Beginning, Section II
Prologue Posted on Wednesday, 12 January 2000
Spring 1993
Lizzy and Jane were enjoying their spring break in Daytona Beach, Florida. Lizzy, age 19, was a freshman and Jane, age 21, a junior at Hertfordshire College in upstate New York, both in the education program. Jane planned on becoming a kindergarten teacher and Lizzy wanted to teach high school literature. Their vocation stemmed from their father's example. Mr. Bennet was a tenured professor at the college.
"Tonight is our last night of fun, Jane, before we go back to the grind," said Lizzy. "Let's go to the club on __ street and do some serious dancing."
"Sounds good to me, little sister," agreed Jane.
The girls dressed in their tightest jeans, shimmering tank tops and dance shoes (sandals, sexy but with low heels - both girls were athletes and concerned about injury).
The nightclub, crowded with college students, was very noisy and smoky. Lizzy and Jane pushed their way to the bar and ordered virgin Bloody Marys. They were social drinkers but had decided not to drink this evening, as spring soccer training camp would begin on the day after they returned home. Both girls were starters on the college's varsity team and very serious about their sport. They were soon asked to dance and enjoyed the next several hours moving to the music of the rock band with various partners.
Around 11 p.m. Lizzy was approached by a tall, handsome man in preppy dress. He was enchanted by the curvy, curly-haired woman in the sparkling red top that moved so sensuously to the music. She eyed his neat appearance, athletic build, dark hair and smoldering eyes appreciatively and agreed to dance with alacrity.
As it was too loud to talk, they just started dancing and found they enjoyed each other's movements. Each thought the other was the best partner they had ever had the pleasure of dancing with. After several fast dances, the band played a slow song. The handsome stranger took Lizzy in his arms and she felt incredibly content, like she belonged there. She pulled closer to him and the feel of her body moving with his and the sweet smell of her hair intoxicated him. It felt like she was made to fit in his arms. He turned his face to hers and gently kissed her lips. Before realizing what she was doing, Lizzy kissed him back, wrapping her arms around his neck. It was delightful. Suddenly Lizzy came to her senses and looked up at him in surprise. Seeing the passionate look in his eyes, she turned and left him on the dance floor, gaping at her.
Lizzy found Jane and motioned for her to leave the club.
"Lizzy, what's the matter?" asked Jane when they got outside.
"Some very handsome man just made a move on me and I panicked," said Lizzy. "Although I enjoyed dancing with him, I didn't want him to think I put out."
"What did he do to you?"
"Nothing really, just a kiss. And a fairly chaste one at that, but I returned it most willingly. What must he think of me? He was really a gentleman and I overreacted." Lizzy sighed with memory of the feel of his sweet lips against hers. "I'll never see him again so it's of little matter."
"Didn't he ask for your phone number?" asked Jane.
"No, we didn't even exchange names. It was too loud to converse so we just enjoyed the dancing. He was quite good. Nice body and he moved very well indeed. Slow dancing with him was heavenly. The way he looked at me made me melt."
'It sounds like you should have stayed longer and found out more about him. Why did you run away?"
"I don't know. Now I wish I hadn't but it's too late. I guess I was embarrassed that I returned his kiss so willingly. He probably has a girlfriend back home anyway. Someone that gorgeous has to be taken. It's after midnight so let's just go back to the hotel and forget about it." But Lizzy knew that she would always cherish the memory of the handsome stranger.
Chapter 1 Posted on Wednesday, 12 January 2000
June 1997
The Bennet sisters were practicing their act in the garage. While their father enjoyed hearing his daughters sing, he insisted on peace and quiet in his home and relegated them outside.
The girls had been performing together for three years and were quite proficient. Four of the sisters sang with Jane accompanying on keyboard and Kitty and Lydia on guitar. Lizzy was the lead singer and only played her guitar during an occasional solo number. Mary played the drums and would like to sing with the others, but she couldn't hold a tune and threw off their 4-part harmony. She sang all the songs anyway but, as she didn't have a microphone, no one could hear her. The band was called The Bennet Sisters (how original) and had become very popular in Meryton. They often played at dances at the local schools and recently had landed several gigs at weddings, which were financially lucrative. They liked to play current pop songs with some oldies thrown in. For weddings, they included several classic romantic songs.
Jane taught kindergarten at the Meryton elementary school. Lizzy was working on her thesis for her Master's degree in guidance counseling. She was also a substitute teacher at Longbourn Regional High School where Lydia was a junior. Jane and Lizzy shared an apartment in Meryton. Mary, a junior, and Kitty, a freshman, were in undergraduate programs at Hertfordshire College. The daughters received free tuition at the college because of Mr. Bennet's position, which was quite fortunate for the parents of the five girls. The income from the band was used to fund room and board (all the girls had elected to live in the dorms during college even though their home was only 15 miles away), books and spending money. Because of their success, they had built up a healthy bank account for the benefit of the younger sisters and planned to disband the group at the end of the summer. Jane and Lizzy had lost interest in performing as a group some time ago but stayed for the benefit of their sisters until these financial goals were met.
Mrs. Bennet served as the band's manager. She made sure the girls practiced and updated their repertoire with the latest songs. She marketed the group and booked the performances. While it was a challenge balancing five calendars, it was easier now that Jane and Lizzy were no longer competing in organized sports.
"Girls, girls," sang Mrs. Bennet, interrupting the practice session. "I have just received a most advantageous booking for you. A Mr. Darcy has requested your services at a 'Sweet 16' party for his younger sister. They live in Lambton and Mr. Darcy is very wealthy. His parents were killed in a plane crash six years ago and he is raising his sister alone even though he appears to be a young man himself. I guess it's easier when you have several servants to help. Just think girls, this will throw you in the path of other rich families for bookings! And maybe you'll find rich husbands, too!
"The sister's name is Georgiana and she goes to a private, all-girls school called Netherfield. I understand that she heard you sing at the wedding of one of her friend's older sisters and liked you very much. She requested that her brother hire you for this party. Apparently Mr. Darcy cannot deny his little sister anything, which is fortunate for you."
"An all-girl's school, yuck," commented Lydia. "How dull. I hope there will be boys at the party."
"Oh yes, my dear," replied her mother. "I understand that several of Miss Darcy's friends will be bringing brothers, cousins and other male friends."
"Well this could be fun then," said Lydia. "A whole room full of boys my age watching me sing! Maybe I can snag some dances during our breaks."
"How are you going to dance when there is no music, Einstein?" asked Mary. Maybe she couldn't sing, but she was no dumb bunny.
"Oh, yeah. Well maybe they'll play CDs. At the very least I can talk to some of them and maybe get a date," Lydia consoled herself.
Chapter 2 Posted on Wednesday, 12 January 2000
The drive up to the estate was breathtaking. After turning off the main road, they were allowed entry by a security guard in a booth by the gate. They drove almost 3 miles along a paved road through the trees. Suddenly the view opened up ahead of them and they saw a large brick mansion nestled against the side of a mountain, its lush side lawns leading down to a small lake. A massive dock with a gazebo, diving board and slide was surrounded by several small watercraft, including canoes, jet skis and motor boats. The sun was still high in the early June evening sky, causing the still water to sparkle invitingly.
"To think this is less than 10 miles from our house and we've never seen it!" remarked Lydia in wonder. "It will be such fun to mingle with the rich and famous!"
The girls pulled up in front of the mansion in their beat-up old van. They poured out as servants approached to help them with their equipment. Used to doing for themselves, the girls were delighted to have someone else lugging the heavy amplifiers and musical instruments.
A 60ish woman came out to welcome them. Introducing herself as Mrs. Reynolds, the housekeeper, she led them to a sitting room. Wide silver basins filled with ice contained a variety of soda and juices. Trays held a wide selection of cold cuts, breads, cheeses, condiments and pastries. Comfortable chairs were scattered about the cheery room. Floor to ceiling windows faced the lake.
"You may take your breaks in here," explained Mrs. Reynolds. "It has been set up for your use. There is a powder room through that door and the ballroom is at the end of the hall. Feel free to use the telephone. Dial 9 for an outside line and dial 12 for a staff member if you need anything at all."
"Thank you, Mrs. Reynolds, "responded Lizzy. "You are too kind." The other girls were too stunned by the lavish surroundings to speak.
"Mr. Darcy insists that all visitors to his home are well taken care of," replied the housekeeper. "He is the best of men. Now let me take you to your equipment. The staff will be happy to help you set everything up. Several of them are experienced with audio equipment."
The ballroom where the party was to be held was massive. The girls had sung at many weddings in rooms smaller than this. They gazed in awe at the high ceilings and sparkling chandeliers. Festive decorations were everywhere.
"Wow," breathed Lydia, visibly impressed. "And I got to have Chinese food for my 16th birthday."
A tall, good-looking man entered the room and walked up to the band.
"Hello, I am William Darcy. You must be the Bennet sisters."
Lizzy walked up and shook his hand. "Yes sir, at your service." I'll do anything you want Mr. Darcy. "I am Elizabeth. And there is Jane, Mary, Kitty and Lydia." Lizzy pointed each one out as she said her name. "Thank you for your hospitality, Mr. Darcy. I hope you will be pleased with our performance."
"I'm sure I will be delighted, Elizabeth. And please call me William." Darcy was surprised at himself at this bit of informality, so unlike his usual self. He couldn't comprehend his immediate ease with Elizabeth Bennet. Something about her seemed familiar. Elizabeth gave him a dazzling smile and he felt his knees go weak. He managed to say huskily, "I will leave you now to set up and see you at the party." Yes, Elizabeth, I do want to see more of you!
There was something about this man that seemed familiar to Lizzy. Tall, athletic build, curly dark hair, very handsome, smoldering eyes - yes, that was it - the eyes. They reminded her of a somewhat faded memory of a fine looking man she once danced with while on spring break. Could it possibly be? Certainly it was just a resemblance. It would be too much of coincidence to find that man she met so far away actually living within 10 miles of her home.
Putting her mind back to the business at hand, she helped her sisters set up for the party.
By eight o'clock the room was filled with high school girls and boys. William brought his sister Georgiana over and introduced her to Lizzy.
"Happy Birthday Miss Darcy," said Lizzy. "We are so happy that you chose us to share this celebration with you. I hope you and your friends enjoy the music."
"Thank you Miss Bennet," said Georgiana shyly. "I have heard you play before and I liked it very much."
"Why don't you join your friends now dear," said William. "Let me finish some business with Elizabeth so she and her sisters can start playing." Lizzy was impressed at how gentle William was with his sister. She had always thought brothers were supposed to be either teasing or lording over their sisters. But never having had a brother, she guessed there were some good ones too. William must be one of those.
"Elizabeth, I have plans for a large birthday cake to be brought in at 10:30. Mrs. Reynolds, the housekeeper you met earlier, will give you a signal and then I would like your group to lead us in singing 'Happy Birthday' to Georgiana."
"Certainly, sir," replied Lizzy politely. "Any other instructions?"
"Yes, please keep to mostly fast songs. I'm sure the kids with dates would like some slow ones but as Georgiana is extremely shy, I wouldn't wish her to feel too uncomfortable. If you could keep the slow songs to a minimum, I would be most appreciative." Although I'd love to slow dance with you.
"No need for gratitude, William. You are paying us so you will get what you want."
"Thank you. Now let's begin before these kids start climbing the walls!"
"Yes, sir!"
The party got underway. The music was lively and soon most of the kids were soon dancing. Lizzy noticed that Georgiana stayed talking with a small group of girlfriends and politely refused any boy that asked her to dance, even though she watched the dancers with apparent envy. I guess she is shy, thought Lizzy. She noticed that William casually walked around the room constantly, keeping a watchful eye on the guests. He often looked at Georgiana and his concern was evident, but he kept his distance.
During a break the kids swarmed to the tables laden with goodies and Lizzy sought out William.
"I noticed that Georgiana is not dancing at her own party William," Lizzy began. "Do you know of any favorite song that might induce her to accept one of her many admirers?"
"I'm afraid I am at quite a loss Elizabeth," William replied. "I thought this party might help her come out of her shell. I was hoping she would feel more comfortable in her own home and she was so eager to have your band play. I'm trying not to be the hovering elder brother, but I am feeling very inadequate at this moment."
Lizzy touched his arm in sympathy. "Well if you think of anything I can do to help, please do not hesitate to ask. Georgiana seems like a very sweet girl and I would like to see her enjoy herself on this special day."
"Thank you Elizabeth. You are very kind." Darcy was surprised that this stranger would show such concern towards a girl she barely knew. He was moved by her caring attitude. And she was certainly beautiful with her long curly hair, sparkling eyes, sensuous body - stop that, he lectured to himself. Now you're getting carried away. There was something about her, though. He wished he could figure out what it was.
At 10:30 Lizzy received a signal from the housekeeper that the cake was to be brought in.
"I'd like to have your attention please," Lizzy spoke into the microphone. "The reason we are all here tonight is to celebrate a very special day for a very special young woman. Happy Birthday, Georgiana."
Everyone started cheering as the enormous cake with 16 sparklers was wheeled in. William brought his sister to the center of the room as the band started to sing. The guests joined in and Georgiana turned scarlet with embarrassment. She hid her face against her brother's sleeve. When the sparklers ran down, Mrs. Reynolds removed them and asked Georgiana to cut the first piece of cake. Mrs. Reynolds then took over the job and servants distributed slices to the partygoers. Georgiana returned to her little group of friends.
The band took a quick break as they had one last set to play before the party ended at midnight. After freshening up, Lizzy noticed someone was missing. "Has anyone seen Lydia?" she asked her sisters. No one had but Kitty thought she might have stayed in the ballroom.
With a bad feeling in her stomach, Lizzy hurried to the ballroom where music was blaring from a stereo. To her embarrassment, she found Lydia dancing a sexy bump and grind with one of the high school boys while several others looked on with great interest. To add to her humiliation, Mr. Darcy was watching with disapproval. Not wanting to cause a scene, Lizzy approached her sister and said calmly, "Lydia, we need you in the other room to go over some music, please." She grabbed Lydia's arm firmly and pulled her out of the room. Once in the hallway, she pinched Lydia forcefully. "Owwww, what's the matter with you?" yelped Lydia.
"What were you thinking?" Lizzy cried. "That is totally inappropriate behavior. What must Mr. Darcy and his sister think? How could you, Lydia?"
Lydia pulled away and ran to the sitting room mumbling something about older sisters being a pain and not getting to have any fun. Lizzy shook her head in exasperation and went to get the others to begin the last set.
When the dancing was again underway, Lizzy observed a rather plain looking young man approach a group of fashionably dressed girls who were talking and giggling together. He tapped the shoulder of a leggy, longhaired blond who turned around in surprise. He spoke and she shook her head. He walked away with his head down and sat on a chair by himself. The group of girls all turned to look at him and then laughed together. Lizzy felt sorry for the boy who looked like he had just been crushed. When the song ended, Lizzy told her sisters to do sing the next without her. As the music began, she walked over to the boy.
Sammy Jarvis looked up in surprise as the attractive lead singer of the band approached him. He thought she was very sexy with her long curly hair, tight jeans and shimmering red tank top. To his amazement, she asked him to dance. After his humiliation by Nancy Watson, he was pleased to comply. It was a fast song, but he danced close to her, enjoying her body movements. She smiled at him and took his hands. Lizzy noticed that several of the kids, including that group of girls, were watching them. When the song ended, she returned to the band while Sammy was slapped on the back by several of the other young men. To her delight, at the next number Nancy walked over to Sammy. She saw them talk and then dance together. Lizzy smiled a satisfied smile and saw William looking at her approvingly.
Chapter 3 Posted on Thursday, 13 January 2000
The party ended quickly as parents arrived to take their children home. Lizzy and her sisters were busy taking apart their equipment when William approached. Lizzy pulled him aside and began apologizing profusely for Lydia's behavior.
"Do not trouble yourself, Elizabeth," he began, "my experience with my own sister has taught me that teenagers are not so easily controlled. You handled the situation very well. There was no harm done."
"Thank you for your understanding."
"Not at all. Georgiana was tired and has already gone to bed but I know she was very happy with your music, as am I."
"I hope she enjoyed herself. I didn't see her dance once."
William sighed deeply. "She claimed to have a good time but I saw little evidence of it. Things did not work out as I had hoped." Lizzy laid a hand on his arm in sympathy. William felt an electric shock at her touch. He wanted to get to know her better and didn't want her to leave so soon. In an uncharacteristically bold move, he asked her to stay for a drink. "I would be happy to drive you home later."
"I don't drink much, especially this late at night, but I'd love a bowl of ice cream! Just let me tell my sisters to go on without me."
The staff was just beginning to lug the electronic equipment out to the van as Lizzy spoke to Jane. William saw the tall blond look at him questioningly, then smile at Lizzy and leave the room with the rest of her sisters.
Darcy began rummaging through the freezers in the huge kitchen looking for ice cream. When he finally found the correct repository, he offered Lizzy her choice of several flavors.
"This is better than Baskin Robbins," laughed Lizzy. She chose chocolate chip cookie dough. William filled two bowls with generous servings of the sweet treat. He then led Lizzy to a room with several easy chairs and sofas. Some allowed viewing of a wide screen TV housed within an enormous entertainment center containing various audio and video equipment, while others faced a huge fireplace. Throw pillows and blankets were strewn about on the furniture making it look comfortable and inviting. The walls were covered in rich wood paneling and the floor in a deep pile carpet. The warm, casual room was much to Lizzy's liking and she said so to William.
"Yes, Georgie and I spend most of our time in this room. It's the least formal room in the house and we can be totally at ease here." He motioned Lizzy to sit on one of the smaller sofas. She relaxed at one end, curling her legs up under her. William spread a blanket over her and lowered himself beside her. They sat in a comfortable silence, eating their ice cream until William asked Lizzy to tell him about herself.
Putting her bowl down on a nearby table, Lizzy began her life history. She told William what it was like growing up with 4 sisters and a domineering mother, how she is her father's favorite and how his study is a refuge for both of them from the rest of the family. She and Jane are very close and they share an apartment. Originally she had wanted to teach high school literature but became interested in psychology and now wants to be a guidance counselor. She loves working with the teenagers and is just about done with her master's thesis. But nothing has helped her learn to deal with Lydia and she worries a great deal about her youngest sister. Her parents seem to have given up and let her run wild so Lizzy tries to keep a close watch on her, but Lydia does not appreciate the attention. Lizzy talked for over an hour about herself and told William everything there was to know about Elizabeth Bennet except for one important fact - she is engaged to be married.
While Lizzy talked (and talked and talked), William sat fascinated by her. Her life was so different from his and he listened attentively while at the same time assessing her. He thought her very lovely as her eyes sparkled when she spoke. He could hear the love and concern in her voice when she mentioned her family and her passion for her chosen career. Her long curly hair begged to be caressed and her lips invited him to taste their sweetness. He longed to take her in his arms, but instead he said, "It is getting late. I should take you home."
"Yes, it is late. Thank you for dessert. But I've spent all this time telling you about me and you haven't been able to get a word in edgewise. That's not fair, you know. I have learned very little about you."
"Then I propose we remedy the situation and spend some time together tomorrow. Do you like to horseback ride?"
"I adore it. My best friend Charlotte's family owns a farm and I spent many happy hours there as a child. It was Charlotte's responsibility to groom the horses and muck the stables and I helped her in return for the privilege riding whenever I chose. Charlotte and I spent many summer roaming the area on horseback."
"Then riding it is. I'll pick you up around 11:00?"
"Sounds wonderful."
William drove Lizzy home in his jaguar. Always the perfect gentleman, he opened her door and walked her to the apartment. Taking her hand in his, he brought it up to his lips and placed a gentle kiss on her fingers. "Until tomorrow then. Good night."
Lizzy watched in a daze as he walked back to his car and wondered what the heck she was doing.
Driving back home William thought of the pretty, dark-haired woman and wondered, What the heck am I doing?
Chapter 4 Posted on Wednesday, 19 January 2000
Lizzy's alarm clock woke her up at 10:00 a.m. After a shower she dressed in comfortable jeans, a tight white tee shirt and riding boots. Pulling her hair back into a ponytail with a scrunchy, she entered the kitchen where Jane was relaxing with a cup of coffee and the newspaper. Lizzy helped herself to a cup and put 2 slices of bread in the toaster.
"Good morning Jane. What are you doing today?"
"Charles will be here any minute. We're going to Mom and Dad's for a while and then to lunch and a movie. Would you like to come along?"
"No, but thanks. I'm going horseback riding with William Darcy."
"Lizzy, what are you doing with William? You stayed at his house until very late last night, or should I say early this morning, and you're going out with him today. What's going on?"
"Jane, he's a nice guy and we're getting to know each other. It's harmless."
"But Lizzy, you are engaged." Jane was not particularly fond of Lizzy's fiancé but was concerned about propriety.
"I am well aware of that fact but George is working today and I'm just going for a horseback ride. George hates to ride and William will be good company. Hey, how are things with you and Charles?" Lizzy was trying to get the subject off of herself and knew Jane would take the bait if she asked about her new boyfriend.
"Oh, Lizzy. I really like him. He's very different from anyone else I have dated. So gentlemanly and kind. I know it's only been a couple of months but I already feel very close to him and I think he may be 'the one'. Do you suppose it's too soon to think like that?"
"Not if that's how you feel. People fall in love at first sight all the time. Do you think Charles feels the same?"
"I think so. He hasn't told me he loves me yet but all his looks say he does. By the way, what are you doing two weeks from today? I'd like you to go to Charles' sister's wedding with me."
"Go to a wedding when I'm not singing? Don't I go to enough weddings?"
"Please Lizzy. I'm not going to know anyone there and Charles will be walking his sister down the aisle. I just want someone to be with until he's done with the ceremony and pictures. Then you can leave. Please, for me?"
Lizzy couldn't refuse her sister anything. Jane has always been there for her. "OK, I'll go for a little while. Where is the wedding?"
"I'm not sure, but you can follow us in your car. The wedding is being held at the home of a friend of Charles. I understand it's not too far from here."
Just then the doorbell rang and Jane jumped up to answer it. Lizzy was buttering her toast when she heard Jane yell from the living room, "Bye Lizzy. See you later." Lizzy took her toast and coffee to the table and picked up Jane's discarded newspaper.
Promptly at 11:00 the doorbell rang again. Lizzy opened the door to find William standing there wearing jeans and a navy polo shirt. Looking good! she thought but said, "Good morning William. Would you like a cup of coffee? It's all made."
"Good morning Elizabeth. No coffee, thank you. I've already had a couple cups this morning. Are you ready to go?"
"Yes, just let me grab my purse."
"Why don't you bring a change of clothes with you? After we ride you can have lunch with Georgiana and I. That is, if you are available."
"Sure. Hold on while I get some stuff." William waited by the front door while Lizzy hurried to her bedroom. She stuffed some clothes, loafers and toiletries into a gym bag and in just a couple minutes was ready to go.
"That was quick!" laughed William. "I'm not used to women who can be ready in under an hour!"
"Surely Georgiana does not primp! She doesn't strike me as that type at all!"
William just smiled and let the comment pass. He wasn't thinking of his sister.
After a few minutes in the car, Lizzy realized they were heading to William's. "Are we going to your house now?"
"Well that is where the horses are."
"Oh. If I knew that, I could have driven myself over and saved you the trouble. I thought we were going somewhere else to ride."
"It's no trouble. My parents instilled in me proper manners and that includes picking up a woman when you ask her to go somewhere with you."
That made it sound suspiciously like William was thinking of this as a date. I guess I should tell him I am engaged before he gets the wrong idea. Lizzy looked over at William and noticed his damp hair curling very becomingly over the collar of his shirt. He looked at her and smiled, showing two very cute dimples. Well maybe I'll tell him later.
As they passed the entrance gate William waved to the security guard. He drove up the long driveway and stopped his Jag by a large stable. In the front were two saddled horses tied to a post. The got out of the car and a man walked over to them saying, "Your horses are ready, Mr. Darcy." "Thank you Bill." "No problem, sir."
William helped Lizzy mount her horse and jumped up on his before leading her down a path towards the woods. The June day was comfortably warm and sunny. "How much land do you have here William?" Lizzy asked. "You can't even see your house from here."
"It's about 1500 acres altogether. The house isn't too far but we're riding in the opposite direction now. This side of the property abuts the State Park so we can ride for many miles if we want."
"I think an hour or so will be enough for me. It's been a while since I've ridden and I think I may get sore if we stay out too long. And you did promise me lunch."
As they rode companionably through the woods, Lizzy asked William to tell her about himself. William explained what life was like growing up in a wealthy home - private schools and privilege. While his parents were loving, they were also very strict and made him always conscious of his place and what was expected of him. They were killed in a private airplane accident 6 years ago when Georgiana was only 10 years old. As he was 22 then, he was given guardianship of her along with his cousin Rick. He loves his sister dearly but has had a difficult time trying to raise a young girl. She is so shy and he worries about her constantly. He also inherited the company business, which is actually made up of several different businesses. His father had trained him well, but he was unprepared for taking on so much responsibility at a young age. It made him grow up very quickly. Other than a brief vacation with his cousin four years ago, he has had to devote all of his time to the business and his sister. He doesn't want to complain because he knows he is privileged, but it's been difficult and lonely at times. But now he's at the point where he has a good handle on the business and can back off a bit. He can often work from home and trusts his management team to run the businesses with minimal help from him. He made it a priority to get to this point so he can be with Georgiana more often. She's at a difficult age and he feels the need to spend more quality time with her. But deep down what he thinks she really needs is a woman who can act the big sister.
"Elizabeth, I know we have just met and hardly know each other, but would you mind spending some time with Georgie? I was immediately struck by your caring attitude last night. Plus you have four sisters and work at a high school in addition to your guidance counselor training. Georgie doesn't confide in me anymore. She needs a big sister to talk to. Someone to get advice from who can relate to what she is going through. Am I asking too much?"
"William, I would be delighted to get to know your sister better and spend some time with her. She seems like a sweet girl and I understand your concerns. My sister Lydia is about the same age but she is just the opposite of Georgiana. She is too wild and maybe could benefit from a stern older brother. Perhaps the four of us could do things together once in a while. It might be good for both girls. But I will also spend some one-on-one time with Georgiana."
"Thank you Elizabeth. I really appreciate this and I would be happy to plan some outings for the four of us. We can discuss the details later but we've been poking along for long enough. Let's ride."
They had come to an open field and William prodded his horse into a gallop. Lizzy chased after him, trying to catch up. She didn't notice when her scrunchy fell off. After a while, William pulled up to wait for her and caught his breath at the sight of Lizzy with a big grin on her face, eyes sparkling, hair flying around her like a cloud. What a vision! She is so beautiful.
Lizzy pulled up beside him laughing. "This is so much fun! Thanks for taking me here today William. I had forgotten how much I love to ride."
"You are welcome to come and ride anytime. I feel I owe you something for agreeing to spend time with my sister so I hope you will take advantage of my offer. Just call the house and speak to Mrs. Reynolds and she'll arrange everything."
"You are very sweet. I want to become friends with Georgiana and don't expect payment for that, but maybe I will come and ride sometime, although it would be much more enjoyable to ride with you." Elizabeth surprised herself with her boldness.
"I would like that too Elizabeth. Let me know when you are coming and I'll join you if I can. Now the stables are just over that hill. Let's head back to the house and have lunch."
William stood at the door of the guestroom, hair dryer in hand. His knock was not answered and he wasn't sure if he should go in. Deciding Lizzy was probably still in the shower he opened the door. Just then Lizzy walked out from the bathroom with a towel wrapped around her and drying her hair with another.
He crossed the room and took the towel from her hands. "Let me do that." He gently caressed her curls with the towel then dropped it to the floor. He reached out and pulled the other towel away from her body. "William?" she spoke softly, looking at him with those dark sparkling eyes. He pulled her into his arms and reveled at the feel of her naked body against him. He bent his head to kiss her deeply.
"William?" her voice broke through his reverie. He started and blushed and handed her the hair dryer. "I'm s-s-sorry. I j-j-just wanted to give you this." He turned and practically ran from the room.
Lizzy smiled. Georgiana isn't the only shy one she thought. The way William looked at her made her shiver. Not for the first time she wondered what it would be like to be his girlfriend. Then she slapped herself. Wake up girl! He's way out of your league. He's just being nice for his sister's sake. Plus you are engaged. Stop this right now! Lizzy shook her head and got dressed. Then she went downstairs to meet William and Georgiana for lunch.
After lunch William went to his office to do some work, leaving Georgiana and Elizabeth to get to know each other. An hour later he went downstairs to find them and heard laughter coming from the music room. Georgiana and Lizzy were seated together at the piano trying to play a duet. One or the other kept messing up and they couldn't stop laughing. William stood at doorway smiling at them. It was nice to see Georgiana not being shy and having such a good time. He felt very good about asking this favor of Elizabeth. He knew she would be a good influence on his sister.
"How about some ice cream?" he asked. The girls had not noticed William at the door and were startled. They both jumped and yelped then burst into laughter. William grinned. They went to the kitchen, helped themselves to dessert and sat at the butcher block table. When Georgiana finished eating she excused herself to go call a friend.
"Thank you Elizabeth," said William. "Georgiana seems very comfortable with you."
"It's funny because one-on-one she is not shy at all. In fact, she has a very wicked sense of humor!" Lizzy responded.
"Especially when directed at her elder brother I think. What exactly has she been telling you?"
Lizzy smiled at him slyly and declined to comment. Georgiana had only good things to say about her brother but she wouldn't let William know that. William was mesmerized by her smile, her eyes, her hair. He leaned closer to Lizzy and wrapped his finger around a curl before placing a soft kiss on her lips. Lizzy closed her eyes and lost herself in his touch. He kissed her again and then again. Coming to her senses, Lizzy jumped up. What was she doing? "William, I'm sorry. We shouldn't be doing this. I am engaged."
Just then a shrill voice was heard in the hallway. "William! William, dear, where are you?" The door to the kitchen burst open and a statuesque impeccably dressed woman came into the room. "There you are darling!" She over to William and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Noticing Elizabeth she said politely, "Oh, hello. Who is this William?"
"Hello Caroline. This is Elizabeth. Elizabeth, may I introduce you to Caroline, my fiancée."
Chapter 5 Posted on Sunday, 23 January 2000
A short while later, Lizzy found herself alone in the back of a limousine headed toward home. Apparently Caroline was not expected until Sunday, but had shown up a day early to surprise William. Lizzy bristled at the memory of how William introduced her as the band singer at Georgiana's birthday party and explained her presence at the house as her coming to receive payment for the job. There was no mention of horseback riding or befriending Georgiana. Then William couldn't wait to shuffle her off. Guess he really was just looking for a friend for his sister and nothing more. As she was leaving, he did try to apologize for sending her home in the limo but then Caroline came outside and he stopped talking altogether.
But Lizzy couldn't help remembering the way he looked at her and how his kisses felt. Why did he do that if he was engaged? Of course, so was she. It was all too confusing. Perhaps it was for the best that Caroline showed up when she did. It got everything out in the open.
The chauffeur jumped out and opened the door for Lizzy when they arrived at her apartment. She thanked him and he drove off. Turning to go inside she noticed George sitting on her front step.
"Well, well, what is this?" he asked. "My little Lizzy in a limo?"
"Hello George." Lizzy gave him a quick kiss. "I had some business to attend to regarding a gig we played last night and the client was kind enough to offer his limo." Lizzy wasn't sure George would understand the horseback riding with another man either. He wasn't the jealous type, but why ask for trouble?
They entered the house and George pulled Lizzy into his arms. "I missed you girlfriend." He kissed her ardently as his hands wandered over her body. She slapped his hands away and stepped out of his embrace. "George, stop it. Do we have to go through this every time? You agreed that we should wait until we are married but yet you insist on trying to start something every time we are together. Now what would you like to do tonight?"
George just grinned at her. "Sorry Lizzy. I get carried away. I've been thinking, it's about time we set a date don't you think?"
Lizzy threw herself back into his arms. "Really? Are you finally ready to commit? We've been engaged six months and have yet to set a date or get rings. Are you finally serious?" She gave him a big kiss.
"Pfft. Pfft. Can't you tie that mess of hair back? I always end up with it in my mouth." George made a big production of pulling a hair from his lips. "Yes I think it is time we set a date. How about I go home and freshen up and I'll come back in a couple hours with a movie. You can cook dinner for me and we'll have a quiet night in. And we will get a calendar and decide on a wedding date. Does that sound ok?"
"Sure George. Go on then. I need to run to the market. I'll see you in a while." George gave Lizzy a quick peck and headed out.
Once in his silver blue Corvette convertible, George made a phone call. "Hey babe. I'm on my way home. Can you come over for a couple of hours? I'd really like to see you. Good. I'll see you in a few minutes."
Edward Gardiner was dying. He had come to terms with it soon after being told his fate several months ago. He was 80 years old and had lived a very good life. His dear wife had passed on before him, almost 20 years ago now. Her sudden death from a brain aneurysm had devastated him and only with the help of his loving family was he able to move past the pain. His only daughter was a bit too silly to comfort him but his two eldest granddaughters, even at the ages of 5 and 7, made him want to keep living. Little Lizzy called him every single day for the first few years to make sure her Papa wasn't lonely. Then adolescence gave her more important things to do, like hanging out with her friends, but she still remembered to call him at least twice a week all through her teenage years. Those simple phone calls where she would share the little details of her day made Edward grateful for his life. Lizzy was very precious to him and Jane, with her gentle loving manner, was nearly as dear.
Now he was suffering from lung cancer brought on by a lifetime of smoking. He didn't share this news with his family when he found out but soon it would become apparent. The end was near and he needed more and more medication to handle the increasing level of pain. He had already surpassed the doctor's expectations of longevity and wouldn't be able to hide it much long. He wanted his family to visit him because they loved him not because they felt sorry for him. Jane and Lizzy tried to see him at least once a week even though he lived almost 40 miles away. The younger girls only came with their mother when she made her monthly visits. Even then, Edward sensed they visited him from a sense of duty as much as from affection. His son-in-law he saw the least but Tom Bennet emailed him frequently and both men enjoyed their philosophical cyber discussions. Edward suspected that Tom had an idea of what was happening but respected his father-in-law's wish to keep it to himself.
Perhaps the biggest surprise to his family would occur after his death. For many years Edward had a private law practice. He didn't make a big name for himself, but he did have a very successful business in the small city of Gracechurch. Shortly after his wife's death, he was appointed as circuit court judge. Frugal living and wise investing had made Edward Gardiner a very wealthy man. His simple life style fooled everyone and he knew there would be great shock when his will was read. Edward was leaving his daughter Francis Bennet and her husband $2 million dollars. This would provide a comfortable retirement nest egg on top of Tom's pension. Each of his three younger granddaughters would receive $1 million dollars in a trust fund to be controlled by their father. Tom could release the funds at his discretion when he felt the girls were mature enough to handle the money wisely. The rest of the estate would be split between his two older granddaughters. They would become wealthy women, each inheriting $10 million dollars. Edward almost wished he could see the faces of his family when they discovered his generosity.
Edward was happy that his two eldest granddaughters had both found nice young men before he died. He didn't want them to be subjected to fortune hunters. Lizzy was engaged to that nice George who tried to visit with her a couple times a month. He was a stockbroker and would be able to help Lizzy manage and invest her money. Edward was very comfortable with that situation. Jane's new boyfriend was wealthy in his own right and seemed very much taken with his granddaughter, so Edward didn't have cause to worry about him either. Charles had visited with Jane a few times and Edward was certain they would soon be engaged. He could die peacefully, knowing 'his girls' would be well taken care of.
His only concern was that Francis and the other girls would be upset at Lizzy and Jane's share. He knew Tom would understand and support his actions. He thought perhaps he would warn Tom of his plans and then they could discuss how to handle the situation. Edward felt Tom would be able to smooth things over eventually, he just hoped Jane and Lizzy wouldn't suffer too much abuse from their siblings in the meantime. And he wasn't concerned enough to change his will. It was his money and he would do with it as he pleased. He said as much in the videotape he had made, which would be shown at the reading of the will.
Edward looked forward to a visit from his girls and Charles the next day. He wondered if he should break the news of his impending death to them or wait a while longer. He looked in the mirror and decided he looked healthy enough that he could wait at least until their next visit, if not longer. The pain medication was making him sleepy so he went to bed.
George Wickham felt like he was on top of the world. He had a girlfriend who satisfied him, a fiancée who adored him and he was going to be rich. What more could a man want? Yes he had a few gambling debts, his car payment was past due and his credit cards were maxed out, but soon all that wouldn't matter. He just hoped that Lizzy's grandfather didn't linger too long or his creditors might start coming down on him.
You see, George worked for a large brokerage firm in New York City that had for a client a certain Edward Gardiner. George was good friends with Mr. Gardiner's broker and they frequently went drinking together. After a night on the town, a client's confidences might slip out and one night George, who could hold his liquor better than his friend, found something out that would change his life. He found a way to get rich quick.
Yes, that did mean marrying Lizzy Bennet. She wasn't at all his type and had some annoying habits, but he turned his considerable charm on her and was able to get the hook in. He had tried for the lovely Jane first, but she didn't buy his act so he settled for the sister. And Lizzy was pretty sexy in a wholesome sort of way even though she refused to sleep with him until they were married. But Julie Nelson, his girlfriend, was more than willing to share his bed and she was glad that Lizzy was a prude. It would get interesting when he did marry and was sleeping with both of them. Julie was a fantastic lover and he wondered how Lizzy would compare.
Now Julie was his type in spades. Voluptuous, blond and leggy and liked to show it off. They shared a love of casinos, good whiskey and fast cars. Julie loved George and was not happy about sharing him with Lizzy but knew it was the means to an end and wouldn't be for long.
George had a plan. He would marry Lizzy and soon good old Gramps would die. He had done a good job of sucking up to the old man and knew Gramps approved of him. Lizzy would be devastated by Gramps' death and overwhelmed by her sudden wealth so it would only be natural for her experienced husband to take over for her. He would then invest the money in a myriad of ways that she would never be able to figure out. By the time he divorced her (he figured within a year), she would have no idea that most of her money had been siphoned off to accounts in the Cayman Islands. Being a kind man, George wouldn't take it all. He'd leave her with a couple million and felt she'd be more than happy with that. Then he and Julie could head to the Caribbean and live the life of leisure.
It was all so easy because Lizzy was so trusting. George rented an apartment in Meryton but spent the week in the city. It was a two hour train ride and too far to commute every day. Lizzy thought he kept an apartment near work, but he actually stayed at Julie's place. Lizzy also believed his frequent business trips, working Saturdays and Sunday golf games were part of his job, but they were really ways for him to spend more time with his girlfriend and less with his fiancée. He got word from his friend that Edward Gardiner was near the end so it was time to set a date and make the final preparations for his plan.
The only hitch now was Lizzy's eagerness to buy a house. He wormed his way into Lizzy's good graces by playing to her dreams. The first time they met, he kept her up all night talking about herself and found that she craved a home, family and security above all other things. George led her to believe these were his aspirations as well. He made it look like he was financially independent by telling her he owned the apartment and his car outright. He promised that once they were married he would sell both and let go his apartment in the city. Then they could buy a family car and a home in between Meryton and the city so he could come home every night. Of course George had no intention of doing this and kept coming up with excuses as to why they should wait. Once Gramps died, he'd talk Lizzy into having a home custom built and that should take long enough to keep things as he wanted them until he was ready to divorce her. Julie would never stand for him staying with Lizzy all week and above all, he did not want to lose Julie.
His doorbell rang and he opened the door to pull Julie inside. Pressing her against the wall, he kissed her passionately. "Come on babe, let's go to bed. I gotta be back at Lizzy's in two hours. But if you want to stay here, I'll be back by midnight. How about we take a trip to Connecticut tonight and hit the casinos?" Julie nodded eagerly and led him to the bedroom.
Lizzy was making dinner when the phone rang. "Hello?"
"Hello, Elizabeth?"
"How are you William?" Why was he calling?
"OK. I just wanted to apologize for earlier. You see, Caroline is very jealous and I wasn't prepared for her arrival. I couldn't think of anything else to say off the top of my head. I hope you're not angry."
Lizzy sighed. What difference did it make anyway? Suddenly she felt very weary. "No, I'm not angry. You don't owe me anything. You're engaged, I'm engaged and you just want me to mentor your sister. One thing I don't understand though, is why did you kiss me?"
"Oh, well, I'm sorry about that too. Actually I'm not sorry about it at all. It was very nice. It was just something that happened. It seemed like a good idea at the moment. I shouldn't have done it and I apologize."
"It's OK. Look, I gotta go. I'm making dinner for my fiancé and he'll be here soon."
"Wait. Just one more thing. I don't want you to just mentor Georgie. I would really like for you and I to be friends. I enjoyed spending time with you last night and today and I would like for you and I and our sisters to do some things together. Do you think that would still be possible?"
"Sure, I guess that would be OK."
"Great. Well I'll let you go then. I'll call you. Bye."
"Bye." Now what was that all about? He is the most confusing man. But he sure can kiss!
The oven timer buzzed and Lizzy pulled out a casserole dish and two baked potatoes just as the doorbell rang. "Just a minute!" she yelled. Removing the oven mitts, she rushed to the door and let George in. "Good, just in time. Dinner's almost ready. I just gotta grab the steaks off the grill. Pour the wine and make yourself comfortable." After a quick peck on the cheek, Lizzy hurried out to the back deck to retrieve the steaks from the barbecue.
After placing the food on the table set for two, Lizzy found herself pulled onto George's lap. He kissed her deeply. "I love you Lizzy."
"I love you too." They kissed a little while longer until Lizzy pulled away. "Your dinner is getting cold."
"I'm sorry. I know you worked hard to make my favorite meal. I just can't resist you." George winked at her and gave her his most charming smile. Lizzy had always liked George's smile but now noticed it lacked dimples. Where did that come from?
As they ate, they talked about their respective plans for the next day. Lizzy planned on visiting her grandfather in the morning with Jane and Charles. Then the band had a wedding reception late Sunday afternoon.
"I wish you had told me you were visiting your grandfather earlier. I would have gone with you but I've already arranged a golf outing with some clients in the morning. Then I have to head back to the city. I have a proposal to finish up before an early Monday meeting. Please give my best to your grandfather and tell him I'll try to visit soon."
"He'll appreciate that honey. He likes you very much."
When dinner was finished, they sat together on the couch poring over a calendar looking at potential wedding dates. "How about September?" he asked. "Does that give you enough time to plan a wedding? I was hoping for something small anyway."
"I think that's enough time for everything except for renting a hall for the reception. That may be a problem with such short notice. And small is fine with me. Just family and very close friends."
"Let me check on the function room at my complex. It can only be reserved by residents so it's less likely to be already booked. I'll check August, September and October and see what's available and we can set the date around that. I'll inquire about it first thing tomorrow and give you a call."
"That sounds good. Now how about music?"
"Lizzy, I'm not good at this stuff. I trust your judgement and you like organizing things so why don't you make all the arrangements? Just let me know what I need to do and when. Maybe Jane or your other sisters would like to be involved. And I'm sure your mother would be very pleased to do so."
"Well, OK I guess. I was hoping we could do this together. But I know your job is very demanding and I have the whole summer free other than some gigs for the band and finishing up the last edits on my thesis."
"That's my girl. I know you'll arrange the best wedding ever beheld and I'll be the happiest man in the world on our wedding day." He pulled her closer and kissed her passionately. After a few minutes thus engaged, he pushed her down on the couch and rolled on top of her. His kisses became more urgent and his breath quickened. He held both of her hands over her head and pressed himself tightly against her. Lizzy squirmed under him, trying to push him off but he was too strong for her to move. She tried to yell at him but his mouth was locked onto hers and her shouts sounded like moans, which only made George even more excited.
Suddenly a key was heard in the lock. George quickly sat up and straightened his clothes. Lizzy looked at him wide-eyed and did the same. The door opened and Jane and Charles walked in, greeting them, "Hi you two, what's up?" I am. George thought, but instead said, "Hey there. Lizzy and I were about to watch a movie. Like to join us?" They agreed and Jane went to make some popcorn. Charles made small talk with George and then went into the kitchen to help Jane and get drinks. Lizzy was livid and hadn't spoken a word. She stared daggers at George.
"Lizzy, I'm sorry babe. You're just so beautiful, I can't resist."
"You scared me George. I thought you were going to rape me." Lizzy started shaking. "Maybe you should leave."
"Oh come on babe. I am truly sorry that I scared you. You must know that I would never do anything to hurt you or without your consent. I love you and I want you so badly that sometimes I find it difficult to control myself. But I would have stopped before it got too far. I didn't realize you were scared. I thought you were enjoying it as much as I was." He put his arms around her and kissed her tenderly on the cheek. "I'm so sorry. Please forgive me darling."
Lizzy calmed down and kissed him back. "OK George. Just don't do it again. We only have a couple of months to go until our wedding. Surely you can wait that long. Let's go tell Jane and Charles our good news."
"Sure honey." George was glad she had calmed down. Even though Julie took good care of him, he found it more and more difficult to resist Lizzy. She was always dressed in those tight jeans and she sure looked good in them. He loved Julie but having an excuse to have another woman was pretty exciting. But he had to be careful or he'd blow his whole plan.
Chapter 6 Posted on Sunday, 23 January 2000
A couple days later, Lizzy pulled her old but reliable brown Volvo to a stop in front of the Darcy mansion. She and Georgiana had a shopping trip planned. Mrs. Reynolds was waiting to meet her at the front door, having been alerted by the guard. Not for the first time, Lizzy wondered at the level of security at the estate. Meryton was such a sleepy town, it hardly seemed warranted.
"Welcome back Miss Bennet," said the housekeeper. "Miss Georgiana will be with you in a few minutes, but Mr. William asked if I would show you to his office first." Lizzy could only nod her head in agreement. She had not planned on meeting William and was a little nervous. Why should I be so nervous? He's a friend, nothing more.
William responded to Mrs. Reynolds' knock and Lizzy entered his office. He stood to greet her and walked over to close the door after motioning her to the sofa. He came to sit beside her and looked at her earnestly.
"Elizabeth, I once again want to apologize for my behavior the other day. It was unpardonable and I can only hope that your kindness will allow you to forgive me."
"I forgive you William, but we were both at fault. Neither of us was open with the other about our personal situations and that led to some awkwardness. But now everything is out in the open and I share your desire to continue our friendship."
William was visibly relieved. "Thank you. For my own sake as well as Georgie's. I have enjoyed our conversations and would like them to continue. I understand you and my sister are going shopping today."
"Yes, Georgiana said she had a special event coming up and wanted some help picking out a dress."
"It is my wedding."
"Oh. I might wonder then why she didn't ask Caroline to help her. She seemed quite well dressed."
"Unfortunately Georgie and Caroline are not the best of friends. Caroline would like to be closer to Georgie but my sister is resistant. You see, Georgiana thinks I could do much better than Caroline. She doesn't believe Caroline really loves me."
"And what do you think?" After all, she was a friend and friends can ask these questions.
"I think Caroline loves me as much as I do her. She has money of her own so I know she's not marrying me only because I'm wealthy. Is it an all-encompassing, deep passionate love? No, but I think we were meant to be together. We are of the same social class and we have both been very lonely. Marriage meets both of our needs - hers for a suitable companion and mine for a family and children."
"It sounds rather cold William. I'm not surprised at Georgiana's reaction. You are too young to have to 'settle'."
He shrugged. "I have had to be responsible for a great many things since my parents died and have matured far beyond my years. It's just that I am tired of being alone. I am ready for a family. Caroline is a good person and I think we will be relatively happy together. I am in the fortunate position with my business that I can work from home and thus can be very involved in raising our children. Caroline will be able to keep her career, which makes her happy. I think it will work out for everyone. Georgiana will come to see that in time."
Lizzy was not about to give William any advice. It wasn't what she herself would want from a marriage but she hardly knew him. If they were going to be friends she would have to accept William's decision. "So what does Caroline do?" she asked to change the subject to one less personal.
"She is the editor of Fashion World magazine. It's a very demanding job but she loves the glamour and excitement. She is in her element at a fashion show and adores having access to the very latest designs."
"I've never heard of that magazine, but then again high fashion has never been my thing." She motioned deprecatingly at her typical outfit of jeans and a tee shirt. "I'm sure she could help Georgiana select a much nicer outfit I could."
"Georgiana's taste runs more towards the Gap than Versace. I think Georgie made the right choice of shopping partner." He said, smiling.
Lizzy laughed. She was starting to feel more comfortable with William now that they had cleared the air. Evidently he was also for he surprised her with his next question.
"So when are you getting married?"
"Actually we just set the date recently. We're getting married September 6th. George, my fiancé, has a very demanding job as a stockbroker on Wall Street so I'm left to make all the arrangements myself. I have a lot to do but I'm looking forward to it."
"Well I have recently completed making wedding arrangements myself so I would be happy to help you."
"But you are getting married in less than two weeks. What will your wife say?"
"Caroline's job keeps her in New York much of the week but since school is out for the summer, I want to stay here with Georgie. Caroline will be here weekends and in the fall I'll start spending more time at our penthouse in the city. So you see, I have plenty of time to help you. We aren't even taking a honeymoon until winter."
Georgiana poked her head in the office. "Hey Lizzy, Mrs. Reynolds said you were here. Are you ready to shop?"
"Sure let's go." She turned to William. "I would appreciate your help. We'll see you later."
"Bye." William waved to the girls as they went out and smiled at the closed door. He thought he would enjoy the summer very much.
Georgiana and Lizzy giggled at the mannequin in the shop window. "What a hideous dress!" laughed Lizzy.
"It looks like something Caroline would wear! I wonder if it comes in orange."
"Orange?"
"Yes, that is Caroline's favorite color." Georgiana was laughing so hard tears were running down her face. "Fortunately William selected everything for the wedding so there is not a speck of orange to be found!"
"So what color do you want to wear? How about orange? It would get you in good graces with your new sister-in-law!"
"Orange - Nevah!!"
After several hours of trying on clothes, Georgiana ended up with a lovely light blue sundress. It complemented her blond hair and blue eyes very nicely. Lizzy also found a dress she liked and bought it to wear to Charles' sister's wedding. The emerald green, low-cut, sleeveless sheath showed off her curves and played up her dark hair and eyes.
"That's a very elegant dress Lizzy," remarked Georgiana. "I think William would love to see that on you."
"He would be surprised to see me in something other than jeans and a tee shirt," she laughed. "But the chances of him seeing me in this are pretty much nonexistent. I can't imagine us going somewhere together where I would dress like this."
"Well maybe you should just wear it over to our house some day then. It would knock his socks off!"
"Yeah, sure. Hi William, like my dress? OK, now let's go horseback riding. I can see it now." Lizzy and Georgiana went off into another fit of laughter.
"Lizzy, I have had so much fun with you today. I have always longed for an older sister to do things with. I'm so thrilled to have you for a friend."
Lizzy took her hand as they walked down the street. "I am happy to be your surrogate sister. You can call me any time if you want to do something or just to chat. I enjoy your company."
Georgiana was thirsty and suggested stopping for a soda. Lizzy agreed as long as her soda contained ice cream and soon they were happily ensconced in a booth at the local ice cream parlor, sipping their sweet treats.
"You're quite addicted to ice cream," Georgiana observed.
"My favorite food. Now tell me dear girl, just between us friends, why don't you like your dear sister-in-law to be?"
Georgiana turned grave. "Lizzy, I think William is making a big mistake. Caroline is such a cold unaffectionate person and William is just the opposite. I don't see how he can be happy with her. He thinks he can devote his life to their children but I'm not even sure Caroline will have any. She says she will but I can't see her being pregnant, wiping snotty noses or changing dirty diapers. She doesn't have a maternal bone in her body. I think she is just humoring William and will try to change his mind once they are married. He will be miserable. You know, they never even kiss. Caroline doesn't want him to muss her make-up. She'll only let him peck her cheek. I'm sure she will want separate bedrooms too. Lizzy, he thinks he's getting married to dispel the loneliness, but I think he'll be more lonely than ever. But what can I do? I have tried to talk to him, but he is determined."
"I'm sorry Georgiana, there really is nothing you can do. He is a grown man and will make his own mistakes. Just be there to support him no matter what happens. He loves you dearly and maybe your affection can somewhat compensate for the lack of it from his wife."
"I suppose you are right. Who's going to listen to a 16 year-old kid? So tell me about your George. What's he like? Are you head over heels in love?"
Lizzy smiled at her romantic friend. "George is very nice. He is reliable and has a good, stable job. He'll be a good husband and father, I think. He will take very good care of me."
"What do you like best about him?"
"That I can trust him completely. He is a good sort of man and I don't think he would ever do anything to hurt me." Lizzy quickly brushed aside a memory from the other night when she wasn't so sure. "And he is very handsome. Tall, though not as tall as William, with dark hair and blue eyes."
"He sounds dreamy! What does he do that drives you crazy?"
"Boy you are nosy! Hmmmm. I guess I'd have to say he is a perfectionist. I want to buy a house now but he thinks it's not the best time. He wants to wait until after we are married. It took him 6 months to decide the time was right to set a wedding date because he had to be at a specific place in his career. And I still don't have an engagement ring because he wants the perfect one and hasn't found it yet. I would settle for things being a little less perfect, you know? But he does mean well."
"Now for the important stuff - how does he kiss?"
"What kind of question is that from a 16 year-old?" Lizzy laughed and poked Georgiana good-naturedly. "He kisses just fine, thank you, even though it's none of your business!"
The girls finished their drinks and Lizzy drove Georgiana home. Georgiana invited her in but Lizzy had plans with Jane and left without encountering William. It would be several days before she saw him again.
Chapter 7 Posted on Monday, 24 January 2000
"Lizzy, hurry up. We are late. What's taking you so long?" Jane cried to her sister.
"I'm coming, I'm coming!" Lizzy shoved on her new green heels and hurried out to the kitchen. "OK, I'm ready. Let's go."
The girls went out to Lizzy's car. Since Charles had to be at the wedding early, they decided it would make more sense for Jane to ride with Lizzy. Then Charles could take her home if Lizzy decided not to stay.
"OK, where do we go?" Lizzy asked Jane, who had the directions.
Before too long it became apparent to Lizzy they were headed towards William's house. Her suspicion was confirmed when Jane told her to turn off the main road onto the gated driveway. Recognizing her car, the guard waved the girls through without checking their invitation. "Jane, do you remember this place? We are going to William Darcy's house."
"What? Charles told me his sister was marrying his best friend Billy but he never mentioned the last name. I can't imagine William ever allowing anyone to call him Billy. Maybe Billy is also friends with William and he offered his home for the wedding."
Lizzy knew it couldn't be so. After all, William was getting married today too. She had a funny feeling in her stomach. "Jane, what is Charles' sister's name?"
"Caroline."
"Oh no. Jane, Caroline is marrying William. William introduced me to Caroline but didn't say her last name. I had no idea she was Charles' sister. I don't know how Billy fits into this, but William is getting married to Caroline today." Lizzy had no desire to see William getting married to Caroline, but she had promised Jane so she was stuck. She could feel a very bad headache coming on.
When they reached the end of the driveway they were directed into a parking area arranged for the wedding guests. They were directed down a path towards the lake. Rows of white wooden chairs festooned with flowers had been set out for the guests. The gazebo was totally covered with white roses, lilies, baby's breath and white satin ribbons and a minister stood at the entrance speaking quietly with William. Even though Lizzy and Jane selected seats in the last row, she had an unobstructed view of William. Boy he looks good in a tux!
It seemed the wedding was late getting started but no one appeared concerned. Lizzy remembered William's comments about the time it takes women to get ready and figured he was speaking from experience with Caroline. It could be a long wait. Just then Georgiana turned around from her seat in the front row and spied Lizzy. "Lizzy!" she called and waved. William caught his sister's yell and turned around in surprise. Lizzy stood up and waved to both of them sheepishly. What is Elizabeth doing here? Wow does she look great in that dress! William thought. Stop it - you're at your own wedding, you idiot! Stop ogling the guests! Well just one guest, but she is a vision! That color certainly becomes her.
Several minutes passed and still the bride did not appear. William paced and kept checking his watch while looking towards the house. After a half-hour he sat down beside his sister and they spoke privately with their heads together. It was another few minutes before Charles came out and motioned to William to join him in the gazebo. A conference took place between the minister, Charles, William and Rick, the best man and William's cousin. Suddenly, William broke away and strode quickly toward the house, clearly angry and upset. Georgiana jumped up and ran after him. Whispered speculations arose from the guests. As the buzz reached a fever pitch, Lizzy and Jane just looked at each other in wonder. Rick shook hands with the minister then exited the gazebo and stood in front of the assembly. Silence came over the crowd immediately. "I apologize to everyone but it appears there will be no wedding today. William wishes to thank you all for coming and hopes you haven't been too inconvenienced." Without another word he took off towards the house, closely followed by Charles, while excited chatter filled the air. Charles spied Jane on his way and grabbed her arm saying, "You and Lizzy, come with me." They moved toward the mansion as the other guests began to leave.
Once inside, Jane asked Charles what happened. "I was waiting for Caroline to come out her room. It was getting later and later and I knew Billy would be upset. I kept knocking on the door and Louisa, my other sister (he added for Lizzy's benefit) and matron-of-honor, just kept telling me to wait a minute. I was afraid something was wrong but they wouldn't let me in. Finally Louisa came out and said Caroline had changed her mind and was gone. I asked what she meant by gone. She said Caroline was almost ready to make her appearance when she suddenly tore off her wedding dress and changed into another outfit. Then she left the room by another door, went down the back stairs and took off. It seems her car had been stored in a remote garage since she hadn't planned on using it for a few days. That allowed her to sneak down and drive off without anyone noticing."
"Did Louisa know why Caroline left? Did she give any reason?"
"All Caroline said was she couldn't go through with it and she hoped William would forgive her some day. Oh Jane, what a mess!" Jane was very concerned for Charles. He was obviously very distressed by the situation between his sister and his best friend. "What do I do now? How can I ever face William again?"
Jane put her arms around him and he clung to her. "Do you want to come home with Lizzy and me? William is probably in shock and won't want to talk right now. Give him some time and you can come back and see him later. I'm sure Georgiana and Rick are taking good care of him."
Lizzy felt helpless. She knew William must be in terrible pain but their friendship was still too new for her to feel comfortable speaking with him right now. The look on his face when he left the wedding caused her heart to ache for him.
Realizing Jane was right, Charles decided to leave with the sisters. First he went to find Louisa to see what her plans were but Mrs. Reynolds said she had already left with her husband. Charles hugged Mrs. Reynolds and said he was so sorry for what happened but she shushed him. While she was hurting for William, she was not fond of Caroline and felt this was for the best. Better heartache now than later. But she wouldn't say this to Charles. She just patted him on the back sympathetically and sent him back to his girlfriend and that lovely Miss Elizabeth.
Chapter 8 Posted on Monday, 24 January 2000
That evening Lizzy and Jane were still trying to calm Charles down. He couldn't stop talking about what his sister had done, wondering if he could have prevented it, fearing William would never forgive him. Jane and Lizzy repeatedly assured him that William would not hold the actions of his sister against him, but Charles was inconsolable. Trying to get his mind off of this fiasco, Lizzy asked him why he called William Billy.
"William and I met at Andover." Jane and Lizzy recognized the name of the exclusive preparatory school in New England. "It was the first time either of us had been away from home and we were roommates. When I first saw his name posted on the door, I immediately assumed he would be called Billy, as had all the other Williams I had ever known. You can imagine how horrified he was when I called him that! Well I couldn't help it - I called him Billy from then on. No one else ever dared to but for some reason he let me get away with it. He did get me back though - he started calling me Chuckie!" Charles laughed for the first time in hours. "Now that we consider ourselves mature adults, we try to refer to each other by our proper and preferred names, but I must confess we do lapse occasionally!"
Relieved that Charles was smiling again, Lizzy continued to tease him. "How can it be Charles that you had not introduced your best friend to your girlfriend before today?"
"It wasn't intentional. We had planned on meeting a couple of times but one thing or another got in the way. I wasn't hiding either one of them."
"And I had met William Darcy," Jane threw in. "I just didn't know that he was also Charles' best friend Billy."
Just then the phone rang and Lizzy answered it.
"Is this Elizabeth?" asked a female voice.
"Yes, who is calling please?"
"Hi. You remember George's friend John?"
"Yes."
"Well I'm John's girlfriend," Julie lied. "John and George landed a big account today and they went out after work for what was supposed to be a celebratory drink before George headed out of the city. However that turned into several drinks and John called me to pick them up. They are way too drunk to take the subway home. John has told me that George always takes the train on Saturdays to see you so I wanted to let you know that there's no way he's going to make it tonight. I'm sure he'll call when he's sobered up."
"Oh. Well thanks for letting me know. Where are you calling from? There's an awful lot of noise in the background."
"I'm at the bar and it's very crowded." Julie hoped Lizzy couldn't hear the sound of the slot machines. "I'm just waiting for a couple of the bouncers to help me load these bad little boys into my car. They can barely walk and I can't handle them by myself."
"I'm sorry that George is so much trouble. I thank you for making sure he gets home safely."
"No problem. Well I gotta run. Take care."
"Yeah, thanks again."
Julie hung up the phone and George hugged her. "Thanks babe. Let's hit the blackjack tables!"
Lizzy hung up the phone thoughtfully. "Was that George?" Jane asked. "I just realized it's getting late and he's not here."
"And he won't be, at least not tonight. That was the girlfriend of a friend of his. It seems they landed a new client today and went out to celebrate. She said he is so drunk he can't even walk. I don't understand it. He told me he rarely drinks and he almost never does when we are together."
Charles added helpfully, "Then he probably got drunk without meaning to. He's not used to the effects of alcohol and a few drinks were too much for him."
"Perhaps you're right. He was supposed to come with us to see our grandfather tomorrow. Papa will be so disappointed."
"Oh Lizzy, I forgot to tell you. Dad called this morning and said he was going to come with us. That might make up for George's absence. And I'm sure George will try to come next week since he's missing this one."
"You're probably right. If you guys will excuse me, I think I'm going to go to my room and read."
"Sure honey. Goodnight."
"Goodnight Charles."
"Goodnight Lizzy. See you tomorrow. I think I'd like to go home now Jane. Will you drive me or should I take your car and bring it back in the morning."
"I'll take you sweetie. I'm not ready to say goodnight to you yet."
"Good. I was hoping you'd say that."
Charles and Jane left hand-in-hand and Lizzy went to her room. She changed into her sweats and picked up the book she was reading. A couple hours later she fell asleep having not read one page. Her thoughts were full of William and George.
William watched the sun set into the lake. Still dressed in his tux but minus the tie and cummerbund, he was sitting on the dock holding the bride figurine from the wedding cake. His efficient household staff had already removed all signs that a wedding was to have taken place that day. He could almost pretend it hadn't happened, that he hadn't been mortified in front of his family, closest friends and business associates. And Elizabeth.
He heard footsteps behind him but he didn't look up. He had heard enough pity from his family today and wasn't in the mood for more.
"William, I'm sorry." He flinched at the sound. It was Caroline. He closed his eyes.
She gingerly sat down beside him, trying not to wrinkle her skirt. She put her hand on his arm. He immediately pulled away as if her touch hurt. He wouldn't look at her. "I'm very sorry William. I know you'll probably never forgive me but I couldn't go through with it. I don't love you. I never have, at least in the way you want. I just wanted the prestige that marrying you would bring and I wanted a steady companion. At the last minute I couldn't go through with it because it was a lie. You want a family and you want to live here, in the country. I'm a city girl and I do not want children. I'm too selfish and I love the life I lead, even though I am lonely at times. But I realized today that marrying you would not be the cure. Once you realized I had no intention of having your children, you would hate me or ditch me and I'd still be lonely."
William still hadn't uttered a word so Caroline stood up to leave. She had said all she came to say. As she walked away she heard him mumble, "You could have told me this yesterday."
When she was gone, William stood up and crushed the figurine under his foot before throwing it into the lake.