Many thanks for your patience during the long break since I last published. I'm really hopeful that I can get into a routine and complete this story sooner rather than later, but please bear with me and know that I truly do intend to finish this even if it takes longer than planned.

Ten days passed in the delightful manner which you might imagine Miss Bennet and her favorite sister would get on in a new, exciting city surrounded by intelligent conversation, generous accommodations, and friends who were ready to be pleased. No one who was witness to the party could find anything wanted. The London home of the Darcy's was filled with laughter, conversation, and a warmth of friendship the likes of which it had not seen for fifteen years, at least.

Mornings had fast become Elizabeth's favorite part of every day. She would rise early, and often only she and her Mr. Darcy could be found in the dining room for the better part of an hour before any others in the house stirred. If one were to ask what they spoke of and how they addressed one another, it could only be said that it was a very good thing that they were to be married, and married soon.

The ladies spent their days exploring their new surroundings, shopping, and entertaining one another. Georgiana quickly discovered that the Bennet sisters rivaled her brother in their readiness to provide an enthusiastic audience to her musical education. Jane might even have exceeded the elder Darcy in her raptures and approval of every selection and note that her new friend played. Elizabeth was nearly as complimentary, with the exception of an occasional recommendation or gentle critique which demonstrated a deeper appreciation for the art and a respect for the artist.

The evenings were spent in the company of Mr. Darcy, Mr. Bingley, and a steady stream of guests who could scarcely neglect an opportunity to meet the mysterious strangers that had quickly become the talk of town. Colonel Fitzwilliam was a near constant fixture at these gatherings and quickly established himself as the protector and guardian of the ladies as he had always done for his young cousin. While there might be whispers and speculation, not one visitor left with evidence that Mr. Darcy was lost from jealous scheming of the many hopeful mothers and daughters in his acquaintance.

Mr. Bingley's sisters did not join the group nearly as often as he and his intended had hoped, but still often enough for Elizabeth to exclaim to hers that she wondered why they came at all if only to be displeased and displeasing. They just barely refrained from incivility because they had too much to lose if Mr. Darcy were to become truly angered by their behavior, but not enough care to concern themselves with their brothers happiness.

Only on one occasion - soon after their arrival in London - did Elizabeth and her Mr. Darcy find themselves at odds with one another. The lady was impatient to make introductions to her Uncle and Aunt in town, and the gentleman was equally eager to avoid a connection with that branch of the family he had only just left behind in Hertfordshire. Elizabeth became restless and Darcy became reticent and it almost looked like the two might find themselves at opposite ends of an unpleasant exchange.

The introduction, however, was eventually made and Elizabeth watched closely to see how he bore it. Darcy was surprised, and so far from ending the meeting abruptly, instead entered into a lengthy conversation with Mr. Gardiner. Elizabeth could not but be pleased, could not but triumph. Not only that she could show that she had relations for whom there was no reason to blush, but also that she had a partner who could recognize and accept when he was in the wrong and truly appreciate the intelligence and good manners of those she loved most next to him and her sister. After that, the Gardiner's were always welcome, and happy to entertain in their turn, and were fast finding themselves favorites with their initially reluctant new friend.

As the last guests of the evening made their adieus, Elizabeth settled comfortably into a green velvet settee at the farthest corner of the sitting room. She had claimed the spot as hers within minutes of first entering the house, and it had become so natural to find her nestled there that Mr. Darcy wondered how that room could ever have come to be without her in it. She eagerly found her place in a new novel that Georgiana had picked out for her the day earlier and that had been calling to her throughout the night. Despite her genuine excitement to get lost in the chapter, though, she quickly began to drift away but was quickly brought back to wakefulness when her future sister-in-law slipped into the room excited to hear Elizabeth's account of the night and plan for the following morning.

"Lizzy, we must get Jane in for her final fitting. Her new gowns should be ready by next week and you still have trim to pick for two of yours," Georgina insisted. For a shy young woman, nervous in new company and overwhelmed by large crowds, she certainly fell into ease when a seamstress or a shopkeeper was nearby. "This will be our last trip before you return to Longbourn, and there is so much to do." If Georgiana didn't have such exquisite taste, make such enjoyable company, and wasn't so deliriously happy to be part of the wedding planning, Lizzy might have put up a fight. But as it was, she could find no reason to deny her friend and the two set about drawing up a schedule and shopping lists for the following day.

Jane sighed from the desk on the opposite wall to the fireplace, "Dear sister, how can the time have passed by so quickly. I feel like we just arrived in town yesterday."

"Oh, Jane, don't despair. Only imagine how much Mama, and our younger sisters must be missing us right now." Despite her concern that Elizabeth truly was setting a poor example for their young new friend, she couldn't help from laughing alongside her sister. And so the three ladies whispered and giggled and gossiped much later than good sense would allow, until they finally made their way sleepily to their rooms.

Despite her best intentions to resign herself to sleep effortlessly, Elizabeth's thoughts kept leaping back to the book that she had abandoned so carelessly. At last, she convinced herself that just one more chapter would be enough to satisfy her curiosity and hasten her slumber and she ventured out of the room quietly so as not to wake her sister next door. As she made her way down the staircase, she heard pounding on the front door and the hasty footsteps of the butler as he rushed to the entrance and accepted an express on his master's behalf.

No sooner had she resolved to return to her room, did she see the master himself. She turned her head quickly to shield eyes from his bedroom attire and informal appearance as he rounded the corner. Knowing she should continue back, but not able to do so, she edged her way to the end of the hall and peered into the room to see Mr. Darcy engrossed in the letter that had just arrived. His face had reddened and she could see a flash in his eyes that she only hoped would never be directed at her. At length, he called out to his servant for a glass of wine, sat down heavily, and began to furiously pen a response.

Oh - but were she at Longbourn - she could rest assured that no detail would be out of her reach. She could only imagine that if these same events unfolded in her home her mother would have behaved in such a manner that not only she and her sisters, but the servants too, were witness and privy to all those details that Mr. Darcy was certain to keep private and discrete. Were she at her home, she could go to her father and be confident that he would rest on her all his worries and concerns and seek her guidance, if only to hear it and not to heed it.

But no, she reminded herself. This was not her home - yet. Reluctantly, she retraced her steps to the well-appointed guest room that she occupied, slipped silently into the luxurious bedding that had been turned down for her only hours ago, and laid miserably awake.