The Prince of Pemberley 3

By Moira Bianchi

It ́s a truth universally acknowledged, as well as feared, that fate has its twisted ways to dispose of our lives and well, when it comes to Darcy’s life and mine, fate has been working on its Sistine chapel. Really a masterpiece.
Three years ago, casually surfing the net while preparing to start my PhD abroad, I found my longtime, long lost and much missed pen friend Fitzwilliam Darcy. It had been over fifteen years since we had last spoken (through pen on paper, stamps, post – the old stuff) and life had made adults of the passionate and self-important teenagers we had been.
When we first exchanged letters, I was a regular thirteen-years-old Brazilian girl and he a seventeen-years-old British rich heir, snob and arrogant as if he had blue blood in his veins. We hated each other, we bickered and we became the best of (distant) friends. Then fate intruded changing our planets’ alignment and we lost contact for 17 years.
Meeting Darcy again as a forty-years-old adult woman, wife, mother and professional didn’t prepare me for the violent attack of the past, the bittersweet pleasure of finding a kindred soul, the giddiness of flirting and loving someone who I had once loved before.
Do I make sense? Probably not.
Our lives are completely changed now, and if all is fair in love and war, we are well into one. I have to care for small children and my PhD while my ugly divorce moves sluggishly. He has his young ladies, a profitable company and a difficult divorce facing not only his ex-wife but her mother as well. It seems that with the struggle to move each step forward, we are dragged two steps back.
There’s still a lot to fight for, a lot to love, a lot to share.
Sometimes we refuse to let our difficulties blind us and we are just the teenagers who met by old-fashioned post. Young giddy lovers and giggling fools letting our excitement guide us.
Giddiness was exactly what started this revolution in my life three years ago with this silly note:
“Sorry to bother but, when a young girl, I used to correspond with the most presumptuous person I had ever met, so much so that he could only have blue blood in his veins. The heir of the richest estate-country in the whole England, His Royal Highness the Prince of Pemberley, had your name exactly and was a close friend who I miss dearly.
At the time, I was a passionate human rights enthusiast and HRH shared my views for a better world, as long as they didn’t disturb his kingdom’s peaceful life.
If, by an ingenious twist of fate it is you, please reply.
Cordially,
Your always loyal subject
Elizabeth Wickham, Bart. (Née Bennett)”

• Language: English
• Publisher: Moira Bianchi
• Release date: Feb 14, 2016
• ISBN: 9781311782045

Moira Bianchi

A 40 years old architect and human engineer addicted to Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice from the moment she first read ‘...Darcy had never been so bewitched by any woman as he was by her.’ After years consuming Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy in fanfiction, movies, TV series and what else; she decided to try her hand on writing and loved it. Married for almost twenty years, mother a tyrant prince of her own, Moira lives in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Book preview

The Prince of Pemberley

BOOK 3

A Pride and Prejudice inspired novel

Moira Bianchi

2015

Copyright

THE PRINCE OF PEMBERLEY is a work of fiction inspired by Jane Austen´s Pride and Prejudice, and although several characteristics and situations are present, they are freely used. Most characters here come from Ms Austen’s novels (Elizabeth’s children were Ms Austen’s siblings) except for example Darcy’s daughters. Names, characters, places and incidents either are a product of the author´s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

It is a big love story of leaps of faith, inner struggles and second chances divided in three volumes entitled ‘Friends’, ‘Lovers’ and ‘Partners’. Opening each book there is a quote magisterially penned by Niccoló Machiavelli giving the reader an idea of the developments ahead. The characters met and befriended during the eighties and nineties, so a few great artists are also quoted such as Madonna, The Rolling Stones, Men at Work, New Order and many others. The author has no right over these works mentioned, but is greatly thankful for the inspiration.

Cover designed by Bianchi & Neiva.

All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form.

Rights to Ms. Austen´s work belong to her legacy

Work registered at EDA Biblioteca Nacional – Ministério da Cultura – Brasil - 2014.

ISBN: 9781311782045

www.moirabianchi.com

Copyright © 2014 Moira Bianchi

All rights reserved.

Acknowledgements

THE PRINCE OF PEMBERLEY is a Pride and Prejudice inspired story divided in three books.

Book 1 - ‘FRIENDS’ – shows their friendship and how their love grew out of hand;

Book 2 – ‘LOVERS’ – shows their struggle to deal with their relationship in spite of being married to other people.

This Book, the 3rd – PARTNERS – shows their life together as a legitimate couple.

Paperback versions also available.

This love story has a very touchy plot, one that has been looping in my mind for a while now. The allowance of fate, stars or Divine Providence to dictate a special someone designed to complete us is hardly an exclusive notion but even though it has been discussed for ages, it is still intriguing.

Several talented people have done it marvelously: Shakespeare, Byron, Austen, Eça de Queiroz, García Marquéz… Innumerous movies such as ‘An affair to remember’, ‘Serendipity or ‘You’ve got mail’. Still, here it is my own version of it.

The idea of one finding the person who was meant for her/him too late always intrigued me even more. What would one do? Should one accept the irony and move on or stop-rewind-restart?

Especially concerning Pride and Prejudice, I frequently wonder the outcome of Mr. Darcy not visiting Netherfield to help Mr. Bingley and only meeting Elizabeth Bennet when both were already committed. Here goes my modern version of this what if.

I have been married for seventeen years already and dated my husband since he was a junior architect and I was a freshie in College, so this is our first (hopefully only) marriage. Therefore, I haven’t lived the situations portrayed here but unfortunately, several of my friends and relations have. Of course I saturated the colors but most of the situations have a lot of reality.

Also, this book centers on a one side of two broken marriages. The other two sides, right, wrong, avenged, justified or betrayed have all my respect. For what is worth, with a seventeen years’ experience, I know it takes a lot of work to keep a marriage healthy and I’m aware the four major characters here are to blame.

In time: This volume contains two extended scenes derived from short stories originally posted on the author’s blog www.moirabianchi.com as teaser drabbles called ‘Hungover’ and ‘Indulgence’ in 2014. Changes were made once the story developed.

Dedication

As always, this book is dedicated to my two roommates: my husband and son. I thank them for the patience and support, especially my husband who spent countless nights discussing this book’s situations with me.

To Ms Austen for publishing Pride and Prejudice, as well as Persuasion. (And Lady Susan, Emma, Mansfield Park, Sense and Sensibility…).

Last but not least, I dedicate these Darcy & Elizabeth’s journey to all the people who have been through similar dilemmas, worse or easier, who had to choose between staying put or risking everything. I sincerely hope happy endings are possible.

Jane Austen once wrote

‘…if a book is well written, I always find it too short…’

and maybe that is why I can’t let her Pride and Prejudice alone.

Contents

Acknowledgements

Synopsis

Elizabeth speaks

Prologue

Barely concealed

Chapter One

Loose ends

Chapter Two

The Kingdom

Chapter Three

New life

Chapter Four

Yours, mine, mess

Chapter Five

Face off

Chapter Six

Sweet love

Chapter Seven

Point of no return

Chapter Eight

Ruby slippers

Chapter Nine

Urgency

Chapter Ten

Put a ring on it

Chapter Eleven

Mon mec a moi

Chapter Twelve

Bridges

Chapter Thirteen

Ultimate commitment

Chapter Fourteen

New life, old problems

Chapter Fifteen

Rabbits and snails

Epilogue

Princesses and Princes

Synopsis book 1

Synopsis book 2

About the Author

Other titles by this author

Synopsis

It´s a truth universally acknowledged, as well as feared, that fate has its twisted ways to dispose of our lives and well, when it comes to Darcy’s life and mine, fate has been working on its Sistine chapel. Really a masterpiece.

Three years ago, casually surfing the net while preparing to start my PhD abroad, I found my longtime, long lost and much missed pen friend Fitzwilliam Darcy. It had been over fifteen years since we had last spoken (through pen on paper, stamps, post – the old stuff) and life had made adults of the passionate and self-important teenagers we had been.

When we first exchanged letters, I was a regular thirteen-years-old Brazilian girl and he a seventeen-years-old British rich heir, snob and arrogant as if he had blue blood in his veins. We hated each other, we bickered and we became the best of (distant) friends. Then fate intruded changing our planets’ alignment and we lost contact for 17 years.

Meeting Darcy again as a forty-years-old adult woman, wife, mother and professional didn’t prepare me for the violent attack of the past, the bittersweet pleasure of finding a kindred soul, the giddiness of flirting and loving someone who I had once loved before.

Do I make sense? Probably not.

Our lives are completely changed now, and if all is fair in love and war, we are well into one. I have to care for small children and my PhD while my ugly divorce moves sluggishly. He has his young ladies, a profitable company and a difficult divorce facing not only his ex-wife but her mother as well. It seems that with the struggle to move each step forward, we are dragged two steps back.

There’s still a lot to fight for, a lot to love, a lot to share.

Sometimes we refuse to let our difficulties blind us and we are just the teenagers who met by old-fashioned post. Young giddy lovers and giggling fools letting our excitement guide us.

Giddiness was exactly what started this revolution in my life three years ago with this silly note:

"Sorry to bother but, when a young girl, I used to correspond with the most presumptuous person I had ever met, so much so that he could only have blue blood in his veins. The heir of the richest estate-country in the whole England, His Royal Highness the Prince of Pemberley, had your name exactly and was a close friend who I miss dearly.

At the time, I was a passionate human rights enthusiast and HRH shared my views for a better world, as long as they didn’t disturb his kingdom’s peaceful life.

If, by an ingenious twist of fate it is you, please reply.

Cordially,

Your always loyal subject

Elizabeth Wickham, Bart. (Née Bennett)"

Book 3

Partners

"Where the willingness is great,

the difficulties cannot be great. "

The Prince

by Niccolò Machiavelli

Florence, 1532

Prologue

Barely concealed

‘Baby girl.’

She raised her eyes from the letter and half smiled. ‘Hey, dad.’

‘What have you got there, girl, that made you so thoughtful?’ The old man caressed her long hair out of her eyes and plopped down on a battered stuffed armchair in front of the sofa she occupied. ‘It must be important or you wouldn’t be hiding here in my library.’

‘Garage.’

‘Library in the garage.’

She sighed, eyes downcast on the letter she was holding. ‘My friend from England, you know who?’

‘The Lucas girl who flew the nest?’

‘No.’ She shook her head. ‘My pen friend, the guy I never met…’

He nodded. ‘The rich snob.’

‘Yes. He is getting married.’

His brows knitted. ‘Is he much older than you?’

‘Couple of years.’

Of all the five girls God had given him, this one – his second oldest – was his favorite. She was cute and stubborn, lively, opinionated, funny; and most importantly, he could read her. ‘That made you sad, baby girl?’ She looked at him and shrugged. ‘You fancy yourself in love with him?’

‘What?’ She pulled a face. ‘Have you been smoking rotten weed, dad?’

He waited. She sighed. He still waited.

‘It’s not that.’ She rolled her eyes. ‘I always thought marriage was supposed to be the beginning of the rest of one’s life. Fitz is too young…’

‘And is it for you to decide?’ He raised one eyebrow cynically and she sighed impatiently as an answer to her father. ‘You never even met him, how can you know it’s not right for him?’

‘I didn’t say that. I said he is too young.’ She folded the letter and put it back in the envelope. ‘He has been dating this girl for a longtime, they are cousins of some sort; he has known her since birth. She is probably the right woman for him.’

‘But…’

‘Isn’t it kind of scary? To marry and start a new life with someone?’

‘If you believe yourself in love with that person, scary can be exciting.’

‘That’s how you felt when you married mom?’

He nodded slowly. ‘Jane was already on the way, I was terrorized, not merely scared!’ Both chuckled. ‘But we had talked about marriage and your mom had been making plans.’ He paused. ‘You’ll graduate soon, your life is about to turn upside down with a regular job and all. You’re not falling behind.’

‘I don’t think I’ll marry anytime soon, dad. I want to have time for my career, to travel around and enjoy myself before having to commit to anyone who thinks he can control me.’ In her mind she saw how much her older sister had been suffering with lame guys abusing her goodwill.

‘Not all relationships are about control, Lizzy.’ He explained patiently.

She shrugged like an insolent child. ‘I date, but I’m fine on my own.’

‘Ah, no boys wanting to marry my perfect girl, you say?’ She shook her head and united her hands thanking Heavens and he laughed. ‘How many have you considered so far?’

She trembled wrinkling her nose. ‘None!’

‘Your prince will come, darling.’

‘Please, dad, don’t start singing!’

He cleared his throat. And the birds will sing, and wedding bells will ring…

‘Urgh.’

Mr. Bennett laughed. ‘You girls adored this movie. Remember how many times you watched it at our local cinema’s Saturday popcorn afternoons? At least a dozen!’

‘Charming enchanted princes are a fairy tale.’

‘Hey! You’re too young to be aware of reality!’

She waved the letter. ‘This prince here is getting married because his father thinks it’s time. His Snow White is about to tie her life to his because her in-laws commanded.’

‘Snob pricks!’ He punched the chair’s arm and she shook her head. ‘I’m sure he loves the girl or else he wouldn’t do it.’

‘He must! After years dating, and he is faithful or else I’d know, he decides to make it official asking for her hand in the middle of a family dinner. He didn’t say but he is pretty old-fashioned, probably got to one knee and gave her a rock the size of a bubblegum ring.’

Her father leaned forward and sniffed around his knees, then over his shoulder, then took her hand to sniff. ‘That’s what I thought. Jealousy!’

‘Oh, dad… stop the weed, please.’ She rolled her eyes and he chuckled. ‘I’m not jealous of Anne or Fitz. Or their marriage. I’m just… surprised. Married at 26!’

‘You could fly there and enter the church screaming: ‘I have a good reason to stop this marriage!’’ She snorted but a teeny-weeny part of her considered the idea, her father observed her reaction. ‘I could sell our car and pay for this trip. You could break your friend’s marriage and his fiancé’s heart all in one coup.’

‘Nah…’ She shook her head. ‘I thank your generosity anyway. Mom would kill you if you did sell the car to oblige me on anything.’

‘I could say it’s for Jane…’ He sniggered.

‘Or Lydia! That would please her!’ She chuckled at her own expense. ‘But no, I don’t have any say on Fitz’ life.’

‘You swear not to love him, think the girl is right for him, and admit not having any influence on his decisions. What’s bugging you, then?’

She raised her shoulders and pressed her lips.

‘When my wife popped one girl after another, I decided to study the female soul’s traits.’ He stood and perused his makeshift library’s shelves until he found a worn-out leather bound old book. ‘By studying this bible, I discovered how intricately a woman can love and how to deal with such vile feelings.’

‘Wuthering Heights.’ Elizabeth let her body fall sideways on the old couch and closed her eyes. ‘Really, Earnshaw again?’

‘Remember how much you grew that summer we read it together?’ He returned to his chair and she groaned. ‘So, Lizzy, Jane seems to be perpetually crossed in love, I find. Soon a young man will enter my door to ask for her hand.’

‘No one does that anymore.’

‘A girl likes to be crossed a little in love now and then, even if he’s someone she will never marry or even entertain the notion of espousing. It’s catnip for girls, platonic love.’

‘Please stop the time machine, I’m dizzy.’ She muttered still dismayed on the couch.

He still ignored her sarcasm, although he was very proud of it. After all it had been him who taught her all the details of the art of fine sarcasm. ‘It gives you girls something to think about, a sort of distinction among the others. I always wondered when would be your turn; you hardly bear to be long outdone by Jane… Now I see it’s been under my nose for years; all these letters, all the fun we had mocking the rich snob’s horses and kingdom. Let him be your man, your Heathcliff.’

‘Thank you, but a more agreeable literary hero would satisfy me. We must not all expect Jane’s good fortune, but I’d rather have someone not so vindictive.’

‘Very well, baby girl, an unhappy alternative is before you.’ He held the old book to his chest. ‘From this day on you must deal with heartbreak one way or another.’ That, as he expected, got his adored daughter’s attention and she opened her expressive eyes to look at him. ‘Either you give your mother reason to kill me and accept my offer to finance your expedition to England or you let your friend get married and forget all about this friendship – or whatever it is you kids have been cooking all those years.’

Elizabeth smiled sadly. ‘It is merely friendship, dad. Do you think he’ll stop writing me?’

‘You go or you forget. Either way, my child, I’ll be disappointed.’

‘I stay, of course. I’d rather have you disappointed than dead.’ She rolled to her side and stood. ‘Easy choice, really.’

‘Is it?’

‘Yep!’ She folded the letter and stuffed it inside her short’s back pocket.

‘Not going to answer that, are you?’ He pointed at the letter.

‘Later, it’s not that important.’

He nodded in silence and watched his favorite daughter barely conceal her feelings while she tied her long hair in a bun. ‘My dear, do me two small favors, please.’ She nodded back. ‘First, allow me the free use of my own understanding and secondly, of my room. Go!’ He pointed the door and she showed him her tongue before leaving.

‘Let me see where is it…’ Mr. Bennett muttered to himself opening the book. ‘Memory, don’t you abandon me- ah! Yes, twelve. I wish I were a girl again, half savage and hardy, and free; and laughing at injuries, not maddening under them! Catherine, Catherine…’ He sighed. ‘I even have a daughter named after you and now, strong-willed girl, you poison my favorite…’

Fortunately he didn’t see his favorite daughter deal with the perks of her first marriage and unfortunately he didn’t see her fine eyes shine and her beautiful lips smile as she wedded her platonic love exactly twenty years after he sniffed her jealousy.

Chapter One

Loose ends

Jane nodded pressing her lips in a thin line, eyes downcast.

Reynalda frowned and played with a match box over the kitchen table.

It was in a sunny Sunday afternoon in Rio, a week after Elizabeth arrived from Europe, that she united the two strong women to come clean and hopefully gather allies.

‘What do you have to say?’ Elizabeth told them about the love that bonded her to Darcy, the double divorce and his proposal of marriage. ‘I love him and will turn my life around because I believe in what we have, but without your support, it’ll be a lot more difficult.’ She bit the inside of her cheek and got up to refill her coffee mug. ‘Reynalda, what would tempt you to come with us to England?’ She deadpanned, her heart beating a little faster.

‘Me?’ Reynalda asked surprised yet relieved. She considered her life if the Wickhams – minus Mr. Wickham – left her behind. ‘I don’t speak English!’

‘You can start classes tomorrow.’ Elizabeth shrugged.

‘Me in a classroom?’ Reynalda chuckled.

‘We can hire someone to come here, if you’d like. A private tutor.’ Elizabeth said.

‘It’s always more effective.’ Jane piped in. ‘To learn a language one on one.’

Elizabeth chuckled. ‘Effective would be someone to teach her English in bed, as that romance we read!’ She said and the three women laughed. It was not unusual for them to exchange sugary romance books whenever they found an interesting one.

In spite of the humor, Reynalda was genuinely concerned about the idea of moving abroad. ‘Do the kids know?’

Elizabeth shook her head, lips in a thin line. ‘I’m feeding them little bits here and there. With George’s upcoming Haiti shift, they are already a little shaken.’ She sipped her coffee. ‘So?...’ She pressed her personal nanny. ‘Pemberley, Fitz’s place, it’s a farm… Mmmm… Not exactly a farm but a big, big house with a farm attached to it, a few minutes from Manchester.’ Elizabeth explained the best way she could. ‘It’ll be a big change for us all. Another language, different culture, a smaller city… Manchester is pretty big but not like Rio. And they have winter there, I mean, snow…’

‘Oh! How lovely!’ Reynalda’s eyes lightened.

‘I love snow…’ Jane sighed. ‘Only saw it once, remember Beebe, our Christmas in Manhattan?...’

Elizabeth smiled. ‘Snow may be beautiful, but it’s freaking cold when it comes… You can have your own house, a cottage, and host a love interest!...’ She winked.

‘What?’ Reynalda laughed, her big earrings bouncing. ‘Men are way too white there!’

‘Ooh, but British men are so charming!’ Jane cooed. ‘Delroy Lindo, Sean Connery, Colin Firth, Seal...’

‘Who am I to say but I think Englishmen are to swoon for!’ Elizabeth said and they giggled.

‘Really, a house of my own?’ Reynalda asked.

‘A cottage, really. Pemberley has a small villa of small houses near the front gates, close to the big house but far enough to be independent. They were once rented to tenants, now they are mostly vacated to host harvest fairs or whatever.’ Elizabeth shrugged. ‘Fitz said it’s a nice setting for horse shows. You can have your kids and grandkids over… Garden, garage, a porch or a gazebo. Maybe ride to the house on golf carts or a bike. Whatever you want, I’m sure Fitz won’t mind.’

‘That sounds lovely to me…’ Jane whispered.

Reynalda nodded. ‘To me as well.’

Silence fell on Elizabeth’s kitchen again.

‘He invited us all to spend a month at Pemberley.’ She said as one drops a bomb. When the other two looked directly at her, she continued. ‘My next module of classes is in July, the kids will be in vacations… Let’s go?’

‘I think you should go.’ Jane said valiantly, encouraging her sister to follow her heart even though she cowered from doing so.

‘You too, Jane. And Juju, of course.’ Elizabeth touched her arm over the table.

Jane’s eyes widened. ‘Why?’

‘Because you’re my family, because he likes Julia, because you’re his cousin’s girlfriend. Do you need any other reason?’ Elizabeth counted on her fingers.

‘I’m not-’ Jane started to protest.

‘Sister, stop running from life. Give the guy a chance.’ Elizabeth pressed.

Reynalda huffed. ‘This girl is more skittish than Shoyu.’ The singleton mentioned meowed lazily and moved out of his hiding by the stove to sashay across the kitchen with his tale high.

Elizabeth pulled a face and studied her sister’s expression. ‘I don’t know, Reynalda. This cat has a death wish and Jane… Cowardice cripples her.’ She reached the cordless phone and offered it to Jane. ‘Call Graham, say you’ll go to Pemberley with us and would like to visit him. Or invite him over… Man up, girl!’

Jane smiled with a painful expression and took the phone.

‘I’m not sure…’ Reynalda and Elizabeth said together and they laughed.

‘You’re bullying me.’ Jane complained.

‘Good bullying is encouragement.’ Reynalda patted the blushing Jane’s hand.

When Jane got up and walked to the balcony to make the call, the children’s TV still blaring their movie, Elizabeth moved to sit beside Reynalda. ‘What about you?’ She asked. ‘Pay check in pounds for taking care of us as you do here, a house full of minions, no more house cleaning, cooking only when you feel like it…’ She smiled mischievously.

‘Have you taken over the house enough to dictate it’s functioning already?’ Reynalda chuckled.

Elizabeth shook her head. ‘You know I hate housekeeping… I was hoping you’d do it for me.’ She smiled. ‘I only visited the place once and it seemed to run itself, actually. Lots of maids, drivers, gardeners…’

‘And how would I fit?’ Reynalda defied her, her heart squeezing.

Elizabeth thought for a while and got the batphone from her purse beside her chair. Darcy picked up on the third ring.

My lady? He answered smiling.

Fitz, how would Reynalda fit at Pemberley? She asked without wasting time with sweet nothings. They had already talked sweet nothings for almost an hour that morning.

Darcy blinked trying to put his mind where she wanted it to be. Graham is on the phone with Jane. He stalled.

Mission completed, general. She answered sarcastically.

He chuckled and took a deep breath. Let me talk to Reynalda.

Why? Elizabeth frowned.

She’ll be working for me; I want to talk business with her. Darcy explained.

No way! Reynalda is mine! She protested. ‘He wants you to work for him! What an evil-eye!’ Elizabeth spoke in Portuguese with Reynalda and the woman chuckled.

No! Darcy said. You are mine. The kids, Reynalda and the pets are my bonus agreement.

Be serious, Fitz. Elizabeth blushed.

Tell her we’ll discuss terms when she arrives here for your vacations but I can double her salary and give her business class tickets to visit Rio three times a year. He proposed.

She wants her own cottage. Elizabeth negotiated.

From the village by the gate where the security team work? Darcy shrugged. I thought she would be living in the house with us.

She’d rather have her own place.

I don’t see any problem with that.

And you don’t know how much she makes… Elizabeth pouted.

You once told me it was a good salary. Whatever it is, I can double. He said calmly.

I didn’t ask you to pay her. Elizabeth said and translated to Reynalda what he proposed. She fanned her face and closed her eyes. I can afford her salary. Living in England will make my grant’s budget a lot more manageable. And I can rent this apartment.

We’ll keep the apartment for when we visit Rio. The kids are already used to it and they’ll visit their father when he returns from Haiti. Darcy answered. What about you take care of her retirement plan in Brazil and I take care of her salary? He tried again. This was very important: if the housekeeper was happy to move, she would help rebuild the kids’ home and give his woman peace of mind to enjoy him.

She told the bold bald woman Darcy’s idea and she smiled. King, from the smile on her face, I think you just got another maid! Elizabeth chuckled.

Maid? He asked relieved. Tell her I need someone to run Pemberley.

---

After that afternoon, it was common to meet Graham coming from the bakery or carrying groceries on their street in Rio, a satisfied smile on his face and a babbling toddler walking beside him.

By the third time he came to Rio, he took over the task of picking up the kids from school. Not only Julia who was always delighted to see him at the school’s gate waiting for her, but Thomas and Cassandra as well.

Graham was the one who drove Elizabeth and Cassandra to the hospital when the child sprained her wrist enjoying the roller skates Darcy sent for her birthday. Also he was the first one to sign her very pink cast and smile with her in a (injured) thumbs up selfie Elizabeth sent Darcy.

And it was around that time that Jane started wondering about life in England.

---

Hey there, gorgeous.

Hello, pretty lady.

Just swiped right and we’re a match! Want to meet for coffee?

What, Love?

Elizabeth chuckled. Never mind, Fitz. How are you?

"Fine. What’s ‘swipe right’?" Darcy asked.

It’s a joke from a dating app. Never mind. She smiled at his outdated knowledge of technological crap.

Why are you on a dating app, Elizabeth? Darcy frowned; put down the notes he was taking on a contract and fired his Google search.

For fun. She smiled mischievously opening her car’s door. June in Rio had a persistent wind, especially by the sea where she was. She got in, hid her purse behind her seat, started the car and buckled up, still Darcy was mute. I’m kidding, Fitz. She shook her head.

Huh.

Come on… She sighed. I just want to invite you over. A month seems too long for me. I want you now.

"I also want you now but it seems I have to join a debauchery network to match you. He grumbled making her laugh. I don’t want you in any dating site, Elizabeth."

I’m not, Love. A friend found George in one and we had a few good laughs over wine on the weekend. She chuckled. You know, I bet you’d get a million likes if you joined it… you look so damn hot.

Huh. He answered hiding his smile even if she couldn’t see it.

How is your divorce agreement going? She asked bluntly.

As good as it gets. We’ll have something more solid when you arrive. He took note of the dating app to log on with a fake name and search Elizabeth to make sure she was not ‘getting likes’. The idea terrified him. We won’t be hiding anymore.

Mmmm… I was hoping you could come spend a weekend with me. George is here and will take the kids.

I’d love to. Darcy answered but he still needed to be cautious. How’s Nanda’s wrist?

My ex-father-in-law says ‘she’ll live’… maybe she’ll take the cast off next week…

Darcy never trusted Wickham’s mother’s husband and saying to a worried mother that her baby daughter ‘will live’ only made him hate the old wanker more. My secretary will schedule an appointment with Negandi for her, as soon as you arrive next month.

Thanks, King. It’d be great. Elizabeth sighed.

And Mrs. Rey’s English classes?

Fine.

Silence stretched for a while as she drove.

You sound despondent.

Yeah… I really need you.

Love, you’re killing me. Darcy frowned. What happened?

George just signed the parental consent for the kids to travel. I feel weird, though. Elizabeth sighed.

You met the wanker? Alone? Darcy frowned.

Yeah… She nodded to her windshield, her phone balanced on her dashboard while Darcy’s voice filled her car. Knightley called me saying George had agreed to sign it but wanted to talk to me.

Load the video call.

Her phone blinked and Darcy’s dear slanted eyes and big forehead appeared. With one eye on the light traffic in front of her and one on his face, Elizabeth arranged the phone on the stand so he could see her.

Are you driving? He asked and she nodded smiling to him but looking ahead. Park.

Ok. She sighed. The long distance relationship was easy to cope with when they were in sin, but with their marriages officially dissolving, the distance seemed unbearable. It’s good to see you. She said parking beside a beach stand.

I miss you. He sighed and ruffled his hair. Whenever he missed his monthly appointment at his fancy barber, it seemed his hair grew faster. Why were you alone with Wickham if I asked you to avoid it?

Lay off, Fitz. She shook her head. I’m a grown woman and I can take care of myself. She raised her index finger to her phone so he would let her finish. The lawyer arranged this meeting and George was in my life for almost twenty years. I’m no lady-in-despair.

Huh.

We weren’t alone anyway. She inspected her nails. He’s got a girlfriend.

Darcy raised his brows surprised; the swine’s gall had no limit. He asked to meet so he could flaunt his girlfriend at you?

Elizabeth slowly rolled her shoulders in a shrug. I guess not. He was upset when she showed up at the café. We agreed to meet at his apartment’s lobby coffee house and she suddenly arrived in high heels and a skimpy dress. She raised her eyebrows smiling. She’s got big boobs… I mean, massive!

He chuckled at her sense of humor.

Fitz?... She pressed her lips together and looked at her hands. I feel weird.

Jealous? He asked steeling himself for her answer.

She shook her head, hair dancing around her face. Not exactly. She raised her eyes to him. You’re my friend, right?

The best you have. He rested back on his chair, the phone resting on the stand he had ordered soon after their first video chat.

We can still talk about anything, right? She asked and he nodded. Always will. He nodded again. Of course seeing George with another woman made me uncomfortable. I can tell he liked to see me in this position even though he was surprised she showed up. He seemed, I don’t know… maybe a little embarrassed; I know George, I can read his reactions… but it’s not that. It’s the situation, making an appointment to meet him. It’s so weird. We were a couple for so long and now we’re strangers. We have children, for Christ’s sake! My son has his face! She bit the inside of her cheek to shut up. She was going to tell him that she believed Wickham was about to ask her out when the woman showed up and that was why he never meant for her to see him with someone else, but she chickened out. Elizabeth was less moved by him already having a girlfriend than for not putting up a fight to let her take the kids abroad for their whole vacations, neither sharing her worry on their daughter’s mild wrist injury. Do you feel weird when you meet Anne?

Darcy nodded. For the last five years or so.

Come on, Fitz. She sighed. I’m serious.

Me too. He pressed his lips together. Wickham probably planned to make you distressed, Bart. And you fell for it. Elizabeth frowned. Is he aware you needed his permission to bring the children to me? Darcy asked and she shrugged. That’s it.

I guess I mentioned Europe. She looked away trying to remember. I probably did. But I didn’t say Pemberley.

No need, right? Darcy clasped his hands over his stomach as he looked at her pretty face in his small screen.

He wanted to talk about his Haiti schedule and how much time he’ll have with the kids before he goes. It’ll start in September, his year in the Peace Corps.

He has to agree to their moving before that. Darcy picked up his phone to call Dr. Woodhouse and remind her of that deadline. Did he mention anything?

Huh-huh. She shook her head again. "I didn’t want to bring it up afraid he would pick up a fuss and deny me the consent to travel with them next month, but you know, I should have. Tramp dress was furious to see him talking to me and he signed everything so I would leave."

Elizabeth… Darcy started but shut up and closed his eyes briefly. Her upset phone call did all kinds of things to him. He felt outraged for the disrespect she had suffered having to meet the wanker’s tramp date, his dumping her to be with the woman and the fact that she risked being harassed again. "I want to invite you to come with