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“I know not, Father. All we can do is pray that he is finally looking at the way that he treats others not wholly connected to himself. When you return to your office, please ask the lad waiting in the hall outside my office to come in.” The solicitor wrote a reply he handed to the boy which indicated that if it did not conflict with another meeting on his schedule, Mr. Darcy had an appointment at three o’clock that afternoon.

As he watched the lad leave his office, the younger Steveton could only shake his head in continued amazement.

He had never thought to see such a day when the ‘great’ Fitzwilliam Darcy requested, not demanded, but requested an appointment.

~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~

The Bingley coach arrived at Longbourn ten minutes before the time that Mrs. Hurst and Miss Bingley had been invited to join the Bennet daughters.

They were shown into a very elegant drawing room where the ladies were already seated.

The Duke was in his study and the other four men were in the billiards room waiting for Bingley and Hurst to join them.

The men bowed and were directed thither by a footman.

The ladies curtsied to one another and then the five Bennet ladies joined the two arriving ladies and walked back outside.

There were two huge coaches waiting for them, the most comfortable coaches the two sisters had ever seen, each with the coat of arms of the Duke of Hertfordshire emblazoned on the doors.

The two sets of Bennet twins rode in the first carriage while the two awed sisters were joined by Lady Elizabeth in the second vehicle.

When Mrs. Hurst enquired whether Mrs. Pierce and her sister Miss Lucas would meet them in Meryton, Lady Elizabeth informed them that Little Emma Pierce had a low fever and her mother and aunt were looking after her, so they had conveyed their regrets.

The carriages were impressive from outside, but that was nothing to the comfort inside.

To say that the conveyances were well sprung was an understatement.

‘ If I had not taken Lady Anne’s lessons and advice to heart, I would never have been here due to the offences I too may have given to Lady Elizabeth.

I would have been jealous of her beauty, wealth, and position, and would more than likely have done or said something that would have ruined me in society just as Darcy had done.

’ Miss Bingley was snapped out of her reverie as she heard Lady Elizabeth ask if she was well.

“You have my sincerest apology, Lady Elizabeth. I am well and was but wool-gathering. Did you ask me something?” She inquired, chagrined that she has not heard the question.

“It is no matter; we are all lost to our reveries from time to time. I asked how long your brother and Mr. Darcy have been friends.” The lady repeated her question without any hint of censure in her voice.

“Charles met Mr. Darcy in his first year at Cambridge. You know that our roots are in trade, yes?” Caroline

expected the distaste at her admission that she often saw when members of the first circles heard that their money was from trade.

“I do know that, but you have to know that I, none of us, will judge you based on that fact. Consider Mr. Darcy, if you will. He is a member of the first circles, yet I prefer your company over his. Your late father was, and your brother is now, in partnership with Edward Gardiner of Gardiner and Associates, is that not so?” Lady Elizabeth stated more than asked.

“Why yes, your Ladyship, how do you know that?” asked a surprised Mrs. Hurst.

“Did you know that my dearest Papa was entrapped into marriage by a despicable woman who died bringing Jane and Marie into the world?” Elizabeth asked bluntly.

“N-no, we did not,” replied a very shocked Caroline Bingley.

Lady Elizabeth proceeded to tell the sisters a shortened version of the actions of that woman .

“So, you see, Uncle Edward and Aunt Maddie are Jane and Marie’s uncle and aunt by blood, and the rest of us born to our Mama count them as the same.

The solicitor that brokered your brother’s lease, is husband to Uncle Edward’s older sister.

After we have been to see the modiste, we will stop at the Phillips’ for tea. ” Elizabeth informed them.

It was barely a mile into Meryton, so before the conversation could continue the carriages pulled up in front of the nondescript storefront that the Bennets owned which was kept for the modiste’s use when the Bennets were in residence.

“We will speak later,” Lady Elizabeth stated. It was not a question.

Madam Chantelle welcomed some of Madam Chambourg’s most important clients into the shop.

They had notified her that they would be joined by two additional ladies so there was tea service for seven already laid out.

If the Bennets brought someone with them or recommended that the modiste accept them as clients, they were accepted without question.

With one simple action that proved their characters to their benefit, Mrs. Hurst and Miss Bingley had gotten their names on the list of clients that they had believed was very far out of their reach.

~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~

In the billiard room the two Bennets and two Fitzwilliams were not happy.

Bingley had beaten all comers and was the only one who was unbeaten that afternoon.

The soon to be ex-colonel belatedly remembered that their banished cousin had told him Bingley was one of the best billiard players he had played against. Richard had thought that his cousin was exaggerating, but he was not.

In fact, he may have understated Bingley’s skill with a cue.

Hurst had not bothered to check his amusement with the frustration exhibited by the other men.

He had seen it many times before from others who thought that they could match his brother’s skill.

Tired of being bested, the men retired to an unoccupied drawing room where Lord Tom rang for Hill to bring them some libations.

None of the men present believed in drinking to excess, but a snifter of the best French brandy or a glass of port would not hurt anyone.

Once Hill had poured each man his choice of drink, he bowed and left them.

“Tom and James,” Richard Fitzwilliam looked at his future brothers, “I understand that you two threated William, that is Darcy, with being called out if it were not Illegal.”

“You heard correctly, Richard,” James answered for the brothers with bravado.

“You are very lucky that it is illegal.” He stated plainly, inwardly amused at the sceptical look both young marquesses sported.

“Of what do you speak, Richard?” Lord Tom frowned.

“Have you not seen the fencing awards on the walls in the club at Cambridge, nor the same for pistol mastery that cover 06’ to 08’?” Andrew jumped in.

“We have. I personally did not look too closely and not at specific years, did you, Tom?” James asked, suspecting that he now knew whose name was on the awards.

“I did not, brother,” Tom Bennet looked at the Fitzwilliam brothers expectantly, hoping they would answer the open question.

It was Bingley who supplied it, “For the three years that he was at Cambridge, Darcy was unbeaten ! Since he has graduated, his skill has only improved. Whenever he is in Town, you can find him at Angelo’s.

Even among the masters there are few that can beat him.

With a duelling pistol at twenty paces, there is none that can match him. ”

“I have been in the army for nigh on ten years, and I only wish that I could come close to his level of skill with both weapons,” Richard told the now somewhat pale Bennet brothers.

“You would have been safe. I am sure that as he was so mortified at his behaviour that had either of you actually challenged him, he would have deloped.”

“You mean that his apology was genuine, he is a man of honour?” James asked, his pallor returning to normal.

“Yes!” All four non-Bennet men answered simultaneously.

“William has a lot of traits that he needs to examine, but he has never been lacking in honour or honesty. I know that Lizzy wants to see proof,” Andrew told the group, “but his word is his bond. I have known him since he was born, and he has never lied nor gone back on his word once given. I understand why he adopted the mask that he wears, but I do not condone the behaviour that he adopted with it. That is his cross to bear, and his alone.”

The room was quiet for a little while as the two Bennets assimilated the information that had been shared. Both marquesses came to the realisation that if he could fix his behaviour, Fitzwilliam Darcy would be someone worth knowing.

~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~

Darcy was shown into the younger Mr. Steveton’s office. The solicitor was already standing and waiting for his single biggest client. They bowed and shook hands then both men sat.

“How may I be of service to you today, sir?” the solicitor asked as he made himself comfortable behind his desk.

“Before I make my request, Steveton, I need to make an apology,” Darcy lifted his hand to stop the protests that were about to be offered by the man, “Ever since I took over from my late father as master of Pemberley, I thought myself above following the rules of your business that every other client follows, norms that my late honoured father used to follow as well.

“Even though I knew full well that you asked each of your clients to set an appointment, I disregarded that rule. As if it were my exclusive due, I would walk in when it suited me and would then have the temerity to be peeved if you were not able to see me when I deemed it time to do so. I understand that you set up the system so that you can give each of your clients the attention that their concerns need. Please pass my apology on to your father as well and believe that from now on I will behave with the same courtesy to you as all of your other clients do,” Darcy bowed his head to reinforce his apology.

Of all his clients, this was the last one Steveton ever thought would make such an apology.

That he would humble himself before one that many considered a tradesman in such a way left him speechless.

Could it be that his father was correct, that the son was finally becoming more like his late father?

Steveton stood and offered Mr. Darcy his hand, “I thank you on behalf of Steveton and Son for that heartfelt and sincere apology, Mr. Darcy. We are here to serve you, sir, and I dare say that you will see that the service will be much improved when we have time scheduled that we know is yours and yours alone. If you notify us in general terms what it is you wish to meet about, then we can be that much more effective in our service to you. I am also now at your service, sir. Please proceed and let me know how I can be of assistance today.”

“The Duke of Hertfordshire gave me some welcome advice on how to stop the attempted compromises from ever being attempted again. He suggested that I draw up a marriage settlement based on these points,” Darcy reached into his coat pocket and handed the solicitor a folder sheet of paper.

The solicitor read the suggestions over thrice and then looked at his client with a broad smile, “I would have to agree with his Grace, this would be enough to make anyone thinking of compromising you run in the opposite direction. I have just one question: how would they know that this is what awaits them?”

“That is where you come in,” Darcy smirked slyly.

“I want you to let it ‘slip’ that I have had you prepare this settlement and that it is on file to be used if anyone tried to entrap me into an unwanted marriage. Most of all, make sure that the precise amounts are known as well.” He thought for a second and then proceeded, “It could be a good way to get new business as I am sure that I am not the only one that huntresses have targeted. I have no objection if you decide to use this as a template for others.”

“I can think of no lady in polite society who would want to chance being saddled in a marriage with such a contract; it is brilliant. If her male protector fails to sign, then her intended victim would be free with his honour fully intact,” Steveton whistled at the ingenuity of the settlement.

He imagined that there was a reason that his Grace had come up with such a plan, but he was not about to ask why.

“I will have a draft ready on Monday if you would like to return after the Sabbath.”

Darcy told Steveton that the appointment was acceptable, shook his hand, and left.

After Mr. Darcy had exited, Mr. Steveton, Senior entered his son’s office from an interleading door.

“Yes, my old friend George Darcy would be very happy if he could see that his son is finally ready to make the changes that will have the man that his father always knew he would be emerge.”