Chapter 1

June 1812

"Oh, papa, why did you not tell us earlier?" Elizabeth Bennet fretted as she rubbed her father's hand while he lay in bed. "You have been ill for much longer than a week but told no one but the apothecary."

Mr. Bennet smiled tenderly at his favourite daughter, "It has been only a month since I began to feel unwell and I am making good progress now. With my steward disappearing with our savings last month, I had a lot on my mind and thought it due to the stress, but Mr. Jones insists that my heart is weak and I must take things easier or else I will not be able to go on for much longer." He squeezed her hand, "Your Uncle Phillips has been of tremendous assistance in searching for a new steward for us and Mr. Warner has been very kind to oversee Longbourn as well as Netherfield while he awaits the new tenants to arrive after Michaelmas. All will be well, Lizzy."

Elizabeth wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, "I would like to be of help, papa. Mama has been crying copiously and believes we will be tossed into the hedgerows if you should pass, and she is fearful of what will become of us. I know Mr. Collins' passing last year had ended the entail but the future of the estate is still uncertain, since if something were to happen to you, Longbourn must be sold to be split equally between the five of us, but mama fears that she will not know how to manage any of the details." She sighed, "You have said I could not decline my portion even if I wanted to, but I wish to find a position as a governess or a companion so that mama will have one less daughter to worry about. Jane will be here to care for her and Mary and Kitty will do more at home, and I am infinitely relieved that mama changed her mind about Lydia coming out into society. She is far too young and undisciplined to be out and we must do all we can to economise."

"I know you have been unhappy here, what with your mother pressuring for Jane to marry the first suitor to call on her, and her constant anguish over finding husbands for you girls have been exhausting." Mr. Bennet softly smiled. "Although I will miss you dreadfully, as long as you can write often and come visit me as frequently as possible, I will allow you to go. I know you wish to see more of the world and meet new people, even if your mother might boast of the four and twenty families here." He closed his eyes for several moments to make a decision for his family's future, "I will recover soon enough, Lizzy, but I will not be foolish enough to delay making plans in case I am not here for long. I intend to see if I can find a buyer who will purchase Longbourn and lease it out to us until I am no longer on earth, and you and your sisters' shares will be safe. My dear wife will have security and will finally keep some sense." He laughed.

"You are terrible, papa!" Elizabeth smiled with her father's tease, "I would like to see and meet more people and you know how much I enjoy character study. I should like to find a good employer who will be kind and I will ask Aunt Madeline for help. She and Uncle Edward know many good people and perhaps there is a young lady who is in desperate need to find an obstinate, head-strong governess to teach her how to be impertinent." They both laughed happily. "If you feel poorly at all, I will resign immediately and return to your side. Perhaps no one will wish to hire me and I will return home with my tail between my legs!"

Mr. Bennet nodded, "You will do well, daughter, but I hope you will rather find a dashing young man who will court you instead and be a good marriage partner to you. I know you are determined to marry for the deepest love and perhaps you are fated to find him in London."

"I doubt I will ever marry, papa. I have little hope of finding an upstanding gentleman who will find me as an acceptable wife, even if I were to have some funds in my future. I have little beauty and am much too prejudiced in my opinions to be a good wife to anyone and you know mama will not allow any of us to marry a poor man!" Elizabeth grinned proudly. "I shall be content to be a doting aunt to Jane's ten children when she finds a single man in possession of a good fortune."

"Do not lose hope, Lizzy. You will find happiness in your own way and I will support you in anything you wish to do." Mr. Bennet affectionately responded. "Go on; write to your aunt and see what you can do to plan your future. Send in Mary next, if you please. I am improving but it has been a blessing to spend some time with each of my daughters and perhaps I can put the fear of God into Kitty and Lydia with this opportunity so that they do not become the silliest girls in the country. It certainly worked with your mama!"

Elizabeth kissed her father's forehead and left to tell the third Bennet daughter of their father's wishes to see all five girls. She was very happy that he was recovering but it would be a slow path and the future was still very uncertain.

A month later

"It is surely time for you to find a new companion for Georgiana, cousin," the Colonel pressed. "Your father was wise to place both of us as her guardians, even if we are two bachelors who do not know what we are doing, since one alone would have failed miserably these past years. I cannot apologise enough for placing Mrs. Younge into your household. Mother had heard of her and thought she would be a good fit but we were all deceived and had no idea that George Wickham was behind the treachery to obtain your sister's dowry. I should have done more to check her references but you were busy with your... that woman... and I made the final decision on my own while you were still in Pemberley."

Fitzwilliam Darcy rubbed his face, "It was not your fault, Richard," he answered, "the fault lies entirely with me. I should have been here to care for my sister. When her previous companion died unexpectedly from illness, I should have dragged myself down here to interview appropriate candidates and see to it myself. I knew you were busy with your duties and I was only sulking at Pemberley. I should have released my mistress sooner when I noticed her behaving strangely, and then I was so angry with her for what she tried to do that I stayed in Pemberley through the winter and I left for you to choose a new companion for Georgiana. Your mother had thought Ramsgate was a good idea and George Wickham might have succeeded in eloping with my sister if I had not arrived there last month. That son of a b... steward has no place becoming part of the Darcy family and although I had to give him additional funds to keep his mouth shut, I will have him murdered in cold blood if he comes near my sister again. She is still miserable and rarely comes out of her rooms and I know I am to blame. She needs a good companion who will cheer her up and convince her to see and be near people again but I have yet to find one who is good enough for Georgiana. She turned sixteen only last week and she is to be presented next year if your mother has her way."

Colonel Fitzwilliam nodded, "Mama felt awful about Mrs. Younge and had never imagined that she would collude with Wickham to separate Georgiana from her friends here to deceive her, but she is determined to give Georgiana the best coming out ball next year. She and father are the only ones who know about her near-elopement and has kept it quiet from even Lady Catherine. I was rather removed that you had declined to see our aunt this Easter because you were in Derbyshire, and I am glad she knows nothing of Georgiana's situation. I will help you find another companion but leave it to you to check her references and ensure she is trustworthy." He paused, "Mama mentioned a lady in need of a position due to her father's illness. I believe she is related to a tradesman in Cheapside named Gardiner and his wife volunteers with Mama for the orphanage charity. I do not know much else about her but she sounds like a spinster. Do you think you can handle an unmarried woman to be Georgiana's companion?" He looked at his cousin with a smirk, "What if she is under thirty and handsome? You will not be tempted by a pretty face? You must be in search for another mistress and I have heard from many men what they do with their sisters' governesses in their household."

"Good God, no!" Darcy exclaimed. "I have had one mistress and I am done. I will not place myself in such a position again. All the sneaking around and hiding the shame... and paying a woman for... No. I am done. What would I want with a tradesman's relative? I could not marry such a woman and I must find a good candidate to carry on the family name." He shook his head, "No, I will find someone of outstanding manners and lineage to take as a wife as Father wished for me and I have plenty of time to enjoy my days as a bachelor. I am only seven and twenty and am reluctant to bind myself to anyone right now. If I can wait until Georgiana marries, I will be satisfied with her son receiving Pemberley and all of my fortune if I do not have children. At the least I did not have an illegitimate child with my mistress. I do not know that I was thinking to take your brother's advice. Paying Juliette money to perform her services was a terrible idea and when she became a vicious harridan, I was embarrassed and horribly angry with myself for making such a mistake. Only due to your father's intervention was I able to avoid a public disgrace."

Richard chuckled, "Being an earl has its advantages, I suppose. She is married off to a tradesman and will not risk her own disgrace now. Her husband will ship her off to the colonies if she offends the great Lord Matlock. Father was extremely glad to return the favour after you saved Matlock from being sold off, since my brother had no idea what he had signed when he lost his bet and only with your generosity were we able to keep our home." He looked at his cousin carefully, "Do you miss... it? I know you were always insatiable and you have been without a woman for... how long now?"

"Five months. After I released Juliette from my employment, I have been celibate since. I refuse to go near any woman now." Darcy answered with a serious face. "I had tasted the forbidden fruit during my university days and I thought it was what was expected of me but it felt dirty to use women who had been tainted by others. I wish to stay away from it until I find a wife. No more mistresses or courtesans. I am done with them all." Darcy smiled, "I am glad to have been of help to your father. I have more fortune than I know what to do and with nothing better to do than focus on my businesses these past years, I keep buying more property and if I have a half-dozen sons, each of them would have an estate to call their own. Do not worry for me, cousin. I will manage fine as I have done for years and I will find my own contentment." He stood to look out the window. "Once my sister is happy, I will worry about myself then."

Richard nodded and departed to speak with his mother about the potential new companion for Georgiana. He knew Darcy was lonely but also understood that his stoic cousin was guarded and had few people whom he trusted. After losing both of his parents and becoming guardian to his sister who was twelve-years his junior, Darcy had lost hope that he would ever find happiness for himself and only cared for his family and reputation.