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“If I have two like you and Papa,” Franny said as she looked warmly at her mother, “I will be very happy.” Hattie Phillips glowed at the compliment that she felt from her daughter.

The conversation turned to the upcoming evening after dinner when the men would share the plans for Lizzy’s security and how they would deal with the criminals. Lady Anne rung for tea as they speculated about how the plan would unfold.

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

As the Duchess of Derbyshire sat on Mercury admiring the view that was laid out in front of her like a pretty painting, except this one was by the ultimate artist, the Lord Himself. After admiring the beauty before her, her mind inevitably thought on what was to come.

‘Why do they want to hurt me ? ’ she asked herself.

‘I have never done anything to them. It is not my fault that Wickham tried to move against me and died trying. That reprehensible man, Tony’s father, was not forced to participate, and all of the consequences were due to their own actions.

’ She paused and thought about what she had just told herself.

‘I am trying to find logic and sense where those involved have short supply of both!

Just like the previous conspirators reaped the results of their own actions, so it will be with this lot.

‘ I do feel bad for Tony as his mother is one of the group. He has done everything that he can short of tying her up and kidnapping her to get her to change her course. If she chooses not to, then that will not be on his head . ’

“Lizzy, where did you go? I was asking you a question and you did not hear me,” Kitty asked, snapping her sister out of her reverie.

“Sorry, Kitty, I was wool-gathering,” Elizabeth said sheepishly. “What was it you were asking?”

“I wanted to know if you come up here often as the view is spectacular,” Kitty repeated.

“If we have time before we depart, I would like to return with my sketching accoutrements and make some drawings to paint later.” Kitty had a natural talent for drawing and painting that had been honed by many lessons with masters.

“We leave in three days, Kitty,” Mary reminded her twin sister, “If you want to come back here on the morrow, and there are no plans that we will be intruding on, I will come back with you as I would not mind making a sketch of the Peaks in the distance.” Both Georgiana and Lorretta added their names to the group to return as the four looked at Elizabeth in expectation.

“As far as I know there are no plans that would be impacted by your returning tomorrow,” Elizabeth agreed to expressions of joy form the four younger ladies. “As long as you have permission from your parents, and that your companions accompany you with two guards apiece, I have no objection.”

“Were we like that when we were younger?” Caroline asked rhetorically.

“I know I was,” Marie responded, “both Jane and I had our share of youthful exuberance.”

“Not so much for me,” Louisa said with a smile, “Caroline can tell you that I was a much more serious girl.” Caroline nodded her agreement.

“Are we ready to return to the house?” Lizzy asked. There were no objections so with two footmen and grooms leading the way, they began the decent from the summit of the hill back towards the stables.

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

Edward Gardiner had just caught a very large carp and was most pleased with his efforts for he enjoyed angling above all sports.

The group of men was spread out along the banks of the stream.

He was in a group of the more mature men.

His brothers Frank and Thomas were to his right with Reggie and Cyril to the left.

The seven younger men were fifty yards downstream.

“I would rather be relaxing with some fine port in my son’s library than swatting flies away,” Lord Thomas joked. “Without inflating William’s ego, I have to admit that this is a very pleasant spot, and these oaks give us ample shade and keep us out of the sun.”

“If I were master of an estate like this, I would never leave it,” Frank Phillips said as he looked around at the pleasant scene.

“Even I have to admit that Pemberley has more beauty that my Snowhaven,” Lord Reggie stated, “but,” he added with a large grin, “if any of you repeat what I said to William, I will adamantly deny that those words crossed my lips!” The men around him guffawed leading the younger group to wonder what had caused the group to laugh as they were.

“Something amused them.” Bingley stated the obvious.

“Indeed Bingley,” Graham Phillips ribbed his brother-in-law, “none of us noticed that fact!”

“Do not harass Bingley,” Lord James warned his cousin, “unless, that is, you want stories of Lizzy beating you in a fight to be told.”

“Hey, I was only eleven at the time!” Phillips defended himself with a smirk.

“You were, but how old was my sister?” James prodded.

“Six!” came the almost inaudible response, which was repeated by James, causing the men to laugh at James’s expense.

“I will have to ask my wife for an explanation,” Darcy said with amusement as he imagined a six-year-old harridan beating her older cousin in a fight.

“Graham is not the only one that took a beating from Lizzy, is he James?” Lord Wes shared.

“Same for you and Tom, so I would not crow too loudly if I were you, Wes,” Lord James countered.

Wes lifted his hands in surrender, he had lost to little Lizzy more than once, and not for want of trying to best her.

Richard and Andrew looked on in amusement as both had heard stories about the wild girl that was their younger sister from their respective wives.

By mutual agreement Richard and William asked James to take a short walk with them while the others tended their lines. “You know that William and I share guardianship of Georgie, do you not?” Lord Richard asked. Lord James nodded to let them know that he did.

“We,” Lord William said as he looked to Richard and received his nod for him to speak for both of them, “want to reiterate that we want Georgie to have a season before you, or any other, declare for her.”

“The message had been received loud and clear,” James said firmly.

“James, neither of us have an objection to you as a suitor for Georgie,” Lord William said, just in case James felt that they were warning him off. “As long as you are her choice and you love one another, we will not stand in your way.”

“Thank you, William, Richard,” James said appreciatively. “It gladdens me to hear you say that. I promise you that if Georgie feels the same for me as I do for her, her happiness will be my life’s mission.”

“Make sure that it is,” Lord Richard stated as he slapped his brother on the back.

James was well aware that although the words were said lightly that there was a strenuous warning behind them.

James was determined that if his suit was accepted, that neither Georgiana nor her guardians would ever have cause to repine.

“One more thing,” his other brother-in-law added.

“We will require a long courtship, and if it comes to that, a betrothal period that would last until she is eighteen and you three and twenty.” James agreed to the restriction as there was no length of time that he was not willing to wait for the young lady that held his heart firmly in her grasp.

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

Tom and Amy Bennet received an express from his father three days after they arrived at Dumfries Castle.

The express briefly told them that the intelligence that they had been waiting for had arrived, that the family was all at Pemberley, and that due to the information in the letter, the stay had been extended.

It took no time at all for the decision to be made. The rest of the tour would be put on hold and the couple would head for Pemberley on the morrow before sunrise to join the family. They issued orders for their trunks to be packed and the carriages to be readied for an early departure.

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

Tony álvarez had been informed that a missive from the men who had infiltrated the Stealthy Runner’s crew had been received.

He was further informed where the showdown would take place and when.

He also knew for sure that his mother had chosen to ignore his pleas.

It saddened him, but he felt that he had warned her as much as he could.

The report that the men had sent had clearly stated that his mother was still with the Younges and was as keen as ever to execute their plan.

Tony had sat with the Elliots for a few long conversations, and they had helped him come to peace with the fact that he had no control over his mother’s choices, and helped him see that there was nought more he could reasonably do.

He had become very close to the Elliots, so much so that he was treated as a son by the couple who accepted him for who he was and wanted nothing from him but his friendship in return.

Young álvarez was to leave for Oxford in a sennight, before the confrontation was to occur. He thought back to the meeting he had been party to in the parsonage’s sitting room with Mr. Elliot, the Dukes of Hertfordshire and Derbyshire, and the Earl of Brookfield.

“I want to stay at Pemberley and be of assistance,” Tony had requested.

“That would not be wise, Tony,” Mr. Elliot said.

“I agree with the reverend,” Lord Thomas stated. “You have worked so hard to be accepted to study at Oxford, do you really want to defer your studies for a year complete?”

“No, but,” Tony’s determination wavered, “I feel a responsibility…”

“You have none!” Lord Richard cut him off. “You have chosen to live a good life, and that is what you need to do. In fact, I believe that it would be better if you were not here when we have to deal with the criminals.”

“I agree with my brother,” Lord William added. “It may become very unpleasant, and we have more than enough men here. You deserve to start your studies, that is what you need to do.”

“I will write to you once it is over, Tony,” Mr. Elliot promised. “Remember that you are part of my family now and that there will be chambers waiting for you when you have your term breaks and holidays.”

“I agree with my sons and the vicar,” Lord Thomas said encouragingly.

“You need to start the new path you have chosen, and it will do you no good being here when it all happens. Choosing right over wrong and good over evil is not always easy, but you have made the correct choices. You will have all of our support, and if you need any help at school all you need to do is write to Mr. Elliot and he will let us know.”

As he was readying himself for his journey to Oxford, Tony knew that he had again made the correct choice to not stay.

The men could have ordered him to, but they treated him as a man and left the decision to him.

Tony álvarez was at peace as he climbed aboard the Darcy carriage that would bear him to university, seen off by the three Elliots, with young Grace bestowing a hug and a big wet kiss on his cheek before he entered the conveyance.

With a wave to the people who were so very supportive of him and allowed him to make his own future, the carriage jerked a little as the driver put the team in motion.

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

On the eleventh day of August, the year of our Lord 1812, the Coastal Trader docked in Bundoran.

The Younges, and Johanna álvarez felt the excitement building, after she departed on the morrow, it would be a few short days later until the Stealthy Runner set sail, bringing them to the riches that they felt were justly deserved.

The End of Part 2

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