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Wes, who had been so animated while Mary was in residence, was now moping about looking lovelorn.

He knew that he needed to snap himself out of the malaise, so he took a long ride on his bay stallion hoping the ride would start to restore his mood.

Afterall, it would not be too long before he was in company with his lady love again.

As he rode, he thought about the conversation that he had with Uncle Thomas in his father’s study the night before the Bennets departed Broadhurst for Longbourn.

“Wes, please join me in my brother’s study,” Uncle Thomas had requested. Wes was under no illusion; it was an order not a request. Once the two men turned the chairs in front of the desk to face one another, they seated themselves.

“I have spoken to Mary.” His uncle launched directly into the subject that he wished to talk about. “She assures me that your attentions are not unwanted. That being said, I want to reiterate my desire for both of my youngest daughters to have at least part of their first season.”

“Part, Uncle Thomas?” Wes asked, the words ‘part of their first season’ granting him hopes he had never dared to ask for.

“After talking to Mary and Aunt Sarah,” his uncle said with a slight grimace that let Wes know that he had been overruled, but he would never breathe a word about his realisation, “I was ‘convinced’ that it was pointless to wait longer as you both seem bound and determined to marry, and only each other.” Uncle Thomas got a faraway look in his eyes as he contemplated his babies leaving his protection for that of their future husbands’.

“There is no question of your honour; both Sarah and I know that Mary could not have fallen in love with a more worthy man.

“When, and we both know it is when and not if, she accepts your application for a courtship, you will wait at least two months before you apply for her hand in marriage. I will require a further two months before the date that you marry.”

“I understand, Uncle Thomas,” Wes said sincerely.

“To be honest, I had not dared to request being able to declare myself to you so soon, and request even a shorter time to at least declare my intentions as I know that you are losing your daughters so much faster than I would want to. Thoughts of losing my one sister to even a good man that she eventually chooses,” he nodded at Bennet’s surprise, “made me see that it will be infinitely harder for our father. It will be hard for father to let go of Retta when that time comes, and it will probably be the same if I too am blessed with one or four daughters.” Wes agreed ruefully.

“Have a care rising our Mary’s temper. At least Lizzy is quick to forgive and let bygones be bygones. Mary is not so quick to forget.” Bennet chuckled. “Now what about that Miss Amanda Price, which everyone in the Ton knows has set her cap for you?” his uncle asked.

“That woman is crass and without a thought in her head beyond social climbing, I have never…” Wes was cut off when his uncle held up his hand.

“I am fully aware that you never invited her attention,” he said clearly, “That is not my concern. Miss Price is known to be particularly vicious when she does not get her own way, I want to make sure that you will do whatever is needed to protect my Mary from that shrew’s claws.

” Uncle Thomas thought for a second and then gave a sardonic grin, “Truth be told, it may be Miss Price that will need protection from my Mary if she succeeds in raising my daughter’s ire. ”

“Seeing Mary set that shrew down would be a sight to see, however you have my solemn promise, Uncle Thomas,” Wes said with all seriousness, “She will be ruined if she attempts to harm Mary in any way. You would think that ones as new to society as Miss Price and her family are, that they would be aware of the dangers of angering our families.”

“Sometimes desire overrules good sense,” his uncle said. “Besides you, Mary will have myself, her uncles, brothers, and cousins around her, so if Miss Prices is senseless enough to attempt anything, our retribution will be swift.”

The more he thought about his conversation with his uncle, the more he realised that there was no reason to be missish—in fact the opposite was true.

He took himself to task for the childish expression of missing Mary and rather concentrated on the next time that he would see her.

By the time he walked back up the stairs to his chambers, he was whistling an out of key tune.

Loretta and Georgiana looked at one another questioningly, neither able to account for the change in Wes since his ride.

Loretta turned to Georgiana as they heard Wes close his door. “How do you know that you truly love my cousin and that it is not simply infatuation?” she asked.

“I think about him all the time when I am not occupied with another task,” she informed Retta with a dreamy faraway look that she got anytime that she thought of James Bennet.

“I only see a future if James is in it with me. If I am ever feeling down, all I need to do is imagine that he is near and my mood lifts immediately. It would not matter to me if he were not titled or wealthy, I know that if he asks, I will accept him no matter what.”

“That is what I hope that I find for myself,” Loretta said wistfully.

“There is no reason that you will not find true love. In our family it is the norm, not the exception. When you least expect it, you will find the love of your life,” Georgiana opined.

“How is that you are so wise? After all, you are younger than I am,” Loretta teased.

“Only by a few months,” Georgiana responded with feigned outrage.

“Your advice is sound, and it echoes what my mother advised me,” Loretta smiled sweetly. “Let us go see if we can fathom what has changed Wes’s mood so drastically.” The two young ladies giggled as they made their way to his sitting room.

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

As they were all family, it was decided to eschew the separation of the sexes after the very tasteful and pleasant dinner at Darcy House.

Lady Anne smiled as she watched her daughter-in-law sitting on the settee with her two pregnant cousins either side of her.

Franny was huge as she was not too far behind Jane in due date, and Caroline was not small either.

She watched her former protégé place Lizzy’s hand on her belly as her child kicked.

Feeling the kick made Elizabeth’s smile brighten so much that her heart melted at the simple beauty of love in all its forms evident in the room.

Elizabeth passed along that Louisa had responded from Winsdale with their regrets at not being able to join the group that would be at Seaview to Caroline and Franny. Louisa had only recently become with child after years of disappointment and was determined to do nothing that may harm her babe.

Lady Anne turned her attention across the room where the men were sitting in comfortable armchairs across from their wives, each with a glass of spirits in hand.

William, normally not so garrulous, was regaling them with the story of the hapless criminals and their inept attempt to kidnap Lizzy.

Bingley and Phillips had known part of the story but appreciated hearing the complete tale.

It was coincidental that earlier that very day, the ship bearing Johanna álvarez had departed England’s shores, beginning the long and perilous journey to the other side of the known world.

Bingley reported that he was feeling more confident in his new role as head of the company and was glad that he had decided to accept it and forgo purchasing an estate for the time being.

“I think that I will follow Uncle Edward’s example.

At some point, when I am ready to withdraw from the day-to-day running of the company, I will look into the purchase of one, maybe not too far from Meryton,” he said as he took a sip of his cognac.

“How about you, Graham?” William asked, “Is Sir Norman keeping you busy?”

“We have more than enough cases to keep us busy,” Graham responded with satisfaction, adding that he enjoyed his profession greatly. “I recently heard from my father; he is considering retirement.”

“I did not know that, brother,” Charles said with surprise as Franny had not mentioned it to him.

“Franny was not told yet, Father wants to make a decision first,” Graham answered the logical question before it was asked.

“Does he require you to take over the practice in Meryton?” William asked.

“That was the original plan,” Graham agreed, “however, he is completely reconciled to my chosen profession and has been grooming his head clerk to take over after he retires. I believe that is what he is waiting for. As soon as Mr. Danvers is ready, he will announce his retirement.”

His two companions agreed that the plan was a sound one. The biggest question was whether the Phillips parents would remain in Meryton or take a town home in London to be nearer to their children.

Elizabeth had just finished sharing the full story of the attempted kidnapping with the ladies. During the telling, Lady Anne had moved to the armchair to the right of the settee where the three younger women sat.

“You were not concerned, Lizzy?” Franny asked.

Elizabeth answered honestly. “Not for myself, but I was most worried for William and the rest of the men who accompanied him to Pemberley. However, everything worked out as Richard planned. The last living member of the criminal cabal is, as we speak, on her way to the penal colony across the ocean.”

“It is better than she deserves!” Caroline said with annoyance. “I do understand why her son elected to have her transported instead of the alternative.”

“We all agree with Tony’s choice,” Elizabeth reported. “If she had made the same mistake as Clay Younge, she would be in the potter’s field right alongside him!”

The ladies had not noticed that the men had joined them until that instant. Franny turned to her cousin William, “Why do you suppose that Younge tried to kill Richard, William?” she asked.

As was his wont to do when he was thinking, William was silent for a minute.

“I believe,” he said thoughtfully, “Richard had just reminded him of his dead sister and that, added to his failure and in seeing there was no hope left for him, he acted as he did to go down fighting in the way a warrior does, not that he was one, but delusions he had in abundance, as you know.”

“What about the soldier that he stabbed in the arm before his attempt to kill Richard?” Charles asked out of concern.

“He needed two stiches from the surgeon which Richard had on standby,” William responded.

“Younge did not stab him with that much force, so it ended up being a flesh wound. Even though he gained freedom for an instant, he was dispatched most fittingly and by the best of us.” William nodded at Richard in deference, for having seen the military side of his brother he could picture his command in battle and the dangers he faced daily, hourly even.

That was far more than any others in the room had ever faced, and to come out with the gift of his sister Jane was a worthy reward.

It was only right that she was the first to have a child to protect and love. He deserved no less.

Not long after the guests departed for their homes. The Darcys were relatively sure that the next time they saw the couples their babes would have joined the world.

Having left Netherfield before six the following morning, James arrived by nine.

He was welcomed by his sister and the other Darcys in residence, he joined them to break their fast before they commenced the relatively short journey to Seahaven Cottage.

Both Elizabeth and her brother were excited to start the journey.

She had never seen Seahaven before and could not wait, Darcy was keen to arrive at the stop at Broadhurst where he would see Georgiana again.

As the luxurious Darcy carriage bore them into Essex, none of his three traveling companions missed the looks of anticipation James couldn’t quite master as they got closer and closer to Broadhurst.