I love you, too," I returned, "but I still can't accept this necklace, Will. As I said, it's too much, and it holds too much significance."

Will straightened and wrapped his arms around my waist, gently pulling me back against his chest. "Then, as I said, consider it a loan."

I craned my neck to glance up at him and raised an eyebrow. "Only for the night."

He shrugged and flashed me a dazzling smile. "Or until you're ninety-eight."

Before I could protest again, he kissed me, silencing any reply.

"Now, we're going to be late, so no more argument about it tonight, please."

I pressed my mouth into a hard line. "Fine," I reluctantly agreed.

As we began to descend the sweeping staircase toward the main hall outside the ballroom, the crowd of guests that had begun to assemble came into view, sparkling like stars of every hue in their finery. A swarm of butterflies took flight in my stomach, and my nails dug into the palm of my free hand. I felt Will tense by my side, and I looked up at him and squeezed his fingers.

He stopped and dropped his eyes to mine. The look I saw in them provided me with the strength I needed to face whatever lay ahead.

I gave him a smile in return. "Just breathe."

He raised my hand to his lips and placed a kiss on the back of it before we continued on our way down to the assembled company.

oooOOOooo

The ball was unlike anything I'd ever experienced before. Exquisite is the only adjective that could adequately describe the evening. The hall and ballroom were full of happy, sparkling, rich people. They even poured out the French doors along the hall that had been opened to let in the cool night air like fizzy, sparkling champagne that had been spilled. I wanted to be anywhere else.

Will introduced me to more people than I could ever hope to remember as we made our way through the hall and ballroom. Some of the guests I met seemed sincere, while others were anything but. A few of the men gave me more attention than I was comfortable with until a look from Will quelled their flirtatious advances. I could tell from the tension in his body and the polite smile he wore that he felt uncomfortable.

I was only too happy when he escorted me to the dance floor. The opening dance was to be a traditional waltz. I silently thanked my lucky stars for the brief ballroom dancing course we were forced to endure in P.E. class during high school.

Will's hand rested on my waist while the warmth of his other hand enveloped my own. He searched my eyes. "Are you well?"

I gave him as reassuring of a smile as I could muster. "I am. It's just a bit overwhelming. I've never experienced anything like this before. How are you holding up?"

Will gave a quick shake of his head as the music began and we started to move smoothly across the floor in the familiar steps of the waltz. "Hanging in there."

My eyes narrowed in concern. "Do you want to get some fresh air after this?"

He gave me a grim smile. "As wonderful as that sounds, I've promised to dance the next with Georgiana." For the next several moments, I was forced to concentrate on my steps. Dancing in a room full of people with Will was quite different than dancing in the school gymnasium with Charlotte.

"You truly do look beautiful this evening," he whispered near my ear.

He gave my waist a squeeze and I felt my face heat up under a blush. "Thanks."

The music ended before I wanted it to. Will returned me to the side of the ballroom and then led his sister to the floor for the next dance.

I danced with Charles next, and then Richard, his father, and several other partners during the hours that followed. After my second dance of the evening with Richard, I stepped out into the hall and made my way to one of the large fireplaces where dozens of candles glowed in the hearth in lieu of a fire due to the warmth of the evening.

When I raised my eyes to the gold and mahogany clock that ticked on the mantel, I was surprised to find that it was already eleven o'clock. Concerned that I hadn't seen Will for some time, I went in search of him, but he was nowhere to be found. After nearly half an hour of searching the ballroom, hall, dining room, and his study, I finally found him in the library.

The room was dark, except for the soft moonlight that filtered in through the windows. He stood with his back to me, leaning against the wall while he gazed out into the darkness. He must not have heard me enter because he didn't turn around or otherwise acknowledge my presence. I quietly walked over to where he stood and wrapped my arms around his waist.

"Social hangover?" I asked, stepping around to stand in front of him.

Will took my hands in his own. The soft light of the moon highlighted the right side of his face as he quirked an amused eyebrow. "I suppose you could say that."

"Would you like to go outside for some fresh air?" I offered.

He nodded and raised a hand to rest against my cheek. "You look like you could use some, too."

"I could," I agreed.

"Let's go, then," he replied, motioning toward the doorway with a sideways nod of his head.

Together, we walked back to the main hall and out through one of the many sets of French doors that opened into the garden, just outside the ballroom. Soft strains of music poured out into the moonlit night. Fairy lights, along with the light from the marble fountain in the center, aided the moon in lighting the space. It was like something from a dream.

"This is the last thing I want to do on our final evening together," Will commented as we strolled along the moonlit paths of the large, rectangular garden. We sat down on a white stone bench in front of the fountain, and he wrapped his arm around my shoulders.

I looked up at him. "The ball, you mean?"

He nodded and met my eyes. "Aye."

I gave him a playful nudge in the side with my shoulder. "Well, let's say that there wasn't a ball. How would we spend my last evening here?" I asked, with a wink, in an attempt to make him smile and ease some of the nervous tension that I could tell he still felt.

Will exhaled heavily. "Alone. I'd take you on a walk through the gardens, and we'd talk about whatever came to mind, about our future, and enjoy one another's company."

The look he directed at me after his last words left me in no doubt of what he'd rather be doing with me at the moment. A pleasant shiver raced down my spine, and I snuggled closer into his side.

"Then, I'd take you out to the moor, where no one would find us," he continued, bending to whisper near my ear, "with a couple of blankets and a bottle of wine, and we'd do some stargazing."

I leaned away slightly so I could see his face. "Well, we're more or less alone right now."

He gave me a half-hearted smile in reply. "So we are," he agreed before he kissed me softly. His hand that wasn't around my shoulders moved to rest on my hip. After a moment, he pulled back and straightened. The soft melody of Something Just Like This, by Coldplay and the Chainsmokers floated into the garden from the ballroom. "Will you dance with me?"

I smiled at him in reply, and Will stood and took my hand in his, and pulled me up with him. He drew me close against him, and I laid my head against his chest as we slowly swayed to the music. When the second verse began, he placed his fingers beneath my chin and raised my face until I met his eyes. His fingers lingered against my cheek as, without breaking eye contact, he began to softly sing along to the lyrics,

"I've been reading books of old

The legends and the myths

The testaments they told

The moon and its eclipse

And Superman unrolls

A suit before he lifts

But I'm not the kind of person that it fits

She said where'd you wanna go?

How much you wanna risk?

I'm not looking for somebody with some superhuman gifts

Some superhero, some fairytale bliss

Just something I can turn to, somebody I can miss

I want something just like this

I want something just like this."

I pursed my lips to hide a smile. "So, am I to understand you want something just like this? A relationship with someone who is stubborn, fights you at every turn, and teases you relentlessly? And let's not forget about all the arguments we seem to engage in."

The corner of his mouth lifted in a crooked grin. "First of all, let me say how glad I am to hear you admit that you're stubborn; I hear admission is the first step of the recovery process. Secondly, I prefer to think of our arguments as rousing debates."

I rolled my eyes. "Flatterer."

"Mmhm," he murmured. With that, he bent to place a gentle kiss on my lips. The kiss continued long after the music had ended until we were interrupted by the sound of mechanical whirring.

"Damn it!" Will exclaimed in a whisper as he pulled back and looked up at the night sky.

"What is it?"

"A drone camera," he replied in a tight voice.

"Awhat?" I asked incredulously while my eyes automatically scanned the surrounding landscape. A glint of light drew my attention to an object quickly flying toward the edge of the lawn, where it faded into the moor. "Photographers are here?"

"Shhh," Will cautioned. "They're not supposed to be, but apparently, they found their way past security. We didn't account for drones. I'll speak with Reynolds and have security find where they're based. In the meantime, we should return inside."

I pasted on a smile and looked up at Will. "Can't I just throw one of these awful heels Georgiana forced me to wear at it?"

My remark produced the desired effect. He laughed and took my hand in his as we headed back inside.

He left me just inside the ballroom door while he went in search of Mr. Reynolds.

Richard appeared by my side moments later. "Hey, you," I greeted with a smile as I nudged him in the arm with my elbow.

"Hey, yourself," he replied. "Where did you go off to?"

I sighed. "Will was experiencing an introvert hangover. I figured he needed some fresh air."

He nodded in understanding. "Good call. These types of things can be a bit overwhelming for our reticent friend."

I nodded. "So I've noticed. Are you all danced out for the evening? It is after midnight; isn't that past your bedtime, old man?"

He assumed a bored expression and rolled his eyes toward the ceiling. "Oh, I suppose I could tolerate one more, but only one, especially if I'm forced to dance with the likes of you. Thankfully, this is the last one of the evening. Otherwise, I fear I might be snared into enduring another."

I narrowed my eyes and glared at him playfully. "Don't get me started."

Richard's eyebrows lowered. "Don't deprive me of my only source of entertainment. I delight in teasing you, you know."

I gave him a look of feigned disgust. "Only too well."

He grinned. "Shall we, my dear?"

"You betcha," I replied. He led me to the edge of the floor, just in front of the windows overlooking the garden.

While we danced, Richard made hilarious observations about the assembled guests, pointing out one person or another and sharing funny anecdotes about each. By the end of the dance, I was laughing so hard that I had tears in my eyes and my abs hurt. I briefly rested my head against his shoulder before I straightened again.

Will joined us at the edge of the room after the music had ended. His expression was grim.

"Were you able to sort it out?" I asked.

Will nodded. "Yes. It's been taken care of. Security found one photographer set up at the end of the drive, next to the road."

Richard shook his head in disgust. "Bleeding vultures."

Guilt hit me as I noticed the muscles in Will's neck and broad shoulders tense even more. If it weren't for my presence tonight, would the photographer even have tried to trespass on Will's property? I reached out and gave his hand a squeeze. "I'm sorry."

Will took a step closer to me and placed his free hand against my cheek. His palm felt cool against my warm skin, and I leaned into it. "It's not your fault," he assured me.

Georgiana, Charles, and Jane soon joined us, and we all made our way to the hall, where Will bid his guests a good night as they left.

By two o'clock, everyone had departed, and Jane, Charles, and Georgiana had gone upstairs to their rooms. Richard had gone to the kitchen for his usual late-night raid of the refrigerator. Will left briefly to speak with Mr. Reynolds, and I elected to wait for him in the hall.

I removed my uncomfortable, high-heeled shoes and set them on the bottom step so I wouldn't forget to take them upstairs. And burn them in the fireplace in my bedroom. No. Scratch that. That would require too much effort, and I was tired. My feet were still sore, even after removing the shoes, so I sat down on the steps to wait for Will.

When, after twenty minutes, he hadn't returned, I wandered into the empty, dimly lit ballroom and over to the floor-to-ceiling windows that lined the far wall. I leaned my head against the gilt trim and gazed absently out over the moonlit garden. I was exhausted, and my brain felt fuzzy.

The summer had been both wonderful and terrible, and, hard as it was to believe, it was at an end. I briefly worried about what might become of the photos that had been taken by the drone, but I just as quickly pushed the disturbing thought to the back of my mind. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. When I opened them again, I saw Will's image reflected in the window behind me. I hadn't even heard him approach.

"Hey," I whispered.

I watched his reflection take a step closer to me. He wrapped his arms around my middle, clasping them around my waist. "Hello, love," he whispered.

I struggled to keep my heavy eyelids open. "I need to go to bed."

"I know," Will answered in a soft voice. "Let's go upstairs."

When we reached the stairs, I grabbed the much-loathed heels. As we walked hand-in-hand up the staircase, the soft sound of my bare feet hitting the marble and his shoes striking it echoed through the empty hall, a stark contrast to the cacophony of noise that had filled it a mere hour earlier. Will kissed me softly at my door before he opened it for me and quietly closed it after I'd crossed the threshold. I listened to the sound of his familiar footsteps as he continued down the hallway to his own door. His steps paused more than once before I finally heard the soft click of his bedroom door closing behind him.

oooOOOooo

"Elizabeth," a low voice murmured. Something poked me in the shoulder.

"Go 'way," I mumbled, still mostly asleep. I turned over and pulled the covers over my head. I had finally fallen asleep at four, and I knew I had to be up at seven to get ready for my flight.

To my surprise, the covers were unceremoniously yanked off my body. I sat up in surprise, now wide awake, and looked around. A lamp clicked on, revealing Will's tall form standing next to my bed.

I automatically pulled my knees to my chest and ground the heels of my palms into my eyes. "Why, Will?" I whined. "What time is it?" I opened my eyes and blinked several times before the window across the room came into focus. It was still dark outside.

"It's five-thirty," he replied.

I glared up at him.

He laughed softly and stroked my bare shoulder with his index finger. "Will you come for a walk with me? Please?"

I gave a tired, reluctant nod and rose from the bed. I quickly grabbed a sweatshirt from my open suitcase that I had packed the day before and pulled it on over my tank top and shorts while I shoved my feet into a pair of blue Chucks.

The morning air was chilly as we made our way up the path to the top of the ridge behind the house. The horizon was just beginning to turn orange and pink when we finally sat down on the stone bench at the top, and we held hands while we watched the sun rise over the valley that stretched out below us. The wind picked up, and I nestled into Will's warm chest.

He rested his chin on top of my head. "Won't you please reconsider moving to England, Elizabeth?"

I straightened and turned in my seat to face him. "Is that why you brought me up here? Because you thought I'd change my mind?"

Will tilted his head to one side. "Of course not. I brought you up here because I wanted to share the sunrise and a bit of time alone with you before you leave."

I gave him a skeptical look but eventually nodded and leaned my head against his shoulder. "I'll miss you. When do you think you'll be able to visit me?" I tilted my head back and looked up at his profile. His mouth was pressed into a tight line.

After a few moments, he answered, "I plan to be there for Jane and Charles's engagement party at the end of September. I may bring Georgiana as well. I don't have any pressing obligations, so I'd like to visit for a few weeks."

I smiled. "Well, there's plenty of room at my place. You guys can stay with me if you want."

Will kissed the tip of my nose. "I'll take you up on that."

"Good," I replied.

"Seven weeks is a very long time," he sighed.

I shrugged and sat up straight. "It is, but we can do video chat and phone calls. It'll be like I'm here," I offered.

Will raised an eyebrow. "Except I won't be able to do this," he said as he skimmed his fingertips along my neck and traced his thumb over my cheek. He rose from the bench and knelt on the ground in front of me. "Or this," he whispered as his warm hands slid beneath the hem of my sweatshirt and tank top and came to rest on my waist; they felt good against my chilled skin. His hands moved upwards, pausing just below my ribs, where his thumbs moved in circles over my skin. His intense gaze held my eyes captive. "You're cold," he observed.

My heart stuttered in its rhythm, and I swallowed hard as I nodded.

Will lowered his head as if to kiss me but stopped a breath away from my lips, barely grazing them, making them tingle. "Or this," he added before he finally captured my mouth in a sweet kiss.

"I don't want to leave," I whispered. I didn't realize I had begun to cry until I felt his thumb gently brush a tear from my cheek.

"Then don't."

I dropped my head against his chest, wrapped my arms around his shoulders and my legs around his waist, and held him close, not caring that I probably looked like a koala wrapped around a tree trunk. My logical mind warred with my heart. I could stay. I could cancel my flight and buy out my teaching contract, and Mary could stay in my condo and take care of Moriarty, and… But then, rational thought returned like a bucket of ice-cold water dumped over my head.

I couldn't renege on my commitments and responsibilities. Doing so would go against everything I believed in. An idea popped into my mind, startling in its clarity. "Will…"

Will pulled back and met my eyes. "Yes?"

"If everything goes well with us between now and the end of May, I'll move to England next June."

His responding smile was brighter and, in my opinion, more beautiful than the sunrise I had witnessed minutes before. "I'll do whatever it takes to make this work."

I nodded and pressed my lips together in a tight line. "Me, too. I love you."

Will rested his forehead against mine. "And I love you. More than anything."

After we returned to the house, I finished packing. I checked my room and the bathroom for any items I may have missed. My eyes landed on the black necklace case on the bathroom countertop. I picked it up and carefully raised the lid. Emeralds and diamonds sparkled back at me. I just couldn't risk losing something that beautiful, valuable, and meaningful on a journey across the planet. I closed the lid and quickly made my way to Will's empty room, where I placed the case on his dresser. I grabbed a piece of paper from his desk and scribbled a quick note.

Will,

I'm leaving this here with you for safekeeping. Thank you for such a beautiful gift.

I love you.

~ Elizabeth

I placed the note on top of the necklace case and quickly slipped out of his room.

oooOOOooo

Later that morning, as we loaded our luggage into Will's black SUV, I took a moment to take in every detail of Pemberley one last time. So many things had happened here. I'd realized my love for Will and nearly lost him. I'd experienced beauty and horror, happiness and sadness, love and loss, had my heart broken and mended, and built friendships I was sure would last a lifetime. I'd felt at home and accepted for who I was. I'd felt more accepted by Will's family than I'd ever felt by my own. I heard Will's footsteps crunch across the gravel driveway and stop by my side. "I'm going to miss it here."

"Only Pemberley?" he asked.

I looked up at him and squinted one eye shut. "Well, and you, too, I suppose."

Will grinned and pulled me against his side in a one-armed hug. "It'll always be here for you, you know. You can come back any time you wish. I hope you will often. We've all fallen in love with you, Elizabeth."

Before we left, I received a tearful hug from Georgiana and even one from Mrs. Reynolds and Will's aunt and uncle.

I sat next to Will in the front seat, and he held my hand, stroking my palm with his thumb. I watched sadly as Pemberley faded from view as we drove away. On the way to the airport, Will's grip on my hand occasionally tightened, and each time, I looked up to meet his expressive eyes, which communicated his feelings far better than words.

When we reached the airport, he parked next to the curb in front of our airline terminal and he and Charles and Richard helped Jane and me unload our luggage from the back of the SUV. Once the suitcases were placed on the sidewalk, Charles took Jane in his arms and kissed her, lifting her off her feet as he did so. Will, Richard, and I stood together by the curb and smiled wryly at the scene.

Richard turned to me and lifted me off my feet in a giant bear hug. "Take care of yourself, Lizzy. Check in with us from time to time, alright?"

I grinned. "I will. If only to harass you."

After Richard set me back down and released me from the hug, I turned to face Will. "Thanks again for having us." My words seemed completely inadequate.

Will gave a small nod. "Of course. I'll see you in seven weeks."

Our eyes locked and held until he closed the distance between us and pulled me into an embrace.

Feeling on the verge of tears, I sniffed and quickly pulled away, not wanting to make a scene in front of the crowd that milled around us. I reached out to squeeze his hand one last time and put everything I felt for him into the look I gave him before I released his hand and turned to follow Jane inside the building.

I carefully wiped away a few tears that had escaped despite my best efforts to hold them in check. I couldn't be sure if it was a camera flash that blinded me at that moment or the reflection of the sun in the glass door as I pushed through it and stepped inside the building.