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Chapter 9

he was having a salad for lunch when Lucy finally came in from her Saturday night escapades. "Good afternoon," Alyssa greeted her dryly.

Lucy wrinkled up her nose, got herself a drink of water, and plopped down at the table, across from her sister. She threw an envelope on the table. "I found this in the mailbox," she explained.

The only writing on it was 'Alyssa,' but the penmanship looked very familiar. Alyssa mumbled, "I think it's from William," and slid it next to her plate.

"So, how was your date with Mr. Wonderful?"

Alyssa liberally spooned more dressing onto her salad.

"That bad, eh?" Lucy raised her eyebrows. Alyssa was always so conscientious.

"There's ice cream in the frig, too," she admitted.

"My, my! What happened?" Lucy exclaimed.

"It was really nice until my psychosis kicked in. Then I...ran."

"What were you running from?"

Alyssa sighed, "I was afraid."

"Well then, it sounds like you did the right thing. Go with your feelings, Lissy. I always do." She yawned, "I'm going to bed." Lucy got up and kissed Alyssa on the head, "'Nite!"

"Hey, Lucy!" Alyssa called after her. "How are you doing with Wendy?"

Lucy gave her a smile and a thumb's up, then disappeared into her bedroom.

Alyssa slit open the envelope and quickly read the brief note within. So, that's why he wanted nothing to do with Wendy. She was not unaware of the trust he was bestowing upon her, both by the information given, and by the request to look after Joanna. And he wanted to talk to her even though she had acted so aloof. If only she could get over her fears.

Alyssa knew why Joanna was there. In fact, she was surprised that her friend hadn't been sitting on the steps when she came home from church.

They were in the living room at "Roses" cottage, and Joanna was determined to decode William's remarks about his day with Alyssa. "Come on, Lissy! Tell me all about it."

Alyssa tried to set a light tone, "The hike was great, the lunch was wonderful -- thank you. It was a nice day, but that's all."

"Why is that 'all'?" Joanna demanded to know.

"We're not really compatible."

Joanna almost choked on her tea. "You must be joking! What can possibly be wrong with William Austen? He's the most adorable guy I know!"

"Well then," Alyssa said, trying to keep the edge out of her voice, "you will be glad to know that I won't come between you."

"Lissy, you are so exasperating! You two are meant to be together."

"Joanna, William and I are worlds apart, literally and figuratively."

"But that's what is so inspiring!" She almost added 'how love finds a way' but bit her tongue.

Alyssa looked confused, so Joanna explained, "Don't you find it interesting how well we all hit it off immediately? You know, Fitz, William, you, me? I feel like we've always known each other. The same with your sister and brother-in-law."

"William and I barely spoke to each other at first, though I know you and he clicked right away. Fitz just has a knack for making people think they have a special relationship with him. But I will agree that you and I are kindred spirits and are lucky to have found each other. And I know what you mean. I've always felt close to Charley, and have been in awe of the way he and Janet are perfect for each other. There was no period of adjustment or anything. It's like they can read each other's minds. I've always been envious of their relationship," Alyssa revealed. "Not everyone finds a love like that."

"And they sure wouldn't turn their back on it if they did find it, would they?" Joanna asked suggestively.

"William and I are nothing like Janet and Charley," Alyssa retorted. "We did not have that instant compatibility."

"Maybe you just haven't had the chance to develop it," Joanna shot back at her. She opened her purse and rummaged for a tissue; a paper fell to the floor near Alyssa's feet.

Alyssa bent to pick it up. "What is this?" Joanna tried to snatch it away, but Alyssa held it at arm's length, and began to read, "Elizabeth...Alyssa. That's a stretch, don't you think?" She was kidding at first, but grew serious with the next entry, "Janet...Jane..." Alyssa scanned the rest of the list. "Fitzwilliam Darcy...Darcy William. You think William is Darcy? and I'm Lizzy? Who are you...Georgiana?" She saw her friend's answer in her eyes, "Are you insane?"

Joanna explained about Georgiana's diaries and the miniatures, and the real reason for the kiss by the well.

Alyssa looked in horror at her friend. "I knew you were a romantic, but this...this is beyond belief! The only reason why I'm still in this room, is because you are my best friend." Another thought occurred to her, "Don't tell me that William believes all this nonsense!"

"Well, he doesn't know for sure what to think, but he's a lot more receptive than you are."

Alyssa thought through her day with William. He had given no hint of harboring such thoughts, until last night when he said they belonged together. Maybe he was humoring Joanna. She sat close to her friend on the couch. "How can you entertain such ideas?"

"Alyssa, I have very strong feelings about this matter, just as you have definite beliefs. Would you like for me to call yours 'all this nonsense'?"

"No, of course not," Alyssa protested, "but this is so far-fetched..."

Joanna's eyes penetrated her friend's, "Is it? Do you have any more proof on your side than I have on mine?"

Alyssa took a few moments to collect her thoughts, then said, "Joanna, we do not need to argue about this. I will never believe in reincarnation, and you may believe however you wish..."

"Thank you," Joanna interjected tersely.

Alyssa ignored her and continued, "But it's really a moot point. Even if we were Lizzy and Darcy reincarnated, it wouldn't matter. We have had very different lives this time around, compared to what we know of Lizzy and Darcy in the 1800's. What does matter is the people we are now. If William has some romantic idea about me being his lost-love Lizzy, our relationship will never work. I want someone who will love me, Alyssa Benning, not some ghost. The same goes for you and me. I like you, Joanna, the person you are here and now. If you want me to be Elizabeth Bennet, it isn't going to happen. You either accept me as Alyssa Benning, or forget it!"

Joanna could think of nothing to retort. Alyssa had made some valid points. "Of course I like you, Alyssa," she finally said. "Just promise me one thing..." At her friend's questioning glance, Joanna continued, "Give William a chance. Not Darcy, but William. He is a wonderful man, and if you let him in, you will not be sorry. It is only natural that I would want to bring together my two best friends."

Alyssa sighed at Joanna's persistence. "I will not promise to marry William, but I also will not promise to not marry him. Just don't get your hopes up - I'm not very good at relationships." She thought about her last words to William, and warned, "Once he has reconsidered the way I talked to him last night, I doubt that he shall be back, and certainly will not want to see me."

Joanna gave an encouraging smile, "Oh, I don't know. William strikes me as a steadfast sort of fellow. Once he decides to like someone, he doesn't change his mind very quickly." She thought about his instant dislike of Wendell Dickey. 'Nor when he has decided to dislike someone,' she added to herself.

Alyssa refilled their cups, then asked, "How is your houseguest enjoying his stay?"

"Wendy?" she wondered. "oh, he'll probably be leaving within the week."

"Really? Lucy will be saddened to hear that."

"Why is that?"

Alyssa wondered if her friend knew about Wendell Dickey and Lucy. "Oh nothing really, he's just been someone else to talk to."

Joanna relaxed back in her chair, then remembered to ask, "Say, let's go to the cinema tonight, a girls' night out. You, me, Charlotte, and Lucy."

"Great. What's playing?"

"Titanic."

"That movie has been sold out every night for a month. Besides, I don't feel up to a disaster flick."

"But it's up for 'Best Picture' -- we have to see it. Besides, the theater manager told me that we may purchase our tickets in advance," Joanna informed her. "I'll do it on my way home. But first, we must find out how many people are going."

They called Charlotte and confirmed that she would go. Then Alyssa gave in, and also vouched for the sleeping Lucy.

"I'll pick everyone up," Joanna volunteered, glancing at her watch. "It's later than I realized and I have plans with Wendy this afternoon. See you this evening!"

Alyssa spent the remainder of the afternoon sorting through her leaf and flower collections and set aside the ones she would use in the well drawing. She had decided upon the rose background, and sketched out her plan accordingly. She was in the middle of coloring rice when the doorbell sounded. Too early to be Joanna...

The floral delivery person announced that the order was for 'Miss Alyssa Benning.' Alyssa brought it into the kitchen and gently removed the protective paper. A single red rose. A beautiful, single red rose. She hoped that she was right about who sent it, and checked the card, 'Your William.' She felt a little light-headed and sat down at the table. After a few deep breaths, she held up the card again. Creamy cardstock, old-fashioned pen-and-ink signature, curiously faded. Nothing else on it. Alyssa batted her suddenly wet lashes and pressed the card to her lips. She felt as though something special had been returned to her, something that she had lost a long time ago. Lucy was rummaging around in the bathroom and would be out soon. Alyssa hastily wiped away her tears and slipped the card into her pocket.

"Where did the rose come from?" asked Lucy as soon as she entered the room.

"William." Alyssa was feeling the velvety softness of one petal between forefinger and thumb. She leaned forward to partake of its intoxicating scent. "I love roses..." she sighed.

"And William? I thought you were afraid of him."

She sat back, but didn't meet her sister's eyes. "I'm not afraid of William; I'm afraid to find out if I could love him, and...all that follows if I do."

"Oh, Lissy! What have you got to lose?"

"Everything. My sanity. You were too young to remember our father, but I know that you have grieved over Mother. I feel as though the people closest to me always die. Sometimes I'm afraid for you and Janet, too. Only common sense stops me from hovering over you, trying to take your temperature, and badgering you about how you feel."

Lucy gave her sister a quick hug. "Lissy, people die from slipping in the bathtub, from choking on bacon, for all kinds of reasons. It is not your fault and there isn't anything you can do about it, except to love the people around you while you have them. So, you may as well get out there and live it up, and quit hiding behind excuses."

"I don't hide!" Alyssa responded indignantly.

"You come out of the house, but you have yourself all locked up tight in here," Lucy explained, tapping her chest.

"I love my family. I have friends."

"Sure you do -- girl friends. But not any kind of relationship that requires commitment and sharing on a deeper level."

'Look who's talking about commitment,' Alyssa muttered to herself. She continued to defend herself, "Not everyone finds a relationship that leads to marriage."

"I'm not talking about marriage, I'm talking about love."

"In my case, one leads to the other," Alyssa said, disapproving of Lucy's implications.

'Lissy, you have so many boundaries, that no one will ever reach you," she shrugged. "You do know that your friends will probably marry. Then what? Are you going to perpetually play the 'Aunt Lissy'? Even Charlotte has a man in her sights."

"What?" Alyssa was startled. "Who?"

"Jim Kendall." Lucy enjoyed her sister's look of utter disbelief. Kendall was a retired RAF pilot, but didn't look too bad for his 53 years.

"No, I don't believe it! Who told you this?"

"I have eyes," Lucy said confidently. "Next time they are together, watch how they act, how they look at each other."

'But he's so old!" Alyssa wailed. "He's old enough to be her father. Charlotte can do better than that!"

"Are these some more of your boundaries, Alyssa?"

'Boundaries or prejudices?' Alyssa wondered. She was going to have to think about what she believed in...and take a good look at her friend, Charlotte.

Author's note: If you have not seen 'Titanic', skip to the next chapter.

The first notes of the hauntingly beautiful music made Alyssa realize that she should have brought a lot more tissues. She was thankful to be sitting by Joanna, who was just as sentimental. "That isn't a flute or a piccolo...surely not just a recorder?" she reasoned to herself, dissecting the music in an effort to not respond to it. The ploy did not work, so she gave herself up to the picture.

They weren't the only ones thankful that the theater had a rear entrance. Women and men alike were at least misty-eyed. Fortunately this theater attracted many out-of-towners, so they didn't run into many people that they knew. They had seen Mr. Kendall with his daughter and granddaughter, but they had only exchanged a few pleasantries, and walked on.

Lucy elbowed Alyssa, "See?" No, obviously, she didn't see. "The corners of the mouth tweaked just a little... they are not smiley people. And didn't you see the eyes?"

"You are imagining things," Alyssa said irritably. She was still feeling too many emotions from the movie. As she walked out, she could hear comments all around her: "I was okay until they showed the mother and child in the water." "All those poor souls..." "I read that it wasn't like that -- there wasn't all that pushing and shoving to get into the lifeboats." "Can you imagine just sitting there, waiting for it to happen?" "Do you think Rose died at the end?" "That part where the musicians keep on playing is supposed to be true..." "Did you notice the characters during the wide shots of the boat -- they were computer animations." That person received an angry response from his companion, "Do you have a heart?"

Alyssa hadn't felt so affected by a picture since 'Schindler's List.' Her mind told her that the director had shamelessly toyed with her, and had added modern elements to the telling, but her emotions didn't care. It was a lovely story...and very sad.

Joanna and Alyssa did not want to be seen in public with their pink eyes, so they all went to "Roses" cottage for refreshments and chat.

"I would rather have died with Jack," Joanna sighed. "I would have slipped into the water and followed him down."

"Then Jack would have died in vain," Alyssa pointed out.

Charlotte added her practical two cents, "Rose's life was more encompassing than her relationship with Jack. What about her mother? And her life later? Her granddaughter?"

"Yeah," agreed Lucy. "Love is great. Having a close relationship with someone is a major plus, but that isn't all life is about."

"But all the agony she went through," Joanna cried. "It would have been better if they had never met."

"I wouldn't say that," Alyssa objected. "Jack set her free to be herself, to decide the life she wanted. If she hadn't met Jack, she would have married Cal -- ugh!"

Joanna kept her opinion, "If it happened to me, and I survived, I would probably be preoccupied with death and go hide somewhere, afraid to love anyone ever again. It would hurt so bad!" She glanced apprehensively at Alyssa and hoped she hadn't overacted.

"In her case, and for many of the survivors," Charlotte suggested, "I think it gave them faith in life instead."

"I wish they wouldn't have put in that last scene, with Jack and Rose getting back together and everyone applauding -- it was so contrived!" Alyssa stated. She didn't enjoy being so obviously manipulated.

"I liked it! I would like to believe that happens, that love is forever," sighed Joanna.

Lucy gave her a friendly shove, "Joanna, you are a pathetic romantic. I think you're worse than Lissy."

Alyssa responded to her friend's feelings, "Oh, I agree that love is forever, but not necessarily in that form. Maybe it's different for everyone depending on their own beliefs."

Charlotte added her own thoughts, "And if they don't believe in any kind of existence after death, then they don't feel the love. It's like that sign I see in some churches, 'If God seems far away, guess who moved.' The love is there," she avoided Alyssa's eyes, "if you're receptive to it."

Joanna fervently hoped that Alyssa was taking mental notes. During the afternoon, she had planned the direction of the conversation with the aid of Lucy and Charlotte. She didn't think it sounded too contrived so far - at least, Alyssa hadn't seemed to notice. When their friend went to the kitchen for more snacks, the conspirators exchanged knowing winks. Now it was up to Alyssa to overcome her fears and meet the challenge. Lucy and Charlotte had not been told about the reincarnation theory, but they were more than willing to play matchmakers.

Chapter 10

he next day, when Alyssa returned from lunch, she saw that Charlotte was assisting a regular patron of theirs, Jim Kendall. She sat at the desk and pretended to sort through books, as she watched the pair of them deep in conversation. They were kind of leaning toward each other. Alyssa thought over what she knew about the man. Since quitting the service, Jim had traveled extensively, last count was 49 countries. After each trip he presented a travelogue to the community and at various schools, and to enhance his dialogues, he usually came to the library to collect interesting tidbits of history or miscellanea. His most recent trip had included the mountains of Peru.

She saw him touch Charlotte's hand for just a moment. It was a quick, fleeting movement, in character with his restless energy. All that energy is what usually got on Alyssa's nerves, but mild-mannered Charlotte seemed to take it in stride. Physically, he was well-preserved, tall, spare, with a small moustache reminiscent of old war movies, and with clear, far-seeing blue eyes. She had helped him a few times, and admired the way he had of being direct, practical, and well-organized. At first meeting, he came off as rather gruff, but then people began to realize how truly interested he was in them, and everything around him. He really was rather nice, but he had an ex-wife, a daughter, and grandchildren. Lots of baggage.

"Jim's talk is going to be on Thursday night," Charlotte informed her after Jim left. "You might want to come to this one. He has pictures of those mysterious markings in the Andes, and stories about the energy fields and their effects."

"Are you going?"

"Well, yes, Jim has asked me to assist him with his A-V equipment."

"Didn't you do that for his last travelogue, too?"

"Yes, I enjoy doing it, and it makes the presentation go more smoothly for him."

"If he gets used to your assistance," Alyssa teased her, "he may decide that he can't get along without you on those trips."

Charlotte grew pink, "A girl can hope..."

Alyssa was taken aback by Lucy being proved correct. "But Charlotte, he's so much older than you. He has a daughter almost your age, and grandchildren!" She shuddered at the thought.

Charlotte flushed more brightly, but this time in indignation. "Jim leads an exciting life, and I would like to be a part of it. He is able to talk on more subjects, and has a broader point of view, than almost anyone else I could name."

"Does he reciprocate your feelings?" Alyssa asked gently.

"I doubt that he has thought about it," Charlotte admitted. "Right now, I am useful to him. I soon hope to be indispensable."

"Charlotte! Where is the affection? the passion?"

Charlotte responded levelly, "The regard is already there. The passion is one we will share for life, for traveling, learning new things, and meeting new people. That doesn't sound so bad, does it?" Alyssa was her best friend, and though she didn't need it, she wanted her approval.

"Oh Charlotte, don't you want children? He probably thinks that part of his life is over."

"Lissy, I don't think you know me very well after all," Charlotte said. "I want to be free to go places, and I like having my time to myself."

Alyssa gave her friend a hug. "In that case, dear Charlotte, I think Jim Kendall will make a perfect companion for you."

Charlotte sighed, "Now, if only the gentleman is willing."

Alyssa bounced Baby Charley on her knee and got him to let out a squeal of delight. Charley, Janet and son had arrived in Derbyshire and settled themselves at "The Meadows" while Alyssa was at work. Fitz and Carol had accompanied them from London, and now everyone was gathered around in the living room of "Roses" cottage, and recuperating from too much dinner. Fitz and Charley had taken over the kitchen and made their own version of Chicago-style pizza.

'Aunt Lissy' studied her nephews features. He had Janet's dark hair and Charley's infectious smile. She wondered what a child of her own would look like, but was disconcerted every time she envisioned him with William's eyes.

"Lissy, set him down on the floor next to you and see what he has learned how to do," Charley suggested.

Alyssa did so and watched Baby Charley immediately pull himself up and walk along the couch.

"Charley! Come to Papa," Charley called to his son.

Baby Charley looked over at his father, dropped one hand from the couch, twisted around, and half-lunged, half-tiptoed toward the outstretched hands. Charley scooped his son up into his arms and gave him a big hug. Baby Charley reciprocated with a wet baby kiss slobbered on the cheek, then looked around the room at all of the adults. He had their undivided attention and knew it. He laughed and bounced up and down on his father's legs, then arched his back so that Charley either had to set him down or drop him. This time he made his way over to Janet, and the reward was repeated.

Alyssa glanced over at her brother-in-law. His pride shone very plainly on his face as he watched mother and child. Charley obviously loved and enjoyed his little family. Aunt Carol's features looked somewhat bored at the entertainment. She had sat by Baby Charley during the long trip from London, and so had met her quota for baby-watching for one day.

Alyssa initiated a new topic of conversation by asking Carol about their trip to France. Fitz allowed her a few sentences about the raptures of Paris, before he interrupted, "I'm sorry we've missed William. Do you know if he and Joanna have finished their business?"

"I think it is nearly completed," Alyssa replied. "They have dedicated many hours to it."

Fitz looked skeptical, "Are you certain it was business consuming their time? William showed rather a fondness for Miss Heywood."

Lucy set him straight, "The rose on the kitchen table is from William to Alyssa."

Alyssa shot daggers at her sister, and the other four adults turned to face her in surprise.

"When did this happen?" Carol asked testily.

Fitz grinned affectionately at Alyssa, "If that is the case, William is one lucky man, and I am a fool for having left him alone with you."

Charley disagreed, "I would say they are both lucky. I can't believe Janet and I didn't think of introducing them sooner."

Alyssa blushed, "Lucy has made too much of it. We just went hiking one day. That is all."

Fitz teased her, "William must have been caught up in the beauty of the scenery." He and Charley exchanged meaningful looks. William does not send roses to anyone.

"I would not assume too much," Alyssa warned.

"Why not?" Fitz asked frankly.

Alyssa sighed to herself, 'Sometimes Americans can be so forward with their right-to-know attitude.'

Janet spoke up, "What are you saying, Lissy?"

Alyssa felt surrounded. "The day did not end well, let's just leave it at that," she pleaded.

Carol showed her particular brand of sympathy by saying, "It is none of our business if they've had a falling out. Let's leave the poor girl alone." She had heard enough about William and Alyssa.

The curiosity was evident on their faces, but they ceased their interrogation. Charley's glance to Janet suggested that she find out later what was going on. They decided to play cards and rearranged furniture to suit their plans. They were intent upon revenge against Fitz, who had a remarkably lucky evening, when the telephone rang. It was Joanna.

"Hello, Lissy. I'm going away for a few days, but plan to return in time for the concert this week-end. If not, I'll let you know where to meet me in London."

"Ok, Joanna. What are you up to?"

Joanna hesitated then said, "I am taking Wendy to some of the tourist attractions, and then seeing him off at the airport."

Alyssa sensed that her friend was not being completely honest with her, then she remembered William's note. What could she say to stop Joanna from whatever she was planning? If she was planning anything. She wished William was there, but he wasn't, so she blurted out, "Be careful, Joanna."

"Of what?"

"Oh..you know, drive carefully, watch your purse, beware of strangers..." There was silence on the other end of the line. Alyssa continued, "Wendell Dicky is a stranger."

"Alyssa, you need lessons in subtlety. Have you been talking to William about him? If so, remember that he hated the man on the spot, and so is rather prejudiced."

"I'm sorry, Joanna. Sometimes I treat you like a younger sister. You are old enough to know what you are doing...but I care about you."

"It's okay, Lissy. Sometimes I am glad you do treat me like a kid sister, but not in this case. I will be fine. I promise. Say, is Lucy there? I have a few instructions for her."

Alyssa asked to have Tuesday off so she could spend more time with her family. They spent the afternoon going on a short hike around town, and took turns backpacking Baby Charley. He was delighted with everything, especially the birds and the butterflies, but as a consequence, would not settle down for his nap.

That evening, Alyssa volunteered to watch her nephew while everyone else went the "The Raven." Janet and Charley were no sooner out the door when Baby Charley began to fuss; his little cheek was bright pink and warm to the touch. Alyssa was glad that Janet had warned her that he was cutting teeth, or she would have taken him to the doctor. She was never very good at figuring out why babies were crying.

Walk...rock...rub the gums...massage his soft little back, and arms and legs...play soothing classical music...even his favorite blanket offered no comfort. Alyssa bounced him up and down in her arms as she flipped on the radio, "Does Baby Charley like Bush?" she asked him. No, obviously not. Then she tried the television. The weather report was on; good, that was known to put adults to sleep. Didn't work. Finally, Alyssa bundled him into his carseat and began to drive around the dark streets of Ashbourne. She didn't know if it was the vibration of the car, or the drizzle of rain on the roof that finally worked. She headed back home.

Fortunately, her nephew barely noticed when she removed him from the car and took him into the house. She laid him on her bed, lined up pillows along one side, and stretched out next to him on the other side. The evening had been trying, but she didn't regret any of the time she had spent with him. She wanted Charley to know his Aunt Lissy. Just watching his shallow little breaths and the soft, soft curve of his cheek made her heart swell with love for this little person. She could understand why even women who had to endure long and uncomfortable labors were willing to do so for something this precious.

Alyssa awoke with a start. Charley was gone. She felt around and found a note:

Dear Lissy,

Thanks for taking care of Charley this evening though, when we found you both asleep, it was kind of difficult to tell who had been watching whom.

We'll come by the library tomorrow with Lucy and take you both to lunch.

Love,
Janet and Charley

Chapter 11

harley, Janet, and baby came into the library a few minutes before noon. "Alyssa, do you know where Lucy is?"

"At Pemberley, I would presume."

Charley shook his head, "No one has seen her today."

"Did you call our house?"

"Yes, no one answers. She didn't mention any other plans to you? I thought it was understood that we would take both of you to lunch."

Alyssa was mystified. They may have their differences, but surely Lucy wouldn't blow off Janet and Charley. "She was still in her room when I left this morning...at least, I think she was. Maybe we should stop by the cottage and see if she left a note."

There it was, propped up against the vase on the table. A quick scribble: 'Something came up. Regrets to Janet and Charley. I'll return soon --- Lucy'

'Thoughtless, as usual,' Alyssa muttered.

Janet thought there was more to it. "Why would she leave so suddenly?" She turned to Alyssa, "Do you have any reason to worry about where she has gone or what she is doing?"

Alyssa hoped not, but thought about Wendy. It didn't make sense that Lucy didn't call anyone... unless she didn't want any questions asked. "It must have something to do with Wendell Dickey." she finally replied.

Chapter 11 Continued

Who is he?" Janet asked.

"A guest who has been staying with Joanna Heywood." Alyssa confessed, "I knew that Lucy was interested in him, but when he went to London with Joanna, I thought that was the end of it."

"So, why is this man cause for concern?" asked Charley.

"William did not trust Wendell and had his secretary run a check on him. He is known to have cheated some young women out of their money."

Charley didn't understand. "Why isn't he in prison?"

"Wendell can be very charming, and it sounds like some of his victims feel sorry for him even when they find out what he has done."

Janet was concerned, "Do you think that is why he befriended Joanna?"

"William thinks so, I am certain."

"It doesn't make sense," Charley interjected. "Why would he bother with Lucy then?"

"I have no idea," Alyssa admitted.

"We have to consider all of the places Lucy could be," Charley decided. "or at least get in touch with Joanna to find out if she has seen Lucy."

"Lucy's business may have nothing to do with this fellow at all," Janet reminded them.

"That's true. Do you have any suggestions?" Charley asked.

Alyssa spoke up, "Frankly, it is not unusual for Lucy to stay away from home for an entire night. We should probably not get too upset unless we don't hear from her by tomorrow."

The Bings agreed, so they all went to lunch and then returned Alyssa to work.

The next morning, after her jog, Alyssa did a quick walk through her garden. The day was supposed to be pleasant, so she began to pull away the protective mulch from her tea roses.

"Oh no!" she cried, "No!" The telltale well-worked mound of soil was heaved up next to her favorite tea rose, Camelot. "Voles...the roots are entirely exposed!"

The plant looked like a stick which was not unusual at this time of year, but it was also dry and brittle, no green wood all the way to the base. She thought of the loving care she had given it all last summer, and her reward, up to twenty blooms at one time. Big, beautiful coral rose blooms with a heady scent. She stamped around the affected rose and found the path of the vole, where her steps caved in over the tunnel. A thorough check showed that one other tea rose had been disturbed, but it was still alive.

Alyssa went back and stood before her poor dead plant. She felt as though she had lost a friend; she blinked away tears.

"Alyssa, what's wrong?" Aunt Kate came over to stand next to her. "Oh dear..." she said as she examined the plant. "I remember this rose. It was a heavy bloomer. Maybe you will be able to replace it."

"I will have to," Alyssa mumbled. 'But it won't be the same,' she thought. 'Each plant has its own personality.'

"You might want to replace it with something entirely different," Aunt Kate suggested. "Tea roses can be so temperamental. They require a lot of care and then sometimes die anyway."

Alyssa shook her head, "Oh, but they are worth it. Nothing matches their flowerheads."

Aunt Kate patted her on the shoulder and went home. Alyssa stood there for a long time. Many people thought that all the answers to life could be found in a garden. If nothing else, working in the garden gave one plenty of time to think about those answers.

Another piece to Alyssa's personal puzzle clicked into place. She had just willingly admitted that she would nurture and love her favorite roses, and even risk their dying anyway, because they were so beautiful, so spiritually fulfilling while they lived.

'Don't people deserve the same level commitment, or more?' she asked herself. 'Even if there is a chance that they will leave me?' She thought lingeringly of William, "Please come back," she whispered.

Lucy was not at home by the time Alyssa finished work for the day, so the Bings, Fitz, Carol, and Alyssa met to decide their course of action. Fitz suggested that they begin to call the more popular hotels in London and try to find Joanna. Her answers could narrow their search. They were arguing about whether to inform the police when someone rang at the door.

"William!" Alyssa exclaimed as she answered it. "Hello! Come in..." She smiled at him hesitantly, waiting for some sign of his regard.

William came forward and took both of her hands in his. "Hello," he returned. His eyes captured hers and miraculously found what they were looking for. "It's been a long week..." he said meaningfully.

Alyssa squeezed his hands and began to reply, but was cut off by the appearance of Fitz and Charley. "William, you're here!" Fitz exclaimed. "Thank God! Come on, we need your advice. Alyssa, have you told him what's going on?"

William was obviously surprised to find them here. His only thoughts had been of Alyssa. Alyssa noticed his expression and realized that William had stopped by her house before going to "The Meadows". Her heart skipped a beat...he had returned to her.

Carol came through the doorway and immediately rushed to embrace William. "Oh, dear William, we are so sorry that we weren't here when you found out about Aunt Catherine. You know I would have wanted to be at your side."

"Thank you, Carol," William responded, disengaging himself. "I know that my friends were thinking of me and I appreciate it." He kept an arm around Alyssa's shoulders and then arranged for them to sit together on the couch. There wasn't room for Carol. Her face paled, and she seated herself in an armchair across from them.

They filled William in on the few details they had. As he listened, his eyes kept reverting back to Alyssa's, especially when he heard about Joanna.

"I couldn't think of a way to stop her," Alyssa said wistfully.

He gave her a quick hug. "I know. It isn't your fault, Alyssa." William could be counted on to be decisive, "I don't think we need to involve the police quite yet. Fitz and I know what Mr. Dickey looks like and we have more freedom of movement than the rest of you, so we will drive to London tomorrow morning and do our best to locate the girls. Charley, you and Carol check out the buses, trains, and hotels in this area, and try to find some hint of where Lucy might have gone. Janet and Alyssa, you will collect the information from us and make sure we all know the latest findings."

"Stay at our place," Charley suggested. "It is centrally located. Here..." He gave Fitz a set of housekeys.

"Thanks, Charley. That's a good idea," said Fitz. He looked at his watch. "If we're going to get an early start in the morning, we better head back to 'The Meadows'."

Charley bundled up his son, then realized that he needed to put on his own coat. "Here, Uncle William, hold Charley for a minute," he commanded.

'So, this is the little fellow,' William thought as he adjusted Charley's weight in his arms. The sleeping child didn't seem to notice the transfer.

"Ooooh, baby-holder, too. Your list of talents grows longer," Alyssa smiled. William looked quite at ease as he stood there with Baby Charley in his arms.

"So long as they are asleep," he admitted. "And how does he like his Aunt Lissy?"

"Baby Charley and I get along quite well --- as long as I have enough gas in the car."

Charley laughed. "Yes, Janet and I used that old standby a few times to get Charley to sleep," he admitted. He took his child back from William. "Lissy, I'll call you tomorrow if I find out anything. Ready to go, Janet?"

Carol came up and put an arm through William's. "Going my way?" she asked coyly.

"I'll be along in a few minutes..." William said as he tried to extricate himself.

Fitz noticed the situation and took Carol by the other arm. "Let's go, dear," he said as he ushered her out the door. He winked at William and Alyssa over her head.

The cottage was very quiet after everyone left. Alyssa and William stood facing each other, arms loosely linked around the other person's waist.

"Now, about that talk," William began.

"There is nothing to discuss," Alyssa cut in, ignoring the fears flitting around the edges of her consciousness. William's eyebrows instantly gathered together into a frown of concern until he saw her smile. "I have decided to go with my feelings," she explained, shyly averting her eyes.

William used one finger to gently tilt her chin in his direction. He looked unwaveringly into her eyes. "And what are your feelings telling you?"

Alyssa was shivering, but her gaze did not falter, "I love you, too," she admitted softly. "And I don't want to run away, but..."

William tenderly held her face in his hands, "But what, my darling Lissy?"

Alyssa took a deep breath. She was afraid of what the next few minutes would tell her. "But you must love me as Alyssa Benning."

"Of course I do!" William exclaimed eagerly.

"Not as Elizabeth Bennet."

She watched his face closely. He glanced away for just a moment, but it was enough for her to realize that he had indeed considered Joanna's theory.

Alyssa tried to pull back out of his embrace, but he held her close. "I love you no matter what your name is," he smiled tenderly. "'A rose by any other name...'" he quoted.

"But you do believe it? You do believe that Joanna is your sister and you are Darcy?"

William dropped his hands from her waist and began to pace. "I didn't want to believe it," he finally said, "but it feels right, it feels like the truth, in here." He tapped his chest. "There are too many connections -- between me and Joanna, the house, you, even Fitz and Charley. Each one of us seems to be knitted into a pattern like this," he wove his fingers together, "and the pattern was established long before we were born."

"I do not believe in reincarnation," Alyssa said flatly. "I believe that people sometimes come together for a purpose, but that's all."

"Well, I can go along with that. I think our circle of friends has been drawn together for a purpose," he agreed.

"But in your mind," Alyssa persisted, "that purpose would be...for Lizzy and Darcy to fulfill their destiny?"

William was silent for a moment. "In a way, yes," he admitted.

"I'm sorry, William, but I have a problem with this. The relationship that we supposedly had did not reveal itself to you until after your talk with Joanna, true?"

"It became clearer to me then, yes."

"So...if you had not met Joanna and had not heard her theory, you would not have bothered to get to know me."

William protested, "I was attracted to you from the first moment I saw you."

"You certainly didn't act like it."

"Yes, well, I did not come on this trip looking for love. I began to have feelings for you against my will."

"Against your will? You love me in spite of yourself?" Alyssa asked incredulously.

"I didn't mean it like that."

"What is so terrible about me that you could not find me irresistible until Joanna fed you some story about my being your lost Lizzy? Oh yes, I remember, I am just tolerable!" Alyssa was angry and hurt. She was also confused about how to resolve her own feelings, so William had to bear the brunt of her insecurities.

"Alyssa, this is not fair to either of us," William tried to reason. He held her by the shoulders and made her look at him. "I had fallen under your spell before then...probably when you beat me at darts. Don't you remember that I asked you to dance? I despise public places and I do not usually go out of my way to dance with strangers. Lissy, I loved you before my talk with Joanna."

Alyssa gave in and leaned against his chest. "Just hold me a minute," she begged. William did so, willingly. His arms felt warm and strong and secure. She wished they could stay like that. "I must admit," she finally said, "that I fell in love with you against my will, too."

She could feel William's laugh rumble in his chest. "Dear Lissy, we deserve each other," he said. He kissed the top of her head, her eyebrow, her ear...

Alyssa stopped him. "It amazes me that in so short of time I can love you so much that it hurts, but, I don't see how we can get past our very big differences in beliefs."

"It does not matter," William said. "I don't need to be Darcy in your eyes, as long as you love me."

"But it does matter," Alyssa insisted. "You and Joanna believe that you are brother and sister. Your mutual belief in reincarnation binds you together. It binds you to Pemberley. I would necessarily be left out of that bond. Whether you two say it or not, in the backs of your minds, I am still Lizzy. I can't live with that."

"What would you want me to do?" William asked in earnest. "I would do anything for you."

"Would you give up Pemberley?" She looked into his eyes. "Would you give up Joanna?"

Chapter 11

illiam's eyes were like mirrors into his soul. Alyssa could see him struggling, his pain and confusion, and then his resolve. "Yes," he said quietly, "I would...for you."

Alyssa laid her head on his chest. She was overwhelmed by his depth of feeling towards her, and did not want him to see the tears in her eyes as she said, "William, I cannot ask you to do that. You would grow to despise me."

William urged her to look up at him again. "Pemberley is not mine to keep or lose. It rightfully belongs to Joanna. And although I greatly admire it, and consider it as my ideal, I have had no intention of staying there." He hesitated to continue, "But Joanna is your very good friend, and she has virtually no family. You would have us abandon her?"

Alyssa's response was painful for her to form into words. "To make our relationship work, yes," she finally said. She felt as though she were betraying Joanna.

William swallowed, considered her words, then said, "So, you would be willing to leave Janet and Lucy and England, and would live with me in Chicago?"

"Y...es," she drew out hesitantly.

William could see that these were not easy choices for her, either. "We are both overwrought and will be until we find Lucy and Joanna. I am not sure how we are going to resolve this, but I have faith in you and me."

"Oh William..." They hugged each other tightly.

It did not take Charley long the next day to discover that Lucy had taken the train to London. Had she gone to meet Wendell? Joanna?

Fitz and William, supplied with recent photographs of both women, stopped at several hotels on their way to Charley and Janet's apartment. Then, armed with telephone books, they made lists of possible places and followed through with phone calls. Neither young woman was currently checked in at any familiar hotel in the area, and had not been at any time during the past week.

"Let's get some lunch and stretch our legs," Fitz suggested. He placed the list of hotels in the commercial section of the telephone book and threw it on the kitchen table. Then he carried his used glass over to the kitchen sink, rinsed it out, and set it upside down to dry.

The two men fortified themselves with soup and sandwiches at a nearby deli, then walked through the neighborhood park as they discussed their investigation.

"I have no clues, no leads whatsoever," William admitted. "Perhaps it is time to notify the police."

"We have a few more places on our list," Fitz urged. "Let's check them out and, if none of those give us any leads, we'll call Charley and the others and decide what to do."

They returned to the apartment, and Fitz went into the kitchen. "Hey William," he called, "did you move the phone book?"

"No, why?" William entered the room. The table was cleared off and had a clean, smudgeless top -- no fingerprints, no water rings, no pen or pencil marks to show that they had been working at it for most of the morning.

"Rather compulsive, aren't you?" Fitz asked irritably. "So, where is the book?"

William shook his head, "I didn't move the book and I didn't clean off the table."

They exchanged a look of confusion. Had someone come in while they were out to lunch? They did a quick check of the other rooms. Of course, they had not gone all through the apartment upon arrival, so they weren't sure what they were looking for, but nothing seemed out-of-place or unusual.

"That soup was a bit salty," Fitz muttered. "I'll be right back." He went to get a drink. His glass was not where he had left it to dry. "Did you clean up the sink area?" he asked his friend.

William frowned and shook his head, "I am not in the habit of cleaning up after you. It has to be Lucy," he surmised.

"Why do you think it's her?"

William scanned the room, "I don't see anything missing, and the person seems to have tidied up. Who else would have a key to this apartment?"

Fitz grabbed the phone, "Let's find out." He called Alyssa at the library, "Does Lucy have a key to Charley and Janet's apartment?"

"No, but I do."

"Do you have it with you?" he asked.

"No, I keep it on a key board at home."

"Then do this for me," Fitz instructed. "Ring up Janet, have her go to your house and make sure the key is still there."

"Okay, but why? What is going on?"

"Someone came into the apartment while we were out to lunch. Nothing indicates a burglary, so we are guessing that Lucy was here."

"Oh. Well then, I will have Janet call you after she looks."

Within twenty minutes they knew that the key to the Bing apartment was missing.

"What shall we do now?" Fitz asked after he hung up the receiver.

William was perplexed. "We could wait here in hopes that she returns..." he finally suggested. They called the last few hotels on the list, watched television, read the newspapers, and had a local eatery deliver dinner so they wouldn't miss Lucy when she returned.

At seven-thirty, their patience was rewarded. They were sitting at the kitchen table when they heard the rasp of a key in the lock. The radio under the kitchen counter was tuned in to the news, and William realized that it could easily be heard in the next room. Footsteps came toward the door to the kitchen.

"Lucy?" called a feminine voice.

The door opened to reveal Joanna Heywood. "William?" she gasped. The person behind her craned to look at the young men seated at the table.

William was dumbfounded, "Charles?" for there stood the butler of Pemberley.

Alyssa closed up the library and headed for home. She had received no more phone calls and did not know what to make of her missing key. What was Lucy up to? She turned into her driveway and noticed that lights were on in the house. She was rather surprised that Janet would still be there.

"Hellooo, Janet. I'm home," she called as she walked in.

Lucy looked up from the book she had been reading as she lounged on the couch. "Hey there, Alyssa!" she greeted her older sister. "Is Janet coming over?"

Alyssa walked over to the telephone and punched in the number to Charley's apartment. The line was busy. She turned to face her sister, "Welcome home, Lucy." Concern caused her to sound angry. "Where the devil have you been?"

Chapter 11 Continued

Charles could see that Fitz and William were going to have a lot of questions for Joanna. "I leave you in good hands, Miss Heywood. Thank you for your part in capturing Wiggam. I will keep you informed about the prosecution of the case."

"One moment, Charles." Joanna detained him. "You have met Fitz and William but I do not believe that you have been properly introduced to them. "Gentlemen, this is Charles Drake, a federal law enforcement agent from the United States."

Charles flipped open his badge for the benefit of the two men. He grinned at their inability to speak, saluted them, gave Joanna a pat on the arm, and left.

"But...when he was your butler, he sounded British." Fitz was totally confused by recent events. "Why was he posing as your butler? Am I missing something?"

William gave a short laugh. "If you use proper English and sound polite you, too, could pass yourself off as a respectable English butler." He turned to Joanna, "What has been going on? Who is Wiggam?"

"Wendell Dickey. His real name is George Wiggam."

"What happened?" 'It must have been pretty bad to involve international agents.' "Did he do something to you?" Just the thought of the possibility caused William to raise his voice.

"No more than I allowed him to -- I told you that."

William gave her a very dark look. He could see no humor in the situation.

Joanna was sorry that she had been flippant, "Okay, okay. Our two governments collaborated on a sting operation to bring in Wiggam, and I cooperated with them."

"They purposely exposed you to a man like Dic...Wiggam?" He was ready to chase Charles Drake down and tell him what he thought of their putting Joanna in danger.

As the conversation began to sink in, Fitz could not believe his ears. 'Joanna was part of a sting?' he wondered. He looked at her closely. Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes sparkling. She looked a little tired, but also happy...she had enjoyed it? His first impression of her had been of a young girl, barely out of school. Perhaps he should assume less and observe more.

"I was not in any danger," Joanna reassured them. "Charles was one of two agents based at Pemberley. I was never left alone with Wiggam." She giggled, "Lucy saw to that!"

"I assume that Lucy knew about the sting?" Fitz asked.

"Oh, definitely. And she was a real asset to the operation once she convinced us to include her."

William wondered, "Do you know where Lucy is now?"

"She is probably at home. And that's where we should be headed. I can't wait to get back to Pemberley and enjoy having it all to myself again."

William went over to the phone. "I'm going to let Alyssa know we've found you, in case Lucy hasn't returned yet."

"Let me talk to Lucy, if she's there; otherwise she will probably not be very cooperative with Alyssa."

"Why are you so angry?" Lucy snapped back, "I left you a note."

Alyssa ignored her remarks. "What were you doing in London, Lucy?"

"Why would you think I was in London?"

"Charley did a check on all public transportation out of Ashbourne."

Lucy turned red with anger, threw her book on the floor, and sat up. "You were checking on me? What is your problem - I'm old enough to take care of myself."

Alyssa continued her line of questioning, "Were you with Wendell Dickey?"

"It is none of your business!"

"Where is Joanna?"

"How would I know where she is. I'm not her keeper."

The telephone rang and Alyssa answered it.

"Alyssa, this is William. We have found Joanna, or rather, she has found us."

Alyssa interjected, "Lucy is here."

"Joanna thought she would be. Would you please have her come to the phone? Joanna would like to have a few words with her."

Alyssa silently held the phone out to her glaring sister. Lucy had a brief exchange with Joanna, then hung up the phone. "Ok," she sighed. "I will answer some of your questions now." Her anger seemed to have burned away. She patted the couch, "Come and sit here," she suggested.

"Lucy, what is going on?"

Lucy explained that the man they knew as Wendell Dickey had been arrested and that his real name was George Wiggam.

"But why?" Alyssa was anxious to know what Joanna and Lucy had been involved in. 'Joanna must be okay, or William would have told me," she reasoned.

Lucy held up one hand, "Fraud, misappropriating funds, misconduct..." she said, ticking off the reasons on her fingers.

"Wiggam did all those things to Joanna?" Alyssa was horrified.

"No, he's mainly wanted for a slew of crimes in the States. The incident here was a sting operation set up by our cooperating governments."

"Are you telling me that you and Joanna were involved in this?" Alyssa couldn't believe it.

"Well, Joanna was in it from the first, and me later." Lucy yawned. "You know what? I'm really tired, and Joanna has invited us to Pemberley for breakfast. Let's finish talking about it then. I don't know all the details anyway."

"Lucy, you can't tell me that you were involved in an undercover operation and then say good night!" Alyssa protested.

Lucy gave her a big hug. "I'm sorry, Sis. I'm done in. 'Night." She got up and shuffled into the bathroom, leaving Alyssa with more questions than answers.

It was raining steadily. The road was dark and slick, and as they left the city behind, the night engulfed them. Joanna was driving, William was up front with her, and Fitz was dozing in the back seat.

William had been deep in thought for the last few miles. "There is another story behind this story, isn't there?" he finally asked.

Joanna began to say, "What do you mean?" but remembered that William was probably the only person in the world that she could be honest with. "Yes, there is," she admitted. She threw her purse into his lap. "Look in the side pocket. You will find a miniature wrapped in tissue." She flipped on the dome light.

William found and uncovered the picture. "Wiggam!" Then he realized that it was as old as the miniatures of himself and Joanna that were in the library at Pemberley.

"George Wickham," Joanna said, anticipating his question.

"He was a friend of the family?" William found that very hard to believe. The man made his skin crawl. But, why else would his miniature be included in the collection? He turned off the overhead light so they would not disturb Fitz. He couldn't imagine his friend's response if he overheard this conversation.

"Wickham's father was in charge of the stables. Your father thought his son, George, would be someone for you to play with."

"A stable boy?"

"George has only added to his charm over time, William. He had your father completely fooled as to his real character. He was educated and offered opportunities that someone in his position rarely sees, but he threw them all away."

"Why? What did he do?"

"Just as he does in this lifetime, George had two weaknesses -- women and gambling." She paused, "One of his first indiscretions was probably his most fatal, for it incurred the animosity of the son of the family, Fitzwilliam Darcy."

"A hatred that is still felt," William said harshly. He looked intently at Joanna's profile for a moment. "...a hatred that could only have been caused by his actions against another member of the family." The answer came to him. "You!" he exclaimed.

"Yes, Wickham tried to seduce me, but you discovered his intentions in time."

William was disturbed by the ease with which Joanna spoke of herself as Georgiana, and the details that she seemed to remember. Was it just the result of reading the diaries? He explained his own experiences, "I get impressions, a sense of deja vu, or I have residual feelings, emotions connected to past events, but I do not feel comfortable interchanging my name with Fitzwilliam's. He still feels like a separate person to me. How much do you actually remember?"

"Everything," Joanna answered tersely. "It almost drove me crazy."

"When did you become aware of this other life?"

"I have always known about it, but I didn't comprehend what it meant. Sometimes my parents would come upon me as I was talking to what they thought were imaginary friends. But they were not imaginary to me. They were people and scenes from Georgiana's life while at Pemberley."

"Like ghosts?"

"Not really. The people interacted with Georgiana, not Joanna. I did not get the impression that this door of awareness opened both ways. It was like watching a video of myself, or like my part of her existed in the recesses of the brain that she didn't have access to."

"I'm not sure how both of your images could exist in the same place and time, but I have read a little about the past, present, and future coexisting." It was difficult to continue this line of thought without getting confused. 'Just dealing with the now is enough of a challenge,' William muttered to himself. "So, it seems that you have the ability to experience time without its usual boundaries."

"That is a good way to explain it," Joanna agreed.

"So...have you witnessed other periods of time? The future?"

"Not really." Joanna did not want to explore those possibilities right now.

"I wonder why the early 1800's are so vivid to you," William mused.

"Because there was a lot of unfinished business."

"Such as Wickham?"

"Yes. You cannot imagine how I felt when I saw that man being taken into custody. Lucy and I were in tears."

"Lucy was? Had Wickham done something to her, too?"

Joanna nodded, "Good old George promised her marriage, lured her to London, and planned to abandon her when he tired of her."

"But he changed his mind? He didn't leave her?"

"He had every intention of carrying out his plan, until Darcy stepped in."

"Why? What did he have to do with it?"

"By that time, Darcy knew he was in love with Elizabeth. Lucy, I mean Lydia, was her sister then, too. Darcy hunted them down, bribed Wickham, and arranged the marriage between them. In fact, he was one of the witnesses at their wedding."

"No wonder I detest the man!" William was preoccupied with his own thoughts, and did not speak again until they crossed the boundary into Derbyshire. "Joanna, why do we remember some of it, and the others do not? Alyssa won't even consider it."

"We have Fitzwilliam blood in us."

"What?"

"In Georgiana's diaries, she mentions conversations she had with her Fitzwilliam relatives. Some kind of clairvoyance or ESP ran in their family. Back then, they called it "the sight." Not everyone was affected or had this talent. Georgiana and her mother did not, but her great-grandmother did. One of Georgiana's grandchildren did, too."

"So, Fitz could have this ability," William suggested.

"Doubtful," Joanna laughed. "When does Fitz ever listen to his still, small voice within?"

"What about me?" a groggy voice called from behind them.

"It's nothing, Fitz," William reassured him. "Say, you may as well get up. We're almost to 'The Meadows.'"

Joanna pulled up close to the entrance; it was still raining. "I'll come by for you around 10, and we'll have breakfast," she reminded them. "Alyssa and Lucy are coming, too. Good night!"

Chapter 12

Author's note: Nods to Cathy & Leah for a couple of little parts in this chapter.

lyssa's eyes narrowed as she watched the easy camaraderie between William and Joanna at the breakfast table. It did not matter that she sat on his other side, and that he had greeted her this morning with a cheerful hug and kiss. Joanna was the one touching his arm, making him laugh, capturing his attention. They were both in very good spirits. 'Why can't I do that?" Alyssa asked herself. Every time she touched William every nerve tingled, so she did not dare to lay casual hands on him.

After breakfast, they retired to the sitting room and prepared themselves for Joanna and Lucy's story. Last night, it had been enough that the girls were safe -- now they wanted details.

Charley, Janet, and Carol had also been invited, and as soon as they arrived, they were ushered into the room. Janet had put Baby Charley down for a nap in the Pemberley nursery, then found a seat by her husband.

Alyssa and William were side-by-side on a settee and he had one arm draped across her shoulders. "I've missed you," he whispered. His warm breath tickled her ear, and Alyssa involuntarily shivered. William smiled at his effect on her. His free hand gently fluttered over the inside of her arm, making Alyssa's heart race and her cheeks blush.

Alyssa pretended to scowl at him and said, "Behave!" as she caught his hand in hers.

He reversed the grasp, raised her hand to his lips, and gave it a quick kiss. He whispered, "I will not be responsible for what you do to me." Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Carol watching them from the overstuffed chair in the corner of the room, and she was far from happy. 'Maybe she will finally come to terms with reality,' he sighed to himself.

He loved Carol as an old chum and as Charley's sister, and did not want to alienate her. Sometimes he and Fitz grew impatient with her and found it hard not to be unkind... 'If only she weren't so tenacious!'... but he also knew that's what made her the number one salesperson for her company. When she wasn't trying to sell something, including herself, she was actually fun to be with. They had all had some good times together until she decided that William was the love of her life.

She got up and crossed over to Fitz who was lounging on the couch and chatting with Joanna as she rearranged a tray of beverages and sweet rolls on a nearby table. "Move over," she muttered.

Fitz sat up straight so there was room for Carol, but his attention did not waver from Miss Heywood. Carol, feeling unloved, wiggled closer to Fitz. He absent-mindedly put his arm up along the top of the couch behind her. 'There, that's better,' she consoled herself. 'Now William will see that I'm not going to wait around forever.'

Finally, everyone had their cup of coffee or tea by their elbow and were ready to listen.

Joanna cleared her throat, "Every year I have building inspectors assess Pemberley and guide me in setting priorities for its repair. It is very costly to maintain an estate of this size, and although I am still financially afloat, I can see a pattern emerging. Some of the other estates in the area have been opened up as hotels or bed-and-breakfasts. Some of them offer refreshments, picnic grounds, souvenir huts, and one even has an amusement park. I do not wish to destroy the natural beauty of Pemberley, so I have been cautious about what projects to embrace. I decided that year-round tours, and one or two large social events would help me make ends meet."

"What kind of annual events?" Alyssa asked curiously. Ashbourne was not a large town. The events would have to be creative enough to bring in people from far away.

"A formal dinner at so-much per plate or perhaps a masquerade," Joanna replied.

Fitz admired Joanna's level-headed thinking and especially the way she accepted her responsibilities. 'When I was her age,' he admitted to himself, 'my friends and I got all of our vitamins from beer....well, not William. He was always the designated driver.'

Joanna could see that Carol was getting impatient. "I'm sorry," she said, "I'm taking too long to set the scene for all of us, but Pemberley is my passion."

Everyone else had been interested in what she had to say, and gave Carol a few disapproving looks.

"I had received and answered your letter of inquiry," Joanna nodded to Fitz and William, "but I felt that I needed to cultivate more options, in case our deal fell through. I have advertised locally and in some British travel journals, but have not broached any foreign markets, especially in the States," She continued her monologue, "Then friends in New York invited me to stay with them. They are active, socially, and I thought their parties would offer many opportunities for networking.

"One of the first people I met was Wendell Dickey, I mean, George Wiggam. He represented himself as the owner of an investment firm. He was very charming and we spent a lot of time together."

Alyssa felt William tense; he removed his arm from her shoulders and his hand from hers. The scowl on his face confused her. 'Why would this bother him now?' she wondered. 'Joanna and Lucy are safe and Wiggam is in jail.' She turned her attention back to Joanna.

"Wendell suggested that he come to visit Pemberley, and that he could set up an investment plan structured so that I would get the greatest return for my money.

"Also attending these functions was an American socialite, Susan Crawford. She was obviously interested in Wiggam, but he seemed to prefer my company. At the time, I was pleased by his attentions."

William grunted and his eyebrows furrowed at Joanna's admission. Alyssa caught his hand and held it in both of hers. He glanced at her, realized her thoughts, and relaxed. "Sorry, Wiggam is my least favorite person on this earth." He leaned closer to her, "Imagine what I would do if he ever hurt you. I would be guilty of murder."

"I don't know why my radar wasn't working," Joanna admitted. She knew that William would catch the deeper meaning. "Usually I can sense a cad as soon as I set eyes on him. Anyway, before the first week was over, I was sorry that I had encouraged him to come home with me. Something about him began to make me feel apprehensive.

"I was working up the courage to tell him that I had changed my mind when I received a call from Miss Crawford, asking me to meet her at a coffee house. I was surprised to find that she had brought Mr. Drake with her. She informed me that they were government agents, and that I needed to step aside by ending my relationship with Wiggam, or I would be obstructing justice. Later, I discovered that their plan was for Wiggam to follow her home, not me.

"After that, I tried to avoid Wiggam, but he sought me out. The more elusive I was, the more intrigued he was. It was obvious that he was not going to transfer his affections, or I should say designs, to Miss Crawford and I was afraid that he would still try to follow me home. By this time I had developed a healthy dislike for Mr. Wiggam. I begged Susan and Charles to let me be involved in the sting." She could see that most of her audience was displeased that the agents had given in to her. "Look," she explained, "I had the very definite feeling that Wiggam was not going to leave me alone. If he was determined to come to Pemberley, I would much rather have officers of the law to protect me. Besides, it was to their advantage also. Wiggam would not suspect a young English girl to double-cross him, not when most of his crimes had been limited to the southwestern United States. He probably thought it was a good idea to leave the country for a while, and it would also give him an opportunity to check out new territory.

"When you hear his list of crimes," she defended herself, "you will be glad that Lucy and I helped take him off the streets."

"Why didn't you just tell him to get lost?" Carol asked. She didn't put up with anyone she didn't like.

"How could I? He had ingratiated himself with my hosts, and had not said or done anything offensive to me. He was exceedingly polite and did not force his attentions on me in a direct manner. If I walked away from him at a dance, he would simply dance with someone else but near me, smiling at me. He was always hovering about, listening to my conversations, trying to please the people around me, biding his time, as if he knew that eventually I would be his. I think Susan and Charles realized that that he was single-minded in his pursuit of me, and decided that I needed protection.

"Ooooh," Janet cried, "how terrible! How could you stand it? I would have been scared out of my wits."

"It makes me afraid for you, even now that he's locked up," said Fitz. He wondered at her bravery.

Alyssa felt terrible that her friend had carried such a burden and did not share it with her. "I realize that you couldn't confide in us, but I wish I could have been there for you. I'm glad that you had Lucy, though." She smiled gratefully at her sister.

William thought the man sounded dangerously unbalanced. "What were his crimes?" he asked. He was pretty sure that they did not all involve money, not after the picture Joanna had just painted for them.

"He started out in Phoenix, Arizona, talking elderly people out their life savings. More than one senior citizen left him money in their wills, sometimes as much as $100,000. There is a case pending right now, concerning a distant relative of one of the deceased who is contesting the will. At that time he was known as Richard Dunn," Joanna explained.

William's head shot up. "Dunn? Of course, my parents were approached by a man with that name. They did not further the acquaintance, but one of their friends did. Yes, Dunn -- or Wiggam -- ran errands for them, did chores for them... then one day he disappeared, with about $6,000. The police never caught up with him. So...that was George Wiggam!"

Alyssa thought about the man she had briefly met. It was hard to believe that he was the person Joanna was describing.

"Then he changed his name to John Barger, moved to San Diego, California, and changed his tactics. He began to pick up young women who were alone either because they were estranged from their families, or because they were from out-of-state. He convinced them of his get-rich-quick schemes and ran off with their money. In two known cases, he took more than their money, but before John Barger a.k.a. Wiggam, could be apprehended, the charges were dropped."

William was swearing under his breath, and Fitz and Charley's thoughts were no kinder. He looked at dear, young Joanna and thanked God that nothing terrible had happened to her. He turned to Lucy. "I don't understand. Didn't I catch you kissing the guy? At what point did you realize what was going on?"

Lucy grinned, "Youngest children are good actresses."

"That's for sure!" Alyssa agreed. Janet nodded her head also.

"To answer your question," Lucy said, "I tend to like a fellow in uniform, even if it's a butler's uniform. So, when Joanna showed up with Charles, I was naturally curious. He has a great body for someone who just opens doors and answers the telephone." She winked at Joanna, "There were one or two other changes to the staff, but my main concern was him. I tried to learn his routine so that I could 'bump' into him often enough to keep me in his mind, and one day I came upon him and Joanna talking. The things they were saying didn't make sense to me, so I asked Joanna about them, and when she realized that I knew more than was good for the plan, she took me into her confidence."

"And I'm glad I did," Joanna interjected. "Lucy came up with a great way to fend off Wiggam's advances."

Lucy laughed, "We gave the poor man more action than he could handle!"

"Lucy!" Janet was offended by her words.

Alyssa joined in, "You can see why we try to keep her on a leash!"

Joanna came to Lucy's defense, "You girls are too cruel! Lucy did not trust Wiggam from the start; she could see him for what he was..."

"I've had plenty of experience in that department," Lucy cut in.

Janet shook her head, knowing it was hopeless to curb her sister.

Joanna continued, "Wiggam is an extremely vain man. Imagine how puffed up he became when he thought Lucy and I were both interested in him."

"We kept him on his toes as he tried to prevent either of us from knowing about the other. Ha! I drove him to distraction when I kissed him in public -- he was so afraid that Joanna would find out." Lucy turned to William, "That's why we were kissing right by the front door the day you saw us."

Alyssa couldn't stop from laughing, "You are bad, Lucy!"

"And we're glad," Fitz chimed in. He winked and grinned at Lucy. What a girl!

Lucy jumped up and ran over to Joanna, and they high-fived each other.

Carol shuddered; they were so juvenile. Fitz was intrigued by their odd mix of innocence and savvy.

"So, what were Wiggam's plans for you, Joanna?" William asked. "How did the sting play out?"

"He talked me into a short-term, high yield investment."

"How much?"

"25,000 U.S. dollars."

"You gave that man $25,000? What if he had gotten away?"

"It wasn't my money," Joanna reassured him. "I had a special bank account for this purpose."

Charley asked, "How did you wind up in London?"

"I did not want unfavorable publicity for Pemberley or myself," Joanna explained. "It didn't matter where we were when the authorities decided to take him into custody, so I asked that we conclude our business in London. In fact, when the article appears in the newspapers, Lucy and I will not be mentioned."

"Very good," William nodded. "But, I still don't understand. Why did your government agree to go along with this?"

"Wiggam had started dabbling in doing business over the Internet, and some of his victims were British citizens."

Fitz spoke up, "Frankly, Wiggam never struck me as very bright. Why was he so hard to apprehend?"

Lucy answered for her friend, "If you strip away Wiggam's expensive suits and suave manner, you are left with a nondescript little fellow, perfect for turning into a human chameleon. He changed his hairstyle, occasionally wore glasses, adopted a variety of mannerisms, affected an accent, and always had at hand his secret weapon, his ability to charm."

"The various threads that Wiggam wove around himself were finally being pulled together by investigators in both countries," Joanna added. "This sting operation will finally put him behind bars long enough to gather all the evidence and work through all the charges against him. George Wiggam will be incarcerated for a long time."

"I think we need something stronger than this to toast our two girls!" Fitz exclaimed, indicating his coffee cup.

Everyone but Carol stood up and gathered around Lucy and Joanna, offering them congratulations and lots of hugs.

William took Joanna's face into his hands, "I am so proud of you!" he said, looking deeply into her eyes. He kissed her on the forehead, then turned to hug Lucy for her part in the scheme.

Alyssa watched the exchange between William and Joanna. Their regard for each other was strong and tangible. Where did she fit into this? Alyssa quietly left the room, to think, to reflect. She went outside and greeted the morning. The lawns of Pemberley were beautiful, yet unpretentious. They had been lovingly tended for many generations by people who respected nature.

William quietly came to stand behind her. "What are you doing out here?" he asked. He looked over her shoulder at the view. "This is heaven," he sighed, putting his arms around her.

Alyssa slipped away from his embrace and turned to face him. "I know it is. I know this is your heaven. I cannot come between you and Pemberley... and Joanna."

William gathered her into his arms, "It is not heaven without you," he said decidedly.

Alyssa shook her head, "I cannot be Lizzy. I am not Lizzy!"

William kissed Alyssa on the neck, "I did not do this to Lizzy," he whispered, "nor this...." He kissed her eyelids. "Nor this..." he kissed her lips, tenderly at first, then with more feeling. Finally, he said, "The past is past. It doesn't matter. We are creating our own memories."

Alyssa pulled his face down to hers and kissed him as though her life depended on it.

"Whew!" he said huskily. "I am going to remember that one for a long time."

Continued in Section IV