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Posted on Tuesday, 6 August 2002
May 13
Lizzy was waiting in front of the restaurant when her aunt arrived.
"Aunt Maddie! Thanks for coming early."
"You look like Christmas, birthday, and Fourth of July all rolled into one. What has you so excited?"
"We're engaged! Will and I are gong to get married!" Lizzy held out her left hand.
"Oh, Lizzy, I am happy for you. Goodness, two engagements to celebrate, then."
"No. This party is just for Jane and Charles. That's how we started planning it, and that's how it's going to be. I suppose Will and I will do something about our engagement, but that will be later."
They went into the restaurant and waited only a few minutes until Louisa Hurst arrived. She left her umbrella by the door and joined the other two women.
"What a day! It's pouring buckets out there. Thank goodness for working in a hotel that has a doorman-you don't have to get your own cab."
"Must be nice," laughed Lizzy. "The museum guards do not consider hailing cabs as part of their job. These days, they're too busy checking bags and packages, anyhow."
Louisa was showing menu suggestions to the others when Caroline arrived.
"Sorry I'm late. I was with a rather demanding client. Honestly, why people can't comprehend the difference between Sheraton and Chippendale, I just don't understand."
"That's easy," said Lizzy. "Sheraton is a hotel and Chippendale is a club."
Maddie and Louisa laughed. Caroline glared.
"Sorry," said Lizzy, trying not to laugh. To quiet herself, she put her hands over her mouth. Caroline, who had been in the middle of drinking some wine, choked. Her eyes then became teary, because making wine come out one's nose really hurts.
Louisa patted her sister on the back. "Caro, are you all right?"
"What's that?" Caroline managed to choke out, pointing at Lizzy's finger.
"Oh, Caroline," said Lizzy sweetly, "I would have thought Charles might have mentioned it to you. Will Darcy and I are engaged.
In just a few seconds, Caroline went from red-faced due to choking to ashen from shock.
"Have a sip of water, Caro," suggested Louisa.
Caroline downed the rest of her wine in one gulp. Then she stood up. "Sorry, I must run. I just remembered an appointment. Oh, and I won't be at the party. I have to go out of town to attend an antiques auction."
The other three women sat in stunned silence as Caroline stalked out of the restaurant.
"What was that about?"
"Oh, sorry, Maddie. We didn't know about Lizzy's engagement. Congratulations, Lizzy. I suspect that Charles didn't have the nerve to tell Caro about it."
"Was there something between Caroline and Will?"
"No," replied Lizzy. "Well, in Caroline's head there was. But she and Will have never been involved."
"I must apologize for my sister." Louisa sighed, "She can be unrealistic about some things, and I'm afraid rich bachelors make her become downright delusional. She'll find a new target soon enough. Now, let's get back to the party planning."
Lizzy was stretched out on the sofa in Darcy's study when he got home from work.
"Hello, Love. How's the puzzle?" He bent down to kiss Lizzy and check her progress on the day's crossword puzzle.
"Not bad. How was your day?"
"Same old, same old. Oh, I ordered an independent audit." Darcy dropped into his favorite armchair.
"Do you expect problems?"
"No, but every CEO in the country is looking over his shoulder these days. I think our books are strictly legit, but I want it confirmed."
"When I first mentioned you, Dad was impressed that I knew you. He said you run a squeaky clean company."
"God, I hope so."
"Hey, did you see Charles's column today?" Liz tossed Darcy a section of the New York Times.
Baseball as America
by Charles Bingley
Baseball. It's as American as, well, baseball. They boys of summer-and sometimes the girls, too. The fields of so many youngsters' dreams.It has been suggested that, if the United States is remembered centuries from now for only a few inventions, those most worthy of remembering are the Constitution, jazz, and baseball. Think about it-can you name other things equally worthy?
Baseball. If you're a fan, you've probably made the pilgrimage to Cooperstown. But if you haven't, take heart. A little bit of Cooperstown is here in New York. But catch it soon before the show packs up and heads to its next host museum.
So go to the American Museum of Natural History to see "Baseball as America." See Bobby Thompson's bat (from the "shot heard round the world"). See the bat used by Eddie Gaedel, who had exactly one inning as a pinch-hitter for St. Louis.
See improvements in hats, helmets, and mitts. See "improvements" that never caught on, like a bat with an angled grip-ergonomics, anyone? See trading cards, balls, uniforms, stadium seats, even an aluminum bat. (OK, so no exhibit is perfect.)
I revisited the exhibit recently with a friend who's a casual fan-he new Thompson, but not Gaedel-and he was fascinated.
Tickets are by timed admission and are...
"Nice article," said Darcy. "He even mentions me-sort of."
Lizzy laughed. "Don't be so smug. You only scored a 50% on his knowledge test."
"So, do you know who those two guys are?"
"Yes, I do. Everyone knows Thompson. The other one, Gaedel is famous because he was a 'little person,' as we say now. He was brought in to bat as a stunt. There were many more such things done years ago to liven things up and get the crowds to go to the park."
"Did you know about him before the exhibit?"
"Wellll..."
"Ha! So you would only have scored a 50%, too."
"All right, all right, you got me on that. I am glad you enjoyed the exhibit, though. It is bringing in lots of new visitors. And we have booked loads of school and summer camp groups. My volunteers are going to be kept hopping."
"Georgie said that she did a new room the other day."
"New? Oh, new to her. The New York natural history is wonderful. It's sort of out of the way, so a lot of visitors don't know about it."
"She said she liked the fire hydrant best. Does that make sense to you?"
"Yes, it does. There's a view of above and below a sidewalk. You see the hydrant and then the water pipes that run beneath it-also phone, electricity, sewers, steam, all the services we take for granted. It's impressive to think that all that stuff is beneath our feet. Some time when you visit me at work, I'll take you there to see it."
Darcy stood up and held out his hand to Lizzy. "I'd like that. Now, what do you say to dinner? And we should check with Mrs. R on tomorrow's party, too."
May 14
Darcy looked around the room, making sure that every guest had a drink. He nodded to Lizzy, who went to the kitchen to get Mrs. Reynolds. When they entered the room, he tapped on his glass to get everyone's attention. Lizzy brought Mrs. Reynolds to the front of the room, and Chris walked Georgie to her brother's side.
"Thank you all for coming this evening to celebrate Georgie's graduation," Darcy began. "But before we toast our graduate, I'd like to thank a very special woman." Mrs. Reynolds gently patted Lizzy on the back. Lizzy grinned up at the older woman.
Darcy continued, "Our housekeeper has been our very own fairy godmother since we were children. After our parents died, she helped me raise Georgie. So much credit for the lovely young lady we celebrate tonight goes to Mrs. Reynolds. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Margaret Reynolds!"
"Margaret Reynolds!" replied the guests.
Darcy embraced his housekeeper and whispered, "Nothing can ever repay you for all you've done, but here is a small attempt." He handed her an envelope.
Teary-eyed, Mrs. Reynolds accepted. "Thank you," she whispered back.
Darcy turned back to the guests. And now, I ask you to raise your glasses to our guest of honor, my baby sister, Georgiana Darcy."
"Georgiana Darcy!" cried the group, while Georgie glared at her brother.
Darcy continued, "I know, Georgie, you aren't a baby any more. In my heart, you'll always be my baby sister. But I promise that this will be the last time I call you that. You're all grown up and now you're a college graduate, soon to start law school. So, here's a gift in honor of your adult status and in anticipation of summer trips to the Island and Upstate," here he smiled at Chris, then handed Georgie a small box.
She unwrapped the box from Tiffany and Co. Expecting jewelry, she was surprised to find a gold key ring. Hanging from the ring were a gold fob with her monogram engraved on it and a single key. The key was a "blank," an uncut key. She looked at her brother quizzically.
"The dealer won't give me the key until I pay for the car, and I can't pay for it until you choose the color. He's holding several convertibles for you to look at."
"Oh Will!" Georgie hugged her brother, then turned to Chris and Lizzy, "Did you know?"
Lizzy grinned, "Yes. Will and I looked at several cars. We didn't know what color you'd want, and finally we decided to let you choose."
"Thank you. This is incredible!"
Darcy addressed the guests once more. "I have one more toast to make, to yet another special woman. I promised not to call Georgie my baby sister any more. And I have enlisted the aid of someone who will set me straight if I make that mistake-or any other-again. My fiancée, Elizabeth Bennet!"
"Elizabeth Bennet!"
Grinning, Charles clinked his college ring against his glass. Others joined in the clinking, the traditional signal for a bride and groom to kiss. Lizzy raised an eyebrow. Darcy shrugged. They moved together and kissed.
If Catherine deBourgh hadn't noticed Elizabeth's engagement ring before, she couldn't miss it as Lizzy moved her hand to Darcy's face. Catherine frowned when she saw Mrs. Bennet's beaming face.
Lewis nudged Catherine, "Cath, be happy for them. Everyone else is."
Catherine followed her husband's gaze. Anne and Richard stood together. He had his arm around her shoulders and the look she bestowed on him convinced her mother that Anne was, in fact, delighted with the situation.
Sighing, she told her husband, "I always thought it would be William. But you're right, Anne does look happy."
The hired waiters began to circulate with trays of food, and conversation picked up in small groups. Richard, who was in the mood for some fun, whispered to Anne, "Watch this."
Richard strolled over to the Bennets and Gardiners. He reintroduced himself and said, "Excuse me, but I must steal Mrs. Bennet for a few minutes. Come meet Aunt Catherine."
He steered Mrs. Bennet over to Anne's parents. "Aunt Catherine, Uncle Lewis, may I present Mrs. Bennet, Lizzy's mother."
There was an awkward silence as Mrs. Bennet waited for their congratulations. Then Lewis spoke, "Mrs. Bennet, congratulations on the engagement of your daughter. I'm sure she'll make Will very happy."
"Why thank you. And I understand that your daughter is also engaged. My other daughter, Jane is engaged, as well, and we've been quite busy planning her wedding. I'd be happy to pass along information I gather, to help with your daughter's wedding."
Catherine was horrified. Some suburban matron was never going to have a hand in planning Anne's wedding! Fortunately, Anne had joined the group. She decided to smooth over the situation.
"Thank you so much, Mrs. Bennet. But Richard and I have been engaged for only a few days. We haven't given any thought to the wedding."
"Actually, I have," remarked Richard. Her suspicions aroused by the studied casual air Richard had adopted, Anne shot him the "shut up, dear" look that every married man knows.
Still untrained, Richard continued, "Yes, I thought a beach wedding, a luau to follow. Everyone could wear Hawaiian shirts-"
"Would you excuse us, please?" said Anne, smiling sweetly. Once she had steered Richard onto the terrace she snapped, "What were you up to? I know you love to push Mother's buttons. But to do that in front of Lizzy's mother is inexcusable."
"I'm sorry, Annie. It was just too tempting." He tried to look contrite.
"Stop it!"
"What?"
"Stop looking so damn cute. You know I can't-mmmph."
Inside, the two mothers of the brides-to-be watched Anne march Richard out of the room. Catherine sighed, "Richard is never serious. I do hope he will learn to behave himself."
Unaware that her daughter had 'stolen' Anne's 'intended,' Mrs. Bennet added, "Lizzy's fiancé is so considerate. I know he'll take good care of her. But I know what you mean about not being serious. Lizzy can be so flippant some times. I've tried to teach her to be a lady, but sometimes she can be so independent."
"Anne is the same way. It's just a constant negotiation with her."
"I had to fight to make Lizzy go to ballet class. Jane loved it, but Lizzy wasn't as interested. She did stick with the piano lessons, though."
"Anne would have been a proficient, I'm sure, if only she had practiced."
"Girls can be so difficult. Do you have any sons?"
"No, just Anne."
"I have only girls, too. Four of them. You don't know how I've suffered!"
By this time, Mr. Bennet had introduced himself to Lewis deBourgh. He pointed to their wives and said, "What do you think they're talking about so intensely?"
"I believe they're comparing notes on how difficult it was to bring up their daughters. I don't know how your Elizabeth was as a child, but my Annie was a handful. Catherine has enough Anne stories to entertain your wife all night."
"Ah, I see," replied Mr. Bennet. "Well then, we don't have to swap daddy's little girl stories. Why don't we just agree that our daughters are delightful creatures and let it go at that?"
"You have a deal, sir!" Lewis saw his niece approaching. "Ah, here's the graduate. Congratulations, Georgie!"
"Yes, indeed, congratulations!" added Mr. Bennet. "How was Dr. Michaels's final?"
"Um, some of the questions, well.." Georgie looked embarrassed.
"It's all right, my dear."
"Well, I know you're friends. I saw you talking to him the day you gave your lecture."
"Friends, no. Acquaintances would be the better word. I knew him as an undergrad. I dare say he isn't much smarter now than he was then."
"Some of the questions were worded so ambiguously that it was hard to know what he was looking for in an answer. And he asked about stuff not covered in our reading or in his lectures. There's a lot of luck involved in taking his tests."
"And now it's on to law school, where the professors are supposedly even crazier than Art Michaels! Good luck, Georgie."
"Thank you. Mr. Bennet, have you met my other aunt and uncle? Come, let me introduce you."
Not surprisingly, Tom Bennet and Matt Fitzwilliam hit it off instantly. Pleased with having introduced them, Georgie excused herself and walked over to where Chris was standing with his parents.
"Dr. and Mrs. Carter, thank you so much for coming down for my graduation."
"Please, call us Ellen and John," said Mrs. Carter, smiling. Or maybe someday Mom and Dad?
"And I do hope you'll come Upstate some time soon," said Dr. Carter. "Maybe Memorial Day Weekend. And definitely for the Fourth of July! It's real small-town America. We don't have fireworks by Gucci or whoever they are, but it's a lot of fun."
Georgie smiled. "That sounds nice. I hadn't thought about the Fourth. In Boston, we used to go hear the Pops play and watch the fireworks. People take their boats out on the Charles River. Some of them party a little too much, and go zooming off into the night when the fireworks are over."
"The house party is this weekend, and next weekend is Memorial Day, right?" said Chris. "We should do Memorial Day Upstate. What do you think, Georgie?"
"Okay. I have to fight the urge to say 'Let me check my assignment list.' It's hard to imagine that I have all summer to relax."
"And drive your convertible!" added Chris.
Later that evening, as she was putting away the glasses that had been used at the party, Mrs. Reynolds remembered the envelope that Darcy had given her. She gasped when she looked through the contents.
"Mrs. R, could we bother you-"
"Oh, Mr. Darcy! This is too generous!"
"Not at all. You've been so much help all these years, I thought you should have a treat. Lizzy and I will be on our cruise in July, and I thought you and your sister should enjoy the city. So work out a time and use the money to buy her plane ticket. The card from Fernando's will get you dinner there. He'll just bill me. The other two restaurants won't do that, so I got you gift certificates. The IOU for play tickets is from Lizzy. She said you should tell her the date and your choice of play and she'll take care of it."
"It really is too kind. Oh, you came in here for something. I'm sorry, what was it you wanted?"
"Just some tea and a little more cake?"
"For two or for four?"
"Just two. Georgie and Chris have gone back to his place. His parents were driving home tonight."
"Tea and cake coming right up!"
"Thanks, Mrs. R."
Georgie snuggled closer to Chris. He kissed her forehead. "Happy?"
"Oh, yes. What a wonderful day! And what a wonderful ending to it, too."
"Mmm. Have you decided about this weekend?"
"What about it?"
"Our sleeping arrangements. Are we going to do the boys' and girls' cottages, or have a room in the main house?"
"As hostess, I should stay in the main house. And to conserve space, I think you should share my room."
"To conserve space."
"Yes. I am very practical, you know, Chris."
"You have so many fine qualities, Honey, I don't know how to keep track of them all." He sat up, dislodging Georgie from her place in his arms.
"Hey!"
"Sorry to disturb you. I have another present for you."
"Oh, Chris! You didn't have to do that. The locket was enough. It's beautiful."
"This isn't from me. Mom gave it to me and said I could decide about when to give it to you."
"I don't understand."
"It's from Nikki." He handed Georgie a small present.
"It feels like a book," said Georgie, unwrapping it. Then she laughed, "Look!"
"Now there's an original present. One Hundred Lawyer Jokes"
Georgie opened the book and read the inscription. "Listen to this. 'If you really want to be a lawyer, then you better get used to the jokes.' I wonder if they have my favorite in here."
"What's that?"
"Why don't sharks attack lawyers in the surf?"
"Why?"
"Professional courtesy!" giggled Georgie. As she leafed through the book, a small envelope fell out.
"I wonder what's in it?" said Chris.
"Let's see. Oh!" Georgie found a gift certificate for a well-known lingerie company. "Listen to this, 'When you have to dress all serious and lawyerly, it'll add to your confidence to know you're wearing something wonderful underneath the suit. Good luck, Nikki.' How about that?"
"I wanted to talk to you about her. I know she upset you last winter, but I think she'd like to try and be friends, if you're willing."
"You know, when your father mentioned another visit Upstate, I thought about Nikki. I would like to see her again. No, not to rub her nose in the fact that I'm your girlfriend and she isn't. But I reacted so badly to her, I need to try again. And she has been a friend of yours for so long, I'd like to get to know her."
"I think she'd like that. When I've been home and run into her, she has asked about you and how you are. She said you're probably the smartest girl I've dated."
Georgie snorted, "Hmph! I certainly didn't act very smart that weekend! Were your other girlfriends that dim?"
"Nikki never thought anyone was good enough for me. But I think Mom gave her a talking to, and Nik would like to make amends. You sure you're up to it?"
"Yeah. I can do anything if I know I have you near me."
May 15
Darcy picked up Lizzy outside the 79th Street entrance to the museum. She glanced at her watch and asked, "Are we on time?"
"Yes. Well, actually, a bit early."
Lizzy reached over and squeezed Darcy's hand, "That's my control freak, always allow extra time."
"Hmm, we'll have to see how my control over my sister works when she hasn't been at home."
"Bet she's there already, standing outside the dealership, looking at her watch in true Darcy style."
Darcy pointed at the glass-fronted building. "No, she isn't there. I hope she won't be too late." He parked the car, and opened the door for Lizzy. As she got out, she pointed.
"Look at that," she said softly. Inside the building, Georgie was talking animatedly with one of the salesmen. Chris was laughing at something one of them had said.
"Is that my sister?" asked Darcy.
"Isn't it wonderful?" Lizzy replied.
They walked into the building and Georgie called them over. "There you are! I couldn't wait, so Chris and I got here early. I've decided on the light blue."
Darcy shook the salesman's hand, introduced Lizzy, and looked at Georgie's choice of Lebaron convertible. "You're sure?"
"Yes. I thought about the red, but then Chris said the blue matches my eyes, and..."
Lizzy laughed. "Sounds like a good reason to me."
"Sorry to be practical, Sweetie, but did you sit in it? Can you see out all right, feel comfortable with the pedals and all that?"
"Yes, Will."
"Mr. Darcy," said the salesman, "This car has electric seats, so she can adjust it to exactly the right position. Also, it's programmable, which means once she has her setting locked in, she can return the seat to that position after someone else has driven the car." At this, the salesman looked at Chris, whose height would require him to adjust the seat in any car Georgie had driven.
"Very well, then. It appears you have made a sale. I have the insurance information here. As long as she's a student, I'll cover her on my insurance." Darcy, Georgie, and the salesman sat down to go over the details. Lizzy and Chris wandered around the showroom, idly looking at cars.
"Graduating didn't do that for me," remarked Chris.
"What? Get you a new car?"
"No. Get me all that confidence. She wanted to get here early, so we did. She found the salesman Will had talked to, asked to see the cars, asked a bunch of questions."
"About the engine?"
"No," laughed Chris. "I asked those questions. But she wanted to know about the CD player, how the top mechanism works, and what she'd have to do to put the top up in a hurry if it rains."
"Impressive. Quiet little Georgie is coming out of her shell. But I don't think it's about graduating, Chris. I think a lot of the credit for her confidence goes to you."
Chris looked over toward the desk where Georgie was sitting with her brother. He sighed and said softly, "She's really something. I've never known-Lizzy, may I ask you a personal question?"
"You may ask. Whether I'll answer depends on the question."
"How do you know? I mean, how did you decide that you wanted to marry Will?"
Lizzy shrugged. "Lots of things. I just knew. But I'll tell you what I told Georgie."
"Georgie asked you that?"
"Mmm hmm. She did. A while ago, before she ever slept with you."
"Wow. So, what did you tell her?"
"I don't remember exactly, but try to visualize the two of you together in the future. Imagine being old together. Imagine taking turns walking the floor with a teething baby. Think about the mundane and sometimes unpleasant things in life. It's easy to imagine sharing the good times. But what about the tough times? Although, I must admit you've already done a good job of dealing with some of the bad times."
"I've thought about asking her to move in with me, but my place is so small, it's only practical for one person on a permanent basis."
"Let me think about that a bit. I just might have an idea that could help."
"What?"
"No, no. I don't want to suggest something that may not work out. Go on as you are for the meantime, and let me work on Cardinal Richelieu over there, okay?"
May 16
Lizzy grabbed a towel to wipe her hands before she picked up the telephone in the kitchen.
"Hello?"
"Hi, Lizzy. We're here!"
"All in one piece, no scratches on the new car?"
"Safe and sound! The car is fantastic! Is Will there?"
"No, he's running late at work. How are the party plans going?"
"Great! Mrs. R and Mrs. Clark have it all under control. Kitty and I are going to decorate Saturday morning. Tomorrow, we're going to make up little schedules to put in the guests' rooms. Kitty will letter the master and then we'll go to a copy shop and have them duplicated on little cards."
"Georgie, you saw 'Gosford Park' way too many times."
"Not possible. What time will you get here tomorrow?"
"For dinner. We're all hoping to slip away from work a bit early. Mary and Peter will meet us here and then Anne will collect us all. It's nice of her father to lend us the limo."
"If you have to go somewhere, go in style my dear," said Georgie in her best Aunt Catherine voice.
"I'll try to remember that. Have fun. We'll see you tomorrow."
Lizzy hung up the telephone and returned to the stove. She heated some oil in a pan and tossed in the onions.
"Hi honey, I'm home!"
"In the kitchen!"
"Mmm, smells good." Darcy stood behind Lizzy and wrapped his arms around her waist. He kissed her neck. "You smell good, too."
"I think all you can smell at the moment are onions, Will."
"Try to give a girl a compliment and that's the thanks you get!"
Lizzy turned around in his arms. "If it's thanks you're wanting..."
Darcy pulled back from the kiss and smiled, "That's more like it. What's for dinner?"
"Shrimp stir fry. Which means I need to stir the pan."
Darcy released Lizzy and leaned on the counter as she tossed ingredients into the frying pan, shaking the pan to mix the contents.
"Mrs. R's lessons have paid off. You shake that pan like a pro."
"It's amazing. I've discovered that I actually like cooking."
"Good, because I like eating. Shall I open some wine?"
"Yes please! Oh, Georgie called. They're fine. The car is fine. Plans are going well. From what Georgie has said earlier, Kitty is a marvel of organization, working out room assignments and all that."
"I wonder who gets the master suite?" Darcy handed Lizzy a glass of wine. "I suppose Georgie and Chris should have it since it's her party. But I'm the older sibling, so maybe we should have it. I guess it doesn't matter. There are several suites and lots of guest rooms, so I'm sure it will work out fine."
"I'm intrigued. This house must be huge."
Darcy shrugged, "It's pretty big, but it isn't a mansion. It's sprawling, I guess you'd say. You'll see tomorrow."
"I'm looking forward to it. Dinner's ready!" Lizzy put the food on plates and carried them to the table, while Darcy brought the wine. He held her chair and then sat across from her.
"This is nice, having the place all to ourselves," he said. "Too bad I have to waste the opportunity. I have a lot of work to do tonight if I'm going to leave early tomorrow."
"That's all right, Will. I have things to read tonight, too."
After dinner, they carried their coffee cups into the study. Lizzy settled on the sofa, while Darcy sat at his desk. From time to time, he would look up as he heard paper hit the floor. He began to notice a pattern. Lizzy would sigh, and then more paper would land on the carpet.
"Lizzy? What's wrong?"
"I can't do this."
"Do what?"
"This," she held up a handful of wedding-related brochures. "I can't do this."
"Lizzy! You don't mean it! Please, Love, whatever it is, we can work it out."
Seeing Darcy's stricken expression, she smiled weakly. "Oh, no, Will. I don't mean that. I do want to marry you. It isn't being married that's worrying me. It's getting married."
Darcy sat next to Lizzy and wrapped his arms around her. "Is it really so bad?" he asked softly.
"Oh, Will, I don't like any of Mom's ideas." Darcy started to say something, but she stopped him. "I know, I know. You say we could elope, but it wouldn't be right. I want my parents and sisters there. And I want your family to be there, too. But I don't want a gown that looks like it came from Scarlet O'Hara's closet. And I don't want to have a reception in a huge wedding factory, no matter how big the fountain out front is. It's going to be a constant fight, and I don't want to hate my wedding!"
"I certainly don't want you to hate it, either. Put that stuff away for now. Your father and I can help manage things with your mother. Let her focus on Jane's wedding for now, and just tune out all this bother."
"What do you want?"
"You."
"No, I mean about our wedding. What sort of wedding do you want?"
"I always thought the bride made all the decisions. I never thought much about it. Too bad Ocean Life is closed. We could have had the reception in the museum. Could we rent one of the dinosaur halls for a reception? Or the Egyptian temple at the Met?"
"What?"
"Or the park? We could get married in Central Park, on stage at the Delacorte Theatre."
"Will, we couldn't."
"Well, then, what about Radio City? Or if we wait for winter, on the ice at Rockefeller Center or at the rink in the park."
"You aren't taking this seriously." Lizzy tried not to giggle.
"Port Authority! We could get married at the bus terminal, and then hop a Greyhound somewhere. No? Train station, then. We could buy out a couple of Amtrack cars and have a rolling wedding."
Will!" Lizzy was laughing so hard that tears were streaming down her face.
Darcy reached out to wipe away a tear. "There, that's better. If you must cry, please let it be from laughing."
"Thank you, Will. I feel a lot better now."
Posted on Thursday, 12 September 2002
May 17
Darcy answered the door to see his cousin standing in the foyer, suitcase by his side.
"We're almost ready, Richard. Oh, tennis racket. Good idea, I hadn't thought about that. I don't even know if Lizzy plays."
"Plays what, Will?" asked Lizzy as she approached the door.
"Tennis."
"Oh. I haven't played in ages. I'm not good at judging distance when something's coming right at me. Ask Jane. I always swing at the first pitch when we play softball, too. Dad says it's the only way I can get my radar adjusted. Oops! That's the intercom. Anne's probably downstairs."
Lizzy answered the intercom while Darcy collected Peter and Mary, who had been enjoying the view from the balcony. They piled into the elevator. As it descended, Darcy whispered something in Lizzy's ear, which made her blush.
"What's going on there?" asked Richard.
"Nothing," answered Lizzy and Darcy in perfect unison.
"Yeah, right," muttered Richard. "You two probably make out in the elevator. Penthouse express elevator makes it easy. You can use both hands."
"What do you mean?"
"I remember taking dates home and hoping we'd get in the elevator all by ourselves."
"What if someone got on at another floor?" asked Peter.
"Nobody can if you press the 'no stop' button. You reach out one arm to hold the button and use the other arm to hang onto your date."
"What if the elevator was so big that she could stand out of arms reach?" asked Mary.
"Then she'd be history. I'd find a girl whose buildings had smaller elevators!"
The limo was parked in front of the apartment building. Carlton helped the driver stow the luggage and waved goodbye as the car pulled into traffic.
Mary looked down at her slacks and sweater. "This is like a prom limo. I feel underdressed for the occasion."
"You look fine, Mary," said Anne. "Nobody is in formal gear today."
"How long until we get there? I'm hungry," whined Richard.
"I'm so glad you asked," relied Anne. She reached into a shopping bag and pulled out a bottle of champagne and some packages. "Here, Richie, earn your snack by opening this. And don't shake it!"
"As if I would do that."
Anne handed Lizzy the glasses and opened the packages of appetizers.
"A rolling picnic," laughed Darcy.
"Mmm,"' said Lizzy. "Some of these look like the ones from your New Year's Eve care package."
"It's the same caterer. Wait a minute! How do you know what was in Darce's care package from Mother's party?"
"Oh, um, he brought it to my place that night."
"Darce?"
"All right, I confess. I'm sorry, Anne. I played hooky from the party, and then on a last-minute thing I spent New Year's Eve at Lizzy's."
"So all that time we were working to set you two up, you were already dating? You sneak!"
Georgie and Chris sat in the swing on the verandah. Sandy and Kitty snuggled on a wicker sofa nearby.
"What a view," sighed Kitty. The gardens must be heavenly in the summer when everything is in bloom. And you can see Long Island Sound in the background."
"I wish we had time to take the boat out," remarked Sandy. "I don't get a lot of opportunities to sail back home."
"Speaking of home, when do you leave?" asked Chris.
"We leave Tuesday," said Kitty, "And I'll stay out there for two weeks. I'm hopping that I'll hear about that kindergarten job at the Ladybug School before we go."
"We'll keep our fingers crossed for you," said Georgie. "Oh! I hear a car. Maybe that's them!"
Georgie ran down the steps and around the house to the driveway, with her friends following closely behind. She skidded to a stop, then walked serenely to the limo. As her guests got out, she greeted them regally.
"Welcome to Matlock House. So glad you could come. I hope you'll all have a lovely time here. Richard, would you be a dear and show Peter to the Darcy cottage? That will be the boys' cottage. Anne, your parents' cottage will be the girls' cottage. You and Mary are sharing a room, so why don't you show Mary the way."
"What about my parents' cottage?" asked Richard.
"You're in your own room. Mark and Erica and your parents are staying there tomorrow night, too. So after you show Peter to his room, you can settle yourself in. Okay? Good, then I'll just escort Will and Lizzy to their room. Drinks in forty-five minutes, will that be enough time for everyone? Lovely! We'll be on the verandah in the meantime."
"Well, fiddle-dee-dee, Miss Scahlet," said Lizzy in her best Southern-belle drawl, "Ah just don' know when Ah've seen a nicah home oah a nicah settin'."
"I say," said Darcy, employing his best British accent, "Tis rawthah pleasant, wot?"
Laughing, they entered the house and were shown to the master suite.
"Oh, my! It really is lovely, Georgie. It has such a wonderful view and it even has its own tiny balcony!"
"My only concern in giving you this room is that it will overlook the party, so if we go on into the wee hours, it will be noisy."
Darcy shrugged, "That won't be a problem. The noise just means we can be as loud as-ouch!" Lizzy swatted his arm. Georgie blushed.
"The room is charming, Georgie. Ignore your brother. Too much time in a limo with Richard and champagne does things to people. Do I need to change for dinner?"
"No, it's casual tonight. Read your programme and you'll see." Georgie pointed to the card on the dresser and left the room.
"This is a wonderful room, Will. It has a little sitting room to one side, and the bath is magnificent!"
"The bed is big," said Darcy suggestively.
"Later. I want a tour before dinner."
"Lizzy!"
"Don't whine. You've already embarrassed your sister once today. If we go down to dinner all disheveled, she'll be mortified. This is supposed to be a dignified family evening."
As soon as they were settled, Peter and Mary joined the others on the verandah.
"So, what do you guys think," asked Sandy with a wink. "Will we see your sister and Will any time soon, or will they be late to dinner?"
"Sandy!" Kitty swatted at his arm. "Don't be rude. Georgie is trying to have a dignified evening here."
"What about Richard and Morticia?" asked Chris.
"No," answered Georgie. "I'm pretty sure they'll be on time for dinner. In the meantime, can I get anything for anyone?"
"No," replied Mary. "Nothing for me. But tell me about this house. It's wonderful. When I heard North Shore, I was expecting a mansion like the one in "Sabrina." But this isn't a mansion, it's a house, if you know what I mean."
"I do. My grandparents built this originally as a summer home, and they wanted an informal feel, which is why it has the natural shingles instead of brick or stone facing. Eventually, they decided that they wanted to live here year-round. And over the years, as they enlarged it, the sprawling feel developed. They added the three cottages for their three children."
"It reminds me of the time we went to Newport. I don't remember how Mom got Dad to take us there-we seldom had vacations that didn't involve Civil War sites. Anyhow, Mom was all excited about the mansions. They were so ornate, I found them to be way over the top. But I liked Hammersmith. So did Lizzy. It was a big frame house, sort of like this."
"What's Hammersmith?" asked Kitty.
"It's the house Jack and Jackie Kennedy were married in," replied Mary. "It was in her family, not his."
"Didn't the Kennedys live on Cape Cod?" asked Peter.
"Yes, but the wedding was at the bride's house, in Newport. It's a lovely home in a marvelous setting. Too bad it was sold again. The new owners don't have it open to the public any more."
The back door opened, and Darcy and Lizzy emerged.
"Hi! You all look comfortable. I'm going to give Lizzy a quick tour of the grounds. See you in a little while." Darcy took Lizzy by the hand and led her down the steps.
"Going to the boathouse, Will?" asked Georgie.
Darcy looked back at the group and laughed. "No, that was Richard's haunt, not mine!"
Lizzy looked up at him, "What was your haunt, then, Will?"
As they disappeared from sight behind a hedge, he kissed her and said, "There are several secluded benches in the gardens."
"What about the boat house?"
"One summer, Richard brought a girlfriend here. We were in high school, his family were all here, no big deal. But nobody knew that they were sneaking off to the boathouse."
"Who found out? Anne?"
"No, Georgie. She was very young, and thought they were making a play house in there."
"Oh no!
"Oh, yes! She asked at dinner, 'Richard, can I play with you and Monica in the boat house tomorrow?' You should have seen Richard's face. I didn't think a human being could turn such colors!"
"What about Anne?"
"Mercifully, she and her family weren't here that weekend."
"And Monica?"
"I have no idea what happened to her. I think she may have moved to Washington."
"Are you warm enough?" asked Richard. He and Anne sat on the dock, looking across Long Island Sound.
"I'm fine. But if we get cold, there's always the boat house."
"The boat house?" Did my voice just crack?
"Yes, I would hate to be the only girlfriend you've had who didn't get the tour of the boathouse."
"You knew? Who told you? Darce?"
"No! He'd never have ratted on you."
"Or told you anything that would hurt you. It must have been the little brat!"
"Georgie thought you were playing in there, and was unhappy that you wouldn't let her play there, too. She told me about it once. Come on Richie, it's funny."
"I hadn't thought about this."
"About what?"
"My history. You know way too much of it. Most wives gather ammunition over the course of a marriage. But you're going into this with a full arsenal."
Anne laughed softly. "I hadn't thought about it that way, but yes, I guess I do have lots of dirt on you."
"Not fair, I don't have any on you. I'm going to have to dig into your past."
"I don't have any interesting dirt in my past, sorry. Why don't we focus on the future instead?"
"Good idea!" Richard kissed her. "And the present's pretty good, too."
After a while, Anne said, "We should go up to the house. If we're the last ones there, we'll have to face all those raised eyebrows."
Richard stood up and offered his hand to help Anne up.
"Annie?"
"Yes?"
"I'm all alone in the cottage tonight, if, ah, you think..."
"OH. Um..."
"I'm sorry, I just thought, you know, opportunity and all that."
"I sort of wanted to wait."
"Wait?"
"Um, until we're married?"
"Oh."
"Richard, don't look disappointed. It isn't you. It's me. I, um, well, I've never..."
"Never?"
"No."
"You really did wait for me." Anne nodded and Richard wrapped his arms around her. "I don't deserve you, Annie."
"Don't say that, Darling. I've loved you for so long that it wasn't even something I thought about. And I don't care about women in your past. Just so long as they stay there. In the past."
"That I can promise you, Annie m'love." He kissed her again, then looked at his watch. "We will be late to dinner. Come on!"
"Dinner was delicious, Georgie. Did you plan the menu?"
"Thanks, Lizzy." Georgie smiled. "It was a group effort. Mrs. Clark, Mrs. R, Kitty, and I worked out the food for the whole weekend."
"How are Mrs. R and Mrs. Clark doing together?" asked Darcy.
"Just great. Mrs. Clark said she hasn't had this much fun in ages. The Clarks have just been caretakers for so many years, this weekend is a novelty."
Mrs. Clark pushed the dining room door open just as Georgie finished speaking. "It is indeed a novelty. If I may, I'd like to suggest that now that you have all rediscovered the old family home you'll spend more time here. Miss Georgiana, would you like to have coffee and dessert in here or in the living room?"
"We'll have it in here, please. And we may have some more coffee in the living room later."
"Very good." Mrs. Clark left the room and returned shortly after that with coffee and dessert.
"Oh!" said Anne, with her hand over her heart. "Your lemon custard! This brings back memories. I can't remember the last time I had this! Mother's cook never makes it."
"It's warm!" exclaimed Mary. I always expect custards to be cold."
"No, it's baked in the oven. And you have to do it in a bain marie so that it cooks slowly," said Anne. All heads turned to look at her.
"What? You didn't know I could cook? Mother made me take lessons from Mrs. Clark. And, no, I didn't mean to make it sound like a chore. It was kind of nice to have something all my own to do while you boys were out doing boy stuff."
"What's a bain marie?" asked Peter.
"It's a water bath. Literally, it means 'Mary's bath.' You put the little dishes in a pan of water and that way the custard doesn't set too quickly in the oven.
"Right," he nodded, "The water is a poor conductor of heat, so it would absorb the oven's heat and transfer it slowly to the dessert."
"Physics major," Mary mouthed silently, rolling her eyes.
"I saw that, missy! That roll of the eyes was pure Lydia!" laughed Peter.
"Oh noooo! I am so sorry! The last think I want to do is be reminded of Lydia!"
"That bad?" asked Lizzy.
"Nonstop whining ever since she found out we were invited out here. Dad tried to explain that she'd be too young for the group, but she didn't want to hear it. All she knows is that it's, like, so unfair. And she, like, never gets to do anything. And poor Jane has to put up with that tonight."
"Oh," said Chris, Is that where Charles and Jane are tonight?"
"He's covering a game," said Lizzy, "and Jane is doing wedding planning with Mom tonight. They promise to make an early start and be out here tomorrow morning."
"How's the wedding fever developing?" asked Anne. "Mother said that she and your mother had a long talk about weddings and our general shortcomings as daughters at the party the other evening."
"Yes. My mother was very impressed with your mother. 'Such a lady. So refined.' She went on and on. And then she told me how you and I should pay attention to Jane's wedding plans and see how a dutiful daughter behaves."
"OK, let's make a pact, Lizzy," laughed Anne. "We vow to keep our mothers apart! They only reinforce each other's attitudes!"
"Agreed! I wonder how Jane does it. Mom goes on and on and on. And Jane smiles and nods. Of course, it is fairly easy for her because most of what Mom is suggesting is stuff that Jane wants. Still, I'm glad I don't have to be there tonight."
After dessert, the group settled in the living room.
"What a comfortable room," sighed Lizzy, settling into a huge overstuffed chair. "The whole house is just so inviting. Perfect for a family weekend."
"Remember all the games we used to play, Darce?" asked Richard.
"Yes, we would play Monopoly and card games on rainy days. Crazy rummy! Does anyone remember the rules to that?"
"I bet we could figure it out if we tried. Hey, Gorgeous, are there any cards?"
Georgie shrugged, "I don't know. Anyhow, can you play it with so many people?"
"You use two decks if it's more than four, I do remember that," answered Richard. "But ten people probably is too many. What else, then. Is there a Trivial Pursuit around?"
"No, I didn't bring one. What about Scatergories?"
"Charades," said Anne. "I remember our parents teaching us to play charades."
"Great idea!" said Sandy. "I love charades. How do we do teams?"
"Girls against the boys!" cried Kitty. "Each team makes up slips of paper with things for the other team to act out. Ten minutes, and then we start!"
Georgie got pads and pencils from the desk and the two teams set to work, trying to think up stumpers for the other team. Darcy ran to the kitchen to borrow a timer. Soon, they had moved the furniture so that the teams could sit on facing sofas with an "acting" space in the center.
Lizzy went first. She reached into the bag that held the "boy's" puzzles. Reading her choice, she groaned. She closed her eyes for a moment, then nodded.
"Ready." Lizzy mimed singing, and the girls all shouted, "Song Title,"
Then Lizzy pointed to Georgie, then Mary.
"Girl!"
"Sister."
"Woman."
"Her."
"She." Lizzy touched her nose and nodded. Then she shook her head emphatically.
"No."
"Never." Again, Lizzy touched her nose. The girls repeated, "She never."
Lizzy pouted and rubbed her eyes.
"Cried." Lizzy nodded. "She never cried."
Lizzy made the sign for little word.
"A"
"If"
"When." Lizzy pointed at Anne, who repeated "She never cried when."
Lizzy hobbled around the space, smacking her gums.
"Old."
Next, she pointed to Kitty's yellow shirt.
"Yellow." Lizzy nodded.
"Old Yellow? Huh?" said Mary. Lizzy mimed panting like a dog.
"Old Yeller!" cried Anne. "She never cried when Old Yeller-"
Lizzy flopped onto the floor.
"Dead. No, died," said Georgie. "She never cried when Old Yeller Died. That's a song? This is yours, isn't it, Richard?"
"Keep going," he laughed, "She isn't done yet." The boys were all laughing by now.
Lizzy mimed a needle and thread.
"So."
Lizzy tugged her ear and pointed to her eye.
"Sounds like...eye. My, sigh, die, why? Why!"
"OK, She never cried when Old Yeller died so why..."
Lizzy pointed to herself and then mimed crying again.
"So why I cry-so why should I cry."
Lizzy nodded and pointed to her watch.
"Time."
Lizzy shook her head and pointed emphatically."
"Minute? Second?"
"When? Now?"
Lizzy nodded, and pointed to the girls again.
"She."
Lizzy nodded and pointed at the door.
"Away? Out?"
"Recap," said Anne. "She never cried when Old Yeller Died, so why should I cry now she-now she's gone. Is that it?"
Lizzy nodded and collapsed onto the sofa. "Time?"
"One minute, fifty one," said Darcy. All right, Sandy is up next.
Sandy drew a slip from the "girl's" bag. He shook his head and grimaced.
"Ready, Sandy?" asked Lizzy, as she accepted the timer from Darcy. "Go!"
Sandy mimed cranking a movie camera.
"Movie title. Woo hoo! We're going now."
Sandy held up four fingers.
"Four words. Fourth word. Fourth word, you're starting at the end?"
Sandy nodded. He wandered around the space, looking lost. He stopped and scratched his head and shrugged.
"Lost. You're lost." Sandy shook his head.
"Keys! You can't find your keys."
Sandy repeated the shrug and head scratch.
"Your head itches!" Sandy shook his head vehemently as the girls giggled. He repeated the shrugging and head scratching and then snapped to attention and tapped his head.
"You found it!"
"You remembered," said Darcy.
Sandy nodded and pointed to Darcy.
"War and Remembrance!" exclaimed Richard.
"No," said Chris, "That's only three words."
They turned their attention back to Sandy, who held up two fingers.
"Second word. Sandy, this is all backwards!"
He shook his head and held up two fingers again.
"Not second word. Two. To!" cried Richard.
"Something something to Remember," said Darcy, as the girls continued to giggle.
"'A Night to Remember!' The movie about the Titanic!" exclaimed Peter.
"No!" chorused the girls. "Keep going, guys!"
Sandy held up two fingers.
"Two? Second word? OK, second word."
Sandy placed two fingers against his arm.
"Second syllable."
Sandy nodded and tugged his ear and pulled on his hair.
"Sounds like ... hair. Mare? Pear? Swear?"
"Bare, care, dare?"
"Fare?"
Sandy touched his nose.
"Fare to remember?" recapped Peter. "A Fair to Remember?"
Sandy jumped up and down excitedly.
"What? Did I get it?"
Sandy shook his head and held up one finger. Then he made the sign for little word.
"First word, little word."
"A."
Sandy asked them to stretch it.
"An."
He nodded and signed for them to recap.
"An Affair to Remember?"
Lizzy stopped the timer. "One minute, thirty-two seconds."
"We're ahead!" cried Richard.
"Not if we graded on a per-word basis," laughed Mary. "You guys only had four words, poor Lizzy had that long title."
Anne's turn was in the last round. She looked at the slip she had drawn. She grinned wickedly and turned to face her team.
She mimed singing.
"Song title."
She made a large circle with her arms.
"Whole idea."
Anne gestured to Lizzy to follow her, then hobbled away as if she were hunchbacked.
"She's the hunchback of Notre Dame?"
Anne looked back and opened her eyes wide.
"No, no! She's Igor. Oh, oh, I've got it!" squealed Georgie, "Walk This Way!"
Darcy stopped the timer. "I don't believe this. How did you get that?"
"Didn't you ever see 'Young Frankenstein,' Darce?" asked Anne. "Igor, the hunchbacked assistant says 'Walk this way,' when he meets Frankenstein, and Gene Wilder walks hunched over. It's a sight joke, Darce, you really had to see it."
Anne's rapid turn followed by Richard's difficulty with "Castles" for the movie "Ice Castles" gave the girls the win by 49 seconds. They took a victory lap, dancing around the room, while the boys complained that the use of chick-flick titles was unfair.
"Fine!" retorted Lizzy. "Next time, no chick flicks. And no obscure country songs, either. I'm not even sure that is as song!"
"Yes it is!" declared Richard, who proceeded to sing the song about a girl who "didn't stand up for the national anthem and wasn't a John Wayne fan."
Soon, Georgie announced her need to retire, as she had major hostessing duties the next day. Richard and Peter walked Anne and Mary to the cottages. Kitty and Sandy said goodnight, leaving Lizzy and Darcy alone in the living room.
"That was fun," said Lizzy as she snuggled up to Darcy.
"You say that because your team won. 'Ice Castles' was really a movie?"
"Yes. It's about a girl who's a promising skater, only she goes blind and then she comes back and competes, even though she can't see. And then the fans throw the roses, and she trips, and so everyone knows, and there's this great make-you-wanna-cry song, and-"
"All right, all right, I get the idea."
"Don't say it."
"Say what? Chick flick?"
"Will! I told you not to say it!"
"Sorry, Love. Well, we're the last ones up. I should check in and see if Mr. Clark is still up, or if I have to lock up. I'll see you upstairs in a few minutes."
Darcy wasn't surprised to find a light on in the kitchen in the dead of night. Mrs. Clark had said that there would be snacks for anyone with a middle-of-the-night appetite, so it made sense that she would leave a light on. After the good dinner they'd had, he didn't think anyone would partake of the nibbles. He stopped just inside the doorway.
"Georgie! I didn't expect to see anyone here."
"I woke up and decided a small snack might get me back to sleep."
"How's Chris?" I mean, uh, is he asleep?"
"He's sleeping. This is really weird, isn't it?"
Darcy poured a glass of milk and sighed, "Yes it is. There are some things I'd just rather not think about if it's OK with you."
"Thanks, that makes me feel better. What are you doing up? Or is that something I shouldn't ask."
Darcy sat down at the table. "I couldn't sleep. I sometimes have trouble getting to sleep in a strange bed."
"How many strange beds have you slept in, Will?"
"Not that. I mean in a strange place. Somewhere I'm not used to being. I thought you knew that I don't sleep well the first night out in a hotel. And I'm not sure I've ever slept in the house. We always stayed out at our cottage. And to be honest, it's a little strange knowing you and Chris are together just down the hall."
"I find it a bit, um, off-putting, too. Being down the hall from you, I mean."
"I'm sorry if I've done anything to make up uncomfortable."
"No, it isn't you. I'm just keyed up about tomorrow, I guess."
"Well, you did fine as hostess tonight, Sweetie. I'm sure tomorrow will go well."
"Hey, you abandoned me in the middle of the night-" Chris broke off when he saw that Georgie wasn't alone. "Sorry, I didn't realize you had company."
"Did I wake you when I got up?"
"No, I just sensed that I was alone, um, and..."
Darcy chucked, "It's all right, Chris. I'll take my milk upstairs with me. Goodnight. Try to get some sleep. Oh. I didn't mean that the way it sounded. I, uh, oh, goodnight."
Posted on Thursday, 12 September 2002
May 18
Jane and Charles arrived early on Saturday morning, and other guests began to arrive soon after. Georgie greeted each guest, and Kitty helped show guests to their rooms. Lizzy and Darcy offered to help, but Georgie insisted that it was her weekend to be the hostess, and Kitty was her second-in-command.
Since they weren't needed at the house, Darcy offered to take Lizzy, Jane, and Charles on a tour of the grounds. When they got to the tennis courts, they found Richard and Anne playing tennis.
"Who's winning?"
"We aren't keeping score," replied Richard. "Think you can beat me, Darce?"
"Sure. But I'm busy doing the guided tour-"
"Chicken!"
"Am not!"
"Are too!"
"Boys, boys," said Anne in her most grown-up voice. "Let's not argue. I can take our guests on a tour. Why don't you get your racquet, Darce? I'm sure you can return his rifle-shot serves better than I can."
Anne blew a kiss to Richard and walked off the court. She smiled at Jane and Charles and said, "Maybe we can do a doubles tournament some weekend."
"That's kind of risky, you know," said Charles.
"Why? Afraid of losing?"
"No. I'm not concerned about winning and losing. But playing doubles could be one of those tests of a relationship, like trying to paddle a canoe together."
"Well, you can rest easy on one account, anyhow, Charles," laughed Anne. "We don't have any canoes here."
"Say it!"
"You won."
"That isn't what I meant. Say it!"
"Come on! I never made you say it when I won!"
"Tough, Darce. Say it!"
"Yrthmsterfthcrts," Darcy mumbled.
"Excuse me? I didn't quite get that."
"Ugh! All right! You are the master of the courts. Happy?"
Richard grinned, "Ecstatic."
"Oh, your grandmasterness, perhaps a humble loser might offer some advice?"
"Humble? My goodness, Darce, this is a day to remember! What advice?"
"Don't ever make Anne say it."
"What? Do you really think I'll that crazy? She'd skin me alive! Hey! I smell food. Let's grab some lunch and see what our women have been up to."
They crossed the lawn, avoiding the workers who were putting up the tent and laying a dance floor for the evening. After leaving their tennis racquets on the porch, they took the path through the carefully tended meadow at the back of the lawn and found their way to the beach, where the caterer was grilling chicken and burgers.
Lizzy, Jane, and Anne waved to them from a blanket spread out on the beach. After suitable greetings were exchanged, the outcome of the tennis match was reported.
"That's okay, Will," said Lizzy as she rubbed his back. "You'll get him next time."
"Ha!" snorted Richard.
"Be gracious in victory, Darling," cooed Anne. "And remember, if you ever beat me at tennis, any gloating will strictly forbidden."
They were still laughing at this comment when Mary and Peter joined them.
"Hi, Jane. How was Mom last night?"
"Same old, same old. Oh, I have a little advice to pass along to you, Lizzy."
"And that would be?"
"Pay attention to my wedding and you'll learn how to plan yours."
"Mmmm." was Lizzy's noncommittal reply.
"We can always elope, you know," whispered Darcy. He glanced at his watch and added, "Not today, though. There isn't time to get to Vegas and back before Georgie's party."
"Geez, that's romantic, Darce," said Richard. "I can picture you proposing. 'Will you marry me? Good, let me check my Palm and see when I can squeeze in a wedding. Here we go, I have ten minutes available on November 15.' Just the thing to sweep a girl off her feet."
"Oh, right," said Anne. "Criticism from a man who suggested a luau wedding, with everyone in Hawaiian shirts."
"I still think it has promise. Me in a Hawaiian shirt, you in a grass skirt. Aunt Catherine in a mother-of-the-bride muumuu."
The image of Catherine deBourgh in a loose-fitting brightly colored garment was more than anyone could take, and they were still laughing when Georgie walked over to them.
"You're a jolly bunch."
"Hi, Georgie. Great lunch. How are the rest of the guests doing?"
"Everyone seems happy."
"You can let them take care of themselves for a while, you know," said Lizzy. "You've been blanket hopping-wait a minute, I didn't mean that the way it sounds. I meant the picnic blanket version of table hopping. Anyhow, you've been the good hostess all day. Don't wear yourself out."
"I won't. A bunch of people want to play volleyball here, and others want to play tennis, so I'll get a chance to sit and put my feet up. I dug out the croquet set, if you're interested."
"Meaning what?" teased Richard, "That we're too creaky for tennis? Because I'll have you know that some of us still are up on the game."
Darcy threw a potato chip at his cousin. Lizzy grabbed the basket of chips before a food fight could break out.
"I didn't know croquet could get so intense." said Darcy as he flopped onto the bed.
"Oh, yeah," replied Lizzy as she kicked off her shoes. "We used to play all the time when we were kids. Being able to 'send' an opponent was an essential skill. I learned from a master."
"You were fierce."
"We won, didn't we?. And don't tell me you didn't love beating Richard."
"I did, I admit it. We make good partners."
"Mmm, I think so, too." Lizzy snuggled up to Darcy. "So, how long until the party?"
The huge tent was hung with tiny white lights. Tables and chairs were scattered under the tent and on the lawn nearby. The caterer's tables lined one side of the tent, and steam rose from the warming trays. Chris stood at one corner of the tent and watched Georgie inspect the set-up, talk to the DJ, and give some last-minute instructions to the caterer.
"It's like she was born to do this."
Chris looked over his shoulder to see Kitty and Sandy. He nodded. "She never ceases to surprise me. Did she tell you we're going up to my house next weekend? And she wants to see Nikki."
"Wow!" said Sandy. "When that girl gets over something, she does it in a big way."
Soon other guests made their way down to the tent. The DJ played music for dancing, and many of the guests were on the dance floor. Several of the girls had brought feather boas and were waving them around as they danced.
Lizzy and Darcy stood to one side, watching. "I feel old," he said with a sigh.
"Oh, Will, you're not as old as all that."
"It's hard to believe my ba-"
"Ah. Ah. Ah! You promised! No more baby sister."
"You're right. She isn't a baby any more. She has blossomed. I credit you with a lot of this, you know."
"Thank you, but don't forget Charlotte. And you. You've taken good care of her, Will. I know that it has taken a toll on your personal life for many years. I guess I should thank Georgie for that. If it hadn't been for her, you'd have been snapped up years ago."
"To be honest, I hid behind her. It was easier to have to stay home for her than to go out and face all the debutantes. Maybe I knew the right woman would come along eventually."
Lizzy stood on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. Behind them, someone coughed. They turned to see Charles and Jane.
"Get a room, you two!"
Darcy laughed, "We have one, thanks, Charles."
"Lizzy, did you see our sister out there?" Jane pointed at the dance floor.
"I know. Isn't it wonderful? Will was just saying how Georgie has blossomed. I think we could say the same of Mary. Did Mom have anything to say about her last night?"
"A little. Mostly, she quizzed me about Mary's 'prospects' with Peter. You know, two daughters engaged and one with a boyfriend, isn't life good, and so on. Dad is amazed and delighted with Mary. He says we should have packed her off to California years ago."
Georgie saw her brother at the edge of the tent. She whispered something to Chris, who walked over to the DJ while Georgie went to greet her brother.
"Hey, guys. Come dance."
"Maybe later," replied Lizzy.
"Maybe now," said Darcy, hearing that the music had changed to something slow. As he took Lizzy's hand to lead her to the dance floor, he kissed his sister and said, "Thanks."
After a few dances, the DJ changed to a faster tempo, and Darcy announced that he was hungry. Anne and Richard were still slow-dancing, despite the change in music.
"And you thought Lizzy and I need a room?" Darcy asked Charles. The three older couples filled plates and carried them to a table on the porch, where Mrs. Clark had set out a bottle of chilled chardonnay.
"Much better than what's at the bar in the tent," said Darcy as he poured the wine. Glasses were clinked all around, and the conversation shifted to summer plans.
Darcy described the Caribbean cruise he had booked for himself and Lizzy.
"Ooh, the QE2!" said Jane. "No wonder you were willing to give up your ticket on our cruise, Lizzy."
"No, that was entirely altruistic. We didn't book our cruise until after you and Charles left. It was Will's idea to make it up to me for missing our trip. How are the honeymoon plans coming?"
"I've got most of it worked out," said Charles. "A few days in San Francisco, then we'll drive down the coast to Monterey and Carmel, then we'll drive north, a few days in wine country, then maybe up to Bodega Bay, where 'The Birds' was filmed. Maybe even all the way up to Mendocino, seen on TV as Cabot Cove."
"You should rent a convertible, if you're going to drive the Coast Highway," said Richard. "Feel the wind in your hair and all that."
"I love San Francisco," added Anne. "There's a company that does a great walking tour of Chinatown followed by a dim sum lunch. All their guides are locals. Remind me and I'll look up the name for you."
"Thanks, that sounds great. I haven't given much thought to this. Charles told Mom not to worry about it, and so that's one area where she won't interfere. Anne, have you made any vacation plans?"
"No. I didn't have anything in mind, really. Maybe come out here and just relax."
I could take you out on the boat, Annie," said Richard. "I took at look at her, and I think she's in great shape."
"So," said Charles, "Do we old folks have to wander through the party and chaperone?"
Darcy shook his head. "No. They're all on their own. If anyone looks to have had too much to drink, the bartenders are supposed to cut 'em off. Go on down and mingle and dance if you like. I like it up here. Lizzy?"
"Me too." The couples got up and moved to more comfortable seats. Lizzy and Darcy claimed the swing. She tucked her feet under herself and leaned against Darcy. He kept his feet on the floor, gently rocking the swing.
They had been sitting, talking quietly for about an hour when Chris appeared.
"Everything all right?"
"Yes, Will. I think it's time."
Darcy stopped the swing and pushed Lizzy off his shoulder. "Get up, Love, it's time for dessert."
They joined the party at the tent, and Darcy walked up to the DJ and pointed to the caterer's small tent. The DJ nodded, and they watched the tent. A glow appeared and approached the party tent.
"All right! Listen up, everybody!" cried the DJ. "We have a birthday girl here. Georgie, come up here so we can sing to you!" Chris dragged Georgie to the front of the tent while everyone sang Happy Birthday. The caterer set the cake on a nearby table just as the song ended.
"Who set this up?" asked Georgie.
"Your brother and I, of course," laughed Chris. "Come on, make a wish and blow out your candles."
Georgie closed her eyes for a moment, then smiled at Chris and gave a mighty puff. Her successful effort was greeted with applause, and the caterer handed her a knife.
"Make a wish and stick the knife in the cake," said Lizzy. Georgie did as she was told, and then the caterer took over cutting and serving cake.
After the cake break, the dancing resumed. Darcy looked at his watch and stifled a yawn.
"I think I'll turn in. It's been a long day, and I'm exhausted from all that tennis."
Richard snorted. "Oh, please. Spare us."
"Well, I didn't play any tennis today, and I'm ready to pack it in," said Charles. "Jane?"
"Right behind you. Good night, all."
"Miss Anne, may I walk you home?" Richard stood and bowed to his fiancée.
"Thank you, Mr. Fitzwilliam. That is most kind."
Lizzy and Darcy stood on the porch and watched Richard and Anne disappear around a hedge.
"Mmmm, alone at last," murmured Darcy as he nuzzled Lizzy's neck.
May 19
Darcy entered the living room to find a note next to a pot of coffee and a plate of muffins. The note said:
Early risers, please ring for service.
Instead of ringing, Darcy went to the kitchen and pushed the door open. "Mrs. R? What are you doing up so early?"
"Betsy stayed up late last night, so I'm talking the early shift. What can I get for you?"
"A tray? I'll take coffee up to Lizzy."
"I'll get you one. Did the party run long?"
"It went on to the wee hours."
"I'm on the other side of the house. I hope it didn't disturb you too much."
"No. I woke up around three and it was still going strong. I don't expect a lot of early activity today. We'll let you know if we want anything more."
When Darcy returned to the bedroom, Lizzy was sitting up in bed.
"Ooh," she said. "Room service. You're spoiling me."
"That's the plan." He handed her a mug, then sat on the bed next to her.
"Anyone else up?"
"I don't think so. Are you hungry? Mrs. R is in the kitchen."
"Good coffee." Lizzy reached over and set the mug on the bedside table. "That'll tide me over until I'm ready to get out of bed."
"Going back to sleep?"
"Not my first choice." Lizzy winked at Darcy, who set his mug down and said, "Well, as long as you're awake..."
Some time later, Lizzy and Darcy sat on the porch with Jane and Charles. Just as Mrs. Reynolds brought out their breakfast plates, Anne walked up the steps.
"Good morning, Miss Anne. What can I get you for breakfast?"
"Coffee, juice, some toast or a muffin. No eggs or anything big."
"Coming right up." Mrs. Reynolds was about to enter the house when another voice stopped her.
"I'll take anything big." Richard stood at the bottom of the steps. Dressed in shorts and an old sweatshirt, he was sweating.
"Good run, Richard?" asked Darcy.
"Yeah. Whatever happened to you and me running together?"
Darcy blushed and tried not to look at Lizzy.
"Forget I asked, Darce. Mrs. R, this French toast looks great. I'd like some of that."
"Very good, Mr. Fitzwilliam."
After Mrs. Reynolds disappeared from sight, Anne said, "Hmph. Mr. Fitzwilliam. Mr. Darcy. But it's Miss Georgiana and Miss Anne. Does she call you Miss Elizabeth, Lizzy?"
"No. I asked her to call me Lizzy, but she said it had to be Miss Bennet, because she calls Will Mr. Darcy."
"So are we the only ones up?" asked Charles.
"I think so," replied Lizzy. "Things went on pretty late."
"They all seemed to be having a good time, though," said Jane.
"Yes, this is a great place for a party," said Lizzy.
"Or a wedding." Anne looked thoughtful. "Lizzy, you and Darce could have your wedding here."
"So could we," added Richard. "So much of the groundwork has been done. We know a source of a tent, a good caterer, reliable bartenders, a DJ.
"No. I think a live band would be better," said Darcy.
Anne giggled, "Darce's idea of a band is the Philharmonic."
"No, it isn't. But I like the idea of live music for a wedding."
"Okay, so you have to dig up a band. But the rest of it would be easy enough."
"Richard!" cried Anne. "Get a clue, Darling. It's always easy for the groom. But there's a lot more to it than that. There's the wedding dress, bridesmaids' dresses, flowers, invitations, the church, the minister."
Lizzy chimed in with, "The cake, mother-of-the-bride dress, choosing your song, planning a honeymoon, doing seating plans for dinner."
"Oh. Then I guess it really is a big deal."
"Trust me," said Charles. "A very big deal."
"We could have a trial run," suggested Anne.
"A what?"
"Yeah, a trial run. What about an engagement party? Come on, Lizzy. You and Will and Richie and me. A double engagement party. Here. At the family estate. It would give us a chance to work out a lot of details for the weddings. And if Darce is still set on eloping, at least you'll have had a reception of sorts."
"How long would it take to plan the party?"
"I don't know. Let's give ourselves two months. Pick a date in July."
"It can't be too late, because our cruise is in July."
"Fine. Then just before the cruise, we'll have the party. You'll have the cruise to recover, and I can crash here afterwards."
"Will? What do you think?" asked Lizzy.
"If you want to have the party, then I'm all for it. I do have a few stipulations, though."
"What?" asked Anne.
"Black tie. If we're going to do it, let's do it right. Small orchestra, dinner, dancing. Like the big parties when we were kids. Do you remember hearing the music in the distance?"
"I do, now that you mention it," said Richard. "Mom always loved those parties. Dad grumbled about wearing the 'monkey suit,' but I think he enjoyed the parties, too."
"Excellent. We can talk to Mrs. R and Mrs. Clark before we leave today. Lizzy, can you get an afternoon off work to go shopping? We'll need killer dresses. Jane? You, too. We'll go on a spree."
Charles grinned at Richard and Darcy. "Don't ask me how they do it, but everything turns into a shopping trip!"
They sipped coffee in silence for a while, then Anne returned to the subject of weddings.
"Jane, have you guys picked your song yet?"
"No, we haven't. Charles, do you have any ideas?"
"No. I remember that Louisa's was 'If Ever I Would Leave You.' The band leader announced it as 'If I Would Ever Leave You,' much to Caroline's amusement."
Richard sang, "Oh, no not in springtime, summer, winter, or fall." Everyone gasped at his dramatic rendition. "Hey, it's great song. Funny one for a wedding, though, because the song is Lance's promise to Guinevere that he'll never leave her. But in the end, he does. That can't be a good omen."
Lizzy giggled, "I've got a song for you and Anne," and sang a few lines of "You made me love you."
"What about yours? What would you pick?" asked Richard.
"I don't know. Maybe that Dan Fogelburg song, I forget the name."
"The one about New Year's Eve? About meeting an old lover in the grocery store? That's not exactly wedding fare, Lizzy."
"No, not that one. I remember, it's called 'Longer.' You must know it, Longer than there've been fishes in the ocean, I've been in love with you."
"That's nice," said Jane.
"Or another one I like is from Pippin. 'With You.'"
"I know that one," said Richard, and sang, "But all my days were twice as fair if I could share my days with you."
"No, I have a better one," said Darcy. "The perfect wedding song."
"What?"
"Our Love Is Here to Stay."
Lizzy sighed, "You're right. It's perfect. Wow! That's one wedding decision made. Mom would be pleased!"
They had read their way through much of the Sunday newspapers when Georgie shuffled out onto the porch.
"Good morning, Sweetie!"
"Hmmmm."
"You all right?"
"Huh?" she yawned. "Yeah, still sleepy. It was a late night. Are you the only ones up?"
"Far as I know," replied Anne. "Here. Sit. I'll go get you some coffee."
Georgie plopped into the chair Anne had vacated and yawned again. "Sorry, not awake yet."
"Is Chris still asleep?" asked Lizzy.
"Showering. He'll be down soon. I thought as the hostess, I should be the first one up."
"You've done this all so well, Georgie, we're proud of you. It seemed to go well last night, from what we could hear."
"Oh, I'm sorry Lizzy. I-"
"Don't worry about it. The party didn't keep us awake. But Will said he woke during the night and the party was going strong. Didn't bother me a bit."
"Yes, it was great. I think there'll be a few hangovers this morning, but Chris was fine."
"Fine and hungry." Chris walked out onto the porch. "Morning, all."
Anne arrived with two cups of coffee, "Hi, Chris, had a feeling you'd be down, too. There's food keeping warm in the dining room if you're ready."
"Thanks." He sipped his coffee. "This is amazing. I feel like something out of a movie. A big party under a tent, coffee service in the morning."
"You want to see something out of a movie, wait until our party. We're having an engagement party here." Anne smiled and added, "You're invited."
Lizzy, Darcy, Richard, and Anne returned to the city together, pointing out to the vacationing students that some people had to go to work on Monday. Jane was spending the night at Charles's apartment, which was becoming a habit. Lizzy and Darcy decided to stay at his apartment, since they would have it to themselves.
After a weekend of large meals, they at a light supper and relaxed on the sofa with the Sunday crossword. Darcy looked up from his puzzle to see Lizzy smiling at him.
"Great weekend," she said.
"Yes, it was. I'll be glad to get back to work, though. I need the rest!"
"What do you think of Anne's idea to have our engagement party out there?"
"I think it's wonderful. But if the engagement party is two months away, how much longer until the wedding?"
"I don't know. I guess we should think about a date."
"The sooner the better, as far as I'm concerned."
"Why are you in such a hurry?"
"I know that this is what I want, so I don't want to wait around. I know that a lot of people say it's just a paper, but it's more than that. It's a formal commitment. I don't know how to explain it. For me, it makes everything real."
"I understand, Will. But it seems pretty real to me right now."
"You still go home to your apartment some times. I want our home to be together."
"I could move in here completely. Would that make you feel better?"
"Yes, but I still hope we can have the wedding fairly soon. And there's another thing I'd like to talk about. This is sort of awkward."
"What is?"
"Money."
"Oh, you mean a pre-nup? I expect to have one of those. You're very wealthy. Your lawyers would never forgive you if you didn't."
"That wasn't what I was going to say, but now that you've brought it up, you aren't bothered by a pre-nup?"
"I don't expect we'll ever have to refer to it, so I'm not worried. And I'm sure you'll make it fair. If the pre-nup wasn't what you were thinking of, what was it?"
"Paying for the wedding. I know it's traditional for the bride's family to pay, but your father is already footing the bill for Jane's wedding, and he has tuition for Mary, and, well, I'd like to pay for our wedding. Especially if we have it out at the estate. I don't mean to imply that your family can't afford a good enough wedding. I just feel that I can afford it easily, and I'd like to do it."
"Aha. So that's why you want to elope. Save some money!"
"No, it's because I want you to be Mrs. Darcy. Oh, wait. I shouldn't have assumed. Do you want to change your name?
"You'd like it, wouldn't you?"
"It's up to you, but yes, I like the idea of you being Mrs. Darcy."
"So do I. I know it's becoming common to hyphenate or for the woman to keep her own name. But I don't mind changing mine. Anyhow, if you had any idea how many times I've doodled 'Elizabeth Darcy' and 'EBD' you wouldn't have to ask."
"Oh, Lizzy, I've done that, too. I've imagined you as Mrs. Darcy so many times, I'm surprised I haven't slipped and called you that before now."
"Will, while you've been thinking about getting married, I've thought quite a lot about moving in with you. Jane will be moving out of the apartment soon. She's hardly there as it is now. And if I move in here, my apartment will be empty."
"Yes?"
"Why don't we give the lease on my apartment to Georgie and Chris? Uncle Edward won't mind."
"Hmmm."
"They're sleeping together anyway, Will. Why not give them a nice place? I know that Chris's apartment is tiny. My apartment has two bedrooms, so they can have separate study spaces."
"That would be good for them.'
"And for us. I love your sister, you know that. But you have to admit, the idea of having the place to ourselves is appealing."
"Speaking of having the place to ourselves, Georgie is still out on the Island, you know."