Chapter 4

By the time Georgiana finally escaped from Caroline Bingley's insincere clutches, the young Miss Darcy couldn't wait to be away. One could only listen to someone else moan about the condition of one's sibling for so long before it became tempting to sneak into their room in the middle of the night and either sew something small but sharp into the inside of their corset or smother said someone with a convenient pillow. And the same could be said about being referred to as 'Poor Georgiana' all the time. At this rate, Miss Bingley would be receiving both treatments in quick succession from her supposedly timid 'friend.' Georgiana was wondering what it would be like to be a murderess as the carriage pulled into view of Longbourn.

Longbourn was much smaller than Netherfield but its grounds were none the less beautiful. She wondered absently if her rather earlier than expected arrival would cause a stir among the residents of the house. Mr. Bingley was already there, Georgiana knew because he hadn't been at Netherfield when she'd left.

Whatever Miss Darcy had been expecting, it wasn't what greeted her when she alighted from the carriage. One moment she thought she was alone, the next she was surrounded by young women and one older woman whom she thought it was safe to assume to be Mrs. Bennet and an older man and Mr. Bingley standing a little farther back.

"Miss Darcy! I'm so glad you are here." Miss Elizabeth was suddenly in front of her, smiling tiredly. Georgiana thought about being proper and formal in her greeting, but threw that idea to the wind. What was the point of it all, if you couldn't be spontaneous and casual once in a while?

"Miss Elizabeth! It's so good to see you again! It's a shame we're meeting again because my brother hit his head in another riding accident, but it's still a pleasure to see you."

"Another riding accident?" asked Elizabeth sounding surprised.

"Oh, yes. I'm afraid that my brother has become rather notorious. It's not that he isn't a good rider," she amended quickly, hoping she hadn't accidentally tarnished the second eldest Miss Bennet's opinion of her brother with her rash statement. "It's just that he's never been very good at predicting things… like the weather." Georgiana let out an internal sigh of relief as she saw Miss Elizabeth's smile widen slightly. "So this is your family?" she asked looking a little nervously at the unfamiliar people still standing around her; Georgiana had never been very good with strangers.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I did not introductions," Elizabeth apologized. "These are my father and mother – Mr. and Mrs. Bennet." She gestured to the man and the older, flustered looking woman. "My older sister, Jane, and my two younger sisters, Mary and Kitty."

Miss Darcy curtsied to them politely,

"It's a pleasure to meet you all."

-O-O-O-

From his position in the bed, Darcy could just see out of one of the rooms two windows. If he had been able to sit up on his own he would have been able to see even better but every time he tried Darcy felt dizzy and lightheaded and extra color began swirling and dancing in front of his eyes. He watched as the coach pulled up and his little sister stepped out only to be quickly surrounded by the Bennets. She had grown up so much in the past year; Georgiana was turning into quite the young lady. He smiled slightly to himself as he sawing her speaking to Miss Elizabeth, who had her back to him.

Darcy closed his eyes as the two young women disappeared from his view of the window. He hadn't seen Elizabeth since their chance meeting at Pemberley and the visit she and her aunt and uncle had paid Georgiana and him a day or two after that. That didn't mean he hadn't been thinking about her, though. Georgiana had accused him a number of times of brooding in the past few months. And, of course, he had tracked down the despicable George Wickham and the youngest Bennet girl for her, not that she knew – which was a good thing. Darcy didn't want her to know that he had helped save her family's good name. Miss Elizabeth had made it more than clear before that she was not, and never would be, interested in him. However, when he'd last seen her, she'd seemed to react to him… differently, but she'd had to leave before he could make any sense of it.

And now he was here, in her house as a – well 'guest' wasn't quite the right word but it was a bit closer to what he was than 'intruder' though Darcy was fairly certain Mrs. Bennet wouldn't think so. Elizabeth had found him, which, judging by his condition even now nearly a week later, must have been a thoroughly shocking and unpleasant experience for her. If she hadn't found him, though, he probably would have died. Bingley had said that hardly anyone ever walked in the part of the wood where he had been found and that, after such a horrific storm, Miss Bennet and Miss Elizabeth were probably the only ones even outside at the time. He was extremely lucky to be alive.

Darcy opened his eyes again as he heard two voices and footsteps approaching his room. There was a soft nock and the door cracked open as Georgiana peeked in to make sure her brother was awake.

"Come in," he called to her, voice still a little hoarse from dryness and the fever which he still had. Georgiana smiled and opened the door wider so that she could enter. Darcy's eye caught a glimpse of dark curls before the door shut as Miss Elizabeth turned to go back down the stairs. His younger sister pulled up the bench that for the piano forte so that she could sit next to him.

"Oh, Will." Dropping all formality, Georgiana leaned forward and gave her elder brother a quick hug. "Brother, you must stop trying to second guess the weather! You're going to get yourself killed! I thought last time was terrible, but this is by far the worst yet!"

"Well, I'm here now and I think that this time I have finally learned my lesson," he replied, raising one hand and rubbing his temples gingerly.

"Good!" The girl put her hands on her hips in a mock stern manner. "I never want to go through that again, brother! I didn't know until I arrived at Netherfield yesterday that you had finally woken up."

"That's because I only did wake up for the first time yesterday."

"Oh." All of her annoyance seemed to wither and die. She hugged him again, a little longer this time. "You gave me such a terrible fright, Will! I was afraid I was going to lose you!" Darcy hugged her back, a little awkwardly because he was lying down and weak from sickness.

"I'm sorry I scared you."

-O-O-O-

"Miss Lizzie? Miss Lizzie?" Elizabeth stopped in the door of the Library and turned to see the cook calling to her. She crossed the hall to where the servant was standing, beckoning to her.

"What is it, Letty?" she asked, curiously as the servant dropped into a low curtsy.

"I beg your pardon for troubling you, Miss, but Phil is sick and the mistress asked me to brew a pot of tea for Mr. Darcy and his sister and there's no one here to take it up. I would take it up myself but if I leave the kitchen now the master's luncheon will burn," the cook said apologetically. Lizzie smiled at her.

"I'd be happy to take it up for you, Letty."

"Oh, thank you, Miss!" The servant curtsied again and quickly scuttled back into the kitchen. "I won't be a moment – I've already put it on a tray." After a few minutes, the cook returned bearing a silver tray with a tea pot, two cups and saucers, and a small selection of tea cakes atop its shiny surface. The wiry woman handed it carefully to Elizabeth. "Thank you, Miss. I'm sorry to be troubling you with this."

"I already told you, it's no trouble at all. I'm always glad to help." The servant curtsied one last time and then scurried back into the kitchen as Elizabeth began to slowly climb the stairs holding the tea tray securely with both hands. The familiar faint creak of the floorboards followed Lizzie as she walked down the hall towards the spare bedroom. She could hear the quite murmur of voices drifting through the air.

Balancing the tray extremely carefully as she had observed maids do in the past; Elizabeth used her free hand to rap her knuckles gently on the door.

"Yes?" asked Georgiana's voice from inside.

"I've brought you some tea," Elizabeth called back, hoping that she wasn't disturbing them.

"Oh, please, come in!"

Elizabeth opened the door part way with one hand, used her foot to stop it from swinging shut again as she repositioned the tray so that she was once more holding the silver plate with two hands, and then used her shoulder to open the door the rest of the way in a rather unladylike manner.

Miss Darcy smiled shyly at her from her seat next to her brother and Elizabeth returned the smile kindly.

"I hope I'm not disturbing you. Our maid's sick and the cook asked me to bring this up," Lizzie explained as she set the tray on the small table next to the bed. She couldn't help glancing at Mr. Darcy – it was the first time she'd seen him since he had woken up. He looked tired and pale, though his cheeks were still flushed with fever, his curly black hair looking rather wild as it stuck out in strange and random angles around his head. His dark eyes met hers for the briefest of moments before she looked away again.

"Oh, no, not at all!" Georgiana assured her quickly. "In fact, your timing was quite perfect, Miss Elizabeth!" the girl hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Would you like to join us?"

"Thank you, Miss Darcy, but I really can't intrude on you like that."

Miss Darcy looked rather put out,

"Are you sure? It would be absolutely no trouble."

"Yes, I am, but," Elizabeth added seeing the girl's sad expression, "I promise I will have tea with you once your brother's health has improved. Would you like that?"

Georgiana brightened up immediately,

"Oh, yes, that would be delightful! Thank you!"

"Your welcome." Elizabeth began to turn to leave, looking one last time at Mr. Darcy, who had stayed silent throughout the entire conversation. He caught her eye and gave her a small and tired but genuine smile of gratitude. She left quickly, closing the door behind her, and then hurried down the hall and half way down the stairs. Lizzie stopped and leaned against the wall in the relative darkness of the landing.

He smiled at me. Despite the cool air, Elizabeth felt the heat of a blush creeping up towards her cheeks. Oh, dear. She was starting to sound like Lydia.

-O-O-O-

Because Elizabeth ran away from the room so quickly, she didn't hear the conversation which ensued only seconds after the door had closed.

Darcy was staring thoughtfully at the last spot Elizabeth had been standing before she had left and didn't notice his younger sister scrutinizing him.

"Brother," she asked curiously, leaning forward slightly to get a better look at his face, "are you blushing?"

This question snapped Darcy out of his reverie immediately,

"What?" he asked startled. "Why would you think I was doing something like that?"

"Maybe because you're only ever pale when you're sick. Never before have you're cheeks shared a coloring similar to a tomato."

"How could you know that?"

"Maybe because you are my brother and I know you too well? Besides, you were blushing."

"I was not."

A/N: I'm finally back! Sorry it has taken so long for me to post this chapter – I made it extra long to somewhat make up for it. And before I get any complaints – yes, I realize Georgiana is OOC, but hey, it's my story and it is much more fun when Georgiana actually has some self confidence. ;P I hope ya'll enjoyed the chapter! Please review and thanks for reading!