A/N Thank you for the reviews. I was surprised by the number of Amanda x Wickham fans out there. Thank you for reading. This is the final chapter. Enjoy.

Chapter 3

Two weeks and she'd heard nothing from him. Amanda sighed and dropped her head into her hand. Maybe he was a jerk after all…but those dreams she'd started having – snatches of memory coming back from all those weeks ago – things she wasn't sure if she had imagined. Had Wickham really carried her? Why did her dreams have him rescuing her from water when she was about to drown?

Amanda sighed again. Well he had certainly come after her when no one else had otherwise he wouldn't have been with her at the inn. That little question of why would have to be employed again the next time she saw him. She hoped she saw him soon. She missed him, quite infuriatingly.

"Stop sighing in the corner and come help me out of this chair," her charge chastised her and Amanda couldn't help but grin. She was sure the old lady was some distant relation to Wickham, the mannerisms were similar.

"Come with me outside into the sunshine girl. It will stop your moping over that boy."

Oh, and the lady was shrewd. Amanda wasn't quite sure if she liked that or not.

"What boy would that be?" Amanda played along, walking alongside her.

"My good for nothing great-nephew of course."

So she was right then. Related. Amanda smiled again and sat down next to her on a stone bench in the sun.

"Whatever put such an idea in your head?" Amanda asked, knowing that the old lady liked the game, much like Wickham.

"Don't you try pulling the wool over my eyes." The old lady shook her finger playfully at Amanda. "I know you miss him." She took her eyes away from Amanda and looked up the garden path. "And here he comes now."

Amanda's head snapped to attention.

Indeed Wickham was striding straight up the garden path, looking as carefree and happy as ever. That smile was making her insides do strange things.

"Nephew," Mrs Rowlstead greeted pleasantly. "How long has it been since you came to see me?"

"Far too long Aunt," Wickham replied, bowing over her outstretched hand, serious faced but with a mischievous glint in his eyes. His aunt retrieved her hand and he turned his attention to Amanda.

"You look positively startled Miss Price! Were you not aware of my visit?" He looked questioningly at his Aunt.

"It must have slipped my mind to inform Miss Price," Mrs Rowlstead replied steadily with no shame.

Wickham grinned. Amanda scowled. Wickham met Amanda's eyes and she felt her heart speed up. There was a pause.

"Aunt," Wickham broke eye contact to turn to his closely observing great-aunt. "I wish to borrow Miss Price for a while."

Mrs Rowlstead flapped her hand dismissively. "I'll make sure Betty has tea ready for when you return."

Wickham offered Amanda his arm. "Shall we Miss Price?"

She reached out slowly and got to her feet. When she was last time she had felt this awkward? This nervous!

Wickham set off down the garden, taking her with him. The garden was humming and buzzing with life as bees and butterflies skipped from flower to flower in the sunshine. Wickham filled the silence with easy conversation, simultaneously answering her unasked question. "I have been with the militia this past fortnight. They were making a move to Brighton and I was required to stay with them for a time." Amanda made a strange noise that indicated she'd heard him. He looked at her and raised his eyebrows. "Just in case you were wondering why I did not come sooner Miss Price."

Amanda tried to give a nonchalant shrug and said, too quickly, "You can come see me when you like Wickham, it's not my concern, why should it be?"

'Damn it Amanda, keep your head on straight. Be cool.'

Wickham was smirking at her. It was infuriating and he always had to look so bloody gorgeous in the process.

"I have to admit Miss Price that I have missed your acid wit and poisonous looks. How do you like my great aunt?"

Amanda half-laughed, "She is certainly unconventional like you promised. You failed to mention before that you were related."

"Did I?" he feigned shock," how incredibly short sighted of me." She stopped and turned to face him. He was amassing great enjoyment in teasing her. "What shall you do to punish me for my offence Miss Price?"

She looked at him intently. "Why did you come after me when no one else did?"

He visibly winced, recovering quickly. "And what a punishment Miss Price! To force me to be serious. I don't know how my nerves can withstand it," his tone was only half joking.

"I wouldn't worry about it too much. I'm the one with the poor health remember?"

He looked bewildered for a second before relaxation dawned and he let out a chuckle of laughter. "Of course Miss Price, how could I forget?"

Amanda took a step towards him, looking up into his liquid eyes. She'd done it before, however last time she'd been threatening him and now she was pleading. "Tell me."

Wickham gazed down at her, his face becoming serious. "What are you doing to me Amanda?" he sighed and gently started to play with a strand of her hair. "When you left it took some time before I even found out. I overheard Mrs Bennett rejoicing in your departure. I accosted Darcy. He neither knew nor cared." Anger flashed in Wickham's eyes. "I alone knew that you had no where to go. Whether the rest did or not they did not spare a moment to consider that you did not have any transport. They all pried your fingers from the raft and waited to watch you drown. It is the way of the world."

"Except you."

He took a breath and held her eyes captured with his own.

"Except me." Hurt flashed across his face. "Why did you not come to me Amanda? I thought…" He took his hand away and shifted his eyes.

"I would have," she whispered, "but I don't know what you could have done."

He looked back at her, eyebrows raised.

"Well I do now," she exclaimed, rolling her eyes, "Wickham magic and all that."

He smiled at her and she smiled back. He gently lifted a hand to her face and laid it against her cheek, fingers slipping into her hair. Amanda was caught by his eyes and the proximity of his face and when his arm slipped around her waist and pressed her against him her head swam.

"I went after you Miss Price because we are one of a kind," he told her earnestly, "and in the militia you look after your comrades."

"That's the only reason?" she asked breathlessly, trying to keep her eyes off his mouth.

Wickham smiled slowly and bent his head closer to her.

"Well I wouldn't say that."

His lips pressed against hers and the tension in her head broke as he slowly slanted his mouth against hers and she responded passionately, making him gasp.

"Miss Price," he smiled breathlessly, breaking the kiss and resting his forehead against hers. "You are not supposed to know how to kiss like that."

"And you're not supposed to kiss me at all until you've proposed," she retorted.

Wickham grimaced, "Ah, well you see…"

Amanda kissed him.

"Don't give me any rubbish excuses George."

He raised his eyebrows, "Would you believe me if I said I was already married?" She shook her head. "Already engaged?" Another shake. "A vow of celibacy?"

Amanda laughed. "Not a chance."

Wickham sighed and looked thoughtful. "I suppose I shall have to marry you then."

Grinning Amanda moved to kiss him again but he moved his head slightly away.

"You're not very rich."

She punched him on the arm instead.

As the pair strolled back to the house to break the news to Mrs Rowlstead Amanda broke the comfortable silence.

"Thank you for rescuing me."

Wickham smiled at her, "Thank you for letting me."

The art of sinking rafts didn't seem so very important anymore.