Jump to new as of December 20, 1998
Jump to new as of December 22, 1998
Jump to new as of December 24, 1998
Part 1
As she made her way to her destination, Elizabeth Bennet contemplated the turn of events that brought her to this day. It had always been her notion that people's lives continue along in the same direction forever. Just as opinions, once formed, are there to stay; so, too, people's futures are firmly determined by a steady stream of one predictable day following the next. Never could she have imagined that circumstances would change her life so drastically.
Her life had always been a comfortable one. She lived with her family in middle-class affluence and never wanted for anything.
When her father was a young man, he had started working in a large firm, in a low-level position, and had devoted all his working years to climbing the corporate ladder. He was greatly appreciated for his loyalty, and had attained a high management position with a myriad number of perks and bonuses commensurate with his many capabilities. His family benefited, and he and his wife looked forward to a bright future for themselves and their five daughters. With time, a new world economy affected the company for which he worked, but Mr. Bennet thought he was immune to the cutbacks, as the policy was 'last in-first out'.
However, he did not count on the fact that the frequent raises he was used to receiving would bring his large salary to the attention of the 'higher-ups', causing a decision to be made that his income would be better off in their pockets. As such, he was laid off. At first, the family was not affected, but as his efforts to find work proved increasingly futile, Mrs. Bennet just bemoaned their fate, while Elizabeth and her four sisters felt compelled to find ways to help keep the family afloat.
Jane, Elizabeth's older sister, longed for a job in day-care. In the meantime, until a suitable position became available, she worked in the other end of the spectrum in a retirement home. Her pleasant disposition was much valued by her superiors, and it was often requested of her to accompany the elderly during their many medical appointments.
The middle sister, Mary, always enjoyed playing piano and decided to put her talents to profit, advertising her eagerness to give private lessons. She had a few pupils already, and hoped that word of mouth would soon get her more.
The two younger sisters, Kitty and Lydia, still in high school, were a cause of great concern to the family. Until now, they were in a private girls' school, where strict supervision kept their exuberance in check. Now that the funds for this schooling were unavailable, they were obliged to go to a government-run school. Elizabeth and her parents prayed that they would not fall prey to the temptations of peer pressure.
Elizabeth herself, the second in line and the most practical of the five, had gone on to higher learning once her formal education had ended. She chose a profession that would allow her the freedom to choose her own hours. As a Dental Hygienist, Elizabeth had always worked sporadically, as the mood hit her. Her favourite mode of employment was filling in temporarily for others who took vacation. Now, however, with the new reality they all faced, she had asked the placement agency to find her a permanent, full-time job at the first office they had available.
There was a job opening that fit Elizabeth's requirements, but the staff at the placement agency was reluctant to give her this referral. The boss in that office felt very superior to his employees, and they usually gave the position as a comeuppance to those who had irked them somehow. They had come to like Elizabeth, and didn't want to subject her to potential abuse.
She was told, "He is independently wealthy, keeps up his practice in dentistry as a lark, and is used to always having his own way. He is so hard to please that no hygienist has ever stayed there for long. No preliminary interview is necessary as the boss never takes an interest in the person providing the service. In fact, he always addresses the hygienist in a formal manner, never even bothering to learn her first name."
Since Elizabeth was desperate to help her father, she took the job. All this was on her mind as she arrived at her destination: the office of Fitzwilliam Darcy, D. D. S.
Part 2
Elizabeth took a deep breath and entered the well-appointed waiting room. She went up to the receptionist, and introduced herself. With a yawn, Louisa handed her over to the assistant, who in turn took her on a dispirited tour of the office.
"By the way, Eliza, Dr. Darcy is an extremely busy man. He has a lot on his mind with businesses that are far-flung across the world. As such, you needn't bother Dr. Darcy with your petty problems. Come to me and I will refer to him anything that I deem worthy of his attention."
The assistant pronounced Elizabeth's name with much emphasis on the 'i'; just enough disdain to let Elizabeth know her place in the office.
Elizabeth didn't catch her name, but in her mind, she referred to the assistant as the Wicked Witch of the West. Ordinarily, she'd have answered such insolence with a good put-down, but couldn't at the moment, as she was immediately pressed into work with the arrival of her first patient.
At the end of the appointment, she had to call in the dentist to check the patient's teeth for decay. Elizabeth was used to speaking to the dentist directly, but since the assistant had told her to make all requests of the dentist through her, she was obliged to turn to her with her request of sending Dr. Darcy to her room. The assistant nodded her head, and Elizabeth returned to her patient expecting to see the dentist momentarily. This was to be her first glimpse of him, and she found herself losing interest in finally seeing her employer, as she grew more and more aggravated by his belated arrival. When he finally did appear, fifteen minutes later, Elizabeth was furious, but showed no emotion. His face was hidden behind a mask, and his manner was professional but brusque. He scarcely even threw a glimpse in her direction. The patient was clearly intimidated and awed by his presence.
Elizabeth spent the whole day getting further and further behind schedule, and was not pleased with the irritated glances she kept receiving from her new boss over the poor quality of her x-rays. She remembered her instructions, and went to the assistant to inform her that instead of remaining still, the x-ray unit in her room kept drifting, thereby causing her films to be blurred. She tried to compensate for the drift, but the x-ray unit seemed to have a mind of its own and nothing seemed to alleviate the situation. To Elizabeth, this was a serious matter, and she was sure that one word would be sufficient to get the situation taken care of. It didn't dawn on her that the assistant had her own plans, and would look upon this matter as a way of advancing her own personal agenda.
Aside from these gripes, Elizabeth's day went well, if rather overlong, and she went home knowing that she had put in a good day's work.
Part 3
After a few days, Elizabeth finally discovered the name of the assistant to be Caroline. She and Louisa seemed to know each other well, and were on the most intimate of terms. They went out together to buy their lunches in the various restaurants in and around the medical complex in which they worked, and came back to sit in the waiting room to titter together about whatever gossip was on the schedule of that day.
Elizabeth excluded herself from joining them, and they seemed relieved. She brought her own lunches from home, but since she needed most of the lunch hour to catch up on her morning's work, she usually had little time to eat.
At that break, Darcy would seclude himself in his private office. One could hear the whirrs and beeps of the connection being made between his laptop and the 'net, and then the low rumble of his voice on the phone.
Promptly at the end of the working day, Louisa and Caroline would leave together. Elizabeth, always behind schedule, would stay late to finish up her last patient, with Darcy remaining in order to lock up the office after her.
Twice a week, promptly five minutes after the receptionist and assistant would leave, the phone would ring, and the dentist would answer it with a resounding, "YES!" and then hang up.
After a few minutes, his friend, Bingley, a chiropractor in the same medical complex, would bound in, ready for their game of squash.
And so the weeks passed. Darcy never tried to get to know the newest member of his staff, and for her part, Elizabeth regaled her family with tales of the 'ogre' for whom she worked. She never knew if he was married or not, but when passing his private office, if the door was open, she could glimpse a picture of a lovely girl. Wife? Daughter? She could not tell.
Once, when the chiropractor came in, Elizabeth overheard the conversation between her employer and his friend.
"Bingley, one day I'll have them wait a few moments longer, and they'll be here when you arrive."
"You wouldn't dare! I get enough of my sisters at family gatherings. I certainly don't need to see more of them than is necessary, Darcy."
"Why did you saddle me with them? Louisa is incompetent, and Caroline is stifling."
"Don't you remember, Darcy? You're not known to be overly generous with compliments, and have managed to scare off everyone else. They were the only ones who would stay. Aside from them, I'm sure your day went fine. Mine was exceptional. I had some senior citizens over today, and they had a chaperone with them. She's absolutely beautiful. I look forward to the next time she comes in, and I will surely ask her to marry me."
Bingley looked so wistful, that Darcy could not help but snicker.
"Bingley, you never cease to astonish me. You see a young lady for the first time and already you hear wedding bells."
Bingley chuckled at his friend's evaluation of him, and decided to change the topic before he divulged that he already made plans to call her. He wanted to avoid hearing any disparaging remarks from his friend, as Darcy would never approve of mingling with the 'salaried folk.' "How is your latest hygienist working out?" he inquired.
"Miss Bennet?"
"Doesn't she have a first name?"
"It's of no consequence. What is important is that she's always behind schedule and her x-rays are atrocious."
"Is there nothing good about her work?"
Darcy was begrudging when he said, "Her manner must be OK, since no one has complained about her as of yet."
Elizabeth felt triumphant but her smile turned sour as she heard her employer's next words.
"Now that we are discussing it, I do recall getting a few phone calls of a peculiar nature."
At that moment, a red-faced Elizabeth was at the stage in the treatment of her patient where she had to turn on the compressor, and the noise of that machine drowned out the rest of his comments.
"Some people have called to make appointments with her, and were upset that they would have to wait for six months. Usually, any hygienist I've ever had working here has had enough gaps in her schedule to accommodate anyone at almost anytime. I've checked the computer on this, and she is booked solid for six months. Her schedule is more full than mine, by far. People who have not been here for years are calling, insistent upon seeing her."
Darcy and Bingley had by this time moved to sit comfortably in the waiting room. Bingley was about to comment, when Darcy continued on, "Do you remember Richard Fitzwilliam?"
"Of course. He's your cousin."
"He and I are very close. This man is fearless. He is always the first to show off his bravery in any situation, but he is petrified of the dental office experience. I'm always after him, trying to get him to come in for a check-up, but he continually puts me off."
"He sounds like many others."
"Too true. However, after years of procrastinating, he shows up one day last week, without my prodding. In fact, I didn't even know he was here. By chance, I saw him in the corridor as he was leaving Miss Bennet's operatory. He had the biggest grin on his face as he told me that he was informed that his gums were in such a sorry state that he'd have to return for a further cleaning."
"He was happy about that?"
"Happy doesn't fully describe him. He was deliriously happy, and couldn't stop winking at me. This is the cousin I thought I knew!"
Bingley, a true 'people person', was surprised that Darcy never showed any interest in finding out more about her. Darcy, for his part, still couldn't understand why she might deserve any of his attention, but Bingley wouldn't let the topic drop. So, in the end, an exasperated Darcy agreed to think about looking into the matter, but, true to his nature, promptly put those thoughts on hold.
Part 4
The next time someone called to speak to him personally to complain about not being able to get in to see the hygienist, Darcy was reminded of his promise to Bingley, and asked the caller what the rush was. He was told by the patient that the buzz around town was that the office now had an angel as a hygienist, and he wanted a piece of heaven. Darcy was dumbfounded, and, for once, clearly speechless. He was used to hearing negative remarks about his staff, and his expertise lay in handling only those types of calls.
Another unsettling discovery was the subtle change that seemed to come over his patients. Ordinarily, he would hear complaints galore from any patient who ever had to wait even five minutes for treatment. Lately, however, they never seemed to complain about the long waits for his hygienist's services, and in fact would always turn aside her apologies with smiles.
He was now intrigued enough to want to understand her lure, and made it his business to pass Elizabeth's operatory more frequently than usual. He was able to listen in to snippets of her conversations with the patients. He was mesmerized by her lilting voice. She seemed to give each patient a feeling that she really cared. Those patients known to him as extremely nervous would, at the end of treatment, leave with a spring in their steps. As soon as a patient would leave her room, the next one would come rushing in even before being called. When she dealt with anxious children, her voice was so soothing, just like music. Appealingly, her pealing laughter had a ring of sincerity he seldom heard. However, when he was in her room, she was all business and formality. "Miss Bennet," he boomed at her, once.
She jumped. She had been working intently at that moment, humming a tune.
"Come see me later!"
Elizabeth returned to her work and gave her patient her full attention, not letting the turmoil in her heart show. As he left her room, Darcy heard her resume her humming and was bewildered. He hadn't seemed to rattle her.
When she had a few moments to spare, she found him waiting for her with fire in his eyes.
"Miss Bennet, your x-rays are impossible to read! Let me show you the correct procedure."
His condescending tone made Elizabeth cringe, but she held her head high and handed him the film. Darcy saw a glint in her eye which he could not define. He discovered the meaning soon enough when he tried to steady the machine. Lo and behold, it drifted.
She started to smile, and said softly, "I've mentioned this numerous times to Caroline, and instead of a repairman, I have only gotten promises of one."
Darcy's red face as he left the room was a sight, but nothing compared to Caroline's face when she called the repairman.
Part 5
On the home front, Mr. Bennet still had no luck finding a job. He was ready and willing to take anything, even if it meant a major cut in salary, but all he heard was, "You are overqualified."
Jane started going out with a gentleman she met through work. She was reticent about him when her mother was near, as Mrs. Bennet would blow everything out of proportion. However, with Lizzy she was quite open. Something about her sister's description of him seemed familiar to Lizzy, but she could not put her finger on it.
Mary was slowly building up her student workload, but the cacophony in the Bennet household as each pupil banged away on the piano was quite hard to take at times.
Kitty and Lydia were running wild, and no one was able to rein them in. In fact, in a rare quiet moment, Mr. Bennet confided his concerns to his favourite daughter.
"Lizzy, I fear that they will fail this school year as they are giving all their attention to being with the 'in' crowd. They haven't, as yet, even opened a text book."
"Surely you have thought this over. What do you suggest?"
"I plan to engage a tutor. I know we are tight of funds right now, but some things must take precedence. I've looked into it, and have interviewed a number of candidates. The most promising one is a gentleman by the name of George Wickham, recommended to me by a friend."
"Please find a female tutor. I fear what might happen if a man were to get so close to those two on a regular basis."
"No need to worry, Lizzy. I will supervise the situation constantly, and all will be well."
Elizabeth possessed no prophetic powers. She just knew her younger sisters very well. She remained uneasy about this whole situation, but could confide further in no one. She had never had a meaningful conversation with her mother, and this certainly was not a topic with which to begin. Once her father closed the subject with her, she kept her reservations to herself, and hoped for the best.
Bingley, out of exuberance and joy, started to tell Darcy about the chaperone he was dating.
"Bingley, this is a misstep. You will always wonder what she is truly after."
Bingley started to interrupt his friend in order to sing her praises.
"No, Bingley, it does not interest me how kind or pretty she is. If she is not your counterpart monetarily, it can never be an equal partnership."
"But Darcy, meet her before you make your judgment."
"There is no reason for it. If her standard of living is beneath yours, she sees you as her stepping-stone to improvement. You have to question material worth before you can be sure of true love."
Bingley sighed, unwilling to part with this girl and yet knowing his friend to speak some truth.
Mrs. De Bourgh, an eccentric of the first degree, came in to the office and bullied everyone. She would be seen only by Dr. Darcy, but Louisa had made her appointment with Elizabeth, in an effort to rattle the hygienist's infuriating calm. Mrs. De Bourgh would have no part of it and voiced her opinion on that matter in the loudest of terms. This was a first for Elizabeth, and she went to confer with her boss. Usually, he never acknowledged her approach to his office, but this time, she had barely arrived when she heard his voice sighing, "Miss Bennet, I am on my way."
He mollified the woman, and after politely insisting that her appointment was with the hygienist and not with him, simply left Elizabeth to handle her.
It was a trying appointment, but finally over. Darcy came in to check, and to his surprise Mrs. De Bourgh could find no fault with Elizabeth's work. However, she was still miffed. As Darcy turned to leave, she called after his retreating back, "Fitzwilliam, my daughter is still waiting for you to announce your engagement together."
Elizabeth saw his eyes roll heavenward and when she couldn't stifle her giggle, she was rewarded with a fierce flash of the eyes from her boss.
This was interesting to Elizabeth. Now she knew his marital status to be unattached and yet possibly unavailable at the same time. Not that it meant much to her. She knew that her own true love was still somewhere out there, as yet concealed, unrevealed.
Part 6
At quitting time, Louisa and Caroline left, on the dot as usual, leaving Elizabeth to finish her work. When her work day was finally over, and Elizabeth was entering the information into the computer, the phone rang. Since it was after hours, and this was not a day of a scheduled squash game with Bingley, Elizabeth let the answering service pick up the message. Soon, they were paging Dr. Darcy, as the caller was in genuine distress.
"Miss Bennet, we have an emergency coming in, and I will need you to assist me."
Elizabeth could not help but note that he didn't ask if she was available. Did he not think that maybe she had a life of her own outside office hours?
"My skills are quite lacking in assisting, but I'm positive Caroline will be pleased to return. I'll find her number and call her at once."
"If I had wanted Caroline, I surely could call her myself. I will guide you along, and we'll get through it fine."
"Let me make a phone call to cancel my plans for this evening." Actually, she had no pressing engagement, but he needn't know that.
Darcy found it difficult to fully concentrate on the task at hand. He usually worked in complete silence in an effort to avoid Caroline's simpering. Elizabeth, however, was given to conversation, continually showing an interest in each stage of the procedure. Darcy allowed himself to be drawn into light banter with her, and enjoyed her comments and laughter.
Working in such close proximity afforded him the opportunity to take a good look at her. His periodic glancing over in her direction started to become quite incessant as he seemed to notice something new each time. Her hair was dark and quite thick. It was tied up out of the way, but some curls seemed to have a mind of their own and lay becomingly about her face. Her mask covered her nose and mouth, but when she smiled, the sparkle in her eyes lit up his heart in a way he could not recall experiencing before. It was all he could do to concentrate on the work.
"Are you all right?"
Darcy looked up suddenly, and saw Elizabeth put her hand on the patient's shoulder.
The woman, Mrs. Lucas, was certainly in dire pain and distress. One need only look in her eyes to see her discomfort. And yet, she gave Elizabeth a slight nod. Darcy was bewildered. Could it be that Elizabeth was wielding the same black magic on the patient that she was exerting on him?
The treatment was long and messy, and all were drained at the end of it, with the grateful patient faring the best.
As the patient stood up, with Elizabeth's help, she turned.
"You are a great improvement over that haughty predecessor of yours. Thank you so much, young lady. You made this trial much easier than I could have expected."
Elizabeth took off her mask and gave a beauteous smile that fairly took away her employer's breath. He struggled to remain professional while trying to comprehend the emotions in his heart.
After Mrs. Lucas left with final instructions, Darcy searched for Elizabeth, and found her cleaning up the room. She was very pale, and seemed on the verge of a faint. Darcy told her to leave the instruments for Caroline to sterilize in the morning. She removed her rubber gloves and Darcy took them from her hand, tossing them onto the instrument tray alongside his own. Her lack of colour concerned him as he guided her to lie down in the patient's chair in order to come to herself, and he sat in his chair beside her.
She closed her eyes in wonder, trying to comprehend the sudden change in his demeanor, causing him to worry even more.
"What is the source of your current distress? Was the procedure too hard for you?"
This was a new side of Darcy. He seemed truly anxious over the prospect of having caused her uneasiness.
"Not in the slightest. Actually, it was very interesting."
"However...?"
"I worked straight through lunch, and skipped that meal. We missed supper, and now it is quite late. I am working on 'empty'."
"If you'd work faster, you'd have time enough for lunch."
Elizabeth was aghast. Does he not realize that she is not a slacker and that he is the reason for her always being behind schedule?
"I almost always work through most of my lunch breaks and you see that I never leave on time at the end of the day. Do you really think it is because I work slowly? Did it never occur to you that it is because you are so tardy in coming to check? You consistently come at least fifteen minutes after I call you." The colour was returning to Elizabeth's cheeks as her indignation rose.
Elizabeth could see his demeanor turn cold and formal, and a mask come over his face. Maybe she had misread his kind manner to her, and had gone too far. He was obviously not used to having someone criticize him, and she momentarily regretted her harsh words. She now worried that her job might be in jeopardy.
Darcy felt that her accusation of him was quite unjust. His voice was very low when he said, "Miss Bennet, I am always there as soon as Caroline advises me of the need."
Elizabeth's eyebrows were knit in confusion, "So she is to blame for constantly holding me up?"
Darcy muttered to himself in disgust at the way Caroline was manipulating him. A tender moment had turned sour, and Caroline was at the bottom of it. How to redeem the situation?
"From now on, let me know personally, and I will come immediately. Are you feeling better? Let me walk you to your car."
But the moment was over. She got out of the chair and headed for the door.
"Dr. Darcy, those in your circle may have access to their own modes of transportation, but that does not necessarily hold true for all."
With that, she was out the door.
Darcy remained seated for a long time, wondering what had gone so right and then so wrong.
Part 7
Over the years, Darcy had built up many layers as a protection against those females who tried to win his heart on their way to his pocket. He was adept at fending them off, and was having some difficulty dealing with someone like Elizabeth, who seemed not to be concerned with making any impression on him at all. She appeared to be reacting to events in such a natural way as to make him unsure if this too wasn't a ruse. Was she really after his fortune just like all the others? He knew he must test her true motives. But how?
The next morning, Elizabeth arrived at the office with dark rings under her eyes. She had spent a sleepless night, recalling every detail of that after-hours appointment. When their hands had touched as she handed him instruments, the electricity produced could have lit up a city. The concern on his face had softened his features so as to render him the most handsome man of her acquaintance. He had enchanted her, but she couldn't be sure if all this wasn't just a figment of her imagination.
Thanks to their new arrangement, Elizabeth finished her morning work early, and Darcy came into her room while she was getting her lunch . He asked her what her plans were, with such a long break before her. He was smiling, as a mid-day respite was something she had as yet not experienced in his office.
An enjoyable dilemma was before her. What to do? Surely, a stroll outside was in order, but she was so tired.
"I plan to sit in the patient's chair and have a nap." She couldn't look at him when she added, blushing, "After all, Dr. Darcy, I hardly slept at all last night."
'You, too?' he thought.
Aloud, he said, "Pleasant dreams."
Later that lunch hour, he left his private office to check on something at the front desk, and peeked in on her. He stayed, leaning against the door frame leading into her room, and watched her sleep. She was so lovely to gaze at, with that faint smile playing on her lips. What was she dreaming about?
As she began to stir, he left, and she awoke to the sound of his receding footsteps. How long had he been there?
Caroline corrugated her forehead in deep reflection. She felt a change in the dynamics of the office, and it worried her. At noon, when they went out to buy lunch, she asked Louisa if they could postpone returning to the office until after their break, and poured out her heart to her sister on a bench in the mall.
"Louisa, I have lost him. Until now, I was able to control his comings and goings and have him totally reliant upon me. Now, as soon as he hears her footsteps down the hall, he is up out of his chair in a flash in order to check her patient. He has started asking me to develop her x-rays so as to keep her on schedule, and I have heard him compliment her time and again on the excellence of her work."
Caroline was so distraught that she could not even call Elizabeth by name, but Louisa knew of whom she spoke.
"There's more, Louisa. Last night, there was an emergency in the office, and I found two pairs of gloves on the tray. It is not unusual for Dr. Darcy to need two pairs, but one pair was 'extra small', and only she uses that size."
"So? You weren't there and she was."
"Don't you see? I am being replaced, usurped."
"I'm sure that all this means nothing. No one can supplant the affection he holds for you in his heart, Caroline."
Louisa was truly upset for her sister. She never felt that Caroline had any chance with Darcy, but did not want to be the one to tell her. She secretly decided to speak with their brother to discuss her uneasiness about their sister's state of mind. In the meantime, she calmed her down with platitudes that were well-received.
Part 8
Elizabeth was able to leave on time that day, and when Bingley bounded into the office after work, he was surprised and relieved to find Darcy alone. Louisa had already spoken with him, and he took this opportunity to chat with his friend about his sister's concerns.
"Have you ever looked into that issue with your hygienist?"
Darcy's manner changed and his face took on a softer look.
"She seems to be a gem. The patients adore her, and with good reason."
Bingley noticed the smile on Darcy's face, and commented, "Last time we spoke, you had reservations about her."
The smile turned to a scowl as Darcy related, "There were two issues of contention, and each one has been resolved, once Caroline's interference was eliminated from the picture."
This was something Bingley did not know from his conversation with Louisa. Just like his sister, Louisa, he always guessed that Caroline's belief that she had secured Darcy's affections was only in her imagination, but now he knew the extent of his contempt for her.
"Well, I'm glad that everything is settled. You certainly look good. Now let's see how it will affect your squash game."
To Bingley's surprise, Darcy threw back his head and laughed heartily. This was a first. Another source of astonishment was Darcy's next question.
"Are you still dating that chaperone?"
Ordinarily, Bingley would have tried to avoid giving a straightforward answer to this question, but the element of surprise caused him to blurt, "Actually, yes. I'd like for you to meet her. We are going out tomorrow evening, and I could bring her 'round here first."
"Fine."
That answer gave Bingley much to contemplate. Was Darcy falling for his hygienist? Is that why he seemed to be softening his hard line approach against 'salaried folk'?
That night, at home, Jane waited until she could speak with her sister alone.
"Lizzy, I have a date tomorrow with Charles after work. He has a close friend he wants me to meet."
"That's wonderful! It sounds like he is getting quite serious. Are you happy?"
"Yes, of course, but I am worried as well. I have heard a number of descriptions of this friend, and he sounds like a very proud man. What if I am not good enough to withstand his scrutiny?"
Elizabeth gave her sister a hug and said, "Jane, anyone with the good sense to win your affections will never be swayed by a pompous fool."
Elizabeth never asked for Charles' last name, and Jane did not know the name of Charles' friend.
Part 9
"Miss Bennet, would you have some free time after work today to assist with a patient?"
Elizabeth noticed the change in his request. After all, last time he practically commanded her to work overtime.
Her eyes twinkled as she readily consented. He nodded and turned away, but not quickly enough, for she was able to glimpse his smile.
The time passed amiably as the conversation flowed easily. Darcy was patient in his explanations, and even took over many of her tasks himself as he showed her what an assistant does. At the end of the appointment, they both experienced disappointment, neither wanting to see an end to this pleasant interval in their lives.
On his way out of the office, Mr. Lucas told them that they were an excellent team together, leaving both Darcy and Elizabeth looking at each other and blushing furiously.
"Miss Bennet, I will compensate you accordingly for this overtime work."
"Actually, I deserve nothing, as all I did was prove my ineptitude."
'One test passed,' thought Darcy, as he made a mental note to add to that week's paycheck.
"I enjoyed and appreciated the company," he whispered.
"I di..."
Just then, Bingley and his date came into the office.
"Thank you for waiting for me, Darcy. Allow me to introduce Jane."
"Jane!"
"Lizzy!"
Both Darcy and Bingley looked on in wonder as Jane and Elizabeth embraced each other, the one's blond bob mingling with the other's black curls. To the casual observer, the girls did not look at all alike. However, a sharp eye would catch the similarity of their smiles.
"Sisters!!" This from Darcy, who made the connection.
"Sisters?" This from Bingley, who didn't.
Elizabeth was first to explain, "My sister told me she was dating a man named Charles. I know you only as Dr. Bingley, and since she never told me your last name, I never dreamed that you are that man."
Jane added, "Charles told me we were to visit his friend, never telling me his name. That explains our surprise at seeing each other at this time."
Darcy was next, "We had an extra patient after-hours today, else Miss Bennet would not have been here now."
Bingley felt his voice should be heard as well, but he had been rendered speechless, and simply stood there smiling.
So lighthearted was this meeting, that no one noticed when Darcy stepped out of character and invited everyone out for a late meal.
At the restaurant, Darcy observed that the sisters ordered the least expensive items on the menu. Another test. They certainly were not golddiggers.
Bingley sensed Darcy's approval of Jane, and noticed something further. Darcy and Elizabeth frequently gazed into each other's eyes, speaking volumes with their silence.
Bingley knew then that he could give no credence to Caroline's words of Darcy's regard for her.
Part 10
The next day, after sending Caroline to the lab on an errand, Darcy asked Elizabeth for a few moments of her time. She left her patient with an apology, and followed him into his office.
"Elizabeth, what would you say to our seeing each other, out of the office?"
She noted his use of her given name.
"I'd enjoy that a lot."
"Where would you like to go? The choice is yours."
He felt that giving her a choice of venue for their date could provide a genuine analysis into her character.
Elizabeth quickly tried to think of an appropriate place for them to visit. Surely, they would enjoy the vast array of amusements the city had to offer. However, Elizabeth much preferred getting to learn more about the 'new' boss who stood before her, and did not want to be distracted from that goal.
"If it's all right with you, it would be a treat to go to a park and chat while we stroll. This way we could also enjoy the outdoors after spending so many hours in the office."
He was delighted with her answer.
"Elizabeth, I applaud your inclination which coincides with mine."
They both beamed at each other, and parted only as the demands of their patients called for their attention.
They dated often. While some dates were more conventional, the dates they both enjoyed the most involved touring many of the city's lovely parks, strolling and conversing as planned. They found that while they didn't lack for topics to discuss, companionable silence also had its rewards. They simply enjoyed being in one another's company.
At work, they were formal and professional. No one could tell any sign of their growing attachment one for the other. Once, at the start of the noon break, the radio signal that was fed throughout the office had drifted, and the tune they heard was quite zippy. This was a major variation from the sedate music they usually heard. Darcy went to the front desk, to where the radio was located, to change the station. Along the way, he glanced at Elizabeth's room and saw her cleaning up and shimmying along with the beat. He chuckled and would almost have joined her had he not heard Caroline's voice, calling out to Louisa to change the station. Leave it to his assistant to bring him back to reality.
The repairman had already come to fix the x-ray unit in Elizabeth's room, but it started to drift again, so now he returned to repair it properly. He needed the whole afternoon, so Elizabeth moved to another operatory for the duration. Actually, this room interconnected with Darcy's, and he anticipated listening in uninterruptedly to Elizabeth's conversations with her patients.
Among them was a patient who complained about her inability to lose weight.
"No matter how much I try, I can't seem to stop myself from snacking," she said.
Darcy was in the middle of preparing a tooth for a filling, and he held the drill poised in the air as he awaited Elizabeth's answer. How would she advise this patient? Caroline looked at him questioningly over the patient, but still he waited. He was glad he wore a mask that hid his smile from Caroline as he heard Elizabeth's words.
"I'll give you a tip that will help you if you follow it precisely."
"I am desperate, so I am willing to try anything you say."
"After each meal, be sure to brush your teeth. Your mouth will feel so fresh that you won't want to spoil it by snacking. Trust me on this. Your waistline and your gums will thank you, and in six months, when you return for your next cleaning, you will thank me."
After her, Mr. Collins came in. He was notorious for his flagrant flirting and ribald jokes. Elizabeth heard his loud voice booming off-colour remarks to Louisa, and when he entered her room, she disarmed him immediately.
"I'm so glad to finally meet you," Elizabeth said. "Your wife has been here, and she is so fine, that I am pleased that I can now verify for myself my theory that, as her husband, your character must match hers."
Mr. Collins was like putty in her hands from that moment on, trying to live up to her high expectations of him. He had a few clean jokes in his repertory, but they were quite lame. Still, Elizabeth awarded his efforts with hearty laughs. As he left, he bowed to her, quite formally and stiffly, as in days gone by. Elizabeth was still giggling when her next patient entered and plopped in the chair.
Towards the end of the afternoon, a mother came in with her child. There had been many corrections to make on the chart, as they had moved. Since the mother had changed her place of employment as well, the details of her insurance coverage also had to be modified. This necessitated a lot of questions by Elizabeth as they went over all the new information, and the mother kept getting more and more flustered. At the end of the inquiry, Elizabeth said that there was one more question on the chart.
"Are you still your daughter's mother?"
Darcy gasped and was ready to run in to do damage control. Instead, he heard the mother laugh along with Elizabeth. Elizabeth asked if she wanted to remain in the room throughout her daughter's appointment, and the mother immediately agreed to it. They both joked and laughed and giggled the whole time.
At the end, the mother said, "I have been going through a very tough time lately. Everything seems to be unraveling in my life. You reminded me that I still know how to laugh, and I needed that. Thank you for your caring heart, and for being here now when I needed you the most."
Darcy looked out into the hallway at that moment, and saw the mother, with tears streaming down her cheeks, give Elizabeth a bear-hug, while the young daughter hugged Elizabeth's knees.
He knew that Elizabeth could not have learned how to be this way from any books or teachers. This truly had to be her nature, and this knowledge only reinforced his resolve that he was headed in the right direction. He was now filled with doubts of a different kind. Did he merit her attentions?
Part 11
Darcy was very impressed with Elizabeth's propriety on their dates. She had a sense of restraint and modesty which matched his own. At work, of course, Elizabeth referred to Darcy using his title and last name. However, she felt most at ease continuing this practice even on their dates. Darcy didn't put much credence to it, but decided to use the moment she felt comfortable enough to call him by his first name as a benchmark in order for him to further their relationship.
It was on the occasion that Darcy took her out of the city for a meander through the countryside that his patience was eventually rewarded. At one point, Elizabeth had walked on a bit ahead of Darcy, exploring the new terrain. Excited with what she saw, she called out to him, "Fitzwilliam, you must come and see what I have found!"
Overjoyed at hearing his given name come from her lips, he wasted no time in catching up with her and, after remarking favourably on her discovery, took the opportunity to open his innermost thoughts to her. They had stopped on a small foot-bridge overlooking a brook. Willow trees around them swayed slowly in the gentle breeze, while gaily-coloured flowers lent their scent to the occasion. The sun was starting to set.
He stood beside her, leaning against the railing as he spoke, "My father was a very honest and successful businessman. As a child, I grew up in a home that may be described as the lap of luxury. Nothing was denied me. I was taught good principles in a loving way by excellent parents. They were devoted to me, but at the same time consumed by a problem that at times seemed to overwhelm them. They wanted more children, but my mother continually miscarried. When she finally did have another child, a girl named Georgianna, my mother passed away in childbirth. My father could not live without her and simply faded away not long after. Therefore, the good principles they had instilled within me were not reinforced with the love I was used to, and pride wormed its way into my personality. I remained in awe of my father's memory, and since I did not feel capable of following in his footsteps, I decided to go into a different profession. Dentistry seemed far enough removed from his businesses, and I do enjoy it. I have my sister to care for, and I keep her picture in my private office at work in order to keep myself focused. It is for her sake that I found myself gradually taking over the business from the trustees who were not as honest as my father."
Elizabeth gave Darcy her full attention as he continued, "I have always had to fend off those who would try to insinuate themselves into my life for all the wrong reasons. Frequently, too, I have been hounded by mothers of eligible daughters."
"I must have seen an example of that when Mrs. de Bourgh came in."
They both found the memory of that episode quite humourous.
"I have been called proud, but that so-called pride has only been evidence of the layers of protection I have had to build around myself. In fact, I have become too much of an expert at hiding my emotions. My sister has always been first in my thoughts and actions, and I have never had reason to think any other way. My life has been busy and I thought it to be thoroughly rewarding."
They were both gazing into the water when Darcy turned to her, "That is, until now. I see that it has been quite empty. You have helped me see that there is someone out there who is as honest as I try to be, someone without whom I am incomplete. Elizabeth, will you do me the honour of marrying me, and help make my life all the more worth living?"
Elizabeth turned to him, but could not look at him.
Darcy, fearing that he had gone too far, was about to apologize for imposing upon her, when she slowly raised her tear-filled eyes to meet his.
"Fitzwilliam, surely I do not deserve this honour that you are giving me."
He gently brushed away her tears, searching her eyes for the permission she readily gave.
When, at long last, they parted, Elizabeth whispered, "I have been dreaming of this moment, and trying to visualize how it would be, but nothing in my imagination prepared me. I could never have chosen a more perfect setting than this for our first kiss."
"And for our second..."
"Hmmmm."
On the way back to the car, Elizabeth decided to speak up about an issue she needed clarified.
"There is something I have to say. I'm concerned that you may not be open to this."
"Try me."
"Once we are married, I won't be able to sit around and do nothing. Since I enjoy my work, I count on you to be understanding if I continue working, even if it is part-time."
'My Elizabeth,' he thought, 'You have passed enough tests, and still you continue to amaze me.'
Aloud, he said, "I would never force you to work. By the same token, I could never impose upon you to remain idle if you prefer working. However, I would have one stipulation upon which I must insist."
"And that is?"
Elizabeth had moved away from him. Her stance and the tilt of her chin denoted a defiance that Darcy found enchanting.
"My patients are almost as enamored of you as I. Therefore, I would strongly entreat you to remain in your present position. Please. I would not want you to work for a competitor of mine, as you are a most valuable asset to the office."
"Dr. Darcy, your compliments to me have no meaning if they have no basis in reality."
'Has she no knowledge of the effect she has on others?' he thought.
They stood there looking intently at each other. He held out his arms to her, and she rushed to him.
Part 12
"Elizabeth, my dearest loveliest Elizabeth, I am ashamed of my early behaviour. I tried to find fault in everything you did as my way of keeping up those barriers that you were somehow breaking down. There you were, taking over my heart, and there I was, losing control. Where once I didn't understand what was happening, I know now that I am indebted to you for eroding all those layers. I don't know how you bore my abuse. Please accept my apology."
Elizabeth turned serious. She was grateful that he was driving, and therefore had his eyes on the road and not on her embarrassed face.
"Fitzwilliam, it is my hope that you will be the one to forgive me. You say that you don't know how I bore it. Now I will tell you. Each time you found fault, I filed it away as another story of unfairness on your part with which to regale my family. My father is especially caring of me, and frequently he was prepared to come to the office to set you straight. This is why I cannot introduce you to my family until I have calmed them down in your favour. I am repentant in the way I abused your good name to them, and must make amends."
"You certainly don't need to apologize. It was my behaviour that warranted your remarks to your family. However, I will abide by your wishes and visit them only when you deem it the right time."
"I hope that time will be soon. The family is in high spirits thanks to my sister Jane's engagement to Charles. I am sure that it will be easy for me to bring them around."
"Just remember, now that I have found you, I will never leave you, unless it is your wish."
"Ohhhhh, Fitzwilliam."
They continued speaking of lighter subjects, and too soon for them both, they reached her house.
Elizabeth was surprised to see all the lights lit. The outrage of the inhabitants rushed over her as she stepped indoors, and she was grateful that her fiancé did not enter with her.
Part 13
The household was in an uproar such as had not been seen before. Mrs. Bennet, Mary, and Kitty were sitting in the kitchen sobbing, howling actually. Mr. Bennet was secluded in his office behind a closed door. Elizabeth's only hope for getting a coherent explanation for all the commotion was to speak with Jane.
"Jane! Where are you?"
Jane came to the head of the stairs and motioned for Elizabeth to join her in her room.
"What is going on? What are all these hysterics about?"
"Oh, Lizzy. It's terrible. Lydia never returned home from school today. In her room we found a brief note telling us she has run off with her tutor."
"Wickham?"
"The very one. Father immediately called the police, but they won't start a search until twenty-four hours have passed from the time her disappearance was lodged with them."
"Who knows where they might be by then?"
"Exactly. So Father has been on the phone calling as many of her friends as he can remember. You know how she chatters. Maybe she told someone about her intentions."
"I'll go now and speak with Father."
"He refuses to see anyone." This was said to Elizabeth's back as she rushed from the room.
Elizabeth knocked on the office door and walked in without waiting for a reply. Mr. Bennet was about to protest, but his face softened when he saw his second daughter.
"Lizzy, my dear, I must acknowledge the fact that I don't know everything, that I do not have all the answers. I was so sure that I could handle any and every situation. Lydia is my responsibility and I thought I knew her. That thought blinded me to the fact that you knew her better."
He hung his head as he continued in a whisper, "I should have heeded your advice."
"I have more advice, if you would care to hear it."
"I will be grateful if you are willing to continue giving it to this humbled man."
"Have you thought of asking Kitty what she knows of all this?"
They smiled wryly at each other in the hopes of getting closer to making sense of all this chaos.
"Kitty!"
Kitty entered the room quite timidly. She seemed fearful of them. They questioned her in a low-key and seemingly off-hand manner, hoping that their round-about and non-accusatory style would induce her to speak freely. For all their softness, Kitty's reaction seemed extremely belligerent, overly exaggerated. Elizabeth had the feeling that Kitty was secretly resentful that Wickham had not chosen her. By the time they succeeded in getting the truth out of her, they realized that Lydia and Wickham were well on their way across the ocean to a new life.
Kitty was dismissed, leaving her father and sister to discuss their options. In reality, they had none. They had no forwarding address for the couple, nor did they have the wherewithal to conduct a proper search.
"Lizzy, I fear I have lost a child. I doubt we shall see her again."
His deep sigh of resignation prompted Elizabeth to reply, "When the time comes that she needs you, she will be on your doorstep."
Father and daughter stayed up talking throughout the night. They discussed many issues, but not that which was uppermost in Elizabeth's heart.
Part 14
As dawn broke, Elizabeth prepared for work. She figured that she could catch up on her sleep at noon. After more reassurances to her father, she raced out the door to catch the bus.
The nearer they got to the centre of town, the slower the bus went. Eventually, the traffic was so heavy that they were at a standstill. Tempers were flaring and horns were blaring. People were arguing in the loudest of voices, causing Elizabeth to finally come out of her reverie and focus in on what was happening around her. She had forgotten that this was a "Day of Action" announced by the trade unions as a protest against recent government cutbacks. Union members from all over the country poured into the city in the tens of thousands to show solidarity and to shut the city down. They paraded down main streets and blocked major intersections, thus quite effectively reaching their goal.
Elizabeth's fellow passengers were split in their opinions, with some people loudly defending the unionists and others equally as vocal on behalf of the government. Elizabeth figured that her chances of getting to work at all would be enhanced by leaving the bus and walking the rest of the distance. She exited by the rear doors, and strode quickly in the direction of the medical complex that held her place of employment. Along the way, the ribbon holding her hair in place became undone. Due to her swift pace, she didn't notice it until the masses of curls fell about her shoulders. Elizabeth was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she had no idea of all the admiring glances she was getting from others along the way.
Darcy tried to get to work along his usual route, but was seemingly thwarted at every turn. The detours were many and eventually he found himself in a 'stop and slow' situation. He had turned off the radio; after all, the traffic reports were useless. He certainly didn't need someone telling him he should have taken an alternate route. Ordinarily, he would have groused and would have looked quite forbidding at such a major inconvenience. Now, however, his face mirrored his pleasant thoughts as he looked around at the people rushing along. He glanced in his rearview mirror, and his heart leaped at the vision he saw. Striding along, hair flowing, was the object of his thoughts. Just as she neared his stationary car, she glanced up at his side-view mirror and was delighted with the eyes looking back at her. He was gratified to see her reaction.
"Days of Inaction, if you ask me," she said as she came up alongside his open window. "Care to join me for another walk?"
They enjoyed the humour they were able to find in the situation, and then Darcy said, "I'd enjoy that, but I can't abandon my car in the street. I invite you to join me and I'll put in a good word with your boss and blame your delayed arrival on me."
They shared a giggle that continued long after she settled in beside him. Elizabeth tried to fix her hair, but soon realized that she must have lost the ribbon somewhere along the way, much to Darcy's delight.
"I'll have to find something at the office with which to tie up my hair."
"Dental floss!"
Darcy would never have even thought of such a suggestion, let alone say it out loud. He couldn't remember a time when he enjoyed laughing as much as when he was with her. She, too, felt so carefree.
Darcy saw the dark rings under her eyes, and, assuming that she was up all night trying to change her family's views of him, asked, "Another sleepless night, Elizabeth?"
Elizabeth's mood sobered up as her face clouded over. She related to him all the events of the previous night, and ended off by giving him the option of backing out of their engagement.
"After all, Fitzwilliam, the disgrace she has brought to my family must be ours alone."
"I told you that I would never leave you, that I would stay with you always. If we part, it is your decision."
"I could never leave you," she whispered.
They were gazing at each other, oblivious to all around them, when horns started bleating. The demonstrators had moved along in order to wreak havoc elsewhere, and the traffic was easing and starting to move.
"Let this be a sign, Elizabeth. Just when we might think issues are bogging us down, the path ahead clears up."
Their mood lightened, and they pulled in to Darcy's designated parking spot, late but euphoric.
Part 15
As they left the car in the underground parking garage of the medical complex, Darcy commented that the rest of the staff had arrived before them.
"How can you be so sure?"
"Caroline's broom is here," he said, pointing to Caroline's car.
This was how they arrived at the office, chuckling and lighthearted.
As soon as Darcy opened the outer door to his office, he was confronted by a gloating assistant. She felt that she finally had great deal of ammunition in her cause against Elizabeth. Caroline let loose with a barrage of words to her boss against the hygienist for not being on time that day. She didn't see Elizabeth, who was just behind Darcy, and therefore hidden. Darcy did not leave the doorway, and so Elizabeth couldn't enter just yet.
Caroline was so confident in her tirade that she missed reading the 'mask' that started to cover Darcy's face.
"How is it that you are not in your uniform, Caroline? Could it be because you yourself have just arrived? How many patients were waiting at the door when you showed up? I see no one here. Did you send them away, or is it possible that they too are caught up in the traffic mess that has held us all?"
Caroline sputtered at being caught out, but managed to revive herself quickly in order to continue her harangue against Elizabeth, never using her name, as was her wont.
Darcy had just about had enough. He took a few steps forward in the hope of intimidating Caroline into silence, and that was when Elizabeth took advantage of the space made at the doorway in order to peek around him. Elizabeth gave Caroline a large smile.
"Good morning, Caroline, Louisa. I have a few things to prepare in my room, so I'll go there now."
Darcy took his cue from Elizabeth, and calmed down.
"Louisa, when you listen to the messages on the answering machine, you may find that today's patients preferred canceling their appointments to trying to fight their way down here. Both you and Caroline can arrange new times suitable for them, and then you might as well take the rest of the day off."
Just as Caroline was opening her mouth to speak again, Darcy added, "With pay, of course."
Caroline closed her mouth, and Darcy went down the hall to his office, suppressing a chuckle at what he considered Caroline's imitation of a fish.
As she neared the front desk to help her sister, Caroline exclaimed, "Her hair, Louisa! Did you see her hair?"
Darcy went to his private office to handle some business matters while the two worked the phones at the front. He found it hard to concentrate. He had kept his door open in order to hear all that was going on, and when he finally heard the front door close behind them, he went to check on Elizabeth. There she was in her room, in the patient's chair, asleep, smiling. Darcy's smile matched hers as he went back to his office to catch up on his paper work. As he stood there organizing everything according to priority, he made a decision. He collected the charts and correspondence and brought it all back to Elizabeth's room and sat on the operator's chair beside her. His time was well-spent between focusing on his work and her face. For as long as he could remember, he was accountable for his sister's well-being and happiness. He now looked forward, with great anticipation, to the added joy of forever keeping a smile on Elizabeth's lips.
When she finally awoke, she saw him sitting beside her and sighed.
"Elizabeth, you are very expressive when you sleep. Most of the time, you were smiling."
"Most of the time you were the focus of my dreams, although I certainly prefer the real article."
Darcy had a gleam in his eyes when he reached out and delicately moved an errant curl from her cheek.
"My Elizabeth, many people look upon a dental office with a certain amount of fear and trepidation. What would you say, however, to my referring to this office as another perfect setting?"
Elizabeth rewarded him with a slow and lazy smile along with her answer. "Fitzwilliam, I would say that our wedding cannot come soon enough."
"Hmmmm."
THE END (Of Their Beginning Together)