Dear readers: Please keep in mind that this story has 28 chapters and an epilogue. Once I've finished rewriting it, I'll leave it for two days and remove it from this site.

Chapter 26

Mr. Darcy was in his beautifully decorated drawing room, thinking about what to do the following days. On the one hand, he was disappointed that Elizabeth had returned to her home without saying anything to Georgiana or him. He thought that she felt something for them, even if it was a simple friendship. However, it had all been a foolish illusion. He wanted to go to Hertfordshire to see her and demonstrate the sincerity of his feelings. He was aware that she was the woman of his life and that he could never be happy without her, but he could not help but feel afraid that she would reject him.

Suddenly, his tranquility was interrupted by Lady Catherine and Lord and Lady Matlock's arrival. As expected, Lady Catherine was the first to say something and accuse her nephew of being an irresponsible fool. "Darcy, I came to tell you that I shall not allow you to ruin our family's reputation and fail to do your duty. In three more weeks, you will go to Rosings as planned, and we shall announce your engagement to Anne. We shall also start the preparations for the wedding and…."

Lady Catherine continued speaking while Mr. Darcy looked at his uncle, who averted his gaze, and the Countess, who seemed to enjoy Lady Catherine making a fool of herself. He realized that Lord Matlock wanted to get his sister out of his house, and he could not think of anything better than to turn the problem over to him. In fact, the Earl only wished that his sister would leave him in peace; the previous evening had been unbearable, and he had dined locked in his chamber to avoid her.

"Lady Catherine, you can yell for hours if that makes you content, but I am a grown man who makes his own decisions. So I want you to understand that I have never been engaged to Anne and shall never marry her."

"Is your irresponsible behavior related to an infatuation with another woman? How do you not realize that if you insist on defying your family, all of us will forget that you exist, and you will be left alone," said Lady Catherine, and she looked to her brother for support.

"If you want to force me to do whatever you all want, I prefer not to have a family. But, uncle, please tell me if you think the same as Lady Catherine," Mr. Darcy asked defiantly.

"Well, I think your Aunt has a point, but..."

"But what?" Lady Catherine yelled indignantly.

As the discussion continued in the drawing room, Colonel Fitzwilliam arrived at Darcy House with several surprises. The day before, he met with Smith and Randall, and neither of them could locate Wickham. Everything indicated that he was no longer in London, and no one knew his whereabouts.

But he also brought other news that was much more pleasant and curious. That morning, along with Lady Grace, Sarah Wilson, and Mrs. Jenkinson, he had been one of the witnesses at Anne's wedding to the family solicitor, Herbert Watson. They made quite an odd couple at first glance; Anne was extremely thin and pale, while Herbert was chubby and rosy-cheeked. But there was no doubt that they were very much in love, and Richard was glad to see his cousin, always so serious and depressed, laughing heartily on her husband's arm.

After church, they attended a wedding breakfast that Herbert's friends and family offered. There, Richard had another great surprise when he saw how Anne ate and enjoyed each available dish. Although he did not blame her, the food was simply delicious, especially the wide variety of fruits, cheeses, and tarts. Richard remembered how Sarah told him that not even at Duke St. Vincent's mansion had she eaten better food than at the Watsons.

When Anne suddenly arrived in London without warning, Richard turned to Lady Grace and informed her about his cousin's situation. Lady Grace felt very sorry for the pale woman, welcomed her into her house, and promised to help her with everything she needed.

Richard spent a pleasant morning watching Anne's happiness, and he realized she was risking everything to be with the love of her life. Sir Lewis de Bourgh's will was very specific: If Anne married without her mother and uncle's consent, she could only inherit after her mother's death. But he knew well that anything was better than living under Lady Catherine's constant supervision.

"Richard, I am glad to see you," Georgiana said nervously.

Richard would ask what was wrong seeing his cousin so nervous, but he heard his Aunt yelling and immediately understood the problem.

"How long have they been here?"

"They arrived about fifteen minutes ago, and Lady Catherine is furious because she says my brother does not want to marry Anne. She has also said horrible things about my friend Lizzy," Georgiana explained, almost in tears.

"Do not worry, Georgie, I shall go help your brother. Please go to your bedroom and stay there until they leave. But before you go, let me tell you that we are invited to dinner tomorrow at Mr. and Mrs. Watson's home."

"Richard, I do not know those people; I would rather not go. But thank you for inviting me," Georgiana said sheepishly.

"Well, I understand. I invited you because I thought you might want to meet your cousin Anne de Bourgh's husband," Richard said with a smile.

"WHAT?" Georgiana asked, absolutely shocked.

"Go to your bedroom, and we shall chat later," Richard said with a laugh.

"Alright, but you cannot leave this house without telling me everything." Georgiana ran to lock herself in her chamber, and Richard went to the drawing room to face the old dragon.

P&P

"Sir, Mr. Peter Daniels, and his sister are not home. They left half an hour ago and will return in a few more hours," the butler explained. They had gone out to buy some gifts to take to the Bennet family and help in some way to alleviate the situation.

"I understand, Mr. Martin, but I am not here to talk to Peter, but Mr. Roger Daniels. Please tell him it is urgent." Albert was distraught and needed to speak to someone who could help him process all the information he had received two hours ago.

When the butler explained what was happening to Roger, he received Albert and saw him very agitated. So he invited him into the small office at the back of the house. There, they could talk without interference.

As soon as they entered the room, Albert immediately told Roger everything Oliver Morgan had said. "Mr. Daniels, you are the only person I know and trust who can help me uncover the truth. That man also gave me these documents, and even though they look legitimate, I cannot believe all of this is true."

Roger took the documents and analyzed them for a few minutes. He had been in the business world for many years and knew Reed's family well, so he decided to give him his opinion as unbiasedly as possible.

"Albert, son, I believe these documents are legitimate, but I also want you to know that all the years that I have known your grandfather and your father, I can attest that they are honorable men."

Albert was more confused and automatically asked, "And how can these documents be legitimate then?"

"Boy, I do not like to speak ill of someone who is not here to defend himself, so I can only speculate. I think your Uncle Albert is the one behind all of this since these contracts were signed when he was in charge of your family business in Liverpool and London, if I remember correctly. " Roger also told Albert that his uncle was known in the business world for making hasty decisions and speculating more than recommended. Therefore, the most important investors always demanded to deal directly with Albert's grandfather or father.

"So you think my uncle did this to that man?" asked Albert, completely overwhelmed. His uncle had died when he was ten, and he was always very affectionate with him. His uncle Albert was the one who taught him always to be the best and be proud of his origin. His uncle Albert had told him how the sons of gentlemen landowners had constantly humiliated him and how he, with his talent and intelligence, could show everyone that no matter where one was born, one could always be the best.

"Albert, I think you should talk to your father. He is the only one who can tell you what happened more than twenty years ago," Roger said as he touched the young man's shoulder. Albert was disheartened and had his head in his hands.

"Thank you, Mr. Daniels, for clarifying my doubts. I shall travel north to speak with my father as soon as I can. I believe it is time for me to leave." Albert stood, and Roger gave him a firm handshake.

"Albert, do not let the actions of others make you doubt yourself. You are a decent and honest man, and when the time comes, you will know what to do after listening to your father."

"Thank you, Mr. Daniels. I appreciate your time and advice."

The Daniels' house was not far from his, so Albert decided to walk to clear his mind. At that moment, his whole world was falling apart, and he needed to order his thoughts to know what to do.

P&P

Richard entered the drawing room, smiling, "Lady Catherine, how nice to see you again."

His Aunt, seeing him so jovial, decided to unload all her anger against him. "Here is my other irresponsible nephew who supports Darcy's thoughtless actions. As an officer of our kingdom, I thought you would have more common sense and decency than your cousin."

"Lady Catherine, you are very mistaken. My superiors always compliment me precisely because they say I have outstanding common sense and always act with honor and decency," Richard replied, knowing that his aunt would respond strongly. She hated being contradicted.

"Your superiors must be a bunch of inept idiots," Lady Catherine shouted.

As Lady Catherine spoke, Richard looked at his cousin, allowing Mr. Darcy to understand that all was well and stay calm.

"Lady Catherine, I would ask you to leave my house and not disturb my peace. You and I have nothing more to talk about," said Mr. Darcy, annoyed.

"Insolent…" the lady tried to say, but Richard interrupted her.

"I am glad we are all here; I need to share some important news with you," the Colonel said.

"Richard, we do not have time for your games. Your Aunt has come to resolve an important matter, so please do not interrupt her," the Countess retorted.

"I shall talk to you later, my Lady," Richard replied, staring at his mother.

The Countess's support encouraged Lady Catherine to continue making accusations and insulting everyone. The Earl also jumped into the conversation, and chaos of shouting ensued between everyone present until Richard yelled in a commanding military voice.

"SILENCE."

Mr. Darcy was about to laugh at the ridiculousness of the scene, but seeing his cousin so severe, he preferred not to say or do anything.

"Now that I have your attention, I shall be able to tell you the news I have for you. This morning, Anne married her betrothed Herbert Watson and asked me to tell you she is well and delighted with her new life. Also, she asked me to let you know that she has no interest in either Rosings or her inheritance and that now everything is yours, Aunt Catherine."

"WHAAAAAAAT? That is not true."

"Richard, please stop playing games."

"It is no game, father. Anne Watson was married this morning and is now living with her husband Herbert."

"That is not true," cried Lady Catherine and almost fainted from the shock.

Mr. Darcy and the Colonel had to help Lady Catherine to sit on the sofa. Then, they gave her some brandy to revive her.

Richard spent almost an hour answering his father's questions without knowing much about what to say. Finally, he told everyone that Anne was on her honeymoon, which was true in a way. However, he did not want to inform them that she was in her new house because she deserved to be left alone for some days.

When Lady Catherine was calmer, everyone returned to Lord Matlock's house, where she cried for hours, saying how ungrateful Anne was and that she would not see a penny of her inheritance.

When they were finally alone, Richard told Mr. Darcy more details about Anne and her new husband. "They are truly in love, and I think for the first time in her life, Anne is truly happy."

"I am glad for her. I know Herbert from the club; he is an honorable gentleman and very dedicated to his profession. His father established a respectable firm with many clients, so I do not doubt that he must have left his son a good fortune." Mr. Darcy still could not hide his amazement. He had never imagined that his shy and sickly cousin could defy her mother and abandon everything for love.

"From everything Lady Catherine said, I assume she knows about your interest in Miss Elizabeth," Richard said to see how his cousin would react.

"I do not know where she got those ideas from. There is nothing more than a distant friendship between Miss Elizabeth and me. In addition, she returned to her home, and surely she has no interest in seeing me again." Mr. Darcy sounded much more spiteful than he had planned and clarified, "Well, I think we should better talk about something else. What have you heard of Wickham?"

"I shall tell you everything I know about Wickham, but first, let me tell you that I would go to Hertfordshire if I were you," Richard said.

"She left without even saying goodbye," Mr. Darcy replied.

"For that very reason, I would go to see her and discover why she left so abruptly. Well, let me tell you about Wickham." The Colonel told his cousin everything he knew, and after more than an hour of deciding what they would do, he left his cousin thinking about his problems and went to talk to Georgiana to tell her all the details of Anne's wedding.

P&P

The Daniels left London for Hertfordshire at dawn and arrived there before noon. Jane was surprised but happy to realize that she had such good friends. She introduced Roger, Peter, and Emily to her entire family except for Lydia, who was still locked in her room—or at least that was what everyone thought. Knowing that Mrs. Bennet was stable and recovering, the Gardiners and Dr. Lewis had returned to London earlier that day.

Mr. Bennet liked Roger Daniels very much, and after a few minutes of animated conversation, he invited him to his study for a more leisurely chat. For her part, Emily gave the Bennet sisters the gifts they brought, which included books, caramels, flowers, and fruit for Mrs. Bennet.

Elizabeth decided to invite the newcomers for a walk in the garden to give Jane a chance to speak more privately with Peter. Mary offered to take care of her mother, and Kitty said she would keep Lydia company because she was not feeling well.

"Thank you again for coming, Mr. Daniels, and for all the gifts you brought us. These days have been quite difficult, and it is always comforting to know that there are people as generous as you and your family." Jane was pleased and did not know how to express the depth of her emotions.

"Miss Bennet, I am here because I could not leave you alone at this time. I want you to know that you can count on me for everything you need and if you… if you think you can… I know that this is not the best time to speak about this, but I want you to know that I am your most fervent admirer and wish with all my heart that you allow me to court you." Peter could not control his words and said everything he wanted to say for a long time.

Jane blushed not with embarrassment but with joy and responded animatedly: "Mr. Daniels, I want you to know that I deeply admire you too. As soon as things are a little calmer at home, if you wish, you can speak to my father. I shall be looking forward to that day."

Peter never thought that so much happiness was possible. He was simply delighted and wanted to share the good news with everyone. He and Jane continued walking through the garden without noticing what was happening around them.

Elizabeth could guess what Peter and Jane were talking about and was very happy for them, though she felt disappointed at the same time. Although she did not want to admit it, she wished someone else had shown the same concern as Mr. Daniels, but she supposed that everything she had believed up to that point was not real. After all, Mr. Darcy had promised to call on her, and he did not do it.

Emily spoke very animatedly with Elizabeth, but she noticed she was distracted. However, she understood perfectly due to everything that had happened in her life in the last few days. "From the moment Peter learned what had happened with your mother, he wanted to inquire about Mrs. Bennet's health, and of course, my grandfather and I offered to accompany him," Emily explained.

"Jane and all of us are very grateful for your generosity," Elizabeth replied and asked. "How did you find out so quickly about what had happened?"

Emily told Elizabeth that the morning they left London, they had come to call on them. There, they found Mr. Reed, who informed them about the accident. "He was worried, and I am sure he wanted to come," added Emily.

"I know, he wrote to my father, offering his help. My uncle Gardiner asked him to stay in London to supervise everything related to their business." Elizabeth was grateful to Mr. Reed, who had offered his support without knowing her father.

Emily noticed a certain melancholy in Elizabeth and decided to tell her that other people had also come to visit them. "That morning, I saw Mr. and Miss Darcy conversing with Mr. Reed. I imagine they also called on you, and he informed them about your family's situation."

"Thank you for telling me," Elizabeth said casually.

Fortunately, Peter and Jane approached and gave them the good news. However, they asked for discretion since they would wait for Mrs. Bennet to recover a little more to make the news official.

Elizabeth tried to focus on other things, but her head was full of uncertainty because she knew that Mr. Darcy learned what had happened to her mother. She was disappointed that he had not even sent her father a note asking about her mother's health, considering everything she and Jane had done to help his sister. Mr. Darcy was probably still the conceited gentleman who thought her family was far below his own.

P&P

"I do not know, George. It is just that my mother is not well yet," Lydia explained to her betrothed.

"Lydia, my love, I do not want to wait any longer for us to be together. Imagine how happy your mother will be when you tell her you were the first of all her daughters to marry." Mr. Wickham knew well what to say to influence that silly, spoiled chit.

"I can imagine the look on Jane and Lizzy's faces when they discover that their little sister is married and they are still single. They will die of envy!"

Lydia and Wickham had been seeing each other in secret for several days. In fact, they had planned to elope the same day Mrs. Bennet had the accident.

Mr. Wickham knew his nemesis well and was sure he was in love with Elizabeth Bennet. Knowing how ridiculous Mr. Darcy was, he was sure he would try to force him to marry Lydia when he abandoned her after spending several days together. And he would not marry Lydia for less than ten thousand pounds. Unfortunately, Mrs. Bennet's accident complicated everything, and he was still waiting to finish his plans.

"Lydia, my love, you must understand that if your sister Elizabeth discovers us, she will do everything possible to separate us. Now, she is close friends with Darcy, and he hates me. He is so envious of me that he sent his cousin to beat me, and that is why I have all these marks on my face," Wickham said, feigning sadness.

"Alright, my love. Tomorrow, we shall go to Gretna Green, and when I return to Longbourn, I shall be Mrs. Wickham."

P&P

Mr. Darcy had been unable to sleep well with so many problems plaguing his mind. On the one hand, Lady Catherine and how she treated everyone when she lost control had to end once and for all. But also, Lord and Lady Matlock were always trying to meddle in his life to get something in return.

He also was concerned about Elizabeth. Just when he thought they had finally come to some kind of understanding, she left without saying a word.

"Sir, Mr. Reed wishes to speak with you," the butler said, interrupting his Master's thoughts. Mr. Darcy had instructed him not to let that gentleman into his house. But Albert told him it was an emergency, and seeing him so distressed, he decided to ask just in case.

"Please tell him to leave. I do not have the time or the patience to speak with him," Mr. Darcy said.

The butler closed the office door and went to inform the gentleman that Mr. Darcy could not see him.

Not even two minutes had passed when the office door opened again, and Albert Reed entered while the butler asked him to leave. "Darcy, please let me talk to you. I promise I shall not take more than five minutes of your time."

Mr. Darcy was stunned because, for the first time since he had known Albert, he spoke to him without arrogance and with sincere humility in his voice. He motioned for the butler to leave them alone and told him as calmly as he managed, "Well, Reed, you only have five minutes to explain yourself."

P&P

Many thanks to everyone who leaves supportive comments and enthusiastically follows the story.

In the next chapter, Albert will have a heart-to-heart with Mr. Darcy.

Saludos,

Yo