Mr. Darcy and Mrs. Fitzwilliam

What if Elizabeth married Colonel Fitzwilliam? When Colonel Fitzwilliam has a lucky night at cards, he finds himself in possession of an estate and income, and there is suddenly no barrier between a union between himself and Miss Elizabeth Bennet.Elizabeth is pleased to make such an advantageous match and accepts the proposal of the amiable colonel. It is only after she learns the truth about Mr. George Wickham that she feels the first twinge of regret for what might have been with the colonel's cousin, Mr. Darcy.But it is twenty years before anything can come of such thoughts—twenty years of marriage, children, struggles, and surrenders.It is only at Elizabeth's late husband's funeral that she and Mr. Darcy can even possibly consider a connection.After all this time, does feeling still smolder between them? Dear reader, I conceived of this idea out of a desire to write about Elizabeth at my own current age, forty. If you'd enjoy a story about a more mature Darcy and Elizabeth, both widowed and with nearly-grown children, give this a read. Fair warning, it is not entirely clean.