Jump to new as of April 24, 2002
Jump to new as of May 6, 2002
Posted on Wednesday, 6 March 2002
"What do you feel when you skate?"
"I don't know exactly how to describe it... It's like fire, but without the heat. Like frozen flames... like ice passion"
"Elizabeth Diane Bennett, are you really that desperate?" half-said and half-shouted Charlotte Collins. The two women were sited in a lovely little café in the middle of the noisy New York. Both were city-girls; borne and raced in the Big Apple, both form Yankee families... large Yankee families. Charlotte was what people used to call spoil-children, because she usually got whatever she wanted but, oddly, Charlotte Collins grew to be a responsible woman with a career, a job and a future. She was a reporter form the New-York Gazette (I don't really know if this newspaper exists but just imagine that it does) with a nice little apartment near her best friend's apartment.
Elizabeth Bennett was also a career woman, but her life had been more complicated than Charlotte's life. As the second child after her sister Jane she grew as the daughter 'pretty and nice, but not as pretty and nice as Jane' in the eyes of Fanny Bennett, her mother. Elizabeth didn't hate Jane for that because Jane was just too nice and too easy-going to get mad at. On the other hand, that didn't apply for the rest of the Bennett girls. Mary was too virtuous, or at least pretended to be virtuous. Kitty Bennett was a girl without personality, acting and mimicking everything that her sister Lydia did. And Lydia.... Lydia Bennett was a lost case. Like a vampire she slept in the day and spent her evenings in parties and pubs, drinking and dancing, like if there was no tomorrow.
As for Elliot Bennett, the head of the house, he practically didn't count. He married for the wrong reasons and he paid the consequences. Five daughters, and the only one he could save form silliness was Elizabeth. Jane was too kind to be silly, what a relief and, when Fanny started ignoring Elizabeth Jane started playing with her and his father took both girls under his wing.
He was the one who supported her when she developed her two great passions: Literature and ice-skating. Both things started to interest Elizabeth at the age of six. The first time she saw a skating routine her eyes lit up, practically sparkling with awe and delight. That same week Elliot Bennett contacted a friend of his who had a skating school and Elizabeth started her skating lessons. Fanny Bennett insisted that all was a completely waste of money, that the girl didn't have any real talent and that it was just a fancy, a caprice, nothing more. She was very wrong, of course.
Although Elliot Bennett encouraged his little Beth to skate, he also told her to study hard and not neglect her studies. And when Elizabeth started going to the Public Library to read three times a week after practices he was relieved.
Both Jane and Elizabeth finished school at the same time, Elizabeth because she had skipped to grades to be able to go to colleague (she started studying Literature) quickly and dedicate more time to her trainings. She divided her time between her two passions and... life was perfect. And then, there was hell.
It all started with her new skating partner, George Wickham (yes, you saw that coming, didn't you?). He really seemed to be a nice guy, with a good reputation in the skating world. She already was admired as a skater and everybody said she would be a gold-medal winner for sure. Everybody said she would be a legend. She had grace and beauty beyond imagination, and, although she appeared fragile and vulnerable she had the energy that takes to do all those axes, double axes and others exercises.
And one night when she was practicing after-hours with George he 'accidentally' cut her hand with a strange, sharp crystal ring he was wearing. Oddly enough, that was the first time he had worn that ring.
With her hand injured just a week before the National Competition, they both were left out of it. And then, on television, Elizabeth had seen Carla Zigger, one of her rivals that ended up winning the competition, wearing the same ring.
She knew then... She knew that she had been sabotaged and by her partner. Then she remembered all of George's previous partners... They all had suffered injures, sometimes bad and sometimes almost deadly ones.
She confronted George, although her father told her to wait, to call the police, to have patience. But she just couldn't resist it when George showed up in her little apartment that she shared with her sister Jane and told her how sorry he was about the 'accident'. She shouted the truth to him, threatening to go to the police first thing on the morning. Little did she know that he had a gun with him and that he entered into a panic state easily. You can imagine what happened next. Yes, Elizabeth received a bullet in her ribcage.
Doctors said she was lucky. They said that she had been in the border of death, but she made it, partially because her sister Jane had been quickly to cal 911 when she got in the house and saw her sister in the floor, surrounded by blood.
George had been apprehended, but the damage was done. Although Elizabeth recovered quickly and had enough strength to skate, she couldn't stand a male partner graving her waist or taking her left hand, the injured one. She tried and tried really hard, but there seemed to be no man in the world, no skater, willing to skate with the girl who couldn't stand to be lifted from the ice?
So there was she now, clutching in her hands the only hope for her career. A letter, written in a strong and elegant letter. That' all she had.
"Yes, as a matter of fact, Char I AM this desperate. I know his reputation, but I don't care. He is a gold-medalist winner, for crying out loud! I won't let George Wickham ruin my career and this is the best way to lift it up!" Elizabeth half-shouted, matching her friend's tone. Charlotte calmed herself a little.
"I understand you, Elizabeth but it's just that... Look, you know Jimmy, the guy form the sports section in my newspaper? Well, he tried to interview him once and he came to my office scared to death. He said that the 'dude' was colder than the ice and had piercing, spooky, if you get my meaning. You can't let him skate with you"
"Look, Char: this is the only chance I have. If this fails, I can always wait to finish my studies and be a teacher or something like that but I've got to try this one last thing" Elizabeth rose from her seat and threw a couple of bucks to the table to pay for her latte. Then she kissed her friend goodbye and exited the café. She still had to tell father about her decision. It wasn't going to be easy. But she had to do it so she got to her apartment, threw her jacket to a corner of the living room a dialed the phone form her house.
"Hi, daddy? It's me, Beth... Yes, really, I'm doing just fine, don't worry... Look, there is something I want to tell you and you have to take it easy, ok? ... Now, it's not a bad thing, I guess... Father, I'm going to Salem... There is a male skater that wants to be my partner and is training there to the Nationals... He is a professional, yes... Who? Why do you want to know? ... No, I'm not being elusive... Well, if you have to know... his name is... Fitzwilliam Darcy... Daddy? No, I am not kidding... Yes, I AM desperate! Jeez, why does everybody keep asking that? ... No, I am not going to neglect my studies, in two weeks begins the winter Holidays... Yes, I know that there is little time to train, but the man is a professional as I am... No, there is no way I'm going to change my mind, sorry... I've already thought about this many, many times... Well, thanks... I knew you would be supportive... No, don't tell mama because Darcy is handsome and rich and she surely will imagine wedding bells... No, please come you to my apartment, I don't want to face mother with her reprimands about George and that it was all my fault... Yeah, love you too, daddy. Bye"
She hanged the phone and sighed deeply. That was it. All the important people knew about her plans: Jane, Charlotte, a couple of friends of colleague who sworn secrecy.
So it was settled. Two weeks later, Elizabeth left New York, in a cold day of November.
Elizabeth wondered through the airport, searching for Fitzwilliam Darcy. She knew three things about the guy:
b. Had a deadly cold manner.
c. Had the most stunning and attracting pair of chocolate brown eyes.
She hadn't seen a picture of the skater in her life and curiosity was threatening to kill her. She had decided not to hear what people told her about Darcy. For her he was just the man that had helped her in a time of need. The man that would lift her carrier. The only human person in the face of Earth who was willing to give her a chance.
With graceful and firm movements the girl (she was barely twenty years old) retrieved her luggage, (two old looking suitcases with her little belongings and a few books), and walked to the waiting area of the airport, looking for a sign with her name or a man with stunning chocolate eyes. She saw the first thing, but not the second.
Instead of Mr. Fitzwilliam 'stunning eyes' Darcy there was a man in his late forties or early fifties, with tanned skin, black hair and eyes and dressed like one of those limousine drivers, with the cap and all. He had a straight posture and an unfriendly face. Elizabeth sighed deeply. She was too tired to deal with grumpy drivers. But, as she had no other choice, she plastered a fake smile in her face and walked over to greet the person who had come to pick her up.
"Hello there. I am Elizabeth Bennett. I believe you were looking for me" she said cheerfully, extending a hand to shake the driver's hand. He instead bowed deeply and introduced himself very formally as Michael Shaw, Master Darcy's personal driver for fifteen years and also the late Master Darcy's personal driver for over twelve years. Very impressive.
"I hope you have had a pleasant flight, Miss Bennett. Please, follow me this way to the car" was the last thing he said for a couple of minutes. Automatically he reached for Elizabeth's suitcases which she let go gratefully, because she was feeling rather weak after the flight, no matter how short had been.
When she spotted the limousine she wasn't really surprised. She had expected, after seeing Shaw, the limousine. It was typical.
The drive to Pemberley, Mr. Darcy's house, was silent. Elizabeth tried to make a conversation with the stern driver, but she gave up after the first twenty minutes and settled for reading a book, Shakespeare's 'Taming of the Shrew', more precisely.
She wondered about many things. Number one, she wondered why hadn't Darcy himself come to pick her up, number two: if he was as aloof and stern as his driver. He probably was. She sighed deeply and rested her head on the soft fabric of the limousine's sits. She was too tired to think straight, really. She remembered the few hours of sleep she had had in the last months because of Wickham's attack. She always woke up in the middle of the night, covered in sweat, trembling. Yes, always the same. She felt vulnerable. Vulnerable and scared.
She spent the rest of the journey trying to sleep, but not succeeding at all. She was half-awoke when she caught her first glimpse of Pemberley... And she gasped. Her first thought was: "My God, it's so big!" and her second thought was: "This could perfectly be the setting of one of Jane Austen's or Victoria Holt's books". The ancient house, looking impressive and almost menacing. Elizabeth sighed again and tried to summon all her courage. Life since that moment wasn't going to be easy. In fact, it was going to be more difficult than ever.
When she hoped out of the limousine she smiled the first true smile since her encounter with Shaw in the airport. Her muscles ached a bit because of the long journey but stretching made her feel really better. And, when she found in front of her a lady of more or less sixty years, with gentle eyes and a kind smile, she felt at home and happy. However she still thanked Shaw and spoke a few words with her. He was still the stern looking man of the airport but, when he bid her farewell he smiled... just a little.
"Don't mind Michael, dear. He is an old grumpy, that's all. But I think he likes you already. That's a good thing" the lady with white hair told her, patting her shoulder gently. "I am Mrs. Reynolds, the Housekeeper since... well; let's say that since a long time" she laughed merrily and Elizabeth chuckled a little. "I know you are Miss Bennett but if you don't mind I would prefer to call you Miss Elizabeth... You are just so young to be called by your last name!"
Elizabeth assured the woman that Miss Elizabeth would do perfectly. Better, in fact, that Miss Bennett.
"Good, because Master Darcy told me to treat you like a member of the house, and not merely a visitor. That is why Michael was so formal with you... He acts that way in front of Master Darcy but Little Miss Georgiana has melted him a little. I'm sure you will achieve that soon, dear. You seem like a very cheerful and lovable person"
Elizabeth thanked the housekeeper for her compliments and followed her to the main hall of the house, which was too big. The marble floor was almost slippery and it reminded Elizabeth of the ice. She longed to be there, to skate till her legs couldn't support her, to feel the chilly air surrounding her. She closed her eyes for a moment to try and imagine she was actually there, in a skating rink. She could almost feel coldness inviting her to skate but, when Mrs. Reynolds gently tucked her sleeve she cruelly returned to reality.
"I'm sorry, I guess I was daydreaming" she apologized, slightly embarrassed. God, she needed to skate so much... she was starting to act weird.
She contented herself by peering though the vast hall, adorned in Regency and Victorian style and combining a few technological advances. Nice...classy and nice. The main staircase was a peace of art itself and she took some minutes to analyze it before noticing that, up stairs, there was a young girl, of proximally sixteen years old, looking at her with shyness and curiosity in her big baby-blue eyes. Her gold hair framed her face like a halo and she looked positively angelic.
"She reminds me of Jane, but more petite and shy" Elizabeth thought and decided immediately that she was a nice girl.
"Hi there. I'm Elizabeth" she greeted with her melodic voice. The girl smiled tentatively and answered the salutation.
"I'm Georgiana Darcy" she said in a low and shy voice.
Two weeks before
"She comes next week, right Georgi?" asked Richard 'Colonel' Fitzwilliam. He was a good looking man of thirty years old, with a good skating career and a way with ladies. But, above all things, he was a good cousin and a good gentleman. And well, a good eater too.
"Yes and stop stuffing yourself with Mrs. Keaton's apple pies. Really, I don't know how you skate without breaking the ice" the blond haired teenager scolded. Rich simply ate the rest of the pie, and between bites he stuck his tong to his cousin.
"You are so immature..." she sighed loudly, shaking her head in disapprobation.
"Well, we were talking about the girl, remember? I really was surprised when Darcy communicated me his decision. It has been years since he skated with a partner, and he always used to complain about them, saying that they were either passionless or had great passion in his money, or were graceless or had no talent... What on earth possessed him to pick a girl with... well, you know, such little experience? I mean, it's a good thing, but I still don't understand it"
"Yeah, I know. William has been acting strangely lately. But, you know that he thinks with his head. He surely has good reasons to want to skate with Elizabeth Bennett. I wonder... I wonder how she is like" Georgiana said softly.
"Well, I have to go now to my house in Virginia. But I will return in three or four weeks to take a look to that Elizabeth Bennett. Who know, she may be a very amiable person, just what Darcy needs"
And now Georgiana was looking at Elizabeth Bennett for the first time. A petite girl, who seemed weak but who had dark eyes full of energy, character and determination. She had curly dark red hair that appeared to be fire, thick eyelashes that framed her stunning dark eyes and white skin that was like snow. She was strong but appeared fragile. And her manners were so graceful that Georgiana envied her for a little while. She had delicacy, determination, temper, character and grace and a beauty that could make men fight for her attentions.
But, deep inside that smiling face and that cheerful manner she could see sadness. Sadness clouding slightly her eyes, giving her a tragic air and accenting her fragile appearance. And Georgiana fell instantly sympathy for the young woman in front of her.
"You have quite a nice house, Miss Darcy... Can I call you Georgiana? I fear that I am not accustomed to formality and, since we will seeing each other everyday..."
"Of course you can call me Georgiana... or Georgi" the girl answered a little awkwardly.
"I like that nickname, Georgi. I don't have any nicknames... Only my father dares to call me Beth. I am not really a nickname kind of person so Elizabeth will do just fine"
The smile in Elizabeth's lips melted some of Georgiana's shyness. The girl, who had nothing best to do, accompany Mrs. Reynolds and the newcomer to a tour of the House, ending in Elizabeth's chambers.
"This area is reserved to the residents of the house, but Master Darcy ordered these special chambers to be prepared for you"
When Mrs. Reynolds opened the doors of Elizabeth's new bedroom the girl gasped again. The room was simply majestic: the curtains, the sheets of the beds and a few other things were all a matching ice-blue color. There was an oak vanity in a corner and a big oval-shaped mirror with a gold carved frame and, in a wall, there was a little library, full of Shakespeare, Edgar Allan Poe, Alexander Dumas, Dante and other famous authors. The bathroom was very big and the bathtub was enormous too. The dresser room was o the size of the living room of her apartment.
"Well, what do you think of your accommodations?" Georgiana asked politely. Elizabeth smiled broadly.
"This room is simply perfect. I... I can't believe it. But how... how did you know that my favorite color was ice-blue and which authors I like? I highly doubt that they were coincidences" she said to the two women.
"Master Darcy personally asked for the color of the decoration and brought the books himself, Miss Elizabeth" Mrs. Reynolds answered, silently musing why Master Darcy knew so much about Elizabeth Bennett.
Georgiana was thinking the same and Elizabeth... Well, Elizabeth didn't know what to think.
It was all dark and silent... Nobody was awake. It was the perfect opportunity. Elizabeth, with a simple white skating gown and a pair of skates in one hand and a tape recorder in the other, slid out of her room, doing very little noise. She tiptoed her way to the skating rink of Pemberley.
It was beautiful. Perfect and beautiful in every way. The design, the lights, the maintenance... everything. She was almost scared of ruin it even a little. She put on her old pair of skates (remembering that she had to buy a new one with urgency) and timidly at first, she moved to the center of the ice. When the coolness surrounded her, she was lost in the moment.
She pushed the 'play' button of the tape recorder and the marvelous voice of Frank Sinatra 'Strangers in the Night' filled the skating rink. She loved Frank Sinatra with her heart and soul. Pity he was too old for her...
She started doing a little warming before starting the exercises. The Triple axel was a little tricky, but she managed to do it without slipping. She was lucky that time, of course. That exercise required a lot of practicing.
She didn't saw the man standing on the grades till she opened her eyes and gasped: in front of her was God's gift to women... The most attractive man she had ever seen. For a moment she didn't know who his was or what to say till she made eye contact and... gasped again. Dar chocolate brown eyes were gazing at her intently and, suddenly, she knew. She blushed profusely.
"Miss Elizabeth Bennett, I presume?" a rich baritone voice with a slight British accent asked clearly. Elizabeth only nodded.
"I... I... I am terribly sorry, Mister Darcy..."
Elizabeth was stunned. She didn't dare to move and she exactly didn't know what to say either. Darcy, on the other hand, didn't seem uncomfortable at all. He just stood there, without blinking or moving, till he finally said with a low voice:
"How did you recognize me, Miss Elizabeth?"
The coldness in his voice sent shivers through the girl's spine, but she tried to stay calm.
"Your eyes, Mr. Darcy... somebody told me you had the most stunning chocolate eyes in the world..." she answered and, for a moment, Darcy thought she was trying to flatter him and his ego, like all women "... and the coldest gaze too"
Those last words surprised him, but he only arched his eyebrows, nothing more. "That's my girl" he whispered to himself. Maybe Elizabeth Bennett wasn't a bad choice after all. He had been right with her, like always. Definitely. The proof was that the girl was, instead of sleeping or contemplating her new accommodations and luxuries, in the ice, baring her soul just because she felt the need to do so. She felt the need to skate and it was like a pain in the back of the head, constant and annoying, something that demanded to be satisfied.
And, odd thing, she could control that aching quite well. But she enjoyed also the feeling in her heart when the beast was silenced, when the pain, the need, was satisfied. Such experience, such maturity in the innocent and almost naïve soul of Elizabeth Bennett was temptingly intriguing.
"I see that you have already tested my skate rink. Do you approve of it? And of my house?"
Elizabeth disliked it when people toyed unashamedly with her and that was just what Darcy was doing. Without saying a word she steeped out of the ice, took off her skates and, with bare feet walked past Darcy. When she was almost out of the skating rink she looked back to find piercing chocolate eyes gazing intently at her. Waiting for an answer. She smiled sweetly.
"The skating rink is superb... And the house is simply lovely... There is just one thing I don't approve of..." she told him.
"And what is that particularly object you don't approve of, pray tell?"
She turned and opened the door in front of her.
"The owner" she told him without looking back. And then, she closed the door.
Back in her Ice-Blue Bedroom, Elizabeth was cursing herself and her luck mentally. What on earth possessed her to insult her skating partner seconds after meeting him? Two voices starting a mind-battle inside her:
"He provoked me..." said the first voice, which was her own.
"But, Elizabeth... was that why you insulted him? Or did you let your judgment be clouded by the rumors that surround Darcy?"
"That's a lie! And what rumors are you talking about? They aren't rumors, they are truths! That man was unkind, cold and rude just like everyone said!"
"Is that so? I thought YOU were the one being in a place you shouldn't be at two o'clock in the morning"
"It was against my will... I couldn't stand the urge to skate anymore..." Elizabeth justified herself.
"But he didn't know that... He only saw an intruder skating at two o'clock in the morning in His skating rink"
Tired of fighting with herself Elizabeth sighed, shrouded and threw herself in the huge bed, closing her eyes.
"Who cares..." she mumbled and, before she was fast asleep the voice in her mind whispered to her:
"You, girl... You care"
Elizabeth was grateful that her face showed no traces of the restless night she had spent. Guilty, angriness and a distant feeling she couldn't quite put her finger on rambled though her mind. By the time she was in her bathroom she had the hugest headache ever.
"Where are those damn pills when I need them?" she fumed in the lonely room, while she made a mess till she found the pills.
She didn't feel like going down to breakfast bust she just couldn't say she had taken ill the first day in Pemberley. Grabbing a comfortable pair of old jeans, a t-shirt and a white jersey the girl quickly changed and, after taking a quick look at her reflection in the mirror, she left her bedroom and went downstairs. Georgiana was eating quietly by herself while she read the newspaper.
"Hello. Anything interesting happened in the world?" the red-haired girl asked as a greeting, while she sat in front of the petite brunette girl and grabbed a toast.
"Oh, you know... corrupt politicians, international scandals, unresolved crimes... The same as always, I guess. How was your first night here?"
Elizabeth nearly choked as she remembered her 'conversation' with Mr. Darcy. As she cleared her throat she answered that she had slept all night. What a lie.
"I'm happy to hear that. I just can't sleep in strange rooms. I always miss my bed and my whole bedroom" Georgina happily chatted, unable to see the nervousness of the person sitting in front of her.
"Where is you brother, Georgi?" Elizabeth asked as nonchalantly as she could manage.
"Oh, he is working. He works till eight o'clock. I almost don't see him at all till dinner"
"Then how am I supposed to practice without my partner?" Elizabeth was now angry instead of ashamed. The man had no consideration for her at all! He deserved her insults after all.
"Let my answer that, my dear" a voice behind her said. A tall, grey-haired man of more or less fifty years entered in the dinning-room. He had a Russian accent and was dress simply thought elegantly.
"Oh, Hi Mr. Gardiner" Georgiana greeted warmly. The men smiled at the child and salute her calling her 'little-lady'.
"Well, well, you must be Elizabeth Diane Bennett! Let me take a look at you, girl. Stand up!" the man ordered Elizabeth with a gentle but firm tone. The girl did as she was requested and M. Gardiner encircled her, watching her with a critical eye.
"Good body... slender, petite, movements full of grace, skin of a becomingly shade of white that complements red her, stunning dark eyes... Yes, that Darcy knows damn well about choosing partners" he muttered almost to himself. Elizabeth, not knowing what the hell was happening, turned to Georgiana for help.
"Oh, he is just examining you. He doesn't work with any skater; they have to meet his expectances. And it seems, girl, that you have met them easily" the girl explained with a tiny smile.
"And who exactly is him?" the read-haired woman asked impatiently. Gardiner, after finalizing his inspection, smiled at her and bowed deeply.
"I am Dimitri Vladimir Gardiner, Darcy's trainer since he was twelve years old" the man introduced himself.
"You are Russian" Elizabeth stated. Gardiner gently shook his head.
"Half Russian, really. My mother was born in Saint Petersburg and there she met an American pilot, fell in love with him and accompany him to the United States. But I was raised by my Russian grandparents in their house after I became an orphan but, since I missed America, I returned as soon as I could. The accent got stuck but that hasn't bothered me at all. It's quite a lady-catcher, don't you think?"
Elizabeth found the man charming and agreeable.
"Well, you were about to answer me, sir, how am I going to practice without my partner" she said suddenly, remembering her conversation with Georgiana.
"Easy, one of my children, the youngest one, will be acting as your partner. He is not even half as good as Darcy is, but he will do. The important thing is that you learn the short and long routines well. Once a week, every Friday, Darcy will skate with you so you get used to him. Is that all right for you, dear?" the coach asked. Elizabeth took a deep breath and nodded.
"I guess so... If Mr. Darcy has to work, I don't want to be an obstacle" Sarcasm was the main thing Gardiner detected. He smiled broadly.
'Good. At least the girl has met Darcy. That will safe me the trouble of seeing him disdain another pure soul. Besides if she hasn't returned home yet, it will all be fine" he thought. Sure thing, Darcy was a great skater but he wasn't much of a social person. He was quite fond of ladies, of course, but women practically threw themselves to him, so that didn't count as a social skill.
When the man left the dinning-room Elizabeth turned to Georgiana. The girl was also a skater, but a single one.
"He is your coach too, Georgi?" was the first question Elizabeth asked.
"Yes. Since I was a little girl. He is a good old man and his wife makes the best apple pie in the world" she said that as if it was the most important thing in the world.
"And is Mr. Gardiner exigent?" she wanted to know.
"Quite exigent, but he knows better than to push it too far"
"Glad to hear that"
After breakfast the training began. Alexander Gardiner, of twenty two years old, was a reasonably good skater but his real passion was History, so he didn't practice much because of University. Elizabeth's body stiffened when he touched her waist and she pulled away.
"Sorry, I... I don't feel comfortable. It's not you... it's me" she told her partner who smiled and nodded. He understood her uneasiness.
Gardiner practically was beaming after he saw Elizabeth on the ice. The girl had grace, talent, beauty and passion... the kind of passion that will show in the performances.
"That old Darcy knew what he was doing. Wonder where he found her" he thought. Plus, Elizabeth was extremely funny and witty, a very intelligent girl with a good head over her shoulders.
When the first training session was over Elizabeth skated to where Mr. Gardiner was and asked him if he liked her performance so far.
"You know damn well, girl, that you are truly prodigious. But, for the sake of your ego, I will tell you: You are amazing. A Jewel. Darcy has a good eye for precious jewels"
When Gardiner was alone her wife, who was silently musing, told him suddenly:
"You know what, my dear? I smell love in the air"
Shaw drove the limousine in silence, glancing now and then to his master. Darcy noticed that and, leaving his papers and cell phone aside, asked what was the matter.
"It's the new girl, Sir" he told his master plainly.
"What's the matter with the girl, Shaw?"
"Nothing wrong, Master Darcy... she seems like a good lass to me. I think she is really nice" the driver answered.
"Yes, you are right, Shaw. She is a nice girl" Darcy said aloud and, to himself he added: 'with a damn nice body, a damn nice red-hair and a damn nice pair of legs' Because, of course, Darcy could have been a little angered with the Lady, but he wasn't blind. And she was wearing a skating gown... a really short skating gown.
"Well, here I am, standing in the middle of the Hall, waiting for somebody to notice me!" Richard 'colonel' Fitzwilliam said with mock indignation "But does anyone come? No, no, no! They just let me standing here like a moron. Nice, very nice..."
Georgiana heard him and went to greet him.
"Richard, don't be so grumpy! You are starting to sound like Aunt Catherine!" the girl scolded softly. Richard smiled and, with a high pitched voice and haughty air, he said: "What are you talking about, girl? Behave like a lady!"
Georgiana giggled and hugged her cousin.
"Do come in, Richard. Fitzwilliam will be happy to see you"
Rich made himself comfortable, greeted Mrs. Reynolds and, when he was seated in the drawing room, he asked Georgiana:
"So... where is she? How is she like? Come on do tell! You know that I am extremely curious"
Georgiana enjoyed the feeling of keeping him on the edge for a while. Finally, she gave in.
"She is as tall as I am, with red hair that looks like flames, deep dark eyes, with smooth pale skin and a lovely face. Quite stunning and very amiable. Even Shaw appreciates her"
Rich whistled with admiration.
"And what about Iceman Darcy?"
"Well, he doesn't pay her attention, he barely acknowledges her"
"That's sound like Darcy, yeah" Richard smirked.
They heard the sound of footsteps and, suddenly, the door opened and Elizabeth herself entered, with a book on her hands.
"Oh, excuse me, I thought there was no one here" she quickly mumbled when she saw she had interrupted something.
"It's ok, Elizabeth. Actually I was going to look for you. I want you to meet my cousin, Richard Fitzwilliam" Georgi told her, smiling. Rick got up and, in a very gentleman-like way, bowed to Elizabeth, his eyes fixed on hers.
"Charmed to meet you finally, Miss Elizabeth" he whispered silkily and Elizabeth wanted to roll her eyes. Obviously that Richard was a man... quite fond of women.
"Nice to meet you too, Richard. And please, call me Elizabeth" she replied friendly but at the same time maintaining a distance between the two of them. Rick noticed that and sighed.
'Guess I don't have any chances of wooing her' he thought with resignation.
Georgiana noticed that too and smiled. Finally a woman could stand up in front of her cousin's charms. And, better than that, Georgi was beginning to really like Elizabeth... Maybe like a sister.
That night Richard and Darcy met in Darcy's study. It was his private room and Richard was one of the very few people allowed there.
"So... I've seen her, man. A real beauty" Richard started, taking then a sip of brandy.
"Really? I hadn't noticed that" Darcy replied absentminded while he searched his desk, looking for some papers.
"Then you are completely blind, Darce. C'mon, you can tell me... You think she is a babe, don't you?"
"Look, Rick, even if I found her attractive I would never think of her or of any woman as a 'babe' That's you, not me" Darcy stiffly commented and the colonel laughed.
"Yeah, I forgot I was talking with the perfect gentleman. But, as much chivalrous as may be you couldn't fail to notice how stunning the girl is"
finally, a little bit annoyed, Darcy pointed the door to Rick.
"I am not having this conversation with you. Not now, not ever. Goodnight, Rick"
Richard walked to the door and before leaving, he added:
"I can't believe that you didn't fall for her white smooth skin, or her read, curly hair, or her black eyes..."
Before closing the door the Colonel heard his cousin's answer with a husky voice:
"Blue... Her eyes are deep blue..."
At the exact same time Elizabeth began having... interesting dreams.
Her dreams were bizarre to say the least. But she discovered that she liked them, nevertheless. In her dreams she was always dressed in the most stunning ice-blue ice gown she had ever seen. There was magic in the air, every single time.
But she felt lonely, incredibly lonely. Silence ruled the ice-rink. Not a sound was heard and Elizabeth always found herself shivering a little. And then... then George Wickham appeared out of the blue, with a wicked grin and a sardonic smile that made Elizabeth tremble even more. He approached her, and she stepped back till she couldn't step any farther. She could hear his speeding, coming faster to her, encircling her waist with his arms. And she tried to punch her but a voice, a mere whisper near her ear told her:
Hush, darling, it's me" That wasn't George Wickham voice. It sounded more like...
"Mr. Darcy!"
Dark eyes looked warmly down at her and a smile spread across his handsome face. He took her left hand in his right one and, bowing to her, he replied:
"Call me Fitzwilliam, Elizabeth..."
Her name sounded like heaven when he pronounced it and, for a moment, she had to remind to herself that she didn't like the man standing in front of her and holding one of her hands.
"Do you want to dance, Elizabeth? I promise I won't bite" he asked while flashing her a wolf-like smile that promised the exact opposite. At first Elizabeth wanted to touch his forehead: he surely had some kind of fever and was in a delirious state. Or, maybe, she was the one ill.
"There... there is no music" she finally stuttered unable to think about a better excuse. But Darcy just grinned and led her to the center of the ice.
"I will sing for you" he proposed and, when she nodded weakly, he put a hand in her back and, while the other still held her left hand, they started dancing. Elizabeth, oddly, didn't feel uneasiness near Fitzwilliam, although his gaze full of (dared she say?) passion, were making her nervous.
Music began to fill the air. The first lyrics of David Bowie's "As the world falls dawn" reached Elizabeth's ears she realized the Darcy was singing to her ear.
There is such sad love,
Deep in your eyes,
Some kind of pale jewel
Open and closed within your eyes
I'll place the sky within your eyes.
Elizabeth actually felt her legs turning into jelly at that precise moment. Fitzwilliam chuckled against her ear and nibbled her earlobe playfully.
"I... thought... you... you promised you wouldn't bite!" was the cleverest thing she could muster. Darcy spun her around and started to kiss her neck.
"Tell me to stop, Elizabeth" he tightened the embrace and whispered against the creamy skin of her neck "Tell me to stop and, if you mean it, I will"
There is such fooled heart,
Beating so fast,
In search of new dreams
A love that will last within your heart
I'll place the moon within your heart.
"Stop..." Elizabeth muttered, dazzled. She felt like if a thousand butterflies were flying free in her stomach. Darcy suddenly looked angered. He forced her to look at him in the eyes and whispered harshly:
"You don't mean it, Elizabeth. Don't try to fool me. I can read it in your moves, in the way you tilt your head when I kiss your neck. Be sincere, Elizabeth. Tell me you want me to go away. Come on, tell me"
Elizabeth found herself pressed between a wall and Darcy's body (yes, girls, I know, damn lucky girl...). She couldn't figure a way to evade the situation.
"I can't tell you to stop... I can't tell you to go away..." she whispered almost to herself. Darcy's lips were dangerously close to hers when he asked her why she couldn't.
"Because... Because I don't want you to stop, I don't want you to go away..." she finally answered lowering her gaze to the floor. Darcy changed form angered to tender in half a second.
"That's my girl" he muttered before closing the distance between the two. The kiss, the first one, felt so real... It was strong, impetuous and full of passion. Elizabeth, at first, was really stunned but then something in her mind clicked and a voice inside her told her: 'What the hell...'
As Fitzwilliam felt Elizabeth hands burying in his hair he wanted nothing more than to be like that, forever.
As the pain sweeps through,
Makes no sense to you.
Every thrill is gone
Wasn't too much fun at all.
But I'll be there for you,
As the world falls down...
For them, the world was really falling down... all the barriers were gone, for a unique moment they were just... ice and passion. Darcy traveled Elizabeth's neck with his mouth and then buried his face in her hair. Elizabeth, on the other hand, rested her head in his chest, and tried to breathe normally.
Falling...
Falling...
Falling in love...
"Don't stop, Fitzwilliam... Never stop" was all she said and suddenly, Darcy focused his dark eyes on her.
"Say it again" he pleaded while he kissed her.
"What?"
"My name... Say it again, Elizabeth" he begged. Elizabeth giggled a little against his mouth and repeated his name. "Fitzwilliam" He groaned and kissed her again and again, each time more fiercely. One of his hands traveled up and down her back and the other was tangled in her mass of curls.
I'll paint your mornings of gold,
I'll spin you Valentine evenings.
Though we are strangers till now
We are choosing the path within the stars,
I'll lay my love within the stars.
"Do you wish me to stop now, Elizabeth?" He teased her. She, instead use her newly-discovered weapon: his name.
"You could never stop even if you wanted... Fitzwilliam"
Upon hearing his name he lost control over everything he was doing, and she knew that. And she didn't care. Actually, she wanted exactly that.
Falling...
Falling...
Falling in Love...
He swept her into his arms and...
"WHAT??????????????"
Elizabeth woke screaming that word. She looked at her surroundings, a little bit confused at first, and then understanding hit her and she relaxed... It had been jut a dream.
Such a Wonderful dream... a voice in her mind sighed and she immediately shook her head.
"What's going on with you, girl?" she asked aloud to herself "Remember: you HATE the Guy. Focus on that"
With those words she fell asleep again. A few rooms away, in Darcy's bedroom the scream woke Fitzwilliam up. He only sighed and cursed.
"I was having such wonderful dreams..." he complained to no one in particular before going back to sleep as well.
Note of the author: Here is Sarah, your chapter. Forgive me if there isn't enough passion but, hey, I am only fifteen years old... Anyway, keep all you readers telling me if you like the story or if you have any good ideas. Thanks for riding and reviewing!
When Elizabeth woke up she couldn't forget her dream. She tried hard too, but the images, the feelings and the voice singing still hunted her during the morning. She found herself singing 'As the world falls down' many times. Finally, completely tired, she searched for her Discman and put on the 'Labyrinth' CD, were the song was and played it while she walked to the breakfast table where Georgiana and Richard were reading the newspaper and Darcy was listening to some music (classical music, for sure) and typing some kind of report in his laptop (he was at home because it was Saturday). Good thing nobody wanted to have a conversation. She definitely wasn't in a mood for conversations so she just greeted everyone and sat down to peek on her meal and listen again and again that stupid song that was going to drive her mad.
When, suddenly, Mrs. Reynolds announced that a person was in the phone and asking for Elizabeth she had a bad feeling.
"Damn..." she cursed aloud and everybody stared at her.
"What's the matter Elizabeth?" asked Georgiana gently, putting the newspaper down. The mentioned girl sighed.
"I have the bad feeling that the person asking for me is... my mother" she answered, and then sighed again and took the auricular of the phone that Mrs. Reynolds was holding.
"I don't get it... what's so wrong about it?" Georgi whispered to Richard, who shrugged, as puzzled as his cousin.
"Hi... mother?" Elizabeth stuttered and immediately held the auricular as far of her ears as possible.
"Elizabeth Diane Bennett!!!!! Do you have any idea of how much my poor nerves have suffered because of you??? Ungrateful child, you are always causing me trouble!!!!!!" the voice of Mrs. Bennett could be heard clearly by everyone in the room and Elizabeth suddenly wanted to die at that moment in that specific place.
"Calm down, mom, I'm sure dad explained you all..." she muttered while thinking why the hell her father had betrayed her.
"Your father!!!!! That old fool wasn't the one who told me were you where!!! I had to ask Lydia to get the truth out of one of your colleague friends!!!! And, even when I found out, Elliot kept his mouth closed, all for you!!!!!!" Mrs. Bennett continued whining.
"Mom, really, how was I to know that you would actually care for me or my whereabouts for once?" Elizabeth suddenly exploded. She was really angered and ashamed by that moment.
"I shouldn't care for a tomboy, unladylike and ungrateful daughter like you!!!! Oh, if only you could be a beauty like Jane or like Lydia!!! Lydia is such a cheerful and elegant girl, unlike you! She has a social and love life, you know? Oh, why couldn't you be like her!!!!?"
Everyone was stunned to the state of silence, except Elizabeth, who was accustomed to those recriminations.
"Look mother, open your eyes and see how much you have spoiled your youngest child!! I feel sorry for Lydia because you turned her into what she is! I thank God I am as different from Lydia as it is possible! As for Jane, I really don't understand how she can put up with you... Bye, mom, say Hi to father from me"
With those last words she hanged up and breathed deeply, trying to compose herself.
"Well, at least she didn't start with the issue of William Collins" she mused aloud. William Collins, Charlotte's photographer, was really annoying and had this stupid idea that Elizabeth fancied him. As if! (And, by the way... YUK!)
"Elizabeth, are you okay?" Georgiana asked, worried. Elizabeth nodded and smiled.
"Of course. That was really nothing. It's worse in Christmas, believe me" the girl replied with a smile and then started laughing at the girl's face.
"Really, she isn't that bad!" with those words Georgiana relaxed and smiled to but Darcy knew... he simply knew that those yells and incrimination had hurt Elizabeth deeply. And he really didn't think she deserved that. But then... why should he care? That was a mystery for him.
They sat down again to continue the breakfast till Richard got up and shouted to both Elizabeth and Darcy:
"What's with you two today?"
"What do you mean?" inquired Darcy, slightly puzzled.
"I mean that you two have been humming the same damn song since you sat on the table. Jeez, I mean I know David Bowie is a great artist and his song 'As the world falls down' is very pretty but... Come on, both of you have been listening to it for over an hour!"
Elizabeth looked wide eyed at the man in front of her.
"It can't be... you couldn't have possibly had the say dream..." she whispered quietly, shocked. Darcy's first awed expression changed to an amused one.
He sat up walked to were Elizabeth was and bent down to whisper into her ear:
"Dreaming of me, haven't we been?"
And then, as cool as ice, walked out of the room. When Elizabeth finally found her voice she shouted:
"Damn you, Fitzwilliam Darcy!" and exited the room too, slamming the door behind her.
"That's it, I'm sick of this. I'm going!" Elizabeth kept repeating to herself all the way to her bedroom. But, as she got there, she remembered the pleased expression of Carla Zigger when she made it to the Nationals and Wickham holding a gun. If she quitted, they would win. And she couldn't allow that to happen. If she quitted, her life as a skater would be over.
"It's not fair!" she screamed as she threw herself to the bed. "Why do I have to pay a prize? I wasn't the one who pulled that damn trigger!" And then she voiced the question that, for her, didn't have an answer "Why did it have to happen to me? Why me?!"
Several rooms away Darcy listened to her screamed question; paused from tipping in his laptop and smiled a little.
"You are a fighter, Elizabeth. That's why. Because, no matter what happens to you, you will always go on"
Elizabeth felt a tingle of apprehension as Alexander's arm encircled her waist but managed to give a weak smile to her partner. Poor boy, he was mortified with the whole situation and it was all her own damn fault.
"Its okay, Elizabeth, take it easy" Mr. Gardiner advised.
"Really? I mean, we have so little time to practice that I can't help but feel under pressure" Elizabeth sighed and rubbed gently her forehead. Great, another headache. Migraine was the worst torture in the world.
"My, my, hello Darcy! I didn't expect you"
Well, on second thought Fitzwilliam Darcy beat migraine any time of the weak... Actually, after all that teasing in the breakfast table a week ago she had avoided him at any cost.
Darcy smiled at Mr. Gardiner and shook his hand.
"I had some free time and so I decided to watch the little Ice Queen in action" the black-haired man said to his couch. Gardiner smiled when he saw Elizabeth scowl at him, and for a second he thought that she was going to stick her tong at him.
"I heard that, Fitzwilliam 'Heart of Stone' Darcy" she told him while she skated near them. Darcy tensed when he heard her call him Fitzwilliam... By the Lord, what was happening to him? Why did that skinny, petty little skater provoke such an urge to send pride, manners and propriety to hell and do... well, he didn't even want to think about what he wanted to do... He wanted to make his dreams reality. Tempting, tempting.
"Darcy? Are you listening?" Mr. Gardiner was almost yelling, and eventually managed to snap Darcy back to reality.
"Umm... Yes?"
"I was telling you how darn lucky you are to compete with this girl. I tell you, I can recognize passion when I see it, son"
'For example just a few minutes ago, in your eyes, when she spoke to you' Mr. Gardiner added mentally, smirking. From what Riche had told him Darcy was playing with the little girl, always appearing to be the 'Ice Man'. But now it was obvious for him that Darcy was quite taken by Elizabeth... if not totally taken.
'He is playing with fire... And he will eventually burn, that's for sure'
In the meantime... it was fun to watch.
"Alexander, you should put your hand firmly on her wait, don't doubt and quiver like a school-boy, for the love of G*d!" Darcy cried, really frustrated. Alex sighed... It was the tenth time he was being punished by Mr. 'High and Mighty Skater' Darcy.
Elizabeth too sighed and rubbed her forehead with her hands... The headache was worse and it was because she had been rehearsing the stupid skating routine for hours. And all because perfect man Darcy liked to find a thousand mistakes in whatever they, or more exactly poor Alexander, did.
"Let's get this over with, okay Alex? Yeah, I know, I'm tired of his attitude too" Elizabeth leaned to whisper those words on Alex's ear. Of course, that didn't please "Attitude Boy". What pleased him was looking the apprehensive look in Elizabeth's eyes every time Alexander touched and the way her whole body seemed to pull away...
Not even three minutes after they were stopped again by Darcy.
"Come on, Alex, you can't just let go of her so clumsily. Skating is about grace, about elegance!" was his critic that time.
"Enough! Mr. Darcy, if you want me to understand what is perfection for you, then show me... You skate with Elizabeth!" Alexander burst out, really pissed off (and I don't blame him, poor darling).
There was a moment of silence where the only ones speaking in hushed tones where Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner.
"This is promising to be a fun thing to witness, my dear" exclaimed Madeleine Gardiner. Her husband nodded.
"I've been waiting for this moment (and the author of this humble fanfic and its readers too, I suppose)" he whispered back to her. And they both smiled mischievously.
"I'll go fetch my skates" was all Darcy said in his icy and indifferent tone of voice. Richie enjoyed teasing him about the mask he placed upon his face to evade an embarrassing or dangerous situation. As a matter of fact he mimicked that mask every time he had to break up with "the love of his life". He called it to 'pull a Darcy' (a phrase that your humble servant, the author, will be using quite a lot every time Richie appears).
Elizabeth sighed once more and felt like killing someone but she didn't have any killing weapon, and on the other hand she was feeling very tired... too tired even. But she didn't want it to show because surely Attitude Boy Darcy would say she was weak, an excuse of a skater probably. And no, she was not going to give him that pleasure. Oh no...
When he stepped into the ice she shivered involuntarily. He looked... different. Less Mr. Ice Man Darcy and more... Fitzwilliam. More the man in her dreams than the daily iceberg he was. And that scared the Hell out of her. She shook her head and sighed yet again, this time mentally. It was going to be the longest five minutes of her entire life. Darn...
He skated straight to her, not even blinking, with confident strides. Then he encircled her, almost like a feline watching his prey. Elizabeth hold his steady and fiery gaze, never letting her eyes fall and she could hear him whisper: "That's my Girl"... He said that often. Even in the dream. She wondered briefly why.
He reached her after a couple of second that seemed hour to both skaters. In one arrogant movement he pushed her into his arms and whispered to her, his nose inches apart form hers:
"Let's skate, darling..."
She smiled almost maliciously before whispering with the same confident tone he had used:
"All right... Fitzwilliam"
He growled lowly and held her more tightly to his body and she gasped.
"Don't push your luck, Elizabeth. I can hold back, but not for much... It's like playing with fire. You wouldn't want to burn, would you?"
She wasn't sure what the answer of the question was, so she just nodded, mentally thinking that calling him Fitzwilliam hadn't been her cleverest idea.
They moved in unison, with a perfect synchronization. Elegance, grace and fire emanated from them, making each movement a perfect one, each spin some kind of magic, each touch a vibrant one. Their skating spoke volumes for them and for the people watching them. It was a connection, like if they were sharing a secret or a private moment, something mystical and unique. It was a rare fusion of souls, a battle and a reconciliation all in one. Every time he held her it was like burning and freezing all at the same time. It was confusing and scaring, yet too damn tempting to stop. They both knew they weren't just skating... they were doing much more.
He spun her one last time, and then it ended... Abruptly. Horribly abruptly. They both breathed heavily, trying to recover themselves. Elizabeth's hand were encircling his neck, looking for some kind of support. Her head was still spinning and she felt like in the middle of Heaven and Hell. She was dizzy and, when the thrilling of skating with him was gone, she felt the tiredness return... but worse, much worse. And the headache...
Darcy immediately knew something was wrong when, after he was recovered, Elizabeth kept clinging to him. He noticed suddenly how hot her skin was and that she started shivering.
"Elizabeth, are you all right...?" No answer....
"Elizabeth" he tried again, more firmly. Still no answer from her.
"Elizabeth, answer me" he said that with a serious voice so she raised her eyes to meet his.
"I... feel dizzy..." was all she could muster before darkness surrounded her. Darcy's quick reflexes saved her from hitting the ice as he caught her in his arms.
"Elizabeth, please!" where the last words she heard him scream before the world shut down.
Author's Note: This is dedicated to Cody. Because of his request for another chapter of this fanfic I decided to stay awake till ten past three in the morning to finish this. So thank him!
Everything happened in slow motion, like in a bad movie. Darcy couldn't think straight for a couple of seconds and, as he held her in his arms, he felt his heart beating in his ears, and his face going as pale as Elizabeth's.
Nobody was able to move, too stunned to even blink. Darcy fortunately was the first to regain his senses, though. He picked her securely in his arms and exited the skating rink, kicking his skates off, not minding where they ended up. He rushed to the house, barking orders at a couple of servants. One went to call the doctor and the other one lit a fire in Elizabeth's room. He laid her in her bed, checking her pulse with almost shaking hands. It was weak, but constant.
"Thanks the Gods..." he whispered, sighing deeply. He leaned over to Elizabeth and rested lightly his forehead over hers, trying to calm himself a little.
"Master Darcy, the doctor is on his way here. He said that it would help to contact the father of the miss to see if she is allergic at something or has some other medical problem" Mr. Reynolds said softly. Darcy jolted up, angry at being surprised on an... awkward position by his housekeeper and then nodded
"I'll call him myself" he whispered, walking to his study. There hi dialed the number of Mr. Elliot Bennett and waited patiently. Fortunately for him, Mr. Bennett answered instead of Mrs. Bennett.
"Hello?" he said impatiently. He had been reading a book when the phone had rung and, because he was all alone in the house, he had had to answer.
"Mr. Bennett? My name is Fitzwilliam Darcy" Darcy introduced himself plainly. There were a few moments of silence as each men waited for the other to say something. Finally Mr. Bennett broke the silence:
"How is Elizabeth, Mr. Darcy? She fainted, didn't she? That's why you are calling, isn't it?" he asked in an all-knowing voice. Darcy was surprised by the words of the old man.
"How did you...? It happens often?" he questioned. A sigh could be heard for the other end of the phone.
"Unfortunately, yes. She hasn't been well since... Wickham" Elliott Bennett spit the name, and silently cursed before continuing "If she forced herself too much, she will eventually faint. And, as she doesn't like to appear weak, she will never tell a soul when she is tired. My little girl has her pride"
Darcy could almost picture the man smiling proudly and warmly at the mention of Elizabeth.
"The doctor is on his way, Mr. Bennett. I will explain him everything you've told me. Is there anything else he should know?"
"Only that if he does something wrong to her better to run and hide before I find out. And that goes for you too, young man. Elizabeth is my more precious possession"
Darcy smiled despite the threat and found himself thinking: 'I wish she was my most precious possession too'. He scolded himself almost immediately. It was of no use thinking about impossible things.
"If you would allow me to frank with you, Mar. Darcy... I really didn't fancy the idea of my daughter and you skating, but now I am glad about it. I've just realized my Beth is in good hands and you have no idea of how much relieved I feel"
Darcy felt awkward at first, but then smiled... well, kind of.
"I appreciate the compliment, Mr. Bennett, and I cherish your trust. But don't be too surprised if your daughter thinks quite the contrary... We have had our clashes"
"I know my Beth, young man. She is that was. I think she enjoys a good argue. You should really feel flattered that she granted you the title of opponent... She is picky. She only argues with people that can represent a real challenge. But don't tell her I told you this, of course"
Darcy chuckled. It sounded like Elizabeth, after all.
"Well, Mr. Bennett, I am glad we had this talk. I hope this could be repeated in the near future" he was being sincere, and the old man noticed it. He too noticed that every time Elizabeth was mentioned the tone of Darcy became softer and warmer.
'Mm... Trust my Elizabeth to melt the Ice-Man' he thought amused.
Both men bid each other goodnight and hang up, similar thoughts about Elizabeth rambling through their minds.