In 1794, two little girls disappear in the midst of a horrific event. The reemergence of one of the girls some eighteen years later brings happiness to many but will drive a few to acts of desperation.

The young woman raised as Elizabeth Bennet for eighteen years is not whom she believes herself to be. A story of murder, betrayal and reconciliation.

The Second Sister

by

Lucrezia

Prologue

May 1794

Kent

James Fitzwilliam helped his five year old daughter Johanna into his carriage; behind him, a nurse held the hand of his younger daughter Elizabeth. When all were settled within, he tapped the roof of the coach and they began their ride home to Claresfont, the Matlock estate in Nottinghamshire. He sighed in relief and when he caught a small smile on the face of Miss Edwin, the girl's nurse, he could not help but grin at her in return. Any trip to Kent to see his brother and sister de Bourgh was bound to be trying but this time his dear wife Maria had not accompanied him. She was indisposed with a badly sprained ankle, a condition which would have made traveling exceedingly uncomfortable for her. He had insisted that she remain at home. It was not serious enough however to warrant his staying behind with her and so he and his girls had gone on their usual Easter trip to Rosings. Despite the presence of his amiable brother Andrew and his family as well his brother and sister Darcy and their son Fitzwilliam, two weeks of hearing his children corrected and his niece Anne egregiously praised by his sister Catherine could never end soon enough.

He had married later than his younger brother, who now had two fine sons, Malcolm and Edward. The delay had perhaps made him even happier when he had met and wed Lady Maria Nesbitt, the twenty year old daughter of the Duke of Wiltingham. She was a beautiful woman who had already rejected two gentlemen of high rank when she fell in love with him more than nine years ago. Not long after their marriage, his father had passed on and he had come into his inheritance. He and Maria now had two beautiful daughters and each day, he looked forward to the years to come.

Despite the perils of traveling with two small children, Lord Matlock never had enough of his daughters' company. They got along quite well with one another despite being of very different temperaments. Now five years of age, Johanna was all that was sweet and lovely. Elizabeth was relentlessly curious and something of a tom-boy: she cried only when she was angry, usually when she was prevented from engaging in some activity that Miss Edwin deemed unsafe for her. While he tried not to encourage it, he was secretly amused at how frequently exasperated his sister de Bourgh became with Lizzy during this visit. He was glad in a way that Maria had not been with them to hear the ill-tempered Catherine suggest to him that the birthmark which Elizabeth had on the underside of her right wrist be treated with a bleaching agent to cause it to fade. His wife likely would have told his sister that bathing her caustic tongue would be a better use of the chemicals.

Because of the distance between Rosings and Claresfont, the Fitzwilliam party was obliged to spend two nights at lodgings along the way. When the Earl came out of the inn with his children on the last day of the trip, his driver informed him that the recently hired postillion had taken ill with stomach pains during the night and was too sick to accompany them that morning. Fitzwilliam asked the driver to make arrangements with the innkeeper for the fellow's board while he recovered. After this was done, he helped his daughters into the carriage and they soon departed.

The Fitzwilliam carriage was ten miles from home when the road entered a wooded area. Before long, the driver shouted to one of the footmen, who leaned over to the carriage window to tell the Earl that a coach was stopped ahead of them in the road, leaving little room to pass. He directed the driver to stop in order to see if anyone was in need of assistance. The footman who investigated hurried back to tell him that there was a woman in the carriage who appeared to be unconscious. Lord Matlock quickly disembarked and had started walking up the road when a movement to his right caught his attention. He was a bit confused when he realized that his ailing postillion had just walked out of the trees and now stood in front of him. That was to be the Earl's last thought. He noticed too late that the man was pointing a pistol directly at him.

James Fitzwilliam's life force had just left his body when a man walked out of the shadows of the trees and gazed at the carnage he had ordered. He stood looking down at the Earl of Matlock as a feeling of satisfaction infused his entire being. He was about to push the body further into the dirt when a rustle caught his attention. The man turned and saw a female victim staring at him as if to memorize every aspect of his face. He paid it no mind: she would soon take whatever she saw with her to the grave.

When her husband and children failed to return to Claresfont on the appointed day, the Countess of Matlock sent out men in search of the carriage. When they finally came upon it, they found the body of the Earl along with those of the children's nurse, the drivers, the two footmen and the guard. Only one driver was still alive although he was unconscious. There was no sight of the two girls. When the surviver briefly regained consciousness the following day, he told them of the stranded coach and how they had been overcome by a large group of armed men. He had no idea of what had happened to the children although he recalled seeing a woman climb down from the other carriage shortly before he passed out. Unfortunately the man became increasingly insensible and a few days later, he succumbed to a blood infection. Right before he died, he regained a semblance of consciousness, only to mutter a few words that meant nothing to the Fitzwilliams. The significance of his dying declaration, if any, died with him.

With the death of his brother, Andrew Fitzwilliam became the Sixth Earl of Matlock and he and his family took up residence at Claresfont. He made every effort to assist his brother's widow in the search for her children. However, after two years without any results and despite the urgings of the now Earl to remain in Nottinghamshire, Maria Nesbitt Fitzwilliam decided to return to her ancestral home. The memories of her two little girls would never leave her but at least at Fairview, she would not have the pain of seeing them in her mind's eye in every room that she entered.

Chapter 1

1812

London

Fitzwilliam Darcy looked up and smiled as his sister Georgiana entered the breakfast room. “Good morning, my dear,” he said. “It looks like it will be a beautiful day. Would you care to ride to the park with me later this morning?”

Georgiana Darcy took her seat at the table and nodded her thanks to the servant who had just poured her a cup of coffee.

“Ordinarily I would, William. However Mrs. Annesley and I am to call on Sarah this morning. She is just arrived in town.”

“Ah, that explains your cheerful mood.” Darcy knew that his sister and her friend from school were thick as thieves. She had missed her constant company in the year since he had removed her from school at the age of fifteen. The two corresponded constantly and looked forward to spending whatever time they could with each other, during their families' visits to town. “How is Lady Sarah faring now?” he asked.

“She is well. Her parents have hired a companion for her now that she has left Blanding's. I imagine that I will meet her today.”

Darcy nodded but did not reply. As the sole guardian of his sister since the death of their father nearly seven years ago, he had hired a respectable widow to be her companion when he had withdrawn her from school. Although he spent as much time with her as possible, his concern was that she needed the company of a mature woman in addition to that of a brother more than ten years her senior. In the case of Lady Sarah Parker, her parents, the Earl and Countess of Millwood, had thrust her into the care of a series of strangers as they indulged their self-interests. But despite the seeming lack of parental involvement, she had turned out to be a clever and disarming girl whom he welcomed as a friend to Georgiana.

Georgiana ate her breakfast quickly then returned to her chambers to prepare for her outing. A half hour later she was in the entrance hall of Darcy House awaiting the presence of Mrs. Annesley. Her companion was well aware of how eager her young charge was to seeing her friend and did not keep her waiting very long. They were soon in a carriage for the short ride from St. James Square to the Millwood House in Belgrave Square.

Lady Sarah Parker was anxiously waiting for her guests in the drawing room of her family's townhouse. Her parents were not in London, having gone on a tour to visit properties owned by the Earl in Ireland. She was accompanied by a woman some five years older than herself who had recently started working as a governess of sorts for her. Sarah already liked her a great deal for she had a lively sense of humor and a great deal of energy.

When the butler announced the arrival of Miss Georgiana Darcy and Mrs. Annesley, Lady Sarah rushed over to her friend and embraced her. “Oh Georgiana, it is so good to see you!” she exclaimed.

“And you as well, Sarah! I woke up early this morning because I was so pleased to be seeing you today.”

The companions watched the two young ladies with amusement waiting to be introduced to one another. Lady Sarah soon remembered her manners.

“Miss Bennet, may I present to you my very best friend, Miss Georgiana Darcy and her companion, Mrs. Annesley. Mrs. Annesley, Georgiana, this is Miss Elizabeth Bennet.”

The ladies took their seats and spent an hour in conversation. Then Lady Sarah suggested that they take advantage of the fine weather and walk to nearby Hyde Park. They soon set off, escorted by a foot servant. When they arrived, they headed towards the Serpentine River with the two girls waking together a short distance in front of their companions.

Mrs. Annesley was a genial woman who soon started a conversation. “I understand that you have just joined the Parker household, Miss Bennet,” she said.

“Yes, Mrs. Annesley. I have been here about a month now. I was retained by the Countess shortly before they departed for Ireland,” Elizabeth replied.

“Are you from London originally?”

“No, although I have visited it from time to time in the past. I lived in Hertfordshire before taking this position.”

The older woman had noticed that Elizabeth was wearing a lavender print dress with black piping suitable for late mourning but made no effort to pry into her personal matters.

“How long have you been with Miss Darcy, Mrs. Annesley?” Elizabeth asked after some minutes had passed.

“About a year now. Her brother took her out of Blanding's School for Young Ladies some eighteen months ago. I was offered the position after her original companion left.”

“Her brother? May I ask why he is in charge of her affairs?”

“Both of their parents are deceased. I believe that their mother passed away when Miss Darcy was little more than an infant. Their father died some five years ago, leaving his son and another relative as her guardians.”

“How old is the brother?” Elizabeth asked.

“He is at least eight and twenty, I believe. Miss Darcy is now sixteen years of age.”

“That is quite a responsibility for a young man to be handed,” Elizabeth observed. “Do they get on well with each other?”

“Yes, indeed. They are quite devoted to each other. Mr. Darcy has a large estate in Derbyshire to manage as well. Fortunately, he is a capable young man who takes his responsibilities seriously.”

Mrs. Annesley was not a gossip by nature, but for some reason she felt secure in speaking about her employer in the present company. “You will no doubt soon meet him,” she continued. “Lady Sarah Parker and Miss Darcy are almost inseparable when they are in town at the same time. It is unfortunate that her family seat is in Cornwall. It is a great distance to travel to there from Pemberley.”

“Pemberley?” Elizabeth had the oddest notion that she had heard that name before but she knew not where.

“Pemberley is the Darcy estate in Derbyshire.”

Elizabeth nodded but made no response. Seeing that the girls had reached the river, with a smile to Mrs. Annesley, she increased her pace and soon was standing by their side admiring the ducks lazily swimming near its banks.

“Oh, Miss Bennet, are they not lovely?” Lady Sarah exclaimed. “Do you know what type of duck they are?”

Elizabeth had asked her to address her by her Christian name but she still forgot to do so often enough. She looked closely at the birds and thought back to a naturalist's guide which she once could read in the library at Longbourn.

“I believe that these are teal ducks, Lady Sarah.”

“How odd,” Georgiana said. “They are called teal and yet their heads are mostly brown.”

“Indeed, Miss Darcy,” Elizabeth replied. “And yet, that is their name.”

“How do you know about birds, Miss Bennet?” Georgiana asked.

“My step-father had a guide to England's fauna in his library. It included color illustrations of many of the creatures. I spent many a happy hour looking at it.”

After watching the ducks for a few more minutes, the ladies began to walk along the bank of the river. In a little while, their calm was interrupted by a shrill voice calling in their direction.

“Miss Darcy, what a pleasant surprise to find you in the park today!”

A young woman dressed in an expensive fashion was making her way in their direction. When she caught up to them, she greeted Georgiana enthusiastically and waited to be introduced to the two ladies whom she did not know. She greeted Lady Sarah cordially but upon learning that Miss Bennet was her companion, she only spared the briefest of nods to her. As she continued to express her joy at having discovered her dear friend, Elizabeth drifted back to stand besides Mrs. Annesley.

“Pay no attention to her, Miss Bennet,” Mrs. Annesley murmured to her. “Miss Bingley is not as good a friend to Miss Darcy as she would have the world believe.”

“Who is she?” Elizabeth asked quietly.

“She is the sister of Mr. Darcy's very good friend, Charles Bingley. I believe that her interest in Miss Darcy derives solely from her plans for my young lady's brother, plans that I am certain he does not at all reciprocate.”

Fortunately, Miss Bingley was due at a tea that day and after extracting a promise from Georgiana to send her warmest greetings to Mr. Darcy, she took her leave without a second look at the two older ladies. Thus they were able to continue on their walk.

“I really cannot stand her,” Georgiana murmured to Sarah. “I hate her rudeness.”

Lady Sarah agreed with her friend. She had not appreciated Miss Bingley's slight of her already dear Miss Bennet.

“Why does your brother put up with her?” Sarah whispered.

“For Charles, I suppose. Although I must confess that in my darkest hours I worry that William will fall prey to her.”

Before Sarah could reply, to their mutual delight they saw a rider coming towards them who was none other than Mr. Darcy himself. When he reached his sister, he dismounted and bowed to her and and her friend.

“Georgiana. Lady Sarah. It is good to see you again.”

Lady Sarah curtsied and blushed a little, as she always did when meeting Georgiana's handsome brother. She was about to say something that she would likely later find silly when she noticed him staring at her companion, and quickly made the introductions.

“Mr. Darcy, may I introduce Miss Elizabeth Bennet. Miss Bennet, this is Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, Georgiana's brother.”

“Miss Bennet.” Darcy noticed that the young woman wore the ghost of an impertinent smile. She was looking at him curiously. “I hope that these two young ladies have not taxed your patience too much today.”

“Not at all, Mr. Darcy,” Elizabeth replied. “They are quite delightful.” To herself, she wondered whether she had ever seen Mr. Darcy before that day. He looked somehow familiar to her but it seemed unlikely that they would have ever met. Perhaps I passed by him one evening at the theater although he no doubt would have had far better seats than mine.

Darcy was struck by an idea. “Georgiana, perhaps Lady Sarah and Miss Bennet would enjoy having dinner with us this evening?”

Georgiana and her friend found that very agreeable and after setting a time, her brother bid them farewell and moved to re-mount his horse. Just at that moment, Elizabeth dropped the small reticule that she was carrying. Noticing the mishap, Darcy went to retrieve it for her just as she bent down and stretched out her right arm to do so herself. The motion caused the sleeve of her dress to ride up, revealing the flesh of her wrist. Darcy found himself staring at it. The delicacy of her wrist (for it was delicate indeed) did not catch his attention but rather, the presence of an unusual birthmark did. It was in the shape of a bird in flight. He was certain that he had seen it before.

Elizabeth picked up the purse herself and then glanced at Mr. Darcy, who now wore a strange look on his face. He suddenly realized that he was staring at her and got hold of himself. He nodded to her then climbed onto his horse and quickly rode away. The young woman laughed to herself and then soon forgot what had happened.

Chapter 2

Darcy's thoughts were considerably more agitated than Elizabeth's. He was sure of what he had seen but knew that time and memory could be playing a trick on him. He considered whether to share this sudden news with his aunt and uncle but then rejected that as too rash. The young woman would be at dinner this evening and he needed to find out more about her before he took matters any further.

Reaching the townhouse, he handed the reins of his horse to a groom and entered through the rear door. He stopped briefly at the housekeeper's office to tell Mrs. Smith that there would be guests for dinner and then went to his study. There he penned a quick note and summoned a footman to have it immediately delivered. He also left word to have his sister see him as soon as she returned home and then turned to some letters of business that required his perusal.

About an hour later, Georgiana knocked and the door to his study and entered. “William,” she said, “Gates said that you wished to see me?”

“Yes, my dear. But first, did you have a pleasant day with Sarah?”

“Of course I did! The only blemish on the day was running into Caroline Bingley in the park, not long before we met you.”

“Georgiana.” Her brother quietly admonished her. He knew that she disliked Miss Bingley. He shared all of her reservations about the woman and had more of his own, but he did not want her to behave in a disrespectful way towards his friend's sister.

“I am sorry, William,” she grumbled. “But she was insufferably rude to Miss Bennet as soon as she learned that she was Sarah's companion. Sarah was quite put out. However before you ask, I do not believe that we gave her any indication of our displeasure.”

Darcy shook his head at his sister and smiled. “Actually, Miss Bennet is the reason that I wanted to speak to you. There was something quite familiar about her, and I wondered what you learned of her today. Do you know how old she is and where she is from?”

Georgiana thought back to her conversations with her friend.

“Sarah said that she is twenty-one. She believes that Miss Bennet took this position because her father passed away last year and she needed employment to support herself although she does not really know all of the details.”

“Where is she from?”

“Hertfordshire. Her father had an estate there.”

After a few seconds, Georgiana corrected herself. “Actually, he was her stepfather, not her father. She referred to him in that way and I later asked Sarah about it. Apparently she was adopted by he and his wife although they also had several children of their own.”

This last piece of information caught Darcy's attention but he said nothing to his sister. He thanked her for coming to see him and she withdrew to get ready for dinner. He looked at his watch. He had invited his cousin Edward Fitzwilliam to join them and asked that he arrive early because he needed to speak to him on a matter of importance. In consideration of that, he returned his correspondence to a drawer in his desk then went upstairs to change into his evening clothes.

Colonel Edward Fitzwilliam was the second son of the Earl of Matlock. He was a colonel in His Majesty's army, assistant to General _____ in the Ministry of Defense and a few years older than his cousin. While not a handsome man, in person and address he was the consummate gentleman. He arrived at Darcy House at the requested time, interested to hear what his cousin had to say given that the note that he had received made reference to “a potentially startling development in a family matter”.

Finding that his cousin was still upstairs, he told Mr. Gates that he would wait for him in the study. Darcy appeared ten minutes later and accepted the glass of wine offered to him. Once he was seated and had taken a few sips of the drink, he quickly assuaged the other man's curiosity. “Edward,” he began. “At the risk of having you think that I have gone completely barmy, I encountered a young woman today who just may be Elizabeth Fitzwilliam. She recently started working as a companion to Georgiana's friend Lady Sarah Parker. My sister visited with her today and I happened to encounter them when I went riding in the park. She has the birthmark, Edward, on her right wrist. It is exactly as I remember it.”

The Colonel knew that his cousin was never prone to flights of fancy. “What else do you know of her, William?'' he asked.

“Not very much but what I have learned of her gives me no reason to doubt my suspicion. Her Christian name is Elizabeth and she is twenty-one years of age. She apparently went into service as a companion after the death of her stepfather, who had an estate in Hertfordshire.”

“I assume that you mentioned nothing of this to her or to anyone else?”

“Of course not. I do not think that she realized that I saw the birthmark. However, I did invite Lady Sarah and Miss Bennet to dine with us tonight. They should arrive shortly. I asked you to attend so you could meet her, to see what you thought. Hopefully you can get a look at the birthmark”

“William, I cannot really ask her to let me inspect her wrist!” Edward protested.

“The ladies will remove their gloves during dinner. You will be seated to her left. It should afford you some opportunities to observe her.”

The Colonel sighed. He hoped that the woman would not think him a lecher but he would do as his cousin asked.

~.~

When Lady Sarah and Elizabeth arrived, they were escorted into the drawing room where they found Georgiana and her brother, Mrs. Annesley and a man in an army uniform, who was quickly introduced as Colonel Edward Fitzwilliam. While Lady Sarah was greeting her friend's cousin, Elizabeth was experiencing another sensation of something familiar lying just beyond her grasp.

“Miss Bennet?” Elizabeth suddenly realized that the Colonel had been speaking to her but she had not heard him. She murmured a vague response and then took a seat next to Mrs. Annesley. She had to remind herself that she was not a true guest in this household, no matter how kindly she was received. It was a role that came naturally to her after her years in the Bennet household.

The group made conversation for a quarter hour. When dinner was announced, Darcy escorted his sister and Lady Sarah into the small dining parlor while the Colonel offered his services to the other two women. Elizabeth found herself seated to Darcy's left with his cousin seated on the other side of her. The two young ladies sat opposite to them while Mrs. Annesley sat at the other end of the table.

Georgiana and Sarah were so eager to speak with one another that the adults let them chatter away, occasionally adding a bemused comment. By the time that the servants were settling the second course at the table, they had managed to cover a wide range of interests and finally remembered the rest of the company.

“Are your parents in town, sir?” Lady Sarah asked the Colonel.

“No Lady Sarah, although I expect them this week. The Earl needed to return to Claresfont on some matter and my mother decided to accompany him,” he replied.

Darcy happened to look at Elizabeth when the Colonel was speaking. She stopped lifting her glass of water when he mentioned the Fitzwilliam estate. “Claresfont,” she said under her breath to no one in particular.

“Claresfont is the Fitzwilliam estate in Nottinghamshire, Miss Bennet,” Darcy said to her. “Edward's father is the Earl of Matlock. My late mother was his sister.”

Fitzwilliam picked up the conversation at this point. “Have you heard of Claresfont, Miss Bennet? It is near Catisford.”

“Catisford,” Elizabeth repeated to herself. Then she suddenly blurted out, “cat's fur.”

“Cat's fur, Miss Bennet? What does that mean?” asked Lady Sarah. Elizabeth smiled weakly at the girl and just shook her head. She did not see the look that passed between Darcy and Fitzwilliam.

When the meal was over, the men asked the ladies to excuse them and retreated to Darcy's study. Before speaking, Darcy poured glasses of port for himself and his cousin. He offered him a silent toast and then took a seat.

They sat silently for some time and then Colonel Fitzwilliam finally spoke. “Cat's fur, William. That is what little Lizzy called Catisford.”

“I remember, Edward.” Darcy had been almost twelve years of age when James Fitzwilliam was killed; his cousin had been fourteen. Edward and his older brother Malcolm had both spent considerable time at Claresfont as children. It was not far from the estate where they had grown up, one provided to their family by their paternal grandmother. Having no sisters of their own, they were very fond of their two little cousins, especially the scrappy Lizzy. Edward's memories of those days were crystal clear in his mind.

“Were you able to get a look at the birthmark?” Darcy asked.

“Not for very long, but from what I could see, it is in the same location and of a similar shape.”

“What do you think that we should do now?”

“We need to speak to someone else about this. I believe it should be my mother.”

Chapter 3

Susan Fitzwilliam, the Countess of Matlock, looked at the note which had just been delivered to her bed chamber. She had arisen early despite their late arrival from Nottinghamshire on the night before but had not yet commenced her morning toilette. To her surprise, her youngest son and her nephew Darcy were already in the house and were asking to see her as soon as possible. She rang for her maid to help her make herself presentable and then told the servant who had delivered the message to have the two men shown to her small sun room.

When she entered the room twenty-five minutes later, both men stood and bowed and her son walked over and kissed her on her cheek.

“Good morning, mother,” Edward said.

“Good morning, Edward. William. Now tell me what this matter of urgency is that has brought you here so early.”

The young men looked at each other and the Colonel nodded to his cousin.

“Lady Susan, we have made a most remarkable discovery this past week ,” Darcy said. “I am not yet absolutely certain, but I believe that there is a strong chance that we have found cousin Lizzy.”

“Lizzy? You have found Lizzy Fitzwilliam?” The Countess gave a small cry and sank down onto a sofa. Susan Fitzwilliam and Maria Nesbitt Fitzwilliam had become good friends during the years of the Maria's marriage. Her heart had broken for her friend when her husband was murdered and even more so when her two girls disappeared without any trace.

However, in the sixteen years that had passed since Maria left Claresfont they had drifted apart, largely due to Maria's remarriage. Three years after Maria Fitzwilliam returned to her father's house, she married one of the suitors who had originally been vying for her hand along with James Fitzwilliam. She was now Maria Nesbitt Fitzwilliam Farrington, the Duchess of Montesford. Other than the occasional attendance at the same social function, she had no particular contact with her.

Regaining her composure, she asked for the particulars of what had happened. A wistful expression came over her face when she heard that young woman had called Catisford, “cat's fur.” Even at three, Elizabeth Fitzwilliam gave every sign of being very bright; her continued mispronunciation of the name was intentional rather than a child's mistake. Her father delighted in encouraging her whimsy. She was also reminded that the little girl called her nephew Fish-William because she did not understand why her cousin's first name was the same as her family name. She wondered if Darcy remembered that.

“I take it that you said nothing of this to anyone else?” she asked.

“No, my Lady,” Darcy replied. “We obviously could not speak of it to her. I have not spoken to my sister of the sad event in a long time and did not feel that I should revisit it just yet. I did however make some subtle inquiries about her with Georgiana and then with Mrs. Annesley yesterday after dinner. While Edward and myself were in my study, Miss Bennet had spoken quite candidly to them about her history. Apparently she was placed with these Bennets in Hertfordshire when their oldest was just a baby. They subsequently had two more daughters of their own. She knows that they are not her parents.

“Her stepfather as she calls him died almost a year ago; she is wearing clothing suitable for the end of the morning period. The man's estate was entailed to a distant relative. Not long before this man died, they tried to force Miss Bennet to marry the cousin to preserve a connection to the estate but she refused. Her stepmother's anger drove her from their household and she moved to the London home of relations of the family. From there she looked for a suitable position once the first mourning was over and was eventually retained by the Parkers.”

“So if this is actually her, Johanna was not given to the same family,” observed the Countess.

“It appears not, my Lady.”

The Countess considered the matter for several minutes. It was imperative that she meet this young woman as soon as possible. She also needed the circumstances to be as private as possible for reasons that she did not feel the need to disclose. She soon set upon a plan.

“William, I am going to send both Georgiana and Lady Sarah an invitation to take tea with me on tomorrow or the next day. There is nothing unusual about that. Her friend has visited here with my niece on some two or three occasions in the past. I will make it clear that their companions are invited as well. Your sister will not be surprised by that since she knows that I hold Mrs. Annesley in some esteem.”

Both men were relieved by her suggestion and Darcy offered to deliver the invitation to his sister directly if Lady Susan was disposed to write it before they departed. After she prepared her note, Darcy and the Colonel took their leave. The Countess then considered whether there was anything else that she needed to do before meeting the young woman. She decided to have the butler determine whether the Duke and Duchess of Montesford were still in London. After sending a note to that effect down to him, she returned to her rooms to finish preparing for the day.

~.~

The next day, the Parker carriage traveled to the Matlock townhouse, bringing Elizabeth and Lady Sarah there for tea. Before long, they were at the door to the house. The butler showed them upstairs to an elegantly decorated sitting room: they were the first of the guests to arrive. To Elizabeth's surprise, Lady Matlock soon appeared and greeted both she and Sarah warmly. She asked them to make themselves comfortable and then left the room.

The Countess had no illusions that a woman of one and twenty would bear an unmistakable resemblance to the child that she had been at three. She had however been unable to wait for a look at her. Miss Bennet turned out to be a very pretty young woman with the same dark hair and nearly black eyes with which Elizabeth Fitzwilliam had been blessed. Satisfied with this initial impression, she went back to her rooms to await the appearance of her niece.

After Georgiana and Mrs. Annesley arrived, the five ladies spent a pleasant hour over tea and cakes. Lady Matlock was pleased to learn that Miss Bennet was a well-read and witty young woman who despite her apparent efforts to act otherwise, gave her opinions rather decidedly. When they had finished their refreshments, she suggested to Georgiana that she lead the guests to the music room, to inspect a piano-forte which had recently been purchased. Elizabeth was the last to leave the room and the Countess took advantage of that to detain her for a conversation.

“Miss Bennet, may I have a word with you?”

“Of course, Lady Matlock.” Elizabeth was somewhat surprised that the Countess has addressed her thus and was immediately curious to learn what she wanted of her.

“If it is not too disagreeable, perhaps you would be kind enough to accompany me to my chambers?”

Though puzzled, the younger woman agreed and before long, found herself seated along side of the Countess on a small sofa in her upstairs private sitting room.

“Miss Bennet, this will no doubt seem strange to you, but I must be permitted to ask you a few questions. I will explain all in due time.”

In response to her nod, the Countess reached over and gently took her right hand in hers. She turned it over and for a full thirty seconds, examined the birthmark which appeared there causing Elizabeth to flush under the scrutiny.

“Tell me, Miss Bennet. What does cat's fur mean to you?”

Elizabeth frowned. “I do not know what it means, my Lady, beyond the usual definition. When I dined at Mr. Darcy's home one day last week, those words came to mind when I was listening to your son speak of your estate. I somehow blurted them out, which I gather resulted in a report to you.”

“What about Pemberley?”

“Pemberley? Is that not Mr. Darcy's estate?”

“Yes, it is Fitzwilliam's home. Fitzwilliam is Darcy's Christian name although we generally call him William.”

Elizabeth did not respond, for fear of sounding daft. The phrase Fish-William of Pempemlee had suddenly popped into her head.

“Does the name Johanna mean anything to you?” the Countess continued.

“Johanna,” Elizabeth repeated. “I am not sure. Johaha..” She looked at the Countess and saw that she was staring at her. Finally overwhelmed by the cryptic questions, she forgot her manners.

“Lady Matlock, you must tell me what the purpose is of this inquisition! I do not understand what this is all about!”

“I will tell you whatever you wish to know, my dear, if you will be good enough to answer one more question for me. You have another birthmark, I suspect. Will you tell me what it looks like and where it is?”

“How do you know of this? What concern of yours is this?” Elizabeth demanded.

“Please humor me, my dear. Where is your other birthmark?”

With no little embarrassment, Elizabeth pointed to the area several inches below her navel. “My other birthmark is here, my Lady. It is in the shape of a circle.”

To her shock, the Countess of Matlock was now openly weeping. Before Elizabeth could utter another word, the older woman folded her in an embrace. “Welcome back, my dear,” she said. “Welcome home.”

Chapter 4

When the Countess finally released her, Elizabeth was no less confused than she had been when she entered the room. She sat upright and looked at the other woman.

“I do not understand you. Please tell me what you mean.”

Susan Fitzwilliam smiled. She had long given up on the notion that she would ever see her nieces again and was beside herself with joy.

“My dear,” she began. “Your true name is Elizabeth Anne Nesbitt Fitzwilliam. You are the daughter of the late James Fitzwilliam, the fifth Earl of Matlock and the granddaughter on your mother's side of the seventh Duke of Wiltingham. In 1794, when you were not yet four years of age, you, your father and your older sister Johanna were returning to your home at Claresfont after a visit with relations in Kent. Not far from home, your carriage was attacked by armed men. Your father as well as the servants in the party were killed. You and your sister vanished.

“My husband Andrew and your mother Maria made every inquiry possible to them, but no hint of your whereabouts was ever discovered. We all thought that you were lost to us forever.

“My nephew William noticed the distinctive birthmark on your wrist when he first met you. He confided his suspicions to my son Edward and in turn, the two of them approached me when I returned to London. After hearing their story, I resolved to meet you as soon as possible to judge for myself whether you could possibly be Maria's daughter. I am now convinced that is exactly who you are.”

Elizabeth was dumbstruck. She opened her mouth as if to speak but no words came out. She could do nothing but stare at the Countess as her mind wandered to the events of her life. She had never known from where she had come. The story told by the Bennets was very vague. They sometimes spoke of her being the child of a deceased relation who was never named. When she had grown up, she had first assumed that the description was a euphemism for her being born out of wedlock, since no one of course would speak of that directly to her.

The months that she had lived with the Gardiners however had left her uncertain as to whether there was any truth to that. They had always treated her as part of their family and despite Edward Gardiner being the brother of her stepmother, were genteel and educated people. They would never do anything to harm her, but one evening when they likely thought that she had already gone to bed, she heard them speaking to each other in the kitchen, as she walked down the back stairs with the same destination in mind.

“Lizzy is such a delight,” her aunt Gardiner had observed. “Whomever her parents were, I believe that they would have been very proud of her.”

Whomever her parents were...That phrase had stayed in Elizabeth's head. It certainly did not sound as if they knew that she was the child of one of her stepfather's distant relatives. Part of her wanted to confront them but she never could not bring herself to do so.

And now this startling claim. She looked at the Countess of Matlock who was watching her closely, and whispered, “Can this be true? Can this really be true?”

Susan Fitzwilliam suddenly realized that in her delight of the discovery, that she had forgotten how shocking this would all be to the young woman. She reached out and took her hand again. “I am sorry, Elizabeth, for getting so carried away. I have no doubt frightened you a bit. All will be well my dear. I will see to it.”

“And so I have a sister?” Elizabeth asked shyly. “I would like to have a real sister. I grew up with three girls but we never had a very strong bond between us. Did Johanna and I like each other?”

“Oh, very much so! You were not in the least similar but you were very devoted to each other.”

Elizabeth thought further, trying to put the various people whom she had met in context. “The Colonel is my cousin, then?” she asked.

“Yes, he is my youngest son. Your other cousin is my oldest, Malcolm. And of course, William and Georgiana are your first cousins as well.”

“Oh, I did not realize that. How am I related to them?”

“Their mother was my husband's sister Anne. She died many years ago, not long after the birth of her daughter. Sadly, Robert Darcy himself died some 6 years ago as well. His will made Fitzwilliam and my son Edward, her guardians.”

“Fishwilliam,” Elizabeth said so softly that she did not think that the older woman would hear her. She blushed when the older woman started to laugh.

“Ah, you remembered that. Do you have any idea why you called him that?”

Elizabeth shook her head.

“When you were three years old or so, you realized that William's Christian name was the same as your surname. You announced one day to your assembled family that it was silly for him to not have a name of his own, and from that day hence, he would be called Fishwilliam.”

“Poor Mr. Darcy! I daresay that he did not like that.”

“Actually, the boys all found you to be adorable, so he did not mind it so very much. And when Malcolm briefly teased him about it, William and Edward pushed him into a pond on Pemberley's grounds. He was told that if he persisted, he would wish his name was Fishwilliam, because he would be spending much time in the water. They are all good friends now, but when they were children, the younger two often allied themselves against Malcolm as the oldest.”

Elizabeth suddenly realized something. “Lady Matlock, was my mother not traveling with us?” she asked.

“No, my dear. She had sprained her ankle prior to the trip and your father insisted that she remain at Claresfont rather than accompany him.”

“Do you mean to say..?”

“Yes, Elizabeth. Your mother is still alive. She is the present Duchess of Montesford and is in town even as we speak.”

Chapter 5

Elizabeth was now thoroughly overcome. Barely a year ago, she was mourning the loss of her stepfather, who had always been kind to her, if a little capricious in his attentions. Despite this, she had often felt that she was alone in the world. To now learn that she not only had an aunt, an uncle and cousins, but also had a sister and a mother, was beyond any expectations she had formed of her future happiness. Her mother still alive! The person who would have loved her without reserve. It was all too much for her and she started to weep profusely.

Lady Susan rang for a servant and asked that one of the guest chambers kept at ready on the family floor of the house be quickly prepared, and that tea and brandy be sent up to the room. A few minutes later, she helped Elizabeth stand up and led her down the hall. When the servant arrived with a tray, she dismissed her and poured the tea herself adding a generous amount of brandy to Elizabeth's cup.

“Here, my dear. This will help you calm yourself. I think you should rest for awhile. I have some things to do and then will look in on you.” Seeing that the young woman was still crying, she removed a handkerchief from the pocket of her dress and gently wiped her eyes. When Elizabeth had finished drinking her tea, she helped her to the bed and saw her settled. Then she left the room.

The Countess returned to her sitting room and asked a servant to send for Grant, their butler. When he arrived, she inquired as to the whereabouts of her husband and was pleased to learn that he had just returned and was downstairs in the music room with her niece and her guests. She looked at the time and then asked him to wait while she wrote a note to her nephew Darcy, inviting him to dinner for as she wrote, there was something to discuss. Considering the matter further, she decided that neither Georgiana nor her friend should participate in the discussion until the family understood more of what had happened to Elizabeth. She indicated to Darcy that she would send Lady Sarah home with his sister and that she should spend the night there, since it was uncertain as to when Miss Bennet would return, “as she has become somewhat indisposed.” Satisfied with her message, she entrusted it to the butler and then went in search of her husband.

Andrew Fitzwilliam, the Sixth Earl of Matlock was a congenial man whose pleasant manners sometimes belied his quick mind. As the second son in his family, he had never expected to ascend to the Peerage and when misfortune caused him to do so, he had felt no need to adopt any demeanor that was not his own. Thus his wife found him entertaining her guests with a story about slipping off of his horse while riding in a sheep meadow during their recent trip to Claresfont. Lady Susan smiled to herself: she had already heard him tell the amusing tale involving some inquisitive sheep to both Mr. Grant as well as their housekeeper. She waited for his audience to respond with laughter and then entered the room.

Lord Matlock stood up and quickly walked to his wife in order to take and kiss her hand. She knew that he was in part catering to the romantic sensibilities of the young ladies but she appreciated it nonetheless.

“My Lady,” her husband said. “I have just been telling our guests about the sheep affair.”

“Oh, it is quite a funny story, my Lady!” Sarah exclaimed, to which Georgiana added her agreement.

“Indeed it is. I have heard however and from a reliable source, that the sheep's version is even more amusing,” Lady Susan replied, with a fond glance at her husband.

Just then, Georgiana realized that Elizabeth had not entered the room with her aunt. “Lady Susan, where is Miss Bennet? We were led to believe that she was with you,” she said.

“I came to tell you of Miss Bennet. She has become somewhat indisposed while she and I were speaking. She is resting in a guest room upstairs.”

“Oh, I hope that it is not serious. I must go to her,” Sarah said and made to stand up.

“I think that it would be better to let her rest for a few hours,” Lady Susan replied. “While it is nothing serious, I believe that some sleep is what she needs right now. I do not believe that a carriage ride would be at comfortable for her right now. In fact, she should probably stay here with us overnight. Georgiana, perhaps Lady Sarah can spend the night with you and Mrs. Annesley. I would prefer that she not stay alone in her house tonight.”

Although Sarah would rather have had Elizabeth return home with her if she was not feeling well, she deferred to the older woman's judgment. Not long afterwards, the three guests departed, with the Countess promising to send an update to them on Elizabeth's health to Darcy House in the evening.

After they had seen the ladies to their door, Lady Susan invited her husband to join her in her sun room. When they reached the room, she asked him to be seated.

“I have quite the story to tell you, my dear,” she said. “It is going to take a few minutes.”

“Ah, I thought I detected a bit of subterfuge in your manner downstairs. Does your news involve this Miss Bennet? I hope that you are not going to tell me that you caught her with her hand in your jewel box.”

“Yes, this involves Miss Bennet but not in any way that you could imagine. The young woman resting down the hall has been called Miss Bennet for many years but in truth her name is Elizabeth Fitzwilliam.”

She watched her husband's reaction with amusement. He opened his mouth as if to speak but no words came out. Finally, he asked her if she had taken leave of her senses.

“Indeed, I have not. Will you hear my story, sir?” The Countess then described the events leading up to that moment, from Darcy's first observation to her own conversation with the lady in question. When she was done, Lord Andrew looked skeptical.

“Are you sure that this is not some sort of hoax, an effort to obtain funds from us?” he asked. “After all, even though several years have passed since those events, they were widely reported at the time.”

“I do not believe so,” she replied. “The birthmark on her wrist, her looks and her vague memories are all consistent with her being Lizzy. And there is one more persuasive piece of evidence, although I am not sure that I should speak of it since it may make you blush.”

Her husband laughed. “Out with it, wife!”

“Elizabeth was actually born with two birthmarks, one of which would only have been known to her midwife, her mother and her nanny, because it is on a part of her body which would only have been seen by them. I was privy to this fact because of my previous close friendship with Maria. I asked Miss Bennet whether she had an additional birthmark and with great embarrassment, she indicated its location and shape with complete accuracy. It is her, Andrew. There is no question in my mind of it.”

The Earl was stunned. After almost two decades, his brother's dear girl was now returned to them. He wondered what her mother's reaction would be. He especially wondered what Farrington's reaction would be.

“Does the young lady now know all of this, Susan?” he asked.

“Yes, she became quite agitated over the nature of my questions and I felt that I needed to tell her. When I did, she became very emotional so I had her drink some tea with brandy in it and then put her to bed. I then went in search of you.”

“You have not mentioned it but does she know anything about Johanna?”

“Her sister was not given to these people. She knows nothing about her.”

“I wonder how we should proceed with this,” remarked Lord Matlock. “With Farrington being the way he is, it is not at all certain that he will be pleased by the news.”

His wife nodded. “I thought that we might first speak to her to gain an understanding of where she has been all of this time, before we make any attempt to contact the Duchess of Montesford. She is in town right now. I had Grant check on that. I also invited William to join us at dinner this evening to be part of the discussion.”

Lord Andrew concurred with his wife's suggestion and then left to prepare for dinner while she went to check on Elizabeth. She found her awake, sitting on the window bench.

“How are you feeling, dear?” Lady Susan asked.

“Better, I think. But Lady Matlock, I must go and see to Lady Sarah. She must be wondering what has become of me,” Elizabeth replied.

“I sent the girls home to Darcy House with Mrs. Annesley, Elizabeth. Lady Sarah will stay there tonight. I told them that you had become indisposed and that you would spend the night with us.”

“May I ask why you decided to do that? She is my responsibility.” Elizabeth was visible displeased that this woman still a stranger to her, had started arranging her life.

“I understand that. I am sorry if my actions appear officious but I thought that since you were already here that we might take the opportunity to learn something of what happened to you and also to inform you of the situation with your real family.”

“The situation?” Elizabeth asked.

Lady Susan sighed. “It is a story better told by your uncle. He is home by the way and eager to meet you. I also invited William to join us at dinner tonight and I imagine that Edward will be here as well.”

Elizabeth did not reply. The Countess decided that she would leave her to prepare for dinner and excused herself, telling her niece that she would return to collect her in a half-hour. A few minutes after she left, a knock on a side door signaled the arrival of a lady's maid, sent to assist her. With an effort, Elizabeth smiled at the young woman and assured her that she had no need of help.

“Oh no, miss. That will not do. The mistress sent me to you. If you would come into the dressing room, I brought warm water for you to wash with and then I will do you hair.”

Concerned that she not get the servant into any trouble, Elizabeth finally acquiesced and followed her into the adjoining room. When Lady Susan returned to her, she found the maid putting the finishing touches on her hair arrangement.

“Ah, Delia. I should have known better than to send you!”

Elizabeth frowned and was about to come to the maid's defense when she heard her laughing reply to the Countess.

“You know me, your ladyship. I can never resist a pretty head of curls. I am done now but perhaps miss, I can do your hair someday for a more fancy occasion.” With that Delia curtsied and left the room.

“Your hair looks lovely, my dear. Shall we go downstairs?”

“Thank you, Lady Matlock. Yes, I am ready.”

When they reached the drawing room, Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam were present along with an older man whom she assumed was the Earl of Matlock. His younger son bore a strong resemblance to him. The three men immediately stood and bowed and then for several seconds, no one spoke. Finally, Lord Andrew stepped forward and took hold of both of Elizabeth's hands.

“Welcome back, Lizzy. You are as beautiful as I imagined you would be. You have no idea of the very great joy it gives me to see one of James' daughters in my home again. We have missed you so very much.”

With that, the Earl leaned forward and gently kissed her on her cheek. He then escorted her to a sofa and helped her take her seat. A moment later, he was back with a glass of wine, which Elizabeth gratefully accepted. Looking around the room, she saw that all of her new relations were watching her closely. After a healthy sip of her drink, she decided that she must break the silence.

“I have often said that my courage always rises with any attempt to intimidate me. But I never could have imagined finding myself in a position like this.”

When no one immediately responded to her, Elizabeth wished that she could fade into the fine damask upholstery upon which she sat. Thus, she was exceedingly relieved when Darcy began to speak.

“I believe that I owe you an apology, Elizabeth. After we met in the park several days ago and I noticed the birthmark on your wrist, I was determined to know whether or not you were my cousin. I therefore needed to introduce you to the other members of the family but could not tell you of my actual purpose. This is obviously all so strange to you for indeed, who would not find it strange. I wish that there had been a better way to have done this, one that would not have caused you such a shock.”

“I do not blame you for anything, Mr. Darcy,” Elizabeth replied. “Had I learned about this over a course of months, it would be no less overwhelming. Perhaps this was the better way.”

Some of the tension left the room at that point, to everyone's satisfaction. The Earl decided to get to the matter at hand.

“Elizabeth, I know that your aunt spoke to you of the circumstances that led to your disappearance. I want to assure you that we did everything in our power to find you and your sister. But we had almost no information upon which to base our search. Our inquiries went nowhere.”

“Lady Matlock only told me that my father and his party were attacked and killed while returning home from a trip. Did you ever learn anything more than that?” Elizabeth asked.

“One of the drivers was still alive when they were found but unfortunately, he lived for less than a week. He told us that they had come upon a coach stopped in the road, preventing them from moving forward. Your father had gotten out of the carriage and was walking towards the other coach when a group of men ambushed him. The driver claimed that after the gunfire stopped, he saw a woman stepping down from that coach but he did not see what she did. He lost consciousness at that point and did not know what had happened to you and Johanna.”

“Do you think that these were highwaymen?”

“It is possible that they were. But I have always thought that they might have been laying in wait for the Earl himself. There were several men, such as you would need to overcome a well-protected traveling party and the presence of a woman at such an attack is rather unusual for a group of common thieves. Additionally, they were on a branch of the road that leads to Claresfont, barely a mile or so outside of the park. It is not a road that gets much traffic other than that which is headed for the estate.”

“What would have been their purpose?” Elizabeth asked. “Was he traveling with a large amount of currency?”

The Earl shook his head. “That, my dear, is the other reason that I believe that their main purpose was to murder your father. While they were not carrying anything that was highly valuable, your father had gold jewelry and other items needed for formal affairs. All of that was left behind. Their attackers did not appear to have taken a single thing, other than you and your sister.”

Lord Andrew watched his niece digest his information. He was not surprised by her next question.

“Sir, was it their goal to kidnap us?”

“That was another possibility that we considered. We actually hoped that we would receive a ransom demand. Your mother and your grandfather would have paid any amount for your safe return. But no such demand was ever forthcoming.”

“What manner of people did you live with, cousin?” That question came from Colonel Fitzwilliam.

A cloud passed over Elizabeth's face. “My stepfather's name was Thomas Bennet. He was a gentleman by birth. He owned an estate near Meryton in Hertfordshire, named Longbourn.”

“What size of an estate was it?” the Earl asked.

“I believe that his income was about two thousand pounds. The estate however was entailed to a distant cousin of his, named Collins. When he died almost a year ago, he had no sons and the cousin inherited.”

“And he had other children?” asked Lady Susan.

“Three daughters. The oldest is a few months younger than me.”

“And the wife?”

“Her maiden name was Gardiner. I was in fact was staying in the home of her brother Edward Gardiner in London, before I became Lady Sarah's companion. Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner are very fine people, nothing like their sister.”

“Where in London do they live?” asked the Earl.

“In Gracechurch Street, sir. He is a merchant and his warehouse is in that vicinity.”

Darcy had been watching his cousin with interest during the conversation. He was impressed with her composure and how quickly she grasped what his uncle had told her. He finally asked her a question.

“Elizabeth, where did these Bennets say that you had come from? Do you remember coming to live with them?”

“I do not remember very much from that time. As to their explanation for why I was living with them, I only heard vague innuendos, that I was the child of some distant relation who could not keep me.” The embarrassed look on Elizabeth's face made it clear that she was referring to her being someone's natural child, born out-of-wedlock. Darcy immediately regretted bringing the subject up. However, she continued speaking.

“Yet, that story never quite made sense to me, at least the part about my being a relative of some sort to Mr. Bennet. He had almost no relations. The Collins were the only ones ever spoken of and that consisted of a father and son. Then on one occasion after I went to live with the Gardiners, I accidentally overheard them speaking of me one evening. From what they said, it sounded very much as if they knew nothing at all of my parents. If I was indeed related to the Bennets, I believe that they would have known.”

Elizabeth did not see the looks that passed between the others in the room. They were immediately aware of the fact that new inquiries could now be made in an effort to understand what had happened to their family some eighteen years ago.

A servant entered the room at that moment to announce that dinner was ready. After he stepped out, the Earl asked Elizabeth about what had become of the rest of the Bennets after her stepfather died.

““I have not been in contact with the remaining Bennets since I came to town. Not long before my stepfather's death, he and his wife had attempted to betroth me to this Mr. Collins, to provide security for his family after he was gone. The man came to Longbourn to visit us and proved to be an absolute fool. I would have refused to do their bidding under any circumstances but after meeting the cousin, even the discussion of it was preposterous. After Mr. Bennet died, his wife blamed my refusal for the loss of her home. The atmosphere at Longbourn thus became very unpleasant for me and I left. I actually do not know where the Bennets are now.”

“Why would you not have done their bidding, Elizabeth?” Darcy asked.

“I have always clung to the notion of marrying for love, Mr. Darcy. And I felt no obligation to be responsible for the Bennets' welfare. Why would I? They did nothing to merit such tender feelings.”

Chapter 6

Lord Andrew decided that the time was right for the party to move to the dining parlor. He quickly arose and offered his arm to Elizabeth. With his son escorting the Countess and his nephew following behind, he led the way to an intimate room where a round rosewood table held five place-settings. He helped his niece to a seat, then took the one to her left. His nephew sat on the other side of her. The first course was served quietly and efficiently. The Fitzwilliams made small talk with each other until the servers withdrew from the room: the Earl took the opportunity to share his sheep story once again, as Darcy and Elizabeth had yet to hear it.

“Elizabeth, we must speak of your mother,” Lord Andrew began. “Susan has told you that she is in town, I believe?”

“Yes, sir,” Elizabeth responded.

“Five years after your father's death, your mother wed Matthew Farrington, who is now the Duke of Montesford. Farrington had been a suitor of hers before she met and married my brother James. When we had to give up searching for you, Maria returned to Staffordshire, to the home of her father, the Duke of Wiltingham. Farrington had never married and eventually, he reappeared to renew his suit to your mother.

“Your grandfather always had reservations about the then Marquess and tried to persuade Maria to refuse his suit a second time. Nonetheless, she decided to accept his offer. A few years after they married, Farrington's father died and he inherited the title. Their primary home is Greenwood, which is also in Nottinghamshire.

“As you may imagine, my family had been very close with yours and Susan and Maria had come to be almost like sisters. Thus we were deeply saddened although not surprised when your mother eventually broke off contact with us. We assumed that Farrington pressured her to do so.

“Why would he have done that?” Elizabeth asked.

“Farrington had been excessively disappointed when your mother married my brother. He blamed James for his failure to win her hand although in truth had your parents never met, I do not believe that she would have accepted him at the time. His resentment continued after the marriage. From time to time, their paths would cross at social occasions and he was unfailingly cold to your father. His grudge against him also extended to us as his relations. That is why we believe that he stopped Maria from communicating with us.”

Elizabeth hesitated to ask the logical question that came to her mind, for fear of the answer. “Lord Matlock, under the circumstances that you have described, will my mother be willing to receive me?”

Lord Andrew shook his head. “I do not know how she will react, my dear.”

“Oh, Andrew, of course she will be ecstatic to see her child again. Any mother would. How can you say such a thing!” Lady Susan exclaimed.

“My dear, I do not disagree with you in substance. However, Maria is under the control of her husband and I do not believe that he will be pleased to have one of James' girls returned. This greatly complicates reintroducing Lizzy to her.”

Elizabeth felt as if she was on a pendulum, swinging between opposite extremes of feelings. The inner joy that she had felt upon learning who she was and that her mother still lived was beginning to be crushed by the other realities of the situation. The thought that her mother would reject her had never crossed her mind. She struggled not to break out into tears.

Sitting next to her, Darcy sensed rather than saw the upheaval going on in her. Poor Lizzy. To go from being a companion to a wealthy man's child to the granddaughter of a Peer of the Realm all in one day was more than enough change to handle. But then to learn that the mother whom you likely longed for all of your life might be prevented from embracing you because of your real stepfather, another Peer of the Realm, is beyond the ability of most..

“Uncle, I have a suggestion that may solve that problem,” Darcy said suddenly.

“Let's have it, William.”

“I believe that you should first send word to Arthur Nesbitt.”

Lord Andrew looked at his nephew and smiled broadly. “Nephew, that is a truly inspired idea.”

“May I ask who Arthur Nesbitt is?” Elizabeth enquired.

Darcy answered her. “Arthur Nesbitt is the Duke of Wiltingham. He is your maternal grandfather.”

“My grandfather! He is still alive then?”

“Yes, my dear,” replied Lady Susan. “He is in his early seventies but remains in full health. We have always stayed on friendly terms with him and usually dine with him once or twice each season in town. Andrew, do you know whether or not he is London?”

“He was as of two days ago, aunt.” Darcy said. “I saw him leaving his townhouse on Tuesday morning when I was going on my ride.” Looking at Elizabeth, he added, “he lives on St. James Square across from me.”

Their conversation was interrupted by the appearance of the second course. While the serving dishes were being exchanged, Elizabeth sat quietly, trying to process all that she had just heard. In a strange way, just as she was learning of her true relations, she had never felt lonelier. Her experiences of the last day cried out for a confidant, someone with whom she could share both the happiness and trepidation that she was feeling. But she truly had no one. And what would happen if her grandfather did not believe that she was his missing grandchild? The Fitzwilliams had been remarkably kind to her but surely she was not their responsibility. Would she go back to the Gardiners?

She suddenly wondered whether she would be better off forgetting all that she had discovered today. Perhaps none of it is even true, she thought. Lady Matlock's desire for me to be her niece may well have overcome her reasoning.

“Elizabeth, becalm yourself. It will all turn out well,” Mr. Darcy murmured to her, causing her to start. “I cannot imagine how unreal this all feels to you right now, but know this. You have family now who will do everything they can for you. You must have trust in us.”

Right then, the Earl finished carving the duck earlier presented to him and a servant began carrying the platter around the table. Elizabeth quickly looked at her cousin with a small smile and then whispered, “thank you, sir.” Darcy responded with an almost imperceptible nod and then both turned their attention to their plates.

When dinner was over, Lord Andrew asked the ladies if they would mind if the men sequestered themselves in his study for awhile. Upon receiving his wife's approval, he led the younger men out of the room. The Countess suggested to Elizabeth that they remove to the drawing room and then gave orders to a servant to serve coffee and cake there in three-quarters of an hour.

“You have become so quiet, my dear,” Lady Susan observed after they had taken their seats. “I must apologize to you, as my nephew did. I was so overcome by today's revelations that I did not stop to think what you must be feeling. After all, while we have longed to find you for all these years, you never knew that we even existed.”

“You need not apologize to me, Lady Matlock,” Elizabeth replied. “I know that you have my interest at heart.”

“Elizabeth, please call me aunt or at least, Lady Susan. You have no need to remain so formal with us.”

“If you wish it, ma'am. Thank you.”

Elizabeth decided that she must rally her spirits and that staying silent would not accomplish that. Indeed, there were numerous things that she wished to know.

“Lady Susan, would you mind if I asked you a few questions?” she enquired.

“Of course not. I will provide whatever answers that I can.”

“I understand that my sister and I were my parents' only children, but do I have any half-sisters or brothers, from my mother's current marriage?”

“No. The Farringtons have no children.”

“Do I have any other aunts and uncles besides yourself and Lord Andrew?” Elizabeth asked.

“On the Fitzwilliam side, my husband has another sister, now Lady Catherine de Bourgh. Her husband Lewis is deceased. They had one daughter, Anne who is now twenty five years of age. It was their estate that you and your father were visiting before the accident. On your mother's side there are none, for she was an only child. You likely have more distant relations from the Nesbitts, but I am not that familiar with the Duke's family.”

“What is my grandfather like?”

Lady Susan smiled. “At seventy years, he remains both charming and handsome. In Parliament he is known for the liberality of his ideas. He is a very well-read man and enjoys conversation on a wide variety of subjects. He has a very impressive library at his home in Staffordshire as well as a fine one here in town. Your cousin and the Duke have gotten into fierce bidding wars in the past over books in estate auctions as William is also an avid collector.”

“I take great pleasure in reading as well,” Elizabeth shyly noted.

As the ladies continued their conversation, Lord Andrew and the younger men were discussing what they should do next. They all agreed that introducing Elizabeth to the Duke of Wiltingham should be done as soon as possible. The Earl finally decided that he along with his wife would pay a call on Arthur Nesbitt within the next few days, to tell him of his granddaughter's discovery. Assuming that he did not reject their evidence, they would make arrangements for him to meet her. He could then determine the best way to tell the news to his daughter.

“What should we do concerning these Bennets?” Colonel Fitzwilliam asked. “I do not believe that they could be completely ignorant of Elizabeth's background. There is still the matter of what happened to Johanna.”

“I agree with you, son. However, I think that we should defer doing anything about them until I have have spoken to the Duke.”

The men finished their port in silence and then Darcy and the Colonel stood up, intending to return to the ladies. They were surprised when the Earl asked his son to go on ahead without himself and Darcy. The Colonel did as he asked and left the room, closing the door behind him.

“William, I noticed you speaking quietly with Elizabeth a number of times during dinner,” Lord Andrew said.

Darcy nodded. “I was trying to help her remain calm about the situation. There was a moment after you spoke about Farrington to her when I thought that she was about to run from the house and hire a coach to take her as far away from us as possible.

“It is a great deal for someone to take in all at one time. That in fact was why I wanted to speak to you alone. I am aware of certain things that I believe will make this even more overwhelming