Here we are at the end of the story. For the last time I would like to thank everyone who has taken the time to read it and leave such nice comments.

Mrs Bennet and Jane sat in the sitting room pouring over wallpaper patterns to decorate the sun room at the Bingley's home. They had been at it for hours, Mary sat between them trying to join in. She had no interest in bird prints or flowery images but she needed a distraction from her own thoughts.

"Mary!….Mary, what do you think?" Jane asked her brow furrowing at the way Mary kept staring absently into the distance.

"They are all beautiful" Mary replied automatically hoping that she had given an acceptable response to a question she had not heard.

"You seem terribly out of sorts, is anything the matter?" Mrs Bennet added and Mary was surprised at the rare moment of concern her mother afforded her.

"I am fine mama" she replied, another automatic response because in truth she felt anything but fine.

Her disorderly thoughts of Alexander Langston just seem to make her more and more angry. The moment they met at the Worth Hall Ball she knew he was trouble. So why after all this time had she conceded to his charms. Mary felt no better than those ladies he'd caused scandal with in the Lake District.

Had he used the same methods to seduce those ladies? she wondered. Had he spoken beautiful words to them?, commented on things so personal that they broke past any armour and reached right into their hearts. She took a minute to remember some of those words.

"If you step out from behind your sisters shadows, you would surely have everyman falling in love with you"

That had been the moment Mary realised how she felt. She didn't want everyman falling in love with her, just him.

Alex had spoken of her virtues. He had admired her eyes, her smile and her intelligence. Things that she did not believe she possessed but he had believed them. The manner in which he delivered those words led her to believe he felt more than just friendship towards her. But then he seemed to change his mind and walk away, using an excuse to leave her as quickly as possible.

Now all Mary was left with was heartache and she wondered how long it would take before she felt like herself again.

"Mary!" Jane called again seeing that her sister was once more staring absently into the distance.

Mary shook the thoughts away to see Hill serving tea on the table and trying to present her with a letter.

Retrieving the envelope Mary did not hesitate to open it and read the contents for it gave her mind something else to do other than debate whether starlings were a better choice of wall pattern than bluebells and daisies.

The letter was from Anne Haworth

My dear friend Mary,

I have wonderful news. I am to be married to Peter Sykes. I'm sure you imagined this would happen, I know I have wanted it for a long time. I was sure he was the man for me the minute we met at that concert in Yorkshire. Doesn't that evening seem such a long time ago?

It is important to me that you attend the wedding. You are missed in Lancashire and Mr Wellfield and Mr Langston often ask after you.

Speaking of which, please write back if you have seen Alex. He has had some kind of altercation with Mr Wellfield and has disappeared. Mr Wellfield will not comment on its nature but imagines Alex may have headed in your direction.

It is bad manners for him to leave without letting anyone know where he is going and I worry for him.

I will write again soon with more news and I can't wait to see you again in just a few months time.

Yours sincerely

Anne

Mary read the letter twice and she was ashamed to admit that while the news of her friends engagement was exciting, there was only one paragraph that concerned her. Mr Langston and Mr Wellfield's altercation. What on earth could have happened?

Putting pen to paper to formulate a reply, Mary noticed the date on top of the letter. It was dated before the Lucas' party. That was three days ago. It meant that Anne would no longer need to concern herself after Alex's whereabouts for he surely would have arrived home by now.

What did bother her was that he had never uttered a word about an altercation with Mr Wellfield when they talked at the Lucas' party. He had even told Mr Bingley that he was in town after returning from London. When according to Anne's letter he had come straight to Hertfordshire.

The clock chimed over the fireplace bringing Mary back from her thoughts. It's musical strike reminded her that other matters would have to wait because she was needed in Meryton to continue her teaching from the local children. She dismissed herself from her mother's presence taking the letter with her.

The lesson was shorter than usual, many of the children had been called away to help with the lambing season and to aid in preparing the fields for crop planting. Once the last child had left Mary set about tidying the room, reverting it back to its original purpose.

The hired space belonged to the post office and although it was just a small, musky room, it suited her purpose. She went to the window to let in some much-needed air and looked out to the view of the main street in Meryton. There had been intermittent spring showers all week that had left puddles scattered down the road.

One of the puddles had a gentleman's foot standing right in it, she followed the leg upwards to see that the rainy shoe belonged to a certain tall blonde gentlemen who she believed had returned home to Lancashire three days earlier.

Mary was at the door of the post office before she could finish her breath. He had his back to her so was not instantly aware of her presence.

"Mr Langston!" she called with shaky breath

He turned slowly to see her, an expression of guilt across his face. He was holding a bunch of flowers that Mary was instantly convinced were for some unsuspecting young lady.

"Good afternoon, Mary" he greeted and for once that charming tone of his did not have any effect on her. Well, hardly any effect on her.

"You are supposed to be in Lancashire Mr Langston yet here your are" she began trying to stay calm but feeling utterly hurt that he had lied to her about leaving. The line about being late to return home the night of the party had now been confirmed as an excuse to get away from her.

"I have just had a letter from Anne Haworth concerned for your whereabouts, and here you have been all the time, attending parties and buying flowers for ladies" She knew her voice sounded choked.

"Mary let me explain…" he began but she was not for listening

"I don't want to hear your excuses Mr Langston, it seems that you have made a habit of telling lies and I do not wish to hear another one" she said

"Please! Mary.." he begged

"Does an argument with Mr Wellfield really warrant trekking across country without telling your friends where you have gone. Don't you care about them enough to let them know you are safe" she said feeling her voice rising slightly.

A concerned Mr Langston walked forward making another effort to speak but Jane had arrived by their sides.

"Good afternoon Mr Langston, I have come to town to meet Mary and accompany her back to Longbourn, will you join us?" she asked unaware of any issues happening between the two. It was the last thing Mary wanted and quickly offered up an apology on his behalf

"He can not, Mr Langston was just saying farewell as he was needed somewhere urgently. Isn't that so Mr Langston?" she said firmly.

He looked at her intensely for a minute, a slight anger to his eyes at being pushed away without a chance to explain. But eventually he acknowledged her request and nodded before turning and walking away.

Back at Longbourn Mary had changed ready for dinner. It was to be had a little earlier than usual as Jane and Bingley would be travelling home after the meal. The smell of roast beef and potatoes filled the house and Mary was looking forward to the good meal. Mr Bennet and Mr Bingley were taking a walk around the gardens leaving Mary once again in the company of her sister and mother. Thankfully the decorating patterns had been put away and she had barely sat down when Hill abruptly entered the room.

"I am sorry to interrupt ma'am but there is a Mr Langston who is insistent on speaking to Miss Bennet…" Hill was unable to finish her speech for Alex had pushed his way into the room. His eyes fixing instantly on Mary.

"Mr Langston, we are just about to sit for dinner, is there anything we can help you with?" Jane asked in a calming manner, trying not to seemed shocked by the rude intrusion.

He stood, trying to catch his breath, still holding the flowers from earlier that had wilted with many stems now bloom-less and turned to see Jane standing in the room.

Mary saw that he seemed taken aback at the sight of other people in the room. Whatever was his purpose for being there she was sure he only expected to be in her company.

She watched as he quickly looked between Mary, Jane and Mrs Bennet still catching his breath and considering his next actions.

"Mr Langston?" Jane prompted again when he failed to provide her with an answer to her question.

It was clear that whatever he had come to say was to be said to Mary alone and not overheard by other people. He was considering his options and how urgent his need was. He looked between the three women once more and came to his conclusion.

"To hell with it" he whispered to himself then address Mary directly.

"Mary Bennet, I want you to be my wife!".

The room seemed to fall silent, even the clock seemed to have ceased ticking.

Mary hoped she had heard him wrong as she was at a complete loss of how to react. She glanced over to her mother who had such a look of absolute shock that her reaction was confirmation that he had in fact offered her a proposal.

He advanced forward a step thrusting what was left of the flowers towards her.

"I want you in my life to stand by my side" he added, assuming her lack of response meant that she had not understood him earlier.

She took the flowers on offer realising she was the unsuspecting lady he had bought them for, not someone else. A giddy smile grew across her face, until she heard her mothers voice.

"Who is this man making indecent proposals, Mary?" she shrieked around the room, clearly recovered from her earlier moment of shock.

Springing into action Mary gathered herself together and pulled Mr Langston from the room, looking for a place they could talk before all hell broke loose in the Bennet household.

Every room she tried brought the advancing sounds of Mrs Bennet's battle cry.

"Mr Bennet! Mr Bennet! You must come at once" she shouted through the halls, whilst Jane could be heard trying to calm her.

Mary ran down to the kitchen with Alex tagging behind, the smell of roast beef and rosemary filling their senses. She looked frantically around and pushed him towards the pantry.

It was a small space, just large enough to turn around in, but little else. Mary was sure it would give them a few minutes to discuss his actions.

"What was the manner of that proposal?. We can not get married" she said believing the idea to be impossible.

"Why can we not?, I am unattached, you are unattached there is nothing stopping us" he replied and yet again Mary was a little angry at having to explain something that was plainly obvious.

"Mr Langston you are a very handsome gentleman from a prominent family. You are in a position where you could choose from any suitable lady you wish" she said still hearing her mothers frantic calls around the house.

"If I can choose any lady I wish, why can you not accept that I choose you?" he said angrily but Mary shook her head that his inability to make sensible decisions. He took hold of her chin forcing her to look him in the eyes.

"I believe it was fate that we met that evening at the Worth Hall Ball" he said causing Mary to smirk at the thought.

"Fate is not the talk of a rational man, Mr Langston" she replied but that seemed to infuriate Alex even more

"No, Mary it is the talk of a man in love" he pleaded, then took a moment to calm himself down.

"Tell me you do not love me Mary and I will go" he proposed and waited for her answer. She could not tell him that. Her heart pounded so fiercely with feeling for this man, that it stopped her ability to speak. Alex took her silence as confirmation of her love. .

His eyes seemed to catch fire and he suddenly lifted her by the waist perching her on the edge of an empty shelf of the pantry. The elevation almost brought her up to his height and Alex only had to bow his head slightly to kiss her.

That fire in his eyes shifted into her body as their lips made contact. She felt the heat of those flames from her head to her toes. His touch was soft and gentle but the contact felt so much more than the kiss back in the woods. It deepened quickly and even though Mary knew she should be sensible and move to stop it, she couldn't bring her self to do it. His hands wrapped around her waist holding her to the shelf. They felt strong and firm ensuring that she would not fall.

There was no urgency to the attention he laid upon Mary. Even her mother's voice seem to drift away into the distance. Her hand reached for the lapel on his jacket, holding on tight. Ensuring should he wish to back away and leave her once again, that he would not get far.

His lips broke contact for a moment and travelled towards her ear. His breath on the side of her neck sent shivers down her spine.

"Marry me Mary and we can do this for the rest of our lives"

His whispered tones had bewitched her. If he had asked her to sell her soul to the devil she would have complied in that moment.

Taking a deep breath She prepared herself to give him an answer to the proposal but was halted by a figure in the doorway.

"What on Earth is going on!?" Mr Bennet's voice boomed as loud as thunder at the scene he was witnessing.

It had been no more than just a kiss but the view had unfortunately looked a little less innocent. Her father stood staring at a man with hands on his daughter. Mary's spectacles were a little skewiff and both their faces were flushed.

The pair slowly walked out of the small pantry space to find Mr Bingley appearing from the side stuttering, trying to calm any potential explosive situation.

"Langston, I..I..I think it's time you left" he said pulling Alex away as quickly as possible but Mr Langston pulled back

"I do not have my answer yet" he called as Mr Bingley tried his best to escort him from the kitchen.

"I will not allow my daughter to marry a man who behaves so recklessly" Mr Bennet boomed once more.

Mary jumped at the volume of her father's voice but she couldn't let Alex go. She still needed some answers and begged her father to let her get them.

It took some help from Mr Bingley but eventually agreed that they could stay in the kitchen and Mr Bennet and Mr Bingley would wait just outside the door which would remain open at all times.

She thanked her father and waited for him to leave then rounded on her suitor

"I will confess to having feelings for you but how can I marry someone who has pulled away every time they get close to me? You have caused me heartache Mr Langston, why should I put myself through more of that?" she posed and he came forward to stand closely by.

"I have known ever since that day I heard you play the piano at the Haworth's that I would fall in love with you, but I kept trying to deny those feelings" he began, trying to keep his voice low remembering that Mr Bennet was standing by the door.

"I believed I had given my heart away to Sarah Haworth. The pain I felt when she passed is nothing I ever want to feel again." he paused for a moment seemingly struggling with his words and Mary felt pain at seeing him struggle.

"I was scared Mary. Scared of opening myself up to someone and feeling that way again. It wasn't until I spoke to Mr Wellfield that my opinion changed" he said

She listened as he explained that he had not argued with Mr Wellfield only that his friend had suggested he had asked Mary to marry him. Alex said his fear at that moment had changed direction. The fear of losing her to someone else outweighed the fear of opening his heart to her.

"Fear had struck me blind and before I even realised what I was doing I had travelled half way down the country to see you and find out if it was true" he said

It occurred to Mary then, that when Mr Wellfield had visited Longbourn he was insistent that she would marry for love. Had he known all this time that Alex was her one? Had he insinuated that a proposal was made just to force Alex into action?

"I have only one concern about my proposal to you and that is about how I make my living. The industrial age is exciting and so involved but Anne was right when she said it is a dirty and smelly place. It is unlike anything you have ever experienced Mary, It might not be a good home for you…" he was about to continue but Mary stopped him at the word 'home'.

Her trip all those months ago to Lancashire had been an awakening for her. She had always observed that she didn't feel she belonged anywhere. There was an empty space inside her that have never been filled except when she thought about her experiences in Lancashire. The Ball, the Concert, the walk in the woods. She realised that there was probably no 'place' that would feel like home, but she had found it instead in a person.

Alexander Langston, challenged her, gave her confidence and believed in her. She needed him in her life if she was to have any chance of being happy.

"Mr Langston, I do not care if the Lancashire Mill towns resemble the deepest layers of Hell, having you by my side is all that would matter."

She felt a tear form in her eye at the emotion she suddenly felt. Her words were as good as an acceptance of his proposal. Mary's heart swelled within her chest, threatening to cause her to pass out again when she truly realised that for the first time in her life she was wanted and was loved.

Mr Langston turned upon hearing a shuffle by the door and saw Mr Bennet's stern face. No words were spoken between them but it was clear that the two needed to have a conversation. She watched as her potential fiancé turned away from her and followed Mr Bennet to his study trying to overcome the last barrier.

She was sure the time Alex was in that room was the longest she had ever lived through. Mary kept smiling to her self as she thought about all that had happened that day and found herself blushing thinking about his words

"Marry me Mary and we can do this for the rest of our lives"

A shiver of excitement travelled along her neck at the thought.

Alex exited the study looking tired and harassed and for a moment Mary felt her stomach drop in fear. He walked over to her and looked down at her. She held her breath.

Then in a fluid motion he was down on his knee, his eyes began to twinkle.

"Miss Bennet, would you do me the greatest honour of consenting to become my wife?"

Mary laughed aloud knowing that this very proper proposal was one of her fathers stipulations. She glanced over at her father who nodded his approval.

She whispered to Alex through giggles "How did you ever get him to consent?"

Mr Langston just looked up at her. Those blue eyes twinkling and that crooked smile growing across his face as he gave her a wink and she understood

"I accept your proposal Mr Langston, I fear there is no other choice against a man that can charm himself in an out of every possible situation" she said beaming with joy.

Alex stood to embrace her but Mary remembered one last question.

"Why did you leave me at the Lucas' party if you had already decided that you wanted me in your life?" she asked remembering the feeling of hurt she felt when he claimed to be returning home.

He took her face in his hands and kissed her lightly on the mouth.

"Because I have spent the last three days tracking down a house in Cornwall, that sits on the peninsula overlooking crashing waves and in view of a light house" he said

"Whatever for?" she puzzled remembering the made up stories she told about such a place so long ago at the concert in Yorkshire.

"Because Mary, that is where we will spend our Honeymoon" he added

She allowed him to kiss her again, all the while thinking, 'Yes, Yes. I have finally found a place I can call home'.