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Startled, Darcy lunged as he saw Elizabeth’s face drain of its color and her eyes roll back in her head. Catching her as she fell, he scooped her up in his secure embrace. Her weight settled against him as he supported her.

“Elizabeth, sweetheart?” Darcy’s voice strangled in his throat. Panic welled in his chest. He could not see any injuries. What was wrong with her?

Theodore noted the concern on Darcy’s face. He was hopelessly in love with the woman in his embrace. It was a pity he was going to have to tease his cousin about it later. “Most likely it is just shock. It was probably too strenuous for her while she is still recuperating.”

“If you bring her to the house, Mr. Darcy, Mama will help her,” Kitty spoke up but kept most of her attention on Wickham, who was still crying on the ground.

When she saw Mr. Wickham was threatening her sister, she had been terrified at first. The terror clutched her heart and made it tough for her to think, but then she remembered she had a weapon in her hand.

She had always felt so powerless, unable to protect anyone, but that sensation vanished when she held the bow and understood her strength.

“I will take care of the snake while you care for your lady love,” Theodore stated even as he laughed, his eyes narrowed at the miserable wretch on the ground.

“You call him a snake? My sisters and I have been calling him a weasel. His words and behavior make it obvious that he is not the gentleman he portrays himself to be. Whatever we call him, he needs to be dispatched. Did you have a method in mind?” Kitty asked the colonel beside her.

She was at ease with her bow in her hand.

Theodore was having the best day. Darcy had beaten Mr. Bennet in a game of chess, and now he saw Wickham sniveling after being bested by two sisters. “Weasel? Yes, I think I detect weasel around the eyes. Has anyone ever said that you look like a weasel when you whine, Wickham?”

Wickham kept his eyes on his hand, seemingly fascinated by how the arrow stuck out of his palm.

He sniveled and mumbled, snot running grimy trails down his dirt-covered face.

“You cannot understand the struggles I have faced. Living in conditions not fit for peasants, and that other girl kicked me. Why is nothing fair?”

“When I take you to the militia, they will make your trial very fair. Now get on your feet; do not make me drag you. I swear you would not like the results.” Theodore may have found the irony hilarious, but he was serious about forcing Wickham to see justice.

“Are you sure you won’t need any help with him?” Kitty did not relish the thought of any escape attempts.

“Do not fret. Hugh should have arrived by now. He will be more than happy to help me get this one to town and his eventual trial. You might get to see Australia, Wickham.” He grabbed Wickham by the arm and hoisted him to his feet. Kitty followed them back to the house, smiling as she went.

Fanny Bennet directed Mr. Darcy to the settee in the parlor so he could lay Lizzie down. “Do not fret, dear, she will recover.”

“She does not appear to be injured,” Darcy said, reassuring himself and Elizabeth’s mother.

“I know my daughter has been pushing herself further than she should. She may come around on her own before I return, but I will get my smelling salts. I am leaving the door open.” She decided to take her time finding her smelling salts and left with a smile on her face.

Her daughter had found a kind and generous man.

He sat on the couch beside her, grasping her clammy hand in his own.

Memories of her fall and waiting for her to wake plagued him.

He told himself she was fine, but fear, in his experience, was never logical.

When her nose scrunched in the most adorable way and her eyebrows drew together, he could tell she was waking up.

When her emerald eyes opened and looked at him bewilderedly, his heart felt as if it could finally beat again.

“Please tell me I did not faint.” Elizabeth closed her eyes in embarrassment.

A grin spread across his face, his dimples making another appearance. He loved her in all her moods, and this one was rare. He was grateful that she was well. “I will not tell you about how you fainted.”

“This is ridiculous. Everything was fine, and we routed Wickham. I do not know why I collapsed.” Sitting up with the aid of Mr. Darcy, she gave him a rueful grin.

“Theo has told me about soldiers in battle who collapse afterward. It is as if something tells them they are finally safe and they can deal with their injury.” Darcy reached out to smooth a curl behind her ear.

“I am so pleased that particular skirmish has concluded. We will move ahead with our lives without him skulking menacingly in the shadows.” Glad to have one less thing to worry about, Elizabeth allowed herself to relax.

“You are not worried that we will allow him to escape?” She had so much faith in him, and it gave Darcy a sense of pride.

“That is not one of my worries. With that arrow in his hand? I do not think so.” She would have to commend Kitty later. She had saved her with that shot.

“He did seem rather pathetic. On the ground crying and complaining that you kicked him and asking why Kitty shot him with the arrow.” He held her hand in his own, sliding his thumb along hers. It was a reassuring dance, his callused thumb dancing along her skin. Comfort settled over them both.

“Well, I did kick him rather hard in a very effective location.” Though her eyes were laughing, her grin was almost wicked.

His bark of laughter burst out of him without restraint. “I wish I could have witnessed that.”

“Well, I am glad to find you both so recovered,” Mrs. Bennet stated. Sitting on the chair near them, she smiled maternally.

“I am sorry to worry you, Mama,” Elizabeth fretted.

“It is all right, darling. Mr. Darcy was taking excellent care of you. I was not at all worried.” Mrs. Bennet’s fear of her daughters ever finding happy lives was fading away. She smiled at Jane as she came into the room, followed by Lydia and Mary.

“Lizzie, do you always have to get into scrapes?” Jane leaned over to kiss her sister’s cheek before sitting next to her mother.

“Of course she does. How else would we find any entertainment?” Lydia said, laughing irreverently.

Her youthful attitude and ability to find humor in the situation assisted her in bouncing back from the morning’s escapades.

She walked to the settee across from Elizabeth and Darcy, dropping in an ungraceful heap next to Mary.

“I do not intend for these things to happen. Do you suppose I throw myself into dangerous situations for your entertainment?” Elizabeth found herself unable to maintain a stern expression. She knew Lydia was not serious.

“Not truly. I only find it better to laugh than to give way to fear,” Lydia said.

Elizabeth smiled at all her sisters and noticed that Kitty was not with them. “I would also rather laugh than cry, Lydie. Do not concern yourself. I was not upset.”

“I speculate that Miss Kitty is accompanying Theo as he escorts the prisoner to the stables. She did seem rather assured that Wickham would not get away. He might end up with another arrow in him if he tries.” Darcy’s laugh was infectious.

As Kitty entered the room, laughter filled the air. Crossing over, she knelt down on the floor and embraced Elizabeth tightly. She had found her courage and felt that she would no longer be as fearful all the time. Despite that, she still required a hug.

“I am so proud of how brave you were, my sweet. I believe you are quite the archer.” Elizabeth smoothed Kitty’s hair in a soothing fashion. It was something she had done since they were both small.

“My heart felt like it was going to pound out of my chest when I saw him. When I realized there was something I could do to help, I became very calm. All his whining made me realize how small bullies really are.” After a last squeeze, Kitty got up to sit by Mary and Lydia.

“Since you are all here, I would like to tell you how this morning went on another front. Do you think it is safe to speak here, or should we move to another room?” He watched the ladies silently communicate before they stood and left the room. He hurried to keep up with the swish of their skirts.

Glancing around the improved setting, Darcy said, “I’m pleased to report that things unfolded exactly as we had wished for. Your father did indeed lose the chess match against me, and he signed papers to release you to your uncle’s discretion.”

“Are we free then?” Mary spoke for all of them.

“Yes, in a fashion. You have many choices to make, and I suggest you make them quickly. I have had one of Theo’s groomsmen stay here for protection.

I fear your father will not relish having you here if he has no right to control you.

” Darcy had sat by Elizabeth, holding her hand once again.

The warmth of her skin against his did something to him that was quickly becoming addictive.

Fanny Bennet looked around the room at all her daughters.

All of their hopes and dreams would soon have the chance to shine.

“We will leave for London soon. My brother is prepared to receive us. We have never all gone to London together and I cannot help but look forward to it. Mr. Bennet always made sure some of us stayed behind, almost as if his family were hostages to play with. We can pack quickly, right, girls?”

“It will not be a problem, Mama. We have warned everyone. They understand, and most have even encouraged us to leave,” Jane spoke up, confident they could handle the situation before them. They would do it together as they had done everything else.

“Many of them have accepted your offer, Wills. Kiernan’s family started it, and others followed suit.” Elizabeth drew reassurance in the look of joy her words had brought to his eyes. She enjoyed the feeling of his hand in hers, her heart swelling with affection.

“You said that you would send your understeward to Netherfield to help coordinate their moving to Pemberley. When do you suppose he will arrive? We need to help expectant mothers as much as possible,” Lydia asked for reassurance.

“I think he should be here in the next five days. He’s assessing the open farms, ensuring they are ready.

” It filled his heart with delight when Elizabeth spoke his name as “Wills” once more.

His gaze never wavered from her as he brought their entwined hands to his mouth, and the gentle brush of his lips against her skin sent a shiver down her spine.

The loving display she saw pleased Mrs. Bennet. “Well then, I assume you will want to remain close to my daughter when we make our way to London. Do you have a home there?”

“Yes, I do. My home in Mayfair has plenty of room. I know you would like to stay with Mr. Gardiner, but do not assume his home is your only option.” He made the offer out of the goodness of his heart and his desire to remain close to his love.

“While I thank you for your generosity, I would like to accept your offer with a few changes. Mary, Kitty, and Lydia will stay with you and Georgiana under the supervision of Mrs. Ansley. Jane, Elizabeth and I will stay with my brother. If you are courting or engaged to my daughter, you will live separately. If you want to live with my daughter, you will simply have to marry her.” Fanny Bennet laughed at the expressions on their faces.

His patience had worn thin, and Bennet knew that no matter how long he stared at the chessboard and drank port, nothing would change.

More than twenty years of getting his way had not prepared him for a loss of this manner.

He knew deep down that they had outmaneuvered him, yet he refused to admit that he had no chance of getting what he wanted.

Even if he had signed something, he was sure he could convince the weak-willed woman that was his wife to remain.

Stumbling away from his desk, he left his domain to make his frustration known.

“Can I help you with something, sir?” Hugh had been standing in the hallway waiting to see if Mr. Bennet would leave his library. He gave the man a cursory glance and was unimpressed by what he saw.

“Who are you? And why are you standing in my hallway?” Mr. Bennet blustered.

“I am here to help make sure things proceed smoothly while the ladies prepare to leave. I will, of course, help you while I am here. Are you on your way to your chamber? Let me help you.” Hugh knew the man was attempting to cause issues, but he had no intention of allowing him to do anything.

Taking the gentleman by the elbow in a firm grip, he guided him through the house.

His grip on the man remained insistent as they walked.

Mr. Bennet had attempted to struggle when the man had taken him by the elbow but found that resistance was futile.

He gritted his teeth as the grip tightened and he remembered just how much he hated pain.

His failure brought home the point that he would not come off the winner if he attempted what he wanted to.

He listened to the sound of his own heart pounding as he realized he would be better off staying in his library and sipping a glass of port.

He would get some sleep and then his life would go back to how he liked it.

Who needed those annoying women, anyway?