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Posted on Monday, 17 February 2003
June 2
"Are you certain there's nothing else I can get for you?"
Darcy shook his head. "No, Mrs. R. We need to save ourselves for brunch with Lizzy's parents."
"Yes, there's a new restaurant that Mom wants to try, and the word is that their portions are very large. But we would like to talk to you a bit. Pour yourself a cup of coffee and join us."
Curious, the housekeeper did as she was told. When she returned, she saw that Lizzy had brought out a pad covered with notes and a calendar.
"Okay, here's the thing. You know that we've been talking about a party?"
"Yes, your engagement party. I see you've chosen a date." Mrs. Reynolds smiled as she pointed to the circled date on the calendar.
"We all had so much fun at Georgie's graduation party that we want to make it a house party. Anne and I have worked out some of the things we'd like to do, but we want to consult with you and Mrs. Clark before we go any further with the plans. Do you think we can get a party organized in so little time?"
"Of course. The only potential problem I see would be getting a caterer. It's a busy season, what with so many weddings in the summer. Would you want to use the same caterer?"
"Oh, yes. We thought the food at Georgie's party was excellent. We'll have some special requests, but nothing terribly complicated.
"Very well. While you're out today, I'll call the Clarks and make sure they don't see any obstacles. But I can't imagine that they would. Oh, it will be like old times. I remember the Fitzwilliam Summer Ball. It was always a high point of the summer season."
"Summer Ball?" asked Darcy. "You mean those big parties had an official name?"
"Yes. Your grandparents gave a ball every July for years and years. Your parents and the Fitzwilliams continued the tradition for a while, but then it just got too complicated to do every year, especially when the Fitzwilliams moved to Connecticut, and Mrs. deBourgh tired of going out to Long Island. And then, after your parents died, nobody had the heart to do it again."
Lizzy's eyes shone with excitement. "A family tradition. How perfect! That's our theme. We're reviving a family tradition. Oh! I have to call Anne." She hugged Mrs. Reynolds, kissed Darcy, and ran into the bedroom.
Georgie shuffled out of her bedroom and poured herself a cup of coffee. Through a yawn, she asked, "What's Lizzy bouncing around for?"
"She's just found the hook on which to hang the party."
"I thought she and Anne had it all worked out last night. Were they bluffing? Is that why they wouldn't tell us anything?"
"No. I think they have a lot of details worked out. But this is a big picture thing. Lizzy has been feeling guilty about us throwing an engagement party for ourselves. You remember the impromptu inventory, Mrs. R?"
"Yes, I do."
"Huh?" asked Georgie.
"Lizzy's insistence on no gifts. I asked her why and she showed me that we have dishes and silverware and gadgets and so forth. She felt that giving a party was like asking for gifts. Long story short, I think our engagement party has just become the Fitzwilliam Summer Ball."
"The what?"
"Big parties on the Island. You were too small to remember. Or maybe they'd stopped by the time you came along. Mrs. R. will explain. I've got to get dressed for brunch."
"I know you think it's a foolish notion, Mother, but it's what we want. All of us." Anne shot Richard a look that said jump in any time.
Catching the instruction, Richard added, "Right! I think it's brilliant."
"But nobody does that sort of thing any more. Asking everyone to go all that way for a party is-"
Lewis deBourgh set down his coffee cup. Not the Sevres this time he noticed. Interrupting his wife, he said "Annie, if this is how you all want to do the party, then do it. After all, you're the ones giving the party."
"That is not the point, Lewis. What will our friends think? After all, many of them are aware that she's engaged. If we don't do a formal announcement, they'll think it's odd."
Anne shrugged, "The ones who truly know and like me will find it amusing. The ones who already think I'm flaky don't matter to me. Look, Mother, we've decided that it won't be an official engagement party. If anyone asks why we're having the party, tell them that we had fun at Georgie's house party and decided to throw one for ourselves. And if we decide we want to make the announcement that night, then we will."
"That sounds rather haphazard."
"What's wrong with just having a party?" asked Richard. "I remember the Summer Ball when we were little. We got to have our little kiddies' party in one of the cottages while the adults were whooping it up at the main house."
"'Whooping it up' is a bit of an overstatement, Richard."
"Maybe so, Aunt Catherine, but it always sounded fun from where we sat."
"I think it's lovely that the children are reviving a family tradition, Cath," said Lewis, reaching for his wife's hand. "It's an excuse to dress up and put on our very best manners. I'll get a chance to dance with my two best girls. There will be dancing, right? Real dancing, I mean. Dancing that I know how to do."
Anne giggled, "Yes, Daddy. I promise the second waltz to you."
"Hmm, I suppose what's-his-name over there gets the first one?" Lewis looked at Richard, who grinned back at him. "Don't laugh, my boy. Some day you may have a daughter who'll break your heart by dumping you for some young pup."
Richard took Anne's hand and kissed it. "I only hope she'll be as beautiful as her mother. And that he'll be easily intimidated."
"A house party? What do you mean?" asked Mrs. Bennet.
"A party where guests come for the weekend," explained Lizzy. "We're thinking about a casual supper on Friday for guests who arrive early, a little tennis, swimming, relaxing on Saturday, then the big party on Saturday night, brunch on Sunday for those who stay over, and then everyone goes home."
"You should be thinking about your wedding, not some party."
"Well, Mom, think of it as practice. If this goes well, we may have the wedding out on the Island, too."
"How can you possibly organize a big party in only six weeks' time?"
"We already have a sort of blueprint. Georgie had a house party for her graduation. Anne and I have worked out guest lists and she's doing the invitations. We still have to do menus, but we'll have help from Mrs. Reynolds and Mrs. Clark. And the caterer, too."
"Speaking of menus," said Darcy. "The soufflés we had at brunch this morning were delicious. Do you have a recipe for anything like that? I'm sure with all your cooking expertise, you could figure out how it's done."
"Oh, of course," Mrs. Bennet beamed at her future son-in-law. "Soufflés are very impressive, and they're much easier than they look-if you know how, of course. I'm sure I could come up with something quite similar."
Lizzy flashed Darcy a grateful smile, then took her father's arm for a stroll in the garden. Once they were out of earshot, she explained what she wanted to do.
"You see how it is, Dad. I can't take Mom's fussing. I can't tell you how close I've been to just saying 'to hell with it' and eloping. But I couldn't bear not having you walk me down the aisle. So I am planning to have a proper engagement period and a proper wedding. But I can't survive it unless you can keep Mom out of my hair."
"I had hoped the wedding experience would bring you two closer together, but I see that it won't happen. So we won't tell her that you'll be announcing your engagement at the party?"
"Right. We're just having a big party. Gosford Park without the murder. Then you can tell her a day or so before."
"Oh, I get to tell her?"
"Dad! Please?"
"Oh, all right. I hope when their turns come, Mary and Lydia elope. Come on, let's rescue your fiancé. I'm sure he has heard enough about the wonderful world of soufflés by now."
Georgie surveyed the bedroom. "It looks so bare now that Lizzy has moved out her stuff. She emptied the dresser, except for this drawer, which has sheets and blankets in it. I think we can get your dresser in here, too. We can move Lizzy's shelves into Jane's room, and put our desks in there, too, and make it our study. What do you think?"
"Sounds fine to me." Chris sat on the bed. "This mattress is better than mine, that's for sure. Come test it."
"Chris! That isn't what we're here for. Come take a look at the kitchen. Oh, and there's a little garden. Lizzy make me promise to take good care of it."
Chris looked out at the little back yard. "Nice. We should get lounge chairs. What a great place to study. I can see myself stretched out in a lounger, beer can in one hand, textbook in the other."
"Coffee, bagels, and all day to read the Times on Sundays."
"It's quieter than my place. And it has the added advantage of a live-in shrink."
Georgie laughed, "That's right, Dr. Lucas lives upstairs. Did you know that she suggested that I volunteer at the museum? It's thanks to her that I met you."
"Remind me to send her a huge bouquet and a thank-you note. Are you about weaned now?"
"Yes, I'm down to once every three weeks. And we haven't talked about much of anything lately. I think I'm about done with my sessions. I'm not sure what's the proper thing to do. Should I say 'I think I'm cured' or does she say 'Go forth and be sane'?"
"Have you talked to her since Memorial Day? I'm glad that you and Nikki are becoming friends. I think Dr. Lucas would have been proud of how well you handled seeing Nikki again."
"Well, it had to be better than my previous visit Upstate."
"All in the past, Honey. Okay, we've looked at the kitchen and the garden. Let's go back and look at the bedroom again."
"Chris!"
"Jane is out with Charles all day, and Lizzy doesn't live here any more. It's just us in this lovely apartment. While we're in the bedroom, we can think about what color you want to paint it."
"I think the color is fine. It will need freshening up, especially if we move the bookshelves. But other than, mmmph."
"Still want to talk about paint?" whispered Chris.
"You're the one who brought up the subject mmmph."
"It's fine," said Charles as he sat on what seemed like the hundredth sofa of the day.
"You say that about all of them," complained Jane. "How am I to know what you really like?"
"Honestly, Jane, they're all comfortable. Everything we've looked at has been nice. I mean, there is some pretty bizarre furniture around. But you have good taste. Any of the sofas we've tried would be fine. And yes, every one of them has been more comfortable than the monster that I have now."
"But you haven't seen anything that is wonderful."
"I'm not looking for wonderful. As long as it's comfortable and not ugly, I'm fine with it. Jane, men don't get all that worked up about decorating. Do you have a preference out of all the furniture we've been looking at?"
"There were a few that I liked better than the others."
"Can you come up with five first-round draft picks?"
"Five?"
"Yeah, let's take a second look at five, and pick one of those."
Jane looked at her notes. "Actually, if I have to go with my top choices, there are four."
"Even better. Lead on!"
Of course, the four leading candidates were far apart, but Charles dutifully followed Jane from one sofa to the next.
"All right, those were your top picks, yes?"
"Yes. Which one do you like best."
He had seen the trap coming, but knew there was no way to avoid it. He couldn't tell which one Jane truly liked best, and he knew he couldn't simply say "whatever you like." No, he had to take the gamble and hope he could at least not pick her number 4.
"Well, all of them would be fine."
"I know. You said that before. But I want to know which one you like best."
"I like this one at the moment because I'm tired and I'm sitting on it."
"Charles!"
"Okay. I really do like this one, although two others are almost as good. The only request I have is that we not get the one with the loose pillows. They always look messy, and you'll spend all your time fixing the pillows. The sofa I have now has a bunch of little pillows."
"Throw pillows."
"Yeah, well, I'd like to throw them-right out the window. Every time Caroline is in my apartment, she rearranges the damn things and tries to explain to me why they have to be a certain way. I don't want anything that requires fussing."
"The loose-pillow sofa was my fourth choice. I can't decide between this one and the light brown one. So if you like this one best, let's go with it."
"Done!" Giving himself a mental "high five," Charles stood up and waved a salesman over.
Once the sofa had been chosen, Jane found an armchair that she found comfortable, and a small table to go with it. Charles was relieved to learn that lamps could be bought later, and suggested they take a coffee break.
In a nearby diner, Charles sighed as he stirred his coffee. "Now I see why people hire decorators. This takes a lot of time. I always figured Caroline was inefficient when she told me how much time goes into 'doing' an apartment."
"No, it's hard. At least a pro like your sister knows which stores sell which styles, so her shopping is more focused than mine. But this was the worst of it. Your bedroom furniture is fine. Your bedspread and drapes were probably very expensive, and I hate to throw them out."
"You also hate them."
"Well, I don't hate them, exactly."
"Yes, you do. The first time you saw my bedroom, you asked me who chose the fabric."
Jane giggled, "That was not the first thing I said when I saw your bedroom. I don't think I said anything about the room at that point."
"All right, it was a bit later. I think it was when you were making the bed. You frowned at the bedspread, and asked me who chose it."
"It didn't look like something you'd buy. And I was afraid some former girlfriend had picked it out. I forgot that Caroline is a decorator."
"It's convenient having a sister who's a decorator. I can always palm off bad choices on her."
"So some girlfriend did buy that bedspread?"
"No, Jane. It was Caroline. Tell you what. You may replace the bedspread, the drapes, any of the sheets, towels, or other fabrics in the apartment on one condition."
"What's that?"
"That I don't have to go shopping for them!"
"Oh, and I was going to suggest the bed and bath shop just up the street from here."
"Jane!"
"But it's so close. A quick look? Please? We really need to replace the orange shower curtain. And this is shopping I can do quickly."
"Okay, new condition."
"What?"
"I don't have to come up with an opinion on everything."
Jane laughed. "Fair enough. I do grant you veto power, though. If you hate anything I pick out, please tell me."
Richard sat in Anne's studio while she sketched border designs for the invitations.
"Anything strike you?" she asked as she held out some samples.
"They're all nice, but I don't quite understand what you're doing. You can't possibly hand-decorate all the invitations."
"No, unfortunately, I won't have time. When I come up with a design, I'll scan it into the my computer. Which reminds me, I'll have to get some card stock. Hand me that yellow box."
Richard picked up the box and handed it to Anne. "Here."
"Thanks." She rummaged through the box, pulling out cards of various sizes.
"Hey!"
"What?"
"That sketch. That's the card you used to write me the thank-you note for the earrings."
"Uh-huh."
"But you painted it!"
"Yes, watercolors."
"But all this time, I thought I didn't have anything you'd painted, and I did!"
"It's probably too late to get it back from the trash, Richie. I'll paint you another one, if you like."
"What trash? I kept it. I'll have it framed. My very own original watercolor by Anne deBourgh. Why didn't you sign it?"
"My initials are hidden in there somewhere. After I painted it, I sort of got cold feet, and didn't sign it. I thought maybe you'd think it was too much."
"Too much?"
"Making too much of a fuss."
"Tipping your hand?"
"I guess."
"Oh, Annie. We wasted so much time." Richard spun her chair around and pulled her into his arms. "I love you."
After some time, Anne caught her breath and said, "I love you, too. But we do have to get back to these invitations."
"Will you design our wedding invitations?"
"Sure."
Richard grinned mischievously. "Even for a luau wedding?"
Darcy held the apartment door for Lizzy. Noticing the large manila envelopes she carried, he said, "What are those?"
"From Mom." replied Lizzy, holding up a thin envelope, "This one is wedding invitation response cards for Jane."
"And the bulging envelope?"
"More wedding-related brochures. All sorts of wondrous info, I'm sure."
"Hand it over." Will held out his hand.
"Yes, dear." Lizzy surrendered the envelope. Will carried it into the study and dumped into the box in the corner.
"Will, you shouldn't toss it like that. Think of the poor neighbors downstairs!"
"If they complain, I'll give them your mother's phone number! As soon as we're married, all of that stuff goes out for recycling."
"Maybe we should save it and make Georgie read it all when she gets married. Does the sister-in-law get to stand in for mother of the bride, or does that honor go to the aunts?"
"I don't even want to think about Georgie getting married. She's my-"
"No, no. No more baby sister, remember?"
"I know. She's all grown up." Darcy sat on the sofa and Lizzy nestled next to him.
"Thanks for distracting Mom with all those menu and recipe questions. You saved my sanity today. Remind me to call Mary. I didn't get a chance to talk to her privately today. I'd like her to have a date for our party. I wonder if Peter could fly out, or if she'd like us to set up something, maybe a friend of Georgie or Chris? And we should invite Chris's parents. I don't think I put them on the guest list."
"Want me to get a pad so you can write yourself a note?"
"No, don't get up."
"I have to get up anyway. The machine is blinking."
"Oh. I'll hold your place here."
"Thanks." Darcy got up and walked to his desk. He hit "play."
"You have one message. Message one: Hi, Lizzy, it's Charlotte. Please call me. I'll be home around eight tonight. Guess what? I'm moving to Boston!"
"I don't know how long I'll be out. Sometimes these interviews can take a while. I just hope they win. Coaches are always in a better mood after a win.
"Don't worry about it, Charles. I have plenty to do here."
"How long can it take to hang a shower curtain?"
"I have to iron it first. Thank goodness I got us an iron and ironing board. And then I have to sort through the linen closet and see which towels stay and which go."
"Have fun. Oh! Is that your cell ringing?"
"Mm-hm. It can wait."
After they finished kissing good-bye, Jane started back toward the bathroom. Then she remembered the call on her cell. She fished the phone out of her purse and pressed some buttons to see who had called her. She retrieved her message to find out what Lizzy had to say.
"Hi, Jane. When you and Charles come up for air, give me a call. I have interesting news!"
Jane made a face at the phone and called Lizzy.
"Hello?"
"Nice message Lizzy! We were not doing what you think we were doing. I was hanging a new shower curtain."
"That's a euphemism I haven't heard."
"Ha, ha. So what's the big news? Did Mom promise to stop giving you wedding advice?"
"No such luck. There was a message from Charlotte. She says she's moving to Boston! I bet she's moving to be with her shrink boyfriend."
"Ooh! Did you call her back yet?"
"She won't be in until about eight. Are you staying at home tonight or at Charles's place?"
"Home. Charles has an interview to do, so I said I'd do some puttering here and then go home. If you ever let Will up for some air, why don't you come home and we'll lie in wait for Charlotte together."
"He's had plenty of air today. But that gives me an idea. I'll see you at the apartment, well, some time later."
"Whenever, Sister Dear! If you can reach Georgie, see if she wants to join our little vigil."
"Good idea, Jane. See you later!"
Lizzy sighed and stretched. "I should get dressed."
Darcy pulled her closer and whispered, "Why?"
"Because Georgie might be home any time, and Mrs. R probably wants to talk some more about party plans."
"Mrs. R will wait. And Georgie won't be home for quite a while. She and Chris were going to have a picnic lunch in the park and go look over the apartment, remember?"
"Which were they doing first?"
"Picnic first, I think."
Ah," said Lizzy. "Lunch and then the apartment. You're right, they'll be there a while."
"Lizzy! Don't plant images like that in my head!"
"Why not. After all, we just-"
"Shh!" Darcy employed his favorite technique to stop Lizzy from talking. Then it was his turn to sigh.
"What is it?"
"I'm going to miss you. I'm probably going to have to go to California at the end of the week. I don't suppose you could go with me?"
"I don't know. When?"
"Most likely Thursday afternoon through some time on Saturday."
"I'll have to check my calendar at work."
"We can use the corporate jet."
"Ooh! I've never been on your plane."
"That's right, you haven't. My God, you were easy! Most women want to see all the toys a rich man has before they succumb to his charms."
"Oh?" Lizzy propped herself up on one elbow, making sure to pull the sheet up to her chin. "And how many women got to see all your toys?"
"No one but you, Love, I promise. It's a nice plane. There's a galley, so the flight attendant can heat food and make coffee. It even has a sleeping alcove." Darcy raised his eyebrows suggestively.
"You wouldn't! The pilot would know, and-"
"None of the pilot's business. He's supposed to be busy flying the plane."
"But you said there's a flight attendant."
"Yes."
"She'd know."
"Who cares? We'll lock her in the galley. She won't be able to hear us from there. The engines make a fair amount of noise."
"You wouldn't!"
"Come with me and find out!"
Anne rolled her chair back from her worktable and stretched. "I don't know. These are all turning out to be so ordinary."
"I think they're nice." Richard picked up one sample. "This one is very festive."
"Festive, yes. It says 'party,' but it says it in a mundane way. I want something unique."
"Unique. Well, what's unique about our party?" Richard leaned back in his chair and stared at the ceiling. After a minute, he snapped to attention and grabbed his cell phone.
"What?" asked Anne as he waited for his call to be answered.
"Can you receive a fax on your computer?" Then he spoke into the phone, "Hi, Mom. In your vast collection of photos, would you happen to have any from the old Summer Balls?"
"Probably. How recent?"
"The older the better, I think."
Anne bounded to where Richard stood and waved at him.
"Wait a minute, Mom, I think Anne wants something."
"Give me the phone!"
"Mom, here's-"
"Aunt Sue! Do you have any of the older pictures? Old black and white ones from Grandma Fitzwilliam's time would be best, but I can work with anything. Can you scan it and email me a j-peg file?"
"I think so. I've emailed pictures before, and Matt can help me with the scanner. It will take at least an hour to go through the old albums. Give me your email address, and I'll see what I can do."
"Thanks, Aunt Sue!"
"Can you tell me what this is about?"
"Sure! We were going to call you later anyway. We're reviving the tradition of the Fitzwilliam Summer Ball. Lizzy and I worked out a bunch of the details just last night, and I volunteered to design invitations."
"Oh, how lovely. Please let me know if there's anything I can do to help."
"I will. Want to talk to your adorable son?"
"Yes, thanks."
Anne handed the phone back to Richard.
"Hi, Mom."
"Richard, I think this party idea is marvelous. What made you think of this?"
"We wanted to have a party, and Mrs. R said something to Lizzy about the Summer Ball, and Lizzy told Anne, and, well, it seems we're giving a traditional ball."
"Men in dinner jackets, women in ball gowns. If I find anything interesting in the old albums, I'll call Anne."
"Great. Oh, Anne wants you again." Richard handed the phone to his squealing fiancée.
"Aunt Sue? You're invited to the ball, of course. If you come into the city to shop for a gown, call me and we'll do lunch. Love you! Bye!" Anne disconnected and returned the cell phone to Richard.
"You're pretty excited about this," he said.
"I hope your mother finds something good. I can take the photo and make it into a watermark and run the type over-come to the computer and I'll show you."
"Mrs. R? Got a minute?"
"Ms. Bennet, of course I do."
"Did you have a chance to talk to Mrs. Clark?"
"Yes, we had a nice long chat. She will call the caterer to check on his schedule. Since we don't have a great deal of time, she thought it would be a good idea if we all met out there next weekend to get everything organized. Do you think that would be possible?"
"It sounds like a good plan. I'll have to check with Will. He might have a trip to California at the end of the week, and I might go with him, but we would probably be home in time. I don't know if Anne and Richard have anything planned, but I'm sure they'll make every effort to be there."
"Mrs. Clark thinks she can find some of the menus and plans from the old parties, in case you want to incorporate any of the old traditions."
"Good idea! If only I had a dress, I'd be all set! I'm going over to my apart-make that Jane's apartment this evening. And Georgie will probably go with me, so it will just be Will for supper. He won't want much after all that brunch we had."
"Very well, Ms. Bennet."
When Lizzy and Georgie arrived at the apartment, Jane was in the shower.
"Hey Jane!" called Lizzy. "It's just us."
The water turned off and Jane replied, "Be out in a minute!"
"I brought some champagne just in case Charlotte's news is really good. Should I open it?"
"Shouldn't we wait until Charlotte gets home?" asked Jane.
"We have two bottles, one for now and one for later." answered Lizzy. She searched the cabinets and found champagne glasses.
"Oh, bother!" exclaimed Jane as she emerged from the bathroom. "I can't find the brush I use when my hair is wet. It must be at Charles's apartment. I should have gone out and bought duplicates of everything like that."
"I know what you mean," replied Lizzy. "That was the first thing I did when I started staying at Will's."
"This living in two places gets difficult after a while. Ever since you decided to move in with Will permanently, Charles has been trying to get me to move in here."
"Why don't you? Mom?"
"Frankly, yes. I do not want to hear the cow-and-milk analogy!"
"What's that?" asked Georgie.
In unison, Lizzy and Jane recited, "Why should he buy the cow when he can get all the milk he wants for free?"
"What does that mean?"
"You're kidding!" laughed Lizzy. "It's one of Mom's favorites. It means why should a guy bother to marry a woman who's already giving him what he wants?"
"Ah, sex."
Lizzy and Jane nodded.
"Do you believe that?"
"In some cases, I suppose it's true," said Lizzy. "But your brother is very eager to get married, and we, um..."
"Don't go there, Lizzy!" laughed Georgie, seeing Lizzy blush. "I don't really want to think about you and Will like that."
"That's funny! He and I had a similar conversation about you and Chris just this afternoon!"
Georgie glanced involuntarily at the bedroom door and turned scarlet.
Lizzy laughed and said to her sister, "Jane, you'd better move out and let those two have this place to themselves or who knows what you'll walk in on!"
"Oh shut up and open the champagne!" said Georgie, holding out a glass.
"What shall we drink to?" asked Jane.
"To, Chris, Charles, and Will!" said Georgie.
"To our men!" said Jane.
"Bless their hearts!" added Lizzy. They clinked glasses and sipped the wine.
Lizzy gave Jane the collected responses to wedding invitations, and they looked through to see who would be attending the wedding. The conversation drifted from Jane's wedding plans to plans for the Summer Ball. Lizzy had just finished telling Jane about the idea behind the Summer Ball when Charlotte knocked on the door.
Lizzy opened the door. "Charlotte!"
"I saw the note you taped to the front door. It says to stop and see you first, so here I am," said Charlotte, setting her suitcase down.
"Come in and tell us all!"
"I haven't even been upstairs yet. I need to check on Sigmund."
"He's fine," said Jane. I fed him his dinner and checked the litter box."
"Thanks, Jane, but I really do need to see him. I'm sure he missed me."
"Fine," said Lizzy, "Then come right back down. We want details!"
"Ten minutes."
"Make it five, or we'll be up to get you!"
Charlotte returned in six minutes.
"You're a minute late!" declared Lizzy.
"Sorry, I was on the phone with my-" Charlotte held out her left hand, "Fiancé!"
"Oh, Charlotte! When you said you were moving to Boston, I hoped this was the reason!"
"Congratulations!"
"Have you set a date yet?"
"When are you moving?"
"I'm moving in September. I'm joining his practice, and we're getting married some time in November, probably in Boston. I hope you'll all come to the wedding."
"Absolutely."
"Good. I'm going to have a busy summer, making plans for the move and making arrangements for my patients to be transferred to other doctors."
"Oh, Dr. Lucas, I've been meaning to talk to you about-"
"We'll talk about that at your session, Georgie, all right?"
"Sure."
"I propose a toast!" said Lizzy, as she handed out glasses of champagne. "To Charlotte and her fiancé."
Their party was interrupted by the ringing of the telephone.
"Uh, oh," said Georgie. "Do you think Will is summoning us home?"
"No, he wouldn't do that," answered Lizzy.
"I'll get it," said Jane. "Hello?"
"Hello, Jane. Did Lizzy give you those response cards?"
"Yes, Mom she did."
"Good, let me talk to her."
"How did you know she's here?"
"I called Will's apartment and he said she was at your apartment."
"Oh." Jane covered the mouthpiece and said, "Lizzy, she knows you're here."
Lizzy took the phone from her sister. "Hi, Mom."
"Lizzy, I just heard from my old friend, and her son will be in the city this week. You remember Dr. Collins, the dentist, don't you?"
Still June 2
"Lizzy, I just heard from my old friend, and her son will be in the city this week. You remember Dr. Collins, the dentist, don't you?"
"Yes, Mom, but-"
"He doesn't know anyone in the city and it would be nice if he had a date for a very important dinner he has to go to."
"No, Mom."
"But Lizzy-"
"For pity's sake, Mom, I'm engaged. The last thing I want is Collins putting moves on me." Lizzy mimed gagging, and the other women in the room had to stifle their laughter.
"Oh, really, Lizzy, I'm sure he understands. We just don't want him to be lonely."
"Sorry Mom, even if I wanted to go to dinner with Dr. Collins, I'm going to California with Will."
"How exciting, where are you planning to go?"
"I don't know. It's a business trip, so I don't get to choose. Anyhow, you'll have to tell Dr. Collins not to bother calling."
June 4
"And you know the funny thing, Dr. Lucas? I really like her. It's hard to imagine that I was intimidated by her last winter. Boy, did I act like a jerk."
"Don't belittle yourself, Georgie. You've come a long way since then. I'm pleased with your progress. As you know, I'll be here through the summer. During that time, we need to decide what sort of help you'll want in the fall. Then I can recommend a new doctor if you want someone."
"I don't want to start over with a new doctor. I think I'd rather see you a few more times this summer and then call it quits. I don't want to have to rehash everything. I know you'd give my file to the new doctor, but he or she would still want to talk over the past and, well, I'm done with the past."
Charlotte smiled, "All right. And remember, you have the summer to think this over."
"Don't you think I'm ready to go it on my own? I was kind of hoping you'd give me that poem, I think it's Whitman, and send me on my way."
"What poem do you mean, Georgie?"
"The one the doctor gives Bette Davis in 'Now Voyager' when she leaves the rest home or whatever they called it. The title of the movie comes from that poem."
"Oh."
"I can't believe you've never seen that movie, Dr. Lucas! It's a classic. Lizzy and I had a good cry over it just last month."
"That sounds like a Lizzy movie. But back to our topic for today, which is your future. I'm pleased that you feel ready go it on your own, as you put it. But do remember that setbacks can happen unexpectedly. If you don't want a referral, then I will make sure you have a contact number in Boston in case you want to talk to me. It isn't that I don't have faith in you, Georgie. I just want you to know that you're not alone. There's always someone you can talk to."
"I feel as if I have a whole network of support. I used to worry about burdening Will, but now I have Lizzy and Chris and Kitty to talk to, so it isn't just Will who has to hold my hand if I get upset. You know what, Dr. Lucas? Life is great!"
"Lizzy?" Jane peeked into her sister's office. "It's a bit late for spring cleaning. What are you doing with those stacks of files?"
"Organizing what I have to take with me to California. I'm planning to work on scheduling while I'm away and I want to make sure I have all the calendar info ready to go."
"You don't really have to work on your trip, do you?"
"Actually, I'm hoping to get a lot done on the plane. It's a long flight, and I want to stay busy. I'm sure Will has work he'll take along."
"Of course he will. It's his business trip, after all."
"Yes, but I want to make sure we're both occupied during the flight. You see, his plane has a sleeping alcove, and-"
"Lizzy! You wouldn't!"
"No, I wouldn't, but Will keeps mentioning it." Lizzy giggled, "I can't tell if he's serious or not, but I don't intend to call his bluff. We'll have time enough on our own in San Francisco."
"Lucky you. What a wonderful city."
"Mmm."
"You aren't really worried about the plane, are you?"
"No, it isn't that. We'll be going out to dinner with someone Will's doing business with. I guess you could call it a 'command performance.' I'm a little worried that I'll mess things up. You know me, I get nervous and the smart-aleck remarks come out unbidden."
"You'll be fine. Think of it as practice for being Mrs. Darcy. Just hope they don't serve escargots. Remember that scene-"
"Where the snail goes flying and the waiter catches it! But Will knows I don't like snails. He wouldn't order them for me. But that does remind me, I should be careful to order foods that are hard to spill. Nothing dripping in butter, nothing that requires eating with the fingers-"
"Nothing that's likely to cause you to make slurpy noises," laughed Jane.
"Excuse me! I do not make slurpy noises. Not ever."
"Oh, Lizzy, just relax and enjoy yourself. I can't imagine that there's anything you could do to mess up a business deal. You've been to enough donor functions here to know how to behave with VIP strangers." Jane gave her sister a wicked grin and said, "Just imagine that you're at an ordinary dinner party, and forget that billions of dollars are riding on your behavior."
"Not funny!" Lizzy threw a paper clip at Jane's retreating form. "You're lucky my phone just rang, or I'd chase you from here to the dinosaurs!"
A balled-up sheet of paper whizzed by Lizzy's head as she picked up the telephone. "Lizzy Bennet."
"Hello, Love. How are you doing?"
"Fine. I'm cleared to take the days off, and I'm organizing work to take with me."
"Do you have to?"
"Yes. That way it counts as working away from the office, not taking vacation days. Remember, I'll need most of my vacation for our cruise in July. I'm trying to be careful about time off."
"Oh, right."
"Sorry, Will. We don't all own our own companies, you know."
"I bet if we compared notes, you've had more vacation time than I've had over the past five years. Owning your own company means being responsible for it."
"I know. And you do work hard. Will you have any time off for fun in San Francisco?"
"Yes. We can go over my appointment calendar tonight. The only thing you need to do is that dinner. So while I'm working, you can ride cable cars and go to Ghiradelli Square and just generally have fun."
"Will you have time to ride the cable cars with me at night? You know, when they climb halfway to the stars?"
"Yes, Love, of course."
"Good. I'm looking forward to that. I hear they can be scary. I'll need you to hold on to me very tightly."
"I'll be delighted to. See you tonight."
"How's the packing going, Lizzy?"
"Oh, Georgie, I don't know what to pack. Which dress should I wear for the business dinner? My instincts say to wear the black, but that's such an obvious choice. I love red, but maybe that's too bright? Too flashy?"
"I like that turquoise one."
"The linen? It's nice, but I don't have a jacket for it. What if the evening's cool?"
"You're packing a raincoat, right?"
"Yes, Will said rain is a possibility in the summer."
"Then you've got that for outside, and the restaurant will be warm. Do you have a lightweight sweater or-oh! Wait a minute. What about this?" Georgie pulled a garment out of the back of Lizzy's closet.
"That? I've had it for ages."
"It's great! And the print has that shade of turquoise in it. Look!" Georgie slipped the jacket over the dress so that they were both on the same hanger.
"It's kind of bright. I usually wear it over black."
"Either way, it's great." Georgie looked at the label. "Who's Carole Little?"
"She was my favorite designer before she went out of business a few years ago. I've kept most of what I had because there will be no more. She had wonderful fabrics, excellent quality, and I loved the way she worked prints together. Her things were a bit pricey for me, but I used to do well at her outlets. I love the bright prints, but I wonder if it's too funky for a serious dinner."
"You should take it. And I have something else that would work if you want to be more conservative. I'll be right back."
Georgie bolted from the bedroom and Lizzy resumed sorting clothes. She looked up when Georgie returned.
"Here, try this."
"Oh, Georgie, what a lovely shawl!"
"Isn't it nice? Aunt Catherine gave it to me a few years ago, and I never find the right time to use it. But I think the cream color would be good with that dress. What kind of fabric is this?"
"It's silk."
"It isn't silky."
"No, it's silk noil, a sort of rough silk. This is perfect, a little unusual, but not as flamboyant as the jacket. You're a genius. If this law thing doesn't work out for you, you might consider becoming a stylist."
"Lizzy! One suggestion doesn't make me a stylist."
Darcy looked into the room and shook his head. "Are you still packing?"
"Yes, it takes a lot of planning."
"I don't see why."
"No, you wouldn't it. It's so much easier for men. You pack a suit or two, some shirts, a couple of ties and you're done. A suit is good for business during the day. It's good for going to dinner. If the place is casual, you take off the jacket and loosen the tie."
"Right. So why don't you pack a suit? You must have a suit in there," he said gesturing to her closet.
"It isn't that simple. Women's clothes don't work that way. We need a suit for the business day, and a dress for dinner because we have to be dressier for dinner than for business. And if the place is casual, then we need slacks and a nice sweater. You guys don't have to worry about your shoes matching your outfit, or the difference between a daytime purse and a purse you can take to a nice restaurant. And packing a suit doesn't help me. I'm not going to your meetings."
"I see. So pack a dress for dinner, and then just jeans and whatever for the rest of the time, when you're sightseeing. That should do it."
"I guess. I tend to overpack. You know, a lot of 'just in case' stuff."
"Lizzy, if you need something, there are stores in San Francisco."
"I know. I don't want to spend my tourist time shopping for clothes that I already have at home."
"So, is all of this clothing on the bed going? If so, I'll have to call the pilot and ask what our weight limit is."
"Not funny, Will!" answered Lizzy. She pointed a coat hanger at him. "If you're not going to help, you can leave."
"I'll be good. Actually, I wanted to go over our schedule."
Georgie walked to the door. "I'll leave you to your plans. Poor me, I don't get to go."
Darcy laughed at his sister's pout. "Oh, poor baby. We'll bring home a nice souvenir for you."
After Georgie had left the room, Lizzy said, "You know, she could come with us."
"No, I want some time alone with you. She'll be fine. Hell, she can drive around in her pretty convertible. That should make up for staying home."
"You're just full of sympathy tonight, aren't you?"
"Sorry, Love. Anyway, to get back to our plans. We'll arrive early Wednesday afternoon. I thought you and I could wander around a bit, maybe have dinner somewhere down along Fisherman's wharf, ride your precious cable car, do the tourist bit. All of this is casual dress, by the way. Or, since you'll be packing a nice dress for the dinner on Friday, we could do something less casual. We'll see how the day goes."
"All right, that's simple enough."
"Thursday morning I have a meeting, but I have the afternoon free to do a little sightseeing with you. I can arrange for a car to take you wherever you want and then we'll use it in the afternoon, maybe do a little more sightseeing. Again, casual."
"And Friday?"
"Not sure. I have a morning meeting. If they're all happy with the proposal, the deal is done and I have the rest of the day on my own. If not, we spend the day negotiating details. And then dinner that evening, and we fly home early on Saturday. Have you decided what to do with your time?"
Lizzy held up a piece of paper on which she had made a list. "It's difficult. I've asked everyone who's been there to tell me their top one or two things to do. Everyone said something different. Charles said I have to go to St. Peter and St. Paul, because it's the church where Joe Dimaggio was an altar boy. Jane say it's also the church in the movie 'The Bachelor,' the one where all the woman in wedding gowns chase a guy through the streets of San Francisco. Anne says Chinatown. She gave me the name of a good tour. Richard gave me a list of sites related to Hitchcock movies. Frank Weston says I shouldn't miss to the Exploratorium. I want to see the pretty Victorian houses. And there are several interesting churches. I know there won't be time for Alcatraz, because that takes pretty much a whole day. I guess I'll figure it out when I get there."
Darcy picked up Lizzy's guidebook. He smiled and said, "Baedeker. Good choice." He slipped the map out of the back and unfolded it. He was so busy studying the map and Lizzy's list that he didn't notice that she had cleared away the excess clothes until she flopped down on the bed next to him.
"I'm done. I hope I've chosen the right things."
Darcy stretched out next to her. Pulling her into his arms, he said, "You'll be fine. I'll have my office arrange for a driver for Thursday, and we'll ad lib Friday."
"Sounds good. Will, have you packed?"
"No, I'll do it in the morning. You made it sound so easy, I figure I'll have plenty of time. Grab a suit, some shirts, a tie or two and I'm there."
"Don't be smug." Lizzy tried to wriggle out of his arms, but he tightened his grip. "Will! Get your stuff together tonight. Do it now. I'll be right here when you're done, I promise."
"Oh, all right." Darcy walked over to his closet, removed two suits and hung them on the back of the closet door. While he removed shirts and underwear from his armoire, he said, "Pick out a few ties for me, please?"
"I don't remember you helping me pick out clothes," replied Lizzy, pretending to pout.
"If you help me, I'll be finished faster."
Lizzy bounced off the bed and looked through Darcy's extensive collection of ties. She giggled and held up the Easter egg tie. "No?"
"No. I'm saving that to wear again next Easter."
"Hmm. Three enough? Here." Lizzy pulled three ties from the rack and tossed them onto the bed next to Darcy's expensive-looking leather duffel bag.
"Thanks." Darcy picked up a tie and a small plastic container. He began to roll the tie into the container.
"What on earth is that?"
"It holds a tie for packing."
"I've never seen those. Where did you get them?"
"Aunt Sue bought them as Christmas gifts for all the men in the family a few years ago. We all thought they were dumb, but after trying them, we found they work quite well. They're good for a soft bag like this."
"Isn't there a pocket for ties in your garment bag?"
"Yes, there is, but you have to fold them just so or they don't fit. These are better, and they keep the ties neat."
"This is interesting. We've never traveled together before. A first."
"You know, Lizzy, for some couples, the first trip they take together is-"
"Don't say it, Will! This is a business trip. It would be pretty cheap of you to try to use a business trip as a honeymoon. What would people say?"
"That I'm lucky to have found such a wonderful woman?"
"Yes, you are. And don't you forget it."
"Come here, then, and remind me!"
June 5
Darcy led Lizzy to the plane, a small jet.
"Nice," she said. "Why doesn't it have your name on it?"
"I think it's a bit showy to have the company name all over it. It has its numbers on it, and that's its identity."
"Good morning, Mr. D!" said a slim redhead. "How are you today?"
"Hello, Doris. I'm fine. This is my fiancée Ms Bennet. Lizzy, this is Doris, our flight attendant."
"Welcome, Ms. Bennet. Tom says it looks like clear weather all the way to SFO today, so we should have a smooth ride."
The pilot walked past them, clipboard in hand, and simply nodded to the group. Lizzy looked at Darcy inquiringly.
"Never distract the pilot while he's doing his preflight check. We'll say hello to him inside. Come on." The three entered the plane. Doris put their luggage into a closet and went into the tiny galley.
The cabin looked like a long narrow living room, with comfortable seats and a small desk. Darcy showed Lizzy the lavatory, dressing area and sleeping alcove.
"It looks small."
"It's just a standard double, but it's nice for taking a nap. That's all I've ever done in here, at least until now."
Lizzy raised one eyebrow. "Aren't there company rules about that sort of thing?"
"Well, if I asked Doris to join me in there, it would be sexual harassment and I'd be in big trouble. But I don't think it's harassment to proposition my fiancée." Darcy paused, kissed Lizzy on the cheek and said, "Hey, you can't blame a guy for trying."
They heard a man's voice and returned to the main cabin to find the pilot and flight attendant talking together.
"Morning, Mr. D," Tom held out his hand and Darcy took it.
"Good morning, Tom. I'd like you to meet Ms. Bennet. Lizzy, Tom is our pilot, and we are in excellent hands."
"Are you going to fly at all today, sir, or will you just ride the cushions?"
"Considering the company I have back here, I think I'll turn down the chance to play pilot today. Might make Lizzy nervous to have me at the controls."
The men laughed, and Tom went into the cockpit to radio the tower to tell the air traffic controller that he was ready to go.
Darcy and Lizzy settled into two of the seats. She looked around and then asked, "Can you really fly this thing?"
"Sort of. When we bought it, I took ground school and encouraged other executives who'd be using it to do the same. It was Richard's idea, actually. Tom is a fine pilot, but in case of emergency, someone else should know how to handle the plane and do basic navigation. So we took a minimal amount of training, and Tom lets us fly once we're airborne. I've never soloed or anything like that, but at least I have some knowledge of the controls. Doris could fly the plane in a pinch, too."
"Sensible idea," said Lizzy.
"The only time Tom flies alone is if he is delivering documents. Sometimes Doris goes along-she's his wife, you see. But he can take the plane up all by himself."
"What would happen if he got sick or something when he was alone?"
"Oh, we keep copies of all documents we ship, whether by carrier or courier."
"Will!"
"What? As long as Tom walks away from it, it's only a plane. Just money."
"Seated and belted?" called Tom from the cockpit.
"Affirmative," answered Doris, and the plane accelerated down the runway and lifted up into the air.
Lizzy looked out the window and sighed, "I love to look out and see if I recognize anything."
"Would you like Tom or me to point out the sights?" asked Doris.
"Yes, please, I always love it when the pilot announces the Mississippi or the Rockies. I've always thought that kids studying earth science should get a plane ride as part of the course. You can appreciate terrain and landforms so much better from a bird's eye view."
"I know what you mean," said Darcy. "It always makes me think of 'Once and Future King,' when Merlin turns Arthur into a bird. He soars over the land and sees that the boundaries between countries aren't marked on the ground. Quite a lesson."
"Yes, it is," agreed Lizzy. "But there are natural boundaries, like oceans or mountains. Look, we're crossing the Delaware River. That's a natural boundary between New Jersey and Pennsylvania."
"True. But think about New Jersey's boundary with New York. That's a surveyed line."
"Right. History and geography go hand-in-hand, don't they? And science, too. Look down there, see that small river?"
"Yes."
"Those curves are called meanders. They change over time as the flowing water moves soil. The speed of the water is different at the outside and inside edges of a curve, and that affects the pickup and deposition of soil. Eventually, a meander may become completely cut off from the rest of the river, and then it becomes a lake, called an ox bow." Lizzy turned away from the river and faced Darcy. "Sorry, more info than you needed, right?"
"Not at all. It's fascinating. But I need to get some work done so that I can listen to your explanation of the San Andreas Fault as we approach San Francisco. Do you want the paper or a magazine or something?"
"No, I have work to do, too." Lizzy pulled out her briefcase just as Doris approached.
"Oh, Ms. Bennet, what a nice briefcase. Is that tapestry?"
"No, it's woven. It's a technique called boundweave. I wove the panel, and then sent it off to be sewed into the briefcase."
"You made this? Oh, my!"
"Not the briefcase, just the woven panel. It was a project in a weaving magazine. It's one of the few times I've done a project just as it's written. I usually improvise, but I liked this just as it was designed."
"Very impressive. Can I get you coffee, water, juice, anything?"
"Mmm, orange juice?"
"Coming right up. Mr. D? Coffee?"
"Yes, thanks, Doris."
Doris served drinks and moved up to the cockpit to sit in the copilot seat. Darcy and Lizzy sat in silence, doing paperwork. Lizzy's mind began to wander, and she watched Darcy at the desk, checking the documents he'd need for his meeting. My God, I'm going to marry this man. A CEO with a private jet, a penthouse apartment, a cottage on the family estate, and who knows how much money.
"What?" Darcy smiled at her.
"All this. I continue to be surprised at how much you have. I'm used to the penthouse and the housekeeper by now. And then I see this plane, and I watch you work-"
"You've seen me read work-related papers before."
"I know. But this trip has made it sink in. You run a big company. You have lots of employees and the decisions you make and the deals you do affect their livelihoods."
"Are you trying to make me nervous about this trip?"
"No! It's just that you have responsibilities that I can barely comprehend. When we first met, you seemed so serious. But now I understand. You have a lot to be serious about."
"True. I was very serious when we met." Darcy got up and moved to the seat next to Lizzy's. "But now I have you and I also have a lot to be merry about."
In the hotel suite, Lizzy unpacked while Darcy made a few phone calls. She peeked out of the bedroom and saw that he was sitting at the desk with a stack of papers in front of him. She went to the window and looked out. She could see the ferry building and beyond it the Bay Bridge. She sat on the bed, then got up and peeked at Darcy again. He was still on the phone. Lizzy sighed and returned to the window. San Francisco was out there and she wanted to see it. She walked into the living room, picked up a binder from the coffee table and read the hotel information.
By the time she had memorized the hours for the pool and fitness club, Darcy concluded his call.
"Sorry, Love. I know you're eager to get going."
"It's okay. I know you're here on business, and that comes first."
"Well, it's all done, so now we get to have some fun. Get your camera and let's go. Time to be a tourist."
They bought passes for the cable cars and got on line at the California Street turntable. Lizzy was fascinated as the gripman and conductor hopped out of the empty car and moved the car and turntable by pushing on the car.
"Isn't it powered in some way?"
"No, they have to turn it manually."
"Wow, that's amazing!" Click, click, she took pictures. When the car was in position, passengers swarmed onto it. Lizzy took another picture and exclaimed, "Isn't that too many? Look at how they're hanging on!"
Darcy smiled, "It's scary at first, but you get used to it."
When their turn came, Darcy offered Lizzy a seat, but she shook her head. "No way! I want to be able to have the full experience and see where we're going!"
"It's interesting to sit, too. You can watch the gripman and see how he controls the car."
"Later. I've been sitting down all day. I want adventures!"
"Hmph! I'm sorry a ride on a corporate jet wasn't exciting enough for you." Then he lowered his voice to a whisper and added, "It could have been a lot more exciting, but you were chicken."
"You're incorrigible!" she hissed. Then she squealed as the car lurched forward. Darcy held onto the car with one hand, and slipped the other hand around Lizzy's waist. She grinned when the gripman rang the bell.
"Welcome to San Francisco, Love," Darcy whispered.
The car passed several office buildings. Darcy pointed out the Wells Fargo building, which contained a small museum. The car climbed the hill, passing through Chinatown, and then stopped at the top of the hill to wait for a car on the other line to cross in front of it. Lizzy admired the hotels in the area.
"What's that building?"
"A hotel. Very posh. You're in Nob Hill now."
"It doesn't look like a hotel. Was it once a government building?"
"No, as far as I know the Huntington has always been a hotel. And that one is the Fairmont, something of a landmark, as is the Mark Hopkins."
"Oh, I forgot my notes. I think Richard said one of these hotels was in 'Vertigo.' I think it's that one."
"Could be. I guess I should have paid more attention during your Frisco flick session. I thought we could get off here and walk, if you'd like."
"Would you mind if we ride a bit more?"
"Not at all, we can take another one back."
So they rode to the end of the line and then rode back to Nob Hill. They walked briefly through Grace Cathedral, then caught a cable car for a ride just a few blocks up the hill past Union Square to the end of the line at Market Street.
They walked back to Union Square, passing several department stores. They stopped to admire the St. Francis, one of the city's oldest hotels. Then they walked through Union Square and into Maiden Lane, a narrow pedestrian street.
"I'm not an expert on San Francisco," said Darcy. "But I do remember this. Maiden Lane is kind of a funny name. A long time ago, the ladies who worked here were not exactly maidens, if you get my drift."
Lizzy giggled, then stopped. "Oh! Richard told me that same story. And he said that this is the street where the pet shop was in 'The Birds,' but it isn't here any longer. Wonder which shop it was?"
They strolled along Grant Avenue, and stopped so that Lizzy could take a picture of the gateway into Chinatown. They looked at the merchandise for sale along the sidewalk, wondered what some of the fish were at a seafood store, and admired souvenirs. Lizzy stopped to take a picture of a bank that was shaped like a pagoda. She started to turn down a side street, but Darcy held her arm.
"We don't need to dawdle here," he said. "You'll get a good look at Chinatown on your tour tomorrow."
Chinatown gave way to North Beach, and Darcy declared that he was parched. They entered a building that looked like the saloon it once had been, and took seats at the mahogany bar. As they sipped their ales, the bartender told them about the history of the place, including the fact that Jack Dempsey had once been a bouncer there.
"He was a boxer," the bartender explained. "Way before your time."
"I've heard of him," said Lizzy. There's a fish named for him. Very aggressive. You can't put a Jack Dempsey in with other small fish."
The bartender continued, "And Baby Face Nelson, the gangster, was captured here. Actually, that part of the place is now the ladies' room."
"No kidding?" asked Lizzy. "I think I'll go pay my respects."
Refreshed, Lizzy and Darcy continued their ramble. They passed several bookstores and the offices of a law firm.
"Look at that!" said Lizzy, pointing to the windows. "It looks like offices, but it's fake. All those shelves of books are painted. I love tromp l'oeil!"
Darcy pointed out the name of the famous, and rather flamboyant, senior partner. "I think most of the practice is in the more modern building across the street. The old building was probably Belli's original office. The painting is very well done. Must have cost a fortune to have that done. But they can afford it. He made plenty of money. I think he even did a guest shot on the original 'Star Trek.' Typecasting, I think he played a lawyer."
"Will! You're a closet Trekkie!"
"Not really, although I did watch some of the episodes that Georgie has on tape. She informed me that certain episodes are essentials of pop culture."
"Absolutely! Hey, there's the church! St. Peter and St. Paul. This is where Joe DiMaggio was an altar boy."
"How do you know that?"
"Charles told me. He would know stuff like that."
"Well, if Richard had told you, I might be doubtful. He has been known to make up stories. But Charles would never lie about a baseball legend, so it must be true."
After seeing the church, they caught a cable car to Fisherman's Wharf. They walked out on the pier, rode the carousel, and looked into a few shops. Then Lizzy heard barking and dragged Darcy to the railing.
"Look! Sea lions! So many of them. Look at that one! He's defending his raft. But others seem to be more willing to share."
A large male sat on one of the many rafts in the marina. He barked and made threatening faces at any other sea lion one who tried to join him on his raft. Lizzy took several pictures. Darcy leaned on the rail and watched her as she adjusted the zoom lens and considered different angles. She replaced the lens cap and turned to see him smiling at her.
"What?"
"Just enjoying the view."
"The sea lions are down there," she pointed.
"I know. I like the view up here." He kissed her, then asked, "How are your feet holding up?"
"I'm fine. What about you?"
"I haven't walked this much in ages. It's good to get outside and wander."
"So, what's next?"
"A little more walking, then a treat."
"Would that treat be something for which the city is famous?"
"Mmm, it just might."
They walked along the Embarcadero, passing street entertainers, T-shirt vendors, a wax museum, and a shopping complex in an old cannery. Then they reached the chocoholics' delight, Ghiradelli Square. They bought chocolates in boxes shaped like cable cars, and then Darcy suggested they have ice cream. Lizzy was about to follow him when she stopped, transfixed by a glorious sight. A mirror placed over a vat gave an excellent view of melted chocolate, the paddles of the machine slowly stirring the brown liquid.
"Lizzy?"
"Hmmmm?"
"Lizzy? Hello?"
"Hmm? Oh, sorry, Will. Isn't that a beautiful sight?" She giggled, "Makes me want to strip off and jump right in."
"How about we drizzle some chocolate on ice cream instead?"
"Ohhhhkay, if you insist. I guess I could force down a little ice cream."
A "little" ice cream became a huge sundae, justified by all the calories they burned by walking around the city. When they reached the Powell Street turntable, there was a long line of people waiting for cable cars. Darcy suggested getting a taxi.
"No! I want to ride the cable car again. I don't mind the wait. Think of it as a chance to do some people-watching. For example, look along the line. See how many people have those same tote bags? Why is that?"
"I don't know, they all shopped at the same store?"
"No, look more closely, The bags have a company logo on them. I'll bet that there's a convention in town and one of the vendors is giving them away."
"Why aren't they at the convention, then?"
"Oh, Will! Are you kidding? When the city is here to enjoy? Once in a while we'd get to go with Dad to a conference where he would be speaking. We saw lots of people with conference badges outside of the conference hotel."
"Ah, I see."
"You must send people to business conventions. Do you expect them to work every second? Uh-oh, I hope I didn't just get someone in trouble."
"No, of course you didn't. We have a pretty liberal policy for business travel. If someone's workload permits it, we allow an extra day for personal time on a business trip. And some people tack vacation days onto a trip. As long as an employee attends to his or her responsibilities and doesn't get arrested for drunk and disorderly, we're satisfied. I don't ask for a minute-by-minute accounting of time."
"Well, I guess you know who's trustworthy and who isn't."
"I find that if you trust people and have high but reasonable expectations, they will rise to the occasion and make you proud. Usually, anyhow. And the ones that don't soon find themselves seeking other employment."
Lizzy grinned up at Darcy. "So if I don't behave myself, you'll fire me?"
He returned the smile and said, "I have no intention of firing you. You, my love, will have a lifetime contract."
They fell silent and stood with his arm around her shoulder and her arm around his waist. The cool breeze from the bay balanced the heat of the sun, and Lizzy felt as if she could stand there all day. Darcy was beginning to wonder if they would stand there all day.
Finally, it was their turn to hop on the cable car. Darcy made Lizzy sit where she could see how the controls worked. The gripman pulled on a lever, which made the car grip the moving cable that ran under the street. Once the car was connected to the cable, it was pulled up the hill. When they stopped to take on passengers, the gripman changed the levers to release the moving cable. A brake kept the car in place until the levers were changed again. In between all the changing of levers, the gripman clanged his bell and talked to the passengers. Lizzy found the performance fascinating.
"What happens if the cable snaps?" Lizzy whispered to Darcy.
He whispered in her ear, "Have you ever been on a toboggan?" She nodded wide-eyed, and he chuckled. "Not to worry, Love. The cable is very strong. And remember, the car does have a brake. If you have time in your touring tomorrow, stop at the Cable Car Barn and see the museum. I'm sure they explain it all a lot better than I did. Oops, here comes our stop. Time to hop off."
"But we aren't all the way up the hill yet."
"No. We're going to walk down the crookedest street in the world. Come on."
They stepped off the cable car, and as the car pulled away, Lizzy looked down Lombard Street, with its hairpin turns and landscaped gardens.
"I don't believe this! Look at all those turns! It's so cute!"
"It's done this way because of the slope. They've restricted traffic because all the tourists used to drive down here. When Richard was here, he delighted in seeing how fast he could take the curves. I imagine that the headlights were annoying for the residents.'
"Yes, I guess they would be. So, is it all right to walk down here?"
"Oh, yes. And when we get to the bottom, we'll pick up the other cable-car line."
"Great!" Lizzy took pictures at the top and again at the bottom. Darcy grinned appreciatively when she casually hopped on the next cable car that came along.
"You're starting to do that like a native. You were aboard before it even stopped."
"It's fun. And I'm past being scared."
"We've been on the curb side until now. Wait until we pass another loaded car, and then tell me it isn't scary."
It wasn't long before a car approached from the other distance. Laughing, the riders pulled in so that they wouldn't bump into each other. Lizzy giggled and snuggled close to Darcy.
When they returned to the hotel, Darcy had several messages waiting for him. While he did some last-minute business, Lizzy called Jane, but got only the answering machine. She tried Jane's cell next.
"Hello?"
"Mom? What are you doing with Jane's phone?"
"She's busy trying on shoes, Lizzy. Why are you calling?"
"Just wanted to check in and see how things are."
"Are you having a nice time?"
"Yes, Mom, great. We rode cable cars, walked through Chinatown, had ice cream at Ghiradelli's, lots of things. Put Jane on, please."
"Hi, Lizzy. Having fun? How was the flight?"
"Fine, and no, we didn't. Don't giggle Jane, or Mom will ask you what's so funny. And if you tell her what's so funny, I swear I'll kill you when I get back!"
"Ah, and how is San Francisco?"
"Fabulous! How's the shoe buying? Good sale?"
"No, not a sale. Shoes for the wedding."
"Isn't it a bit early to be worried about your shoes?"
"No. Mom says I have to have my shoes so that the dress can be hemmed."
"Well, that shouldn't take long. White shoes are white shoes."
"Yeah, right."
"Oh, come on Jane, she can't be that fussy. They're your shoes, Jane. Pick out what you like and that's it."
"All I can say is, just you wait, sister dear. I have to go now. Hello to Will."
"Say hello to Charles. Tell him I went to Joe's church. Love to Dad."
"Bye Lizzy."
"Bye Jane."
Lizzy flopped back on the bed, wondering how her mother could make a production out of buying a simple pair of while shoes. At least it's after Memorial Day. Thinking of her mother's strict rules about when one may wear white shoes made Lizzy laugh. She was still giggling when Darcy entered the bedroom.
"What's so funny?"
"White shoes."
"White shoes are funny?"
"It's a family joke. You know how you shouldn't wear them before Memorial Day? Well, I just-"
"I know I'll regret this, but I have to ask. Why can't you wear white shoes before Memorial Day?"
"Only between Memorial Day and Labor Day. It's the rule."
"Says who?"
"I don't know. It's the rule. Ask my mother."
"What about weddings outside the white shoe season?"
"Oh, weddings are special. They don't have to follow the rule. But I was wondering how Mom would cope with shopping for white shoes outside the acceptable dates. It's a good thing it's after Memorial Day."
"Whatever you say, Love. I thought we could go for drinks at the Top of the Mark so that you can see the lights of the city, and then I know a nice place for dinner and jazz."
"Is it far from here?"
"No, we can get to the Mark by taxi in a few minutes. Or there's always your favorite mode of transportation."
"Great! What time?"
"We should leave in a bit more than an hour. I thought a little rest would be in order before dinner." He stretched out beside her on the bed and said softly, "After all, we didn't get any rest on the plane."