Jump to new as of November 9, 1998
Jump to new as of November 13, 1998
Chapter 1 Part 1
Author's Note: Hertfordshire College is based on the college I attend, Berry College. Berry is located in Northwest Georgia, about 65, NW of Atlanta. We are a liberal arts college with about 1900 students and 28,000 acres, making us the largest campus in the world. The college was founded by Martha Berry, first as a school for mountain children around the turn of the century, and then became a college a couple of decades later.
Elizabeth had driven all night and now the sun was beginning to peak its head over the horizon. For the last seven hours, she had been feeling like the biggest idiot in the world. How could she have been so blind, so stupid? Elizabeth had always prided herself on her intelligence and common sense. But pride is what had started all of this mess in the first place. She checked the clock on the dashboard, three more hours to go. What was she going to do when she got there? What was she going to say? All she knew was that she had to see him. She remembered another morning, as peaceful as this one, not so long ago...
"Mr. Bennet! Mr. Bennet!" A shrill voice pierced the air. A family of deer grazing in a nearby field looked up then ran off towards the forest. A pair of squirrels scurried up a tree. Frances Bennet scurried across the lawn into Evans Hall in search of her husband. Mrs. Bennet ran up the stairs and burst through a door with a nameplate that read "Dr. Joseph Bennet, Dean of the School of Education and Human Sciences." As she entered, she saw her husband sitting at his desk surrounded by stacks of papers. Without looking up, Mr. Bennet asked his wife,
"Yes, my dear?"
"Oh Mr. Bennet," cried his wife, "two new professors have just arrived."
"That is no great news," answered her husband, "new professors arrived each year."
"But not two young, handsome, and SINGLE men. I have just heard it from Mrs. Lucas, one of them, a Dr. Bingley, will be teaching French, same as our Jane, and the other one, Dr. Darcy, will be teaching psychology."
"Of what significance is their arrival to us?" asked Mr. Bennet.
"You must meet them at once! Two eligible young men will be just the thing for two of our girls!" cried his wife.
"As you well know, we will meet all of the new professors at the party President Gardiner is giving next week." replied Mr. Bennet, "Now go away and leave me to my work."
"But Mr. Bennet..."
"Leave me," interrupted her husband, and with a huff, Mrs. Bennet turned around and stormed out the door nearly running into her second daughter, Elizabeth. Turning towards her daughter, Mrs. Bennet cried,
"Your father has no idea what I go through for you girls, but does he ever help, NO! You don't know how I suffer!" and with that, she went down the stairs and out of the building.
"What was that all about?" Elizabeth asked her father as she enter his office.
Mr. Bennet smiled warmly at his favorite daughter as she entered his office, "Your mother wants me to go introduce myself to two of the new professors."
"Let me guess, Dr.'s Bingley and Darcy?" asked Elizabeth.
"How did you know Lizzy?"
"That's all everyone has been talking about lately. Supposedly they are both handsome, single, and wealthy. So Mother was upset because you refused to meet them, telling her that we would all see them at President Gardiner's party next week. Am I right?" smiled Lizzy as she sat herself down on the edge of his desk.
"Ah, Lizzy," her father laughed, "you know me too well. There is no reason for me to seek out Mr. Bingley, he is not a part of my school, but I have met Dr. Darcy. In fact, I was the one to interview him for the position."
"So, what is he like?"
"Not you too Lizzy, you shall see for yourself later, no leave me to my work."
"Bye Father," replied Elizabeth as she walked out the door. As Elizabeth stepped out the door, she thought of her parents. How could two people so dissimilar stay married for so long? She knew her father didn't believe in divorce, and she also knew that her mother hadn't always been as silly as she was now. Frances Gardiner and Joseph Bennet had met as undergraduates while attending Hertfordshire College when she was a freshman and he a junior. Frances had been a art major, and was very talented in pottery. Joseph had been a philosophy major and planned to teach college. After graduation, he stayed to take graduate courses and do some student teaching. By the end of Frances's senior year, the two were engaged. The couple married after graduation and soon moved up north where Joseph finished his graduate and post-graduate work. Frances taught pottery classes for awhile to make extra money, but she quitted soon after she found out she was pregnant, and never went back to it again. Joseph was offered a position at Hertfordshire and the two moved back to Georgia. Their daughter Jane was born three months later and was followed by Elizabeth, Mary, Kitty, and Lydia. With each passing year, Frances Bennet grew more silly and insipid. Elizabeth always thought that this was because her mother never pursued her love of pottery. Instead she stayed at home and had children, and instead of being known as an artist, she was known as the wife of Dr. Bennet, her life's purpose...to see all five of her daughters married.
Chapter 1 Part 2
Elizabeth's reverie was disturbed by a flash of red. Coming down the street was a red Mustang convertible with three passengers. Elizabeth had never seen the car before, but that wasn't unusual. A lot of people came to Hertfordshire and drive around the campus. As the car slowed down in front of her to drive over a speedbump, Elizabeth got a good look at the trio in the car. The first person who caught her eye was the lady in the back. Elizabeth wondered if anyone could have chosen a more repulsive shade of orange to wear. But she was a handsome woman, although her taste in clothes could use a little work. Elizabeth then focused her attention to the two gentle men in the front. The one that really caught her eye was the driver. Elizabeth couldn't remember the last time she had seen such a good looking man with his dark, curly hair and his good features. But while Elizabeth was staring, the car drove over the speedbump and raced down the street.
"Charles, I don't know why on earth you decided to take a position here," cried the woman in orange, whose name happened to be Caroline Bingley. "Atlanta is 65 miles away, and I'm stuck here in the wilderness...Oh my goodness, what is that?!?!"
"Relax Caroline," laughed her brother Charles Bingley, the passenger Elizabeth hadn't really noticed, "those are deer. They're all over the place. Hertfordshire College has a wildlife preserve, and many times the deer or skunks..."
"Skunks?!?!?"
"Don't worry Caroline, they'll only spray you if they are frightened. And as I was saying, many times the deer or skunk come out into the open. And as for us living in the wilderness, the city of Rome is just down the street."
"That little town we past? It doesn't even have a decent mall."
"Well, Marietta is only an hour away, and there is huge mall there and lots of stores for you to spend money in." Charles then turned his attention to the driver, "Well, William, you've been awfully quiet, what's wrong? You aren't nervous about seeing you aunt again, are you?"
"Well, maybe a little. I'm more apprehensive than nervous. I know exactly what's going to happen, she's going to tell me that I should bring Georgiana down here to go to school, then she'll start hinting that I need to married, then she'll talk of how fond my mother was of Anne..."
"Oh, William, I'm sure it won't be that bad."
"Charles, you haven't met her, and it doesn't help any that she's an alumnus and on the board of trustees."
"I wouldn't worry about that, I'm sure that the we are only people who know that the two of you are related."
"But it's bound to come out sooner or later. I just don't want people to think I got this position because of her."
"Well, the man who interviewed you, Dr. Bennet, must have thought that you would do a good job."
"They say that Dr. and Mrs. Bennet have five daughters, all unmarried," interrupted Caroline, "and it's rumored that they are all attractive."
"How do you know this, "asked her brother, "this is the first time you've even been here?"
"I have my sources Charles, and I'm sure that once the two of you have settled in, every mother of a single girl over twenty will be knocking at your doors."
"That's unfair Caroline, you haven't even met these people yet."
"She does have a point Charles, don't you remember the last school we were at?" asked William. "All those mothers throwing their daughters at us? What makes you think that this school will be any different?"
"William, you're just as bad as Caroline, but let's change the subject, I'm starving, is their a dining hall nearby?"
"There's one in the Krannert Center, right over there, I'm a bit hungry too," replied William.
As William slowed the car down to pass over a speedbump, a movement caught his attention. Out of the corner of his eye, he spied a pretty woman with dark, curly hair, but before he could get a good look at her, he passed over the speedbump and drove down the street, turning into the Krannert parking lot.
As Elizabeth walked into the lobby of Krannert, she saw her older and most favorite sister, Jane. She felt very fortunate that her family had stayed together. All five sisters had or were attending Hertfordshire College. After graduating with a degree in French, Jane went to the University of South Carolina to pursue her masters and doctorate degrees, then came back to teach at Hertfordshire. Elizabeth had done the same, following Jane to USC, but with a degree in British Literature. Mary had just completed her degree in music and was a student teacher for the department of music. She also played the piano for Sunday services at the chapel on campus. Kitty was a junior, majoring in biology. Elizabeth was especially proud of her. For a long time, Kitty had been interested only in boys, clothes, and her what her sister Lydia did, but when Kitty was a freshman, she made other friends and was away from the influence of Lydia long enough to concentrate on her studies. She planned to go to medical school and become a surgeon. Lydia was a sophomore. Currently, she was a communications major, but she had already changed her major twice before from business to education. Lydia thought of herself as the next Barbara Walters, but younger, cuter, and with more fashion sense, and wanted more than anything to be a television celebrity.
Jane welcomed her sister with a smile. "Thank goodness you're here, I'm starving."
"I just stopped by Dad's office to say 'Good Morning,' I met Mother on the way out, she was furious at Dad for not..."
"Meeting the two new professors? Yes, I know, Mother just left here. She told me all about it. Poor Mother." Jane laughed.
"Don't worry, she'll get over it, she always does. Let's go, I'm in the mood for some chocolate chip pancakes."
The two walked over to the snack bar door. In front of them was a trio of people. Elizabeth recognized them as the people from the Mustang.
"Valhalla?" asked Caroline with a sneer, reading the sign on the door, "what does that supposed to mean?"
"It means Viking Heaven." answered Elizabeth. "Appropriate considering we're the Hertfordshire Vikings, not so appropriate considering some of the food they serve."
The three of them turned around at the sound a woman's voice. William recognized the woman from just a few minutes ago. Up close he could see that she was very pretty, especially those dark gray eyes of hers.
Chapter 1 Part 3
Elizabeth looked back at the tall man in front of her thinking that he was one of the best looking men she had seen in a long time. Finding herself staring at him, she directed her attention to the man next to him. Also handsome, in a boyish way, he seemed unable to take his eyes off of Jane. Elizabeth laughed to herself, it wasn't the first time she had seen a man look that way at Jane, with her long, blonde hair and bright blue eyes. Looking over at her sister, Elizabeth was surprised to see Jane looking very interested in this man opposite her.
Charles spoke first, "Thanks for the warning. I'm Charles Bingley. This is my sister Caroline and my friend and colleague William Darcy."
"Oh yes, we've heard of the two of you already," replied Jane.
William shot Charles a knowing look that did not go unnoticed by Elizabeth. She wondered what had prompted him to give his friend such a look.
"I'm Jane Bennet and this is my sister Elizabeth. I teach French her and my sister is a professor of literature."
"Pleased to meet you," said Elizabeth.
"Likewise," replied Charles. Caroline gave a little nod, William could only stare. "We were just about to have breakfast, would you like to join us?"
"Thank you, I'm sure we would enjoy that very much," answered Jane.
And with that, the five of them walked into Valhalla. Elizabeth couldn't take her eyes off of William Darcy, that is, when she wasn't distracted by that hideous orange sweater Caroline Bingley was wearing. He seemed to look at her a great deal, but his face was expressionless. His reserved manner confused her. She looked over at Charles and Jane, they seemed to be getting along very well, in fact, they seemed oblivious to the other three people in the group.
After going through the breakfast line, the five of them sat down together. Charles and Jane still hadn't stopped talking to each other. Unfortunately, Elizabeth wasn't having the same luck.
"So, " began Elizabeth, "have you been enjoying your stay here?"
"Yes," replied William.
"I understand that you will be teaching psychology. That means you must have met my father, Dean Bennet."
"Yes, I have met him."
Elizabeth gave up she had never come across such an unsociable person in her life. As for Caroline Bingley, Elizabeth knew that she was thinking that the decor of the place was terrible and the food not much better. Sure the booths were bright yellow and the eggs were runny, but this was a college snack bar, not the Ritz.
William, on the other hand, had no problem with the silence. He could see right through these Bennet girls. He had to give them credit though, at least they didn't wait for their mother to make the introduction. True, Jane Bennet was very beautiful, although not his type, and her sister had her own style of beauty, but they were like every other non-related female he had encountered.
Caroline, in the silence, was thinking what a horrible shade of yellow the booths were, orange would have gone so much better, and how very runny these eggs were.
Finally Elizabeth could take no more of it. She stood up saying, "I'm sorry, but I have to run, I need to have my class syllabus turned in by three."
Jane stood up as well, "I guess I should be going as well."
"Well, it was a pleasure meeting you both," said Charles standing up, "I hope that we will see you both at the President's welcoming reception next week."
"Oh yes, we will be there," said Jane.
Elizabeth and Jane left the trio to their breakfast. As soon as they were gone, Caroline starting doing what she did best.
"Really Charles, what were you thinking inviting those females to join us for breakfast? Especially that dark-haired one, what was her name, Eliza? Alyssa?"
"Elizabeth," answered William.
"Whatever, the point is, that it was totally obvious that she has no style of class whatsoever. Her hair is so wild and curly and those clothes of hers, jean shorts and a tee-shirt being worn by a professor, and blue really isn't her color, she should wear something brighter like orange. What do you think William?"
"I thought that both ladies were very attractive, and I'm sure that Dr. Bennet doesn't usually wear shorts in the classroom, it would be too distracting." What did I just say thought William.
Caroline pretended not to notice his last comment, "And pretending to bump into us. It was obvious that they orchestrated the entire incident. They knew that the two of you were coming and decided to get a head start on all the other females here."
"But Caroline, how could they have known that we would be here at this time?" asked Charles.
"I don't have the answer to everything," she replied in a huff.
"Caroline does have a point Charles. You should be on your guard. "
"I'm sure that Jane and Elizabeth are nothing like that. Jane seems to be a very intelligent charming lady, and I should like to get to know her better."
"I just want you to be careful."
"Don't worry William, I will," and with that Charles stood up, and threw his trash away, ending the conversation.
Chapter 2 Part 1
Author's note: FYI, sinkholes are a common problem here at Berry. We have a rock quarry that makes millions of dollars for the cities, but results in sinkholes appearing everywhere, even threatening to form under buildings. The school rectifies the problem by pumping concrete under the buildings. The subject of sinkholes does come up briefly in my story, and by the way, the story told about it is 100% true.
One week later
The President's Reception
"Elizabeth my dear, how are you?"
Elizabeth turned around at the sound of this familiar voice to face her Aunt Sarah, known professionally as President Gardiner. The two ladies embraced as Elizabeth said,
"Aunt Sarah, how was your trip to Venice?"
"Wonderful, I can't believe that your uncle surprised me with such a gift!"
"Well, it's not everyday that a couple celebrates their 30th wedding anniversary."
"Sarah! How was Venice?" Both ladies turned around to see Frances Bennet approaching.
"I was just telling Elizabeth what a wonderful time your brother and I had."
"Where is my brother anyway?"
"Oh, he's circulating among the guests."
Just then Elizabeth spied a familiar figure enter the door.
"Excuse me, I see Charlotte coming in now."
Elizabeth walked towards the tall figure.
"Charlotte, how was your vacation?"
"Lizzy, it's so good to see you. As much as I love my family, three months with them is two and-a-half months too long."
"Are they still trying to get you married?"
"Aren't they always. You should see the men they tried to set me up with. They should at least pick ones with a full head of hair. And to make matters worse, my sister Maria is engaged...to a Harvard man. Mom and Dad are on cloud nine."
"Poor Charlotte, well, at least you have nine more months before you have to see them again."
"Enough about me, tell me everything that happened while I was gone."
"Let me think...last week they found another sinkhole over by the soccer field. One of the men from the grounds crew was on a riding lawnmower when his back wheels fell in."
"Poor man," Charlotte laughed, "anything else?"
"Mary thinks that she's in love with the new chaplain."
"The chaplain? What's his name?"
"Bill Collins. He's young, single, and not too repulsive looking."
"Lizzy!"
"I'm sorry, but the man has so much oil in his hair, he must hold stock in Exxon."
"And his sermons?"
"Even Mary has trouble staying awake."
"That bad, huh?"
"Worse, Mary has offered her services as a pianist and singer during Sunday service. Needless to say, attendance has dropped drastically."
"Lizzy, something good must have happened while i was away."
"Well, we have been graced with the presence of two young, single, handsome, and wealthy professors. A Dr. Charles Bingley and a Dr. William Darcy."
"That is good news. Have you met them yet?"
"Jane and I met them last week in Valhalla."
"What are they like?"
"I didn't speak to Charles much, he spent most of his time talking to Jane, but he seems to be very friendly. His friend on the other hand...I have never met such an unsociable person in my entire life! Whenever I asked a question, he gave only one word replies."
"Maybe he's shy."
"A man has to speak in front of 25 strange students three times a day five times a week and he's too shy to give me an answer longer than yes or no?"
"I guess not."
"And that sister of his!"
"William Darcy's?"
"No, Charles's. She obviously thinks herself too good for a school like ours. And that orange shirt she was wearing. I know I'm no fashion expert, but I haven't seen a color like that since my mother had that shag rug installed in the den when I was eleven."
"Did you say she wore orange?"
"Yeah, why?"
"Then I guess that would be her now."
Elizabeth turned around to see the Bingleys and Prof. Darcy enter the room.