The storyline, new character development, new events, and new characters are my intellectual property. Glorioux

A/N I decided to follow up on a one-shot story I wrote for Easter, titled "Mr. Bennet's Treasures," and this marks the first chapter of a longer have gone by; and it is now the summer before Mr. Darcy heads to Netherfield to support Mr. Bingley. One sunny day, while Mr. Darcy is out fishing, he sees Lizzie enjoying the same pastime with her father, and he realizes, despite his pride, that all he truly wants is her. However, troubles lie ahead, prompting Mr. Bennet to worry for his dear family.

The PIP-Rating may shift. The chapter was inspired by the song that shares this chapter's name. While listening to music, the inspiration struck, and I sat down to write. I hope you all enjoy it! Like other of my stories, there might be some conflict, but overall, but it's meant to be low on the angst scale. It sticks closely to certain elements of the original timeline.

A quick note: if my writing doesn't resonate with you, that's perfectly fine! There are plenty of other stories out there that might bring you more joy and comfort, and that's exactly what I wish readers find in my work. Much love and blessings to everyone; we all need a bit more of those in these challenging times. A little empathy and kindness could go a long way in easing the collective burden of misery and pain in the world. Just saying, best wishes to everyone.

By the river

Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, William to family and friends, was walking down by the Plym River with his dog, on his way to fish. The carriage waited for him after refusing the footman's help. Indeed, he was in a dark mood and wanted to be alone. He had come to Plymouth to see one of the homes he had inherited. He was sad this day, feeling rather lonely. Weeks before he had problems with Georgiana, who thought she was in love with Wickham. He no longer knew what to do, tired of the responsibility and the problems.

Was George Wickham rotten? No, at least not with Georgiana; unfortunately, Richard thought otherwise when he received an express from Mrs. Younge. Meanwhile, George thought he was meeting his former mistress, Mrs. Younge, though not for an assignment, instead was going to give her a letter, saying to please leave him alone. To his horror, George saw the one in the inn room was a half-naked Georgiana.

At once, George demanded her to dress and asked her to please quit chasing him and sending such improper letters, "What are you doing? You need to dress because your brother or Richard would kill me if they saw this." When she refused, he treated her like a willful child and decided to get a maid to help him get Georgiana dressed. That was when Richard entered the room and saw them. But he had heard George telling her to put her clothes on, and she was like a little sister

At once, Georgiana told Richard that George was lying. But George gave Richard the letter for Mrs. Younge, which Richard read; George wrote he was going to tell Mr. Darcy to fire her. George told Richard what happened, with Georgiana crying, saying she wanted to marry George, her love, her forever love.

Richard explained to William that Mrs. Younge had told him where to find George when he arrived. What a mess Georgiana had made; she would be ruined if somebody found out. Now Mrs. Younge was demanding money to keep quiet.

It appeared George wanted his position back because he had met someone who he liked a lot, and he was getting out of the army. He said he did not know if he were in love, but regardless, he wanted a chance for a good wife, and it would be easier with a good job and a fixed income. In any case, he had an impossible dream, and it was not Georgiana.

William knew he had to tell George what his father had really left him, making him a very wealthy man, leaving him land, a house and enough money to make him a rich man. His father had been generous with many of the Pemberley employees, but he had always treated George like a son. However, the will stated not to reveal the money, until George had taken his place. William suspected George was his by-blow brother, making Georgiana's plot particularly upsetting. He would ask Mrs. Reynolds since she would know if he were right and would know who the mother was. It would be the proverbial 'kill two birds with one stone.'

Georgiana was lonely, to be sure; in a way he understood her fixing on George, who was handsome and charming. Georgiana had been sending him love letters, which George returned, some to William and some to Rich€ard. As to where did Georgiana learn to write like that, William had no idea but imagined Mrs. Younge had taught her. Whereas William had blushed reading the letters, Richard didn't; as a matter of fact, they made him angrier. He had wanted to send Georgiana to Aunt Catherine and still did, saying their aunt ran a tight ship. He was particularly upset that Georgiana had not expressed any remorse, none whatsoever, and still cried for George.

As for Mrs. Younge, she was angry at George for ignoring her and wanted to ruin him and the Darcy. He called them derogatory, insulting names when Richard confronted her. She said George had learned his mighty ways from them. The three of them, meaning the cousins and George, thought they were above and better than those like her; a bunch of nasty rich men who deserved the worst, along with the whiny spoiled brat, meaning Georgiana. Richard had told William that he had wanted to slap the woman, barely controlling himself.

William blamed George for his poor judgment in recommending a former lover to be Georgiana's companion. George apologized profusely, saying he had recommended her, wanting to do a good turn for the woman he no longer liked. What a mess his life was.

The Enchanted Water Nymph

William was deep in thought when something caught his eye, a gentleman fishing with a young lady. Immediately, his eyes fixed on the young lady. He was mesmerized seeing her graceful figure and also admiring her fishing skills. Because of her dexterity, she could have been a young man fishing. But she was not a young man, he could clearly see that.

The lady's bonnet fell down her back, and the sun shone on her shiny light brown hair, making the golden highlights look as if they were strands of gold. He admired her hair blowing in the wind; he thought most of the pins were probably lost. The wind also blew around her light cotton gown, allowing Darcy to see her slender, firm calves. He sighed, thinking she seemed one with the river and the nature around them.

The man, with the young lady, smiled looking at her. Darcy stopped walking to admire her, not able to understand her allure. He was convinced he was seeing a water nymph or a magical creature of some kind. He admired her plump lips, small nose, high cheek bones, defined chin, a long, graceful neck, lithe figure, and her sun-kissed skin. She was a beautiful woman, an exotic beauty, no doubt. Goodness, he desired her, so much that it caught him by surprise.

He didn't understand how he felt, but all he wished for was to know her and to love her, to hold her in his arms and lie with her every night. The compelling attraction was something that he had never experienced before. When he heard her laughing joyously, he laughed along with her. His bad mood dissipated, like smoke; and even better, the dark compulsive thoughts stopped. This was the first time William was at peace, not worrying about Georgiana.

Then, William saw how the beauty's face concentrated, and, when she nodded. The man stood on attention, holding a net in his hand. Ah, William noticed, thinking the pair seemed related. The older man was also quite handsome, with the same features, and was at most 40 years old, if that much; so, William decided he was her proud father.

When she pulled up the rod gently and skillfully, Darcy grinned knowingly, sure she caught a fish. He was so absorbed watching her that didn't see his dog walking fast. The dog ran to the fishing pair's basket. Quickly, his dog stuck his head inside the basket, pulled a sausage, and ran.

Darcy ran after the small terrier, while the man and daughter laughed, looking at the small dog with a sausage bigger than it, and at Mr. Darcy running, carrying his fishing pole and basket, rather awkwardly.

She lost the fish with his screams calling his dog, "Zeus, bad dog, come, stop, come Zeus, jetz!" Mr. Darcy was also cussing softly, "Bloody bad rotten dog." The dog ran towards the trees and disappeared. The usually well-behaved puppy, seven months old decided the sausage was better and tastier than obeying. Darcy was anguished, Zeus was the pup his Scot uncle gave him after Altea Zeus's sister, from an earlier litter, died. The dogs had been in his family forever; portraits of Darcy and Fitzwilliam's ancestors showed Zeus's relatives.

After looking for the dog for nearly half an hour, the dog came to him; but Zeus was covered with muck, leaves, and what not. Fitzwilliam Darcy was fuming, so, he collared the pup that hated collar and line. The pup was growling, bucking, and refusing to move, but trying to climb up his leg. "No, I won't pick you up; you're filthy." Finally, Zeus, whining, started walking,

Mr. Darcy hurried to the spot where he had seen the pair and realized he had lost his cap running. He was also muddied, and his rebel hair was a mess as well.

Discovering the fishing pair had left, made him sad, and nearly crying. Thus, he decided that if he ever found her again, his water nymph, she would be his wife, even if she were engaged. If the latter, he would fight for her; not only fight, but he would also abduct her if necessary.

He remembered his wise grandmother said that love only knocked once; now he believed it. She told him that his proud father, George Darcy, had married his wife, knowing that he loved somebody else. But the proud man he was, decided she was a nobody, the daughter an impoverished country gentry family. Mr. Darcy suspected who was the woman and was sad tosg could see how miserable his father stayed. He often saw his father drinking alone and crying. No, no, and no, he would not follow in his father's footsteps; therefore, he would marry her even if her father was a nobody. He wouldn't care, and hell with his pride.

When Zeus lunged for something on the ground, a piece of sausage, Mr. Darcy pulled Zeus back. "Bad dog, no more sausage," he growled. But over a stone, next to the sausage, he saw something glinting. Mr. Darcy bent to pick up a small ruby and carefully wrapped it in his handkerchief. He could feel something when he touched it; he could sense things by touching objects. And he was certain the ruby belonged to the lady because he saw her clearly, for a moment. She was laughing, looking lovely in a gown embroidered with small flowers, and around her neck, he saw a dainty chain with a pendant shaped like an egg with a band of rubies around it.

His grandmother Fitzwilliam and his grandmother Darcy were cousins. Their families came, originally, from Spain, and she said their families left for England and Austria. It happened during the Inquisition when they escaped after learning they were going to be trialed for witchcraft. The Inquisition targeted them because they were Visigoth, had foreign last names, and were quite wealthy. The Inquisitor charged them with being alchemists amongst other charges. One thing was true, they could make money without an effort, and not one had been killed in a war. The cousins loved to hear their stories; several about love and enemies. So, he hoped the gem was hers, and whatever gifts he had, showed him the gem.

He was crossed with Zeus, refusing to pet him, until he told Richard who met him later that day. Richard laughed, along with him. They laughed but Zeus was sick with a nasty stomach upset, so Richard said. "My dear Zeus, well deserved indigestion. Because of the bloody sausage William lost the lady meant for him." With those words, both laughed some more.

Lizzie and the Angry Suitor

Meanwhile, Lizzie and her father were still laughing, and Lizzie wore the gentleman's cap, a little big on her. Though they had shared the sausage left, Lizzie was hungry after dropping part of her half. They left when the footman, with the carriage sent by her fiancé, came to get them. That day Lizzie learned something quite disagreeable about her fiancé. When she told him the tale, still wearing the cap, and laughing with her father, her fiancé ripped the cap off Lizzie's head. Between clenched teeth, he told Lizzie never to flirt with anyone else, reminding her they were engaged.

Her father sat across them, in the drawing room of the man's imposing manor. Lizzie had met him months before when the man came to look at Netherfield, thinking of buying it. That was what he had told Mr. Bennet, even though he already owned a large estate somewhere in Devonshire.

Defiantly, Lizzie picked up the cap from the floor and held it. At once, her fiancé tried to yank it from her hand, but Lizzie held on . No matter how hard he pulled, the cap seemed glued to her hand. Lizzie stared at her fiancé, coldly.

Mr. Bennet stood up, "Sir you must apologize; Elizabeth did nothing wrong. And stop what you are doing; what do you think you are doing?" Mr. Bennet was a lot taller than the fiancé, who was, at the most, a half-head taller than Lizzie.

The gentleman, Mr. Goldschmidt, was a distinguished man, whose father was Austrian, and his mother was the daughter of an Earl. Though Mr. Bennet had studied with his father in Eaton, his father had passed, so Bennet did not divulge he had known Goldschmidt's father. The man was furious, speaking between clenched teeth, he barked, "This is between my bride and me. Stay out of it." He said it nastily and pulled harder.

"You are mistaken because it is my business. Nobody treats my daughter in such a fashion, not now, not ever. Let go." Mr. Bennet spoke firmly, so the man let go of the cap.

Lizzie was beyond upset and was surprised since Daniel had been pleasant until now. "Father, I want to go to your cousin's house, now. Let me get my things, quickly."

"No, you aren't going anywhere. I have guests tonight wanting to meet you. Remember you have accepted my suit." He said, grabbing Lizzie's arm. "You stay," he ordered her.

Mr. Bennet answered, "You are wrong; we haven't signed the settlement yet. And the engagement has not been announced." He moved and opened the man's hand without any effort. "Lizzie, my dear, let's go. We can get home on time to help you mother with the harvest party for the tenants."

The man was irate, knowing Mr. Bennet was right, and he could not do much; besides something on Mr. Bennet's demeanor was concerning, and he knew when to retreat, "Take your leave, but you will learn that I get what I want. And what I want is Elizabeth. You best be aware that she is mine, make no mistake."

"She is nobody's." Mr. Bennet answered before they went to get their things. He had suspected Daniel for a while and hoped to be wrong. But his enemies could hide, so anonymity was best. He didn't want danger, not now when he was already having problems at home, namely Lydia amongst others. All he wished for was his family happiness and safety.

a/n This is the next story. What Mr. Bennet is will be addressed in a future chapter.