Hi, all! I'm trying for a P&P story now simply because I am in love with Darcy (who isn't?) but he's unfortunately taken so I have to fill the void with the next best thing - Colonel Fitzwilliam and an OC! I will be updating weekly, I have about 20 chapters written out and I'm debating on a sequel when I'm done, or maybe just a split in volumes. More to come soon. Enjoy! x

"Your fiancé is delightful, William," said Lady Fitzwilliam quietly, smiling at her nephew who was entranced by the vision of Elizabeth Bennet as she played the pianoforte after dinner. "Richard tells me you have a fondness for her playing."

Darcy merely smiled, raising his cup of coffee to his lips and sipping it absently, his eyes never straying from his bride-to-be's form. Next to her, his sister looked at her with equal adoration, turning pages and conversing with her softly. If he could have the vision of the two most important people in his life together thus burned into his mind, he would have had it done in a heartbeat.

"However," his aunt was still speaking. "There is the matter of London."

"London?" Darcy reluctantly tore his gaze away from the ladies and looked at his aunt, a slight frown forming on his features. "What of it, aunt?"

"You will be spending the season there, will you not, after the wedding?"

Darcy grimaced. "Pemberley would be a much better option, and I know El- Miss Bennet would prefer it."

"Be that as it may," his aunt's lips twitched at his slip. "You will want to introduce her to society, will you not?"

"The ton will rip her to shreds, Alexandra," said Lord Fitzwilliam, who had till now remained silent as he enjoyed his future niece's playing. "We know what they are like. Perhaps it would be best if they went to Pemberley directly after."

"William has always been popular in society, dear, and I will not have his fiancé labelled a mercenary simply because her circumstances are not suited to your sister's definition of what a future Darcy should be," said Lady Fitzwilliam, her tone firm. "You will introduce Miss Elizabeth to society after your wedding, William, and that is final. She is a lovely girl, and there are many worthwhile people of appropriate standing that would love her as we do. You have three months to prepare her, do you not?"

"She is a country girl with a sharp wit and a soft heart," Lord Fitzwilliam shook his head. "They will break her spirit. No young woman wants to hear the things they'll say about her."

"She will have the public affection of her husband's family, and that is all that she will need," said Lady Fitzwilliam. "Really, you men make London sound much more horrifying than it is!"

"What are you whispering about, aunt?" came Georgiana's sweet voice. There was a lull in Elizabeth's playing, and Darcy caught her looking at them suspiciously as she searched through the music collection for something else to play. At his look, however, she put the music down and accompanied Georgiana closer to where her family sat. "It is rude to speak when one is playing," continued the younger girl, chiding her brother as she sat by him.

Elizabeth smiled at her future sister's teasing tone, causing Darcy to smile and Lady Fitzwilliam to look at her husband in triumph, as if displaying the extent of Elizabeth's positive effect on her family. The earl, however, still looked unconvinced, and answered Georgiana's question. "We were discussing the plans of Miss Bennet and your brother, dear, after the wedding. They will stay in London, you know."

"They will?" Georgiana looked surprised. "Will you not want to go to Pemberley directly, William?"

Darcy shrugged. "It will be as Miss Elizabeth wishes, of course."

Elizabeth smiled as all eyes turned to her. "You mean to frighten me, Mr. Darcy, by putting me in such a spot between your relations," she said lightly. Her dark eyes sparkled when her fiancé looked at her, the ghost of a smile still hovering about his lips. "Naturally, I mean to stand by my promise of making you practice to be sociable. I have never experienced London in the season, and I confess I am curious to see what the ton really is like."

"Its an experience you are better off without, my dear," the earl shook his head.

"Nonsense. You will take callers with me and attend our dinner before the beginning of the season when you come to London for your trousseau, my dear Elizabeth, and you can form your acquaintance there so that you may be slightly more familiar with the ton after your wedding," said Lady Fitzwilliam, waving away her nephew and husband's worries. Darcy, knowing when he was beaten, merely stayed silent the rest of the evening, leaving Elizabeth blissfully unaware of his worry.

!

"She needs more guidance than you can provide her with, Alexandra, and you know that," said Lord Fitzwilliam wearily. "Richard, explain to your mother that she is going to put that girl through unnecessary pain."

Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam looked up from the game of chess he was playing with his older brother and raised an eyebrow at his father. "My dear sir, you are asking me to argue with Lady Fitzwilliam? Even my military prowess does not lend me the courage to do such a thing."

Viscount Henry Fitzwilliam sniggered opposite him, winking at his younger brother as he joined in the conversation. "Indeed, Father, I fail to understand your motive, throwing your son into the path of a far more vicious adversary than Bonaparte himself."

"Hush, you insolent boys," reprimanded Lady Fitzwilliam, though her lips twitched as she continued writing her letter. "Your mother is no fool –"

"Its clear where we get our intelligence from, then," muttered the viscount, causing the colonel to guffaw and his father to throw him a dirty look.

"- and as such I have taken the liberty of inviting a dear friend to the dinner next week," finished Lady Fitzwilliam, as if her son hadn't spoken at all.

"More of the ton?" inquired Lord Fitzwilliam sarcastically.

"There is a dinner next week?" asked Henry in confusion. The colonel rolled his eyes.

Lady Fitzwilliam ignored her sons and turned to her husband. "Do be reasonable, my dear, that girl is stronger than we give her credit for if she has caused my nephew to smile in one evening more than I have seen him do so in years." Richard nodded at that, remembering the effect of Miss Bennet on his cousin and close friend before and after his failed first proposal in Kent. "Nevertheless, I do see your point. London society can be cruel, and William has caused quite a stir. When the banns were read, Lady Edith wrote to me and said some foolish girl actually gasped out loud. Hopefully, the dinner will change that."

"Pray tell us, Madam," asked the Colonel curiously. "Who is this friend you speak of?"

Lady Fitzwilliam waved away his question. "Never you mind, Richard, but both of you are expected to be in attendance. Bring along dear Emily as well, Henry," she added, and the viscount nodded in acquiesce. "She will love Miss Elizabeth, I am sure."

"I look forward to meeting this elusive lady myself," confessed the viscount. "You make Darcy sound like a man bewitched, Richard."

"Indeed, I shouldn't be surprised if he was," said Richard, ignoring the look his mother threw his way. "He has the good fortune to marry for love without being concerned for money, which is the only failing I could see in Miss Elizabeth."

"She is a charming girl," agreed Lord Fitzwilliam. The viscount looked a little uncomfortable at his brother's words, but his father ignored them. "Perhaps a bit more headstrong than we are used to, but I suppose to manage Darcy she must be."

"I think she will fit in nicely," said his wife, sealing her letter and ringing the bell to signal for tea. "Now tell me, dear Henry, how is my little granddaughter doing?"

The family lapsed into casual conversation after that, and it was only when Richard was packing up the chess set that his eyes went to the letter his mother had been writing earlier and he began to wonder once more who it was that she seemed to be relying on to solve their problems.