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“Actually, I need you to act as though you and Miss Bennet are old friends, which would explain why she is staying at Darcy House. You need only pretend if the ton learns of her presence and begins to ask questions.”

Georgiana looked away as though considering the scheme. “Since I have never had any use for the gossips of the ton, it shall not be a hardship for me to pretend we are long-time friends, especially if it allows Miss Bennet to stay at Darcy House. You have no idea how much I have wanted to meet her since you mentioned her in your letters. You may not realise it, but she is the first woman you ever wrote to me about in great detail.”

“That never occurred to me,” William replied. Embracing his sister, he gave her another kiss on the head. “Thank you, dearest.”

Georgiana tilted her head back to look up at him. “If I am to be involved in this intrigue, will you at least ease my anxiety by promising never to marry Lady Morgan?”

“I never intended to marry her; however, I have yet to figure out how to convince her to break our faux engagement. If it is she who reneges on the agreement, then Elizabeth cannot blame herself for causing her sister more pain.”

“I have been praying all this time that Lady Morgan was intelligent enough to figure out that you love another ... as well as kind enough to release you.”

“As have I, Poppet.” Then William pulled back to look into her eyes “Now, run up to your room and have your maid pack a bag with enough clothes to serve until I can have your trunk picked up later.”

Georgiana gave William another quick kiss before bounding from the room like the young girl he remembered before Anne de Bourgh made her miserable.

Darcy House

Upon entering his home, William was instantly disappointed not to find Elizabeth downstairs with Mrs. Annesley, who happened to be in the library. Georgiana rushed to her former companion, and while they exchanged hugs and talked over one another, he looked about the room like a lost child.

His confusion did not go unnoticed by the housekeeper, Mrs. Barnes, who knew exactly who he wanted to see. “Miss Bennet is in the garden, sir,” she said quietly, so as not to be heard by the others.

“She wished to walk in Hyde Park, but I convinced her it was too cold for such a long trek, especially since Mrs. Annesley reported that she had just got over being very sick at Pemberley. I convinced her to take a short walk about our garden, and—” The housekeeper turned to glance at the clock above the mantel. “I promised to fetch her when she had been out half an hour ... which is right now.”

“I shall fetch her,” William announced. “Tell my sister where I am if she asks.”

William walked the gravel path in the garden from one end to the other before deciding she must be in one of the alcoves. As he entered the one that was his mother’s favourite, he spied her sitting in the large, white swing that hung from a limb of a tall tree which had stood there for as long as he could remember. She had her eyes closed and a slight smile graced her face, making him reluctant to disturb her. Still, she could not be in the cold much longer, so he stepped towards her. As he did, a small twig cracked under his boot, announcing his presence and making her open her eyes.

She looked stunned at first, but recognising the source of the sound, she smiled. “You frightened me, Fitzwilliam. It is so quiet here that I had begun to daydream.”

“Forgive me. You looked so serene that I hesitated to disturb you. But for the fact that you need to come inside, I would not have.”

Elizabeth lifted her shoulders, as if to highlight the layers of coats, cloaks and shawls she had donned to keep warm. “Actually, with all these clothes Mrs. Barnes insisted I wear, I am completely warm, except for my nose.”

William laughed, quickly crossing the space between them to sit beside her on the swing. As he slid his arm around her shoulder, he said, “Well, I am of the impression that to be warm, noses must be warm as well.” Leaning in, he kissed the tip of her nose.

At Elizabeth’s lilting laugh, he said, “Besides, Mrs. Barnes sent me to say it is time you returned. You do not wish me to suffer her wrath if I do not return with you forthwith, do you?”

By now Elizabeth’s eyes were twinkling with mirth. “If you will kiss my nose again, I shall consider saving you from that horror.”

Instantly, William did as she asked, though he found it impossible to stop at one kiss. Instead, he placed soft kisses all over her face before capturing her mouth. Pulling back to see if he had crossed the line, upon seeing the expression of love in her eyes, immediately he kissed her again ... only more passionately.

Upon breaking the last kiss, he hugged her close. “Oh, Elizabeth. I have wanted to do that since the night we met on the balcony in the snow. My arms have ached as severely as my heart for the mere want of you.”

“I-I feel the same way.”

Gratified, William smiled. “I have brought Georgiana home so that she may act as the excuse for your being here at Darcy House.”

“The excuse?”

“Yes. She agreed to pretend that you and she are long-time friends and, thus, why you are staying here: You accepted her invitation.”

“She does not mind the subterfuge?”

“No. In truth, she has wanted to meet you since I described you in my letters from Netherfield Park. She figured out that I was in love with you long before I did.”

“A very clever girl.”

“Yes. Yes, she is.” William stood, taking her hands to pull her to her feet. “Now, we should go back inside so that you may meet her.”