A Modern Pride and Prejudice.

Lily departed a couple of days after I had last seen George Wickham. From what I had heard, he had vanished completely from our town and I found that I wasn't unhappy at this news at all. I was glad that I'd finally gotten rid of him, if I were to be honest.

Just as my family and I were preparing to walk back into the house after waving Lily off in the back of Rebecca's parents car, another car pulled into our driveway and I felt my face split into a wide smile. It was my uncle and aunt.

"Hello, hello, hello." greeted my aunt, who ambled around trying to hug everyone. She passed by me twice and had hugged Katy more than once in her confusion. Finally, she came to me.

"Lizzy, dear. Look at you - I swear you grow about three inches every time we come and see you. Your uncle and I have something to ask you but we'll wait till we're all inside first." she told me, turning to my mother who was looking flustered at the unexpected arrival of her sister.

Mallory stalked off into the house, quickly followed by Katy and Jane. I remained behind to inside with my uncle and aunt and my parents. I caught my father winking at me as if he knew something I didn't. I looked quizzically at him but he merely shook his head and allowed me to step through the front door before himself.

The kitchen was full. Katy sat on the work surface near the microwave, Mallory standing sullenly by her side. Jane had given up her seat for our uncle and had decided to hover somewhere behind our fathers chair, close to me. My aunt and mother seated themselves after a long, private conversation and we all watched them a little impatiently.

With a chipped mug full of tea in front of her, my aunt turned to me and smiled warmly. My uncle was bobbing his head along to the radio that was playing from the corner of the room, on the windowsill; evidently, he was leaving my aunt to tell me the news.

"So Lizzy, your uncle and I have been talking and we wanted to know if you would like to come on a trip with us for a few days - maybe a week if we can get enough time from work off." she said, choosing to ignore Katy's huff of irritation.

I was flabbergasted but delighted that they chose me to go with them. Several days outside of this house and town sounded almost too good to be true so I eagerly agreed to accompany them on a trip to the countryside.

"We'll be leaving next week, dear. We've asked your mum and dad - " she said, nodding towards them. " - and they said it's fine for you to come. We'll probably pick you up fairly early, Lizzy, to make a decent start before traffic kicks in. You won't mind that, will you?"

"No, that's fine. Thank you." I told her, smiling ear to ear. Jane grinned back at me but Katy stormed from the kitchen, stomping her feet on each step as she climbed the stairs.

"She's just bitter about not being able to go with Lily, still." Mallory explained, jumping up into Katy's previous seat on the work surface.

My mother started to tell my uncle and aunt about Rebecca's proposal to Lily and the way that Katy had reacted when she found out she wasn't going to be asked. I slipped from the room, thinking maybe I would finally have a distraction from William Darcy's letter.

***

True to their word, my aunt and uncle arrived the following week at seven in the morning. I rubbed my tired eyes and hauled my suitcase down the stairs, trying not to wake up my sisters with the noise. I had shook Jane's shoulder to wake her up to say goodbye and she mumbled back to say she hoped I'd have a nice time away.

Downstairs, my father was waiting in the hallway with my uncle and aunt. I could hear my mother making breakfast in the kitchen and I called through to tell her I was about to leave. She hurried out, carrying a stack of toast in tin foil, quickly pressing it into my hands and squeezing me into a hug.

My dad helped me carry my suitcase outside and I climbed into the back seat of the car after hugging my father. My uncle exchanged a few more words with my uncle before pulling out of the driveway to start the long journey.

My eyes drifted shut and I wrestled for a while to keep them open. Finally though, I gave in and fell asleep as we turned onto the motorway.

The car jolted to a stop and my eyes flew open in surprise. My aunt and uncle were already clambering out of the car. Pulling my cheek from the window, I saw that we had arrived at the bed and breakfast we were going to stay in for the next couple of days.

"That was a - a - " I broke off into yawn, stretching my arms out and feeling my muscles groan. " - a short journey." I finished.

My aunt smiled as she passed me my luggage. "That's because you were asleep for most of it, dear."

I grinned, embarrassed, and followed my uncle into the bed and breakfast. We sat down in the room to discuss our plans for the following day.

"I'd quite like to see that big stately home a few miles from here. It's owned by the Darcy family but they open it to the public in the summer." my aunt said, my uncle nodding along with her.

"The...the Darcy family?" I asked flatly. "As in - as in William Darcy?"

I was secretly hoping that there was another family by the name of Darcy who happened to be extensively rich enough to own a big house in the countryside.

"Yes, that's their boy. They have a daughter, too. Lovely little thing, she is." my aunt said, smiling as she started to unzip her suitcase.

"But I thought the Darcy's lived in London!" I cried, standing up in agitation.

My aunt looked shocked. "Well, they do. They split their time between the house in London and the home here. That's why it's opened to the public, the Darcy's stay in London during the summer season."

I felt myself calming down a little and I fell back into my chair resignedly. "Well, alright. If they're out..."

My aunt looked as if she wanted to question me about my reaction but I saw my uncle shake his head at her slightly. I felt a rush of gratitude towards him in that moment.

Well, I suppose that if they were out during our visit, I couldn't see much damage in obliging my aunts wishes.