"Mr Darcy!" she said, looking up at me. The surprise of seeing me there was written on her beautiful countenance.

She had been standing alone, looking lovely and beautifully attired, in the lobby of the Royal Theatre in London. It was four years now since I had last seen her. I was severely shocked to see her here, and to feel the effect she still had on me. My equilibrium was gone in seconds. I was brought back to the Netherfield ball in Hertfordshire and the long months afterwards, yearning for her. But I had conquered that. Or so I thought, I realised now.

I had married not long after that ball. Olivia Cunningham, the daughter of a gentleman, with wealth equal to my own, was now my wife. She was all I could have desired in a wife, beautiful, accomplished and stylish. That we never saw eye to eye from the first day of our marriage was pitiable and that there were no children was a disappointment. The fact that she lived most of the time in London, and I at Pemberley, was not how I had envisioned my marriage; but at least, she was a woman of my circle.

"Miss Bennet. What a pleasant surprise seeing you here. Are you well? And your family, are they in good health?" I was mortified to realise I was rambling on, but could not stop.

She laughed at me good-humouredly, then, proceeded to break my heart into a thousand pieces with her reply. "My family is well, sir, and I am not Miss Bennet anymore. I married the Earl of Hampshire, three years ago. We do not socialise much since my husband's father was taken ill soon after our marriage; therefore we have stayed in Hampshire most of the time. First, for the mourning period when he passed away and after that for the birth of our son. This is the first time we have been in London for the season," She said, smiling pleasantly.

If it had been possible, I would have walked away and howled desperately to the heavens, but that was out of the question. Appearance must be kept up, no matter the pain. Stupid, stupid man that I am! Seeing her now I knew she held my heart and her alone. Gathering all my strength, I voiced with difficulty, "Congratulations on your marriage and on the birth of your son. We lost touch after Bingley left Netherfield, so I did not know you had married. How is your eldest sister, is she well?" I uttered anxiously as I had to say something not to look more the fool that I am.

"You can see for yourself." She gestured to my left. "There she is with her husband and mine." She smiled a loving smile in her husband's direction as he approached us, along with Miss Bennet and her spouse. "Let me introduce them to you, Mr Darcy."

I knew the Earl of Hampshire as a kind-hearted man, who society had said broke many hearts when he married a country girl. I just did not know which country girl he had married. And now, this same country girl just broke my own. How true the saying— ignorance is bliss.

"Michal, my love. I want to introduce you to Mr Darcy. Mr Darcy visited Hertfordshire a few years ago, and we met there. Mr Darcy, my husband Michal Ashbury, the Earl of Hampshire."

We bowed to each other. "Lord Hampshire, it is an honour to meet you," I said, all the while trying not to stare at Elizabeth. The Earl looked at me suspiciously, noting that I coveted his wife. Well, he is right. I desire his wife, with all my heart. I would trade his wife for mine in a heartbeat.

As a result, Lord Hampshire replied curtly, accompanied with a diminutive nod. "Mr Darcy."

"You remember Jane, my sister," Elizabeth continued amiably.

I smiled at Jane and made a deep bow. "This is her husband Mr Joshua Goldwell, from Devonshire." She finished with a kindly smile to her brother. I bowed again, realising at that instant that Mr Goldwell possessed at least as much wealth as I, if not more. The Goldwell's were known throughout the kingdom for their riches and their kindness to their fellowmen, as the Darcy's.

"It is a pleasure to see you in good health, Mrs Goldwell. Mr Goldwell, it is a pleasure to meet you." I barely managed to choke out. Dear Lord, I feel nauseous.

Mrs Goldwell directed one of her serene smiles at me and replied softly. "Mr Darcy, how nice to see you after so long. How are you and Miss Darcy? Is all your family in good health?"

A genuine smile crossed my face at the mention of Georgiana. "Yes, although my sister isn't a Darcy anymore after last month. She married a good man with an estate near my own and lives there now. They are happy together. My wife is somewhere around here, talking to her friends, and as the performance is to start any minute now, I think I will join them."

However, before I could remove myself from this nightmare, I saw Olivia and her entourage approaching.

My wife was followed by Bingley and the shrew he married, the one with connections and a significant dowry, the loathsome Miss Bingley and he had found so necessary, she was still unattached though, as no man would have her, even with her twenty-thousand-pound dowry.

Here they came, eyeing the Earl and Goldwell in an assessment of rank, and wealth, and in Miss Bingley's case availability.

Thank goodness, his wife and Mrs Bingley had no means of knowing the significance of the Bennet sisters.

Bingley smiled his broad smile when he approached, eager to get to know new people. That is until he saw the former Miss Jane Bennet. His smile disappeared, and he looked as wretched as I felt, or maybe we both looked wretched. I don't know.

"Look here, Charles. Do you remember the Misses Bennet? Which they are no more, Misses. I mean...may I introduce you to their husbands."

I tried to speak cheerfully but fail miserably. I noticed Olivia observing me strangely. She doesn't see me bewildered too often. To tell the truth, my wife doesn't see me much at all. When she is in my company, I am cold and aloof. I just can't help it. The interaction of the Earl and Elizabeth is different altogether. They touch each other and smile at one another lovingly. A lot, I notice. There seems to be a sort of unspoken communication between them, of which I am envious. Hell, I am envious, full stop.

I feel the glare of the Earl the whole time. I understand that perfectly. He must know what happened with Bingley and Jane Bennet. He must sense my attraction to his wife, and doesn't like that one bit. I know, where the situation reversed, I would not. I see Elizabeth frown at Bingley and his sister, displeasure clearly written in her eyes. She looked then to her sister, who shrugged her shoulders slightly, giving Elizabeth to understand that she does not care. How I wish, I felt that way now.

Before I could introduce them, Miss Bingley, opened her mouth to speak hypocritically. "Dear Jane, Eliza. What a pleasure to see you again!"

I observe Elizabeth discreetly roll her eyes at this display of insincerity and glance at her husband with a look that said; get me out of here now!

With cold disdain, Lord Hampshire looked straight at Miss Bingley. Took his wife's arm and gave Miss Bingley the direct cut. He barely nodded his leave at the rest of us as they left.

I guess we were all relieved when the bell rang for the performance to begin, although we did not attend this particular show, as Miss Bingley was highly upset and now death to polite society.

Afterwards, I never went to the theatre again, let alone to London for any pleasure. They say Pride goeth before the fall, and Lord are they right.