If it was one thing that Georgiana Darcy enjoyed immensely it was playing the piano, especially the new one that her brother had brought for her so recently. It was perfect, every note was clear and sweet, and gave her a warm sense of pleasure as her pale, slender fingers caressed the most soothing sounds from the pristine ivory keys. She knew that he loved to listen to her play and with this particular present he had sent two new pieces of music for her to learn. Both were quick and spirited and a bit of a challenge but there was nothing she enjoyed more than a challenge so she had taken to them with relish. One was a single and the other was a duet which he had promised to play with her as soon as he got back. The duet made her feel a warm sense of pleasure for she knew that he had must have already learnt it. The connection she felt with him by knowing a piece that he already knew made their constant separation more bearable for her. She had decided to take this as a good sign for he had been listless of late, and more silent than usual. He had never been particularly loquacious but recently he had been almost morose. She had never seen him like that, excepting when their father had died but even then he had pulled himself together and drawn her closer to him than ever, taking to his duties like a duck to water.

Ever since he had returned from Kent and Aunt Catherine there had been an unshakable silent sense of resigned loneliness and hurt about him that had puzzled and worried her greatly. After weeks of prodding she had discovered that it was due to a failed marriage proposal. The very idea of someone refusing her dear brother had shocked her until she heard the manner of the proposal. Briefly, she recalled asking him in a rather incredulous manner, if he had truly intended for that to work given his previous accounts of the lady. He had simply shrugged one shoulder and sipped his glass of port. Even now she shook her head when she recalled what he had said, but it was in the past now. Mrs. Reynolds had informed her of the people looking at the house, and she was positive that she had intended for her to greet them, but the prospect of greeting strangers without her brother there was so innerving that her feet had led her to the music room to play her piano. As she had already learnt the new pieces she had elected to play an old treasure. A piece that, as her brother had informed her, their parents had been quite fond of. The pace of the piece reminded her greatly of the ebb and flow of the ocean, the great crashes of sound seamlessly giving way to the quieter pull of currents. She imagined her in this room on Sundays, playing this piece as her brother and father looked on in admiration. It was a way of knowing her, of connecting with her, playing a piece that she had known and had played incessantly.

Gradually she became aware of someone standing behind her, and the smell of fresh air and sandalwood that she associated with her brother. Turning around she saw him towering over her with a huge smile on his face and with a gasp she flung herself into his arms. With a laugh he picked her up and spun her around and she giggled feeling giddy, like she was ten again and he was spinning her around by her hands as he used to, her feet flying high up off of the ground. Suddenly Darcy looked over at the door way and she saw a dark haired beauty with large dark eyes gasp before running off. In a matter of seconds her brother had given chase, skidding through the doorway and nearly tripping on the rug. She had half a mind to follow him but on second thought dashed to the window to see the woman in question running out onto the balconey. Wrong way… Georgiana thought just as she dimly heard her brother call out 'Miss Elizabeth!' and saw the woman stop look up and at the sky in resignation before turning around. Miss Elizabeth? Good Lord is that her?! She opened the window and stuck her head out watching as her brother walk up to her, the picture of refined elegance and fought a snicker. Too bad she didn't see him scamper out of the room after her.

"I thought you were in London." Miss Elizabeth said her hands busily occupied with themselves.

"No…No I am not," Yes quite obviously!!

"Oh..." She looked down at her hands, and he stared at her adorably. Then they started to speak at the same time, her apologizing for the intrusion, and he giving his token excuse of 'business with his steward'. Chances were that he had grown sick of the company and had jumped at the opportunity to escape. They seemed to realize that they were talking over the other and then stopped simultaneously her looking down at her feet, him still staring at her, both of them fidgeting nervously with their hands. She seemed to be trying to think of something to say, anything to fill the silence. Her eyes glanced about before finally she seemed to come up with something. "I'm staying in Derbyshire with my Aunt and Uncle." He nodded, and she waited Oh for the love of God William!

"And are you having a… pleasant trip?" he asked, causing their audience to forget her frustration and fight a snerk once again.

"Very pleasant." She replied. Georgiana watched as he glanced away, she knew that he was loosing steam, unsure of what to say. "Tomorrow we go to Matlock."

"Tomorrow?!" he cried, his face visibly falling and Georgiana bit her lip. Oh, poor Will… Elizabeth seemed to catch onto this and stared at him, wanting to say something but unable to bring herself to. Just then the door opened and Mrs. Reynolds entered.

"Georgiana what are you doing?" she asked walking up to her. "Are you eavesdropping?!" she asked pulling on her arm.

"Shhh never mind that, it is Miss Elizabeth Bennet,"

"Miss Bennet?!" she asked.

"It is Will's Elizabeth! He's been pinning over her for months." she whispered frantically, her eyes fixed on the scene before her as her hand waved behind her distractedly. The older woman seemed to struggle with this knowledge for a moment before she stuck her head out as well, above Georgiana's.

"Are you staying at Lambton?" he asked suddenly and she felt a rush of pride. Yes, yes keep the conversation going!

"Yes at the Rose and Crown." She replied.

"Yes." He muttered and Georgiana felt a rising impatience with him.

"Oh for God's sake say something!" Mrs. Reynolds muttered and Georgiana smirked as Elizabeth stared at him seemingly on the verge of tears due to the tension. They could see his face, the mask falling away, and his eyes hiding nothing.

"I am so sorry to intrude. They said that the house was open for visitors I had no idea that," she stopped herself as he shook his head as if he wanted to say that it didn't matter to him. Of course it's doesn't he wants to marry you!! She thought frantically. Still he was silent the tension mounting with every passing second. Both their forms were stiff with uneasiness, their faces riddled with some inner struggle, his to not clasp her to him and her's not to run away. He stared and eventually she looked back down to her hands, unable to look at him for too long.

"May I see you back to the village?" he asked his voice softer, kinder.

"No!" she cried, and the two onlookers winced as he seemed to recoil, the hurt on his face obvious to both them and the woman before him before he had a chance to reel it in. Suddenly she seemed to want to take back what she said and she smiled, her mouth opening as if to say something to soften the blow, but all that came out was, "I'm very fond of walking."

"Yes!" he replied on a small laugh or gasp. "Yes I know." It seemed as if he would beg her to let him walk with her awhile, but all he could do was stare at her and hope that she would understand what he wanted to say.

"Why does he not speak!?" Mrs. Reynolds whispered fiercely.

Apparently she didn't understand, because the next thing out her mouth was 'Good bye Mr. Darcy' with a smile and a curtsey and by the time he had straightened from a short bow she was running down the stairs unable to get away fast enough. He stood there staring at the space where she had been for a moment before walking to the railing to watch her walk away, his shoulders slumped, his face blank. Even from their position at the window they could feel his dejection as he finally turned and made his way back into the house.