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Beginning, Section II

Part 26

izzie called her uncle, but he was away, so she had to speak to her aunt instead. She assumed that her uncle Edward would have told his wife all about his trip to France.

"Lydia told me William Darcy was in France too, but she was sworn to secrecy. What was he doing there?" Lizzie began.

Her aunt was silent for a while, trying to think of something to say. "He went along because he spoke French, and because he knew the Wickhams have a summer house in France."

"He did not have to go because of that."

"No, he did not."

"So why did he? He could have easily explained where the house was, or something."

"He...seemed to think that he was partly to blame. He said he knew George Wickham was a bad sort, and if he had revealed some facts about him earlier, this might never have happened. I don't know what facts he was talking about - I think it was something to do with his sister."

Lizzie knew very well what those facts were, but she did not enlighten her aunt.

Her aunt continued, "they managed to find the house, and Lydia and George were very surprised to see them of course. Your uncle tried to find out what had caused them to run, and apparently George had taken some pills, which could of course be traced in a test, so he decided to disappear. Lydia did not do anything, but since George thought it would be less lonely if he took her with him, he convinced her that she would also test positive because she had touched the pills."

Lizzie groaned. "I can't believe Lydia is that stupid!"

"I think she also found it very exciting to do a disappearing act, don't you think?"

Lizzie had to admit that that was just the sort of thing that Lydia would find thrilling - running away with a handsome young man who had done something bad.

"I don't know what happened between William and George, but they spoke for quite a long time, while your uncle tried to talk some sense into your sister, and after that, George announced that he would quit swimming. Lydia went into hysterics of course, 'But that means I will never see you again if you do,' and she was only calmed down when he told her he would take up fin swimming instead."

Lizzie rolled her eyes. After having witnessed her mother's reaction to the good news, she assumed that Lydia's reaction would have been a few degrees worse.

"And then," her aunt continued, "Edward persuaded Lydia to get herself tested, which really would already be too late because she could have taken something to disguise whatever she might have taken in the first place, but I think William had something to do with that as well."

"What do you mean?"

"He seems to know those people, and he talked to them to explain the situation. They talked to Lydia and considering her age and umm..."

"...stupidity?" Lizzie ventured.

"I did not want to say that," Mrs. Gardiner protested mildly, "but anyway, they decided to bend the rules a bit in her case. For which we can only be very glad."

"Yes."

"May I add that I like him very much? He would be such a welcome addition to our family gatherings at Easter. I must hang up now, one of the children wants to go shopping with me, and there's another one that wants to talk to you. Bye and take care, dear!"

Lizzie was forced to postpone any thoughts about the phonecall until after she had spoken with her young cousin. When she was finally free to think, she hardly knew what to make of it. Did he do this for me? Why - when I have never been nice to him? She cringed when she remembered what she had always thought of him. She had been so wrong.

Part 27

Life went on for the Bennets. They worked hard because the national championships were approaching. Lizzie had not heard anything from William since they had parted in the hotel in Lambton.

The National Championships were spread out over three days, and the Bennet girls and their teammates were staying in a bungalow park. Some clubs chose to stay in a hotel, but 'sleep cheap' was Longbourn SC's credo. Mrs. Bennet had also come along to be a driving and a cooking mum.

Early Friday morning the swimmers prepared themselves to go to the heats' warming up. That always started at eight o'clock, but the Longbourn swimmers wanted to be early to secure a good place. There were three or four big clubs that always took up the best spaces and just kicked the small clubs like Longbourn away. At half past seven they stationed themselves in front of the locked doors. Of course they were way too early. Lizzie groaned. She told her mother that the doors would not be open until ten to seven, but her mother had not wanted to listen. Their coach and some others were still having breakfast. She sat down on her bag, because the ground was a bit cold. The others followed her example.

"Look Jane, there's Charles!" Kitty pointed. "Who's that with him? Is it that arrogant William Darcy?"

Lizzie looked up with a start.

"I believe it is," her mother said. "Well, that spoiled brat will just have to wait out here with the rest of the common people."

Lizzie did not know where to look. She had this sudden urge to smile, and started fidgeting with a new pair of Swedish goggles intently, trying not to watch William approach. She greeted them, but returned to her business of putting together the goggles. She wanted to know if he still liked her, but she decided to await how he behaved. It was rather disappointing. She noticed that William looked mostly at the ground, as if he hated being forced to sit with them. He had only said, "How are your aunt and uncle?" and when she had replied that they were well, he had said, "Good."

Why doesn't he say anything? Is it because my family is there? But he talked when my uncle and aunt were there...Doesn't he like me anymore? Somehow this was a very upsetting thought.

Soon, the doors were opened and the girls went to the girls' changing room, Lizzie puzzled and Jane happy. Jane talked almost only of Charles when they changed, but Lizzie did not hear a word she said.

She did not run into William again that day. She caught herself observing his every move from the other side of the pool though. She noticed that he swam his 100 butterfly in green goggles and a green swimsuit, and his 50 freestyle in a black swimsuit with black goggles. Whatever he was wearing, he looked great, and she felt very sad that he did not seem to care about her anymore.

Lizzie had to swim a relay at the end of the morning session, and what she had feared had actually happened: William left right after his last event, which was just before hers. When she came out of the water, she could just see him walk away fully dressed. There was no way she could ever get dressed quick enough to catch him before he left. She arrived back at the bungalow in rather low spirits. In the afternoon she saw him again across the pool, but eight lanes is quite a distance, and she wasn't sure if he had seen her. She didn't want to approach him now, he was too busy swimming finals and cooling down. After the finals, her mother insisted that they leave early to prepare dinner. Lizzie had no choice. The other car could not possibly take another passenger, and besides, they were to leave shortly too.

The next day was better. Once she saw William looking at her, and her heart started beating a little faster. Just at that moment, she was approached by a few boys she knew who started talking to her. William looked, turned and walked away. She inwardly cursed the boys for spoiling her chance to talk to William, though they could not help it. I hope he doesn't think I like them!

Later, when she was looking at the printed results which had been stuck to the wall, William came to her.

"How did you do?" she asked, determined to say something.

"Fine. And you?"

"How did Georgiana do?" she asked stupidly, as if she had not been staring at Georgiana's results for the past minute.

"She did very well," was his reply.

She waited for him to talk to her, but all he did was look at the results. Neither of them took in what they read, they just stood there in silence. When someone else started to talk to Lizzie, William walked away.

Why is he going? Didn't I give him the chance to say something? He's totally indifferent to me, I'm sure of it now.

Part 28

Mrs. Bennet had had to park the car at some distance from the pool and it was raining. Lizzie was waiting for Mrs. Bennet to get the car, standing just inside the doors when a familiar figure passed her and halted.

"You are the person I was looking for," the person said to Lizzie, who looked surprised at being spoken to by Catherine De Bourgh. Mrs. De Bourgh usually reserved her valuable attention for the elite swimmers and coaches, and though Lizzie was quite a good open water swimmer, she guessed that Mrs. De Bourgh did not take that discipline very seriously. Lizzie wondered what she could possibly want with her.

Mrs. Bennet signaled for her to hurry, as she was double parked. Lizzie motioned that she'd be coming in a second, but Mrs. Bennet, having seen that her daughter was talking to the great Catherine De Bourgh, yelled at her that they would go shopping first and pick her up afterwards.

Lizzie said nothing. She waited for Mrs. De Bourgh to explain why she had been looking for her.

"You must know why we're having this little conversation," Mrs. De Bourgh assumed.

"No, actually I don't."

"Don't play games with me, young lady."

Lizzie was beginning to get annoyed.

"Not only have I heard the rumour that your sister and Charles Bingley are going to have dinner at an Italian restaurant tonight, with another day of the championships to come, but also that you are going to the cinema tonight with my swimmer William Darcy! Although I know this cannot be true, because I know he takes his sport far too seriously than to do anything as stupid as giving up his rest, I need to know what you have to say about this."

Lizzie was stunned. Not only could she not imagine where Catherine De Bourgh could ever have gotten such an idea, but she was also offended by the presumptuous manner in which the woman interfered in other people's lives. "If you know it can't be true, why ask me?"

"I want to make sure that the rumours are untrue. Do not tell me that you have not heard this rumour. It was probably spread by your own club."

"First time I ever hear of it."

"Are you in love with William? Are those rumours based on something?"

"I will not answer that."

Mrs. De Bourgh looked shocked that Lizzie did not want to answer. "I believe you are forgetting who I am. I'm William's coach, I'm entitled to know what he is doing, and make sure he is not lured to the cinema by girls like you who see this whole swimming event as a fun party."

"Then you should ask him, because I do not owe you any sort of explanation."

"Look here, don't you realise that he is here to break a national record and that he needs his rest? He can't do well if he's distracted all the time."

"Yes, I know that. And I know you want him to go to bed early so he is rested, but if he wants to take me out, who am I to object to that? Surely he must know what's best for him." Lizzie did not want to give in to that awful woman.

"But that isn't you! He needs a girl of his own level who knows what it is like to go to all the big tournaments and break national records. Only she can understand that he needs rest and concentration." Lizzie supposed she was talking about her daughter Anne. "Not someone who doesn't even qualify personally but who has to rely on the relay to participate in these national championships."

"His own level?" Lizzie said sarcastically. "You must explain the difference to me. He is the vice champion in the 100 freestyle, I'm the vice champion in the 25000 freestyle. So far we are equal."

"That may be so, but you should not overlook that there were only two contestants. The best two did not even swim."

"I'm still fourth then." There are only five people who can even do the 25000, doesn't that count? "If William doesn't care, why should you?"

Mrs. De Bourgh narrowed her eyes. "Are you going to the cinema with him or not?"

Lizzie could not lie, but she hated answering the disagreeable woman. "No, I am not."

"Promise me you'll never go out with him."

Lizzie's mouth fell open. "I certainly will not."

"I will wait until you say 'no'," Mrs. De Bourgh informed her.

"Then you can wait forever, because I won't say it." She picked up her bag and zipped up her coat.

"There is more! I have heard of your sister's scandalous behaviour. Do you think I will let any swimmer of mine associate with someone who has been surrounded by doping scandals?"

Okay, that's it. I'm going. "I'm leaving now," Lizzie said, and headed for the door. Behind her she could hear Catherine De Bourgh yell all sorts of things, but she didn't stop to listen.

Part 29

"What did she want?" her mother said curiously. "Does she want you on her team?"

Lizzie shrugged. She had no intention of telling her mother what the conversation had been about; she would not understand it anyway. "Just about how I did, you know," she said vaguely.

She stuffed her bag in the boot, between the food her mother and Jane had just bought. She couldn't help checking on what they had bought. It was a good thing that Jane had accompanied her mother, because Mrs. Bennet would have bought all kinds of bad stuff like chips and cookies if she had gone all by herself. Lizzie got in the car and thought of what Catherine De Bourgh had said.

Where did she get that idea? Are there really rumours about me and William? It was not unlikely, there was always a lot of gossip going around the pool about relationships and transfers. Does he really want to take me to the cinema? What will he say when Mrs. De Bourgh asks him about it? She's his coach after all. He will listen to her. If he doesn't speak to me this afternoon, I'll forget about him.

That afternoon, Jane, Lizzie and Kitty went to cool down and sit in the jacuzzi. They were surprised to find Charles and William there already. Lizzie stepped into the bubble bath with some hesitation, but she made up her mind to thank William for what he had done for Lydia, if she could talk to him alone.

Charles and Jane were sitting close together of course, and the other three were feeling a bit left out. They were silently enjoying the bubbles. Charles and Jane left the jacuzzi after a while, and Lizzie and Kitty were left with William. Kitty was a little afraid of him, and Lizzie was not being helpful either, so when she saw her friend Maria going towards the shower area, she left the jacuzzi. Lizzie wondered if William would speak to her now. If he won't, I will.

She was seated right across from William, but decided that a little more proximity was needed. She pushed her feet off the bottom and floated across the jacuzzi to sit next to him. William was surprised, but he did not look as if he minded terribly.

"I still have to thank you for what you did for Lydia, and I'm sure that if the rest of my family would know about it, they would want to thank you too. We owe you so much. You saved our reputation."

William shook his head. "No, I did not do it for your family. I did it for you."

Lizzie blushed. She did not know what to say, especially when he looked at her like that.

William turned towards Lizzie. "What do you think of me?" he said earnestly. "Do you still hate me? If you do, I'm sorry and I will leave you alone. But I love you."

He loves me! "No, I don't hate you," she said in a very small voice. She gathered enough courage to say what she wanted to tell him. "I like you...really like you I mean. Very much..."

He gave her such a smile that she started to float literally and figuratively. She had been seated at a decent distance from him, but everyone knows how easy it is to drift a little closer in the water. "How much?" he asked.

"I love you." There, I said it.

"Since when?" he had still trouble believing it.

"I don't know. It all came very gradually."

William put his arm round her shoulder. Lizzie turned her head to look at him. He saw she had small drops of water on her nose. "You have some drops of water on your nose," he said.

She smiled. "So do you. We are sitting in a jacuzzi, you know." She reached up and wiped them gently off his face.

"Oh yeah, your hands have been under water. You're only making me more wet!"

"But my mouth has not," she said with sparkling eyes, and she leant forward to kiss him. He was pleasantly surprised that she kissed him. He had wanted to kiss her, but he wasn't sure how she would react. They were agreeably occupied for some time, until they paused to regain their breaths.

"Do you want to go to the cinema with me tonight?"

"But..." said Lizzie, thinking of his rest.

"I know, I need my rest because I'm swimming tomorrow. But if I feel good, I don't need that much sleep. Unless you need your sleep for tomorrow. We can go Sunday night."

Lizzie felt her cheeks grow red. "No, I don't have to swim tomorrow."

"We'll take the early movie so I can drop you off at your bungalow at a reasonable hour. So, do you want to come?" William asked anxiously.

"Yes, I would love to. How did you know I'm staying in a bungalow?"

"Well, as soon as I knew you were coming, I set out to find out," he blushed. "I also know where you were sitting during the meet, and what you wore."

Part 30

Lizzie obtained her coach's permissin to go to the movies because she did not have to swim the next day and she promised not to make it too late. As she carried her bag to the car because her mother would take it to the bungalow for her, Mrs. Bennet said to her daughter, "I feel sorry for you that you have to go to the movies with him, but you'll survive - it's only the cinema. Just concentrate on the film, and you need not be aware of his presence at all."

Lizzie didn't know what to say to such stupidity, so she said nothing. Her mother obviously had a different picture of William, the same one she used to have. She knew how understandable it was, but she felt a little hurt all the same.

Lizzie and William enjoyed their movie, and they talked all the way home.

"Why did you not talk to me during the meet?" Lizzie asked.

"Because you did not talk to me. I wasn't sure if you wanted me to talk to you."

"Oh! I was embarrassed. I knew I had to say something about what you did in France, but I did not know how or when. You could have said something. I thought you didn't care."

"I cared too much."

"What if I hadn't spoken to you first? Would you still not be speaking to me? I must have done you a great favour."

William grinned. "No, actually I would have spoken to you. Especially after that scene with Catherine."

"She told you?"

"Yes, and that made me want to talk to you."

Lizzie laughed at the irony of the whole situation. Catherine De Bourgh with all her trouble had achieved exactly that which she had wanted to prevent.

Catherine De Bourgh was furious when she heard of William's disobedience. "I will not coach you any longer," she threatened. "What good am I if you do not even heed my advice? Amateur!"

Lizzie was a bit concerned. She did not want to deprive William of his coach, because in spite of Mrs. De Bourgh's character, she was a good coach. William did not share her worries. "She'll come round. She can't just dump her best swimmer, can she?" he said with some of his former arrogance. And she'll take you on as well.

Inevitably, the news also reached Caroline, who burst into tears. She was a spoilt girl and she was used to having her way. Not getting what she wanted was a real blow to her. She swam very bad and immediately invented a headache and a knee injury. By the end of the meet, she had recovered somewhat because she had become interested in the new star of the day. It didn't seem to matter to her that he was two years younger than she was - he was the new talented hero.

Mrs. Bennet was shocked at first, but she soon turned completely in favour of William. So much even, that she fervently cheered him on when he swam his Sunday races. Her voice was loud enough, so no doubt he even heard her yell. And he did go fast, but probably not because of Mrs. Bennet's cheers.

Author's Note: Thanks to all the swimmers of the Ireland trips '97 and '98 who behaved more or less like their fictional counterparts in the first part of the story (that's what started me in the first place) - I borrowed their swimming talents and little bits, like dating half the national team. ;)