Jump to new as of August 16, 2001
Jump to new as of September 12, 2001
Jump to new as of October 22, 2001
Prologue
A tired Elizabeth slipped into her room late one February evening and happened to stop by the mirror on the dresser. She found herself examining the image before her thoroughly; each line, each feature, each curve. "Well," she decided finally, with an impish smirk, "at least I have a pretty face." A sigh followed, then a full-blown yawn, so she flicked off the light switch and slipped under the covers.
Chapter 1
seven-thirty in the morning feeling just plain terrible.
~Jean Kerr
"..and it's another cold day outside, so you better bundle up and crank up the hea-"
*slap*
Elizabeth squinted at the clock beside her bed and groaned, "Ugh, it is definitely too early to be getting up." Nonetheless, she pulled herself upright and swung her legs over the bedside. A shiver passed through her the moment her feet touched the icy cold hardwood floor.
"Yow! "said Lizzy as her feet recoiled back up onto the bed. "Where are my dang slippers...aarrgghh!"
Lizzy squinted distastefully at the heaped pile clothes and papers next to her bed, but was rummaging through it the next moment, anyway. Triumph! She pulled a cute pair of fuzzy cow slippers out of the pile, the bells around their necks jingling from the movement. Next, she grabbed the top blanket off of her bed and wrapped it tightly around her shoulders. Lastly, she grabbed a pair of plainly rimmed eyeglasses of her desk and unceremoniously pushed them over the ridge of her nose. Cocoon-like, Lizzy now shuffled her way to the kitchen where her sister Jane was reading the newspaper and drinking coffee.
"Good Morning, Lizzy!" Jane looked up from the newspaper and smiled at the jingling Lizzy burrito that had appeared in the kitchen doorway.
"Mmm."
"Sleep well?"
"Mmm."
Jane was unperturbed. "I see someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning."
"Well, not all of us are morning people, Miss Mary Sunshine."
Jane chuckled as she continued to read her paper. "There's hot water in the kitchen," was her only response.
An instant later and Elizabeth had made her over to the kitchen cabinet, pulled out a mug and was spooning hot coca mix into it.
"Nothing like a nice hot cup of coca on a frosty winter morning!" A rueful smile, the first of the morning, brightened her features. Yes, she did have a pretty face.
"Soo..." Lizzy set down her steaming mug onto the dining table and pulled up a chair. "Anything happen while we were sleeping that I should know about?" she showed little interest in an answer, instead reaching resolutely for the morning paper, shuffling through the glossy advertisements in search of her favorite comic strip.
Still, she looked up at Jane's reply. "Not really....but, I'm afraid I forgot to mention..." and Lizzy noted the flicker of apprehension in Jane's sky blue eyes, "...Charles is coming by tonight for dinner. I was hoping you'd join us, Lizzy. He offered to cook," here Jane's slight smile widened to a grin, "That usually means he'll burn the sauce and then decide on take-out instead," she finished.
She wasn't disappointed, as Lizzy laughed heartily.
"Well, you can't hold his cooking skills against him, at least he tries!" she finally managed between giggles. "Most the guys in lab wouldn't know a spatula from a spaghetti fork," she added ruefully.
Jane didn't comment, only added a moment later, "He'll be round at about 5:30. At least, that's what he said." and she looked up hopefully for Lizzy's assurance that she'd be there.
But Lizzy caught the look and couldn't help but pretend to frown, if only for a moment. She brought her fingertips up to her chin and tapped thoughtfully.
"Well...I'll have to see how things are going in lab, you know. Mike said he was going to finish up his test today, so I can't really say when I'll get home. The results decide!" Jane's smile looked the weeniest bit less earnest, and Lizzy couldn't bear it any longer. "I should know by 3, I'll call you at your office when I know," she amended finally.
Jane brightened perceptibly.
"Okeedokey then, Lizzy."
She jumped when her glance happened upon the chrome clock hanging over the kitchen table.
"Oh gee...I gotta go. We've got a team meeting this morning. Have fun at lab!" She reached for her simple black attache and in the next moment, was out the door.
Elizabeth's sigh was barely audible, but her eyes faithfully followed the lithe figure out onto the street. A little more half-heartedly than earlier she reached for the paper and returned to her search for the comics.
Elizabeth and Jane Bennet were as different as two sisters could be. Jane, tall, blond, blue eyed, and lithe, was in the words on more than one of their acquaintances a 'classic beauty'. At 25 she was the design member of a large advertising firm. Most described her, and rightly so, as a sweet, kind person. Jane's temper was even, her manner warm and friendly and her outlook on life nothing less than optimistic.
On the other hand, Elizabeth, was outgoing, lively, and spunky. She was 24 and a PhD student at the local university in Materials Engineering. Her long, dark brown hair fell in thick unruly curls so most of the time she kept it pinned up to keep it out of her way and to ensure that it wouldn't have an incident with a Bunsen burner. Her eyes, which were large, oval-shaped and hinted a rich shade of brown, sparkled when she was amused, but flashed dangerously when angry. The single difference between the two sisters that was most noticeable, however, happened to be the simple fact that Elizabeth was 'plump' and in comparison to Jane's slimness, appeared overweight. She'd long earned the title of 'a guy's best friend,' for her voluptuous curves, a sure sentence to one's dating life when most of the local guys showed a preference for the slim girls. All in all, given the differences, it was hardly surprising that few people recognized the two, at first sight, as sisters.
Later in the morning found a harried Lizzy rummaging desperately through her set of drawers in search of a suitable pair of blue jeans. Her wardrobe, though not messy or tattered, was simple and casual - a perfect match for her life as a student and researcher. A delighted grin crossed her face when she came across a pair of boot cut jeans in the stack ; her favorite. She wasted no time in changing into them and to complete the ensemble, slipped on a soft charcoal turtleneck, which brought out the sparkle in her brown eyes.
A glance at that annoying alarm clock sitting beside her bed, and she knew she'd be late. Again.
"Oh shoot, I really gotta go." Lizzy yanked on her sneakers and hurried to the front door where she pulled on a black leather coat and slung a shoulder bag, crammed full of books and papers, over her shoulder.
When she reached her little silver car, she noticed the windows had iced over.
"Argh!" She reached into the vehicle for her trusty ice scraper. Moments later, ice cleared away, she settled into the front seat and pumped up the heat before turning on the radio - loud. She wasted no time in tuning into her favorite 'classic' rock station. It was playing Paradise City by Guns and Roses.
"Yehaw, gotta love Mr. Rose," Lizzy sang in delight. She reached forward to turn the sound on even louder. Speeding down the road, immersed in the music, the heat warming her, Lizzy began to sing along, very loudly, along with Axel Rose. She didn't sound all that bad, either.
At the first stop light a dark blue BMW pulled up next to Lizzy's car. The driver looked over and for the slightest instant his face registered shock at the sight of a pretty girl enthusiastically singing along to the radio and drumming the beat on her steering wheel. But a moment later, he found himself laughing out loud at the girl's obvious enthusiasm. Lizzy noticed the amusement of the neighboring driver, and managed to further his shock by shamelessly singing straight to him. He couldn't help it. His face cracked into a broad grin. The girl's forwardness, her total, intoxicating abandonment were too much to resist. He felt faintly sorry when the light turned green. With the change of color, Lizzy gave him one last glance followed by a quick wave, before stepping on the accelerator, and her car sped on down the lane, and out of sight.
Chapter 2
Hope is the expectation that something outside of ourselves, something or someone external, will come to our rescue and we will live happily ever after. ~ Dr. Robert Anthony
William just sighed and shook his head as the little silver car sped away. Why should it matter to him? Reflexively, he turned left after the lights and headed down the intersecting road.
Moments later he arrived at his office. He parked into the executive parking space marked out for him and stepped out of his dark blue BMW. William Darcy was by all means a handsome guy. His 6'3" frame, curly brown hair, deep brown eyes, and large..*ahem* bank account (what do you think I was going to say.....you did?...shame on you), set women swooning and drooling (note that the author does not blame them, in fact she would do the same). His personality was warm and friendly, but his shyness around new people often gave the appearance of him being aloof or bored, usually both at the same time. This apprehension put a serious damper on his personal life, not to mention his dating life. Yet when William made a friend, he was their friend for life. He was an extremely loyal and giving friend.
As William walked into the very tall office building, the receptionist looked up and grinned appreciatively.
"Good morning Mr. Darcy."
"Good morning Linda," Without so much as a glance, William continued on towards the elevator.
Linda sighed. It looked like it would be a typical day in the firm of Darcy Inc., after all. Seeing Darcy every morning had a strange way of making her day; then breaking it just as instantaneously, when he didn't even look her way. She was used to it, true, but there had been something different about the way he'd looked when he'd stepped through those large glass doors this time. He'd looked, somehow, happier than usual... And didn't they say a man always married his secretary in the end? Linda sighed and ended her dream session for the day.
William was the owner and CEO of Darcy Inc. a large multi-national corporation which had holdings in many smaller companies and owned several large and important tech firms. The corporation had belonged to William's father and his father before him. Its generations of success had made the Darcy family very wealthy and prominent players in the technological arena.
He exited the elevator and headed to his office where he was greeted by his assistant Carrie.
"Good morning Mr. Darcy"
"Good morning, Carrie. " Darcy headed over to the coffee maker and poured himself a full cup, "So... what kind of day is in store for me today?"
She replied in the even, brisk tone that he respected her for. "Busy as always, Mr. Darcy. Your meetings for the day are in a list on your desk. You've got two messages, one from Charles and the other from the head of accounting. Finally," Carrie's face threatened to split into a grin, "Richard threatened to drop in sometime today and utterly disrupt your work."
William gave a wry chuckle, "Thank you Carrie, I'll be hiding in my office if anyone needs me."
William's corner office was everything a CEO's office should be: large, tastefully decorated, fully decked with the latest technology and accessorized with a spectacular view of the city skyline. He was a hardworking CEO, but today he had other things on his mind. He grabbed the phone and dialed without looking.
"Mr. Bingley's office."
"Good morning Mariah, could I speak to Charles?"
"Good Morning Mr. Darcy and certainly, hold on one moment."
"Will-ll-iam!!" Charles' voice sang out the next instant. "How are you this fine morning!" William laughed at his friend's eternal cheerfulness.
"I am well, hey I'm just returning your phone call, what did you want?"
"I'm cooking at Janey's tonight." Charles replied. He sounded smug, and William couldn't help but laugh.
"Laugh all you want. We were wondering if you wanted to join us?"
"Humm...let me check my date book," said William, obviously joking.
Charles laughed. "Will, I know you have nothing planned. Face it chap, there are snails that have a more active social life than you. Come on, say you'll come."
"You're right. So do you have a plan B?"
"Plan B?" Charles sounded puzzled!
"Yeah, a plan B..for when you burn the chicken."
"Ha ha ha, and this coming from a man who wouldn't know how to boil water if his life depended on it. Besides, we're having beef."
With that, Charles and Will both laughed.
"All right Chef Charles, when will the sacrifice, I mean cooking commence?"
"I told Janey I'd be round at 5:30 so you can show up between then and 6:30. I'll email you directions to her apartment. Oh also, Jane's sister might be there. You haven't met her, but she's a lot of fun."
"Okay Charles, I'll head over when I'm done with work today. I might be able to leave early. I'll see you tonight."
"Can do cap'n. I'll see you then. Good bye!"
"Bye Charles." William put down the receiver. He shook his head. Jane had sister? He sighed, remembering the 'car girl', as he thought of her, then resolutely, began to tackle his day's work.
Chapter 3
To my extreme mortification I grow wiser every day. ~ Lord Byron.
When Lizzy arrived at the University, she was thrilled to find a parking space in the same area code as her lab, an occurrence which any college student can tell you is a modern miracle. Lizzy grabbed her bag and hurried through the snow to 'her' building. It housed her her lab and her office. (In the real world it would have been called a broom closet, but everyone knows that academia is no where near the real world.)
The moment she was in the building, she headed over to visit the departmental secretary, Mrs. Gardiner.
"Good morning Mrs. Gardiner!"
"Good morning Lizzy. You seem awake, and dare I say chipper, this morning?"
Mrs. Gardiner fully understood Lizzy's typical morning attitude and enjoyed teasing her on the subject endlessly.
"Chipper as a caffeinated blue jay! Last night I decided that my work would just have to wait till today since I haven't gotten enough sleep these past few days. It's amazing what a difference sleep can make." Lizzy stated matter-of-factly, while she propped herself up on the edge of Mrs. Gardiner's desk.
Mrs. Gardiner smiled lightly and sipped her cup of coffee.
"So what's on your slate today?"
"Humm..let's see..." Lizzy swung her legs back and forth. "Mike mentioned something about having his tests finished today, and I plan on holding him to that." Lizzy gave her best menacing smile.
"Otherwise, I have a meeting with Dr. Lucas, I think he wants to talk about the materials symposium that's happening in July, but all in all, I need to get away at a decent hour so I can have dinner with Charles and Janey. He's offered to cook, you know," she grinned.
Mrs Gardiner joined in with the laughter, but a moment later she slipped onto the chair behind her desk and leaned forward, her bright hazel eyes shining softly.
"So how are Charles and Jane? I'm assuming things are going well between the two of them, but I haven't seen either of them in ages."
Mrs Gardiner, herself, was quite partial to Charles and Lizzy smiled encouragingly.
"They're doing just great. Jane is really good. Work is excellent right now. They just snagged a huge client, some large tech firm. Charles is as always exceedingly happy about everything. As a couple I think they're getting close to the ring. They've passingly mentioned marriage and I've found them wandering the appliance section of department stores."
"Oh, appliances. They must be serious. Should I buy a toaster now or wait till later?" Mrs. Gardiner had a very sharp sense of humor which very few people got to see or even appreciated. Lizzy numbered among this privileged number. Lizzy and Mrs. Gardiner had one of those relationships that was based on mutual respect and affection. It was more familial than friendship, but not as structured as a mother-daughter relationship. It was in truth most like that of an aunt-niece relationship, which suited them exactly.
"Well, aunt Gardiner, I must be going. Duty and honor calls!" Lizzy exclaimed at long last. She leapt off the desk and proceeded to march out of the room her head held high, her arm in a triumphant pose.
Mrs. Gardiner laughed and called out after her, "Have a good day dear."
She sighed and returned to her work.
From Mrs Gardiner's office, Lizzy had a maze of corridors to navigate before reaching her postage stamp sized office. She shared it with another grad. student. Her side of the room was decorated with snapshots of her and Jane, a few pictures from exotic locations she dreamed of visiting, and a small stereo. A plant hung from the ceiling in the corner. It was a vining plant that was slowly taking over every free inch of space in that corner. Lizzy affectionately named it Audrey, after the man-eating plant in "Little Shop of Horrors."
"Morning, Charlotte," Lizzy sing songed the moment she closed their office door behind her, "how are you today?"
"Good morning, Lizzy," Charlotte smiled faintly as she peeped over the technical paper she was reading.
"You seem to be in a good mood this morning."
"I should be. I saw the most gorgeous man *fake swoon* this morning. Brown hair, warm smile, I think he was tall."
"Think?" responded Charlotte in a very deadpan voice, but her arched eyebrow indicated her amusement.
"Yeah, he pulled up next to me at a green light. But it's the same old story. Tall, dark, handsome and completely unobtainable." Lizzy's eyes twinkled as she grabbed the watering can and fed Audrey.
"Unobtainable?"
"Why yes, I only got half his licence plate number."
It worked. Charlotte giggled along with her.
"Lizzy, you are incorrigible. His unobtainable status has nothing to do with the fact that you don't even know him?"
"Details details, besides, he's probably gay." replied Lizzy, eyes still twinkling, one eyebrow arched saucily.
Charlotte rolled her eyes.
"Well Lizzy, I hate to be a downer, and you know I always love hearing about gorgeous men you don't know" Charlotte made as if to wink at the last comment, but turned serious immediately after. She sighed. "...but I have so much work to get done. Dr. Williams wants a report on my findings to date by this afternoon, so I'm going to have to work through lunch and miss our outing."
"No problemo Charlett-o. I'll use the free time to get some work done so I can make it to dinner tonight. Chef Chaaaarles is cooking."
Lizzy reached for a pile of technical papers and her lab notebook.
"Anyways, Have fun with your report and don't work too hard. Dr. William's bark is always worse than his bite. If anyone needs me, I'll be in my lab." With that final statement Lizzy put away the watering can, grabbed her lab coat and safety glasses and headed down to her lab.
~:~:~:~:~
Lizzy struggled to slip on her coat, juggling her pile of books and papers, while she walked down the winding corridors. At long last, she slipped into one that had a multitude of Far Side and Calvin and Hobbes comics taped to the front door. The room was full of scientific equipment and the walls were lined with file units and cabinets full of various powders and liquids. She stepped over to the computer and found a note taped to the screen.
Hey Lizzy, running my tests. And boy are they tired. Hehe, you know you're laughing. You know where to find me if you need me.
-Mike :-)
Lizzy sighed as she put the note into the trash, "That boy, such a comic!"
She sat down at the computer and pulled up the files she had been working on the past few days and would need when Mike's results came in.
Mike and Lizzy had been working under Dr. Lucas, an expert in the field, on developing a better optical fiber by using different glasses and adding various impurities. For the first 2 years their research had been a lot of book and paper work, since they needed to find what research had been previously done and they also needed to find someone to fund their research. They had been extremely fortunate to find a sponsor in TechCorp, the leading information technology company in the north east, and their funding problems had disappeared.
In the past year all the practical research has begun. Lizzy and Mike, another grad. student under Dr. Lucas, had spent the better part of the year experimenting with different glass compositions. Mike's tests would give them the introductory results to their experimenting. The results would decided whether or not they had been successful...or else they had to start all over again.
All the rest of the morning Lizzy was at the computer, typing up documents and reading more technical papers. She hardly even stopped for lunch, only grabbing a single sandwich from the cafeteria and immediately returning to the lab to prepare more batches for melting into fiber samples.
At 2:00 the door swung open and Mike sauntered into the room.
"Wonderful day Lizzy-bee," he cried, grabbing the unsuspecting Lizzy tightly around her waist, who had been before the lab station, concentrating on measuring out powders. He waltzed across the room with her.
"Mr. Steadman, you are positively mad!" cried Lizzy.
"Mad about you Ms. Lizzy!" laughed Mike, as he twirled her around.
When the dance broke up, the two exhausted members flung themselves into the nearest available chairs.
"I bet you say that to all the girls," panted Lizzy, a customary twinkle in her eye.
"Ah, you've caught me!" said Mike as he held up his palms, in a surrender pose.
Lizzy chuckled, "So the results are good?"
"Good? Good is an understatement. They're wonderful, they're fantastic, they're...splendiferous!" cried Mike in a triumphant voice
"Splendiferous? They must be good or you've been reading your thesaurus again." A wry smile passed over Lizzy's face.
"Say what you want, but if I'm right, these results will save us almost a year of research and over half our budget." Mike looked smug, he was very pleased with the results of their work.
Mike and Lizzy had been research partners for the three years. Mike Steadman stood 6' tall, had "the boy next door looks" with his short sandy brown hair and green eyes, and was always laughing or getting himself into trouble. What most people didn't know was that underneath his good looks and sense of humor was a brilliant man. Dr. Lucas had often stated that the combined intellect and ability of Mike and Lizzy would shake up the optical fiber world. They worked well together due to a strong work ethic on both parties and personalities that meshed very well. It was a surprise to many to find out that the two had only known each other for the past 3 years, as they related like childhood friends.
"Lizzy, I think this is cause for celebration. What say you? Me, you, and a pitcher of beer at The Tap Room." Mike stretched out to leaned back in his chair and propped his feet up on the counter.
"Oh Mike, you know I'm always up for that, especially since there's a basketball game on tonight, but I already promised Janey I'd eat dinner tonight with her and Charles."
Mike pouted the best he could, which really made him only look like he had something in his eye.
Lizzy grinned, "But I'm free tomorrow night." She watched for his reaction.
And she wasn't disappointed.
Mike perked up instantly, "You're on! And no changing your mind now, cause if you do I will be forced to take drastic measures in the form of kidnaping!"
Lizzy pretended to take him seriously.
"Oh no, not kidnaping. Someone save me, oh save me from this dastardly man," she cried, mimicking the voice of an imperiled heroine voice as she clutched her forehead. She coughed to clear her voice, then she settled back down, "Okay then, tomorrow night it is. I'm going to call Janey and let her know I'll be coming tonight. I've got a meeting with Dr. Lucas at 4, if you want you can join us and we can discuss our new results with him."
Mike stood.
"Sounds good Lizzy, I'll drop by around 4:30 to give you enough time to finish with what Dr. Lucas wanted to discuss with you."
"Alrighty, see you then Mike."
"Bye Lizzy," and with that Mike got up and headed to his office down the hall.
Lizzy picked up the phone, and like William before, dialled without watching the numbers.
"Jane Bennet speaking."
"Hey Jane, it's Lizzy."
"Howdy, you gonna make it tonight?" Jane sounded hopeful.
"Looks like I will. Mike's results look really good, better than we expected, which will save us sooo much time and money."
"Oh great! I've got a meeting at 3:30 with our new client, you know..the big one I told you about, but after that I'm free and I'll head home. That means I'll be in at about 5:00" the smile in her voice was evident and Lizzy felt faintly pleased that Jane was so eager for her to join them.
"Alrighty Janey. I'm going to talk with Dr. Lucas about our results and I should be home about the same time you will. Do you know if Charles needs anything from the store?" Lizzy absently played a game of free cell as she wrapped up the conversation.
"I can't think of anything right now. You might want to pick up some wine, though, we don't have any at home."
"Thanks Janey, I'll see you at home."
"Bye Lizzy"
Lizzy reached for the papers that Mike had left for her and headed back to her office to file them on her computer. She would do the computational analysis on them right away.
Chapter 4
My dear father, when one pays a visit it is for the purpose of wasting other people's time, not one's own.
~ Oscar Wilde, 'An Ideal Husband'.
William was staring intently at some quarterly financial reports when there was a knock on the door. Before he could so much as respond, however, the door was flung open. He didn't even have to look up to know who it was.
"I am here to save the day, Richard Fitzwilliam is here to stay!" sang Richard to the tune of the mighty mouse theme song.
William finally looked up from his work, a lop-sided grin on his face. "Afternoon Richard."
"Humm, just 'afternoon Richard'?? I'm going to have to work on my entrance. So..." and Richard flopped down into the easy chair facing William's desk, "...how are things in the exciting life of William Darcy today?"
William sighed and tossed his papers down on the table and proceeded to rub his temples.
"As always things are very busy, needing my immediate attention, and extremely time consuming."
"Ha. How mighty unusual!" Richard muttered under his breath. But Darcy either didn't hear or chose to ignore it and he amended aloud, "Well cheer up my cousin. For at least the next five minutes you will relax and forget about the pile of work on your desk. How 'bout a cup of coffee?"
Rich didn't even wait for an answer, but took the opportunity to vacate Darcy's not so easy, easy chair and crossed over to the coffee maker. He poured a cup for himself and his cousin.
"So what have you been up to Richard?"
"Same 'ol, same 'ol. Although I do have a date tonight with this woman I met at the club house last weekend. She's really hot. Tall, thin, blonde hair, tan..." Richards eyes glazed over with the memories of his babe of the week.
"She sounds positively charming," replied Will wryly taking a sip of his coffee.
"Hey, it's not my fault that you don't like any of the girls I introduce to you." laughed Richard.
"All the girls you introduce me to are as interesting as asparagus."
William's face showed his amusement, but it quickly faded for a more introspective statement. "Call me picky, I guess I'm just looking for more than a casual acquaintance."
"Why you would want something serious is beyond me. Being a bachelor definitely has it's merits." Richard as he leaned back in his chair, crossed his arms behind his head and grinned broadly.
"It suits you Richard, it'll take some woman to tame your wild ways."
Richard Fitzwilliam was the consummate bachelor. His apartment had a minuscule kitchen and an enormous entertainment center. The sum total contents of his refrigerator rarely extended past beer and take-away. He was known for expensive clothing and his car, a flashy, red Porsche, was quite the testimony. Add his killer smile, and the result was that he was never without a date. In fact, he had earned quite the reputation as a Lady Killer, but as he always treated his women with respect, he was still admired, though begrudgingly
"Now that you know how I'm spending my evening, what are you doing tonight, Oh cousin of mine?"
"I'm having dinner with Charles, Jane, and her sister."
"Jane has a sister? Man, if she's anything like Jane I've gotta check her out." Richard's eyes glimmered with mischief "If Charles hadn't gotten to Jane first.." he shook his head and raised an eyebrow suggestively.
"But he did so you are left to your bachelor lifestyle." Will retorted quickly.
He had met Jane and respected her highly and didn't care to think of where Richard's mind might have been going.
"Well Rich, thank you for the diversion but I really must get back to work if I'm going to make it for dinner."
"I'll leave you Will, but remember, I want to know about this sister." William chuckled, but almost before Richard had closed the office door behind himself, he was once again engrossed in his work, 'sister' almost completely forgotten. If she was anything like Jane... He shook his head. Jane was a lovely girl, and he respected her, yes. But she just wasn't quite what he was looking for.
Chapter 5, Part 1
I know you
I walked with you
Once upon a dream
I know you
The gleam in your eyes
Is so familiar a gleam
-'I know you' from Sleeping Beauty
Lizzy pushed the apartment door open as she knocked the snow off her boots on the wall outside and called out, "Janey I'm home!"
"I'm in my bedroom" Jane's voice echoed lightly down the hallway that led from the two bedroom their apartment afforded.
Lizzy dropped her bags and shucked her shoes by the door, hung up her coat, then padded down the hallway toward her sister's room, leaving behind a very messy pile...
"So Janey.." Lizzy grinned up at her sister as she flopped down on the bed, "Whatcha up to?"
"I'm trying to decided on what I should wear: blue shirt or purple shirt?" The two shirts were spread out on the side of the bed and Jane stared at them determinedly, lips pursed, fingers tapping her cheek.
Lizzy sat up and looked at the shirts, her eyes flickering between Jane and the shirts
"Humm..I'd go for the blue. It brings out your eyes."
An appreciative smile lit up Jane's face.
"Thanks! That's what I was thinking," said Jane as she put away the purple shirt.
"Do you need the bathroom, I'm wanted to take a quick shower."
Lizzy laughed reassuringly
"Nah, go ahead, " she said as she headed out of the room. "I don't need to impress Charles."
Lizzy ducked as a small pillow flew by, missing her head by an inch, and slid into her bedroom.
The next moment, however, Jane's voice once again echoed down the hallway.
"Lizzy,"she called from her room, "you might want to dress up a bit. Charles is bringing along his best friend William."
Lizzy shrugged.
"Have I met William?" She continued unconcernedly to rummage through her closet.
"No, you haven't. He's a really great guy, although it takes a while for him to warm up to people. He can be a bit reserved at times."
"Oh great," Lizzy muttered, as she grabbed a short black skirt, "reserved equals stick in the mud... Should I wear my black or pink shirt?" she finished somewhat louder.
"Black, then you can wear your new necklace." Jane said as she walked into the bathroom and closed the door.
"Oooohh, good point. Thanks Janey!"
The sound of the shower drowned out her response, so Lizzy knew Jane had begun her shower ritual. She dressed quickly, which was a very good thing, for as she was putting in her second earring the doorbell rang.
"I'll get it!" she shouted to no-one in particular, as Jane was currently a resident of 'hot shower loofa land', and she slid down the hall with a flourish, thanks to the white socks on her feet. As with most people wearing socks on hardwood floors, she almost wiped out when she reached the hair-pin turn to the door. Laughing ridiculously at her immense grace, she swung the front door back on its hinges expecting to find Charles. Instead she found a tall handsome stranger who looked vaguely familiar.
"Hello, you must be William." her eyes sparkling with laughter and her cheeks flushed from the slide.
William found himself being surprised at this girl's laughter and ease with him, the complete stranger that he was.
"Uh, yeah," He responded somewhat hesitantly. Something about this girl, her eyes - or was it her laugh?- rang a bell somewhere within.
He almost started when she spoke again, the same easy familiarity and ease even more apparent in her tone.
"I'm Lizzy, Jane's sister. Why don't you come in?"
She reached for his coat just as automatically, then showed him to the living room.
"Charles isn't here yet, but he should be any moment. An emergency at the office delayed him a bit."
William was finding it harder and harder to work out what to think of the familiar way in which this girl dealt with him. The warmth and genuine nature of her greeting was something he wasn't used to at all.
"Why don't you have a seat. I'll see how much longer till Jane will be fit for company." With another bright smile and a twinkle of the eyes, Lizzy pirouetted, thanks to the non stick surface of her socks, and he lost sight of her down the hallway.
Alone now on the couch, William took in the surroundings while trying to keep his mind off the the whirlwind that was Lizzy Bennet. The room was a comfortable room, he decided. It's simple yet tasteful decor had some sort of appeal in it. Since it was an apartment, the rooms were not large, but surely large enough for two single women living alone....
A minute later the doorbell rang and Lizzy slid down the hallway, the same way she did for the previous ring, and once again, the door was flung open.
"Charles! Good Lord, let me carry something!" Lizzy's voice could be plainly heard in the living roo and Will indulged himself with a dubious smile.
"Umph, thanks Lizzy."
The next moment the girl herself appeared, followed by Charles, each carrying a bag of groceries.
"Will! You're here early!" cried Charles enthusiastically as he sat down his bag. Will had to stop himself from starting a second time when Lizzy's voice broke in laughingly again.
"Excuse me, I'm going to let Janey know that everyone is here. Light the fire under her tire so to speak."
As soon as he though she was out of range, Will turned to Charles.
"Is she always like that?"
Charles chuckled.
"Umm no. She's quite grumpy in the morning and when you irritate her, but otherwise, yeah."
William whistled, "She's got a lot of energy."
Charles laughed lightly again, "Lizzy Bennet is a force of nature. I'm not surprised that you're a bit overwhelmed. Most of your acquaintances are a bit 'sedate'...except for maybe Richard"
Charles dropped into the chair across from Will, still smiling broadly.
"You'd hardly know they were sisters," William observed, trying to sound casual.
"At first I thought that," Charles returned slowly, "but when they're together the Bennet link is very obvious. Something in the twinkle of their eyes, or the way they laugh, or their senses of humor."
Outwardly, William only nodded.
~:~:~:~:~:~:~:
Lizzy over-heard the muffled conversation between Will and Charles as she headed to Jane's room and her brow creased when she reached Jane's door. She knocked before opening it.
"Oh Jaaaaaane, your Charlie is here," Lizzy faked a swoon, "he's out in the livingroom chatting with William."
Jane laughed, "So, what do you think of William?"
"He's gorgeous, tall dark and handsome, just how I like them," said Lizzy as she examined herself in the mirror, smoothing down her skirt. She laughed as finally noticed how silly she looked wearing this nice all-back outfit with her white socks.
Jane chuckled at her sister's subconscious attempts at preening herself, "Now behave yourself, I told you..he's reserved around people he doesn't really know all that well, and that means you!" Jane shook a finger at her sister as to make a point, but the smile on her face showed that she wasn't serious.
"Pish posh, I'll behave. Besides, I doubt he'd take me seriously, so I'm just out to have some fun tonight." In the mirror, Lizzy checked her hairstyle next. Nothing fancy, just something simple to keep it out of her face.
Jane's voice interrupted her reverie once again, but this time Lizzy's smile faded.
"You never know Lizzy, he might really like you. In fact, I think you two would really suit each other well."
The girl in the mirror turned abruptly and glared at Jane. "Are you trying to set me up again?"
Jane tried to pass the topic off lightly. "Of course not, no..and this time I'm serious. Charles wanted to invite Will to get him out of the house and try to give him some sort of a social life. It just happens that you two would be good together."
Jane had officially given up on setting Lizzy up years ago. When Lizzy repeatedly came home after her dates muttering things about "neanderthals" and "male chauvinist pigs" she realized that maybe this wasn't the way to find a guy for Lizzy.
"Jane, guys like him date socialite goddesses or at least models, not plump poorly paid grad students." Lizzy's teasing tone couldn't quite conceal the sadness that flicked though her brown eyes.
"Well, Lizzy you never know. Don't take yourself out of the running before the race has started."
Jane really wanted her sister to be happy, but Lizzy had a hard time in finding men to date and then trusting them once they did start to date.
With a roll of the eyes, Lizzy, "Whatever Janey. You better hurry, Charles is waiting." Then she slipped into her own room, took off the offending socks and put on a simple pair of matching sandals.
~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:
When Lizzy re-entered the room she was greeted by the sight of Charles wearing an apron and cutting up some carrots.
"All, the illustrious Chef Charles has graced us with his presence," Lizzy exclaimed, attempting to sound very important and pretentious.
Charles looked up from his work and winked at Lizzy. "So where's my Jane?"
"She's just finishing up. You gotta remember that I'm much faster as this whole get ready thing, especially since I'm not trying to impress a certain someone." Charles blushed and Lizzy chuckled at his reaction.
Now she walked towards the front door and picked up the grocery bag she had set down when she came home.
"I hope you don't mind, but I bought some wine for tonight."
Charles glanced at the bottle that Lizzy was holding, "That will be perfect.
He smiled in Will's direction. "By the way, let me formally introduce you to my friend. Elizabeth Bennet this is William Darcy."
With a brief flick of the wrist and a shrug, Charles returned to chopping up his vegetables, but Will, who had been leaning on the bar that separated the kitchen from the living room, looked up at Lizzy instantly.
He reached out with his hand, and for an instant met hers.
Chapter 5, Part 2
William released Lizzy's hand reluctantly, all the while maintaining eye contact. This girl was so, so... ALIVE! He felt a faint sort of enjoyment in being near her and so at ease! He felt like he'd known her for an age. And yet... he opened his mouth and found himself forming the expected pleasantries.
"Nice to meet you Ms. Bennet."
"Likewise Mr. Darcy."
Lizzy paused and he held his breath.
"Do you mind if I just call you William? Or Will? I'm really not into the formalities of last names."
"No, I don't mind." Why couldn't he shake the feeling that he remembered her from somewhere?
He felt repaid in full when she smiled.
"That's settled then. So Will, what do you do?" She was still smiling up at him when she popped up on a barstool.
"I'm the head of a company." he replied slowly. He'd long come to dread the reactions that usually followed this piece of information, and yet..she didn't even looked shocked.
"What do you do?"
Lizzy's eyes twinkled mischievously. "My official title is 'graduate student', but I prefer academic slave."
Will cracked an amused grin and Charles took the chance to cut in.
"You know Will, Lizzy is doing some top notch research on optical fibers. Her advisor is Dr. Lucas, I believe that you're quite familiar with him and his work."
Will started slightly and was definitely surprised.
"Oh yes.." he countered slowly, trying the best to cover the shock, "Dr. Lucas is a very amiable and talented man...But I wasn't aware that you were one of his students. His group has been doing research for my technical company for years."
He finished quickly and dropped down onto a barstool facing Lizzy. She looked surprised, too.
"Ohhhh, so you're he elusive head of TechCorp: Mr. 'W.D'. Since me and my fellow students aren't familiar with you, we just tend to refer to you as the big cheese."
Lizzy suddenly felt a new interest in the man across from her. While working with Dr. Lucas she had often heard of 'W.D.', a man Dr. Lucas thought of very highly and often described warmly as an intelligent and honest business man, who 'it was a pleasure to work with'. William. The gorgeous guy sitting directly across from her.
He was still chuckling at the idea of being likened to a wedge of Swiss, or cheddar even. Lizzy caught on in a moment, eyes twinkling mischievously again, she took the opportunity to elaborate.
"You're the giant Gouda. The big brie. The colossus cheddar. The grandiose Gruyere. The enormous Edam. The huge havarti." With each phrase the sparkle in Lizzy's eyes brightened as Charles and Will howled helplessly.
When Jane entered she found a triumphant looking Lizzy and Will and Charles nearly incapacitated by laughter.
"Hi Charles!" Jane walked over and gave him a kiss.
"Evening sweetheart. I didn't realize your sister was such a cheese expert." said Charles, still chuckling and wiping the tears out from his eyes.
Jane smiled sedately.
"Oh yes, Elizabeth is the official on all things cheesy."
Jane paused.
"Cheesy jokes, cheesy grins, cheesy movies..." Jane was silenced when a balled up napkin flew from nowhere and smacked her in the forehead. Jane laughed and gave her best threatening look to Lizzy who was looking elsewhere and whistling.
When Jane had recovered from the assault by napkin, she sauntered over to Will.
"Evening Will," said Jane, as she kissed his cheek. "I hope Lizzy hasn't done anything to scare you off." She leaned in slightly, then stage-whispered, "She's quite the comic."
Lizzy glowered at her sister teasingly. "I have done nothing of the sort. The only thing remotely scary was my initial choice of footwear, a wonderfully unstylish pair of white socks, and if Will can forgive me that, then all shall be well." Lizzy looked at Will with the hint of a smile playing at her lips.
"Oh, I'm sure combining white socks with a black outfit is a most horrendous infraction of the fashion handbook, but I think I can pardon you this time." He responded dryly, a wry grin on his face.
Lizzy noticed with triumph the amusement in his eyes, but was struck by the notion that she had seen him sometime before, somewhere else. A contemplative look passed over her face, which she tried to cover immediately. But Will had noticed and he wondered...
~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:
Amazingly, dinner was a success. Lizzy couldn't believe her eyes, Charles had cooked, and yet..for the first time ever, nothing had turned out bad. In fact, everything was quite good.
"Charles, this smells and looks wonderful. Are you by chance channeling the spirit of Betty Crocker?" Lizzy directed an arched brow in Charles' direction as she passed the salad to Will.
Charles shrugged depreciatively.
"Nope. If you must know, I've been watching a lot of TV recently and been taking notes."
"Oh! So that's why you're always watching the Food Network. I just thought you had a thing for Emeril Lagasse. I was starting to get jealous." Jane winked at Charles.
Will and Lizzy exchanged amused glances when Jane and Charles started making eyes at each other.
"Hey hey! You two get a room, people are trying to eat here!" cried Lizzy, trying her best to sound offended.
William snickered and Charles got up and grabbed Jane's hand, leading her out of the room and down the hallway. Jane protesting the whole way.
Lizzy burst out laughing, "Well at least we can eat in peace now." She looked up and winked at a very amused William.
Will found he was amused by the whole evening so far. When Charles had said that Lizzy was fun, Will had brushed it aside as Charles being positive (no one related to Jane could be anything less than perfect in his eyes, of course). He was beginning to think that Charles may have given a truthful representation of someone, after all.
Lizzy was the most interesting girl he had ever met. She had no air of pretense or self- importance. She was a great conversationalist and she laughed more than anyone he had ever met. All those things aside, what impressed him the most was how totally comfortable she was with herself. So many of the women he met were always complaining about their nose, thighs, weight, hairstyle, teeth...Then they tried to solve their insecurities with expensive procedures and miracle diets that only made them cranky. These women were all style, but no substance and he found them boring.
Now he finally met a woman who was everything he could ever want in a companion. Too bad he wasn't physically attracted to her. Admittedly, her face was tempting and her eyes dazzling (those eyes were almost enough to make him think twice!), but the rest of the package just wasn't what he was after.
Lizzy caught the contemplative look that had crossed over Will's face and how he wasn't paying attention to the real world. His fork dangling in mid-air was a dead give away. She watched the contemplative expression morph into a frown and then..he sighed.
What I wouldn't give to know what was going through his head just then! Lizzy smiled to herself. It was hard not to wonder about this guy sitting cross from her. Jane had told her that he was reserved, but tonight he seemed ...different - not reserved at all. He was a great guy, she had to admit it. He was smart, funny, down-to-earth and gorgeous to boot. What more could she want in a guy? And yet... did she really care that he could never be more than a friend? She shouldn't. Did she? Why? She had to accept it. She must. She had learned a long time ago that falling for a guys like him was pointless. Useless. Hopeless. It had been a painful lesson; one she didn't plan on repeating.
A flash of deep pain took over Lizzy's being as she remembered him...George. She hadn't wanted to remember, but the memory came unasked. Involuntarily, a tear escaped out the corner of her eye.
Chapter 5, Part 3
"Man, Jane and I leave the party for one minute and it becomes as exciting as a funeral!" exclaimed Charles as he and Jane returned to the silent table.
With Charles's words, Will and Lizzy snapped back to reality, both slightly embarrassed by their behavior. Will noticed the single tear sliding down Lizzy's flushed cheek. She furtively brushed it away before Jane or Charles could see and he didn't think she knew he caught it. He noticed how she pulled her slumped shoulders back and forced herself to brush away her pain and return to being the 'happy hostess' He couldn't help but admire it.
A pang of guilt followed. Could she have guessed his thoughts? The idea plagued him, absurd as he knew it was. Logically, he knew that there was no way she could've guessed he was thinking, but then the realization struck him: The judgement he made on her, was one likely made on her every day of her life and his heart went out to her. He knew that in his own life he had been blessed with fortune and a family name, but he also realised that most people judged him solely based on that fact, not caring to get to know him; as a person.
The rest of the party noticed Will's distracted mood, but Charles glibly passed it off as fatigue.
"Well, folks. It's sure has been a long day. I reckon it's 'bout time for me to clean up and for Will to get going. What do you think Will?"
Startled, Will broke from his reverie. "Yes, yes. Long day." Feeling a little awkward, he stood.
"Jane, Lizzy, it has been a pleasure."
He immediately shook both their hands, but couldn't help lingering a little when he came to Lizzy. He felt himself searching her face questioningly, as though she were a puzzle he desperately needed to solve. His focus wandered slowly over the whole, till it reached her eyes and caught. Rich, chocolate depths he could loose himself in.
And then, abruptly, the mood broke. Lizzy was regarding him with an arched brown and a quizical look. Embarrased, he quickly looked away. Why should he feel so vulnerable all of a sudden?
Noticing the unspoken conversation between her sister and Will, Jane gave them both a light smile.
"Anytime Will, you're always welcome at our house."
When he didn't respond, she continued.
"Lizzy, why don't you show Will out while Charles and I clean up." It seemed like a perfect idea and, to her relief, Lizzy didn't argue.
"Sure thing Jane," said Lizzy, and the two moved towards the front door.
The silence remained unbroken, however, till she opened the door and he turned and offered her a smile, all of his own.
"Thank you for your hospitality tonight Lizzy. I will see you again, I hope."
"You're very welcome. Hopefully next time you won't be so tired." Afraid of a tense moment, Lizzy looked past Will into the darkened courtyard. When her eyes took in the dark blue BMW parkeded there, she drew in her breath and stared. Now, she knew why she'd recognized him.
"Lizzy, are you okay??" Said Will. He sounded concerned and she dared herself to look him in the eye this time.
"Oh yes, I just didn't realize you drove a dark blue BMW."
Her statement surprised Will and he found his gaze following hers.
"Umm, yeah I do." His voice trailed off as he noticed the small silver car parked a space away from his. He turned around to face her, suddenly, and opened his mouth to speak.
Nothing came out.
He started when she spoke.
"Good night William"
And then, she was gone.
He stared after her for a moment, breathing at last, "Night Lizzy," into the door.
Chapter 5, Part 4
All alone, staring on
Watching her life go by
When her days are grey
and her nights are black
Different shades of mundane
And the one-eyed furry toy
that lies upon the bed
has often heard her cry
and heard her whisper out a name
long forgiven, but not forgotten
-Forgiven not Forgotten by The CorrsJane turned to Charles as they scraped off the places, "I wonder what was that all about? William looked like he was visiting Mars and Lizzy the neighboring planet."
"I really don't know Janey. I really don't know." Charles mused over the sudden reticence of his pal. "Will can be very moody at times, but usually only when something's triggered it. I don't know what that could have been, cause he seemed like he was having a good time, the best time I've seen him have in a long time." Mumbled Charles, obviously at a loss over the whole situation.
"I'm worried about Lizzy. She hasn't done that since 4 years ago. I hope something hasn't happened." Jane absentmindedly cleared the table, dark lines of concern etched in her face.
The sound of feet shuffling down the hallway alerted Jane and Charles to Lizzy's presence. They both turned and started at the sight of the worn out woman before them. "I'm going to my room Janey. I'm not feeling well." Lizzy rubbed her neck, looking much older than her 25 years.
"Of course Lizzy. You go rest, Charles and I can take care of this."
"Okay, thanks for dinner Charles." Lizzy gave Charles a peck on the cheek and a hug "Good night you two." Lizzy squeezed Jane's outstretched hand, her voice betraying the emotional exhaustion that she was feeling. She turned around and walked to her room, quietly shutting the door behind her.
Jane just looked at Charles who simply shrugged his shoulders. "I'll ask Will about it tomorrow. Maybe he has some insight, but I really wouldn't count on it too much."
"Thanks dear." Jane sighed loudly. "I'll talk to Lizzy later. I doubt she'll tell me anything, I had to practically tie her up to get her to open up about George." Jane's voice trailed off into silence as they both finished the work without another word spoken.
~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~
Lizzy shut her door and rummaged around her wardrobe. She found her favorite pair of flannel pajama pants buried at the bottom of her top drawer along with her old college t-shirt. Her eyes were beginning to water from the growing stream of tears. After letting down her hair and removing her jewelry, Lizzy climbed under the covers and grabbed her teddy bear.
"Oh God, why did I have to think about George," she whispered, her voice watery with tears and her body shaking from her sobs. She clutched her bear closer and wrapped herself into the smallest ball she possibly could. He breathing was ragged and the tears flew freely. Eventually her breathing slowed and the tears had stopped, she had fallen asleep.
"Lizzy, you know you mean everything to me and I'd never do anything to hurt you." Seductively whispered the tall handsome man who was standing in her doorway.
He ran his hands through her long curly hair, caressing each tendril as if it were silk.
"George, I can barely believe it." Her voice was barely above a whisper, her whole body tingling from his seductive caresses.
He leaned down and gently kissed her upturned lips. Warmth spread over her entire body as she eagerly returned his kiss. The kiss turned more passionate, and their hunger was revealed. She wrapped her arms around him and ran her fingers through his shaggy brown hair. His arms wrapped around her body, caressing her back, waist, and backside. Slowly he began to push his actions further.
"No George, not yet." breathlessly said Lizzy between kisses.
"But I thought you loved me?" pouted George, sounding hurt.
Her mind raced.
He's gorgeous. I'm not. I'm every woman's envy. He wants me! He wants me! But what about me? What about my promise? I'm lucky to have him. I can't throw this away. Nothing will go wrong. I can't get sick. I can't get pregnant. But what if I do? He'll be there. Will he? How do I know? He loves me. He loves me. He loves me. I'm old enough. I can vote. I can drink. I can go to war. I can do this. I want to do this...............do I?
"Okay George." whispered Lizzy as they moved into the room, the door shutting behind them.
The next morning, Lizzy woke up and looked at the other side of the bed, only to find it cold and empty. She caressed his empty spot and inhaled the fading smell of his cologne, remembering what had happened. He hadn't woken her up. He didn't leave a note either. She sighed, figuring he must have had some errands to run and didn't want to disturb her. He must have...
She tried calling him at home, but he wasn't there. She called and left emails, hoping he'd respond to one of them. He didn't. Slowly she began descend into what can only be described as a deep funk.
Noticing how depressed she had become, her friends decided that what she really needed was a night on the town and to get seriously drunk. After a somewhat cheering dinner, the group went to a local bar that was popular with the student body. Two drinks and a couple of shots later her fuzzy vision noticed a familiar frame leaning against the bar, a tall blond draped on his arm. Abruptly, Lizzy stood up and wobbled her way over to talk to him.
"George!" exclaimed Lizzy in a slurred voice.
George turned around and sized up the drunk Lizzy, his eyes languidly moved up and down her wobbly body, totally unfazed by her presence.
"Where have you been?" slurred Lizzy, shakily stepping closer to George.
"I'm sorry Miss, do I know you?" coldly said George as he wrapped his arm around his blonde date.
Slowly, Lizzy's face contorted, revealing the enormous pain his careless words had caused. Her already shaky legs began to shake even more violently. Lizzy's friends saw what was happening and rushed to aid their collapsing friend. They glowered at George as they helped her out of the bar, people staring at the drunken sobbing Lizzy.
"Who was that Georgie?" simpered the blond, who was obviously not interested in the answer.
"Oh, some girl who thought I was in love with her. Imagine me, in love with someone like her." said George, his voice rife with disgust and the coldness evident in his eyes.
"Just some fat girl fantasizing about what she can't have." He chugged the last sips of his beer. "Come on Danni, let's get out of here." He growled and grabbed his date's arm, leading her out of the bar. The minute they left, the whispers quickly subsided and everyone returned to their drinking.
Lizzy began to weep in her sleep. Jane, hearing Lizzy's soft sobs, got out of her bed and quietly crossed over to Lizzy's room, gently opening the door. She saw her sister bundled up into a small ball, the covers strewn all over the bed, and tightly clutching her teddy bear. The gentle rays of the moon caress her pained face. Her tear strained face is writhed up in pain, but she is still asleep.
"George." whimpered Lizzy as her face relaxed, and she appeared to slip into more pleasant dreams.
Jane suppressed the sob that was rising in her throat. She hastily closed her sister's door and went back to her own, her mind fraught with unpleasant memories. Hadn't that man done enough already? Why now? What did William do? Jane returned to bed, but sleep did not come easily. Her mind was plagued with questions over her sister's pain. An hour later found Jane sleeping, her dreams and sleep restless.
© 2001 Copyright held by the author.