To my dear readers! Thank you for reading.
It has made writing this fanfic so much more rewarding, and I really love hearing your opinions and ideas!
But alas, we are at the end. Enjoy reading this chapter, as it is the last one. :)

Once again I would like to thank Jane Austen for the characters,
Georgette Heyer for inspiration,
Julia Quinn for ideas
and Baroness Orczy for creating the coolest person ever to appear in print.

Thanks also go to Miss Pseudonymous, for sticking with me, correcting my grammar and punctuation and for posting every single chapter.
(You're welcome)
This story would not have happened without her help.
(True)
You're the best! We love Worth, Beaumaris, Satanas and all the rest!
(Corinthian, Nonesuch and Sylvester!)
(And if even ONE of you don't know what we're on about – go to the library and get a book by Georgette Heyer RIGHT NOW!)

ENJOY

Dear Mr Darcy, Lizzie wrote,

Please forgive the manner in which I reach out to you. I know of no other way and I write to you in dire need of help and guidance. I will be in the flower garden in the park tomorrow between the hours of two and four o'clock. If I should happen upon you while there, I would be able to be more explicit.

Elizabeth Bennet.

Lizzie pushed back from the table and pressed her thumb and forefinger over her eyes.

At last she spoke to Tillie. The young girl's eyes were huge with curiosity. Lizzie haltingly told her that she needed to contact a friend - a male friend.

A whispered discussion with Tillie yielded results. Tillie's young man would be asked to deliver the note.

Very early the next morning the two girls slipped out the back door. Lizzie gathered that this assignation with Charlie was a regular occurrence. He was a pleasant youth with spiky black hair and a multitude of freckles. He looked curiously at Lizzie.

Lizzie spent that morning tense and jumpy. She looked up constantly from the girls' work to check that the door to the nursery was still closed. She wrapped a shawl around her arms and kept it tight.

The weather looked dismal in the late morning, but after the children had eaten lunch, Lizzie hustled them into their coats and boots, and ignoring all protests marched them to the park. They received some funny looks at first, but the sun shone after a while, and with it, the children's tempers.

Lizzie sat on a slightly damp bench and scanned the park nervously every few moments. Surely he would come! Oh, he had to! She crossed her arms tightly across her chest.

The Braithwaite children were occupied happily. Emma was writing in a bound book, a journal no doubt. Kate was trying to sketch a pretty group of trees some way off. And Lucinda was rocking and whispering to her ever-present doll.

A horse came to a halt a little way away and Mr. Darcy looked down at the tableau. He dismounted easily and noisily walked up to the bench.

By the time he was near enough to greet, Lizzie and her charges had straightened up and were ready to be polite.

Mr Darcy bowed and asked after the girls' health. They replied with the expected responses, and began to discuss the weather.

Lizzie's thoughts were racing. Now that he was here, right in front of her, she didn't know what to do next.

Mr Darcy leaned over to Lizzie. 'Miss Bennet, I believe I saw a most rare species of flowering shrub over there.' He motioned airily behind him. 'I believe it would be of great scholarly import for you to examine it. I could show you the way.'

Emma jumped to her feet. 'Oh yes, let us see!'

Mr Darcy creased his brow, 'But surely, Miss Braithwaite, you would wish to stay and finish your writing.'

Lizzie spoke now, 'And I trust it is very muddy, you wouldn't want to muddy your hem.'

Lizzie took Darcy's offered arm and they walked a little way.

Emma frowned at them, but then her brow cleared and she bent to her book again with a secret smile hovering around her lips. Kate still looked confused though.

Lizzie remained in close view of her charges, indeed almost within earshot. She had to murmur to ensure privacy.

Darcy gave a conspiratorial look at Lizzie. She managed a very small smile back at him. 'Mr. Darcy, I must thank you for coming here after being summoned in this very unorthodox way.'

His face creased into an amused smile. But it was gone very quickly. In no time his face was smooth and solemn again.

And solid and dependable and so noble, Lizzie thought.

'Mr. Darcy,' she began slowly, 'You once let it be known to me that I could call on you for help.'

'I meant it truly.' He spoke low.

'I find myself needing a new position immediately.'

Darcy looked into her face quickly. 'Immediately?'

'Yes.'

'What has happened?'

Lizzie hesitated. 'It is due to a unwelcome proximity to me of some unsavoury persons.'

His eyes hardened slightly, and he gave a quick glance around them. He yanked her, not ungently into a small thicket providentially placed just there.

They were quite hidden even from the nearby children, although Lizzie could hear them clearly all the while. He helped himself to Lizzie's hand. Her gloved hand lay unresistingly in his large one.

'How many persons?' His voice was controlled but determined.

'Just one.'

'How unsavoury?' He bit out

Lizzie gulped. "Very unpleasant."

Mr. Darcy took a breath now. He spoke quietly and slowly. 'Did the said person take unwelcome liberties with you?'

Lizzie looked up into his eyes, but she could see only concern and care. 'Yes.'

He muttered to himself. It sounded suspiciously like he wanted to kill someone.

His hand slowly curved over hers and their fingers hesitantly linked and twined.

Lizzie waited a heartbeat. 'Please help me. I'm scared to go back to that house. I can't leave without a reference, and I feel sure he means to dishonour my character in some way. He doesn't leave me alone. Last night was worst of all.'

Darcy looked at her meaningfully. 'He didn't...'

Lizzie hung her head. His hand held hers firmly now. The only point of contact between them. Lizzie felt cold all over except her hand where he grasped it.

'No, but he would have if he could, and he is most offensive, and almost from the beginning he's been there, watching me. Always watching me.' Her voice broke, and she stopped and took some steadying breaths.

He was looking down at their twined fingers. Suddenly self conscious, she tried to pull her hand away. But she couldn't. He gripped her hand tightly and it was so comforting. Something leaped in Lizzie's chest.

He gently pulled her to him. He encased her in his arms, folding her to his chest. He held her there for a long moment, and Lizzie felt her breath slow, and her heart fall.

'Oh my brave Lizzie, why didn't you tell me before?'

He pulled back from her so he could see her face.

'I don't know, I thought he would stop'

He put his hand under her chin and gently raised it. 'Elizabeth.'

Lizzie blinked once.

'Dearest, loveliest Elizabeth. Would you consider another position?'

'Which position would that be, Sir?'

Her voice was light now. She had got it off her chest, and now was leaning into his.

'I find myself needing another position to be filled.'

'Sir?'

'Lizzie, I find myself unable to keep silent. I was willing to wait, to show you that I wasn't the monster you thought I was. But I can't. I can't watch you suffering. Elizabeth, I love you. I've loved you for so long. I was determined to show you with everything in my power that I could change and be worthy of you. Please do me the honour of becoming my wife.'

He possessed himself of her hands again. Lizzie couldn't speak, she wasn't even sure she could breathe. But her fingers tightened on his and she nodded slightly.

His eyes soft, he looked deep into her eyes and he closed the distance between them. His lips were soft and warm. They were so gentle, and also exciting. Lizzie's heart pounded, and she clutched at the front of his coat. He chuckled down at her, and kissed her again.

Lizzie returned his ardour as well as she knew, but she couldn't keep a broad smile from breaking over her face. She was so happy!

'My Elizabeth, can it really be true?' She blushed slightly and laid her head on his chest. She felt she was coming home.

Lizzie's teasing spirits reasserted themselves. 'Mr Darcy, what position were you referring to just now?'

He cradled her face in his hands and spoke into her upturned face. 'I referred to the position of Mistress of Pemberley.'

Her delighted laughs mingled with his, and there was relief, delight and unadulterated happiness to be heard within it.

Later, it seemed like hours, but it may have only been ten or fifteen minutes, they began to make plans.

'You shall go immediately to your uncle's house until we may be married, when I can give you the protection his house will accord you till then.

'Whatever shall I say to the Braithwaites?'

'You need never say anything to them again. I will go to them and tell them that they will need to find another lackey to run after their children.'

'But where will they find another governess?'

'I neither know nor care.'

Then he looked thoughtful. 'Actually, I do care. I am going to take great care that another girl does not enter that house until it has been cleared of its unsavoury elements.'

Darcy smiled down at her and continued his exploration of her lips, her mouth, her soul.

Suddenly she jerked up.

'Mr Darcy? Please could you enlighten me on one matter?'

'Anything,' he was playing with a stray lock of hair on her neck, which felt deliciously disturbing.

'It is something that has bothered me about you for a long time now.'

'Yes?' He sounded concerned now

'What is your first name?'

Now it was his turn to blush

Lizzie giggled at the rising colour and rueful smile spreading over his cheeks.

'It is Fitzwilliam.'

Her giggles overtook her and, together laughing, her hand in his, they started walking back to find the children, move Lizzie into her uncle's house and give Elliot the stuffing of his life.

THE END

There it is! Its done! My first ever full-length fanfic. Why don't you tell me what you think?