A/N - Continuing where Longbourn's Songbird left off - hoping to have something to update every day (ish) but still a work in progress.

Thank you so much for all the reads and comments on my previous story - I hope this next instalment doesn't disappoint! Here we go..x

"Elizabeth, I do not how I will manage without you!"

Jane Bennet smiled as she spoke, but the tears that threatened to spill over the lids of her blue eyes belied the expression as anything other than desolation.

"Don't be ridiculous, Jane!" Lizzy said, pulling her sister close in an embrace. "I am going to Kent, not France. It will not be a long separation and we might write - in fact, we must write, for I wish to be kept updated of all the news at Netherfield in my absence."

She did not say and I shall need some vent for my own frustrations, for she knew that would finish Jane entirely, and Lizzy could not cope with another fit of tears, either hers or anybody else's. She was departing for Kent, at the invitation of her sister Mary, whose engagement to Colonel Fitzwilliam was still the most recent news rejoiced upon throughout Longbourn. Her status as an engaged woman had elevated Mary in her mother's opinion, at least, and by comparison, Elizabeth's suffering was almost over. Despite her mother's attempts to win her over, though, Lizzy remained pitched against her, and now the silence was all her own doing. Mrs Bennet had conspired to marry Elizabeth to Mr Collins, despite being fully aware of Lizzy's true feelings for their buffoon of a cousin. It was this that had allowed Mrs Bennet to consent to Lizzy's planned visit to Kent, although as far as Elizabeth was concerned, she was going at Mary's insistence, and Mary's alone. She could ignore Mr Collins just as successfully in Kent as she could in Hertfordshire, and she certainly had no intention of marrying the man, whatever her parents had conspired to say about the matter.

Lizzy's heart sank. It was not her mother's actions that hurt the most, although she had been surprised by Mrs Bennet's determination to have her way in this, and to insist, no matter what Elizabeth said or did, that the marriage must take place. That was not unexpected, for her mother was bound and determined to stay at Longbourn, and if that meant sacrificing one daughter's happiness for the sake of the others, she would do it, rationalising the action in whatever way she needed to that the marriage would grow to be a happy one in time. But in this instance her father too had been brought into the scheme. Lizzy had never imagined that Mr Bennet, after a lifetime of taking his daughter's side against her mother, would suddenly and completely switch allegiances and consent to the marriage in her absence. He had somewhat relented his position since, after Elizabeth's tears and silence and all-round un-Lizzy-like behaviour had impressed upon him how much she despised the idea. The matter was left inconclusive, then, with Mr Bennet permitting that he would approve of the marriage "so long as Lizzy herself wished it". As Lizzy did not, any engagement between herself and Mr Collins was at present only theoretical, although Lizzy knew there would need to be some resolution, and soon, if anybody was ever to move on.

I must find somebody else who suits him better, she thought, with grim determination. If such a lady exists anywhere in all creation, I have not met her yet. Lizzy had indulged in an idle daydream that Mary might have suited him well, but now that her younger sister was engaged to be married to Colonel Fitzwilliam, which union Lizzy very heartily approved of, she would be forced to search elsewhere for a suitable future Mrs Collins. That he had already left Kent once in search of a bride did not bode well for her success over the next few weeks, but nonetheless Lizzy would not allow her spirits to dim. To admit defeat would be to embrace the future her mother had laid out for her and that, Elizabeth could not, would not do.

"Will you be alright?" Jane asked, softly. She had been watching Elizabeth carefully, and Lizzy had no doubt that some indication of her true feelings had been playing very plainly across her features.

"I shall survive it, do not fear!" Lizzy said, with a cheerful smile. "Besides, I shall be intrigued indeed to visit Rosings and see how Lady Catherine de Bourgh's elegant home lives up to our cousin's extravagant description."

"And to witness her interaction with her nephew, I imagine," Jane said, sagely. "Did Mr Darcy say he intended to accompany the Colonel?"

"I believe there was some suggestion he might," Lizzy said, with a philosophical shrug that did not deceive Jane half as well as she thought. How strange that my saving grace in the next three weeks should be the presence of Mr Darcy in our party! The irony of the thought was not loss on her, for despite taking a near instantaneous dislike to the man, their oft being thrown together by their common companions, even more so now that her sister was pledged to marry his cousin, had begun to soften Elizabeth's feelings towards Mr Darcy. "At least with him there I shall not want for sensible conversation."

"Mr Darcy offers conversation now?" Jane's eyes sparkled. "Goodness, how times have changed."

"Do not tease, Jane, for I am in no mood for it. And anyway, even you must admit Mr Darcy has become an altogether more outgoing ad interesting version of himself since Colonel Fitzwilliam's arrival."

"Very true," Jane conceded. "I still think you were rather too harsh to him to begin with. Not everyone is as outgoing as you, Lizzy, and for some people it just takes a little time to get to know one another to the point that they feel able to speak freely."

"I still would not compare the two cousins in terms of their natures: Colonel Fitzwilliam is a good deal friendlier than his cousin, but if my choice is between Mr Collins and Mr Darcy for conversation, I need not tell you who I would prefer." Lizzy sighed, and looked back towards her cases, not noticing the delighted smile that passed quickly over Jane's face before being swallowed in an attitude of indifference.

"At least you will be among friends. And I should be interested to know of the third cousin, Anne, I believe her name is. She has hovered like a spectre at the edge of all Colonel Fitzwilliam has said of the party at Rosings, so you must do your best to befriend her, Lizzy, that we may know her better. It will not be difficult, I am sure, for you can make it very easy to love you."

"You suggest that I do not always!" Elizabeth laughed, and batted her eyelashes at her sister. "Which statement I would take offense at, were I not compelled to acknowledge its truth." She gave a last glance over her belongings and threw up her hands. "Well, I am sure I have forgotten half of all I should want, but this will do for now." She hesitated, lifting her hand to her lips. "Do you suppose Rosings has anything approaching a library? That is, a library of books I might want to read?" Her eyes twinkled. "I shall go mad without a good book."

"Nonsense!" Jane said, with a spirited grin. "You shall be so busy conversing with Mr Darcy I dare say you will not have even a spare moment to look at something as pedestrian as a book!"

Lizzy aimed a pillow at her, but Jane dodged so that the offending article flew threw the open doorway and landed with a thump at Mrs Bennet's feet, who frowned at it, and lifted her gaze to her daughters, but had the grace, at that particular moment, to stay silent.