A Modern Pride and Prejudice.

After breakfast, we climbed into the car and I tried to keep myself calm as we sped along the country roads towards Darcy Manor, as I had christened it.

After half an hour of driving in complete woodland, a small, dusty road the only thing to show human life had been around here at all, I spoke up from my seat in the back of the car.

"How long is it going to take us to get to the Darcy's place?"

I saw my uncle grin in the rear view mirror and my aunt twisted in her seat, the same wide smile on her face.

"Lizzy, we've been driving in their land for at least thirty minutes now. Didn't you see the sign post before we entered the woods?" she asked, amused at my gobsmacked expression.

I looked back out to the trees and shook my head, muttering to myself that this was mental. They owned all of this forest we've been driving in? People actually own forests? I wondered how long we would have to drive through the wilderness before we actually arrived at their home.

"Lizzy, we'll be getting our first view of the manor soon enough." my aunt called to me, her gaze directed to the left of her. I immediately dropped the apple I'd been contemplating for a while and watched it roll under my uncles seat.

Scrambling across the back seats, I pressed my face into the window to get a good look. I must have looked ridiculous, my face mashed so hard on the glass that my nose looked like a pigs and my breath fogging the window up so much that it blocked my view.

Hastily wiping at the window with my sleeve, I felt my mouth drop open as the house finally appeared between the opening through the trees.

The first logical thing that came to mind was that it was huge. Made of stone, it towered over us as the car crept slowly down a slope that led towards the driveway. I could only gape at the wide stream that gurgled merrily down to a large pool in front of the manor, or at the stretch of land that surrounded the building from all directions.

It looked right being there, though. Natural. Like someone had come along and had tailored the stream and the trees and hills to suit the house, not the other way around. The house was apart of the natures beauty.

"So, what do you think, Lizzy?" my aunt said to me, handing me back the apple I had dropped earlier.

I tried for cool and collected. "It's nice. And, um, roomy."

My aunt gave me a knowing nod and turned back to marvel at Darcy Manor. I breathed heavily through my nose, willing my body to calm down. He wasn't here, he was in London. It's okay, you don't have to worry about seeing him.

As the car pulled up to the manor, I was nearly compelled to say I felt too ill to go with my uncle and aunt, that I would patiently wait in the car for them to return. Something stopped me though, perhaps curiosity to find out what kind of place William had grown up in.

A uniformed woman greeted us at the door and led us through the manors great doors with a friendly smile. I shuffled behind them, drinking in all the polished floors and high ceilings and expensive furniture. I tried not to feel envious of him, knowing that if I had known a few months back that I would be stood in William Darcy's home, I would have laughed and claimed that I was going mad.

"He's a wonderful, young man, William Darcy is. Never been rude to the staff here, always asked about us and if he could help with anything. Just like his parents, same with his sister." said the woman, taking us through into a large room filled with photographs of the Darcy family.

I stared at a photograph of him beside a younger, blonde girl. This must be his sister...Georgina? - no, Georgia. It was Georgia. I remembered vaguely the conversation between Carol and William about his sister.

We moved around the house, my eyes sweeping over everything and anything I could see. I found it nearly impossible to accept that anyone could live in a house this grand and was sad when we finally emerged from the manor, saying our thanks and waving goodbye to the uniformed woman.

As my uncle and aunt started towards the car, I ambled behind unwillingly, wanted to look around the grounds some more. When my uncle beeped the horn of the car though, I admitted defeat and walked slowly towards the car door.

Something on the road caught my eye and I froze, a hand upon the car door handle.

William Darcy was walking towards us, moving slowly as if deep in thought. I tried to hurry into the back seat as quickly as I could before he could spot me but his eyes clapped onto mine and I felt my face flush red when his mouth opened in surprise.

"Oh, crap, crap, crap." I muttered under my breath, ducking my head into the car and yanking my seat belt across my chest.

My aunt and uncle, however, had noticed William approaching and instantly recognised him from the photographs we had seen.

"Lizzy - Is that...is that William Darcy?" my aunt asked me, squinting at his figure as he came ever closer.

"I don't know. Maybe we should just go now? I don't want to..." but whatever I was about to say failed me. William Darcy was peering at me through the car window and was gesturing for us to come out of the vehicle.

I feebly tried to stop my uncle and aunt from leaving the car but they were already starting conversation with William. Sighing, my face still burning with embarrassment, I stepped out of the car and joined the group.

"This is my niece, Elizabeth." my aunt explained to William but he nodded with a small smile.

"I've already had the pleasure of meeting her. We met when my friend and I moved to her city a couple of months ago." he said, turning his smiling face towards me.

I just stared at him, shocked that he was actually capable of anything other than a frown.

He looked back to my aunt and uncle. "Have you just been around the house?"

"Yes. And can I just say, I've never seen a house as beautiful and stunning as yours. It's quite something." my aunt said, beaming. Beside her, my uncle nodded fervently along.

William couldn't stop smiling. I watched him talk to my uncle and aunt with ease, appearing in no way what he did when he was living with Charlie. I couldn't figure out his sudden change; surely, he didn't still love me after what I'd said to him?

My mouth turned dry at the thought and my heart hammered against my chest.

"Well, I won't let you go without looking around the woods and the lake. My father wouldn't be too pleased with me if I passed up the opportunity to show off our land a little." he laughed, motioning for us to follow him onto a path.

I hesitated, watching my uncle and aunt follow him towards the lake. Only when my aunt turned back to me and waved her hand violently did I awkwardly walk after them.