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Once the Regent agreed that the three men had committed treason, it was only two days later that they met the executioner at the Tower.

By the time that the families traveling north reached their estates, the deed was done.

The Duke of Hertfordshire wrote to both the Liverpool manager and the Coastal Trader’s captain instructing them to communicate directly with the Earl of Brookfield, who would coordinate efforts once the conspirator’s final plans were known.

The day after all four Darcys returned to Pemberley they met with Tony to see how he was enjoying his time on the estate.

The original plan had been for him to stay on Pemberley until the criminals were all in custody, but before they departed Longbourn it was agreed that if the group in Bundoran did not execute their doomed to fail plan by the time that the new school year commenced at Oxford, that young álvarez should not miss out because of it.

“Has any post been forwarded to you from Ballycastle, Tony?” Elizabeth asked.

“No, your Grace, nothing as of yet,” Tony said, the disappointment evident in his voice. “I hoped against hope that my mother would be moved by my letter, but in my heart, I knew she would not be.”

“You never know,” Darcy said, trying to give the young man some hope even though he agreed with Tony’s assessment. “Sometimes people surprise us,” he stated as he looked at his duchess.

“I am afraid that she is too set in her ways,” Tony replied dejectedly, “Like her cohorts, she has come to believe that it is her due. There is no doubt in my mind that somehow she had blamed her Grace for my decision to make my own way and seek an honest life.”

“Sad as it may be,” Elizabeth said as she commiserated with the young man, “just look at where you have come, all by the honourable decisions that you have made. You have to know that we and the rest of the family will always support you.”

“I thank you for your kind words, your Grace,” he said with a bow of his head to both Darcys. “It is good to know that I have support if I need it, but I am determined to succeed on my own merits.”

Both husband and wife lauded his resolve, and after him telling them what he had been doing on the estate he was invited to dinner in two days hence when the Elliots would be guests as well.

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

Lady Marie Fitzwilliam woke up and for the first morning since her accident she had no pain at all.

She rolled over and watched her Andrew sleep, drinking in his handsome features.

She willed him to wake wanting to resume all aspects of their married life now that she was no longer experiencing any discomfort.

As if his heart heard hers calling out to him, Lord Andrew began to stir.

As he slowly opened his eyes, he thought he was dreaming that his beautiful wife was lying propped up on her elbow watching him.

As Marie’s hand rested on his cheek, he was assured that this was no dream.

“Marie, my love, how do you feel this morning?” he asked hopefully. He wanted nothing more than to resume marital relations with his wife, but would not push her, and had promised himself to wait for a clear signal from her.

“I am well, Andrew,” she smiled seductively. “In fact, I feel better than I have even before my fall,” she said as her hand started to trail down his body until it rested on his tumescent organ.

“A-are you sure, Marie?” he asked, his breath hitching when her answer came in the form of his wife stroking him. He pulled her into his arms, kissing her soundly.

When the master and mistress eventually rang for their personal servants, much later than was their wont, he was grinning from ear to ear with satisfaction, and she, with happiness after being soundly loved.

After they assisted their employers to bathe and dress, her Abigail and his valet gave each other knowing looks but said not a word as they would never discuss any private information that they were privy to with a single soul.

No one needed to inform the servants that something had shifted to as it was before the accident with the viscount and his viscountess.

They could once again see the happiness that radiated from the two.

The two in question had a lightness to their step, similar to when the master had first brought the mistress home after their wedding trip.

Both members of the couple were ruminating on the pleasure of the many times they would make love and hopefully return Marie to the state that she had been in before her fall.

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

Other than his wife, the rest of the family had transitioned to wearing half mourning six weeks after Uncle Sed’s passing.

At the end of August, they would end their formal mourning of their beloved brother and uncle, but he would forever be in their thoughts.

At Longfield Meadows, the Duke and Duchess of Bedford had grown much more comfortable in their new roles.

Amy now knew that although her duties as duchess were many, with her own abilities and the support of her large family, she had fully embraced her new role.

She continued Aunt Rose’s tradition of visits to the tenants.

By now she had visited each family in person and had learnt about each of the families and their needs.

Her loving husband was happy to see how relaxed his wife was and the seamless way that she had taken over her duties.

Once he had owned that his initial doubts and fears were irrational, Lord Tom never looked back.

Working closely with Mr. Mason, Tom had reviewed all aspects of the running of the estate and planned the upcoming harvest. He felt it was time for him and his wife to tour the other four estates that they had gained with the ascension to the title.

The largest of the secondary estates, Nine Oaks, was in Yorkshire, so it was a logical place to start.

The next estate in size was Dumfries Castle, near Dumfries in Scotland.

The final two small estates were in Berkshire and would be visited last. The last two had the advantage of being close to Town and had been used for house parties during the season by his predecessors.

Uncle Sed was planning to purchase a small estate between the two and create one larger property as a single combined estate.

Tom planned to consider the purchase when he and Amy visited, as the idea of having a decent sized estate that close to London was appealing to him.

There would not be an issue with the entail on the properties under the Bedford dukedom as he would be adding land, not subtracting it.

He summoned the butler and asked that he inform the Duchess he would like to see her.

The man bowed to the master and went to fulfil his charge.

Not two minutes later his Amy entered his study as he stood and came around his desk to welcome her with a hug.

“You wanted to see me, Husband?” she raised her eyebrows in question.

“I did, my Amy,” Tom answered as he gently led her to the loveseat under the windows.

“After thinking about a tour to see the other estates that we own for some time now, I feel that we are both confident enough in our duties to undertake a trip of about a month. Do you have any objection to our doping so?”

“No, my love. I can see no reason that would cause us to delay,” his wife responded with a kiss to his cheek. She thought for a moment and then added, “What if the miscreants move against Lizzy while we are away?”

“We will make sure that the family knows where we will be and when,” Tom informed his wife.

“I am supremely confident that Lizzy will be well protected. Besides Biggs and Johns, who would sooner die that allow her to be harmed, William will move heaven and earth to protect our sister, not to mention the rest of the family.”

“In that case, when should we depart?” Amy asked.

“Can you be ready in three days, my love?” Tom asked and received a nod of agreement from his wife. “We will start with Nine Oaks as it is the closest to us.”

With their plans set, the housekeeper and butler were summoned and informed of the upcoming travel schedule.

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

Due to the fact that her daughter would have her come out with Ladies Mary, Kitty and Loretta, Lady Anne had suggested that the Longbourn Bennets and the De Melvilles be invited to Pemberley so that they could make their plans in one place.

Neither William nor Elizabeth had any objection to her suggestion, so invitations were issued.

The Fitzwilliams at Snowhaven too were invited and would bring Lady Catherine, who had recently returned from her sojourn with her daughter and son-in-law.

The Bennets and De Melvilles responded positively and would arrive on the coming Friday.

The Fitzwilliam brothers and their brides had been invited to join the family and had responded that they would arrive on Saturday.

Tom and Amy had sent regrets as they were about to embark on a tour of their estates.

The Gardiners would collect Frank and Hattie Phillips in Meryton, and also arrive with the Bingleys, Hursts, and younger Phillipses on Saturday.

What started out as a visit to plan a coming out ball had evolved into a full family visit.

Elizabeth knocked on her mother-in-law’s sitting room door and was invited to come sit next to Lady Anne on the settee. Lady Anne could not but notice that her daughter-in-law looked sad. She knew that Elizabeth would talk to her about what ailed her when she felt ready.

“Is there something wrong with me, Mother Anne?” she asked as a tear rolled down her cheek.

“To what do you refer, Lizzy?” Lady Anne asked gently as she took Elizabeth’s hands in her own.

“My courses started this morning,” she said with a sob, “it had been almost three months since we wed, and I am not yet with child. William will regret…”